Interès, avantatges i inconvenients dels ecosistemes aïllats en estudis parasitològics

In the studies on the ecology of the parasite fauna of free living small mammals in Formentera (Balearic Islands) notable differences as regards similar works in other islands or in the continent were found. The particular qualitative and quantitative composition of the ectofauna and endofauna can be explained by the special phisiography of the island and the uncommon ecology of the definitive hosts (domination of the garden dormouse). On the basis of these investigations and of the data of the short literature dealing with the topic «parasitology in isolated ecosystems», it can be deduced a number of advantages and disadvantages offered by insular ecosystems in respect to parasitological research and finally the general interest of them

Dos nuevas localizaciones para España de Bulinus truncatus (Audouin, 1827) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae), hospedador intermediario de Schistosomiasis urinaria

Dues noves localitzacions per a Espanya de Bulinus truncatus (Audouin, 1827) (Gastropoda, Planorbidae), hoste intermediari de la Schistosomiasis urinària Durant l’any 2014, els autors han trobat dues noves poblacions de Bulinus truncatus a Espanya. En una, la llacuna de Villena (Alacant), que va ser dessecada al començament del segle XIX, només hi van trobar conquilles, mentre que a l’altra, situada a El Ejido (Almeria), hi van trobar milers d’exemplars vius. L’enclavament de Villena té un gran interès biogeogràfic perquè enllaça les poblacions catalanes amb les andaluses atès que fins ara no se’n coneixia la presència ni a Múrcia ni a la Comunitat Valenciana. La població d’Almeria ha estat objecte d’un estudi conquiliològic i molecular (gen cox1 de l’ADN mitocondrial) que ha revelat un 100% d’homologia amb altres poblacions de B. truncatus les seqüències de les quals estan disponibles al GenBank. La troballa d’Almeria presenta un gran interès davant la possible arribada a Espanya de la Schistosomiasis urinària i l’establiment d’una transmissió autòctona, tal com ja ha succeït en altres països europeus en el passat i recentment.Two new locations in Spain of Bulinus truncatus (Audouin, 1827) (Gastropoda, Planorbidae), intermediate host of urinary Schistosomiasis Two new populations of the planorbid snail species Bulinus truncatus were found in Spain in 2014. The first consisted of shells only, found in the lagoon of Villena (province of Alicante), which had dried up at the beginning of the 19th century. This finding is of important biogeographic interest because it links the presence of this species in northern Catalonia with its detection in southern Andalucia as this species had not been found previously in the regions of Murcia or Valencia. The second population was found in El Ejido (province of Almeria), and thousands of living specimens were found here. This allowed a complete shell characterisation and molecular assessment by means of sequencing the cox1 gene of the mitochondrial DNA genome, which showed 100% homology with sequences of other populations of the same snail species available in the GenBank. The finding of B. truncatus in Almeria is of additional value given the applied importance of this planorbid species as a vector of urinary Schistosomiasis, thus representing a risk of introduction and autochthonous transmission of the disease in Spain, as has occurred in other southern European countries in the past and recently.Durante 2014, los autores han hallado dos nuevas poblaciones de Bulinus truncatus en España. En una de ellas, la laguna de Villena (Alicante), que fue desecada a principios del siglo XIX, sólo se encontraron conchas, mientras que en la otra, que se encuentra en El Ejido (Almería), se hallaron miles de ejemplares vivos. El enclave de Villena tiene un gran interés biogeográfico pues enlaza las poblaciones catalanas con las andaluzas, ya que ni en Murcia ni hasta ahora en la Comunidad Valenciana se conocía su presencia. La población almeriense ha sido objeto de estudio conquiliológico y molecular (gen cox1 del ADN mitocondrial) detectándose un 100% de homología con otras poblaciones de B. truncatus cuyas secuencias ya están disponibles en el GenBank. El hallazgo almeriense es de gran interés por la posible llegada a España de la Schistosomiasis urinaria y establecerse una transmisión autóctona, como ha ocurrido ya en otros países europeos en el pasado y recientemente

Nuevos datos sobre las helmintofaunas parasíticas de micromamíferos en las islas Pitiusas. I.

