Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are the most common and widely distributed wild carnivore worldwide. These predators harbour a wide range of parasites, many of which may have important conservation, agricultural and zoonotic repercussions. This project investigated the occurrence of helminth parasites from the intestines of 147 red foxes across 14 sampling localities of southwest Western Australia. H...

Toxocara canis is a parasitic nematode that infects canines worldwide, and as a consequence of the widespread environmental dissemination of its ova in host faeces, other abnormal hosts including mice and humans are exposed to infection. In such abnormal or paratenic hosts, the immature third-stage larvae undergo a somatic migration through the organs of the body but fail to reach maturity as a...

with no adverse effects reported. One patient treated herself with albendazole (400 mg/day for 3 days) before she was seen at a hospital. All patients became asymptomatic and had negative stool examination results 2–10 weeks after treatment. None of the patients reported previous or subsequent consumption of raw freshwater fi sh. Raw fi sh preparations such as sushi, sashimi, carpaccio, and cev...

Spirocercosis is a disease occurring predominantly in Canidae, caused by the nematode Spirocerca lupi. Typical clinical signs are regurgitation, vomiting and dyspnoea. The life-cycle involves an intermediate (coprophagous beetle) and a variety of paratenic hosts. Larvae follow a specific migratory route, penetrating the gastric mucosa of the host, migrating along arteries, maturing in the thora...

The effect of salinity on hatching, larval survival and infectivity of Anguillicola crassus was studied under experimental conditions using eggs obtained from naturally infected eels. Egg hatching rate, second-stage larval survival and larval infectivity were maximal in fresh water and declined with increase in salinity. Larvae survived up to 100 d in fresh water, 70 d in 50 % sea water and 40 ...

1. He JZ, Zhu SH, Yang SQ. First discovery and evidence of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the cerebrospinal fluid from the case of population of mainland of China. J Guangzhou Med Coll. 1984;12:1–4. 2. Xue DY, Ruan YZ, Lin BC. Epidemiological investigation on an outbreak of angiostrongyliasis in Wenzhou. Chin J Parasit Dis. 2000;18:176–8. 3. Lin JX, Li YS, Zhu K. Epidemiological study on group ...

Thirty-seven unusual specimens, three from Ethiopia and 34 from South Sudan, were submitted since 2012 for further identification by the Ethiopian Dracunculiasis Eradication Program (EDEP) and the South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program (SSGWEP), respectively. Although the majority of specimens emerged from sores or breaks in the skin, there was concern that they did not represent bona fide...

Experimental inoculations of approximately 100,000 infective Toxocara cati larval eggs were done in twelve pigs. The T. cati eggs used for inoculation were collected from cat's feces. Another group of three pigs served as an uninfected control. Groups of infected pigs were euthanized at seven, 14, 21, and 28 days post-inoculation (dpi). Tissue samples were taken for digestion and histopathology...

Toxocarosis is a zoonosis caused by the transmission of the Toxocara canis (T. canis) larvae to humans. Its infectious third-stage larvae can invade the brains of paratenic hosts. The resultant brain damage can result in cerebral toxocarosis (CT). Astrocytes have important neurotrophic and neuroprotective functions in the brain. Substantial studies have shown that astrocyte apoptosis may contri...

This study elucidates the life-cycle of the reptile inhabiting nematode Abbreviata hastaspicula (Spirurida: Physalopteridae: Physalopterinae) in Australia. Eight Varanus gouldii (Lacertilia: Varanidae), and two Christinus marmoratus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) lizards were captured in the wild. Two V. gouldii were used as controls and no experimental procedures were carried out on them. Another six ...