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Development of Khawia sinensis Hsü, 1935 (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea) in the fish host.

The development of the tapeworm Khawia sinensis has been observed up to the stage of sexually mature parasites releasing eggs in an experimentally infected definitive host (Cyprinus carpio) at 15-16 degrees C. Juvenile, maturing, adult and gravid tapeworms were found 2-12, 19-24, 36-62, and 78-91 days post infection, respectively. No apparent size difference between tapeworms from carp kept at 20-22 degrees C, examined 1-16 days post infection, and those from 15-16 degrees C was observed. In naturally infected and fed carp, kept at 21-22 degrees C, some tapeworms survived till the end of experiment (44 days) while in unfed fish they survived only 15 days from the beginning of experiment.

Animals↗

Evaluation of granulated fenbendazole as a treatment for helminth infections in dogs.

A granulated formulation of fenbendazole was tested in 95 dogs harbouring naturally occurring infections of Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma caninum, Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum, and Taenia spp and in 19 laboratory-reared Beagle pups experimentally infected with Toxascaris leonina. The drug was administered in moistened dry dog food or in canned dog food. In dosage titration and confirmational studies, using worm counts in naturally infected dogs, the drug was 98%-100% effective at a dosage of 50 mg/kg of body weight/day for 3 days against the commonly occurring nematodes of dogs (ascarids, hookworms, and whipworms) and against Taenia tapeworms. A dosage of 20 mg/kg for 5 days was equally effective against nematodes, but only 73% of the dogs were cleared of Taenia tapeworms. There was no activity at either dosage against Dipylidium tapeworms. Dosages of 100 or 150 mg/kg for a single treatment and 5 or 25 mg/kg daily for 3 days were unsatisfactory with respect to nematodes and tapeworms. Induced infections of T leonina were eliminated from all treated dogs at the dosage and dosing period tested (50 mg/kg/day for 3 days). Fourteen untreated controls expelled 13% of T leonina burdens. It was concluded that granulated fenbendazole is effective in dogs against natural infections of T canis, A caninum, T vulpis, Taenia spp, and experimentally induced infections of T leonina at a dosage of 50 mg/kg of body weight/day for 3 days.

Animals↗

Intussusception associated with Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in five horses.

Intussusception associated with Anoplocephala perfoliata infection was found in 5 horses. The unusual types of intussusception and the presence of tapeworms at the leading edge of the intussuscipiens suggested tapeworms as the cause of the problem. Lesions attributable to tapeworm attachment on the mucosa were found to fit a mechanical model of intussusception. Treatment of two of the horses and some of their pasturemates with pyrantel pamoate caused elimination of intact tapeworms.

Animals↗

[Hereditary character of feature variability in Hymenolepis diminuta bred from oncospheres of defined origin].

Three groups of tapeworms obtained 2.5 month after the administration to rats of a dose of 6 cysticercoids proceeding from oncospheres of the 24th generation of Hymenolepis diminuta were compared. Group I came from the oncospheres of only one proglottid of H. diminuta WMS "strain" tapeworm. Group II proceeded from 6 proglottids obtained each from another tapeworm of this "strain". Group III came from 6 proglottids, each from another tapeworm of H. diminuta WMS inbred line 1 (il1). The average number of type 0p3a proglottids in group I and II was similar and amounted to 4.0% and 4.7%, respectively, while in group III it was significantly higher than in the first two groups and reached an average of 8.4% (P < 0.01). There are also other significant differences between the two breeding lines-H. diminuta WMS "strain" and WMS il1 with respect to the number of typical 1p2a proglottids, type 1p3a proglottids, the second after 0p3a most common deviation from the typical 1p2a as well as all deviations taken together. This points to the influence of different breeding condition: non-inbred in case of H. diminuta WMS "strain" and inbred in case of H. diminuta WMS il1 on the investigated features.

Animals↗

Immune response and immunodepression in Hymenolepis diminuta infection in rats.

Maximum size range of Hymenolepis diminuta was found in rats 22 days postinfection (p.i.) with single or several (3-6) tapeworms. Immunologic reactions of the host were connected with the growth and development of parasites. Positive results of macrophage migration inhibition test (MMI) were recorded from 7 until 22 days p.i. in infection with a single and to 16 days p.i. in those with 3-6 H. diminuta. The negative results of the MMI test observed at later postinfection times are considered as a manifestatioin of immunosuppression caused by the presence of H. diminuta. The expulsion of tapeworm by anthelmintic treatment with Yomesan restored for a short time cell-mediated immunity, as demonstrated by MMI test. The level of antibodies, as determined by passive hemagglutination test (HA), varied during the infection; it was highest at 22 days p.i. The removal of tapeworms as a result of drug treatment caused a rise in titers.

