Gnathostomiasis by Gnathostoma hispidum has occurred mainly in southern and western areas of Japan since 1980. In all cases, patients had eaten live loaches, freshwater fish imported from southeast Asia. Chief symptoms were creeping linear skin eruptions and eosinophilia, both of which disappeared in most patients within three months after the onset, and never recurred thereafter. In order to study how gnathostome larvae may survive and behave in humans, rats were infected with gnathostome larvae. Loaches were purchased in city markets in Fukuoka. Gnathostome larvae (G. hispidum) were recovered from the fish and fed to rats. They were killed at intervals of one and six months and one, two and three years postinoculation. Encysted larvae were found in the muscles of all rats and recovered larvae were all viable. A migrating larva was observed in muscle tissue from one rat that was killed three years postinoculation. In histological sections, walls around encysted larva were much thinner in a rat killed three years postinoculation than in a rat killed one month postinoculation.

Hymenolepis murissylvatici elicits a humoral response in serum and in the intestine of the mouse from which it is immunologically rejected. In serum, significant differences were recorded 3 days after reinfection, while in intestinal lavages it takes place from day 9 after reinfection. In serum the response is largely the result of IgG and IgM antibodies whereas in the intestine, IgA is the most abundant antibody. Although specific IgE could not be demonstrated in serum, it was present in intestinal lavages, although rather late (i.e. day 14 after reinfection). Treatment of young worms in vitro both with immune serum or intestinal lavages had no apparent effect on their viability. Immune serum produced a complement independent precipitation on the surface of the worms in vitro. This reaction did not affect viability or infectivity of the parasite, as demonstrated by the successful implantation of treated worms in recipient mice. The above-mentioned results, together with the knowledge that the Hymenolepis model has no tissue stages and causes no tissue damage, make it probable that further study of this model will reveal some specific intestinal immunological reactions.

When mice were treated with 1–25 mg cortisone acetate thrice weekly, recovery of Hymenolepis murissylvaticae was significantly higher than in untreated controls, both in oral infections with six cysticercoids and surgical transplantations of one 7-day or 8-day-old worm. Cortisone treatment also resulted in the worms being located more anteriorly in the small intestine.Evidence of an immunological response against the tapeworm in the intestine is given by: (a) an accelerated rejection of a secondary oral cysticercoid infection and a significant difference of the dry weights of the worms recovered on day 10 in CFLP mice; (b) an accelerated rejection of a secondary surgical infection on days 4 and 6 in CFLP mice and on days 3 and 4 in NMRI mice; (c) an accelerated rejection of a secondary surgical infection given 3 and 6 months after the primary immunizing infection in SWlSS-albino mice.

The position of the plerocercoid in the body cavity of rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus was investigated. It is shown that in 6 fish out of 880 fry examined at one month old, plerocercoids occurred in the pericardial cavity and dorsal muscle tissue whereas in 733 immature fish and 220 adult fish the plerocercoid was recovered only from the body cavity. The anomalous positions of the plerocercoids are discussed, and it is suggested that the small size of the rudd fry and the short duration of the plerocercoid in the body cavity prevented site recognition, and may have resulted in the anomalous positions.

In the present study viable protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus were exposed to in vitro anthelmintic treatment to observe efficacy against Indian buffalo isolates. Evaluation criteria included morphological changes, viability scores and expression of peptides as a product of prestressed protoscoleces. Protoscolex changes included presence of bladder-like structure and morphological distortion. Two peptides of relative molecular weight (Mr) 40 and 70 kDa were visualized when proteins were separated by discontinuous gel electrophoresis. These two peptides seemed to be products of prestressed protoscoleces.

