Despite the reduction in the prevalence of soil-transmitted helminthiases in many regions of the world, morbidity rates remain high in some rural regions. The Kato–Katz technique is a simple, inexpensive and field-applicable tool commonly used for the diagnosis and worm-burden characterization of these infections. Molecular studies have revolutionized our understanding of the epidemiology and evolutionary genetics of parasites. In this study we recovered helminthic DNA from Kato–Katz slides (n = 93) prepared in 2011 in the Brazilian Amazon. We achieved DNA recovery by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 84% of cases for Ascaris sp. and 75% of cases for hookworms. The sequencing confirmed the specific species of the amplicons. The slides stored for a few years could be analysed using this methodology, allowing access to DNA from a large collection of samples. We must consider the Kato–Katz thick smears as a source of helminth DNA. This can significantly reduce logistical difficulties in the field in terms of obtaining, preserving, transporting and initial processing of samples.

The main goal of this work was to evaluate the in vitro biological activity of two ferrocenyl chalcones (FcC-1 and FcC-2) against Haemonchus contortus (third-stage larvae (L3)) and Nacobbus aberrans (second-stage juveniles (J2)). Both compounds were synthesized and characterized by usual spectroscopic methods and their molecular structures were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. Nematode strains were examined in terms of percentage mortality of H. contortus (L3) by the action of FcC-1, which showed an effectivity of 100% at a concentration of 342 μM in 24 h, with EC50 = 20.33 μM and EC90 = 162.76 μM, whereas FcC-2 had an effectivity of 72% at a concentration of 342 μM in 24 h, with EC50 = 167.39 μM and EC90 = 316.21 μM. The effect of FcC-1 against nematode phytoparasite N. aberrans showed a better percentage of 95% at a concentration of 342 μM, with EC50 = 7.18 μM and EC90 = 79.25 μM, whereas the effect of FcC-2 was 87% at 342 μM, with EC50 = 168 μM and EC90 = 319.56 μM at 36 h. After treatment, the scanning electron micrographs revealed deformities in the dorsal flank and posterior part close to the tail of H. contortus L3. They showed moderate in vitro nematicidal activity against H. contortus L3 and N. aberrans J2.

S. fernandoi and S. pillaii are described as new species and are shown to differ specifically from each other and from S. japonensis, the only other species that has been reported as having spines on the spicules.

The occurrence of the chrysanthemum eelworm, Aphelenchoides ritzema-bosi (Schwartz, 1911), in an unusual situation, namely within the tissues of tomato fruits, calls for brief report since, though well known as a leaf parasite of a good number of plants, it has not, to our knowledge, been reported previously from a fruit.

Towards the end of October, one of us (S.H.B.) visited a grower who complained of having a number of tomato fruits from which the calyx tissue came away at the slightest touch. These fruits then rotted deeply towards the centre. Two such fruits were taken from the store for examination in the laboratory. One of them was attacked by the fungus Didymella Lycopersici whilst the other was found to contain eelworms. This fruit was sent by S.H.B. to T.G. with a request for a determination of the species of eelworm present and an opinion on whether it was a parasitic species or not.

On receipt of the fruit the senior author cut it in two by a cut passing along the longitudinal axis from the calyx region and through the central fleshy placenta. It was then seen that the discoloured diseased area was about ¼ in. deep by about ⅝ in. broad and occupied much of the solid fleshy base of the fruit. On teasing up a small portion of the diseased tissues in water and examining under the binocular microscope, considerable numbers of small eelworms were found together with numerous eggs and larvae in various stages of growth.

The cement glands of Acanthocephalus serendibensis have been studied, using some routine histological and histochemical procedures. There are six multinucleate syncytial glands which produce a granular secretion which is a protein-mucosubstance complex, the mucosubstance component being of the neutral type. The secretion granules are seen in the body of the glands as well as in the reservoirs and ducts. The granules presumably coalesce to form the so-called cement which is discharged during copulation and seals off the genital region of the female after copulation and insemination.

