Infectious disease Roundup 2022

This paper describes the epidemiology, prevalence, transmission, prevention and control of some infectious diseases in companion animals, livestock, wild animals and humans in Ontario, Canada, in 2022, including SARS-CoV-2;Echinococcus multilocularis, Leishmania spp. and SARS-CoV-2;antimicrobial stewardship resources;2 cases of rabid dogs imported from Iran (July 2021 and January 2022);prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriacea, Dirofilaria immitis, Brucella canis, canine parainfluenza and adeno- and herpes viruses in dogs recently imported from Asia;Paragonimus kellicotti lung flukes and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in dogs;African swine fever in pet pigs, backyard pigs and wild pigs and blastomycosis in dogs and humans.

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases: progress report, 2021

In 2021, the number of children who required PC for STH decreased for pre-SAC from 291.2 million to 260.6 million and for SAC from 732.3 million to 653.7 million (Figure 2). This change was mainly due to revision of the numbers of children who require PC for STH in India, which decreased from 103.5 to 80.7 million for pre-SAC and from 332.1 to 259.1 million for SAC. The decreases were based on impact assessment surveys conducted in the past few years, which changed the endemicity status of some districts. Globally, PC coverage of SAC increased from 47% in 2020 to 62.9% in 2021.The number of SAC reached with deworming increased almost to that before the COVID-19 pandemic (411 million in 2021, 344 million in 2020, 455.9 million in 2019), indicating that countries are recovering.

Differentiating infectious from non-infectious respiratory disease in the cat and dog

This paper describes the clinical signs and use of differential laboratory diagnostic techniques (computed tomography, cytology, histopathology, antigen/antibody detection and polymerase chain reaction) for infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic) and non-infectious (inflammatory/immune mediated, neoplastic, cardiac, malformation, foreign body, smoke inhalation, aspiration of caustic material, non-cardiogenic, pulmonary oedema, traumativ, pneumothorax, pulmonary contusions and idiopathic) causes of respiratory diseases in cats and dogs in Ontario, Canada.

Role of neglected parasitic diseases in the era of COVID-19 pandemics

There are some doubts about the exact relationship between neglected infectious diseases (NIDs) and COVID-19 disease, which remains to be clearly defined. The present review summarized the effect of parasitic infections as the risk factors or protective agents in the COVID-19 pandemic. Parasites could proficiently modulate immune responses. Thus, parasitic infections could have a different impact on the incidence and clinical severity of COVID-19 in different regions of the world. Also, restoring programs to prevent, treat, and control NIDs, in particular helminths, could help in reducing the incidence and mortality of COVID-19 in endemic areas and help to increase vaccination effectiveness. Changes in the gut microbiome associated with helminth infection may have systemic immunomodulatory effects toward suppressing host immune responses, reducing vaccine efficacy and increasing the severity of other infectious diseases. The cytokine storm observed in severe cases of COVID-19 is characterized by a predominance of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6. However, it is possible that helminth infection could change the outcome of infection by modifying the Th2 response to limit the inflammatory component;this would be particularly apparent in areas endemic for helminthic infections, which suggests a possible protective effect against COVID-19. Because parasitic infections affect more than 2 billion people throughout the world, their impact on COVID-19- associated effects on public health could be considerable. Further studies with larger sample sizes would be needed to explore the possible role of neglected parasitic infections in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Diagnostic challenges during pandemic: a case report

Hydatid cyst is an infection caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus, which is seen endemic in animal husbandry areas. Due to the heavy burden on physicians during the pandemics, diseases other than COVID-19 took a back seat during the differential diagnosis of patients. Hydatid cyst is located in the bone at a rate of 1-4%. The symptoms and imaging features of the cyst located in the bone are not specific, thus they are less likely to be considered in the differential diagnosis of extremity lesions. The absence of a specific clinical picture and the lack of high sensitivity of the indirect hemagglutination test bring radiological evaluations to the fore in diagnosis. In this case report, we shared diagnostic and treatment process of a patient-who was first admitted to the hospital with edema, pain and fever in the leg, was diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) later diagnosed hydatid cyst with lung and bone involvement.

Quarterly report of investigations of suspected exotic diseases: July to September 2021

Exotic pest and disease investigations are managed and reported by the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI's) Diagnostic and Surveillance Directorate. This article presents a summary of investigations of suspect exotic and emerging pests and diseases in New Zealand during the period from July to September 2021.

