ORCID Profile
0000-0001-8330-6416
Current Organisation
University of Melbourne
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Veterinary parasitology | Evolutionary biology | Veterinary Parasitology | Veterinary Diagnosis and Diagnostics | Other Biological Sciences | Veterinary Epidemiology | Host-parasite interactions | Veterinary Sciences | Animal systematics and taxonomy | Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Preventive Medicine | Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Disease Distribution and Transmission (incl. Surveillance and Response) |
Related Links
Publications
Screening of the ‘Stasis Box’ identifies two kinase inhibitors under pharmaceutical development with activity against Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 05-07-2017
Screening of the 'Open Scaffolds' collection from Compounds Australia identifies a new chemical entity with anthelmintic activities against different developmental stages of the barber's pole worm and other parasitic nematodes.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
Delay-intolerant covert communications with either fixed or random transmit power
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 2019
Getting to the guts of the matter: the status and potential of 'omics' research of parasitic protists of the human gastrointestinal system.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJPARA.2013.06.005
Abstract: Parasitic protists are a major cause of diarrhoeal illnesses in humans globally. Collectively, enteric pathogens exceed all other forms of infectious disease, in terms of their estimated global prevalence and socioeconomic impact. They have a disproportionately high impact on children in impoverished communities, leading to acute (diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and death) and chronic disease (malabsorption, malnutrition, physical and cognitive stunting and predisposition to chronic, non-communicable disease) consequences. However, historically, investment in research and disease control measures has been disproportionately poor, leading to their current classification as neglected pathogens. A sound understanding of their biology is essential in underpinning detection, treatment and control efforts. One major tool in rapidly improving our knowledge of these parasites is the use of biological systems, including 'omic' technologies. In recent years, these tools have shown significant success when applied to enteric protists. This review summarises much of this knowledge and highlights the significant remaining knowledge gaps. A major focus of the present review was to provide a perspective on a way forward to address these gaps using advanced biotechnologies.
Long lasting insecticidal net use and its associated factors in Limmu Seka District, South West Ethiopia
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-01-2018
New operational taxonomic units of Enterocytozoon in three marsupial species.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-06-2018
Cryptosporidium and Giardia taxa in faecal samples from animals in catchments supplying the city of Melbourne with drinking water (2011 to 2015)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2016
Molecular-based investigation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from animals in water catchments in southeastern Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2013
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2012.12.027
Abstract: There has been no large-scale systematic molecular epidemiological investigation of the waterborne protozoans, Cryptosporidium or Giardia, in southeastern Australia. Here, we explored, for the first time, the genetic composition of these genera in faecal s les from animals in nine Melbourne Water reservoir areas, collected over a period of two-years. We employed PCR-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and phylogenetic analyses of loci (pSSU and pgp60) in the small subunit (SSU) of ribosomal RNA and 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) genes to detect and characterise Cryptosporidium, and another locus (ptpi) in the triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene to identify and characterise Giardia. Cryptosporidium was detected in 2.8% of the 2009 s les examined the analysis of all licons defined 14 distinct sequence types for each of pSSU and pgp60, representing Cryptosporidium hominis (genotype Ib - subgenotype IbA10G2R2), Cryptosporidium parvum (genotype IIa - subgenotypes IIaA15G2R1, IIaA19G2R1, IIaA19G3R1, IIaA19G4R1, IIaA20G3R1, IIaA20G4R1, IIaA20G3R2 and IIaA21G3R1), Cryptosporidium cuniculus (genotype Vb - subgenotypes VbA22R4, VbA23R3, VbA24R3, VbA25R4 and VbA26R4), and Cryptosporidium canis, Cryptosporidium fayeri, Cryptosporidium macropodum and Cryptosporidium ubiquitum as well as six new pSSU sequence types. In addition, Giardia was identified in 3.4% of the s les all 28 distinct ptpi sequence types defined were linked to assemblage A of Giardia duodenalis. Of all 56 sequence types characterised, eight and one have been recorded previously in Cryptosporidium and Giardia, respectively, from humans. In contrast, nothing is known about the zoonotic potential of 35 new genotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia recorded here for the first time. Future work aims to focus on estimating the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia genotypes in humans and a wide range of animals in Victoria and elsewhere in Australia. (Nucleotide sequences reported in this paper are available in the GenBank database under accession nos. KC282952-KC283005).
Is Cryptosporidium from the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) a new species and distinct from Cryptosporidium ubiquitum?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2016.06.028
Abstract: The emerging zoonotic pathogen Cryptosporidium ubiquitum has been found in a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans, throughout the world. Advances in the molecular characterization of this parasite using the sequence of the 60kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene have allowed the classification of "subtypes". Sequences derived from faecal s les from the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) have identified a novel gp60 subtype designated here as C. ubiquitum XIIg. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that subtypes of C. ubiquitum can be ided into generalist and specialist groups, which is important when considering the zoonotic potential of C. ubiquitum in the context of drinking water safety.
Detection of cryptic species of Rugopharynx (Nematoda: Strongylida) from the stomachs of Australian macropodid marsupials.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2016
Building an integrated infrastructure for exploring biodiversity: field collections and archives of mammals and parasites
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 10-04-2019
Upstream-downstream gradient in infection levels by fish parasites: a common river pattern?
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-10-2012
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182012001527
Abstract: Physical habitat structure can influence the distribution and abundance of organisms. In rivers, stream drift, a common process originating from the unidirectional water flow, favours the displacement and downstream dispersion of invertebrates. This process could also generate a gradient in infection levels, leading to decreasing numbers of parasites per host as one moves upstream from the river mouth. We tested this hypothesis using 4 trematode species infecting the fish Gobiomorphus breviceps in the Manuherikia River (New Zealand). We analysed the abundance of each trematode infrapopulation as a function of distance from the river junction and fish size by generalized linear models. Our results supported the existence of a longitudinal gradient in trematode abundance along the river with a decreasing downstream-to-upstream continuum. This applied to 3 out of the 4 trematode species studied, suggesting that this might be a common pattern in river populations. Thus, the unidirectional river flow and a major process like drift in lotic systems, that influences the dynamics and distribution of invertebrate hosts, can also affect trematodes. Host properties like habitat preference, and parasite traits, particularly those related to transmission mode can influence the strength of the observed gradient, as may other environmental and biotic factors.
The developmental lipidome of Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJPARA.2018.06.002
Abstract: Lipids play crucial roles in the biology of organisms, particularly relating to cellular membranes, energy storage, and intra- or inter-cellular signalling. Despite the recent expansion of the lipidomics field, very little is known about the biology of lipids in metzoan pathogens, and, to date, there has been no global lipidomic study of a parasitic nematode. Using Haemonchus contortus (barber's pole worm) as a model, we describe the first known global lipidome for a parasitic nematode via high throughput LC-MS/MS-based lipidomics. We identified a total of 554 lipid species across four lipid categories, and 18 lipid classes exhibited alterations among six developmental stages (eggs L3 and exsheathed L3 (xL3) and L4 larval stages female and male adults) of H. contortus. The lipid composition and abundance of H. contortus changed significantly during the transition from free-living (egg, L3 and xL3) to parasitic (L4 and adult) stages. The three main changes observed were: (i) decreased synthesis of triradylglycerols (ii) increased glycerophospholipids (predominantly glycerophosphoethanolamines and glycerophosphocholines) and (iii) a 'cooperative' modulation of ether-linked lipids and saturated fatty acids. These changes suggest specific adaptations, in terms of nutrient acquisition, metabolism and development, as the nematode makes its transition to the parasitic stage inside the host animal. This lipidomic data set serves as a stimulus for studies to understand lipid biology in parasitic worms, and their roles in parasite-host interactions and disease processes.
First molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium and Giardia from bovines (Bos taurus and Bubalus bubalis) in Sri Lanka: unexpected absence of C. parvum from pre-weaned calves
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-02-2014
Mitochondrial genomic comparison of Clonorchis sinensis from South Korea with other isolates of this species.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2017.02.015
Abstract: Clonorchiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects >35 million people mainly in China, Vietnam, South Korea and some parts of Russia. The disease-causing agent, Clonorchis sinensis, is a liver fluke of humans and other piscivorous animals, and has a complex aquatic life cycle involving snails and fish intermediate hosts. Chronic infection in humans causes liver disease and associated complications including malignant bile duct cancer. Central to control and to understanding the epidemiology of this disease is knowledge of the specific identity of the causative agent as well as genetic variation within and among populations of this parasite. Although most published molecular studies seem to suggest that C. sinensis represents a single species and that genetic variation within the species is limited, karyotypic variation within C. sinensis among China, Korea (2n=56) and Russian Far East (2n=14) suggests that this taxon might contain sibling species. Here, we assessed and applied a deep sequencing-bioinformatic approach to sequence and define a reference mitochondrial (mt) genome for a particular isolate of C. sinensis from Korea (Cs-k2), to confirm its specific identity, and compared this mt genome with homologous data sets available for this species. Comparative analyses revealed consistency in the number and structure of genes as well as in the lengths of protein-coding genes, and limited genetic variation among isolates of C. sinensis. Phylogenetic analyses of amino acid sequences predicted from mt genes showed that representatives of C. sinensis clustered together, with absolute nodal support, to the exclusion of other liver fluke representatives, but sub-structuring within C. sinensis was not well supported. The plan now is to proceed with the sequencing, assembly and annotation of a high quality draft nuclear genome of this defined isolate (Cs-k2) as a basis for a detailed investigation of molecular variation within C. sinensis from disparate geographical locations in parts of Asia and to prospect for cryptic species.
Molecular characterization of species of Cloacina (Strongyloidea: Cloacininae) from the common wallaroo, Macropus robustus (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) in Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2016.06.037
Abstract: This study examined genetic variation within and among species of Cloacina found in the common wallaroo (Macropus robustus) collected at different localities from mainland Australia, and evaluated geographical distance as a potential driver for genetic variation. The first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2=ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were used to characterize in iduals of 17 morphospecies of Cloacina that parasitize Macropus robustus and its sub-species. Results revealed intraspecific variation in ITS within some morphospecies of Cloacina. Phylogenetic analyses showed little correlation between host speciation patterns and geographical location for the majority of the nematode species, although it did suggest geographical distance was a driver for speciation within Cloacina communis, C. phaethon and C. parva. Our results suggest that nucleotide variation within Cloacina species is complex, and is likely to be propagated by factors such as geographical distance and host sub-species. Further studies determining factors involved in speciation, such as host-parasite relationships, are needed to improve our understanding of the ersity of populations of species of Cloacina.
