Author correction : Divergence across mitochondrial genomes of sympatric members of the 'Schistosoma indicum' group and clues into the evolution of 'Schistosoma spindale'

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper

A Pan-Dengue Virus Reverse Transcription-Insulated Isothermal PCR Assay Intended for Point-of-Need Diagnosis of Dengue Virus Infection by Use of the POCKIT Nucleic Acid Analyzer

Dengue virus (DENV) infection is considered a major public health problem in developing tropical countries where the virus is endemic and continues to cause major disease outbreaks every year. Here, we describe the development of a novel, inexpensive, and user-friendly diagnostic assay based on a reverse transcription-insulated isothermal PCR (RT-iiPCR) method for the detection of all four serotypes of DENV in clinical samples. The diagnostic performance of the newly established pan-DENV RT-iiPCR assay targeting a conserved 3′ untranslated region of the viral genome was evaluated. The limit of detection with a 95% confidence was estimated to be 10 copies of in vitro-transcribed (IVT) RNA. Sensitivity analysis using RNA prepared from 10-fold serial dilutions of tissue culture fluid containing DENVs suggested that the RT-iiPCR assay was comparable to the multiplex real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) assay for DENV-1, -3, and -4 detection but 10-fold less sensitive for DENV-2 detection. Subsequently, plasma collected from patients suspected of dengue virus infection (n = 220) and individuals not suspected of dengue virus infection (n = 45) were tested by the RT-iiPCR and compared to original test results using a DENV NS1 antigen rapid test and the qRT-PCR. The diagnostic agreement of the pan-DENV RT-iiPCR, NS1 antigen rapid test, and qRT-PCR tests was 93.9%, 84.5%, and 97.4%, respectively, compared to the composite reference results. This new RT-iiPCR assay along with the portable POCKIT nucleic acid analyzer could provide a highly reliable, sensitive, and specific point-of-need diagnostic assay for the diagnosis of DENV in clinics and hospitals in developing countries

Toxocara pteropodis in Free-Ranging Indian Flying Foxes (Pteropus medius) in Sri Lanka

Toxocara pteropodis, an intestinal nematode, occurs in several captive and free-ranging pteropid bat species. We report infection in free-ranging Indian flying foxes (Pteropus medius) in Sri Lanka and contribute to our understanding of parasites in free-ranging P. medius

An approach to revealing blood fluke life cycles, taxonomy, and diversity: Provision of key reference data including DNA sequence from single life cycle stages

Revealing diversity among extant blood flukes, and the patterns of relationships among them, hits been hindered by the difficulty of determining if specimens described from different life cycle stages, hosts, geographic localities, and times represent the Same or different species. Persistent collection of all available life cycle stages and provision of exact collection localities, host identification, reference DNA sequences for the parasite, and voucher specimens eventually will provide the framework needed to piece together individual life cycles and facilitate reconciliation with classical taxonomic descriptions, including those based oil single life cycle Stages. It also provides a means to document unique or rare species that might only ever be recovered From a single life cycle stage. With an emphasis on the value of new information from field collections of any available life cycle stages, here we provide data For several blood fluke cercariae from freshwater snails from Kenya, Uganda, and Australia. Similar data are provided for adult worms of Macrobilharzia macrobilharzia and miracidia of Bivitellobilliarzia nairi. Some schistosome and sanguinicolid cercariae that we recovered have peculiar morphological features, and our phylogenetic analyses (18S and 28S rDNA and mtDNA CO1) suggest that 2 of the new schistosome specimens likely represent previously unknown lineages. Our results also provide new insights into 2 of the 4 remaining schistosome genera yet to be extensively characterized with respect to their position in molecular phylogenies, Macrobilharzia and Bivitellobilharzio. The accessibility of each life cycle stage is likely to vary dramatically from one parasite species to the next, and our examples validate the potential usefulness of information gleaned from even one such stage, whatever it might be

The Venom of Spectacled Cobra (Elapidae: Naja naja): In Vitro Study from Distinct Geographical Origins in Sri Lanka

Several countries residing envenomation due to Naja naja had revealed a disparity in the venom composition according to their geographic location and Sri Lankan cobra still lacks the evidence to support this. Therefore, the current study was focused on addressing relationship between the histopathological changes according to geographic variation of Sri Lankan N. naja venom. The histopathological changes in vital organs and muscle tissues following intramuscular administration of venom of N. naja were studied using BALB/c mice. The median lethal dose of venom of N. naja in the present study was determined to be 0.55, 0.66, 0.68, 0.62, and 0.7 mg/kg for North (NRP), Central (CRP), Western, Southern, and Sabaragamuwa Regional Population venoms, respectively. Histopathological changes were observed in different levels in vital organs and muscle tissues of mice. NRP accompanied significantly higher infiltration of inflammatory and necrotic cells into skeletal muscle and CRP venom demonstrated high level of cardiotoxic effects comparing to other regions. This study revealed a certain extent of variations in the pathological effects of N. naja venom samples according to their geographical distribution

Prevalence and Carrier Status of Leptospirosis in Smallholder Dairy Cattle and Peridomestic Rodents in Kandy, Sri Lanka

Leptospirosis is an important bacterial zoonotic disease globally and one of the notifiable diseases in Sri Lanka. Other than human leptospirosis, little information is available on leptospirosis in domestic and feral animals in Sri Lanka. Thus, this study attempted to determine the prevalence and carrier status of leptospirosis in small-holder dairy cattle and peridomestic rodents to understand the impact of the disease on public health in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Cattle and rodent samples were collected from the Yatinuwara and Udunuwara divisional secretaries in Kandy. Serum samples were analyzed for the presence of antileptospiral antibodies using microscopic agglutination test. DNA was extracted from cattle urine and rodent kidney tissue samples, in which polymerase chain reaction was carried out to detect the Leptospira flaB gene. The cattle in 19 (38.8%) of the 49 farms harbored antileptospiral antibodies. Out of 113 cattle serum samples, 23 (20.3%) were positive; 17 (73.9%) and 6 (26.1%) reacted with serogroups Sejroe and Hebdomadis, respectively. Out of the 74 rodent samples, 13 (17.5%) were positive; 8 (61.5%) and 4 (30.8%) had reactions to serogroups Javanica and Icterohaemorrhagiae, respectively. Leptospiral DNA was detected in one cattle urine sample and identified as Leptospira interrogans. This study revealed a high prevalence of leptospirosis in cattle and rodents in Kandy. These animals were infected with a wide array of leptospiral serogroups, which are consistent with the research findings observed in humans in Kandy. Overall, serological data indicate that relative to rodents, cattle may be a more significant reservoir for human transmission and a greater source of potential risk to local agricultural communities