Various surgical interventions in cases of complicated hepatic echinococcosis with intracystic bile leakage

Objective: To explore an effective surgical intervention strategy for hepatic echinococcosis complicated with intracystic bile leakage.

Investigation on the prevalence of Clonorchis sinensis infection in human population of Heilongjiang Province, 2015

To understand the current status of Clonorchis sinensis infection in the population of Heilongjiang Province, the survey sites were selected from 104 rural areas and 15 urban areas in the Province in April-June 2015, using stratified cluster random sampling method, in accordance to the guideline of the National Survey, Program for Key Human Parasitic Diseases. The rural areas were divided into four ecoregions: Changbai Mountain-Qianshan Mountains, the Eastern Northeast Plain, Sanjiang Plain, and Xiaoxing'an Mountain coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest. The number of people surveyed at each survey site was no less than 250. The modified Kato thick smear method was used to examine the participants' fecal samples (two slide-reading/sample) for C. sinensis eggs and counted. Of the 30 280 examinees, 747 were found infected, with an infection rate of 2.47%. The infection rate in rural and urban areas was 2.77% (734/26 456) and 0.34% (13/3 824) respectively, with the difference being statistically significant (X2 = 82.295, P < 0.05). Most of the infected showed mild infection (82.33%, 615/747). The infection rate was 3.05% (462/15 171) in males and 1.89% (285/15 109) in females, showing significant difference between the sexes (X2 = 42.261, P < 0.05). The highest infection rate was seen in the age group of 30-39 years (3.32%, 147/4 430), revealing significant difference between the age groups (X2 = 122.182, P < 0.05). The highest infection rate was found in farmers (animal husbandry and fishery) (3.16%, 692/21 914), with the difference between occupation groups being statistically significant (X2 = 164.846, P < 0.05). The infection rate differed significantly among the participants with different levels of education (X2 = 124.596, P < 0.05) and was highest in the group with junior high school education (3.46%, 499/14 425). The rate was significantly different between different ethnic groups (X2 = 8.395, P < 0.05), with the Han group having the highest infection rate (2.51%, 739/29 487). In rural areas, most of the infected people showed mild infection intensity (82.56%, 606/734). The infection rate was 3.39% (454/13 378) in males and 2.14 (280/13 078) in females, thus differing significantly between the sexes (X2 = 38.468, P < 0.05). The infection rate differed significantly with age (X2 = 111.315, P < 0.05) and was highest in the 30-39 year age group (3.78%, 145/3 841). Significant difference in infection rate was found also in occupation distribution (X2 = 103.863, P < 0.05), with the highest seen in the group of servants and enterprise-institution employees (5.05%, 10/198). The infection rate differed significantly in education distribution (X2 = 127.308, P < 0.05), and was highest in the group at the education level of junior high school (3.88%, 496/12 792). It also differed significantly between different ethnic groups (X2 = 8.903, P < 0.05), and was highest in the Han group (2.82%, 726/25 734). The Sanjiang Plain ecoregion showed the highest infection rate (8.75%, 575/6 574), and the rate differed significantly between ecoregions (X2 = 1 177.510, P < 0.05). In urban areas, the majority of the infected had mild infection (9/13). The infection rate in males was 0.45% (8/1 793) and that in females was 0.25% (5/2 031). The highest infection rate was detected in the age group 50-59 years (0.79%, 5/636), and among different occupations, the group of servants and enterprise-institution employees had the highest infection rate (0.97%, 4/411). In the education distribution, the illiterate group showed the highest infection rate (1.14%, 2/176). C. sinensis infection was only detected in Han ethnicity, with an infection rate of 0.35% (13/3 753). The C. sinensis infection found in Heilongjiang Province was largely mild, and the highest infection rate was seen in the Sanjiang Plain ecoregion, thus, it is imperative to actively explore feasible control strategies and measures appropriate to the

Comorbidity of hepatic cystic echinococcosis with HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. (Theme Issue: New advances in the precise diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.) [Chinese]

Objective: To investigate the comorbidity of hepatic cystic echinococcosis with HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, and to lay a foundation for further research on the influence of hepatic cystic echinococcosis on HBV/HCV infection, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hammerhead flatworms (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae, Bipaliinae): mitochondrial genomes and description of two new species from France, Italy, and Mayotte.

