Detection and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. from Wild Rodents and Insectivores in South Korea

In order to examine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in wild rodents and insectivores of South Korea and to assess their potential role as a source of human cryptosporidiosis, a total of 199 wild rodents and insectivore specimens were collected from 10 regions of South Korea and screened for Cryptosporidium infection over a period of 2 years (2012-2013). A nested-PCR amplification of Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) gene fragment revealed an overall prevalence of 34.2% (68/199). The sequence analysis of 18S rRNA gene locus of Cryptosporidium was performed from the fecal and cecum samples that tested positive by COWP amplification PCR. As a result, we identified 4 species/genotypes; chipmunk genotype I, cervine genotype I, C. muris, and a new genotype which is closely related to the bear genotype. The new genotype isolated from 12 Apodemus agrarius and 2 Apodemus chejuensis was not previously identified as known species or genotype, and therefore, it is supposed to be a novel genotype. In addition, the host spectrum of Cryptosporidium was extended to A. agrarius and Crosidura lasiura, which had not been reported before. In this study, we found that the Korean wild rodents and insectivores were infected with various Cryptosporidium spp. with large intra-genotypic variationa, indicating that they may function as potential reservoirs transmitting zoonotic Cryptosporidium to livestock and humans.

Intestinal Nematodes from Small Mammals Captured near the Demilitarized Zone, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea

A total of 1,708 small mammals (1,617 rodents and 91 soricomorphs), including Apodemus agrarius (n = 1,400), Microtus fortis (167), Crocidura lasiura (91), Mus musculus (32), Myodes (= Eothenomys) regulus (9), Micromys minutus (6), and Tscherskia (= Cricetulus) triton (3), were live-trapped at US/Republic of Korea (ROK) military training sites near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Paju, Pocheon, and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province from December 2004 to December 2009. Small mammals were examined for their intestinal nematodes by necropsy. A total of 1,617 rodents (100%) and 91 (100%) soricomorphs were infected with at least 1 nematode species, including Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia obvelata, Heterakis spumosa, Protospirura muris, Capillaria spp., Trichuris muris, Rictularia affinis, and an unidentified species. N. brasiliensis was the most common species infecting small mammals (1,060; 62.1%) followed by H. polygyrus (617; 36.1%), S. obvelata (370; 21.7%), H. spumosa (314; 18.4%), P. muris (123; 7.2%), and Capillaria spp. (59; 3.5%). Low infection rates (0.1-0.8%) were observed for T. muris, R. affinis, and an unidentified species. The number of recovered worms was highest for N. brasiliensis (21,623 worms; mean 20.4 worms/infected specimen) followed by S. obvelata (9,235; 25.0 worms), H. polygyrus (4,122; 6.7 worms), and H. spumosa (1,160; 3.7 worms). A. agrarius demonstrated the highest prevalence for N. brasiliensis (70.9%), followed by M. minutus (50.0%), T. triton (33.3%), M. fortis (28.1%), M. musculus (15.6%), C. lasiura (13.2%), and M. regulus (0%). This is the first report of nematode infections in small mammals captured near the DMZ in ROK.

Intestinal Nematodes from Small Mammals Captured near the Demilitarized Zone, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea

A total of 1,708 small mammals (1,617 rodents and 91 soricomorphs), including Apodemus agrarius (n = 1,400), Microtus fortis (167), Crocidura lasiura (91), Mus musculus (32), Myodes (= Eothenomys) regulus (9), Micromys minutus (6), and Tscherskia (= Cricetulus) triton (3), were live-trapped at US/Republic of Korea (ROK) military training sites near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Paju, Pocheon, and Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province from December 2004 to December 2009. Small mammals were examined for their intestinal nematodes by necropsy. A total of 1,617 rodents (100%) and 91 (100%) soricomorphs were infected with at least 1 nematode species, including Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia obvelata, Heterakis spumosa, Protospirura muris, Capillaria spp., Trichuris muris, Rictularia affinis, and an unidentified species. N. brasiliensis was the most common species infecting small mammals (1,060; 62.1%) followed by H. polygyrus (617; 36.1%), S. obvelata (370; 21.7%), H. spumosa (314; 18.4%), P. muris (123; 7.2%), and Capillaria spp. (59; 3.5%). Low infection rates (0.1-0.8%) were observed for T. muris, R. affinis, and an unidentified species. The number of recovered worms was highest for N. brasiliensis (21,623 worms; mean 20.4 worms/infected specimen) followed by S. obvelata (9,235; 25.0 worms), H. polygyrus (4,122; 6.7 worms), and H. spumosa (1,160; 3.7 worms). A. agrarius demonstrated the highest prevalence for N. brasiliensis (70.9%), followed by M. minutus (50.0%), T. triton (33.3%), M. fortis (28.1%), M. musculus (15.6%), C. lasiura (13.2%), and M. regulus (0%). This is the first report of nematode infections in small mammals captured near the DMZ in ROK.

