The 14.5 kDa fatty acid binding protein (FABP) was isolated from the crude extract of adult Fasciola gigantica worms. Polyclonal anti-FABP IgG was generated in rabbits immunized with prepared FABP antigen. Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to detect coproantigen in stools and circulating Fasciola antigen (CA) in sera of 126 water buffaloes by using purified and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-FABP IgG. Sandwich ELISA sensitivity was 96.97% and 94.95%; while specificity was 94.12% and 82.35% for coproantigen and CA detection, respectively. However, sensitivity and specificity of the Kato–Katz technique was 73.74% and 100%, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of sandwich ELISA was 96.55% and 93.1% for coproantigen and CA detection, respectively. In contrast, the diagnostic efficacy of the Kato–Katz technique was 77.59%. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the purified 14.5 kDa FABP provides a more suitable antigen for immunodiagnosis of early and current bubaline fascioliasis by using sandwich ELISA.

Several methods for the detection of Trichinella in meat are legally prescribed in regulation (EC) No 2075/2005, which prescribes the magnetic stirrer method for pooled sample digestion (MSM) as the reference method. However, the MSM's multistage protocol requires several preparatory steps that seem to be accountable for the loss of larvae. Here we present a modified MSM (mMSM) based on: (1) an inversion of the optical path using inverse microscopy; and (2) a modified larval counting basin (mLCB, ‘Trichoview’). This enables one to examine samples of up to 40 ml and reduces the examination area from 72 to 10.3 cm2. Preparatory steps that might cause the loss of Trichinella larvae are eliminated from the new protocol. Correspondingly, the overall analytical time is reduced. In a direct and blinded comparison using 60 digest samples containing spiked vital Trichinella larvae (1–90 L1), both methods performed well for both small and large numbers of L1. However, 1278 of 1285 L1 (99.4%) were detected using the mMSM, while MSM recovered only 1225 L1 (95.3%). The improvement stems largely from samples with small numbers of L1: in all samples spiked with fewer than 10 L1, the recovery rate of mMSM was 100% compared to only 93% with MSM. Our data suggest that the use of the mMSM can improve the recovery rate by about 4% and therefore reduce the chances of a false-negative result in a sample containing 5 larvae by a factor of about 4.

We identified and characterized the first two glutathione transferases (GSTs) isolated from juvenile cysts of Taenia crassiceps (EC 2.5.1.18). The two glutathione transferases (TcGST1 and TcGST2) were purified in a single-step protocol using glutathione (GSH)-sepharose chromatography in combination with a GSH gradient. The specific activities of TcGST1 and TcGST2 were 26 U mg−1 and 19 U mg−1, respectively, both at 25°C and pH 6.5 with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and GSH as substrates. The Km(CDNB) and Kcat(CDNB) values for TcGST1 and TcGST2 (0.86 μm and 62 s−1; 1.03 μm and 1.97 s−1, respectively) and Km(GSH) and Kcat(GSH) values for TcGST1 and TcGST2 (0.55 μm and 11.61 s−1; 0.3 μm and 32.3 s−1, respectively) were similar to those reported for mammalian and helminth GSTs. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that eight peptides from each of the two parasite transferases were a match for gi|29825896 glutathione transferase (Taenia solium), confirming that both enzymes are GSTs. The relative molecular masses were 54,000 ± 0.9 for the native enzymes and 27,500 ± 0.5 for the enzyme subunits. Thus, TcGST1 and TcGST2 are dimeric proteins. Optimal TcGST1 and TcGST2 activities were observed at pH 8.5 in the range of 20–55°C and pH 7.5 at 35–40°C, respectively. TcGST1 and TcGST2 were inhibited by cibacron blue (CB), bromosulphophthalein (BST), rose bengal (RB), indomethacin and haematin (Hm) with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) in the μm range. TcGST1 was inhibited in a non-competitive manner by all tested inhibitors with the exception of indomethacin, which was uncompetitive. The discovery of these new GSTs facilitates the potential use of T. crassiceps as a model to investigate multifunctional GSTs.