Animals↗

FMRFamide-related peptides in Hymenolepis diminuta: immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay.

The localization of FMRFamide-related peptide (FaRP) immunoreactivity was determined during different stages of development of the rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta. In the adult worm (14 days old), FaRP immunostaining was most intense in the scolex and concentrated in the central nervous system (cerebral ganglia and transverse commissures) and around the lips of the suckers. In the strobila, medial and lateral longitudinal nerve cords (LNCs) and ladder-like connecting commissures were the only tissue stained. Immunoreactivity in the medial LNCs of the adult tapeworms extended only to and included proglottides containing developing testis and seminal receptacle but disappeared in proglottides in which primordial ovaries were first detected. Radioimmunoassay confirmed that FaRPs were concentrated in the scolex/neck region of the adult worm (3.9 +/- 1.5 pmol mg protein-1), whereas the lowest concentrations (0.2 +/- 0.19 pmol mg protein-1) were recovered from the regions of the strobila containing shelled eggs. The pattern of FaRP immunoreactivity observed in 5- and 7-day-old worms was similar to that seen in adult worms, but in 2- and 3-day-old worms the pattern of immunoreactivity observed in the cerebral ganglia, transverse commissures, and LNCs differed significantly as compared with that seen in older worms. These results indicate differential utilization and/or roles for FaRPs during development and suggest both central and sensory roles in this tapeworm.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis of zoonotic cestode infections: an update.

This paper reviews the literature on zoonotic cestode infections with specific reference to the years 1999-2003. The sources and prevalence of various zoonotic tapeworm infections caused by adult and larval stages of the genera Taenia, Echinococcus, Diphyllobothrium, Hymenolepis and Dipylidium continue to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality, not only in most underdeveloped countries but also in industrialized countries, particularly in rural areas or among immigrant groups from endemic areas. The review gives a detailed report on recent molecular epidemiological studies on the taxonomy and phylogenetic variations in Echinococcus granulosus, immunological tests and imaging techniques used in epidemiological surveys and clinical investigations of important adult and larval tapeworm infections of animals and humans. Larval stages or metacestodes of Taenia solium, Echinococcus spp. and pseudophyllidean tapeworms (Spirometra syn. Diphyllobothrium spp.) may reside in various tissues of their intermediate hosts, including humans. In particular, Cysticercus cellulosae (T. solium) and the larvae of E. granulosus, and E. multilocularis, which are predominantly located in the liver, lungs and central nervous system forming various types of cysts, lead to a complex of systemic diseases such as cysticercosis, cystic echinococcosis and alveolar echinococcosis, respectively. Relatively rare clinical manifestations are seen in the muscles, subcutaneous tissue, spleen, kidneys, bones and body cavities.

Animal Diseases↗

Taenia taeniaeformis: inhibition of metacestode development in the rat by gossypol.

The effect of gossypol, a polyphenolic compound, on developing Taenia taeniaeformis larvae in the rat liver was examined. Five groups of rats were used. In group 1, subcutaneous injection of gossypol at 10 mg/kg was started 5 days prior to administration of tapeworm eggs. In group 2, gossypol injections were started 5 days after administration of eggs. Groups 3 and 4 were infected and noninfected rats, respectively, which received the vehicle (10% ethyl alcohol in 0.85% NaCl) only. Group 5 rats were noninfected but received gossypol. From each group, 5 rats were killed on days 7, 12, and 22 of infection, respectively. The number and size of larvae and the size of the livers were much less in rats gossypol injected 5 days before infection than those in the vehicle-treated group. Administration of gossypol 5 days after infection resulted in less inhibition. The size and the thickness of the fibrous capsule around larvae of the gossypol-treated rats were much smaller than those of the control-infected group. The actively developing larvae excrete or secrete a sulfated glycosaminoglycan which is specifically stained with alcian blue. There was much more alcian blue-positive substance around the larvae and the capsule of the control-infected liver compared to the gossypol-treated infected animal. The percentage body weight of the spleen was significantly greater in the gossypol-treated rats in both infected and noninfected groups. These results suggest that gossypol may directly inhibit tapeworm larval development or that elimination of the tapeworm may be resulted from gossypol-induced stimulation of host cell-mediated immunity.

