Research Publications (Food Safety)

Among the 11 species of Eimeria in rabbits, some of which are known to be pathogenic and cause enteritis, E. stiedae induces severe liver lesions resulting in elevated mortality. Unlike in other countries, the incidence and prevalence of the parasites in rabbits have not been reported in Japan.

Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide prevalent parasite. The infection has been linked to variable inflammatory effects including neuroinflammation. Biochanin A (BCA) is an isoflavone, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. In this study, we examined the effect of BCA on the brain and liver inflammatory lesions in a murine model with chronic toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasma gondii is a major cause of reproductive losses in small ruminants in several countries. We describe here an outbreak of T. gondii-associated abortion in sheep in Southern Brazil. The flock was comprised of 55 adult sheep, and late-term abortions and stillbirths were detected in 15/36 (41.66%) gestating ewes. Serum samples collected from 45 sheep were tested for T.

In 2010–2011, a waterborne outbreak of the parasite, Cryptosporidium hominis, affected approximately 27,000 inhabitants in the city of Östersund, Sweden. Previous research suggested that post-infectious symptoms, such as gastrointestinal symptoms and joint pain, could persist for up to 2 years after the initial infection. In this study, we investigated whether the parasite caused post-infectious sequelae for up to 5 years after the outbreak. Prospective cohort study.

The presence of Cryptosporidium species in faecal samples of 32 sheep (Aries bovis), 10 goats (Capra circus), 1 blunt nose viper (Macrovipera lebetina lebetina), 3 Kotschy’s geckos (Mediodactylus kotschyi) and 6 wild stellagamas (Stellagama stellio cypriaca) in Cyprus were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing.

Specimens of the pentastomid parasite, Linguatula serrata, have been reported from several animals in Romania, including some domestic dogs translocated to other parts of Europe. In this study, gray wolves (Canis lupus, n = 80), golden jackals (C. aureus, n = 115), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes, n = 236), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, n = 1) were examined for pentastomes.

Giardia duodenalis is a flagellated parasitic microorganism that parasitizes in the intestines of humans and animals. Although asymptomatic infections commonly exist in both humans and animals, some enteric symptoms have been reported in immunocompromised individuals, posing a threat to public health. Children could be infected with G. duodenalis through an environment contaminated by infective animals. Thus, the investigation of the prevalence and genotypes of G.

Naegleria fowleri can cause acute primary amoebic encephalitis. It is known that contact-dependent pathogenicity in free-living amoeba may be mediated through a carbohydrate-dependent pathway. In this study, the effect of mannose on the interaction between N. fowleri and pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-pathogenic E. coli DH5α was analyzed. In particular, the changes in proteases expressed by N.

The invasive nature of Toxoplasma gondii is closely related to the properties of its cytoskeleton, which is constituted by a group of diverse structural and dynamic components that play key roles during the infection. Even if there have been numerous reports about the composition and function of the Toxoplasma cytoskeleton, the ultrastructural organization of some of these components has not yet been fully characterized.

Neospora caninum represents an obligate intracellular parasite that belongs to the phylum Apicomplexa and is a major abortive agent in bovines. During merogony, N. caninum tachyzoites invade and proliferate in host cells in vivo, including endothelial cells of lymphatic and blood vessels. The egress at the end of the lytic cycle is tightly regulated in apicomplexans. Evidence in Toxoplasma gondii shows that Ca++ signalling governs tachyzoite egress.

Almost 80% of health problems in the developing world are due to malnutrition and infectious diseases, which are mainly parasitic. Updated records on the prevalence of parasitic infections and the potential risk factors are essential to enhancing control strategies. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the current situation of intestinal parasitism among patients attending teaching hospitals in Zagazig district, Northeastern Egypt. The study involved five hundred cases.

Rock pigeons are synanthropic birds and live in close association within human settlements. Synanthropic birds are considered potential carriers of diseases and pose a subsequent risk of their transmission to humans. Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are intracellular protozoans infecting a wide range of hosts, as well as birds. Data related to the incidence of these protozoans in rock pigeons in Pakistan are scant. The aims of the study were to detect T.

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are opportunistic zoonotic protozoa transmitted through several routes. In this study, a total of 604 fecal samples were collected from pet dogs in Xinjiang, China to detect the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis by PCR amplification of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. The incidence rate of Cryptosporidium spp. or G. duodenalis was 5.3% (32/604).

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Infection in humans has usually been related to the consumption of raw, undercooked or cured meat. The aim of this study was to develop a droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR)-based assay for the detection and quantification of T. gondii in meat samples.

Mosquitoes transmit many damaging vector-borne diseases. Unfortunately, the rise of insecticide resistance has become a major obstacle to mosquito control. A preliminary study showed that a CYP6 cluster is significant for deltamethrin resistance in colonized Culex pipiens pallens. Here, several field strains were collected to explore the association of the cluster in deltamethrin tolerance.

Undercooked or raw meat containing cyst-stage bradyzoites and oocyst-contaminated pets are presumed to constitute a major source of human toxoplasmosis. As the geospatial epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in livestock, pets, and humans is rarely studied in China, we undertook a geospatial analysis using GIS visualization techniques.

Toxoplasma gondii is an important intracellular parasitic protozoan with a variety of hosts, including chickens, which poses a potential threat to public health. However, little is known regarding overall T. gondii infection in chickens in China. Herein, the prevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in chickens in China were investigated using a meta-analysis. Forty studies regarding the prevalence of T.

Abstract

Undercooked or raw meat containing cyst-stage bradyzoites and oocyst-contaminated pets are presumed to constitute a major source of human toxoplasmosis. As the geospatial epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in livestock, pets, and humans is rarely studied in China, we undertook a geospatial analysis using GIS visualization techniques.

Sheep and goats are commonly infected with three Cryptosporidium species, including Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium ubiquitum, and Cryptosporidium xiaoi, which differ from each in prevalence, geographic distribution, and public health importance. While C. parvum appears to be a dominant species in small ruminants in European countries, its occurrence in most African, Asian, and American countries appear to be limited.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite capable of infecting almost all warm-blooded animals. Currently, studies assessing the viability of cysts present in sheep meat are still scarce, especially in the northeastern region of Brazil.

Alveolar echinococcosis is the most severe worm disease primarily detected in the liver. This study aimed to determine the clinical tolerance and efficacy of albendazole in patients with alveolar echinococcosis, depending on the volume of previous surgical treatment or its absence and the duration of anti-parasitic therapy.

Dogs may serve as hosts for a variety of zoonotic or potentially zoonotic helminths, including Ancylostoma ceylanicum and Trichuris species. Cross-sectional study design was used to collect 210 faecal samples of dogs from Nay Pyi Taw area, Myanmar. According to microscopic examination, 180 samples (85.7%) were positive for eight species of gastrointestinal helminths.

Cryptosporidium is one of the most important parasitic protozoa that can be transmitted through food and water contamination. With the increasing report of Cryptosporidium infections in wild birds, especially in herbivorous waterfowl, concerns have been raised for oocyst contamination of water and food supplies, which in turn can cause human and domestic animal infections in areas neighboring wild birds’ habitats.

Leishmaniasis, included in the priority list of the WHO, remains as a neglected disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania genus. There is no vaccine available for human leishmaniasis, and the current treatment is based on old drugs that cause serious side effects.