Helminths in the wolf, Canis lupus, from north-western Spain.

Fifteen helminth species were collected from 47 wolves (Canis lupus ) which were surveyed from 1993 to 1999 in northwestern Spain. These included the trematode Alaria alata (2.1%); the cestodes Taenia hydatigena (44.7%), T. multiceps (29.8%), T. serialis (2.1%), Dipylidium caninum (6.4%) and Mesocestoides sp. aff. litteratus (4.2%); and the nematodes Pearsonema plica (7.4%), Trichuris vulpis (10.6%), Trichinella britovi (12.8%), Ancylostoma caninum (8.5%), Uncinaria stenocephala (51.1%), Toxocara canis (6.4%) Toxascaris leonina (4.2%), Angiostrongylus vasorum (2.1%) and Dirofilaria immitis (2.1%). Only two wolves were not infected. A single infection occurred in 28.9% of the cases, but the commonest infracommunity (31.1%) involved three species. The helminths Alaria alata, Taenia hydatigena, Mesocestoides sp. aff. litteratus, P. plica, Trichuris vulpis, and Ancylostoma caninum parasitizing C. lupus are reported for the first time in Spain. Taenia serialis and D. immitis are reported for the first time in wolves in Europe. Angiostrongylus vasorum represents a new host record for wolves. The helminth fauna of Spanish wolves is compared with that of other European wolf populations. Some epidemiological considerations of the helminth fauna of wolves in Spain and the health risk to humans are also discussed.

On Physaloptera sibirica Petrow et Gorbunow, 1931 (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) parasitizing Iberian mammals.

Faunistic and morphological study of Physaloptera sibirica PETROW et GORBUNOW, 1931 (Nematoda: Physalopteridae), a nematode isolated in Spain from three mammal species: red fox, Vulpes vulpes (LINNAEUS, 1758) (Carnivora: Canidae), eurasian badger, Meles meles (LINNAEUS, 1758) (Carnivora: Mustelidae), and garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus (LINNAEUS, 1766) (Rodentia: Myoxidae) in the Iberian Peninsula. Morphological features of cephalic and caudal regions of males are presented for the first time by SEM (scanning electron microscopy).

Mitochondrial functions and content of microsomal and mitochondrial cytochromes in human cirrhosis.

1. Mitochondria and microsomal fractions have been isolated from liver biopsies from patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, cryptogenic cirrhosis or chronic aggressive hepatitis. 2. Cirrhotic livers yieled fewer mitochondria than normal liver. 3. The most significant change was a decrease in mitochondrial respiratory control. Cirrhotic microsomal fractions had a 50% diminution in cytochrome b5 and cytochrome P-450 content. 4. The two patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis showed similar mitochondrial and microsomal changes.

Effect of food ingestion on intestinal glucagon-like immunoreactivity (GLI) secretion in normal and gastrectomized subjects.

This work was undertaken to compare the intestinal GLI responses to oral glucose (1.75 g/kg, 25% sol.), to a carbohydrate-rich meal (carbohydrate content about 1.75 g/kg) and to a protein meal (250-400 g grilled lean beef) in normal (n = 6) and gastrectomized (n = 6) subjects. As expected, after glucose administration the elevation of plasma GLI was more pronounced in the gastrectomy group (approximately 500% above baseline) than in the controls (approximately 75% above baseline). However, the gastrectomized patients responded to the carbohydrate meal with a very slight elevation of circulating GLI (approximately 45% above baseline), similar to that found in the controls (approximately 70% above baseline). After the protein meal, a small increase of GLI was also observed in both groups. In conclusion, in gastrectomized subjects the ingestion of natural foodstuffs is followed by a normal elevation of plasma GLI, thereby suggesting the exclusion of this factor from involvement in the constellation of postgastrectomy syndrome. In these patients, the exaggerated rise in GLI after oral glucose is not representative of increments after physiological stimuli.