Animals↗

Mechanism of 3-0-methylglucose uptake by Hymenolepis diminuta.

The mechanism by which Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) absorbs 3-0-methylglucose (30MG) in vitro was analyzed. Influxes of 0.1 and 0.01 mM-3H-30MG during incubations ranging from 5 s to 60 min were not affected significantly when 10 mM-unlabeled 30MG was present as an inhibitor. After 60 min in 0.1 mM-3H-30MG, the concentration of labeled substrate within tapeworms (0.04 mumol ml-1 worm water = 0.04 mM) was less than that of the bathing medium. Tapeworms incubated for 1 h with either 5 mM-glucose or 5 mM-beta-methylglucose (beta MG) gained 15-20% more water than did tapeworms in saline alone, but addition of 5 mM-30MG to the saline had no significant effect on weight change. When the 3H-30MG concentration was varied from 0.01 to 10 mM, influxes were a linear function of substrate concentrations. These analyses show that H. diminuta absorbs 30MG by simple diffusion alone. Thus, use of this monosaccharide to estimate the internal concentration of actively transported sugars (e.g. glucose or beta MG) in H. diminuta is invalid.

3-O-Methylglucose↗

The effect of praziquantel on calcium in Hymenolepis diminuta.

Praziquantel (PZ) at concentrations down to 5 x 10(-8) M induced a rapid contraction of Hymenolepis diminuta musculature. This effect was accompanied by a strong inhibition of 45Ca2+ incorporation which showed some dependence on Ca2+ concentration. Ca2+ efflux experiments showed that PZ markedly stimulated the release of Ca2+ from tapeworms preloaded with 45Ca2+, with the effluxed Ca2+ being derived from a small fast pool and a larger slow pool. This stimulatory effect appeared., like PZ-induced muscle contraction, to be independent of external Ca2+. By carrying out 45Ca2+ exchange experiments under near equilibrium conditions and atomic absorption spectroscopy it could be demonstrated that PZ resulted in a net excretion of endogenous Ca2+. In PZ-induced contracted worms adenylate nucleotide levels and the adenylate energy charge were not significantly different from those of untreated control worms. Also, PZ had no effect on Ca2+-stimulated ATPase activity of the tapeworm's tegumental brush border. Nor did the drug alter the activities of Ca2+-ATPases in whole homogenates of worms or mitochondria, microsomal or soluble fractions. Although the mechanism of PZ-induced changes in Ca2+ transport was not elucidated, it is suggested that the sustained release of endogenous Ca2+ may affect the sequence of excitation-contraction coupling and that such interference may cause the observed massive contraction of the tapeworm's musculature.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Time series analysis of the prevalence of endoparasitic infections in cats and dogs presented to a veterinary teaching hospital.

The apparent prevalence of endoparasitic infections of cats and dogs presented to the small animal Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania was measured between 1984 and 1991. Two thousand feline and 8077 canine fecal samples were examined along with 6830 canine blood samples. The overall mean monthly prevalence of feline infections was 16% for ascarids, 0.9% for hookworms, 4.0% for tapeworms, 2.4% for Giardia spp. and 4.2% for coccidia. The overall mean monthly prevalence of canine infections was 5.7% for ascarids, 9.7% for hookworms, 9.7% for whipworms. 1.8% for tapeworms, 4.7% for Giardia spp. and 3.1% for coccidia. There was a significant downward trend in the prevalence of hookworms and heartworms in dogs (P < 0.001 in both cases). There was a significant upward trend in the prevalence of tapeworms in cats (P < 0.05). There were no significant long-term trends in any of the other time series. The smoothed data were analyzed for seasonal trends. None of the autocorrelation analyses gave incontrovertible evidence of seasonality. The repeated peaks at the 6, 12 and 24 month lags in the case of ascarid infections were suggestive of a 12 month seasonality with a peak prevalence in December, but the results were not statistically significant at the 5% level. Hookworms and whipworms in dogs occurred together more than would be expected by chance in 4 out of the 6 years for which data were available.

Aging↗

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies to Anoplocephala perfoliata in horse sera.