A collection of helminths from a King-Cobra, Naja hannah from Malaya is described. It consists of one species of trematode from the ureter, Styphlodora perstmilts; two species of cestodes in the intestine, namely Bothridium pithonis and Ophiotaenia kuantanensis n.sp., and three species of nematodes, Tanqua gigantica and Occipitodontus fimbriatus from the stomach, and O. edesoni n.sp. from the small intestine. With the exception of Tanqua gigantica all the above named species are new records for the King-Cobra.

According to Miyazaki (1974), 25 species belonging to the genus Paragonimus have been found in the world. In Japan, five species of the lung flukes, viz., P. westermani, P. ohirai, P. iloktsuenensis, P. miyazakii and P. sadoensis have been known up to date. P. ohirai metacercariae are found in the liver, and in the body and leg muscles of the brackish water crabs, Sesarma (Holometopus) dehaani, S. (H.) haematocheir, S. (Sesarma) intermedium, Helice tridens tridens and Chasmagnathus convexus.

Previous experiments on the application of ferric oxide or of calciumcyanamide to “potato-sick” land were carried out at the Kirton Agricultural Institute. The results were reported by Hurst & Franklin (1937), and indicated that ferric oxide had no effect either on the yield of potatoes or on the hatching of H. schachtii larvae, but that calcium cyanamide showed promise and was worthy of further trial. Experiments with this chemical were, by the kind permission of Mr. J. C. Wallace, Principal of the Kirton Agricultural Institute, and with the co-operation of Mr. J. Wood, A.R.C.S., continued for a second year.

The specimens here described were contained in cysts from the heart of a Bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus) submitted for examination by A. J. Stent, Esq., of the Vizara Rubber Plantation, Nyasaland Similar lesions have been reported by others from the heart of the Kudu (Strepsiceros kudu) in the same region, but no opportunity of examining these has occurred.

The cytosolic fraction of homogenates from the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is capable of metabolizing the insect neuropeptide adipokinetic hormone, a decapeptide blocked at the N-terminus by a pGlu residue. Analysis of digests by RP-HPLC and LC-MS revealed that an initial endoproteolytic cleavage step produced a heptapeptide with an unblocked N-terminus that can serve as a substrate for aminopeptidases. The aminopeptidase activity is depressed in the presence of the inhibitor amastatin; the initial product of the endoproteolytic step accumulates during incubation, and expected aminopeptidase product peptides are reduced in amount, as assessed by chromatographic peak size. The absence of some expected peptide fragments in the reaction mixtures suggests that multiple proteases contribute to short peptide half-lives. Comparison of the adipokinetic hormone digestion in C. elegans to that reported previously for insects reveals the same general pattern of peptide fragment production.

Tests were conducted using a capillary microbalance to estimate the errors introduced as a result of weighing out replicate cyst batches in place of counting.

Experiments with differently sized samples showed that the normal relationship between sample size and accuracy applied to such cases, the error for samples of 100 cysts being usually of the order of less than 10%. There is some evidence that the errors in cyst number introduced as a result of weighing is reflected by an increased error in the larval count, although under the conditions of experiment the increase was barely significant. It is suggested that if replication is increased by 50% or 100% then errors due to inequality in cyst numbers are more than counteracted.

A Considerable number of specimens of this parasite were collected from the small intestine of a genette which died in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London.

The cuticle of the cephalic extremity is dilated anteriorly. This swelling is terminated posteriorly by the cuticle incurving to meet a raised ring on the body-wall, about the level of the junction of the anterior and second fifths of the œsophagus. There are no cervical papillæ present, and it is probable that this ring may be regarded as replacing them. Just anterior to the middle of the œsophageal region and at the level of the excretory pore is a cervical groove which completely encircles the body. Laterally the cuticle on the anterior margin is thickened; it is also thickened on the ventral side, but less so than laterally. These thickenings are reinforced by a granular inclusion in the cuticle. The posterior margin is thickened only in the region of the excretory pore.

