HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 57 - 63, 1998

Amino acid spectra of two nematode species (Nematoda: Dracunculoidea) parasitizing fishes in the Czech Republic

V. Barus, S. Kracmar1, F., Tenora2

Institute of Landscape Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kvetná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic; 1Department of Animal Nutrition, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Zemedelská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; 2Department of Zoology and Bee-keeping, Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Zemedelská 1, 613 00, Brno, Czech Republic

Summary

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 57 - 72, 1998

Natural trichostrongylid exposure of calves in Lithuania: effect of midsummer move to clean pasture with special reference to inhibited development in the early L4 stage trichostrongylid larvae

M. Sarkunas, A. Malakauskas, V. Paulikas, P. Nansen1, J. W. Hansen2

Lithuanian Veterinary Academy, Department of Infectious Diseases, Tilzes 18, 3022 Kaunas, Lithuania; 1Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Bulowsvej 13- DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy

SUMMARY

The present experiment was designed to examine the effect of transfer to clean pasture in mid-summer on tri- chostrongyle worm burdens in first-season grazing calves in Lithuania. Twenty heifer-calves aged 5—8 months were turned out on a naturally contaminated pasture of 2 ha on 4 June. On 18 July the experimental animals were divided into two comparable groups of 10 calves, balan- ced according to liveweight. Group B was moved to a 2 ha plot that had been used for hay production in the first part of the grazing season. Group A continued to graze on the initial plot. Every two weeks the heifers were weighed and clinically inspected, and faeces, blood and grass samples were collected. The infectivity of the pasture plots was monitored using parasite-naive tracer-calves that were introduced on two occasions, i. e. on 15 August and 3 October, respectively for a 2 week period. Excretion of trichostrongylid eggs and serum pepsinogen levels were higher in group A. Most of the nonmoved calves showed clinical signs of mild parasitic gastroenteritis from the beginning of August and onwards. Results from necropsied tracer-calves showed an increase in pasture infectivity on the plot grazed by group A. This study showed that trichostrongylid infections in cattle in Lithuania may be suppressed by moving animals to safe pasture in the middle of the summer.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 73 - 78, 1998

Echinococcus multilocularis infection in Russia and neighbouring countries

A. S. Bessonov

The All-Russian K. I. Skryabin Institute of Helminthology, Bolshaia Tcheriomushkinskaia street 28, 117 259 Moscow, M-259, Russia

Summary

In the territory of Russia and countries of the former USSR 9 species of carnivores appear to be the definitive hosts of Echinococcus multilocularis and, among them, the common fox and arctic fox play the dominant role, 30 species of mammals serve as the intermediate hosts: vo- les, mice, shrews, lammings, bobac marmots, jirds, mus- krats, ground squirrels, jerboas, rodent-moles, hares, hamsters and man. The high morbidity of humans with alveolar hydatid disease (10 and more infected persons per 100,000 of inhabitants) is noted in Yakutia, Chukot and Korjak Autonomous Districts, Kamchatka, Omsk, Tomsk Region and Altai Territory; this index tends to be a moderate one (from 1 to 10 infected persons per 100,000 of inhabitants) in the Tuva Republic, at the south of Krasnoyarsk Territory, Magadan Region and north areas of Kazakhstan and at last it is weak (less than 1 infected person per 100,000 per inhabitants) in some zones of West Siberia, the Far East, Povolzhje, North Caucasus and Azerbaijan. Alveolar echinococcosis foci in Russia are classified in north tundra and south forest- steppe and steppe ones: in Siberia they are separated by taiga zone. Mainly arctic fox and lemmings take part in transmission of infection in the north and, in the south, foxes and corsac foxes on one hand and voles, muskrats, jirds - on the other. In Yakutia a village type of foci of alveolar echinococcosis has been revealed where circulation follows the scheme "dog-voles" and includes house mice and man to this cycle. Thus formation of synanthropic foci of infection takes place with considerably increased risk for humans to be infected with alveolar hydatid disease.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 78 - 82, 1998