0·15% of Oesophagostomum larvae fed to laboratory rats became encapsulated in the intestinal mucosa. The juvenile nematodes were able to continue their development when the infected rat tissue was eaten by pigs.

A study was made on the host-finding capacity of Fasciola hepatica miracidia in relation to time, number of miracidia per snail, and several physico-chemical environmental factors. Specimens of Lymnaea truncatula were exposed to radiolabelled miracidia and the subsequent snail-bound radioactivity was used to measure the host-finding capacity of the larvae.

Maximum snail-bound radioactivity was achieved after 45–60 minutes exposure to miracidia in a volume of 80 ml water. The efficiency of the snail-location was unaltered up to a volume of 4.5 liters. A linear proportionality was demonstrated between the number of miracidia and the amount of radioactivity obtained in exposed snails. After 4 hours exposure snails placed in darkness took up the same amount of radioactivity as snails placed in bright illumination. Additional experiments showed that miracidia preferentially scan the lighted zone of a given environment, but if no snails are available in this zone, snails in shade are also effectively located.

The host-finding capacity was unaltered up to a salinity level of 3.79%. At 4.74% and 5.68% the snail-location proceeded at a slower rate, but the final levels reached after 3 hours were comparable to that obtained at low salinity. The over-all host-finding capacity was reduced at a salinity level of 7.58% and at 9.47% the capacity had ceased. The host-finding capacity was unaltered in the pH range 5.4 to 8.4, but it was reduced at pH 8.9. Further studies showed that the host-finding capacity was clearly inhibited in water with a high turbidity level.

Antigens prepared from adult worms and microfilariae of Loa loa were used for an assessment of the sensitivity and specificity in diagnosis of double immuno-diffusion in agar gel, haemagglutination and fluorescent antibody tests.

Both antigens formed a broad band which moved slowly towards the cathode on electrophoresis, and each antigen separated into two protein fractions when passed through Sephadex G-200.

Both precipitating and non-precipitating antibodies were detected in sera from Loa loa patients. The haemagglutination test and fluorescent antibody test were sensitive in detecting Loa loa antibodies and would be of diagnostic value, but the double diffusion test in agar-gel was insensitive and would have a limited value in loiasis diagnosis.

The distribution of Ancylostoma caninum larvae in the various regions of the central nervous system of mice of previously uninfected or reinfected groups was studied. Although a dose of 4000 larvae was lethal, the distribution of larvae was not appreciable in the CNS. Many larvae were recovered from the cerebral hemispheres and cerebellum of infected mice whereas no incidence of eye involvement was observed in any mouse. In the reinfected mice groups there was a much lower recovery than in the previously uninfected groups in the latent period of study.

Cirkennedya porlockensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from the intestine of Mola mola off Porlock, Somerset, England. The Systematic position of this new genus is discussed. It appears to be the first example of the family Macroderoididae to be reported from a marine teleost host. The status of this family in relation to the Plagiorchiidae is briefly commented upon.

A new monogenean fluke, collected from the urinary bladder of a megophryid frog, Xenophrys glandulosa Fei, Ye & Huang, 1991 from Mokokchung and Tuensang districts of Nagaland, north-eastern India is described. Of the six genera under the subfamily Polystomatinae (Polystomatidae) known so far, the present form comes closer to Eupolystoma Kaw, 1950; Pseudopolystoma Yamaguti, 1963 and Riojatrema Lamothe-Argumedo, 1964, in all of which the opisthaptor lacks large hooks. However, a combination of characters, namely, shape of the body, rounded or bulbous pharynx, intestinal caeca not joining posteriorly in the opisthaptoral region, ovary located in the anterior third of the body and presence of vaginal apertures, sets the present form apart from all these genera, and also from the known species of Riojatrema. These differences warrant the establishment of a new species and a new genus to accommodate the present form. The validity of this new monogenean, named as Neoriojatrema mokokchungensis after the type locality of the fluke, is discussed.