A Molecular View of the Superfamily Dioctophymatoidea (Nematoda)
Publisher: Helminthological Society
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1654/4366.1
First detection and genetic characterisation of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in wild deer in Melbourne's water catchments in Australia.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-01-2018
Ocular Filariasis in Human Caused by Breinlia (Johnstonema) annulipapillata Nematode, Australia
Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Date: 2021
Human Neural Larva Migrans Caused by Ophidascaris robertsi Ascarid
Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Date: 09-2023
A Perspective on the Molecular Identification, Classification, and Epidemiology of Enterocytozoon bieneusi of Animals
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-93306-7_14
Abstract: The microsporidian Enterocytozoon bieneusi is an obligate intracellular pathogen that causes enteric disease (microsporidiosis) in humans and has been recorded in a wide range of animal species worldwide. The transmission of E. bieneusi is direct and likely occurs from person to person and from animal to person via the ingestion of spores in water, food, or the environment. The identification of E. bieneusi is usually accomplished by molecular means, typically using the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Currently, ~820 distinct genotypes of E. bieneusi have been recorded in at least 210 species of vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, and hibians) or invertebrates (insects and mussels) in more than 50 countries. In this chapter, we provide a perspective on (1) clinical aspects of human microsporidiosis (2) the genome and DNA markers for E. bieneusi as well as molecular methods for the specific and genotypic identification of E. bieneusi (3) epidemiological aspects of E. bieneusi of animals and humans, with an emphasis on the genotypes proposed to be zoonotic, human-specific, and animal-specific and (4) future research directions to underpin expanded molecular studies to better understand E. bieneusi and microsporidiosis.
Phylogenetic Analysis of Mitogenomic Data Sets Resolves the Relationship of Seven Macropostrongyloides Species from Australian Macropodid and Vombatid Marsupials
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-12-2020
Abstract: Nematodes of the genus Macropostrongyloides inhabit the large intestines or stomachs of macropodid (kangaroos and wallabies) and vombatid (wombats) marsupials. This study established the relationships of seven species of Macropostrongyloides using mitochondrial (mt) protein amino acid sequence data sets. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that species of Macropostrongyloides (M. lasiorhini, M. baylisi, M. yamagutii, M. spearei, M. mawsonae and M. woodi) from the large intestines of their hosts formed a monophyletic assemblage with strong nodal support to the exclusion of M. dissimilis from the stomach of the sw wallaby. Furthermore, the mitochondrial protein-coding genes provided greater insights into the ersity and phylogeny of the genus Macropostrongyloides such data sets could potentially be used to elucidate the relationships among other parasitic nematodes of Australian marsupials.
Mitochondrial genome of Hypoderaeum conoideum - Comparison with selected trematodes
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-02-2015
PCR-coupled sequencing achieves specific diagnosis of onchocerciasis in a challenging clinical case, to underpin effective treatment and clinical management.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2018.09.012
Abstract: This study demonstrates the utility of a PCR-based DNA sequencing approach to make a specific diagnosis of onchocerciasis in a returned traveller. Although a clinical diagnosis was not possible, the surgical excision of a suprascapular nodule from this patient, combined with an histological examination of this nodule and PCR-based sequencing of DNA from a nematode from this lesion solved the case. The analysis of DNA sequence data confirmed the presence of Onchocerca volvulus infection, supporting an effective treatment-clinical management strategy for the patient.
A molecular characterization of marsupial filarioid nematodes of the genus Breinlia
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 19-10-2022
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182022001482
Abstract: Here we present the genetic relationships of 26 specimens of the genus Breinlia (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from a range of Australian marsupials using markers in the small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( cox 1) genes and compare them with morphological determinations. The molecular data support the validity of most of the morpho-species included in the study and provide provisional insights into the phylogeny of the genus in Australian mammals, with dasyuroid marsupials appearing to be the original hosts. The recent discovery of Breinlia annulipapillata in the eye of a human brings this genus of parasites into the group of emerging infectious parasitic diseases.
Natural Compounds from the Marine Brown Alga Caulocystis cephalornithos with Potent In Vitro-Activity against the Parasitic Nematode Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 09-07-2020
Abstract: Eight secondary metabolites (1 to 8) were isolated from a marine sponge, a marine alga and three terrestrial plants collected in Australia and subsequently chemically characterised. Here, these natural product-derived compounds were screened for in vitro-anthelmintic activity against the larvae and adult stages of Haemonchus contortus (barber’s pole worm)—a highly pathogenic parasitic nematode of ruminants. Using an optimised, whole-organism screening system, compounds were tested on exsheathed third-stage larvae (xL3s) and fourth-stage larvae (L4s). Anthelmintic activity was initially evaluated on these stages based on the inhibition of motility, development and/or changes in morphology (phenotype). We identified two compounds, 6-undecylsalicylic acid (3) and 6-tridecylsalicylic acid (4) isolated from the marine brown alga, Caulocystis cephalornithos, with inhibitory effects on xL3 and L4 motility and larval development, and the induction of a “skinny-straight” phenotype. Subsequent testing showed that these two compounds had an acute nematocidal effect (within 1–12 h) on adult males and females of H. contortus. Ultrastructural analysis of adult worms treated with compound 4 revealed significant damage to subcuticular musculature and associated tissues and cellular organelles including mitochondria. In conclusion, the present study has discovered two algal compounds possessing acute anthelmintic effects and with potential for hit-to-lead progression. Future work should focus on undertaking a structure-activity relationship study and on elucidating the mode(s) of action of optimised compounds.
Somatic proteome of Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJPARA.2018.12.003
Abstract: Currently, there is a dearth of proteomic data to underpin fundamental investigations of parasites and parasitism at the molecular level. Here, using a high throughput LC-MS/MS-based approach, we undertook the first reported comprehensive, large-scale proteomic investigation of the barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) - one of the most important parasitic nematodes of livestock animals worldwide. In total, 2487 unique H. contortus proteins representing different developmental stages/sexes (i.e. eggs, L3s and L4s, female (Af) and male (Am) adults) were identified and quantified with high confidence. Bioinformatic analyses of this proteome revealed substantial alterations in protein profiles during the life cycle, particularly in the transition from the free-living to the parasitic phase, and key groups of proteins involved specifically in feeding, digestion, metabolism, development, parasite-host interactions (including immunomodulation), structural remodelling of the body wall and adaptive processes during parasitism. This proteomic data set will facilitate future molecular, biochemical and physiological investigations of H. contortus and related nematodes, and the discovery of novel intervention targets against haemonchosis.
Genetic and phenotypic influences on clone‐level success and host specialization in a generalist parasite
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-10-2011
DOI: 10.1111/J.1420-9101.2011.02402.X
Abstract: Studying resource specialization at the in idual level can identify factors constraining the evolution of generalism. We quantified genotypic and phenotypic variability among infective stages of 20 clones of the parasitic trematode Maritrema novaezealandensis and measured their infection success and post-infection fitness (growth, egg output) in several crabs and hipods. First, different clones varied in their infection success of different crustaceans. Second, neither genetic nor phenotypic traits had consistent effects on infection success across all host species. Although the results suggest a relationship between infection success and phenotypic variability, phenotypically variable clones were not better at infecting more host species than less variable ones. Third, genetic and phenotypic traits also showed no consistent correlations with post-infection fitness measures. Overall, we found no consistent clone-level specialization, with some clones acting as specialists and others, generalists. The trematode population therefore maintains an overall generalist strategy by comprising a mixture of clone-level specialists and generalists.
Cryptosporidium cf. avium in an inland-bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) – A case report and review of the literature
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
More parasitic myositis cases in humans in Australia, and the definition of genetic markers for the causative agents as a basis for molecular diagnosis.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2016.06.026
Abstract: Since 1998, there have been six reported human cases of myositis in Australia, attributable to infection with the nematode Haycocknema perplexum. However, an unequivocal diagnosis of H. perplexum infection and associated disease has been seriously compromised by a lack of molecular markers for this nematode. Here, we report new cases of disseminated myositis in two male patients from the states of Queensland and Tasmania in Australia, respectively genetically characterize the causative agent from each case and, also establish a PCR-based sequencing approach as a tool to support the diagnosis of future cases and to underpin epidemiological studies.
Giardia/giardiasis - A perspective on diagnostic and analytical tools
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOTECHADV.2013.10.009
Abstract: Giardiasis is a gastrointestinal disease of humans and other animals caused by species of parasitic protists of the genus Giardia. This disease is transmitted mainly via the faecal-oral route (e.g., in water or food) and is of socioeconomic importance worldwide. The accurate detection and genetic characterisation of the different species and population variants (usually referred to as assemblages and/or sub-assemblages) of Giardia are central to understanding their transmission patterns and host spectra. The present article provides a background on Giardia and giardiasis, and reviews some key techniques employed for the identification and genetic characterisation of Giardia in biological s les, the diagnosis of infection and the analysis of genetic variation within and among species of Giardia. Advances in molecular techniques provide a solid basis for investigating the systematics, population genetics, ecology and epidemiology of Giardia species and genotypes as well as the prevention and control of giardiasis.
Genetic analysis of Giardia and Cryptosporidium from people in Northern Australia using PCR-based tools
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2015.08.034
Abstract: To date, there has been limited genetic study of the gastrointestinal pathogens Giardia and Cryptosporidium in northern parts of Australia. Here, PCR-based methods were used for the genetic characterization of Giardia and Cryptosporidium from 695 people with histories of gastrointestinal disorders from the tropical North of Australia. Genomic DNAs from fecal s les were subjected to PCR-based analyses of regions from the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi), small subunit (SSU) of the nuclear ribosomal RNA and/or the glycoprotein (gp60) genes. Giardia and Cryptosporidium were detected in 13 and four of the 695 s les, respectively. Giardia duodenalis assemblages A and B were found in 4 (31%) and 9 (69%) of the 13 s les in persons of <9 years of age. Cryptosporidium hominis (subgenotype IdA18), Cryptosporidium mink genotype (subgenotype IIA16R1) and C. felis were also identified in single patients of 11-21 years of age. Future studies might focus on a comparative study of these and other protists in rural communities in Northern Australia.
Molecular analysis of Cryptosporidium from cattle from five states of Peninsular Malaysia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MCP.2016.01.002
Abstract: Despite the importance of the cattle industry in Malaysia, there are very few studies of the ersity and public health significance of bovine cryptosporidiosis in this country. In the present study, we used a PCR-based approach to detect and genetically characterize Cryptosporidium DNA in faecal s les from a cohort of 215 asymptomatic cattle (of different ages) from six farms from five states of Peninsular Malaysia. Cattle on four of the six farms were test-positive for Cryptosporidium, with an overall prevalence of 3.2%. Cryptosporidium bovis and Cryptosporidium ryanae were detected in two (0.9%) and five (2.3%) s les tested this low prevalence likely relates to the age of the cattle tested, as most (73%) of the s les tested originated from cattle that were ≥2 years of age. Future studies should investigate the zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium in pre-weaned and weaned calves in rural communities of Malaysia.