Abstract not availabl

La migración de Dollfusinus frontalis Biocca et Ferretti, 1958 (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) en el micromamífero hospedador definitivo

Abstract not availabl

COVID-19 and globalization

The world is experiencing a major pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, the Coronavirus causing COVID-19. This disease first entered the human population in Hubei province, China, in mid-November 2019 and manifested in Wuhan, the largest metropolitan area of Hubei, when a cluster of patients were admitted to hospital with a ‘severe pneumonia of unknown cause’ in early December. Although humanity has survived previous pandemics by infectious agents, the present one is unprecedented in its capacity to take advantage of modern globalization allowing for massive transborder spread at a surprising speed. When writing these lines, the pandemic affects 181 countries and territories, with around 1,084,000 infected subjects, more than 58,000 deaths and 225,000 recovered patients, according to the Johns Hopkins University

DNA sequence characterisation and phylogeography of Lymnaea cousini and related species, vectors of fascioliasis in northern Andean countries, with description of L. meridensis n. sp. (Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Livestock fascioliasis is a problem throughout Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela, mainly in Andean areas where the disease also appears to affect humans. Transmission patterns and epidemiological scenarios of liver fluke infection have shown to differ according to the lymnaeid vector snail species involved. These Andean countries present the vectors <it>Lymnaea cousini</it>, <it>L. bogotensis </it>and <it>L. ubaquensis</it>, unknown in the rest of Latin America. An exhaustive combined haplotype study of these species is performed by means of DNA sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal 18S RNA gene, ITS-2 and ITS-1, and mitochondrial DNA <it>cox</it>1 gene.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The conserved 5.8S rDNA sequence corroborated that no pseudogenes are involved in the numerous non-microsatellite/minisatellite-related indels appearing between the ITS-2 and ITS-1 sequences when comparing different <it>L. cousini </it>- <it>L. bogotensis </it>populations. Sequence analyses and phylogenetic reconstruction methods including other lymnaeid vector species show that (i) <it>L. bogotensis </it>is a synonym of <it>L. cousini</it>, (ii) <it>L. ubaquensis </it>is a synonym of <it>Pseudosuccinea columella</it>, and (iii) populations of <it>L. cousini </it>hitherto known from Venezuelan highlands indeed belong to a new species for which the name <it>L. meridensis </it>n. sp. is proposed. This new species is described and a complete phenotypic differentiation provided.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>ITS-2, ITS-1 and <it>cox</it>1 prove to be good markers for specimen classification and haplotype characterisation of these morphologically similar lymnaeids in endemic areas. Analysis of the 18S gene and phylogenetic reconstructions indicate that <it>L. cousini </it>and <it>L. meridensis </it>n. sp. cluster in an evolutionary line different from the one of <it>P. columella</it>, despite their external resemblance. This suggests an evolutionary phenotypic convergence related to similar environments and which has given rise to frequent specimen misclassification. Body size and phylogenetic relationships of <it>L. meridensis </it>n. sp. with well-known vectors as <it>Lymnaea cousini </it>and <it>P. columella</it>, as well as with <it>Galba</it>/<it>Fossaria </it>species, suggest that the new species may participate in disease transmission to both animals and humans in altitude areas during the yearly window in which temperatures are higher than the <it>F. hepatica </it>minimum development threshold. The involvement of <it>L. cousini </it>and <it>P. columella </it>in the transmission and geographical/altitudinal distribution of fascioliasis in these Andean countries is analysed.</p

West Nile virus in Spain: Forecasting the geographical distribution of risky areas with an ecological niche modelling approach

West Nile virus (WNV), a well-known emerging vector-borne arbovirus with a zoonotic life cycle, represents a threat to both public and animal health. Transmitted by ornithophilic mosquitoes, its transmission is difficult to predict and even more difficult to prevent. The massive and unprecedented number of human cases and equid outbreaks in Spain during 2020 interpellates for new approaches. For the first time, we present an integrate analysis from a niche perspective to provide an insight to the situation of West Nile disease (WND) in Spain. Our modelling approach benefits from the combined use of global occurrence records of outbreaks of WND in equids and of its two alleged main vectors in Spain, Culex pipiens and Cx. perexiguus. Maps of the climatic suitability for the presence of the two vectors species and for the circulation of WNV are provided. The main outcome of our study is a map delineating the areas under certain climatic risk of transmission. Our analyses indicate that the climatic risk of transmission of WND is medium in areas nearby the south Atlantic coastal area of the Cadiz Gulf and the Mediterranean coast, and high in southwestern Spain. The higher risk of transmission in the basins of the rivers Guadiana and Guadalquivir cannot be attributed exclusively to the local abundance of Cx. pipiens, but could be ascribed to the presence and abundance of Cx. perexiguus. Furthermore, this integrated analysis suggests that the WNV presents an ecological niche of its own, not fully overlapping the ones of its hosts or vector, and thus requiring particular environmental conditions to succeed in its infection cycle.Fil: Cuervo Bustamante, Pablo Fernando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral; Argentina. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Artigas, Patricio. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Mas-Coma, Santiago. Universidad de Valencia; EspañaFil: Bargues, María Dolores. Universidad de Valencia; Españ