Echinostome Infections in the Striped-Field Mouse, Apodemus agrarius, and the Ussuri White-Toothed Shrew, Crocidura lasiura, Caught Near the Demilitarized Zone, Gyeonggi-do (Province), Republic of Korea

A total of 1,498 small mammals (rodents and insectivores), including Apodemus agrarius (n = 1,366), Crocidura lasiura (54), Mus musculus (32), Micronytus fortis (28), Eothenomys regulus (9), Micronys minutes (6), and Cricetulus triton (3), were live-trapped in Gyeonggi-do (Province) (Paju-si, Pocheon-gun, and Yeoncheon-gun) near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) from December 2004 to September 2005. A. agrarius was found to be infected with 3 species of echinostomes (Echinostoma hortense, Echinostoma cinetorchis, and Euparyphium murinum), while C. lasiura was infected with 1 species (Echinochasmus japonicas) of echinostome. Other mammals were free from echinostome infections. Total 16 E. hortense were detected in 7 (0.5%) mice, 9 E. cinetorchis from 5 (0.4%), and 3 E. murinum from 2 (0.1%) out of 1.366 A. agrarius examined. E. japonicus was found only in 1 (1.9%; total 3 specimens) C. lasiura. These results demonstrate that A. agrarius and C. lasiura, inhabiting near the DMZ of Gyeonggi-do serve as the natural definitive hosts for several species of echinostomes, although their infection rates are low. This is the first record of natural infections of A. agrarius with E. cinetorchis and C. lasiura with E. japonicus in the Republic of Korea.

Plagiorchis muris infection in Apodemus agrarius from northern Gyeonggi-do (Province) near the demilitarized zone

The small intestines of 6 species of rodents and 1 species of insectivore were examined seasonally for Plagiorchis muris infection in 3 different localities in northern Gyeonggi-do (Province), near the demilitarized zone (DMZ). A total of 1,496 animals, including 1,366 Apodemus agrarius, 54 Crocidura lasiura (insectivore), 32 Mus musculus, 28 Micronytus fortis, 9 Eothenomys regulus, 6 Micronys minutus, and 3 Cricetulus triton, were live-trapped at Yeoncheon-gun (n = 351), Paju-shi (804) and Pocheon-gun (343) at 3-mo intervals from December 2004 to September 2005. A total of 1,647 P. muris were collected from 72 (5.3%) A. agrarius. The infection rate was the highest in Pocheon-gun (8.2%), followed by Yeoncheon-gun (5.0%) and Paju-shi (4.2%). A higher infection rate was observed in A. agrarius captured during September (19.4%) than those captured during December (3.0%), June (2.6%), or April (0%). However, the worm burden was the highest in June (av. 32.1/animal), followed by September (24.7), December (4.0), and April (0). None of the other animal species were found infected with P. muris. The results reveal that A. agrarius is a natural definitive host for P. muris, and infection rates and worm burdens vary seasonally and geographically.

Apodemus agrarius as a new definitive host for Neodiplostomum seoulense

A total of 1,496 rodents and insectivores were live-trapped at Yeoncheon-gun (n = 351), Paju-shi (804), and Pocheon-gun (343), Gyeonggi-do (Province), and examined for intestinal helminths, including Neodiplostomum seoulense, seasonally from December 2004 to September 2005. Six species of rodents, including Apodemus agrarius (1,366), Mus musculus (32), Micronytus fortis (28), Eothenomys regulus (9), Micronys minutus (6), and Cricetulus triton (3), and 1 species of insectivores Crocidura lasiura (54) were collected. A total of 321 adult N. seoulense were collected from 19 (1.4%) A. agrarius. The worm burden ranged from 1 to 101 per A. agrarius (mean; 16.9). No N. seoulense was observed in other rodent or insectivore species examined. The infection rate during autumn (4.5%) was higher than those during spring (0.8%), summer (0.8%), and winter (0.5%). The average number of N. seoulense in infected A. agrarius was the highest in spring (66.0 specimens), followed by autumn (15.2), winter (4.5), and summer (3.3). This study first confirms that A. agrarius is a natural definitive host for N. seoulense, and demonstrates that the infection rates and intensities vary seasonally and geographically.