BACKGROUND: New records of alien land planarians are regularly reported worldwide, and some correspond to undescribed species of unknown geographic origin. The description of new species of land planarians (Geoplanidae) should classically be based on both external morphology and histology of anatomical structures, especially the copulatory organs, ideally with the addition of molecular data. METHODS: Here, we describe the morphology and reproductive anatomy of a species previously reported as Diversibipalium "black", and the morphology of a species previously reported as Diversibipalium "blue". Based on next generation sequencing, we obtained the complete mitogenome of five species of Bipaliinae, including these two species. RESULTS: The new species Humbertium covidum n. sp. (syn: Diversibipalium "black" of Justine et al., 2018) is formally described on the basis of morphology, histology and mitogenome, and is assigned to Humbertium on the basis of its reproductive anatomy. The type-locality is Casier, Italy, and other localities are in the Department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France; some published or unpublished records suggest that this species might also be present in Russia, China, and Japan. The mitogenomic polymorphism of two geographically distinct specimens (Italy vs France) is described; the cox1 gene displayed 2.25% difference. The new species Diversibipalium mayottensis n. sp. (syn: Diversibipalium "blue" of Justine et al., 2018) is formally described on the basis of external morphology and complete mitogenome and is assigned to Diversibipalium on the basis of an absence of information on its reproductive anatomy. The type- and only known locality is the island of Mayotte in the Mozambique Channel off Africa. Phylogenies of bipaliine geoplanids were constructed on the basis of SSU, LSU, mitochondrial proteins and concatenated sequences of cox1, SSU and LSU. In all four phylogenies, D. mayottensis was the sister-group to all the other bipaliines. With the exception of D. multilineatum which could not be circularised, the complete mitogenomes of B. kewense, B. vagum, B. adventitium, H. covidum and D. mayottensis were colinear. The 16S gene in all bipaliine species was problematic because usual tools were unable to locate its exact position. CONCLUSION: Next generation sequencing, which can provide complete mitochondrial genomes as well as traditionally used genes such as SSU, LSU and cox1, is a powerful tool for delineating and describing species of Bipaliinae when the reproductive structure cannot be studied, which is sometimes the case of asexually reproducing invasive species. The unexpected position of the new species D. mayottensis as sister-group to all other Bipaliinae in all phylogenetic analyses suggests that the species could belong to a new genus, yet to be described.

EFSA and ECDC publishes EU One Health 2020 zoonoses report

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have published the EU One Health 2020 Zoonoses Report. Campylobacteriosis was the most reported zoonosis in the EU in 2020, with 120,946 cases compared to more than 220,000 the previous year. This was followed by salmonellosis, which affected 52,702 people, compared to 88,000 in 2019. The number of reported foodborne outbreaks fell by 47%, with the report acknowledging the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the drop in reported zoonotic diseases in humans. The next most commonly reported diseases were yersiniosis, with 5,668 cases, and infections caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, with 4,446 cases. Listeriosis was the fifth most reported zoonosis, mainly affecting people over the age of 64. Listeriosis and West Nile virus (WNV) infections were the diseases with the highest case fatality and hospitalisation rates, with most locally acquired human infections of WNV reported in Greece, Spain and Italy. The report also monitors foodborne outbreaks in the EU, events during which at least two people contract the same illness from the same contaminated food. A total of 3,086 foodborne outbreaks were reported in 2020, with Salmonella remaining the most frequently detected agent, causing around 23% of outbreaks. The most common sources of salmonellosis outbreaks were eggs, egg products and pig meat. The report also includes data on Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium caprae, Brucella, Trichinella, Echinococcus, Toxoplasma gondii, rabies, Q fever and tularaemia.

In silico identification of excretory/secretory proteins and drug targets in monogenean parasites.

The Excretory/Secretory (ES) proteins of parasites are involved in invasion and colonization of their hosts. In addition, since ES proteins circulate in the extracellular space, they can be more accessible to drugs than other proteins, which makes ES proteins optimal targets for the development of new and better pharmacological strategies. Monogeneans are a group of parasitic Platyhelminthes that includes some pathogenic species problematic for finfish aquaculture. In the present study, 8297 putative ES proteins from four monogenean species which genomic resources are publicly available were identified and functionally annotated by bioinformatic tools. Additionally, for comparative purposes, ES proteins in other parasitic and free-living platyhelminths were identified. Based on data from the monogenean Gyrodactylus salaris, 15 ES proteins are considered potential drug targets. One of them showed homology to 10 cathepsins with known 3D structure. A docking molecular analysis uncovered that the anthelmintic emodepside shows good affinity to these cathepsins suggesting that emodepside can be experimentally tested as a monogenean's cathepsin inhibitor.