Metazoan parasite communities of Crassostrea gigas and Ostrea edulis from Great Britain, Crassostrea virginica from Mexico, and Saccostrea commercialis from Australia are described and summarized in terms of species composition, species richness, total number of individuals and dominance. Metazoan parasite communities in all host species were composed of turbellarians and the metacercarial stage of digeneans, with the exception of S. commercialis where only metacercariae were found. Arthropods, including one copepod and one mite species, were present only in British oyster species. All metazoan parasite communities of oysters had few species and low density of individuals. Richest communities were found in C. virginica at both component and infracommunity level. The least diverse component community occurred in S. commercialis. Infracommunities in O. edulis and S. commercialis never exceeded one species per host. The host response against parasites is suggested as the principal factor responsible for depauperate parasite communities of oysters. Environmental factors characteristic of tropical latitudes are likely to have enhanced both the number of species and the densities of parasites per host in the infracommunities of C. virginica.

Infection rates of larval Pomphorhynchus laevis Mu¨ller, 1776 (Acanthocephala) were studied in its intermediate host Echinogammarus stammeriS. Karaman, 1931 (Amphipoda). Crustaceans were collected monthly, from July 1990 to July 1997, at two sites on the River Brenta (northern Italy). Of over 50,000 E. stammeri examined, more than 24% were parasitized with P. laevis larvae. The differences in the prevalence of infection between the two stations were significant. The intensity of infection varied from one to 15 acanthocephalans per host. Amphipods with multiple infections constituted 28–32% of each monthly sample. During the 7 years of investigation, the prevalence of infection typically reached its highest and lowest levels in the summer and spring months, respectively. Acanthocephalan larvae showed no preference for host sex. Infected ovigerous females of E. stammeri were found carrying eggs or juveniles in their brood pouches, but had fewer and smaller eggs. Pomphorhynchus laevis larvae co-occurred with Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845) and also with the tapeworm Cyathocephalus truncatus (Pallas, 1781) in the same host.

The life cycles of species of Proteocephalus Weinland, 1858 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidea) parasitizing fishes in the Palearctic Region are reviewed on the basis of literary data and personal experimental observations, with special attention being paid to the development within the intermediate and definitive hosts. Planktonic crustaceans, diaptomid or cyclopid copepods (Copepoda), serve as the only intermediate hosts of all Proteocephalus species considered. A metacestode, or procercoid, develops in the body cavity of these planktonic crustaceans and the definitive host, a fish, becomes infected directly after consuming them. No previous reports of the parenteral location of metacestodes within the second intermediate host as it is in the Nearctic species P. ambloplitis have been recorded. Thus, the life cycles of Proteocephalus tapeworms resemble in their general patterns those of some pseudophyllidean cestodes such as Eubothrium or Bothriocephalus, differing from the latter in the presence of a floating eggs instead of possessing an operculate egg from which a ciliated, freely swimming larva, a coracidium, is liberated. The scolex of Proteocephalus is already formed at the stage of the procercoid within the copepod intermediate host; in this feature, proteocephalideans resemble caryophyllidean rather than pseudophyllidean cestodes. The morphology of procercoids of individual species is described with respect to the possibility of their differentiation and data on the spectrum of intermediate hosts are summarized. Procercoids of most taxa have a cercomer, which does not contain embryonic hooks in contrast to most pseudophyllidean cestodes. The role of invertebrates (alder-fly larvae — Megaloptera) and small prey fishes feeding upon plankton in the transmission of Proteocephalus tapeworms still remains unclear but these hosts are likely to occur in the life cycle. Data on the establishment of procercoids in definitive hosts, morphogenesis of tapeworms within fish hosts, and the length of the prepatent period are still scarce and new observations are needed. Whereas extensive information exists on the development of P. longicollis (syns. P. exiguus and P. neglectus), almost no data are available on the ontogeny of other taxa, in particular those occurring in brackish waters (P. gobiorum, P. tetrastomus). The morphology of P. cernuae and P. osculatus procercoids from experimentally infected intermediate hosts is described for the first time.

Partial cross protection against a skin-parasitic ciliate has been recorded in rainbow trout previously immunized with an ectoparasitic platyhelminth. The susceptibility to infection by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis differed significantly between naive and Gyrodactylus derjavini immunized rainbow trout. Fish partly immune to the ectoparasitic monogenean G. derjavini became less infected and experienced lower mortality than naive fish when exposed to I. multifiliisinfections. In vitro studies on immobilization of theronts using decomplemented (heat-inactivated) serum from G. derjavini immune or non-immune hosts showed no immobilization. However, untreated serum from both immune and non-immune fish containing intact complement immobilized theronts (titre 128–256). In addition, non-specific priming of the host response with interleukin (IL-1), bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), concanavalin A (Con A) or mannan did confer a partial resistance to I. multifiliis infection. This will suggest that non-specific factors including complement could be partly responsible for the host response against infections with this ciliate.