Downlink NOMA transmission for low-latency short-packet communications
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 05-2018
Effects of wetland vs. landscape variables on parasite communities ofRana pipiens: links to anthropogenic factors
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2011
DOI: 10.1890/10-0374.1
Abstract: The emergence of several diseases affecting hibian populations worldwide has prompted investigations into determinants of the occurrence and abundance of parasites in frogs. To understand the spatial scales and identify specific environmental factors that determine risks of parasitism in frogs, helminth communities in metamorphic frogs of the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) were examined in relation to wetland and landscape factors at local (1 km) and regional (10 km) spatial extents in an agricultural region of Minnesota (USA) using regression analyses, ordination, and variance partitioning techniques. Greater amounts of forested and woody wetland habitats, shorter distances between woody wetlands, and smaller-sized open water patches in surrounding landscapes were the most consistently positive correlates with the abundances, richness, and ersity of helminths found in the frogs. Wetland and local landscape variables were suggested as most important for larval trematode abundances, whereas local and regional landscape variables appeared most important for adult helminths. As previously reported, the sum concentration of atrazine and its metabolite desethylatrazine, was the strongest predictor of larval trematode communities. In this report, we highlight the additional influences of landscape factors. In particular, our data suggest that anthropogenic activities that have resulted in the loss of the availability and connectivity of suitable habitats in the surrounding landscapes of wetlands are associated with declines in helminth richness and abundance, but that alteration of wetland water quality through eutrophication or pesticide contamination may facilitate the transmission of certain parasite taxa when they are present at wetlands. Although additional research is needed to quantify the negative effects of parasitism on frog populations, efforts to reduce inputs of agrochemicals into wetlands to limit larval trematode infections may be warranted, given the current high rates of hibian declines and extinction events.
Phylogenetic relationships of species of the oesophageal parasitic nematode genera Cyclostrongylus and Spirostrongylus (Strongyloidea: Chabertiidae: Cloacininae) with their wallaby hosts (Marsupialia: Macropodidae)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MCP.2016.01.004
Abstract: A phylogeny for seven species of Cyclostrongylus and the monotypic genus Spirostrongylus (Nematoda: Chabertiidae), all highly host specific parasites of the oesophagi of wallabies (Marsupialia: Macropodidae), was constructed using sequence data for the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. There was no evidence for co-speciation, or for the sympatric or synxenic speciation of Cyclostrongylus alatus and Cyclostrongylus perplexus, both of which are parasites of Macropus rufogriseus. Rather, host switching, correlating with geographical distributions, appeared to provide some explanation of the pattern of speciation observed.
Thermal proteome profiling reveals Haemonchus orphan protein HCO_011565 as a target of the nematocidal small molecule UMW-868.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 14-10-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FPHAR.2022.1014804
Abstract: Parasitic roundworms (nematodes) cause destructive diseases, and immense suffering in humans and other animals around the world. The control of these parasites relies heavily on anthelmintic therapy, but treatment failures and resistance to these drugs are widespread. As efforts to develop vaccines against parasitic nematodes have been largely unsuccessful, there is an increased focus on discovering new anthelmintic entities to combat drug resistant worms. Here, we employed thermal proteome profiling (TPP) to explore hit pharmacology and to support optimisation of a hit compound (UMW-868), identified in a high-throughput whole-worm, phenotypic screen. Using advanced structural prediction and docking tools, we inferred an entirely novel, parasite-specific target (HCO_011565) of this anthelmintic small molecule in the highly pathogenic, blood-feeding barber’s pole worm, and in other socioeconomically important parasitic nematodes. The “hit-to-target” workflow constructed here provides a unique prospect of accelerating the simultaneous discovery of novel anthelmintics and associated parasite-specific targets.
Cryptosporidium parvum genotype IIa and Giardia duodenalis assemblage A in Mytilus galloprovincialis on sale at local food markets
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJFOODMICRO.2013.11.022
Abstract: To date, there has been no study to establish the genotypic or subgenotypic identities of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in edible shellfish. Here, we explored the genetic composition of these protists in Mytilus galloprovincialis (Mediterranean mussel) purchased from three markets in the city of Foggia, Italy, from May to December 2012. S les from the digestive glands, gills and haemolymph were tested by nested PCR, targeting DNA regions within the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene of Cryptosporidium, and the triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi) and β-giardin genes of Giardia. In total, Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in 66.7% of mussels (M. galloprovincialis) tested. Cryptosporidium was detected mostly between May and September 2012. Sequencing of licons showed that 60% of mussels contained Cryptosporidium parvum genotype IIa (including subgenotypes A15G2R1, IIaA15G2 and IIaA14G3R1), 23.3% Giardia duodenalis assemblage A, and 6.6% had both genetic types. This is the first report of these types in fresh, edible shellfish, particularly the very commonly consumed M. galloprovincialis from highly frequented fish markets. These genetic types of Cryptosporidium and Giardia are known to infect humans and thus likely to represent a significant public health risk. The poor observance of hygiene rules by vendors, coupled to the large numbers of M. galloprovincialis sold and the eating habits of consumers in Italy, call for more effective sanitary measures pertaining to the selling of fresh shellfish in street markets.
Disseminated protozoal infection in a wild feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
New species and new records of species of Cloacina von Linstow, 1898 (Nematoda: Strongylida) parasitic in the western scrub wallaby, Notamacropus irma (Jourdan) (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) from Western Australia.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-05-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S11230-019-09855-X
Abstract: The helminth parasites of the western scrub wallaby or black-glove wallaby, Notamacropus irma (Jourdan) which occurs in Western Australia are relatively poorly documented. Six new species of the strongyloid genus Cloacina von Linstow, 1898 (Strongylida: Chabertiidae) are described namely C. asymmetrica n. sp., C. brazellei n. sp., C. harriganae n. sp., C. hobbsi n. sp., C. middletoni n. sp. and C. woodi n. sp. A redescription of C. laius Beveridge, 1999 from the same host species is included. Molecular sequence data (ITS1 and ITS2 ribosomal DNA) were obtained for C. asymmetrica, C. brazellei, C. hobbsi, C. middletoni and from the previously described species C. themis Beveridge, 1998 occurring in the same host species. Phylogenetically, C. asymmetrica, C. hobbsi and C. middletoni formed a distinct clade, suggesting the possibility of within-host speciation. Cloacina themis clustered with a group of morphologically distinctive species in a separate clade and C. brazellei clustered in a third clade but with poor support. This pattern of congeners in a single host species occurring in multiple clades mirrors the situation in other kangaroos and wallabies. Species of Cloacina from N. irma reported thus far therefore consist of a series of species found only in this host, with two species (C. brazellei and C. laius) shared with the sympatric macropodid Setonix brachyurus (Quoy & Gaimard).
Molecular investigation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in pre- and post-weaned calves in Hubei Province, China.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-10-2017
Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing and Informatics as an Effective Tool to Establish the Composition of Bovine Piroplasm Populations in Endemic Regions
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-12-2020
DOI: 10.3390/MICROORGANISMS9010021
Abstract: Protists of the genera Babesia and Theileria (piroplasms) cause some of the most prevalent and debilitating diseases for bovines worldwide. In this study, we established and used a next-generation sequencing-informatic approach to explore the composition of Babesia and Theileria populations in cattle and water buffalo in a country (Pakistan) endemic for these pathogens. We collected in idual blood s les from cattle (n = 212) and water buffalo (n = 154), extracted genomic DNAs, PCR- lified the V4 hypervariable region of 18S small subunit rRNA gene from piroplasms, sequenced licons using Illumina technology, and then analysed data using bioinformatic platforms. The results revealed piroplasms in 68.9% (252/366) s les, with overall occurrence being markedly higher in cattle (85.8%) than in water buffaloes (45.5%). Babesia (B.) occultans and Theileria (T.) lestoquardi-like species were recorded for the first time in Pakistan, and, overall, T. annulata was most commonly detected (65.8%) followed by B. bovis (7.1%), B. bigemina (4.4%), and T. orientalis (0.5%), with the genetic variability within B. bovis being pronounced. The occurrence and composition of piroplasm species varied markedly across different agro-ecological zones. The high detection of T. annulata in asymptomatic animals suggested a relatively high level of endemic stability of tropical theileriosis in the bovine population.
Assessing calves as carriers of Cryptosporidium and Giardia with zoonotic potential on dairy and beef farms within a water catchment area by mutation scanning.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2013
Abstract: In the present study, we undertook a molecular epidemiological survey of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in calves on three dairy and two beef farms within an open drinking water catchment area (Melbourne, Australia). Faecal s les (n = 474) were collected from calves at two time points (5 months apart) and tested using a PCR-based mutation scanning-targeted sequencing phylogenetic approach, employing regions within the genes of small subunit (SSU) of ribosomal RNA (designated partial SSU), 60 kDa glycoprotein (pgp60) and triose phosphate isomerase (ptpi) as genetic markers. Using partial SSU, the C. bovis, C. parvum, C. ryanae and a new genotype of Cryptosporidium were characterised from totals of 74 (15.6%), 35 (7.3%), 37 (7.8%) and 9 (1.9%) s les, respectively. Using pgp60, C. parvum genotype IIa subgenotype A18G3R1 was detected in 29 s les. Using ptpi, G. duodenalis assemblages A and E were detected in totals of 10 (2.1%) and 130 (27.4%) s les, respectively. The present study showed that a considerable proportion of dairy and beef calves in this open water catchment region excreted Cryptosporidium (i.e. subgenotype IIaA18G3R1) and Giardia (e.g. assemblage A) that are consistent with those infecting humans, inferring that they are of zoonotic importance. Future work should focus on exploring, in a temporal and spatial way, whether these parasites occur in the environment and water of the catchment reservoir.
