It was possible to make a more critical study of immunity against A. suum by infecting pathogen-free, colostrum-deprived pigs produced by hysterectomy.

By means of the conglutinating complement absorption test, using a saline extract of worm as antigen, antibodies were first demonstrated in the circulation of three experimentally-infected pigs between the 10th and 13th days of infection, and were detected in the sera of two of them for at least 97 days.

The infections did not become patent, and no acquired immunity was shown by the pigs against a reinfection 97 days later. There was no evidence of an age immunity against migrant larvae.

A rise in serum antibody was observed, within seven days of infection, in six pigs aged between 10 weeks and 11 months, following a test dose of 500,000 eggs. Three suckling pigs, aged three weeks, did not respond serologically within seven days to the same test dose.

The material of this study consists of three monogenetic trematodes which were collected in mid August, I960 from the urinary bladder of Rana (Ptychadena) oxyrhynchus caught in Kumba, the Cameroons (West Africa). Mr. F. R. N. Pester, F.I.S.T., of the Department of Parasitology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine kindly forwarded the material to the writer for identification.

The specimens are all identical, belonging to a new species of the genus Polystoma Zeder, 1800 which is described herein as Polystoma Prudhoei sp. nov. in honour of Mr. S. Prudhoe of the Department of Zoology, the British Museum (Natural History) for his unfailing help and advice.

This small species of Ankylostome worm was found in the small intestine of a golden cat (Felis temmincki) from Sumatra, in association with numerous specimens of Ancylostoma caninum, A. braziliense and Strongyloides sp. It has been experimentally transmitted to the domestic cat.

The cuticle shews not only transverse striations but numerous very fine longitudinal striations.

Like Ancylostoma, the body shews a distinct longitudinal torsion, and when the dorsal aspect of the cephalic opening is facing upwards, the posterior extremity is displaced laterally. The body is narrowed anteriorly, terminating in a pyriform buccal capsule which, as in Ancybostoma, opens dorsally. The anterior end does not form a hook– like bend as in Necator and forms allied to it.

This paper embodies certain experiments on control of the nematode Aphelenchoides ritzema-bosi Schwartz, 1911, on chrysanthemums, and were started in September 1930 at the request of several commercial chrysanthemum growers in Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

The secondary response of eosinophilia has been studied in mice infected with A. suum. In mice infected orally with 1000 A. suum eggs, larvae disappeared from the body within two weeks after infection. The number of peripheral blood eosinophils decreased to the pre-infection level within eight weeks. A typical secondary response of IgG antibody production to egg antigen was found after reinfection with 1000 eggs. The number of peripheral blood eosinophils increased more rapidly after reinfection than after the primary infection. However, the peak number of eosinophils after reinfection was similar to that after primary infection, and the long-lasting characteristics of eosinophilia after reinfection did not differ from those after primary infection. These results suggest that the secondary response of eosinophilia is characterized by a rapid increase in the number of eosinophils in A. suum-reinfected mice.

1. A new genus and species of Isoparorchiidae Poche, 1926, is described from the air-bladder of the marine catfish, Anus jella (Val.), caught off the coast of Waltair, India. The new fluke is named Elongoparorchis pneumatis.

2. The new genus Elongoparorchis bears a superficial resemblance to the genus Isoparorchis Southwell, 1913, but differs appreciably in the structure of the testes, the ovary and the vitellaria to warrant the separation.

Rabbits were vaccinated once, by subcutaneous and intradermal injection, with sonicates of oncospheres (TpO) or conditioned media from in vitro maintained mature metacestodes (TpMcES) of Taenia pisiformis. Extracts were either incorporated into or mixed with unilammelar liposomes (reverse phase evaporative vesicles) or emulsified in Freund's Incomplete Adjuvant (FIA). Control groups received liposomes or FIA without antigen, or antigen preparation without adjuvant. Rabbits were challenged orally two weeks after vaccination with approximately 1500 eggs of T. pisiformis and necropsied eight weeks after challenge. A mean of 155 cysts was recovered from seven control rabbits. A 67% reduction in peritoneal cyst numbers was obtained in TpO–IFA vaccinated rabbits compared to 75% for the TpO–liposome entrapped group. The highest level of protection (86%) was obtained when TpO was mixed with but not entrapped in liposomes. Only 32% and 39% reduction in peritoneal cyst numbers was obtained after immunizing with the TpMcES preparation in liposomes or IFA respectively, however >85% of peritoneal metacestodes were dead (necrotic or calcified) and suggests a different immune response than occurs after vaccination with oncosphere extracts. Specific anti-oncospheral or anti-metacestode ES antibody (IgG) responses at two weeks post vaccination were similar in rabbits immunized with liposome or IFA associated extracts.

