In order to make a valid assessment of the extent to which British dogs are infected with helminth parasites, it is necessary to collect and collate information from a wide spectrum of the constituent groups that make up the total canine population of the United Kingdom. The purpose of the present contribution is to report for the first time on the prevalence of patent infection with gastro-intestinal nematodes in élite show dogs.

A total of 574 freshly deposited faecal samples were collected from “exercising areas” at a large dog show exhibiting more than 9 800 high quality animals of many breeds from all areas of the United Kingdom. A sugar flotation, centrifugation technique was used to detect the presence of nematode ova, which were found in 12·2% of the dogs sampled. There was evidence of infection with the following parasites: Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris vulpis and Uncinaria stenocephala. The overall prevalence rates for each Were 7·3%, 2·8%, 1·9% and 0·9%, respectively. Data on the age and sex of the donor animals were available for 338 of the samples and the distribution of T. canis infections in elation to these factors is displayed in Table 1.

In the paper “Acuariid, capillariid and hymenolcpidid parasites of the dasyurid marsupial Antechimis stuartii Macleay, 1841, from southeastern Australia” by I. Beveridge and I. K. Barker, which appeared in part no. 4 (December) of volume 49, 1975, the descriptions of spiruroid larvae and of Capillaria rickardi sp.n. on page 223 should have appeared before that of Hymenolepis aklei sp.n. on page 220.

Attention has been drawn to the fact that the occurrence of the cystic stage of Echinococcus granulosus in 60% of slaughtered horses represents a potential public health hazard (Thompson and Smyth, 1974). Williams and Sweatman (1963) regard this organism as a separate sub-species, E. granulosus equinus distinct from E. granulosus granulosus, but we prefer at this stage to refer to it as the horse “strain” which exhibits some small morphological differences from organisms of sheep origin.

According to Miyazaki (1974), 25 species belonging to the genus Paragonimus have been found in the world. In Japan, five species of the lung flukes, viz., P. westermani, P. ohirai, P. iloktsuenensis, P. miyazakii and P. sadoensis have been known up to date. P. ohirai metacercariae are found in the liver, and in the body and leg muscles of the brackish water crabs, Sesarma (Holometopus) dehaani, S. (H.) haematocheir, S. (Sesarma) intermedium, Helice tridens tridens and Chasmagnathus convexus.

Leipernema leiperi n.g., n.sp. is described from the pangolin Manis pentadactyla in India. Both parasitic and free-living generations have been examined. Features which differentiate the parasite from Strongyloides and Parastrongyloides are described.

Echinobothrium harfordi sp. nov. from the spiral intestine of Raja naevus in British waters is described and illustrated. The species most closely resembles E. affine as both possess two groups of eleven large apical hooks, but can be distinguished by fewer peduncle spines and by characteristics of the eggs. The intensity of infection in individual hosts was generally low, and although the incidence of infection was high in rays less than 35 cm in length, this fell towards zero in larger rays. The ccstode showed a marked affinity for the first two tiers of the spiral intestine.

This study shows that some cercariae of S. haematobium and S. mansoni die during penetration of mouse or hamster skin.

Approximately 30–38% of cercariae of both species die in mouse skin and 14–16% die in hamster skin. The greater number of cercariae which die in the skin of mice seems to account for the higher yield of adult worms recovered in hamsters. Adult worm recoveries from animals infected with S. haematobium were, however, only about half the worm recoveries from hosts infected with S. mansoni.

Two metacercariae of Haplorchoides, recorded in the fingerlings of over a dozen species of freshwater fishes, are described and illustrated. Oyigerous flukes were recovered from older specimens of two species of fishes procured from the same locality. Comparison of taxonomic characters of the juveniles and adults suggests that they are conspecific. The metacercariae and adults are assigned to two new species, Haplorchoides pearsoni and H. mehrai. The observations, presented herein, necessitated a review of the species named under this genus and a revision of the generic diagnosis. The reports on fish intermediaries of H. attenuatus have been enlarged.

Infection with hydatid cysts of domestic animals slaughtered by private individuals and at the Government Central Slaughterhouse is recorded. Both fertile and non-fertile cysts were seen in the infected animals. The home slaughtered sheep seems to play an important role in the dissemination of the parasite and the life cycle of Echinococcus granulosus in the State of Kuwait is assumed to be sheep—dog—sheep.