A scolex antigen of the horse tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata containing at least 14 different proteins was employed in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies to A. perfoliata in equine sera. The assay was applied to sera from 426 slaughtered horses with different numbers of worms and with varying degrees of intestinal lesions. As measured by the ELISA, there was a very strong effect on the antibody levels both from the number of tapeworms present and from the intestinal lesion score. However, considerable individual variation was observed between horses with similar worm counts. The ELISA values of horses that were either negative for strongyles and tapeworms or positive only for strongyles were similar, whereas both of these groups differed significantly from animals that harboured only A. perfoliata. Thus it seemed that cross-reactivity with concurrent nematode infections did not occur. Furthermore, a significant seasonal pattern in antibody levels was observed which reflected the establishment of newly acquired infections. No observations were made of confounding effects owing to age and previous anthelmintic treatment of the horses. It is concluded that the ELISA presented here has a potential for monitoring A. perfoliata infection on a herd level and can be used as a complementary diagnostic tool in epidemiological studies. The present study indicates that transmission of A. perfoliata in Central Sweden occurred during a short period in spring and more consistently in late autumn.

Aging↗

Anthelmintic usage of extracts of Embelia schimperi from Tanzania.

Embelia schimperi Vatke, belonging to the family Myrsinaceae, is used among the traditional Masai people of Tanzania and Kenya since it is believed to eliminate adult Taenia saginata, the beef tapeworm. In the present study, the anthelmintic effect of an extract of the dried fruits of Embelia schimperi was studied in experimental parasite/rodent models. In two experiments, rats with 10 adult tapeworms of Hymenolepis diminuta were treated with a diammonium salt of embelin (DE), isolated from the fruits. Significant lower numbers and total worm biomass of Hymenolepis diminuta were observed in rats treated with 100 mg DE/kg. Furthermore, clear indications of the occurrence of destrobilation was observed in faeces after treatment and in 16% of the worms found at autopsy. The killing effect shown in vivo was corroborated by in vitro studies, which showed that all adult Hymenolepis diminuta were killed when incubated in a culture medium containing as little as 0.08 mg DE/ml. No significant in vivo effect of DE was observed against Hymenolepis microstoma, the trematode Echinostoma caproni and the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus in mice, although the worms could be killed in vitro. These results indicate that the crushed seeds of Embelia schimperi taken orally by the Masai people indeed have an anthelmintic effect against human intestinal tapeworms.

Animals↗

Transport of neurotransmitter precursors in a syncytial epithelium.

1. Tegumental transport of choline at concentrations ranging from 0.005-5.0 mM provided no evidence for saturable, carrier-mediated entry of this amine in the tegument of the rat tapeworm (Hymenolepis diminuta). 2. In contrast, the large neutral amino acid tryptophan appears to be taken up via a high-affinity transporter. In the 1st quartile of 17-day-old tapeworms (Km = 0.033 mM, Vmax = 0.7 nmol.min-1.g-1), in the 2nd quartile (Km = 0.015 mM, Vmax = 0.3 nmol.min-1.g-1), in the 3rd quartile (Km = 0.022 mM, Vmax = 0.5 nmol.min-1.g-1) and in the 4th quartile (Km = 0.025 mM, Vmax = 0.5 nmol.min-1.g-1) saturable tryptophan transport was kinetically characterized. 3. The non-saturable diffusion component (Kd) for tryptophan transport ranged from 3.8-10.2 microliters.min-1.g-1. 4. These studies suggest choline does not appear to be transported across the tapeworm tegument. Saturable transport of tryptophan via a high-affinity carrier is reported, and no regional variations in indole amino acid uptake were detected.

Animals↗

Paraphyly of the Pseudophyllidea (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda): circumscription of monophyletic clades based on phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal RNA.

Phylogenetic relationships of cestodes of the order Pseudophyllidea (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda) were examined using sequences of complete small subunit and partial (D1-D3 region) large subunit nuclear rDNA of members of all pseudophyllidean families. The results provide evidence of paraphyly of the order as indicated by previous molecular phylogenetic analyses based on a much lower number of species sequenced. Pseudophyllidean tapeworms represent an artificial assemblage comprising two unrelated clades. "Bothriocephalidea" is formed by four families sensu Bray et al. (1994), namely Bothriocephalidae, Echinophallidae, Philobythiidae and Triaenophoridae, whereas two other families, Diphyllobothriidae and Cephalochlamydidae, give rise to the "Diphyllobothriidea". The present results indicate that "Bothriocephalidea" forms the most derived clade of all difossate and tetrafossate/bothriate tapeworm lineages which are considered to be basal relative to the rest of tetrafossate/bothridiate and acetabulate cestodes. By contrast, "Diphyllobothriidea", which includes medically important parasites (Diphyllobothrium and Spirometra), appeared more basal, without a clearly resolved position within other difossate tapeworm lineages.

