The phylogeography of Trichuris populations (Nematoda) collected from Cricetidae rodents (Muroidea) from different geographical regions was studied. Ribosomal DNA (Internal Transcribed Spacers 1 and 2, and mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c- oxidase subunit 1 partial gene) have been used as molecular markers. The nuclear internal transcribed spacers (ITSs) 1 and 2 showed 2 clear-cut geographical and genetic lineages: one of the Nearctic region (Oregon), although the second was widespread throughout the Palaearctic region and appeared as a star-like structure in the minimum spanning network. The mitochondrial results revealed that T. arvicolae populations from the Palaearctic region were separated into 3 clear-cut geographical and genetic lineages: populations from Northern Europe, populations from Southern (Spain) and Eastern Europe (Croatia, Belarus, Kazahstan), and populations from Italy and France (Eastern Pyrénean Mountains). Phylogenetic analysis obtained on the basis of ITS1-5·8S-ITS2 rDNA sequences did not show a differential geographical structure; however, these markers suggest a new Trichuris species parasitizing Chionomys roberti and Cricetulus barabensis. The mitochondrial results revealed that Trichuris populations from arvicolinae rodents show signals of a post-glacial northward population expansion starting from the Pyrenees and Italy. Apparently, the Pyrenees and the Alps were not barriers to the dispersal of Trichuris populations.

Miracidia are short-lived, non-feeding (lecithotrophic) free-living stages of trematodes, whose survival is potentially influenced by temperature. Climate change may result in elevated temperatures affecting trematode transmission. Therefore understanding their thermobiology forms an important step in determining the future dynamics of parasite populations. An empirical relationship exists between the mean expected life span of lecithotrophic larvae and the half life of their population (t0·5) and therefore t0·5 is a good indicator of glycogen utilization. In this study experimental data on the effects of temperature on miracidial survival were compiled from the scientific literature and evaluated in terms of metabolism using Q10 and Arrhenius activation energy (E* or μ). Temperature poorly influenced survival/metabolism with all miracidia having distinct zone(s) of thermostability. Overall there were few differences in Q10 and E* values between most species temperature ranges whilst there were only limited strain-specific variations in thermal responses of laboratory-maintained Schistosoma mansoni. Miracidia demonstrated a trend of greater thermal resistance than cercariae. In particular, comparative studies on 4 strains of the same species of miracidia and cercariae showed little correlation in thermal biology between the 2 life-history stages. The importance of these results for trematode transmission under global climate change is discussed.

Climate change in the Arctic is anticipated to alter the ecology of northern ecosystems, including the transmission dynamics of many parasite species. One parasite of concern is Ostertagia gruehneri, an abomasal nematode of Rangifer ssp. that causes reduced food intake, weight loss, and decreased pregnancy rates in reindeer. We investigated the development, availability, and overwinter survival of the free-living stages of O. gruehneri on the tundra. Fecal plots containing O. gruehneri eggs were established in the Northwest Territories, Canada under natural and artificially warmed conditions and sampled throughout the growing season of 2008 and the spring of 2009. Infective L3 were present 3–4 weeks post-establishment from all trials under both treatments, except for the trial established 4 July 2008 under warmed conditions wherein the first L3 was recovered 7 weeks post-establishment. These plots were exposed to significantly more time above 30°C than the natural plots established on the same date, suggesting a maximum temperature threshold for development. There was high overwinter survival of L2 and L3 across treatments and overwintering L2 appeared to develop to L3 the following spring. The impact of climate change on O. gruehneri is expected to be dynamic throughout the year with extreme maximum temperatures negatively impacting development rates.

Acanthocephalans have evolved a hooked proboscis and some taxa have trunk spines to attach to their definitive hosts. These structures are generated before being used, thus a key question is how investment in attachment could optimally be allocated through the ontogeny. The number and arrangement of hooks and spines are never modified in the definitive host, but it is unclear whether these structures grow during adult development. A comparison of the size of trunk spines between cystacanths and adults of Corynosoma cetaceum and C. australe indicated that spines grow in both species, but only in females, which also had significantly larger spines than males. This sexual dimorphism did not result from pure allometry because the body of females was smaller, and did not grow more than that of males. However, having a longer lifespan, females would need to withstand the extreme flow conditions prevailing in marine mammals for longer, inducing different investment and development schedules for spines. Patterns of spine growth also differed between species: fore-trunk spines grew in both species, but hind-trunk spines did only in C. cetaceum. In conclusion, investment strategies on attachment may differ, not only between congeneric species of acanthocephalan, but also between sexes of the same species.

Variability of immune responses is an essential aspect of ecological immunology, yet how much of this variability is due to differences among parasite genotypes remains unknown. Here, variation in immune response of the crab, Macrophthalmus hirtipes, is examined as a function of experimental exposure to 10 clonal cercarial lineages of the trematode Maritrema novaezealandensis. Our goals were (1) to assess the variability of the host immune reaction elicited by 10 parasite clones, (2) to test if the heterozygosity–fitness correlation, whereby organisms with higher heterozygosities achieve a higher fitness than those with lower heterozygosities, applies to heterozygous parasites eliciting weak immune responses, and (3) to see how concomitant infections by other macroparasites influence the crab's immune response to cercariae. Parasite clones were distinguished and heterozygosities calculated using 20 microsatellite markers. We found that exposure to cercariae resulted in increased haemocyte counts, and that although interclonal differences in immune response elicited were detected, parasite heterozygosity did not correlate with host immune response. Additionally, the presence of other pre-existing parasites in hosts did not influence their immune response following experimental exposure to cercariae. Overall, the existence of variability in immune response elicited by different parasite clones is promising for future ecological immunology studies using this system.