Molecular detection of Cyclospora in water, soil, vegetables and humans in southern Italy signals a need for improved monitoring by health authorities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJFOODMICRO.2015.07.002
Abstract: To date, in Europe, there is scant information on the occurrence of Cyclospora in water from treatment plants and in humans, and no data are available on soil or fresh plant products. Here, we undertook the first molecular survey of Cyclospora in multiple biological matrices collected from the Apulia region of southern Italy. S les of irrigation water from four municipal treatment plants, eight different types of vegetables or fruit (cucumber, lettuce, fennel, celery, tomato, melon, en e and chicory) and soil from the same farms on which these plants were grown, as well as faecal s les from humans living in the same region were tested by qPCR-coupled single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and DNA sequencing. Cyclospora was detected in 15.5% of all 213 s les tested. Specifically, this protist was detected in (i) treated water (21.3% of 94 s les), well water (6.2% of 16), but not drinking water (0% of 3) (ii) soil (11.8% of 51 s les) and vegetables (12.2% of 49), with the highest prevalence (18.7%) on fennel and (iii) human stools (27.5% of 40 s les). In environmental and food s les, Cyclospora was detected mainly in autumn and was significantly more prevalent in the faeces from humans of 40-50 years of age. This is the first comprehensive molecular survey of Cyclospora in environmental, food and human faecal s les in Europe. These data suggest that irrigation water, soil and vegetables might be contaminated by Cyclospora cayetanensis, which might represent a source of infection to humans in the study area and calls for monitoring by health authorities.
The apicoplast genomes of two taxonomic units of Babesia from sheep.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.VETPAR.2016.11.004
Abstract: The apicoplast (ap) is a unique, non-photosynthetic organelle found in most apicomplexan parasites. Due to the essential roles that this organelle has, it has been widely considered as target for drugs against diseases caused by apicomplexans. Exploring the ap genomes of such parasites would provide a better understanding of their systematics and their basic molecular biology for therapeutics. However, there is limited information available on the ap genomes of apicomplexan parasites. In the present study, the ap genomes of two operational taxonomic units of Babesia (known as Babesia sp. Lintan [Bl] and Babesia sp. Xinjiang [Bx]) from sheep were sequenced, assembled and annotated using a massive parallel sequencing-based approach. Then, the gene content and gene order in these ap genomes (∼30.7kb in size) were defined and compared, and the genetic differences were assessed. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis of ap genomic data sets was carried out to assess the relationships of these taxonomic units with other apicomplexan parasites for which complete ap genomic data sets were publicly available. The results showed that the ap genomes of Bl and Bx encode 59 and 57 genes, respectively, including 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 25 transfer RNA genes and 30-32 protein-encoding genes, being similar in content to those of Babesia bovis and B. orientalis. Ap gene regions that might serve as markers for future epidemiological and population genetic studies of Babesia species were identified. Using sequence data for a subset of six protein-encoding genes, a close relationship of Bl and Bx with Babesia bovis from cattle and B. orientalis from water buffalo was inferred. Although the focus of the present study was on Babesia, we propose that the present sequencing-bioinformatic approach should be applicable to organellar genomes of a wide range of apicomplexans of veterinary importance.
Phylogenomic and biogeographic reconstruction of the Trichinella complex
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-2016
DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS10513
Abstract: Trichinellosis is a globally important food-borne parasitic disease of humans caused by roundworms of the Trichinella complex. Extensive biological ersity is reflected in substantial ecological and genetic variability within and among Trichinella taxa, and major controversy surrounds the systematics of this complex. Here we report the sequencing and assembly of 16 draft genomes representing all 12 recognized Trichinella species and genotypes, define protein-coding gene sets and assess genetic differences among these taxa. Using thousands of shared single-copy orthologous gene sequences, we fully reconstruct, for the first time, a phylogeny and biogeography for the Trichinella complex, and show that encapsulated and non-encapsulated Trichinella taxa erged from their most recent common ancestor ∼21 million years ago (mya), with taxon ersifications commencing ∼10−7 mya.
Phylogenetic Relationships of the Strongyloid Nematodes of Australasian Marsupials Based on Mitochondrial Protein Sequences
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 22-10-2022
DOI: 10.3390/ANI12212900
Abstract: Australasian marsupials harbour a erse group of gastrointestinal strongyloid nematodes. These nematodes are currently grouped into two subfamilies, namely the Cloacininae and Phascolostrongylinae. Based on morphological criteria, the Cloacininae and Phascolostrongylinae were defined as monophyletic and placed in the family Cloacinidae, but this has not been supported by molecular data and they are currently placed in the Chabertiidae. Although molecular data (internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes or mitochondrial protein-coding genes) have been used to verify morphological classifications within the Cloacininae and Phascolostrongylinae, the phylogenetic relationships between the subfamilies have not been rigorously tested. This study determined the phylogenetic relationships of the subfamilies Cloacininae and Phascolostrongylinae using amino acid sequences conceptually translated from the twelve concatenated mitochondrial protein-coding genes. The findings demonstrated that the Cloacininae and Phascolostrongylinae formed a well-supported monophyletic assemblage, consistent with their morphological classification as an independent family, Cloacinidae. Unexpectedly, however, the subfamily Phascolostrongylinae was split into two groups comprising the genera from macropodid hosts (kangaroos and wallabies) and those from vombatid hosts (wombats). Genera of the Cloacininae and Phascolostrongylinae occurring in macropodid hosts were more closely related compared to genera of the Phascolostrongylinae occurring in wombats that formed a sister relationship with the remaining genera from macropods. These findings provide molecular evidence supporting the monophyly of the family Cloacinidae and an alternative hypothesis for the origin of marsupial strongyloid nematodes in vombatid hosts that requires further exploration using molecular approaches and additional s les
Detection of Breinlia sp. (Nematoda) in the Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2021
Citellinema (Nematoda: Heligmosomidae) from North America with descriptions of 2 new species from the red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus and 1 from the Canadian woodchuck, Marmota m
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 27-05-2022
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182022000737
Abstract: Citellinema Hall, 1918 includes 6 valid species of gastrointestinal nematodes of sciurids. Two species occur in the Palearctic and 4 in the Nearctic, 3 of which occur minimally across Colorado, Idaho and Oregon and 1, Citellinema bifurcatum , has a wide distribution across North America. Members of the genus are didelphic, possess a cephalic vesicle, a terminal spine-like process in females and feature robust spicules, consisting of a proximal end fused and semicylindrical shaft connected to a lamina supported by 2 terminal filiform processes. Typically, the size of the spicules is used to differentiate species. As part of the Beringian Coevolution Project, specimens provisionally identified as C. bifurcatum were collected through intensive field s ling of mammals and associated parasites from across localities spanning the Holarctic. These specimens revealed considerable genetic variability at both mitochondrial and nuclear loci, supporting the identification of deeply ergent clades. Examination of these new specimens, along with the holotypes of C. bifurcatum and Citellinema quadrivittati indicates that Citellinema monacis (previously synonymized with C . bifurcatum ) should be resurrected and 3 additional species described. We suggest that the apparent bifurcated nature of the spicule should be considered a generic diagnostic trait, while the proportional length of the lamina relative to that of the spicule is used as a specific character. We demonstrate the critical need for continued inventory of often poorly known assemblages of hosts and parasites, contributing to a growing baseline of archival specimens, collections and information that make explorations of faunal structure and ersity possible.
First genetic analysis of Cryptosporidium from humans from Tasmania, and identification of a new genotype from a traveller to Bali
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-07-2014
Abstract: Little is known about the molecular composition of Cryptosporidium species from humans living in the insular state of Tasmania, Australia. In the present study, we genetically characterized 82 s les of Cryptosporidium from humans following conventional coproscopic testing in a routine, diagnostic laboratory. Using a PCR-coupled single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique, targeting portions of the small subunit rRNA (SSU), and 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) loci, we identified two species of Cryptosporidium, including C. hominis (subgenotypes IbA10G2, IdA16, IeA12G3T3, and IfA19G1) and C. parvum (IIaA16G1R1 and IIaA18G3), and a new operational taxonomic unit (OTU) that genetically closely resembled C. wrairi. This OTU was further characterized using markers in the actin, Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP), and 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) genes. This study provides the first characterization of species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium from Tasmania, and presents clear genetic evidence, using five independent genetic loci, for a new genotype or species of Cryptosporidium in a Tasmanian person with a recent history of travelling to Bali, Indonesia. It would be interesting to undertake detailed molecular-based studies of Cryptosporidium in Indonesia and neighbouring countries, in conjunction with morphological and experimental investigations of new genotypes.
A Targeted ”Next-Generation” Sequencing-Informatic Approach to Define Genetic Diversity in Theileria orientalis Populations within Individual Cattle: Proof-of-Principle
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 05-06-2020
Abstract: Oriental theileriosis is an economically important tickborne disease of bovines, caused by some members of the Theileria orientalis complex. Currently, 11 distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs), or genotypes, are recognized based on their major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene sequences. Two of these genotypes (i.e., chitose and ikeda) are recognized as pathogenic in cattle, causing significant disease in countries of the Asia-Pacific region. However, the true extent of genetic variation and associated virulence athogenicity within this complex is unknown. Here, we undertook a proof-of-principle study of a small panel of genomic DNAs (n = 13) from blood s les originating from in idual cattle known to harbor T. orientalis, in order to assess the performance of a targeted “next-generation” sequencing-informatic approach to identify genotypes. Five genotypes (chitose, ikeda, buffeli, type 4, and type 5) were defined multiple genotypes were found within in idual s les, with dominant and minor sequence types representing most genotypes. This study indicates that this sequencing-informatic workflow could be useful to assess the nature and extent of genetic variation within and among populations of T. orientalis on a large scale, and to potentially employ panels of distinct gene markers for expanded molecular epidemiological investigations of socioeconomically important protistan pathogens more generally.
First human case of fatal Halicephalobus gingivalis meningoencephalitis in Australia.
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 05-2015
DOI: 10.1128/JCM.00032-15
Abstract: Halicephalobus gingivalis (previously Micronema deletrix ) is a free-living nematode known to cause opportunistic infections, mainly in horses. Human infections are very rare, but all cases described to date involved fatal meningoencephalitis. Here we report the first case of H. gingivalis infection in an Australian human patient, confirmed by nematode morphology and sequencing of ribosomal DNA. The implications of this case are discussed, particularly, the need to evaluate real-time PCR as a diagnostic tool.
Genetic characterisation of Taenia multiceps cysts from ruminants in Greece
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2016
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2015.12.008
Abstract: This study was designed to genetically characterise the larval stage (coenurus) of Taenia multiceps from ruminants in Greece, utilising DNA regions within the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (partial cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase 1 (pnad1) mitochondrial (mt) genes, respectively. A molecular-phylogenetic approach was used to analyse the pcox1 and pnad1 licons derived from genomic DNA s les from in idual cysts (n=105) from cattle (n=3), goats (n=5) and sheep (n=97). Results revealed five and six distinct electrophoretic profiles for pcox1 and pnad1, respectively, using single-strand conformation polymorphism. Direct sequencing of selected licons representing each of these profiles defined five haplotypes each for pcox1 and pnad1, among all 105 isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of in idual sequence data for each locus, including a range of well-defined reference sequences, inferred that all isolates of T. multiceps cysts from ruminants in Greece clustered with previously published sequences from different continents. The present study provides a foundation for future large-scale studies on the epidemiology of T. multiceps in ruminants as well as dogs in Greece.