Investigations were conducted on the host response in rainbow trout and the associated changes in mucous cell density during infection with the skin monogenean Gyrodactylus derjavini. Parasite populations increased on all naive hosts and peaked 4–5 weeks p.i. after which infection levels decreased. Introduction of naive fish into responding host populations resulted in heavy infections of the naive fish, whereas parasite expulsion continued in the responding host groups showing an acquired, non-sterile immunity. This non-sterile immunity lasted at least a month as these hosts were refractory to reinfection despite being exposed to a high infection pressure. Mucous cell hyperplasia was seen in some groups during the intermediary phase of infection, but at the termination of the study a significant depletion was evident. Passive immunization of naive host (with sera from immune hosts) did not confer protection. This indicates differences between host responses to G. derjavini compared to responses against other pathogens where such a passive immunity has been described.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different temperatures and humidities on the infectivity of Echinococcus granulosus protoscolices. Eighteen dogs (6 groups, n = 3 each) were fed with offal mince harbouring approximately 20,000 protoscolices of E. granulosus of different viabilities. Dogs were infected with E. granulosus protoscolices of: (1) 5% viability at − 10°C and 50% relative humidity (RH); (2) 30% viability at 0°C and 60% RH; (3) 20% viability at +10°C and 65% RH; (4) 15% viability at +30°C and 75% RH; (5) 11% viability at +40°C and 80% RH; (6) 68% viability (control group). Dogs in each group were necropsied at 29–49 days post-infection. Mean intensities of E. granulosus recovered from dogs were 256.7 ± 60.3 in the second group; 32.7 ± 7.1 in the third group; 40.3 ± 15.5 in the fourth group and 1533 ± 513 in the control group. However, no parasites were recovered from the first and fifth groups. Results obtained in the present study show that larval stages could be infective for 1 to 4 weeks during spring, autumn or winter months when maximal temperatures are approximately 0–10°C. In conclusion, cold-storage depots in slaughterhouses and abattoirs where sheep carcasses might be discarded should be kept at − 20°C for 2–3 days, dogs should be properly controlled and adequate control programmes must be established in areas where the disease is endemic.

Four worms were recovered from the intestine of a Scaly Anteater, Manis temminckii, examined in this Department in August, 1958. They appear to represent a new species for which I propose the name Inermicapsifer rhodesiensis.

The efficiency of a new anticestode compound, 3,5-dibromo-2'-chloro-4'-isothiocyanato salicylanilide (GUPTA et al. 1980) for mass eradication of hymenolepiasis from rat colonies was assessed in a pilot study. The drug was administered with milk or food. For effective eradication, depending on the size of animals, single or multiple doses of 100 to 500 mg of the drug'kg body-weight, mixed in milk, or 50mg/kg in feed were necessary. Better results were obtained when the compound was given in feed as it ensured effective consumption irrespective of the seasonal variations. The efficacy of the compound was also assessed on cysticcrcoids in intermediate hosts (Tribalium confusum) by feeding them on flour medicated at 5%, l% and 0.1% levels. None of the concentrations killed the larvae or arrested their development.

Species of Cloacina Linstow, 1898 (Nematoda: Strongyloidea) are reported and/or described from the stomach of the macropodid marsupial Wallabia bicolor (Desmarest, 1804) collected in eastern Australia. Nematodes were examined from 26 hosts collected in 3 states and the number of species of Cloacina in any one host was 2 – 7. The following species were encountered: C. wallabiae Johnston and Mawson, 1939, C. gallardi Johnston and Mawson, 1940, C. edwardsi Mawson, 1972 and C. cornuta (Davey and Wood, 1938) the last named constituting a new host record. The following new species are described: C. mawsonae sp. nov., C. papillata sp. nov., C. annulata sp. nov., C. castor sp. nov. and C. pollux sp. nov.

A method is described for the recovery of Oxyurid nematodes from faeces and ingesta of mice, by washing and sieving after the worms have been stained with iodine. It can be performed in one quarter of the time and is more efficient and less fatiguing than the method previously employed.

The identification of the species of the genus Trichuris has been much simplified since the appearance of a paper by Chandler in 1930 in which he pointed out that the prepuce-like expansion surrounding the extruded spicule has very little diagnostic value because of its extreme variability. The length and appearance of the spicule is useful only when used in conjunction with other characters for this is a variable structure. However, the six species with which he was concerned could readily be distinguished by certain internal structures which seem to exhibit great constancy and reliability. These structures are the length of the cloacal tube and its diverticulum for the head of the spicule, the length and shape of the ejaculatory duct and the nature of the folding of the vas dcferens and of the testis. Using these characters and other minor ones, he was able to give useful descriptions of the males of Trichuris trichiura, T. vulpis, T. ovis, T. minuta and T. leporis and to describe a new species T. tenuis.

The fish host (Wallago attu) and monogenoid parasite (Thaparocleidus sp.) have been recorded during 2 years (2011 and 2012) to investigate intra/interspecific interactions among query species (T. sudhakari (Gusev, 1976) Lim, 1996; T. indicus (Kulkarni, 1969) Lim, 1996; T. gomtius (Jain, 1952) Lim, 1996; T. yogendraii Agrawal, 1981 and T. wallagonius Jain, 1952) in the light of parasitic worm burden, morphological and molecular data. Each species is highly host specific (oioxenous), with a specialized functional niche. Being niche specialists, they exhibit niche overlapping along with co-existence due to reproductive barrier. Furthermore, a molecular marker, affirming clear-cut genetic variation in spite of structural entities, provides evidence for infra-speciation as well as co-speciation.