Trajectories of life-history traits such as growth and reproduction generally level off with age and increasing size. However, colonial animals may exhibit indefinite, exponential growth via modular iteration thus providing a long-lived host source for parasite exploitation. In addition, modular iteration entails a lack of germ line sequestration. Castration of such hosts by parasites may therefore be impermanent or precluded, unlike the general case for unitary animal hosts. Despite these intriguing correlates of coloniality, patterns of colonial host exploitation have not been well studied. We examined these patterns by characterizing the responses of a myxozoan endoparasite, Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, and its colonial bryozoan host, Fredericella sultana, to 3 different resource levels. We show that (1) the development of infectious stages nearly always castrates colonies regardless of host condition, (2) castration reduces partial mortality and (3) development of transmission stages is resource-mediated. Unlike familiar castrator-host systems, this system appears to be characterized by periodic rather than permanent castration. Periodic castration may be permitted by 2 key life history traits: developmental cycling of the parasite between quiescent (covert infections) and virulent infectious stages (overt infections) and the absence of germ line sequestration which allows host reproduction in between bouts of castration.

Sampling of the fish community was carried out for 20 years in the Mirgenbach reservoir, in North-Eastern France. The prevalence and the mean intensity of Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda) were analysed in roach (Rutilus rutilus) and silver bream (Blicca bjoerkna) populations, the main two infected species. The aim of this study was to investigate the host switch from roach to silver bream and the consequences of L. intestinalis infestation in silver bream, which is an unusual host for this parasite as Ligula parasitism in silver bream appears to be rare. We analysed in detail the relationships between parasitism index (PI), gonadosomatic index (GSI), perivisceral fat abundance (PFA) and condition index (CI) in the silver bream population. In 1998, prevalence of L. intestinalis highlighted a clear host switch from roach to silver bream. In the silver bream population, young fish were the most severely infected and the impact of plerocercoids appeared to be different depending on the host sex. In male silver bream, plerocercoids drew energy from fat reserves even if GSI was also slightly impacted. On the contrary, in females energy was diverted from gonad maturation rather than from perivisceral fat reserves. No significant difference was observed in terms of CI in either sex.

Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), among the most common neglected tropical diseases, is a major public health problem in Malaysia with a possible impact on the nutritional status and school participation of rural children. This study was carried out among Aboriginal schoolchildren, living in an endemic area for STH in Malaysia, to determine the possible relationship between intestinal helminthiasis and school absenteeism. We also evaluated whether successful treatment of the infection will affect school attendance among the subjects. Stool analysis revealed that more than 90% of the subjects were infected with at least 1 helminth species, with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections being most prevalent. Infection of moderate-to-heavy worm burdens, low level of fathers' education and anaemia were identified as the significant predictors of high absenteeism among the subjects (P<0·05). Following treatment of the infected children, it was found that school absenteeism was reduced significantly (P<0·01). In conclusion, STH continues to have significant impacts on public health, particularly in rural communities with a negatively significant effect on the school participation of Aboriginal children. A school-based de-worming programme should be introduced and incorporated in the current educational assistance targeted towards the Aboriginal communities, under the auspices of the government.

The aim of this study was to use larval, parasitic female and egg antigens from Strongyloides venezuelensis to detect parasite-specific IgG and immune complexes in human serum samples by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In total, 95 serum samples were analysed, consisting of 30 patients harbouring S. stercoralis larvae, 30 healthy subjects and 35 patients with other parasites. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic efficiency were calculated. A significant statistical difference was found in the detection of immune complexes and antibodies in patients harbouring S. stercoralis larvae from larval and eggs antigens, with higher positivity using larval antigen. The larval antigen showed the highest values for sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic efficiency in ELISA from detection of immune complexes. For the first time we used IgG anti-larvae, IgG anti-parasitic females or IgG anti-eggs for immune complex detection. We concluded that the association of antibody and immune complex detection could be used in the diagnosis of human strongyloidiasis.

Freshwater fish helminths, the most well known Mexican vertebrate parasites, include approximately 260 species (platyhelminthes, acanthocephalans, nematodes, and hirudineans). The distribution patterns of adult helminth diversity (throughout parasite and host groups and hydrological regions) are described and the effects of host traits and environmental and geographical factors on diversity are evaluated. Adult helminths include 160 species, parasitizing 149 fish species of 23 families distributed in 21 regions. Nematoda was the most species-rich (>50 species). Cichlidae harboured rich helminth assemblages, with widespread parasites. By contrast, Atherinopsidae and Goodeidae showed relatively poor helminth assemblages, including specific parasites with narrow distribution. Helminth richness in southeastern Mexico was higher than northern or central regions. Non-parametric richness estimators were used to avoid confusion in comparisons with unequal sampling efforts. Bootstrap values, the method with the best performance, indicated that estimated richness shows the same distribution pattern that observed richness. Non-phylogenetic and phylogenetic analyses were used to determine the role of different factors in the parasite diversification. The distribution range was the most important richness predictor (widespread fishes harbour richer parasite assemblages), although interactions between this variable and others such as trophic level, latitude, habitat temperature and precipitation are also important. Likewise, biogeographical factors can also affect parasite diversity.