Light and scanning electron microscopy on Serrasentis sagittifer Linton, 1889 (Acanthocephala): Palaeacanthocephala: Rhadinorhynchidae) infecting the common sea bream in Egypt.

Serrasentis sagittifer is one of the most important acanthocephalan parasites parasitizing fish. This species attach to the intestinal wall via their armed proboscis which is anchored by rows of recurved spines. In the present study, Twenty two out of 50 fish specimens (44.0%) were found to be naturally infected by adult worms of Serrasentis Sagittifer Linton, 1889 (Acanthocephala: Rhadinorhynchidae) which were collected from the stomach and intestine of the common sea bream Pagrus pagrus (family: Sparidae) from locations along the Red Sea at Hurghada City, Egypt. The light and scanning microscopic study revealed that the adult worm possessed a proboscis which was long, cylindrical with a uniform width measured 0.81 ± 0.020 (0.77-0.84) mm in length and 0.48 ± 0.020 (0.33-0.69) mm in width. Claviform, armed with 25 (23-28) longitudinal rows of hooks which show a distinct dorsoventral asymmetry, with ventral hooks stouter, larger. Proboscis receptacle was 2.12 ± 0.30 (2.10-2.14) long, double-walled, with ganglion at mid-level; two unequal, long and thin lemnisci 2.9 ± 0.30(2.41-3.33) length, arised from the base of the neck, and extend up to the med-level of the trunk. The present species is compared morphologically and morphometrically with some of the previously recorded species isolated from different host species, which revealed that the present species should be classified as Serrasentis sagittifer with a new host record in Egypt.

Redescription of Pseudolepidapedon balistis Manter, 1940 and a biological variant (Trematoda: Acanthocolpidae) from the Red Sea fishes; Balistoides viridescens and Rhinecanthus assasi.

During a survey of Red Sea fish parasites, two trematodes belonging to the genus Pseudolepidapedon Yamaguti, 1938 were encountered: P. balistis Manter, 1940 was found in the small intestine of the fish Balistoides viridescens and was redescribed for the first time from Egypt; adding many detailed morphological and ultrastructural characters. The second trematode was found in the small intestine of the fish Rhinecanthus assasi and found to represent a biological variant of the previous species as it differs from it in its generally smaller dimensions, shape of suckers and pharynx and the testes. SEM details of the first species were described for the first time illustrating the differences in the spination and papillae on different parts of the body; which may be of taxonomic importance in recognizing future different species of the genus.

Studies on some metacestodes immunohistochemical response in mice as a model for human cysticercosis: II-THI type immune response in experimental Braintaenia crassiceps infected mice.

Neurocysticercosis is a serious zoonotic diseas, encountered worldwide, caused by the larval stage of Taenia solium. Due to the difficulties facing scientists to study the biological, histological and immunological effects of these larvae on the human brain, other cestodes with more or less similar larvae (Taenia crassiceps) were used. In brain infected mice, Th1 predominant cytokines were significantly detected.

Redescription of Physaloptera praeputialis von Linstow, 1889 (Nematoda: Spirurida) infecting stray cats (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) in Qena, Egypt and overview of the genus taxonomy.

Members of the family Physalopteridae are small or large worms parasitic in various regions of the alimentary tract of amphibians (3 species), reptiles (45 species), birds (24 species), mammals (more than 90 species) and humans (more than 82 reported cases). This study estimated the prevalence of Physalopteridae in stray cats in Qena and identify the encountered species and to overview the taxonomic features of different species of the family from which more than 200 species were recovered besides the unnamed species. The gastrointestinal tracts of 39 necropsied stray cats were examined for Physaloptera spp. The encountered species was mounted and prepared to be studied by ordinary and scanning electron microscopy. Ph. praeputialis adults and larvae were recovered from the pyloric region of the stomach of 28 (71.2%) of 39 necropsied stray cats (Felis catus). Species was redescribed by light and scanning electron microscopy, compared with the other related species of the same genus and larval stages are described for the first time. SEM examination of the parasite revealed that oral aperture is surrounded by 2 massive rounded lateral pseudolabia; pseudolabium roughly rectangular in apical view bearing 2 large sub- median (dorsolateral and ventrolateral) cephalic papillae.