Animals↗

Transtegumental diffusion of benzimidazole anthelmintics into Moniezia benedeni: correlation with their octanol-water partition coefficients.

The experiments described here report on the correlation between the ex vivo diffusion of different benzimidazole (BZD) anthelmintics into the cestode parasite Moniezia benedeni, and their octanol-water partition coefficients (P.C.). The characterisation of the drug diffusion process into target parasites is relevant to understand the mechanism of drug penetration and the pharmacological activity of anthelmintic drugs. Specimens of the tapeworm M. benedeni, used as a helminth parasite model, were obtained from untreated cattle killed at the local abattoir. The collected parasites were incubated (5-210 min) with either fenbendazole (FBZ), albendazole (ABZ), ricobendazole (RBZ), oxfendazole (OFZ), mebendazole (MBZ), oxibendazole (OBZ), or thiabendazole (TBZ), in a Kreb's Ringer Tris buffer medium at a final concentration of 5 nmol/ml. After the incubation time elapsed, samples of parasite material were chemically extracted and prepared for high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis to measure drug/metabolite concentrations. Additionally, the octanol-water P.C. for each molecule was estimated as an indicator of drug lipophilicity, using reversed phase HPLC analysis. All the incubated drugs were recovered from the tapeworms as early as 5 min post incubation. There was a high correlation (r=0.87) between drug lipophilicity, expressed as octanol-water P.C. (Log P), and drug availability within the parasite. The most lipophilic BZD compounds (FBZ, ABZ, and MBZ), with P.C. values higher than 3.7, were measured at significative higher concentrations within the tapeworm compared to those drugs with the lowest P.C. values. Considering the results from the current and previous studies, it is clear that passive diffusion is a major mechanism of BZD penetration into cestode parasites, where lipid solubility is a determinant factor influencing the diffusion of these anthelmintic molecules through the parasite tegument.

Animals↗

Efficacy of Droncit Spot-on (praziquantel) 4% w/v against immature and mature Echinococcus multilocularis in cats.

The causative agent of alveolar hydatidosis in humans, the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, is extending its geographical range in Europe and has been found in domestic cats in some areas. A dermally applied cestocidal treatment for domestic cats has been developed and the efficacy of this treatment is reported. Thirty purpose-bred cats were experimentally infected each with 10000 protoscoleces of Echinococcus multilocularis. Ten days later one group of ten cats was treated with Droncit(R) Spot-on (Praziquantel) 4% w/v dermally in one place on the dorsal aspect of the neck at a dose of 8 mg/kg. Eleven days later (21 days p.i.) a second group of ten cats was also treated with Droncit(R) Spot-on the same way. One group of ten cats was left untreated as controls. Twenty three days after infection the cats were examined for the presence of E. multilocularis tapeworms. No E. multilocularis were recovered from any of the cats in either of the treated groups. Echinococcus multilocularis were recovered from eight of the ten cats left untreated as controls. The worm burdens in the untreated cats were 0, 0, 5, 15, 75, 110, 220, 815, 2635, and 3045 worms per cat. The worms ranged in development from the three to four segment stage. Many of the E. multilocularis with four segments contained unshelled eggs in the terminal segment. This study indicates that Droncit(R) Spot-on (Praziquantel) 4% w/v applied dermally at 8 mg/kg is highly effective in removing E. multilocularis from the small intestine of cats infected with immature and mature (prepatent) infections of E. multilocularis. In the cats with the mature infections all tapeworms were absent from the small intestine within 2 days of treatment.

Animals↗

Species identification after treatment for human taeniasis.

Identification of species of human tapeworms is crucial because the consequences of infection by Taenia solium and T saginata are very different. However, evacuation of species-identifiable tapeworms is uncommon and Taenia spp eggs are indistinguishable under the microscope. Treatment of taeniasis consists of niclosamide followed by a purgative. Recently, we adopted preniclosamide and postniclosamide electrolyte-polyethyleneglycol salt (EPS) purges to improve bowel cleaning. Retrospective comparison of traditional castor oil with EPS purge showed that recovery of the tapeworm scolex was significantly improved (20 of 68 vs none of 46, p=0.0001) in the EPS group. Furthermore, 42 of 68 (62%) individuals receiving EPS excreted identifiable gravid proglottids. EPS treatment helps the visual identification of Taenia spp.

Adolescent↗