Phylogeography of a Holarctic nematode, Soboliphyme baturini, among mustelids: climate change, episodic colonization, and diversification in a complex host-parasite system
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 24-02-2009
Mitochondrial genomes of two Babesia taxa from sheep in China as a foundation for population genetic and epidemiological investigations.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2016.11.002
Abstract: Here, we sequenced, assembled and annotated the mitochondrial (mt) genomes of two operational taxonomic units of Babesia from sheep from China using a deep sequencing-coupled approach. Then, we defined and compared the gene order of these mt genomes (~5.8 to 6.2kb in size), assessed sequence differences in mt genes among Babesia taxa and evaluated genetic relationships among these taxa and related apicomplexans (Theileria) for which mt genomic data sets were available. We also identified mt genetic regions that might be useful as markers for future population genetic and molecular epidemiological studies of Babesia from small ruminants. We propose that the sequencing-bioinformatic approach used here should be applicable to a wide range of protists of veterinary importance.
Cryptosporidium viatorum from the native Australian swamp rat Rattus lutreolus - An emerging zoonotic pathogen?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
Genetic variation within and among species of Cloacina (Strongyloidea: Cloacinine) from the swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor (Marsupialia: Macropodidae)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2014.09.031
Abstract: This study examined genetic variation within and among species of Cloacina found in the sw wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) collected at different localities along the eastern coast of Australia, and evaluated geographical distance as a potential driver for genetic variation. The first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2, respectively) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA were used to characterize in iduals of 11 morphospecies of Cloacina that parasitize W. bicolor. The results of the molecular analyses revealed multiple genotypes for the nine morphospecies of Cloacina (i.e. Cloacina annulata, Cloacina edwardsi, Cloacina eos, Cloacina gallardi, Cloacina mawsonae, Cloacina papillata, Cloacina papillatissima, Cloacina pollux, and Cloacina wallabiae) for which multiple in iduals were available for analysis. However, phylogenetic analyses of the sequence data revealed that for each morphospecies, there was no sub ision of in iduals into distinct clades based on geographical region from which they were collected. Additional studies are needed to determine the drivers of genetic variation in cloacinid nematodes, and hence increase our understanding of the ersity of parasitic nematodes in macropodid marsupials.
Genetic and environmental determinants of host use in the trematodeMaritrema novaezealandensis(Microphallidae)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 21-07-2010
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182010001022
Abstract: Factors constraining host specificity are poorly understood. Intraspecific variation in host preferences in generalist parasites may reveal which factors affect patterns of host use, and thus the evolution of specialization. Here, laboratory experiments examined genetic variation in host preferences and the effect of a refugium against infection on host use. Firstly, 6 cercarial clones of the trematode Maritrema novaezealandensis (ranging widely in heterozygosities) were exposed simultaneously to 2 alternative hosts, the hipods Heterophoxus stephenseni and Paracalliope novizealandiae, to assess host preferences and fitness correlations with parasite heterozygosity. All clones showed a distinct preference for H. stephenseni , though the extent of this preference varied among clones. No clear association was found between heterozygosity and either parasite infection success or preference for a particular host. Secondly, cercariae were exposed to the same 2 hipods in both the presence and absence of sand (refugium for H. stephenseni ). Without sand, infection levels were significantly higher in H. stephenseni than in P. novizealandiae . With sand, H. stephenseni was able to hide, offsetting the parasite's intrinsic preferences for this host. These results demonstrate the existence of genetic variation in host preferences, as well as the effect of environmental variables on observed patterns of host use.
Selected α-pyrones from the plants Cryptocarya novoguineensis (Lauraceae) and Piper methysticum (Piperaceae) with activity against Haemonchus contortus in vitro
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2019
Screening of a small, well-curated natural product-based library identifies two rotenoids with potent nematocidal activity against Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.VETPAR.2017.07.005
Abstract: The control of parasitic roundworms (nematodes) is heavily reliant on the use of a limited number of anthelmintic drugs. However, drug resistance is now very widespread and no vaccines are available, such that the discovery of new chemical entities is crucial. Within this context, we screened a library of pure natural products (n=400) against exsheathed third-stage (xL3) larvae of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus using a whole-organism screening method. We identified two plant-derived rotenoids, deguelin and rotenone, with inhibitory activity on xL3 motility. Rotenone was not investigated further, because of its toxicity to some vertebrates. The dose response and cytotoxicity studies showed potent and selective inhibitory activity of deguelin on motility of xL3 larvae of H. contortus. Detailed future work needs to be conducted to explore the mode of action of this compound on H. contortus and related nematodes, and to assess its potential as an anthelmintic candidate.
Genetic identification of an oxyurid from a captive, black-handed spider monkey--implications for treatment and control
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-07-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S00436-014-4013-7
Abstract: Parasites are of major clinical significance in captive primates in zoos, particularly those with direct life cycles. Oxyurid nematodes can be a persistent problem, as infection intensity and environmental contamination with infective eggs are usually high. Observations at the Basel Zoo in Switzerland have revealed that particularly black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) exhibit continuous oxyurid nematode infection(s), despite regular deworming with anthelmintics. In the present study, using a molecular approach, we were able to identify the nematode (Trypanoxyuris atelis) causing this ongoing problem, and we are now evaluating a practical treatment and control regimen to tackle this parasite problem.
Enterocytozoon bieneusi Genotypes in Cattle on Farms Located within a Water Catchment Area
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-11-2019
DOI: 10.1111/JEU.12696
Abstract: Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a microsporidian found in humans and other animals around the world. Investigations in some countries, such as the U.S., have indicated the importance of E. bieneusi as a zoonotic water- and food-borne pathogen. However, there is scant epidemiological information on E. bieneusi in animals in many countries including Australia. Here, we conducted the first molecular epidemiological study of E. bieneusi in farmed cattle in Victoria, Australia, to assess whether these bovids are carriers of "zoonotic" genotypes of E. bieneusi. A total of 471 in idual faecal s les were collected from calves of < 3 mo and of 3-9 mo of age. Genomic DNAs were extracted from in idual faecal s les and then subjected to nested PCR-based sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA to identify E. bieneusi and define genotypes. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected in 49 of the 471 s les (10.4%). An analysis of ITS sequence data revealed three known genotypes (BEB4, I, and J) and three novel genotypes (designated TAR_fc1 to TAR_fc3). Phylogenetic analysis showed that genotypes BEB4, I, J, TAR_fc1, and TAR_fc2 clustered with genotypes identified previously in humans, indicating that cattle are carriers of E. bieneusi with zoonotic potential.
Is Gaussian Signalling Optimal for Covert Communications?
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 05-2019
Pharyngostrongylus thylogale n. sp. (Nematoda: Strongylida) from the stomachs of macropodid marsupials defined by morphological and molecular criteria.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-09-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S11230-016-9661-9
Abstract: Pharyngostrongylus thylogale n. sp. (Nematoda: Strongylida) is described from the stomach of the red-legged pademelon, Thylogale stigmatica (Gould) (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) from north-eastern Queensland and Papua New Guinea, having formerly been confused with P. iota Johnston & Mawson, 1939. Pharyngostrongylus thylogale n. sp. differs from all congeners in having 12 labial crown elements rather than eight or 16. Pharyngostrongylus iota was found in T. stigmatica, but only in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, in the subspecies T. s. wilcoxi, compared with P. thylogale n. sp. which was found in T. s. stigmatica in northern Queensland and T. s. oriomo in Papua New Guinea. Differences in the sequences of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of P. thylogale n. sp. and ten congeners support the erection of the new species, and the validity of the morphospecies examined. However, results of the phylogenetic analyses of the molecular data also provide evidence for the existence of cryptic species within P. kappa Mawson, 1965. No obvious co-evolutionary relationships were observed between parasite species and their macropodid marsupial hosts.
Tetrahydroquinoxalines induce a lethal evisceration phenotype in Haemonchus contortus in vitro
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2019
Case Report: Neurocysticercosis Acquired in Australia
Publisher: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Date: 02-12-2020
Assessing the anthelmintic activity of pyrazole-5-carboxamide derivatives against Haemonchus contortus.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 31-05-2017
Use of a bioinformatic-assisted primer design strategy to establish a new nested PCR-based method for Cryptosporidium.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-10-2017
Application of PCR-Based Tools to Explore Strongyloides Infection in People in Parts of Northern Australia.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-12-2017
Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-09-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S13071-021-04966-1
Abstract: Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Faecal s les were collected from a foal of less than 2 months of age, and eggs of Strongyloides sp. were detected using the modified McMaster technique. DNA was extracted from purified eggs, and a partial fragment of the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (18S) was characterised using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic methods. Microscopic examination of faeces revealed small ellipsoidal eggs typical of Strongyloides sp. The 18S sequence generated by PCR in this study revealed 98.4% identity with that of a reference sequence of S. westeri available from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a polyphyletic clustering of S. westeri sequences. This is the first study reporting the detection of DNA of Strongyloides sp. in faeces of a foal using a molecular phylogenetic approach targeting the variable region of 18S rDNA. It is anticipated that this study will allow future molecular epidemiological studies on S. westeri in horses.
High throughput LC-MS/MS-based proteomic analysis of excretory-secretory products from short-term in vitro culture of Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPROT.2019.05.003
Abstract: Parasitic nematodes of humans, animals and plants have a major, adverse impact on global health and agricultural production worldwide. To cope with their surrounding environment in and the immune attack from the host, excretory-secretory (ES) proteins are released by nematodes to orchestrate or regulate parasite-host interactions. In the present study, we characterised the ES products from short-term (12 h) in vitro culture of different developmental stages/sexes of Haemonchus contortus (one of the most important parasitic nematodes of livestock animals worldwide) using a high throughput tandem mass-spectrometry, underpinned by the most recent genomic dataset. In total, 878 unique proteins from key developmental stages/sexes (third-stage and fourth-stage larvae, and female and male adults) were identified and quantified with high confidence. Bioinformatic analyses showed noteworthy ES protein alterations during the transition from the free-living to the parasitic phase, especially for proteins which are likely involved in nutrient digestion and acquisition as well as parasite-host interactions, such as proteolytic cascade-related peptidases, glycoside hydrolases, C-type lectins and sperm-coating protein/Tpx/antigen 5 athogenesis related-1/Sc7 (= SCP/TAPS) proteins. Our findings provide an avenue to better explore interactive processes between the host and this highly significant parasitic nematode, to underpin the search for novel drug and vaccine targets. SIGNIFICANCE: The present study represents a comprehensive proteomic analysis of the secretome of key developmental stages/sexes of H. contortus maintained in short-term in vitro culture. High throughput LC-MS/MS analysis of ES products allowed the identification of a large repertoire of proteins (secretome) and the establishment of a new proteomic database for H. contortus. The secretome of H. contortus undergoes substantial changes during the nematode's transition from free-living to parasitic stages, suggesting a constant adaptation to different environments outside of and within the host animal. Understanding the host-parasite relationship at the molecular level could assist significantly in the development of intervention strategies (i.e. novel drugs and vaccines) against H. contortus and related nematodes.
