A cDNA clone that encodes the large subunit of mitochondrial ribosomal RNA (LSU rRNA) from the liver fluke F. hepatica was isolated and characterized. This RNA molecule is polyadenylated at the 3' end and represents 10% of the poly A+RNA in adult F. hepatica. Fluke LSU rRNA has significant sequence homology to mosquito mitochondria LSU rRNA and is more closely related to the mitochondrial rRNA ...

Passive intraperitoneal transfer of sera from Fasciola hepatica-infected sheep, cattle or rats can protect naive rats from F. hepatica infection, suggesting a parasite killing mechanism within the peritoneal cavity that is dependent on the presence of parasite-specific antibody. We investigated antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity by resident peritoneal lavage cell populations, contain...

Reports of Calicophoron daubneyi infecting livestock in Europe have increased substantially over the past decade; however, there has not been an estimate of its farm level prevalence and associated risk factors in the UK. Here, the prevalence of C. daubneyi across 100 participating Welsh farms was recorded, with climate, environmental and management factors attained for each farm and used to cr...

A characterization of the humoral immune response of alpacas to Fasciola hepatica Fas1 and Fas2 antigens cysteine proteinases was performed over the course of 6 months of experimental infection. Six adult alpacas aged 1 to 2 years old received a single dose of 200 F. hepatica metacercariae, 2 non–infected alpacas were kept as control group. Peripheral eosinophilia in infected animals was greatl...

The geographical distribution and factors associated with bovine fasciolosis in the south of Espírito Santo were updated and the prevalences of this disease and of snails of the genus Lymnaea in the municipality of Jerônimo Monteiro were calculated. In the first stage, fecal samples were collected from 10% of the herds of 115 farms in 23 municipalities and interviews were conducted with owners....

OBJECTIVE Gastrointestinal parasitosis is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Definitive diagnosis is usually made by stool tests and/or serology but may require tissue evaluation. Although pathologists are usually familiar with common parasites, it is not well established whether the diagnosis could be suspected without seeing the "parasite" itself. MATERIAL AND METHOD Resection ...

Fasciola hepatica is a helminth pathogen that drives Th2/Treg immune responses in its mammalian host. The parasite releases a large number of molecules that are critical to inducing this type of immune response. Here we have selected recombinant forms of two major F. hepatica secreted molecules, the protease cathepsin L (rFhCL1) and an antioxidant, sigma class glutathione transferase (rFhGST-si...

Alternatively activated macrophages (AAMphi) are primarily associated with the chronic stages of parasitic infections and the development of a polarized Th2 response. We have shown that Fasciola hepatica infection of BALB/c mice induces a polarized Th2 response during both the latent and chronic stage of disease. The activation status of macrophages was analyzed in this model of helminth infect...

BACKGROUND Fascioliasis is a chronic hepatic disease and may be resulted from mechanical/molecular parasite adhesion to host liver tissue. The aim of this study was to detect surface carbohydrate and lectin, carbohydrate-binding protein isolation that might be responsible of this molecular binding. METHODS The present experimental work was conducted in the Department of Medical Parasitology a...