Parasitology Commons^™

Myxozoan Diversity And Life Cycles In Catfish Production Ponds In Mississippi, Usa, Ethan Woodyard

Theses and Dissertations

Catfish aquaculture is a critical industry in the United States and Mississippi in particular. The industry is beset by depredation, rising feed costs, competition with imports, and loss to disease. Chief among these is the myxozoan parasite and causative agent of proliferative gill disease, Henneguya ictaluri. In chapter 2, novel molecular markers for greater resolution in species identification of these parasites are provided, allowing more robust life cycle inference, species-level identifications, and inference of evolutionary relationships through molecular phylogenetic analyses. Chapters 3–5 apply the approaches developed in Chapter 2 to a broad array of taxa beyond catfish-infecting Henneguya spp. These …

Assessing The Prevalence Of Ehrlichia Spp. In Ticks Associated With Canids In Arkansas, Eva J. Berryhill

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Canine ehrlichiosis is a disease that is commonly seen in dogs. In previous studies, the southeastern part of the United States has been identified as an area of high prevalence. Arkansas was included in the region where the prevalence is high. Changes in climate, household income, and tick population were identified as factors contributing to this high prevalence. Canine ehrlichiosis is caused by three Ehrlichia spp., which are E. canis, E. ewingii, and E. chaffeensis. Ticks are responsible for transmitting the disease, specifically R. sanguineus, D. variabilis, and A. americanum. For this study, the goal was to determine the prevalence …

Epidemiological Inferences Of The Impacts Of Winter Ticks On Moose Health, Krishna S. Woerheide

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The North American Moose (mooz in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language, Alces alces), a culturally significant subsistence species for the Anishinaabe people, faces population decline due to calf predation, pathogen transmission, and parasitism by the winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus), all exacerbated by climate change. This study explores the impact of winter tick infestations on moose health, with a focus on natural mineral seeps as potential transmission hotspots in moose habitats within the Grand Portage Indian Reservation (Gichi Onigaming), on Isle Royale National Park (Minong), and within the 1854 Ceded Territory (greater northeastern Minnesota) - ancestral and present homelands of …

African Sleeping Sickness: From Basic Biology To Future Directions, Riddhi R. Patel

All Theses

African Sleeping Sickness is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) which poses a significant health risk to impoverished populations in 36 Sub-Saharan African countries. It is a devastating disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted to mammals via the bite of infected tsetse flies. The disease manifests in two stages: the hemolymphatic stage and the meningoencephalitic stage. In the latter stage, it invades the Central Nervous System (CNS) and can be fatal if left untreated. It is caused by morphologically indistinguishable species of Trypanosoma brucei in both humans and animals, where in humans it is known as …

Mechanisms Of Behavioral Change In Hosts Of Toxoplasma Gondii: A Review, Olivia Grimsley

Senior Honors Theses

The parasite Toxoplasma gondii is a highly ubiquitous parasite that latently infects an estimated 33% percent of the global population. Toxoplasmosis is of obvious clinical significance due to the extremely high risks to the unborn who contract it congenitally. Less attention has been given to a more subtle aspect of latent infection, which is the behavioral alterations that are commonly experienced by those who contract the parasite. Infected individuals commonly display a variety of altered behaviors, such as increased aggression and risk-seeking behaviors, depression, higher tendency towards suicide and self-directed violence, a loss of fear response, and a greatly increased …

Parasitic Effects Of Amoebidium Appalachense On Daphnia Magna Heart Rate, Hopping Frequency, And Metabolic Rate, Vanessa Wise

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Daphnia magna are a crustacean that inhabits multiple different types of freshwater ecosystems and thus is plays a part in many different types of interspecies interactions, one of which is parasitism. Amoebidium appalachense is a Mesomycetozoean parasite of aquatic arthropods that colonizes the antenna of D. magna. Previous research has shown that A. appalachense infection will reduce the fecundity and increase mortality rate of D. magna but how it causes these effects is unknown. To determine if A. appalachense causes these effects on D. magna by either stealing nutrients inside the D. magna like a tick or by compromising …