A detailed examination of the abundant flatfish species Platichthys flesus, the flounder, in the tidal Thames has revealed the presence of four digenean metacercarial parasites, Cryptocotyle concava (Creplin, 1825), Timoniella imbutiforme (Molin, 1859), T. praeterita (Looss, 1901) and Labratrema minimus (Stossich, 1887). Flounders were recorded as a new second intermediate host for T. praeterita and L. minimus. They were also recorded as second intermediate hosts for the first time in British waters for T. imbutiforme. The temporal and spatial characteristics of these infections were examined and were believed to provide indirect parasitological evidence of the movement patterns of flounders during their utilization of the Thames Estuary as a nursery ground. From these data it was also surmised that the first intermediate host of T. imbutiforme, T. praeterita and C. concava was probably the molluscan species Hydrobia ulvae in the lower Thames Estuary, whereas L. minimus was most likely to occur in the molluscan host Cerastoderma edule, also present in the lower estuary.

Parasitological investigations were performed in July and September–October 1997 in six farms located in the department of Saône et Loire (eastern France) to determine the prevalence of natural infections with Paramphistomum daubneyi and Fasciola hepatica in four species of freshwater snails. Cercaria-containing rediae of P. daubneyi and/or F. hepatica were found in Lymnaea palustris (one snail only) and Lymnaea truncatula. Some living sporocysts and immature rediae were noted in Lymnaea ovata (P. daubneyi or F. hepatica) and in Physa acuta (P. daubneyi only). The prevalence of each trematode infection was often less than 10%. Experimental infections of juvenile and preadult snails (1 and 4 mm in height, respectively) were also performed to test the susceptibility of these four snail species to P. daubneyi, either singly or in combination with F. hepatica. Both 1 and 4 mm high L. truncatula could sustain the full development of P. daubneyi, whether in single or double infections. In L. palustris dually exposed to both trematodes, cercaria-containing rediae of P. daubneyi were found in one juvenile and one preadult snails, while immature infections were noted in ten juvenile and two preadult snails. The overall prevalence of P. daubneyi infection in L. palustris was 11.1% in juvenile snails and 2.1% in preadults. Larval forms of P. daubneyi and F. hepatica were only noted in dually-exposed juvenile L. ovata and P. acuta. In L. ovata, mature and immature rediae of F. hepatica were detected in 17.6% of snails, while immature rediae of P. daubneyi were noted in 4.4% of snails. In P. acuta, only immature infections were detected (5.1% of snails with P. daubneyi, and 1.2% with F. hepatica). These results demonstrated that Lymnaea species other than L. truncatula could sustain the full development of P. daubneyi and that immature larvae of this trematode might be found in naturally- or experimentally-infected L. ovata and P. acuta.

Between 1992 and 1996, 95 rabbits from the immediate locality of Malham Tarn, North Yorkshire, UK were examined for the presence of helminth parasites. All the examinations took place in late September or October. Three species of nematodes, Graphidium strigosum, Passalurus ambiguusand Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and two species of cestodes, Taenia pisiformis and Cittotaenia pectinata were identified. There were no associations between helminth species richness and year of sampling, host weight or sex. A logistic model was fitted to the prevalence data from these helminths as was an over-dispersed Poisson model to the worm burden data. Graphidium strigosum was the most frequently identified species with an average prevalence of 78%. The mean prevalence and intensity of Graphidiuminfection were significantly effected by sampling year. The lower than normal rainfall recorded at the Tarn during the years 1995 and 1996 may have be one reason for this pattern. The worm burden of G. strigosum was significantly positively associated with rabbit body weight. The intensity of infection with P. ambiguus was significantly higher in female rabbits. There was a significant non-linear relationship between P. ambiguus worm burden and rabbit weight (P = 0.002) with worm burdens being highest in the 1000 g to 1499 g weight cohort. Trichostrongylus retortaeformis was only identified in 1994 and male rabbits harboured significantly higher worm burdens than females (48 vs. 7, P = 0.022). Over the five years, the average Taenia pisiformis prevalence was 31% and there was a significant positive association between worm burden and rabbit weight (P = 0.001). Cittotaenia pectinata had a prevalence of 37% over the whole study period with no interactions between prevalence or intensity and body weight, year of sampling or rabbit sex. All five helminths showed an overdispersed distribution with k values less than 1.

