Dipylidium caninum: presentación de un caso / Dypilidium caninum: A case presentation

Se hizo un estudio descriptivo de las características del parásito Dipylidium caninum y de las manifestaciones clínicas del enfermo en el Centro Provincial de Higiene y Epidemiología, nos proponemos presentar un caso clínico diagnosticado por primera vez en el laboratorio. Se trabajó en 159 estudios coproparasitologicos de los cuales se obtuvieron 3 muestras positivas a la Tenia del Perro (Dipylidium caninum); de estos 3 casos nos llamó la atención un niño de un año que no tenía deshidratación no estaba bajo de peso, pero presentaba insomnio, prurito nocturno, lesiones en pie y en sus heces fecales estaba presente el parasito. Se le realizaron estudios parasitológicos seriados durante 7 días, arrojando la presencia siempre de los proglótides grávidos con capsulas ovíparas. Se comprobó la existencia de parásitos intestinal por Dipylidium caninum basado en las observaciones macro y microscópicos en el paciente de un año de edad, con manifestaciones clínicas como: diarreas, insomnio, expulsión de fragmento del parasito, prurito y lesiones en la mucosa intestinal. Con este trabajo nos proponemos presentar un caso clínico en humano diagnosticado en el laboratorio de Higiene y Epidemiología de Bayamo(AU)

It was made a descriptive study of the characteristics of Dipylidium caninum parasite and the clinical manifestations of the patients in the Provincial Center of Hygiene and Epidemiology; we proposed a clinical case diagnosed for the first time in the laboratory. We worked in 159 coproparasitologic studies from which there were obtained 3 positive samples of the Taenia of the Dog (Dipylidium caninum). From these 3 cases we realized that there was a year- old- child who did not present dehydration, he was not under weight, but he presented sleeplessness, prurit, injuries in both feet and the parasite was evidenced in his fecal feces. There were performed serial parasitologic studies to him during 7 days, showing the presence of the gravid proglotids with oviparous capsules. It was checked the existence of Dipylidium caninum intestinal parasites, based on the macroscopic and microscopic observations in the patient with clinical manifestations like diarrheas, sleeplessness, expulsion of fragments of the parasite, pruritus and injuries in the intestinal mucous. With this work, we proposed a clinical case in a human diagnosed in the laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology of Bayamo(EU)

Activity of the nematophagous fungi Pochonia chlamydosporia, Duddingtonia flagrans and Monacrosporium thaumasium on egg capsules of Dipylidium caninum.

Nematophagous fungi are potential biological control agents of helminths. The in vitro ovicidal effect of four isolates of the nematophagous fungi Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC1 and VC4), Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) was evaluated on egg capsules of Dipylidium caninum, a cestode parasite of dogs, cats and humans. One thousand egg capsules of D. caninum were plated on 2% water-agar with the grown isolates and control without fungus. The ovicidal activity of these fungi was evaluated 5, 10 and 15 days after incubation. Only P. chlamydosporia showed ovicidal activity (p<0.05) on D. caninum egg capsules, of 19.6% (VC1) and 20% (VC4) on the 5th day; 44.2% (VC1) and 31.5% (VC4) on the 10th day; and 49.2% (VC1) and 41.9% (VC4) on the 15th day. D. flagrans and M. thaumasium caused no morphological damage to egg capsules. The results demonstrated that P. chlamydosporia was in vitro effective against capsules and eggs of D. caninum, and can be considered as a potential biological control agent for this helminth.

Inermicapsifer madagascarensis: a propósito de 17 casos / Inermicapsifer madagascarensis: based on 17 cases

Se presentan 17 casos de niños con edades que fluctuaron entre 4 meses y 4 años, parasitados por Inermicapsifer madagascariensis, en el período comprendido entre Enero del 2000 y Octubre del 2005, los cuales procedían de siete municipios de Camagüey (provincia de la región oriental de Cuba), todos pertenecientes a áreas urbanas, con ausencia de síntomas gastrointestinales y/o generales, que comenzaron a expulsar en el 100% de los casos en sus heces, partículas idénticas a “granos de arroz” (proglótides o fragmentos de estróbilos), cuyo diagnóstico y seguimiento se realizó en el Laboratorio de Parasitología del Centro Provincial de Higiene, Epidemiología y Microbiología de Camagüey. La edad promedio fue de 1,8 años, no hubo distinción en cuanto al sexo, siendo el 88,2% de raza blanca, el 58,82% tenia el pelo de color claro y el 70,6% los ojos pardos; la combinación de pelo y ojos de color claro se manifestó en un 64,7% de los pacientes. El 41,2% asistían a instituciones infantiles, teniendo el 58,8% como mascota un perro y el 5,8% la combinación perro-gato. Todos los casos fueron tratados con Praziquantel, taenicida de producción nacional, evolucionando satisfactoriamente.