Arylpyrrole and fipronil analogues that inhibit the motility and/or development of Haemonchus contortus in vitro
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
Elucidating cryptic dynamics of Theileria communities in African buffalo using a high‐throughput sequencing informatics approach
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-12-2020
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.5758
Genetic evidence of intercontinental movement of avian influenza in a migratory bird: the northern pintail (Anas acuta)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-10-2008
Marked mitochondrial genetic variation in individuals and populations of the carcinogenic liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 19-08-2020
Phylogenetic relationships of the nematode subfamily Phascolostrongylinae from macropodid and vombatid marsupials inferred using mitochondrial protein sequence data
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-10-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S13071-021-05028-2
Abstract: The subfamily Phascolostrongylinae (Superfamily Strongyloidea) comprises nematodes that are parasitic in the gastrointestinal tracts of macropodid (Family Macropodidae) and vombatid (Family Vombatidae) marsupials. Currently, nine genera and 20 species have been attributed to the subfamily Phascolostrongylinae. Previous studies using sequence data sets for the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA showed conflicting topologies between the Phascolostrongylinae and related subfamilies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to validate the phylogenetic relationships within the Phascolostrongylinae and its relationship with the families Chabertiidae and Strongylidae using mitochondrial amino acid sequences. The sequences of all 12 mitochondrial protein-coding genes were obtained by next-generation sequencing of in idual adult nematodes ( n = 8) representing members of the Phascolostrongylinae. These sequences were conceptually translated and the phylogenetic relationships within the Phascolostrongylinae and its relationship with the families Chabertiidae and Strongylidae were inferred from aligned, concatenated amino acid sequence data sets. Within the Phascolostrongylinae, the wombat-specific genera grouped separately from the genera occurring in macropods. Two of the phascolostrongyline tribes were monophyletic, including Phascolostrongylinea and Hypodontinea, whereas the tribe Macropostrongyloidinea was paraphyletic. The tribe Phascolostrongylinea occurring in wombats was closely related to Oesophagostomum spp., also from the family Chabertiidae, which formed a sister relationship with the Phascolostrongylinae. The current phylogenetic relationship within the subfamily Phascolostrongylinae supports findings from a previous study based on ITS sequence data. This study contributes also to the understanding of the phylogenetic position of the subfamily Phascolostrongylinae within the Chabertiidae. Future studies investigating the relationships between the Phascolostrongylinae and Cloacininae from macropodid marsupials may advance our knowledge of the phylogeny of strongyloid nematodes in marsupials.
Avian influenza at both ends of a migratory flyway: characterizing viral genomic diversity to optimize surveillance plans for North America
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-10-2009
Cryptosporidium of birds in pet markets in Wuhan city, Hubei, China
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Influence of Ribeiroia ondatrae (Trematoda: Digenea) infection on limb development and survival of northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens): effects of host stage and parasite-exposure leve
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing
Date: 07-2003
DOI: 10.1139/Z03-099
Abstract: Recent evidence suggests that infection by larvae of the trematode Ribeiroia ondatrae accounts for a significant proportion of limb malformations currently observed in hibian populations of North America. However, the effects of R. ondatrae infection on northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens), one of the species most frequently reported with malformations, have not been adequately explored. Moreover, the risk factors associated with R. ondatrae-induced malformations have not been clearly identified. We examined the effects of timing of infection on tadpole survival and limb development. Rana pipiens tadpoles were in idually exposed to R. ondatrae cercariae at the pre-limb-bud (Gosner stages 24 and 25), limb-bud (Gosner stages 27 and 28), or paddle (Gosner stages 3133) stages of development and monitored through metamorphosis. The effects of infection were stage-specific. Infections acquired at the pre-limb-bud stage resulted in a high mortality rate (47.597.5%), whereas tadpoles infected at the limb-bud stage displayed a high malformation rate (16% overall), and the magnitude of effects increased with the level of exposure to cercariae. In contrast, infections acquired at the paddle stage had no effect on limb development or tadpole survival, which suggests that the timing of R. ondatrae infection in relation to the stage structure of tadpole populations in the wild is an important determinant of the degree to which populations are affected by R. ondatrae.
GEOGRAPHIC AND HOST RANGE OF THE NEMATODE SOBOLIPHYME BATURINI ACROSS BERINGIA
Publisher: American Society of Parasitologists
Date: 10-2007
DOI: 10.1645/GE-1182R.1
The phylogenetic relationships of endemic Australasian trichostrongylin families (Nematoda: Strongylida) parasitic in marsupials and monotremes
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-07-2015
DOI: 10.1007/S00436-015-4594-9
Abstract: The phylogenetic relationships of the endemic (or largely endemic) Australasian trichostrongylin nematode families Herpetostrongylidae, Mackerrastrongylidae and Nicollinidae as well as endemic trichostrongylin nematodes currently placed in the families Trichostrongylidae and Molineidae were examined using the complete large subunit (28S) ribosomal RNA gene. The Herpetostrongylinae proved to be monophyletic. However, representatives of the Nicollinidae nested with the Herpetostrongylinae. The Mackerrastrongylidae was also a monophyletic group and included Peramelistrongylus, currently classified within the Trichostrongylidae. The Globocephaloidinae, currently considered to be a subfamily of the Herpetostrongylidae, was excluded from the family in the current analysis. Ollulanus and Libyostrongylus, included for the first time in a molecular phylogenetic analysis, were placed within the Trichostrongylidae. This study provided strong support for the Herpetostrongylidae (including within it the Nicollinidae, but excluding the Globocephaloidinae) and the Mackerrastrongylidae as monophyletic assemblages. Additional studies are required to resolve the relationships of the remaining endemic Australasian trichostrongylin genera.
Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes in people with gastrointestinal disorders in Queensland and Western Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2018.08.006
Abstract: Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the commonest pathogenic microsporidian found in humans and animals in many countries, but there is scant information on this pathogen in Australia. Here, we conducted the first molecular epidemiological investigation of E. bieneusi in humans with gastrointestinal disorders in Queensland and Western Australia. Genomic DNAs derived from 605 in idual faecal s les from children (n = 279) and adults (n = 326) were extracted, and then subjected to nested PCR-based sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA to detect and characterise E. bieneusi. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected in eight of 605 human faecal s les (1.3%), including five children (≤3 years of age) and one adult (58 years) in Queensland, and two children (≤3 years) in Western Australia. Analysis of ITS sequence data revealed two known zoonotic (ALP1 and Ind4) and three novel (Hum_q1-3) genotypes of E. bieneusi. Genotype ALP1 identified here in humans has been found previously in farmed alpacas in Australia. Phylogenetic analysis showed that genotypes ALP1, Hum_q1-2 and Ind4 belonged to E. bieneusi Group 1 (with zoonotic potential), whereas genotype Hum_q3 clustered within E. bieneusi Group 10, suggesting that some genotypes within Group 10 might have zoonotic potential. Further investigations of humans, alpacas, marsupials and other animals in Australia will be significant to understand the epidemiology of E. bieneusi in Australia, to identify possible reservoirs of human infection, and to assist in the prevention and control of human microsporidiosis.
Parasites of the Giant Panda: A Risk Factor in the Conservation of a Species
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2018
Using PCR-Based Sequencing to Diagnose Haycocknema perplexum Infection in Human Myositis Case, Australia.
Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Date: 12-2018
Speciation in the genus Cloacina (Nematoda: Strongylida): Species flocks and intra-host speciation
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-07-2017
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182017001238
Abstract: Sequences of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 + ITS2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA were employed to determine whether the congeneric assemblages of species of the strongyloid nematode genus Cloacina , found in the forestomachs of in idual species of kangaroos and wallabies (Marsupialia: Macropodidae), considered to represent species flocks, were monophyletic. Nematode assemblages examined in the black-striped wallaby, Macropus ( Notamacropus ) dorsalis , the wallaroos, Macropus ( Osphranter ) antilopinus / robustus , rock wallabies, Petrogale spp., the quokka, Setonix brachyurus, and the sw wallaby, Wallabia bicolor, were not monophyletic and appeared to have arisen by host colonization. However, a number of instances of within-host speciation were detected, suggesting that a variety of methods of speciation have contributed to the evolution of the complex assemblages of species present in this genus.
Trematode parasites of Otago Harbour (New Zealand) soft‐sediment intertidal ecosystems: Life cycles, ecological roles and DNA barcodes
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 12-2009
A communal catalogue reveals Earth’s multiscale microbial diversity
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-2017
DOI: 10.1038/NATURE24621
Abstract: Our growing awareness of the microbial world’s importance and ersity contrasts starkly with our limited understanding of its fundamental structure. Despite recent advances in DNA sequencing, a lack of standardized protocols and common analytical frameworks impedes comparisons among studies, hindering the development of global inferences about microbial life on Earth. Here we present a meta-analysis of microbial community s les collected by hundreds of researchers for the Earth Microbiome Project. Coordinated protocols and new analytical methods, particularly the use of exact sequences instead of clustered operational taxonomic units, enable bacterial and archaeal ribosomal RNA gene sequences to be followed across multiple studies and allow us to explore patterns of ersity at an unprecedented scale. The result is both a reference database giving global context to DNA sequence data and a framework for incorporating data from future studies, fostering increasingly complete characterization of Earth’s microbial ersity.