The metacercaria of Indodidymozoon pearsoni (Digenea: Didymozoidae) is identified by DNA sequencing of second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) ribosomal DNA and described. Its development into the adult is documented. Morphological features that may assist the matching of didymozoid metacercariae to adults are discussed. Those that may be of greatest use are the size of the oral and ventral suckers and the presence or absence of a chamber at the posterior extremity of the oesophagus.

The ability of two isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans to reduce the numbers of gastrointestinal nematode larvae on herbage was tested in three plot studies. Artificially prepared cow pats containing Ostertagia ostertagi eggs, with and without fungal spores, were deposited on pasture plots two or three times during the grazing season in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The herbage around each pat was sampled fortnightly over a period of 2 months and the number of infective larvae was recorded. At the end of the sampling period, the remainder of the faecal pats was collected to determine the wet weight, dry weight, and content of organic matter. The infective larvae remaining in the pats were extracted. Faecal cultures showed that both fungal isolates significantly reduced the number of infective larvae. Significantly fewer larvae were recovered from herbage surrounding fungus-treated pats compared with control pats in all three experiments, reflecting the ability of the fungus to destroy free-living larval stages in the faecal pat environment. After 8 weeks on pasture there were no differences between control and fungus-treated pats with respect to wet weight, dry weight, and organic matter content. This indicates that the degradation of faeces was not negatively affected by the presence of the fungus.

The status of the genera Euparagonimus Chen, 1963 and Pagumogonimus Chen, 1963 relative to Paragonimus Braun, 1899 was investigated using DNA sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (CO1) gene (partial) and the nuclear ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2). In the phylogenetic trees constructed, the genus Pagumogonimus is clearly not monophyletic and therefore not a natural taxon. Indeed, the type species of Pagumogonimus,P. skrjabini from China, is very closely related to Paragonimus miyazakii from Japan. The status of Euparagonimus is less obvious. Euparagonimus cenocopiosus lies distant from other lungflukes included in the analysis. It can be placed as sister to Paragonimus in some analyses and falls within the genus in others. A recently published morphological study placed E. cenocopiosus within the genus Paragonimus and probably this is where it should remain.

Single-miracidium infections of Lymnaea truncatula by Fasciola hepatica were experimentally carried out to identify the redial generations of this trematode when the larval development was unusual (when the first-appearing mother redia, or R1a redia, died after its exit from the sporocyst). Four parameters were measured in the body and pharyngeal region at weekly intervals. At day 49 post-exposure at 20°C, the body of the second mother rediae (R1b) was significantly longer than that of the subsequent generations, R2a and R2b/R3a (a mean of 3.0 mm instead of 1.0 and 0.9 mm, respectively). The body was significantly wider in the R1b and R2a groups than in the R2b/R3a rediae. The pharyngeal lumen was significantly wider in the R1b group than in the R2a and R2b/R3a rediae (a mean of 48.6 μm instead of 10.8 and 3.3 μm at day 49). The thickness of the pharyngeal wall did not differ in the R1b and R2b/R3a groups, but was significantly lower in the R2a group (19.5 μm instead of 23.0–23.6 at day 49). There was better development of R1b and R2b/R3a rediae in the snails when the R1a redia died, compared with normal larval development (with a living R1a redia).

The composition of the parasite fauna of the flounder, Platichthys flesus, retrieved from two locations in the tidal Thames is described in detail for the first time. The combined parasite species list of the flounders from Lots Road in the upper tideway and West Thurrock in the middle tideway consisted of one protozoan (Glugea stephani), one monogenean (Gyrodactylus sp.), four larval digeneans (Cryptocotyle concava, Timoniella imbutiforme, T. praeterita, and Labratrema minimus), five adult digeneans (Derogenes varicus, Lecithaster gibbosus, Podocotyle sp., Plagioporus varius, and Zoogonoides viviparus), one larval cestode (unidentified tetraphyllidean), one or possibly more larval nematodes (unidentified) plus five adult nematodes (Capillaria sp., Cucullanus heterochrous, C. minutus, Contracaecum sp. and Goezia sp.), two acanthocephalans (Pomphorhynchus laevis and Acanthocephalus anguillae), three copepods (Lepeophtheirus pectoralis, Acanthochondria sp. and Lernaeocera branchialis), and one mollusc (unidentified glochidia). The overall parasite community of flounders from Lots Road and West Thurrock were compared in terms of species richness and diversity. The parasite community in flounders from the former location in the upper tideway was found to be less diverse than that of its counterpart at West Thurrock in the middle estuary. The component community of Lots Road flounders was dominated by the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis.