Proteases in the soluble fraction of homogenates prepared from the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus hydrolysed the amidated invertebrate neuropeptides FMRFa and FLRFa, and nematode FMRFa-like peptides (FLPs) KPNFLRFa (FLP-1-H), APKPKFIRFa (FLP-5-A), KNEFIRFa (FLP-8), KPSFVRFa (FLP-9), RNKFEFIRFa (FLP-12) and KHEYLRFa (FLP-14) in vitro. Results were assessed by analysing reaction components with RP-HPLC, UV detection at 210 nm and peak integration. Based upon substrate peak size, more than 90% of most of the peptide substrates was consumed after 1 h at 27°C, but digestion was not complete even with a crude protease mixture. Two peptides, FLP-12 and FLP-14, were significantly less susceptible to digestion than the others. FLP-12 was the least susceptible of all sequences (71% loss; P < 0.0001), while FLP-14 was digested less (84% loss; P < 0.0004) than all but FLP-12. Product peak digestion patterns of FLP-12, a second nonapeptide (FLP-5-A), and FMRFa, incubated with aminopeptidase (amastatin) and serine endoprotease (AEBSF) inhibitors, demonstrated highly specific behaviours of each sequence to protease cleavage. Amastatin significantly (P < 0.03) reduced digestion of FLP-12 (54% loss) and FMRFa (61% loss; P < 0.0005), but had no effect on FLP-5-A. AEBSF had no protective effect on FMRFa but significantly decreased hydrolysis of FLP-5-A (77% loss; P < 0.0001) and FLP-12 (59% loss; P < 0.03). The combination of both inhibitors had additive effects only for FMRFa (34% loss; P < 0.0005). Further analysis of FMRFa digestion using peptides with d-amino acid substitutions demonstrated nearly complete protection of FdMRFa (2% loss; P < 0.0001) from all proteolytic digestion, whereas digestion of FMRdFa was complete. Results suggest that in addition to aminopeptidase and serine proteases, both deamidase and aminopeptidase P participate in neuropeptide metabolism in P. redivivus.

Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA sequences of three Nematodirus species from naturally infected goats or sheep in two endemic provinces of China were analysed to establish an effective molecular approach to differentiate Nematodirus species in small ruminants. The respective intra-specific genetic variations in ITS1 and ITS2 rDNA regions were 0.3–1.8% and 0–0.4% in N. spathiger, 0–6.5% and 0–5.4% in N. helvetianus, and 0–4.4% and 0–6.1% in N. oiratianus from China. The respective intra-specific variations of ITS1 and ITS2 were 1.8–4.4% and 1.6–6.1% between N. oiratianus isolates from China and Iran, 5.7–7.1% and 6.3–8.3% between N. helvetianus samples from China and America. For N. spathiger, compared with samples from China, sequence differences in ITS1 rDNA were 0.3–2.4% in isolates from America, 0.3–2.9% in New Zealand and 2.1–2.4% in Australia. Genetic variations in ITS2 rDNA of N. spathiger were 0–0.4% between samples from China and America, and 0–0.8% between samples from China and New Zealand. Using mutation sites, polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and specific PCR techniques were developed to differentiate these three Nematodirus species. The specific PCR assay allowed the accurate identification of N. oiratianus from other common nematodes with a sensitivity of 0.69 pg and further examination of Nematodirus samples demonstrated the reliability of these two molecular methods.