Variation of parasite load and immune parameters in two species of New Zealand shore crabs
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-03-2011
DOI: 10.1007/S00436-011-2319-2
Abstract: While parasites are likely to encounter several potential intermediate hosts in natural communities, a parasite's actual range of compatible hosts is limited by numerous biological factors ranging from behaviour to immunology. In crustaceans, two major components of immunity are haemocytes and the prophenoloxidase system involved in the melanisation of foreign particles. Here, we analysed metazoan parasite prevalence and loads in the two sympatric crab species Hemigrapsus crenulatus and Macrophthalmus hirtipes at two sites. In parallel, we analysed the variation in haemocyte concentration and amount of circulating phenoloxidase (PO) in the haemolymph of the same in iduals in an attempt to (a) explain differences in parasite prevalence and loads in the two species at two sites and (b) assess the impact of parasites on these immune parameters. M. hirtipes harboured more parasites but also exhibited higher haemocyte concentrations than H. crenulatus independent of the study site. Thus, higher investment in haemocyte production for M. hirtipes does not seem to result in higher resistance to parasites. Analyses of variation in immune parameters for the two crab species between the two sites that differed in parasite prevalence showed common trends. (a) In general, haemocyte concentrations were higher at the site experiencing higher parasitic pressure while circulating PO activity was lower and (b) haemocyte concentrations were influenced by microphallid trematode metacercariae in in iduals from the site with higher parasitic pressure. We suggest that the higher haemocyte concentrations observed in both crab species exposed to higher parasitic pressure may represent an adaptive response to the impact of parasites on this immune parameter.
Nanopore Sequencing Using the Full-Length 16S rRNA Gene for Detection of Blood-Borne Bacteria in Dogs Reveals a Novel Species of Hemotropic Mycoplasma
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
Date: 21-12-2022
DOI: 10.1128/SPECTRUM.03088-22
Abstract: Blood- and vector-borne bacteria (VBB) can cause severe pathology and even be lethal for dogs in many regions across the globe. Accurate characterization of all the bacterial pathogens infecting a canine host is critical, as coinfections are common and emerging and novel pathogens that may go undetected by traditional diagnostics frequently arise.
A morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis of relationships between genera of the nematode sub-family Cloacininae (Stossich) (Strongyloidea: Chabertiidae) parasitic in kangaroos, wallabies and rat-kangaroos (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea).
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 10-09-2020
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4851.2.3
Abstract: A phylogenetic analysis of the genera of the strongyloid sub-family Cloacininae from macropodoid marsupials in Australasia was undertaken based on morphological characteristics and analysis of concatenated sequences (ITS+) of the first (ITS-1) and second (ITS-2) internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Neither approach provided a robust phylogeny, but similarities between the two methods in terms of generic groupings suggested that substantial revision is needed of the current phenetic classification, with some of the key morphological characteristics currently used to define genera and tribes proving to be homoplasious.
Eutetrarhynchus pacificus n. sp. (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) from Raja inornata Jordan & Gilbert (Batoidea: Rajiformes) off the coast of California with comments on congeners
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 17-04-2021
Enterocytozoon bieneusi of animals—With an ‘Australian twist’
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2021
Chromosome-scale Echinococcus granulosus (genotype G1) genome reveals the Eg95 gene family and conservation of the EG95-vaccine molecule
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 03-03-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S42003-022-03125-1
Abstract: Cystic echinococcosis is a socioeconomically important parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of the canid tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus , afflicting millions of humans and animals worldwide. The development of a vaccine (called EG95) has been the most notable translational advance in the fight against this disease in animals. However, almost nothing is known about the genomic organisation/location of the family of genes encoding EG95 and related molecules, the extent of their conservation or their functions. The lack of a complete reference genome for E. granulosus genotype G1 has been a major obstacle to addressing these areas. Here, we assembled a chromosomal-scale genome for this genotype by scaffolding to a high quality genome for the congener E. multilocularis , localised Eg 95 gene family members in this genome, and evaluated the conservation of the EG95 vaccine molecule. These results have marked implications for future explorations of aspects such as developmentally-regulated gene transcription/expression (using replicate s les) for all E. granulosus stages structural and functional roles of non-coding genome regions molecular ‘cross-talk’ between oncosphere and the immune system and defining the precise function(s) of EG95. Applied aspects should include developing improved tools for the diagnosis and chemotherapy of cystic echinococcosis of humans.
A multipronged next-generation sequencing metabarcoding approach unearths hyperdiverse and abundant dog pathogen communities in Cambodia.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 03-07-2021
DOI: 10.1111/TBED.14180
Abstract: Recent surveys in Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, have identified canine vector-borne pathogens (VBPs), including those with zoonotic potential, as highly prevalent. The lack of veterinary care alongside the close association semidomesticated dogs have with humans in the region exacerbates these zoonotic risks. Nonetheless, the number of studies investigating such pathogens and the threats they pose to dog and human health is limited. Here, we utilize a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based metabarcoding protocol to conduct an assumption-free characterization of the bacterial, apicomplexan, and kinetoplastid blood-borne pathogens of free-roaming dogs from across Cambodia. From 467 dogs at five field sites, 62% were infected with one of eight confirmed pathogens, comprising Anaplasma platys (32%), Ehrlichia canis (20%), Hepatozoon canis (18%), Babesia vogeli (14%), Mycoplasma haemocanis (13%), the zoonotic pathogen Bartonella clarridgeiae (3%), Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum (0.2%), and Trypanosoma evansi (0.2%). Coinfections of between two and four VBPs were common with 28% of dogs found to have a mixed infection. Moreover, DNA from putatively infectious agents belonging to the bacterial family and genera Coxiella, Mycobacterium, Neisseria, Rickettsiaceae, Treponema, and two uncharacterized Mycoplasma species were identified, in addition to protozoan genera Colpodella, Parabodo, and Bodo. Using a multiple logistic regression model, the presence of ectoparasites, abnormal mucous membranes, anemia, and total protein were found as predictors of canine VBP exposure. This study represents the first time an NGS metabarcoding technique has been used to holistically detect the bacterial and protozoan hemoparasites communities of dogs through an in-depth survey, highlighting the power of such methods to unearth a wide spectrum of pathogenic organisms in an unbiased manner.
Molecular investigation of Cryptosporidium in farmed chickens in Hubei Province, China, identifies 'zoonotic' subtypes of C. meleagridis.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 29-08-2018
Clone-specific immune reactions in a trematode-crustacean system
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 14-10-2011
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182011001739
Abstract: 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.
Intra- and interclonal phenotypic and genetic variability of the trematode Maritrema novaezealandensis
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 18-04-2011
Genetic characterization of selected parasites from people with histories of gastrointestinal disorders using a mutation scanning-coupled approach
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-05-2013
Abstract: A SSCP analysis and targeted sequencing approach was used for the genetic characterization of some major pathogens from a cohort of 227 people with histories of gastrointestinal disorders. Genomic DNAs from fecal s les were subjected to PCR- lification of regions in the glycoprotein (gp60) or triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene, or the second internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS-2). Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and strongylid nematodes were detected in 94, 132 and 12 s les. Cryptosporidium hominis subgenotypes IbA10G2, IdA15G1, IgA17, IgA18, and IfA13G1 were identified in 74.6, 16.9, 5.6, 1.4, and 1.4% of 71 s les, respectively. For Cryptosporidium parvum, subgenotypes IIaA17G2R1 (47.6%) and IIaA18G3R1 (23.8%) were identified in 23 s les. Giardia duodenalis assemblage B (78%) was more common than assemblage A (22%). In addition, DNA of the nematodes Ancylostoma ceylanicum (n = 2), Ancylostoma duodenale (4), Necator americanus (5), and Haemonchus contortus (1) was specifically detected. This is the first report of A. ceylanicum in two persons in Australia and, we provide molecular evidence of H. contortus in a child. This SSCP-based approach should provide a useful diagnostic and analytical tool for a wide range of pathogens.
Phylogenetic analysis of the Australasian paralysis ticks and their relatives (Ixodidae: Ixodes: Sternalixodes)
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-03-2017
Covert communication achieved by a greedy relay in wireless networks
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 07-2018
Cryptosporidium cuniculus - New records in human and kangaroo in Australia
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-10-2014
Achieving Covert Wireless Communications Using a Full-Duplex Receiver
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 12-2018
Detection of Cyclospora in captive chimpanzees and macaques by a quantitative PCR-based mutation scanning approach.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-05-2015
An improved method for PCR-based detection and routine monitoring of geosmin-producing cyanobacterial blooms
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2018.02.041
Abstract: Production of taste and odour (T/O) compounds, principally geosmin, by complex cyanobacterial blooms is a major water quality issue globally. Control of these cyanobacteria imposes a significant cost on water producing and dependent industries, and requires routine monitoring and management. Classic monitoring methods, including microscopy and direct chemical analysis, lack sensitivity, are laborious, expensive or cannot reliably identify the source of geosmin production. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based tools targeting the geosmin synthase gene (geoA) provide a novel tool for routine monitoring. However, geoA is variable at the nucleotide level and potential geosmin producers represent a broad taxonomic distribution, such that multiple PCR primers with distinct lification protocols are needed to target all potential sources of this important T/O compound. Development of novel primers is hindered by a lack of sequence data and limited field and laboratory data on geosmin producers prevents prioritizing taxa for PCR testing. Here we performed a genetic screen of 253 bloom s les from Victoria, Australia using each existing PCR protocol targeting geoA. We detected Dolichospermum ucrainicum as the major geosmin producer (87% of sequenced s les) along with 3 unknown geoA sequence types. Using these data, we designed a novel, short licon, PCR protocol utilising a single standardised primer pair, capable of lifying all geoA positive s les in our study, as well as a Nostoc punctiforme positive control. This single protocol geoA PCR can further be tested on other geosmin producers and will simplify routine monitoring of T/O producing cyanobacteria.
Phylogenetic relationships of three tribes of cloacinine nematodes (Strongylida: Chabertiidae) from macropodid marsupials.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 19-04-2018
DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X1800038X
Abstract: The phylogenetic relationships of 42 species of cloacinine nematodes belonging to three tribes (Coronostrongylinea, Macropostrongylinea and Zoniolaiminea) were examined based on sequence data of the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. All nematodes examined are parasites of Australian macropodid marsupials. None of the three nematode tribes was monophyletic. Paraphyly was also encountered in three genera: Papillostrongylus , Monilonema and Wallabinema . Species within the genus Thallostonema were limited to a single host genus (i.e. Thylogale ), whereas species within the five principal genera ( Coronostrongylus , Macropostrongylus , Popovastrongylus , Wallabinema and Zoniolaimus ) were found to occur in multiple host genera. Potential modes of evolution among these nematodes are discussed.