Proteolytic activities of soluble and insoluble fractions of the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans were measured across a range of substrates, temperatures and pH conditions. Several protease inhibitors were also tested under these conditions. Results of these studies indicate that proteolytic activity is present in cytosolic (CF) and non-cytosolic (NCF) fractions of C. elegans extracts at every condition of pH, temperature and buffer assayed. On the other hand, the use of different protease inhibitors demonstrated the existence of exo and endoproteases types in CF as well as NCF. Moreover our results show that the use of two protease inhibitor mixed types proposed by several authors are not enough to avoid this lytic activity when homogenates of this nematode are employed in biochemical assays.

Helminth parasites were studied in the wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, in southern England in September of each of four successive years (1994–1997). Nine species of helminths were recorded: five nematodes (Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Syphacia stroma, Pelodera strongyloides, Trichuris muris, Capillaria murissylvatici), two cestodes (Microsomacanthus crenata, Taenia taeniaeformis) and two trematodes (Corrigia vitta, Brachylaemus recurvum). In total, 134 mice were examined and 91.8% carried at least one species of helminth. The majority of mice carried two to three species (60.5%) and the highest combination was six of the nine species recorded in the study. The patterns of between-year variations in the prevalence and abundance of infection were different for each of the six species for which sufficient quantitative data were available to enable statistical analysis. For H. polygyrus, the most important source of variation arose from between-year differences, host age and the interaction of these factors: abundance increased with host age but in 1995 the age pattern was markedly different from that in the remaining years. The abundance of C. vitta also varied significantly between years but additionally there was a strong independent age effect. For M. crenata, the year × age interaction was significant, indicating that abundance among different age cohorts varied from year to year but there was also a weak significant main effect of age arising from the youngest age cohort carrying no parasites and the oldest age cohort the heaviest infections. For P. strongyloides the only significant factor was between-year variation with 1995 being a year of exceptionally low prevalence and abundance of infection. No significant between-year variation was detected for S. stroma but there was a strong sex effect (males carrying heavier infections) and an age effect (older mice of both sexes carrying heavier infections). The abundance of Trichuris muris varied only in relation to host age, worm burdens growing in intensity with increasing age, but there was also a significant interaction between year and host sex with respect to prevalence. For the remaining three species, the prevalence of infections was too low (< 8.2%) to enable any meaningful interpretation. This analysis emphasizes the need for carefully controlled statistical procedures in aiding the interpretation and the prioritization of the factors affecting worm burdens in wild rodents.

Two new species of diplectanid monogeneans, Diplectanum grouperi and Pseudorhabdosynochus coioidesis from the marine finfish Epinephelus coioides and E. aerolatus(Serranidae), cultured in floating cages in Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong, were described and compared with P. lantauensis Beverley-Burton and Suriano, 1981 from the same hosts. There is no other close species sharing the features of Diplectanum grouperi. The possession of a copulatory organ with an open cup-like proximal part and a narrow tubular distal part is a main distinguished feature of D. grouperi. Pseudorhabdosynochus coioides is most closely related to P. epinepheli Yamaguti, 1938, but can be distinguished from it by the shape and the size of the haptor, hamuli, copulatory organ, the lack of a muscular bulbus ejaculatorius, a greater number of rows in the squamodiscs and the location of the testis. Pseudorhabdosynochus lantauensis from the present hosts differs from that described from the original hosts, Epinephelus brunneus and E. fario in the shape of the dorsal bar and vagina.

During late summer in 1995 to 1997, repeated outbreaks of maculopapular skin eruptions were noted on the legs of children after wading in the pond in the Family Park in Laugardalur, Reykjavík, Iceland. Clinical symptoms developing on the legs resembled those of cercarial dermatitis. An examination of Lymnaea peregra snails from this pond and from the adjacent Lake Tjornin resulted in detection of previously undescribed schistosome cercariae. This is the first report of schistosomes in Iceland and also the most northern occurrence of these parasites in Europe.

The effect of dietary manganese from two different sources on chicks (uninfected and infected with Ascaridia galli) was studied. Chick diet was supplemented with 0.9 g Mn2+ kg-1 food either in the form of MnSO4.H2O or 2Gly. MnCl2.2H2O for 20 days. Chicks were divided into six groups: group 0, control; group 1, control + MnSO4.H2O; group 2, control + 2Gly.MnCl2.2H2O; group 3, infected with A. galli; group 4, infected with A. galli + MnSO4.H2O; and group 5, infected with A. galli + 2Gly.MnCl2.2H2O. Body weight, mortality, worm burden, and liver manganese content were investigated. Excess dietary manganese increased weights and manganese level, but mortality and worm burden were unaffected. A greater bioavailability of manganese from 2Gly. MnCl2.2H2O was established.