In January, 1930, some free-living nematodes belonging to the genus Rhabditis were sent to Professor Leiper by Dr. Broughton-Alcock, who had found them in some fungal slime and débris accumulated in the drip from an ice-chest. Herein they are described as a new species of the genus, being named after the finder, and in view of their somewhat unusual habitat, some observations were made on the temperature reactions of the worms. The medium in which they were found proved unsuitable for the purpose of culturing, and at the suggestion of Professor Leiper a suspension in water of a mixture of powdered charcoal and faæ was used, which has proved very successful. Since January, 1930, pure cultures of the nematodes have been kept in this medium in the Department of Helminthology.

Twenty-eight cases of adult or larval worms belonging to the genus Gnathostoma Owen, 1886, have been recorded from man.

One of the earliest records is from Malaya where Samy (1918) extracted a larval gnathostome from the finger of a young male Chinese.

The monoclonal antibody IACR-CCNj.3d has previously been used to isolate a gene (gp-col-8) with strong similarity to cuticular collagen from a mixed stage Globodera pallida cDNA expression library. The antibody has also been shown to label specifically the amphidial canal of pre-parasitic second stage juveniles (J2) of several plant nematode species without any reactivity on the cuticular surface, indicating that this protein is either not present or is inaccessible on the cuticular surface. This paper investigates the cross-reactivity of Mab IACR-CCNj.3d with Meloidogyne arenaria and the localization of the putative collagen protein on the cuticular surface of parasitic stages in planta and on the cuticular surface of juveniles inside eggs. The antigen was shown to be present in all developmental stages of the two species of potato cyst nematodes and M. arenaria. The antibody bound strongly to the amphidial canal and hypodermis of pre-parasitic J2 and adult females. The antigen was present on the cuticular surface of the sausage-shaped J2 in planta and of first stage juveniles (J1) inside the eggs. The presence of collagen on the surface of the cuticle of moulting stages of plant parasitic nematodes has been observed for the first time. It is clear that this protein has a role in the construction of the cuticle of the first stage juveniles and parasitic second stage juveniles, during moulting inside the eggs and in the root tissue, respectively.

A new species belonging to the genus Belondira is described from natural areas in Iran. Belondira coomansi n. sp. is characterized by its general size, the dimensions and appearance of its lip region, presence of distinct labial and post-labial sclerotization, the length of the odontostyle and its inconspicuous lumen and aperture, the length of the neck and its pharyngeal expansion, the reduction of the female anterior genital branch to a simple uterine sac, a very short posterior uterus, the anterior position of the vulva, the length and shape of the caudal region with distinctly thick cuticle at its tip, the length of the spicules, and the presence of only one pair of ventromedian supplements. The new species is close to Belondira brevibulba, B. sacchari, B. tenuidens and B. thornei, and it is compared to them. Molecular characterization (D2–D3 expansion segments of the rRNA large subunit) of the new species is also provided, representing only the second species of this genus for which any DNA sequence data are available.

In the last years, a growing number of studies have focused on the search for biological indicators of human impact in freshwater environments. Given their susceptibility to different types of impact, larval digeneans have been considered as useful tools for the study of temporal variations in parasite communities. However, few studies have been carried out in lotic environments. For that reason, the spatio-temporal variations of the larval digenean assemblages parasitizing the gastropod Heleobia parchappii were analysed in four human-impacted streams, located on the coast of Argentina. In total, 4800 specimens of H. parchappii were collected seasonally, and 12 digenean species belonging to eight families were registered. Three of the streams showed similar species presence but, during spring and summer, the streams located within the city presented lower species presence than the streams located in the urban periphery. By contrast, the spatial prevalence values evidenced a higher variation between the environments. Streams located in the urban periphery showed higher prevalence values throughout the year, compared to those calculated for streams located within the city. The spatio-temporal variations of larval digenean assemblages parasitizing H. parchappii seem to be mainly influenced by the diversity and vagility of definitive hosts, the types of digenean life cycles and habitat characteristics. However, environmental disturbances derived from anthropogenic activities are highlighted as the probable main factors that may affect the composition and dynamic of these parasite assemblages.