Z. KULISIC, I. PAVLOVIC1, M. MILUTINOVIC2, N. ALEKSIC-BAKRAC

Summary

A coprologic and pathoanatomic examination conduc ted in the Belgrade area in 550 dogs revealed the following parasite species: Giardia lamblia, Sarcocystis spp., Eimeria canis, Isospora canis, Alaria alata, Mesocestoides lineatus, Dipylidium caninum, Taenia hydatigena, Taenia pisiformis, Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma caninum, Uncinaria stenocephala and Trichuris vulpis, of which particularly high rates of infection were found for Toxocara canis at 35.27 % and for A n c y l o s t o m i d a e at 25.27 %. These findings stimulated our interest in examining the contamination of playgrounds, parks and other public areas in Belgrade, where eggs of Toxocara spp. and A n c y l o s t o m i d a e were found in 77 of the 98 locations examined. Such epizootiological conditions are obviously responsible for high larva migrans findings in humans.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 83 - 85, 1998

Body spines of the eye flukes Philophthalmus hegeneri Penner et Fried, 1963 (Trematoda: P h i l o p h t h a l m i d a e)

V. Radev, I. Kanev1, P. Nollen*

Institute of Parasitology BAS, Bl. 25, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria; *Department of Biological Sciences, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA; 1Present address: H. W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, W-529 Nebraska Hall, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0514 USA

Summary

Body spines of the adult worms of the eye flukes Philophthalmus hegeneri were described from specimens obtained in experimental infections. Light microscopy showed four models of body spines. The pattern was compared to that of the type species of the genus Philophthalmus P. lucipetus.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 87 - 91, 1998

J. K. Macko, V. Hanzelova, A. Mackova1

Parasitological Institute SAS, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic; 1Department of Experimental Botany and Genetics, Faculty of Science, P. J. Safarik University, Manesova 23, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic

Summary

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 93 - 99, 1998

M. LISKOVA, D. J. F. BROWN1

Parasitological Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 040 01 Kosice, Slovak Republic; 1Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, Scotland, UK

Summary

Fourteen species of the family L o n g i d o r i d a e were found associated with walnut trees (Juglans regia L.) growing throughout Slovakia. The species were: Longidorus caespiticola, L. elongatus, L. euonymus, L. goodeyi, L. juglandicola, L. leptocephalus, L. picenus, L. raskii, Paralongidorus maximus, Xiphinema diversicaudatum, X. pachtaicum, X. simile, X. taylori and X. vuitte- nezi. Longidorus goodeyi was recorded for the first time in Slovakia.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 101 - 106, 1998

Communities of free-living and plant parasitic nematodes in some fruit nurseries of the Slovak Republic

I. STOLLAROVA

Parasitological Institute SAS, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Kosice

Summary

The communities of plant nematodes were evaluated in three selected fruit nurseries in Slovakia. A total of 45 plant nematode species, members of all trophic groups, were found. The structure of nematode trophic groups, their abundance according to cultivated tree species and the percentage occurrence of parasitic nematodes in those fruit nurseries were different. Omniphages predominated in fruit nurseries at Kleov and Bojnice, and on the other hand, bacteriophages predominated in Eaklov. The dif- ferent values of species diversity index suggest the different structure of the nematode communities in individual fruit nurseries, with distinct climatic, geological and soil conditions. A total of 11 species of plant parasitic nematodes were identified in the nurseries studied. Helicoty- lenchus digonicus was the most frequent plant parasitic species in all fruit nurseries.

HELMINTHOLOGIA, 35, 2: 107 - 110, 1998

Research note

Murine encephalitozoonosis and kidney lesions in some Slovak laboratory animal breeding centres

A. El Naas, V. Revajova, V. Letkova, M. Halanova, M. Stefkovic

University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenskeho 73, 041 81 Kosice, Slovak Republic

Summary

One hundred and thirty-two mice from five laboratory colonies were randomly examined for seropositivity to Encephalitozoon cuniculi and its relationship to the occurrence of kidney lesions was correlated. The indirect immunofluorescent antibody test was performed. The samples reacted at dilutions between 1 : 64 and 1 : 2048, inclusive. Twenty mice were found to be seropositive in two colonies and the others in three colonies showed seronegative reactions. Histological changes were seen in 80 % of E. cuniculi-seropositive animals. The results show a correlation between seropositivity and kidney lesions in infected animals.