A series of experiments on corn meal agar was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans in different abiotic and biotic conditions which occur in cow pats. Above a concentration of 50 parasitic larvae (L3) cm–2 the fungus produced a maximum of between 500 and 600 nets cm–2 at 20°C in 2 days on the surface of corn meal agar. There were no differences in the trap-producing capacity of three strains of D. flagrans (CIII4, CI3 and Trol A). On agar at 30° and 20°C, the fungus responded to Cooperia oncophora L3 very quickly producing a maximum of trapping nets 1 day after induction. At 10°C, traps were produced slowly starting on day 4 after induction and continued over the following week. Duddingtonia flagrans (CI3) grew at a normal rate at least down to an oxygen concentration of 6 vol.% O2, but it did not grow anaerobically. On agar, D. flagrans (CI3) did not produce trapping nets in an anaerobic atmosphere. Moreover, C. oncophora L3 stopped migration under anaerobic conditions. When the fungal cultures were transferred to a normal aerobic atmosphere, after 1 and 2 weeks under anaerobic conditions, the C. oncophora L3 resumed migrating on the agar and, in response, D. flagrans produced traps in the same amount as when it had not been under anaerobic stress. Under microaerophilic conditions (6 vol.% O2) D. flagrans was able to grow, but the C. oncophora L3 were not able to induce trapping nets in D. flagrans (Trol A) because of larval immobility. But, as under anaerobic conditions, the fungus could return to a nematode-trapping state when transferred to a normal aerobic atmosphere within 1 or 2 weeks if migrating nematodes were present. Under natural conditions in the cow pat it is expected that the fungus will be ready to attack parasitic larvae, when the oxygen tension increases as a result of, for example the activity of the coprophilic fauna. Artificial light giving 3000–3400 Lux on the surface of the agar significantly depressed the growth rate and the production of trapping nets in D. flagrans (CI3). On agar, D. flagrans (CI3) could grow and produce trapping nets at pH levels of 6.3 to 9.3. Net-production has its optimum between pH 7 and 8. On dry faeces mycelial growth was 7–10 mm during a 15 day period while on moist faeces the fungus expanded 15–20 mm during the same period. Based on the parameters investigated, D. flagrans is expected to be especially active in the well aerated surface layer of a cow pat, an area which normally contains a high concentration of infective nematode parasite larvae, but also an area where the temperature can be high and the water content low.

The action of mixed salts of copper and zinc (basic and neutral) on Hisex chickens experimentally infected with Ascaridia galli has been studied. The data show that the lowest host mortality and decrease in body weight gain and the highest reduction in nematode loading occurs in infected chickens treated with basic salts (in comparison with infected chickens, untreated or treated with neutral salts). A mathematical model has been proposed to provide a quantitative interpretation of the observed results. The model solutions of the kinetics of parasite numbers and of the gain in body weight are in a good agreement with the experimental data. One of the kinetic parameters in the model is defined as a phenomenological constant of the host immune response. Its value is determined in the case of infected and untreated chickens.

A study was carried out in Navarra (northern Spain) on the influence of the weight, sex and reproductive status (lactant, pregnant or lactant + pregnant females and testicular weight for males) of the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on two cestodes species: Andrya cuniculi and Mosgovoyia ctenoides and four intestinal nematodes: Graphidium strigosum, Trichostrongylus retortaeformis, Nematodiroides zembrae and Dermatoxys hispaniensis. A significantly higher prevalence of A. cuniculi was detected in lactant + pregnant females compared with non-breeding females. Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and N. zembrae showed a significantly higher mean intensity in lactant and lactant + pregnant females than in non-reproductive females. Trichostrongylus retortaeformis presented a higher mean intensity in females than in males, and the mean intensity of the same parasite species was significantly lower in active and inactive males compared with lactant and lactant + pregnant females. There were no significant differences between sexes in the prevalence of helminth parasites. No significant correlation was detected between host weight and the intensity (of infection) of helminths studied. No significant differences in the prevalence and mean intensity of the two cestode species were observed in the three weight categories studied (kittens, juveniles and adults). The prevalence of G. strigosum and mean intensity of T. retortaeformis were significantly higher in older heavier animals than in juveniles.