Bulinus (Physopsts) africanus antigens were shown to be associated with the cercarial glycocalyx of Schistosoma haematobium using immunofluorescence and the Cercarienhüllen Reaktion. It is proposed that this snail antigen may sensitise the definitive host and that resistance to further invasion by cercariae could be induced in this manner.

It was shown that maintenance of cercariae of S. mansoni and S. haematobium at low (10°C) and high temperatures (40°C) markedly increased their mortality during penetration of mammalian host skin. These increased losses in the skin accounted for the known decrease in infectivity, as measured by adult worm recovery, of cercariae kept at low or high temperatures.

A hclminthological survey of 149 house rats in Jodhpur during the year 1975 revealed infection with 8 helminth species: 4 cestodes, Vampirolepis fraterna, Hymenolepis diminuta, Mathevotaenia symmetrica and Taenia taenlaeformis (larval stage); 3 nematodes, Aspiculuris pakistanica, Rictularia ratti and Syphacia sp. and one acanthocephalan, Moniliformis sp. Vampirolepis fratema, H. diminuta and A.pakistanica were most common, R.ratti and M. symmetrica less frequent, and T. taeniaeformis, Syphacia sp. and Moniliformis sp. of occasional occurrence. Multiple infections were more frequent among male than female hosts.

The genus Lecithodendrium Looss, 1896 is reviewed and its prevalence in some Egyptian bats is reported. Lecithodendrium aegyptiacus n.sp. is described from Asellia tridens tridens and Rhinopoma hardwickei cystops. It can be easily differentiated from other species of the genus by the lobulation of the ovary and testes and the presence of tegumental spines all over the body of the trematode. Lecithodendrium duboisi n.sp. is described from Taphozous nudiventris nudiventris. It differs from the other known species of the genus by the characteristic arrangement of the vitellaria in the form of a continuous band posterior to the testes, while in the other species of the genus the vitellaria occur in the form of two separate clusters of posttesticular vitelline follicles.

Three cows were treated with different levels of compound “E” which is known to have strong filaricidal activity. In all three animals the number of microfilariae of Onchocerca gutturosa declined after treatment. At autopsy most of the adult worms found were dead and in those still living embryogenesis appeared to have ceased.

It is concluded that, despite the disadvantages, this system represents a possible way of assessing onchocercicidal activity before undertaking human trials.

Onchocerca raillieti sp. n. (Filarioidea), from the domestic donkey (Equus asinus) in Africa, is described. The species is compared to O. bohmi (Supperer, 1953) n.comb, O. reticulata Diesing, 1841, O. cervicalis Railliet et Henry, 1910, O. flexuosa (Wed), 1856) and O. armillata Railliet et Henry, 1909 and can be differentiated by numerous characters of which the most important are the anterior region of the female (which is straight and slender, 6 to 8 cm long, and bears longitudinal striae) and the 10 symmetrically arranged pairs of caudal papillae. O. raillieti seems to be a primitive species by several characters (caudal papillae, cervical papillae, oesophagus, vulva and cuticle.)

Wild house mice, naturally infected with Aspiculuris tetraptera were segregated according to their weight into six age groups. The prevalence of infection and the mean worm burden of these mice were studied in the different age groups. The overall prevalence of infection was high (57% or more) in all the groups except the youngest. Mice acquired larvae soon after weaning; the highest larval burdens were reached in juvenile mice and the highest mature worm burdens, a group later, in mature mice. Older mice had fewer larvae and fewer mature worms. The mature worm burdens decreased but relatively slower than the larval burdens. It is suggested that either innate or acquired resistance could account for these observations.

The development of Breinlia booliati is described in its natural host, Rattus sabanus and in an inbred strain of laboratory albino rat. The growth of the parasite is similar in both the rat hosts. The third moult occurs between six—eight days and the final moult between 24–28 days. Larvae were recovered initially from the skin and carcass. After five weeks, developing stages were seen only in the thoracic and abdominal cavities, the site of development of the adult worms. Worms became sexually mature by 11–12 weeks and there was considerable growth in length of the female worms after this stage.