[Hydrolytic activity of enzymes produced by symbiotic microflora and its role in digestion processes of bream and its intestinal parasite Caryophyllaeus laticeps (Cestoda, Caryopyllidea)].

Bacteria capable to secrete enzymes hydrolyzing proteins and carbohydrates proved to be associated with the digestive-transport surfaces of the bream intestine and tegument of cestode Caryophyllaeus laticeps. Apparently, the contribution of symbiotic digestion to the hydrolysis of polymers increases during active feeding of fishes, while at low feeding rate, bacteria can compete with the host and its parasite for the available monomers. Secretion of bacterial enzymes hydrolyzing both complex carbohydrates and disaccharides reduces the metabolic expenditures of the macroorganisms for the synthesis of their own hydrolases. Glucose resulting from hydrolytic activity of bacterial enzymes can be used by all members of the established community. While bacteria colonizing the digestive-transport surfaces of the host and parasite were generally similar, some specific features were also observed probably due to the structural peculiarities of the intestinal mucosa and cestode tegument.

[Indigenous microflora associated with the tegument of Triaenophorus nodulosus (Cestoda) and the intestine of its pike host].

Investigations of the indigenous microflora associated with the mucous intestines of fish and its cestode parasites have been for the first time carried out using the methods of transmission and scanning electron microscopy. New data on the bacterial biodiversity in the cestode and its fish host are obtained. Nanobacteria and spirochaetes are for the first time revealed in a fish host together with the previously known bacteria forming the intestinal microflora of fish. Spirochaetes were shown to be associated with the intestines of a pike host only, while nanobacteria cover abundantly the surface of the apical parts of the intestinal microvilli and the apical parts of the microtriches in the cestode tegument. The similarity of the bacterial floras associated with the apical surface of the parasite tegument and the intestine of the host should be noted. At the same time, deeper bacterial communities represented by obligate symbionts are specific. Thus, there is a normal indigenous microflora in cestodes, associated with the tegumental surface. This symbiotic microflora has specific morphological features and provides the balance of relations in the parasite-host system.

Recent developments in research into the Cyathostominae and Anoplocephala perfoliata.

Intestinal helminths are an important cause of equine disease. Of these parasites, the Cyathostominae are the commonest group that infect horses. These nematodes consist of a complex tribe of 51 species, although individual horses tend to harbour 10 or so common species, in addition to a few rarer species. The Cyathostominae can be extremely pathogenic, and high levels of infection result in clinical symptoms ranging from chronic weight loss to colic, diarrhoea and death. As part of their life cycle, immature cyathostomins penetrate the large intestinal wall, where they can enter a state of inhibited larval development. These larvae can exist in this state for months to years, after which they subsequently re-emerge. If larvae re-emerge in large numbers (i.e. several million), severe pathological consequences ensue. The inhibited larvae are also relatively refractory to several of the currently available anthelmintics, so that horses treated previously with anthelmintics can still carry life-threatening burdens of these parasitic stages. Little is known about the cyathostomin larvae during their mucosal phase, and current research efforts are focused on investigating the biology of these stages. Much of the research described here highlights this area of research and details studies aimed at investigating the host immune responses that the mucosal larvae invoke. As part of this research effort, molecular tools have been developed to facilitate the identification of larval and egg stages of cyathostomins. These molecular tools are now proving very useful in the investigation of the relative contributions that individual, common cyathostomin species make to the pathology and epidemiology of mixed helminth infections. At the more applied level, research is also in progress to develop an immunodiagnostic test that will allow numbers of mucosal larvae to be estimated. This test utilises antigen-specific IgG(T) serum antibody responses as markers of infection. As anthelmintic resistance will be the major constraint on the future control of the Cyathostominae, researchers are now actively investigating this area and studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance are described. Another parasite which has assumed a clinically important role in horses is the tapeworm, Anoplocephala perfoliata. This parasite is prevalent world-wide and has been shown to be a significant cause of equine colic. Because previous methods of estimating the infection intensity of tapeworm were inaccurate, recent research has been directed at developing an immunodiagnostic ELISA for these cestodes. Specific IgG(T) responses to antigens secreted by adult tapeworms have been shown to provide a reasonable indication of infection intensity. An ELISA based on these responses is now commercially available. The steps involved in the development of this ELISA are described here. In addition to these recent advances in research, this review also outlines the principle areas for future research into these important equine parasites.