In an experimental larval infection of Ancylostoma caninum in mice, the efficacy of various anthelmintics against the larvae migrated and established in the brain is reported for the first time. Albendazole and flubendazole were the most effective drugs. Thiabendazole, benacil, phenacizole, oxfendazole and mebendazole showed significant larvicidal activity. Tetramisole, levamisole, fenbendazole, Sch 18099, pyrantel pamoate, morantel tartrate and oxantel pamoate did not show any significant activity even at relatively high dose levels.

1. A new trematode Reesella doviensis n.g., n.sp., from the Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus occidentalis, is described.

2.The validity of including P. progeneticum, P. marilae and P. varium in the genus Psilostomum is questioned and it is suggested that P. marilae be removed to the genus Psilotrema Odhner, 1913.

3.The placing of the genus Ribeiroia in the family Cathaemasiidae is also questioned, and it is suggested that it has closer affinities with the genera in the family Psilostomatidae.

In May 1967 206 specimens (♂: ♀=1:1) of a nematode species were collected from the small intestine of a Pardofelis marmorata marmorata.

(Based on 20 specimens and measurements on 5). Body oval to spherical, with a conical bluntly rounded anterior end, 0·783–1·017 long, 0·551–0·756 wide at midbody. Cuticle smooth. Oral sucker absent. Mouth large, subterminal, opening through a funnel-like opening into a muscular, well developed pharynx, 0·064–0·100 in diameter. Oesophagus indistinct; intestine rhabdocoel, prominent, extending to posterior level of testis. Ventral adhesive disc well developed, 0·646–0·852x0·551–0·756, occupying major portion of ventral surface of the worm, divided into 27 alveoli in two rows, 19 in peripheral and 8 in central row. Alveoli well developed, muscular. Marginal organs 19, prominent. Testis single, large, entire, almost always occupying the central position in the body, 0·192–0·275x0·233–0·371.

Asexually proliferating Taenia crassiceps (Zeder, 1800) metacestodes isolated within past decades have been successfully sub-cultured under experimental conditions using Mus musculus Linnaeus, 1758 mice. However, during their development, morphological irregularities of scolex structures have been reported in two of the three strains of this cestode species maintained in mice – ORF and KBS. The main goal of this work is to describe the abnormalities observed in a sample of 118 cysticerci of the third T. crassiceps strain used at present – WFU. Morphological abnormalities were detected in 39.8% of the evaginated scoleces; they consisted of supernumerary suckers (n= 2), duplicated (n= 2) or absent rostellum (n= 1), as well as absent or aberrant (n= 29) hooks, which were significantly shorter when compared to the large and short hook lengths referred to in the literature.

Mastomys natalensis wcrc infected percutancously with 250 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni and treated effectively with 5 x 50 mg amoscanatc/kg body-weight 12–16 (1), 28–32 (10,56–60 (111) and 101–105 days p.1. (IV) respectively. Levels of reaginic antibodies (RAb) and homocytotropic IgG antibodies (GAb) were assessed by passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests (PCA) and compared with those in infected, untreated animals. In untreated animals RAb were first detected in the 6th week p.i. Maximum titres around 1:80 were reached after 100 days. High levels persisted until the end of the experiment 185 days p.i. RAb did not develop after treatment I. After treatmcnt 11 only low PCA titres occurred. After treatment 111 the time course was similar to the controls but levels were reduced. Treatment IV did not interfere with the occurrence of specific RAb.

In the case of GAb, independent of any treatment, after a first peak of PCA titres in the 5th week either a negative pattern or only very low titres were found in week 7. In untreated infected Mastomys GAb levels increased thereafter to maximum titres of about 1:80 at day 70. Later than 100 days p.i. relatively constant titres were observed. The second rise of antibody levels did not occur after early treatment. After treatment 11 only low transient titres developed. Animals treated in the early patcncy (III) showed reduced PCA titres and were negative at the end of the observation period. Treatment given 101 to 105 days pi. rather enhanced the development of GAb.