Disentangling phylogenetic constraints from selective forces in the evolution of trematode transmission stages
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-02-2012
A Host-Specific Blocking Primer Combined with Optimal DNA Extraction Improves the Detection Capability of a Metabarcoding Protocol for Canine Vector-Borne Bacteria
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 04-2020
Abstract: Bacterial canine vector-borne diseases are responsible for some of the most life-threatening conditions of dogs in the tropics and are typically poorly researched with some presenting a zoonotic risk to cohabiting people. Next-generation sequencing based methodologies have been demonstrated to accurately characterise a erse range of vector-borne bacteria in dogs, whilst also proving to be more sensitive than conventional PCR techniques. We report two improvements to a previously developed metabarcoding tool that increased the sensitivity and ersity of vector-borne bacteria detected from canine blood. Firstly, we developed and tested a canine-specific blocking primer that prevents cross-reactivity of bacterial primer lification on abundant canine mitochondrial sequences. Use of our blocking primer increased the number of canine vector-borne infections detected (five more Ehrlichia canis and three more Anaplasma platys infections) and increased the ersity of bacterial sequences found. Secondly, the DNA extraction kit employed can have a significant effect on the bacterial community characterised. Therefore, we compared four different DNA extraction kits finding the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit to be superior for detection of blood-borne bacteria, identifying nine more A. platys, two more E. canis, one more Mycoplasma haemocanis infection and more putative bacterial pathogens than the lowest performing kit.
First survey of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon in diarrhoeic children from Wuhan, China.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2017.03.006
Abstract: Intestinal protozoan pathogens cause significant diarrhoeal diseases in children. However, to date, there has been limited genetic study of the intestinal pathogens Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon in humans in China, with the exception of research in a small number of cities rovinces. In the present study, PCR-based tools were used to detect and characterise these protistan parasites from 500 children with a history of diarrhoea in Wuhan and environs, Hubei province, China. Genomic DNAs from faecal s les were screened for the particular protists by PCR utilising regions in the small subunit (SSU) of the nuclear ribosomal RNA, the 60kDa glycoprotein (gp60), the internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS) and/or the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) genes as markers. Cryptosporidium meleagridis subtype IIIb (10/500, 2.0%), Giardia duodenalis assemblage A (7/500, 1.4%) and Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype D (1/500, 0.2%) were identified in small percentages of the 500 s les. No significant gender- or age-associated differences in the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia infections were found. Future studies might focus on the occurrence of these protists in children as well as animals, with an emphasis on Cryptosporidium meleagridis in pets and agriculturally important birds, in different parts of Hubei province.
Genomic resources for a unique, low-virulence Babesia taxon from China
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-10-2016
Molecular alterations during larval development of Haemonchus contortus in vitro are under tight post-transcriptional control
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.IJPARA.2018.03.008
Abstract: In this study, we explored the molecular alterations in the developmental switch from the L3 to the exsheathed L3 (xL3) and to the L4 stage of Haemonchus contortus in vitro using an integrated transcriptomic, proteomic and bioinformatic approach. Totals of 9,754 mRNAs, 88 microRNAs (miRNAs) and 1,591 proteins were identified, and 6,686 miRNA-mRNA pairs inferred in all larval stages studied. Approximately 16% of transcripts in the combined transcriptome (representing all three larval stages) were expressed as proteins, and there were positive correlations (r = 0.39-0.44) between mRNA transcription and protein expression in the three distinct developmental stages of the parasite. Of the predicted targets, 1,019 (27.0%) mRNA transcripts were expressed as proteins, and there was a negative correlation (r = -0.60 to -0.50) in the differential mRNA transcription and protein expression between developmental stages upon pairwise comparison. The changes in transcription (mRNA and miRNA) and protein expression from the free-living to the parasitic life cycle phase of H. contortus related to enrichments in biological pathways associated with metabolism (e.g., carbohydrate and lipid degradation, and amino acid metabolism), environmental information processing (e.g., signal transduction, signalling molecules and interactions) and/or genetic information processing (e.g., transcription and translation). Specifically, fatty acid degradation, steroid hormone biosynthesis and the Rap1 signalling pathway were suppressed, whereas transcription, translation and protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum were upregulated during the transition from the free-living L3 to the parasitic xL3 and L4 stages of the nematode in vitro. Dominant post-transcriptional regulation was inferred to elicit these changes, and particular miRNAs (e.g., hco-miR-34 and hco-miR-252) appear to play roles in stress responses and/or environmental adaptations during developmental transitions of H. contortus. Taken together, these integrated results provide a comprehensive insight into the developmental biology of this important parasite at the molecular level in vitro. The approach applied here to H. contortus can be readily applied to other parasitic nematodes.
Genetic diversity in the C-terminus of merozoite surface protein 1 among Plasmodium knowlesi isolates from Selangor and Sabah Borneo, Malaysia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2017.06.019
Abstract: Plasmodium knowlesi, a malaria parasite of macaques, has emerged as an important parasite of humans. Despite the significance of P. knowlesi malaria in parts of Southeast Asia, very little is known about the genetic variation in this parasite. Our aim here was to explore sequence variation in a molecule called the 42kDa merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1), which is found on the surface of blood stages of Plasmodium spp. and plays a key role in erythrocyte invasion. Several studies of P. falciparum have reported that the C-terminus (a 42kDa fragment) of merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1
Comparative bioinformatic analysis suggests that specific dauer-like signalling pathway components regulate Toxocara canis development and migration in the mammalian host
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-01-2019
Dipylidium caninum draft genome - a new resource for comparative genomic and genetic explorations of flatworms
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
DOI: 10.1016/J.YGENO.2021.02.019
Abstract: Here, we present a draft genome of the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum (family Dipylidiidae) and compare it with other cestode genomes. This draft genome of D. caninum is 110 Mb in size, has a repeat content of ~13.4% and is predicted to encode ~10,000 protein-coding genes. We inferred excretory/secretory molecules (representing the secretome), other key groups of proteins (including peptidases, kinases, phosphatases, GTPases, receptors, transporters and ion-channels) and predicted potential intervention targets for future evaluation. Using 144 shared single-copy orthologous sequences, we investigated the genetic relationships of cestodes for which nuclear genomes are available. This study provides first insights into the molecular biology of D. caninum and a new resource for comparative genomic and genetic explorations of this and other flatworms.
Permanent Genetic Resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources database 1 January 2009–30 April 2009
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-08-2009
DOI: 10.1111/J.1755-0998.2009.02746.X
Abstract: This article documents the addition of 283 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Agalinis acuta Ambrosia artemisiifolia Berula erecta Casuarius casuarius Cercospora zeae-maydis Chorthippus parallelus Conyza canadensis Cotesia sesamiae Epinephelus acanthistius Ficedula hypoleuca Grindelia hirsutula Guadua angustifolia Leucadendron rubrum Maritrema novaezealandensis Meretrix meretrix Nilaparvata lugens Oxyeleotris marmoratus Phoxinus neogaeus Pristomyrmex punctatus Pseudobagrus brevicorpus Seiridium cardinale Stenopsyche marmorata Tetranychus evansi and Xerus inauris. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Agalinis decemloba Agalinis tenella Agalinis obtusifolia Agalinis setacea Agalinis skinneriana Cercospora zeina Cercospora kikuchii Cercospora sorghi Mycosphaerella graminicola Setosphaeria turcica Magnaporthe oryzae Cotesia flavipes Cotesia marginiventris Grindelia Xpaludosa Grindelia chiloensis Grindelia fastigiata Grindelia lanceolata Grindelia squarrosa Leucadendron coniferum Leucadendron salicifolium Leucadendron tinctum Leucadendron meridianum Laodelphax striatellus Sogatella furcifera Phoxinus eos Phoxinus rigidus Phoxinus brevispinosus Phoxinus bicolor Tetranychus urticae Tetranychus turkestani Tetranychus ludeni Tetranychus neocaledonicus Tetranychus amicus Amphitetranychus viennensis Eotetranychus rubiphilus Eotetranychus tiliarium Oligonychus perseae Panonychus citri Bryobia rubrioculus Schizonobia bundi Petrobia harti Xerus princeps Spermophilus tridecemlineatus and Sciurus carolinensis.
Host Partitioning by Parasites in an Intertidal Crustacean Community
Publisher: American Society of Parasitologists
Date: 10-2010
DOI: 10.1645/GE-2460.1
Description of Cloacina atthis sp. nov. from the stomach of the euro (Macropus robustus) (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) from Western Australia based on morphological and molecular criteria
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 16-07-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S00436-014-4019-1
Abstract: A new species of strongyloid nematode from the genus Cloacina (Chabertiidae: Cloacininae) is described from the stomach of the hill kangaroo or euro (Macropus robustus) (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) from Western Australia. Cloacina atthis sp. nov. was found only in euros from the Pilbara region in the northwest of Western Australia, in spite of extensive collecting of the same host species from around the Australian continent. C. atthis is most closely related to Cloacina clymene, a species found in the same host species but only in the eastern half of the continent the two species differ in minor morphological features (the shape of the wall of the buccal capsule, spicule lengths, the degree of sclerotisation of the gubernaculum and the shape of the vagina) as well as in differences in the internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal DNA. This study highlights the importance of using molecular methods when investigating the apparently disjunct distributions of strongyloid nematodes.
Phenotypic screening of the ‘Kurz-box’ of chemicals identifies two compounds (BLK127 and HBK4) with anthelmintic activity in vitro against parasitic larval stages of Haemonchus contortus
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-04-2019
Unexpected occurrence of Haemonchus placei in cattle in southern Western Australia.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1016/J.MEEGID.2013.10.025
Abstract: Haemonchus placei is an abomasal parasite of cattle, primarily in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. In Australia, this nematode can be extremely pathogenic in summer rainfall areas, particularly in the hot, sub-tropical Kimberley region, in the far north of the state of Western Australia (WA). Although cattle are occasionally transferred to southern parts of WA, it was believed that H. placei did not occur in southern regions of WA, as it is less cold-adapted than Haemonchus contortus, and the free-living stages would not develop during the cold winter and dry summer periods. Here, we show that, although H. contortus is found in cattle in the temperate southern region of WA, it appears that H. placei also occurs in southern WA. While investigating the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of cattle in WA, the existence of H. placei was suspected on a range of participating farms, following the morphological examination of third-stage larvae cultured from faeces, and of adult worms recovered from sheep experimentally infected with these larvae. Genomic DNAs from in idual worms as well as eggs from pooled faecal s les from seven farms in southern WA were subjected to PCR-based mutation scanning and sequence analyses of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The results showed that both H. contortus and H. placei were harboured by cattle. This first record of H. placei in cattle in southern WA raises questions as to the prevalence and distribution of this parasite in other temperate and cool climatic regions of Australia. Although clinical disease due to H. placei has not yet been seen in southern WA, global, climatic trends might suggest an increased importance of this parasite in the longer term.
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