Studies conducted in the 1980s suggested that parasites were useful in distinguishing adjacent populations of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua in the north-western Atlantic. During the mid-1980s, cod populations began to decline, culminating in closure of the fishery in 1992. A marked decrease of cod off the coast of Labrador was coincident with climatic shifts, including a decline of bottom sea temperature, and virtual absence of capelin Mallotus villosus, its main food prey. These changes in some components of the ecosystem were independent of anthropogenic influences. An initial survey of cod parasites in 2000 from coastal Labrador revealed a dramatic decline in abundance of metazoans and also a change in dominance of species of digenetic trematodes compared to 1980–1981. Comparison of metazoan parasites in three other populations of cod inhabiting the Grand (northern and southern) and St. Pierre Banks, where there was no apparent evidence of environmental changes but only commercial over-exploitation, revealed no major alterations in abundance or dominance between 1980–1981 and 2003. The results of this current study suggest that environmental changes in the food web affected the abundance of metazoan parasites only off coastal Labrador but did not influence the use of the parasites to distinguish between cod populations inhabiting the Grand or St. Pierre Banks.

The effects of cadmium and zinc mixtures at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10,000 μg l−1 on the life-span of decaudized cercarial bodies (cercariae that have shed their tails) of Diplostomum spathaceum (Trematoda: Diplostomatidae) was investigated. Cercariae were exposed to metal mixtures of equal and unequal concentrations, and a low-dose pre-treatment followed by a high-dose exposure mixtures. Metal mixtures demonstrated variable effects on decaudized cercariae either by increasing or reducing their life-span compared to single metal exposures dependent on concentration and the type of mixed metal treatment. Prolonged exposure to equal metal mixtures at low concentrations (0.1–100 μg l−1) resulted in a reduction in the life-span of decaudized cercariae at 0.1 and 100 μg l−1 in those individuals decaudized during the initial 24 h exposure period compared with those decaudized during the final 24 h period of cercarial survival, whilst in controls there was no significant life-span change between the two time periods. Decaudized cercariae which were exposed to low concentrations (0.1–100 μg l−1) of equal metal mixtures were also evaluated for their role as an indicator of larval ‘fitness’ for migrating through the tissues of their target fish host for those individuals decaudized during the initial 24 h exposure period, and demonstrated only a limited change in their life-span compared to control and single metal exposures. The importance of metal mixtures in parasite establishment in the fish host is discussed.

Gastrothylax crumenifer haemoglobin was isolated, purified, chromatographed, and its molecular weight determined on a calibrated Sephadex G–100 column as well as by sodium dodecyl sulphate by the former and 16 500 by the latter method. The oxygen affinity of the pigment (P50O2) was found to be 6·1 mm Hg at pH 7·4.

Studies on the symptomatology of red-ring disease were carried out by the author (Goberdhan; 1961) on thirty-two trees at La Forest Estate. It was hoped that from this study, methods for detecting the disease at an early stage would have been developed. If this were possible, then therapeutic treatment might be administered to combat the disease and so save a tree from destruction. From these field observations, it appeared unlikely that very early infection could be detected visually, since infection in the stem was found to be well advanced even when only one or more leaves showed signs of rich, gold, yellowing, typical of the disease. The initial time of infection could not be determined nor could the length of time elapsing between infection and the onset of symptons. It was therefore decided to artificially infect young, and apparently healthy palms, to estimate rate of spread of infection, the length of time from infection to appearance of symptoms, and the possible detection of very early infection.

En 1927 Journal of Helminthology a publié une note de Goodey sur Cylindrogaster coprophaga gen. et sp. nov., provenant d'une culture des excréments de rat (Rattus norvegicus). La note donne une description détaillée de la nouvelle espèce, accompagnée d'excéllentes figures.

The paper describes findings of three species of nematodes of the genus Oxyspirura parasites of birds in Czechoslovakia: O. (S.) petrowi (Skrjabin, 1929) from Lanius collurio L., O. (S.) rysavyi Baruŝ, 1963 from Oriolus oriolus oriolus and O. (O.) chabaudi n.sp. from Motacilla alba alba L.

During 1928 I was able, as Milner Research Fellow in the Department of Helminthology of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, to make an extended survey of the parasites of man and the domestic animals in the British West Indies. A report on the former has already been published (1929). In examining the parasites of domestic animals, I was given every facility by the local authorities, and I am especially indebted to Captain H. V. Metivier, B.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., of Trinidad, whose assistance and knowledge of the local parasitic problems was invaluable.