The life cycles of species of Proteocephalus Weinland, 1858 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) parasitizing fishes in the Palearctic Region are reviewed on the basis of literary data and personal experimental observations, with special attention being paid to the development within the intermediate and definitive hosts. Planktonic crustaceans, diaptomid or cyclopid copepods (Copepoda), serve as the only intermediate hosts of all Proteocephalus species considered. A metacestode, or procercoid, develops in the body cavity of these planktonic crustaceans and the definitive host, a fish, becomes infected directly after consuming them. No previous reports of the parenteral location of metacestodes within the second intermediate host as it is in the Nearctic species P. ambloplitis have been recorded. Thus, the life cycles of Proteocephalus tapeworms resemble in their general patterns those of some pseudophyllidean cestodes such as Eubothrium or Bothriocephalus, differing from the latter in the presence of a floating eggs instead of possessing an operculate egg from which a ciliated, freely swimming larva, a coracidium, is liberated. The scolex of Proteocephalus is already formed at the stage of the procercoid within the copepod intermediate host; in this feature, proteocephalideans resemble caryophyllidean rather than pseudophyllidean cestodes. The morphology of procercoids of individual species is described with respect to the possibility of their differentiation and data on the spectrum of intermediate hosts are summarized. Procercoids of most taxa have a cercomer, which does not contain embryonic hooks in contrast to most pseudophyllidean cestodes. The role of invertebrates (alder-fly larvae — Megaloptera) and small prey fishes feeding upon plankton in the transmission of Proteocephalus tapeworms still remains unclear but these hosts are likely to occur in the life cycle. Data on the establishment of procercoids in definitive hosts, morphogenesis of tapeworms within fish hosts, and the length of the prepatent period are still scarce and new observations are needed. Whereas extensive information exists on the development of P. longicollis (syns. P. exiguus and P. neglectus), almost no data are available on the ontogeny of other taxa, in particular those occurring in brackish waters (P. gobiorum, P. tetrastomus). The morphology of P. cernuae and P. osculatus procercoids from experimentally infected intermediate hosts is described for the first time.

The effects of a diet deficient in the B vitamins on infectivity, growth, and distribution of Echinostoma caproni in ICR mice were studied. The vitamin-deficient diet (experimental) was isocaloric to the control diet but lacked the B vitamins. Thirty-six female, 6- to 8-week-old ICR mice were each infected with 25 metacercarial cysts. From the day of infection to the day of necropsy, 18 mice were fed the experimental diet and the remaining mice received the control diet. Equal numbers of experimental and control mice were necropsied at 2, 3 and 4 weeks postinfection (p.i.). Mice on the experimental diet showed a significant loss in body weight between 2 and 4 weeks p.i. There was no significant difference in worm recovery at 2 to 4 weeks p.i. from mice on either diet. Worms from hosts on the experimental diet were more dispersed and located more posteriad in the small intestine than those from mice on the control diet. Worm dry weight was significantly less in hosts on the experimental diet at all weeks p.i. compared with that of hosts on the control diet. The body area of worms on the experimental diet was significantly less at 2 and 3 weeks p.i. than that of worms on the control diet. An isocaloric diet deficient in the B vitamins had a detrimental effect on the growth of E. caproni in ICR mice.

A comparative studs of the spectral, electrophoretic and isoelectric properties of the haemoglobins of three trematodes. Paramphistomum epiclitum. Gigantocotyle explanatum and Gastrothylax erumenifer was carried out. A high absorption in the beta band region indicates that trematode haemoglobins have high oxygen affinities. Electrophoretic mobilities of all trematode and their host haemoglobins were different. The isoelectric points of trematode haemoglobins were found to focus in the acidic range except that of G. crumenifer haemoglobin I. which focused at an alkaline pH.

Karyotypes of three dilepidid species: Molluscotaenia crassiscolex, Anomotaenia bacilligera and Dilepis undula, which have not been recorded previously, were studied using conventional Giemsa staining and comparative karyometric analysis. Twelve small biarmed chromosomes were observed in mitotic cells of M. crassiscolex, 16 biarmed chromosomes of gradually decreasing size were found in cells of A. bacilligera, while 18 elements were characteristic for D. undula. These data, together with information available in literature, prove the heterogeneity and possible polyphyletic nature of the family Dilepididae.