1. A new species, Stellocaronema buckleyi, is described from the Indian Red-wattled Lapwing (Lobivanellus indicus indicus) from Sheikhupura district of the Punjab province of Pakistan.

2. The following species are recorded from new hosts and for the first time from Pakistan: Hadjelia truncata and Dispharynx spiralis from the Indian Magpie (Pica pica); Acuaria anthuris from the Rosy Pastor (Pastor roseus); Acuaria brevispicula and Diplotriaena nochti from the Indian Mynah (Acridotheres ginginianus).

3.It is contended that Diplotriaena tricuspis of Canavan (1931) and Mazhar (1933) are identical with Diplotriaena nochti, and that Diplotriaena acridotheres (Karve, 1934) and Diplotriaena nagpurensis (Karve, 1934) should also be treated as synonyms of D. nochti

4.Acuaria brevispicula Maplestone, 1932 has been redescribed and certain discrepancies in Maplestone's description, due to insufficient material, have been made good. It is contended that A. kungi Singh, 1948 should fall as a synonym to A. brevispicula.

The following description is based upon a specimen which was evacuated from a Kea, Nestor notabilis, kept in captivity in the London Zoological Gardens. The Kea, a member of the Psittacciformes, has a very limited distribution, occurring only in South Island, New Zealand. This particular bird had arrived from New Zealand and had been living in the Zoo six months before the cestode was evacuated.

It is believed that this cestode represents a genus new to science, and the name Pulluterina is proposed, with the specific name P. nestoris after the host.

Comparison of antibody response and antigen recognition was made by ELISA and western-blot analysis in pig experimental infections by T-l and T-3 Spanish Trichinella isolates. Two groups of Iberian pigs were experimentally infected with 150 larvae/kg body weight of GM-1 and C-76 Spanish Trichinella isolates as representatives of T-1 and T-3 gene pools respectively. Antibody levels and antigen recognition were measured on days –14, 0, 6, 16, 20, 27, 34, 49, 63 and 82 after infection by ELISA and western-blotting assays. Antibody response against C-76 infection was significantly delayed and lower than against GM-1. The two Trichinella isolates were indistinguishable, however, by western blotting analysis, although recognition of larval antigens was quantitatively higher than adult ones. Interestingly, the principle larval antigenic components recognized by pigs were those recognized by the monoclonal antisera NIM-M1. Finally, there were no serological patterns indicative of the stage of infection (“antibody windows”) discriminating, for example between early versus late infections.

The only account we have of this species of nematode, which is apparently parasitic in the bark of mahogany trees in Barbados, British West Indies, is that given by Cobb (1920). The material forming the basis of his investigations consisted of specimens preserved in formalin which had been sent to him from the Department of Agriculture, Barbados. His description of the adult worms, while being very detailed in certain particulars, gives little information in regard to other anatomical features. In addition, the drawings illustrating his paper show only two views of the head region and the male tail in ventral and lateral aspect. During the past twelve months the writer has had an opportunity of making some observations on this species. A piece of diseased mahogany bark was received in April, 1936 from the Director of the Imperial Mycological Institute, Kew, to whom it had been sent from the Department of Agriculture, Barbados. The bark and scrapings from it were in a preserving fluid of unknown composition and in the sediment at the bottom of the jar numbers of adult worms of both sexes were present. Several of these were picked out, washed in water and transferred to weak glycerine. The capsule containing them was set aside for the glycerine to become concentrated and the worms were finally mounted in this medium.

Cercaria essexensis Khan, 1960 is shown to encyst in freshwater snails and to develop into a new species of Hypoderaeum when fed to pigeons, chickens and ducklings. Different stages in the life history, except the redia and the cercaria which have been described before, are described.

During March, 1950, the writers visited a 15-acre field of mixed oats and vetches near Lechlade, Gloucestershire, because it was reported that the crop was patchy and that both oats and vetches were diseased. Inspection of the field revealed typical “tulip-root” symptoms in the oats, while many of the vetches were severely dwarfed and showed browning of the lower parts of the stems. Subsequent examination of plants in the laboratory showed the presence of large numbers of Ditylenchus dipsaci in the oats and a rather lighter infestation in the vetches; in the latter the eelworms seemed to be associated particularly with the necrotic tissues in the lower parts of the stems. It may also be mentioned that young docks, probably Rumex crispus L., from the same field were found to contain D.dipsaci.