Use of tactile cues by Notiosorex crawfordi (Insectivora) in response to topographical features in the environment.

The present studies were conducted on the ability of males of the gray shrew, Notiosorex crawfordi to use tactile cues to detect and respond to changes in topographical features of their environment. The animals were videotaped, digitized, and analyzed through video recordings. All subjects showed habituation (decrease in distance traveled) to arena conditions, followed by dishabituation when positions of the blocks were changed. Intact (INT) and sham controls (SHC) shrews traveled significantly greater distances and showed higher exploration velocities as compared to animals with shaved vibrissae (SHV). Results provide empirical evidence that N. crawfordi can effectively use tactile cues to detect and respond to changes in its environment.

Biological and immunological studies ot five Brazilian rabies virus isolates

Estudou-se em camundongos aspectos do comportamento biológico de amostras brasileiras de virus rábico isoladas de cão, bovino, eqüino, morcegos hematófago e insetívoro. Observou-se transmissão oral em camundongos alimentados com cérebros infectados de morcego insetívoro (8,82%), cão (8,57%) e eqüino (3,03%). O período de incubação médio para todas as amostras foi de 6 dias após a inoculação intracerebral, com sintomas variando, desde hiperexitabilidade (amostra canina), paralisia progressiva principalmente de membros posteriores e maior duração do curso clínico até a morte (eqüino) e morte repentina, sem sintomas aparentes (morcego insetívoro). Pela imunoistoquímica detectou-se produção de IFN nos cérebros dos camundongos inoculados com amostra de bovino e morcego insetívoro, TNF e iNOS nos animais infectados com amostra de cão, bovino e morcego insetívoro e reação astrocitária com aumento da expressão de GFAP em todas as cinco amostras. A eficácia de 2 vacinas comerciais inativadas, uma nacional e outra importada, para a proteção contra a infecção experimental em camundongos foi avaliada através dos testes NIH e CDC, usando as amostras de campo para o desafio. Não houve diferença significativa entre o desempenho das vacinas, quando comparadas para um mesmo teste de potência e amostra de desafio sugerindo que não há necessidade de se produzir vacinas com amostras isoladas de campo.

Isolamento do vírus rábico em Molossus ater (Chiroptera: Molossidae) no Estado de Säo Paulo / Rabies in insectivorous bat - Molossus ater in S. Paulo State, Brazil

Descreve-se o isolamento e a identificaçäo do vírus rábico em morcegos insetívoros Molossus ater, no Estado de Säo Paulo, nos municípios de Araçatuba, Penápolis e Säo José do Rio Preto. A maioria dos exemplares foi capturada ainda com vida, näo havendo, porém, contato com pessoas ou animais. O diagnóstico foi realizado pelas provas de imunofluorescência direta e inoculaçäo intracerebral em camundongos

Isolamento do vírus rábico de morcego insetívoro, Lasyurus borealis / Rabies virus isolation in insectivorous bat Lasyurus borealis

Relata um caso de raiva em morcego insetívoro, Lasyurus borealis, na regiäo urbana, em bairro residencial, no Município de Jundiaí, SP (Brasil)

Nycteria medusfiformis Garnham and Heisch, 1953: a malaria parasite of the Egyptian insectivorous rat, taphozouz perforatus

A malarian parasite belonging to the genus Nycteria was observed for the first time in the erythrocytes and liver parenchyma cells of the Egyptian insectivorous bat, Taphozous perforatus, Young and mature gametocytes were demonstrated in the erythrocytes. Both sexes of the gametocytes are similar in size, but the microgametocytes differ from the macrogametocytes in having filaments or flagella protruding onto the surface of infected host cells. The compact immature schizonts are spherical or oval with granular cytoplasm and several large nuclei. Growing schizonts have irregular outline, while mature schizonts possess surface indentations and lobulated contour. Comparison between this and the other malaria parasites found in bats confirms its identity to Nycteria medusiformis

Los odonatos como biorreguladores de las fases larvales de los mosquitos / Odonata as bioregulators of mosquito larval phases