Partial cross protection against a skin-parasitic ciliate has been recorded in rainbow trout previously immunized with an ectoparasitic platyhelminth. The susceptibility to infection by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis differed significantly between naive and Gyrodactylus derjavini immunized rainbow trout. Fish partly immune to the ectoparasitic monogenean G. derjavini became less infected and experienced lower mortality than naive fish when exposed to I. multifiliisinfections. In vitro studies on immobilization of theronts using decomplemented (heat-inactivated) serum from G. derjavini immune or non-immune hosts showed no immobilization. However, untreated serum from both immune and non-immune fish containing intact complement immobilized theronts (titre 128–256). In addition, non-specific priming of the host response with interleukin (IL-1), bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), concanavalin A (Con A) or mannan did confer a partial resistance to I. multifiliis infection. This will suggest that non-specific factors including complement could be partly responsible for the host response against infections with this ciliate.

Biochanin A (BCA) is a multifunctional natural compound that possesses anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and hepatoprotective effects. The aim of the study was to assess the therapeutic efficacy of BCA on Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice. Fifty mice were divided into six different groups as non-infected, non-infected BCA-treated, infected untreated, early infected BCA-treated (seven days post-infection (dpi)), late infected BCA-treated 60 dpi and infected praziquantel (PZQ)-treated groups. Parasitological, histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) were investigated in liver sections. Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) gene expression of S. mansoni was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). A single dose of BCA significantly reduced worm burden in early (82.14%) and late infection (77.74%), mean tissue egg load in early (7.27 ± 0.495) and late BCA administration (7.63 ± 0.435) and decreased granuloma size. CYP450 mRNA expression was significantly reduced in early BCA treatment as compared to late treatment which emphasizes that early administration of BCA had more pronounced effects on worms than late administration. Both early and late BCA administration led to significant reduction in inflammatory cytokines as TGF and iNOS. Although the reduction of TGF and iNOS in BCA-treated mice was superior to PZQ, no statistically significant differences were noted. However, a significant downregulation of COX2 was noted in hepatocytes as compared to both infected control and PZQ-treated mice. BCA has schistosomicidal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-fibrotic effects and could be regarded as a potential drug in schistosomiasis treatment.

The oocapt of Paramphistomum cervi has a narrow constriction followed by a wide lumen with a thickened wall and is surrounded by several unicellular flask-shaped gland cells opening into the lumen. The oocapt gland cells are filled with granules, the size and number of which vary in the body cells and its duct. Histochemical studies have shown that the oocapt gland cells secrete mainly mucoproteins but a few lipoprotein and phospholipid granules have also been observed. The passage of the oocyte through the lumen of the oocapt, appears to stimulate the oocapt gland cells to release their secretion which seems to be involved in transport of the oocyte through the oviduct.

This randomised study aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of treatment protocols containing levamisole, ivermectin, or moxidectin against Capillaria spp. in naturally infected European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) presented to a British wildlife rehabilitation centre. Faecal analysis, consisting of wet mount and flotation, was performed for 229 hedgehogs weighing ≥200g. Animals testing positive for Capillaria spp. (81%), excluding pregnant females, were randomly allocated a treatment protocol. Initially, hedgehogs (n = 50) received one of six ‘pilot’ protocols, whereas the remaining animals (n = 97) received one of three ‘main’ protocols. Faecal analysis was repeated on day 8 and day 12 after treatment initiation. Efficacy of each treatment was assessed based on Capillaria reduction rate (CRR), weight gain, presence of respiratory clinical signs, and outcome. Pilot protocols containing only moxidectin had a significantly lower CRR (≥28.1%) compared to those with levamisole or ivermectin (≥86.6%), whereas the main protocols containing levamisole had a significantly higher CRR (≥93.0%) compared to those containing only ivermectin (≥69.3%). Clinical parameters did not differ significantly between treatments, but animals with respiratory clinical signs at the end of the trial were significantly more likely to have lower CRR and test positive for Crenosoma striatum. C. striatum often appeared refractory to treatment, and managing these infections requires additional anthelmintic therapy. Based on the formulations and dosages trialled, moxidectin is not recommended for treating capillariosis in European hedgehogs, whereas levamisole given orally for two consecutive days at 25–35 mg/kg is suggested as the treatment of choice.