Se realizó un estudio comparativo de 3 especies de odonatos pertenecientes al suborden anisoptera, para valorar la capacidad de depredación de cada una de las especies por separado, tanto en condiciones de campo como de laboratorio, se utilizaron para ello larvas de mosquito de la especie Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) 1823. Se observó, de acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos, que dichas especies, tanto Pantala flavescens (Gundl) 1888, Tramea abdominalis (Gundl) 1888 y Erithrodiplax umbrata (Linn) 1758, depredan por igual en el medio sin vegetación, por cuanto no se observan diferencias significativas, mientras que en el medio con vegetación sí se observan éstas, la especie E. umbrata es la que manifiesta mayor capacidad depredadora en ambos medios y para condiciones del laboratorio. Se muestra por los resultados obtenidos en pruebas de campo, que las especies T. abdominalis y E. umbrata desarrollan una mayor depredación en relación con P. flavescens para el medio con ausencia de plantas; se observó que estas 3 especies son menos efectivas como biorreguladoras en el medio con vegetación, y que depredan por igual. Se realizó un análisis de correlación simple, demostrándose una dependencia muy estrecha entre el crecimiento del biorregulador y el número de larvas ingeridas. Se determinó mediante un cálculo de regresión lineal el carácter cuantitativo de esta dependencia

A study of small mammals in the Ciloto field station area, West Java, Indonesia, with special reference to vectors of plague and scrub typhus.

From June 1977 to June 1978 a study of smal mammals was carried out in the Ciloto field station area, West Java, Indonesia by the WHO Vector Biology and Control Research Unit-II. The objectives of the investigations were to determine the diversity and density of rodent species, to find potential plague and scrub typhus vectors and to study their host-parasite relationships. In the 13 month period a total of 6 species of murids were identified; two species of campestral rats (R. tiomanicus and R. argentiventer), one species of peri-domestic (R. exulans), one species of domestic (R.r. diardii), and two species of forest rats (R. bartelsii and R. bukit). In addition, three species of insectivores (Suncus murinus, Hylomys suillus and Crocidura monticola), and one species of carnivore were found. Of the three habitats studies (mixed, ricefield and lalang), 10 species of small mammals were found in the mixed while four species of commensal murids were found in both the ricefield and the lalang. Of the four commensal murid species R. exulans had the highest density. R. tiomanicus was common but not abundant, and least common was R. argentiventer. R.r. diardii was occasionally found in the field. The mean litter size of gravid R. tiomanicus was 7.1, R. exulans 4.3, R. argentiventer 7.5 and R.r. diardii 9. Male R. tiomanicus, R. argentiventer and R.r. diardii with spermatozoa present in animals over 55 gm. Animals of less than 50 gm had no sperm. In R. exulans spermatozoa were present in specimens weighing 24-66 gm. No sperm were detected in those below 20 gm. The flea index of Xenopsylla cheopis and Stivalius cognatus as determined for R. tiomanicus was 0.3 and 2.3;l for R.r. diardii 2.2 and 1.7; for R. exulans 0.3 and 0.5; and for R. argentiventer 0.4 and 1.7 respectively. S. cognatus had a significantly higher density than X. cheopis among the campestral and peridomestic rats, but the density of X. cheopis was significantly in the domestic rat. Overall infestation rates were equally high in both mixed and lalang habitats, but low in the ricefield. Flea indices were highest in the mixed habitat, lower in lalang, and lowest in ricefield. The putative vector of scrub typhus (Leptotrombidium (L.) deliense) was quite prevalent on campestral rats, less so on domestic ones and least on peridomestic. Overall infestation rates were equally high in both mixed and lalang habitats and low in the ricefield. Chiggers load per animal was significantly higher in the mixed habitat, lower in lalang and lowest in the ricefield.

Absence of plague in certain mammals from Java and Kalimantan (Borneo).

Antibodies against plague were lacking in 237 wild mammal sera from Java and 103 from Kalimantan. Wild mammal spleens, 114 from Java and 18 from Kalimantan were negative for plague bacilli. A variety of mammalian species and areas was examined.

Sarcocystis booliati n.sp. and a parasite of undetermined taxonomic position, Octoplasma garnhami n. gen. n. sp., from the moonrat, Echinosorex gymnurus.

Sarcocystis booliati n.sp. is described from the moonrat Echinosorex gymnurus (Mammalia, Insectivora) from West Malaysia. The cysts are very thin-walled, not visible to the naked eye, and have no trabeculae or cytophaneres. They are found in skeletal but not heart muscle. The zoites are small, 5-8 by 2-3 mum with a mean of 6.5 by 2.2 mum, in dry fixed smears. Octoplasma garnhami n.gen. n.sp., a parasite of undetermined taxonomic status but belonging to the Coccidiasina, Apicomplexa, is also described from the same host. Only schizononts and pseudocysts with typically 8 zoites, have so far been seen in monocytes of the spleen and liver. The zoites are large, 15 by 3 mum and have a distinct nucleolus even in dry-fixed smears.