Characterizing Malaria Infections In Caribbean Lizards: Parasite Niche Expansion & Host Response, Sarah J. Pangburn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Malaria is historically one of the most severe parasitic human diseases and is still responsible for over half a million deaths annually. Plasmodium species, the causative agents of malaria, are often characterized by two hallmark features of their asexual stages: the invasion of vertebrate red blood cells and the presence of hemozoin pigment as a byproduct of host hemoglobin digestion. Despite their evolutionary relatedness to mammalian Plasmodium, wildlife malaria parasites are understudied, leaving their vast genetic diversity to be explored. Lizard-infective malaria parasites, for example, include over 100 species of Plasmodium and present a diverse array of phenotypes, some …

Exploring The Pathogen Profiles Of Ancient Feces, Drew Capone, David Holcomb, Amanda Lai, Karl Reinhard, Joe Brown

Karl Reinhard Publications

Analysis of ancient desiccated feces – termed paleofeces or coprolites – can unlock insights into the lives of ancient people. We collected desiccated feces from caves in the Rio Zape Valley in Mexico (725-920 CE). First, we extracted DNA with methods previously optimized for paleofeces. Then, we applied highly sensitive modern molecular tools (i.e., PCR pre-amplification followed by multi-parallel qPCR) to assess the presence of 30 enteric pathogens. We detected ≥1 pathogen associated gene in each of the ten samples and a mean of 3.9 pathogens per sample. The targets detected included Blastocystis spp. (n=7), atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (n=7), …

Characterization Of Vaccine-Enhanced Humoral Immune Responses Against Emergent Sars-Cov-2 Variants In A Convalescent Cohort, Jared Sheehan, Amber J. Trauth, Michael E. Hagensee, Alistair J. Ramsay

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Vaccination of COVID-19–convalescent individuals may generate ‘hybrid’ immunity of enhanced magnitude, durability, and cross-reactive breadth. Our primary goal was to characterize hybrid antibody (Ab) responses in a patient cohort infected with ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 virus and vaccinated between 6 and 10 months later with the Wuhan-Hu-1–based BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. We were particularly interested in determining the efficacy of neutralizing Ab responses against subsequently emergent SARS-CoV-2 variants. Sera collected at 3-monthly intervals over a period of 12 months were analyzed by ELISA for SARS-CoV-2 RBD–specific Ab responses, and also for neutralizing Ab activity using pseudovirus-based neutralization assays. We found that convalescent RBD-reactive …

Developmental Regulation Of Corazonin, Eclosion Hormone, And Bursicon Messages And Rnai Suppression Of Corazonin In Adult Female American Dog Ticks, Dermacentor Variabilis, Anirudh Dhammi, Brooke Bissinger, Loganathan Ponnusamy, Daniel E. Sonenshine, R. Michael Roe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The insect molting process is critical to growth and development and is regulated in part by the neuropeptides corazonin, eclosion hormone, and α and β bursicon. We found messages in a synganglion transcriptome from adult, female American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis (that do not molt), with a high similarity to the larval insect neuropeptides that control molting. The phylogenetic analysis of the tick putative neuropeptides compared to other arthropods is discussed in detail. The relative gene expression of these peptides was determined by quantitative PCR during the following adult developmental stages: (i) virgin, unfed 0–24 h after entering the adult …

Schistosoma Mansoni Infection Causes Consistent Changes To The Fecal Bacterial Microbiota Of Mice Across And Within Sites, Mariam A. Mhanna, David T. Gauthier, Lisa M. Shollenberger

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Eggs of Schistosoma mansoni are produced by adult female worms in mesenteries of infected hosts. Eggs can cross the intestinal barrier and form granulomas in the tissue or breach and exit the host through fecal excretion. These interactions may affect the host microbiome assemblages. Given the potential for schistosomal alteration of host gut microbiome and subsequent effects on the fecal bacterial composition, it is important to conduct controlled microbiome studies on model animals. While pursuing these studies, it is important to take into account the different conditions in which microbiome studies are conducted and their consequent impacts on variability and …

Toxin-Like Proteins In The Venom Of Drosophila Parasitoids, Lady V. Cardenas

Dissertations and Theses

The figitid parasitoid wasps of Drosophila are gaining importance in agriculture due to their ability to kill the resilient soft-fruit pest Drosophila suzukii. Their success and infection strategies vary, and the mechanisms underlying these differences are largely unknown. Some of their venom proteins have been shown to be important in suppressing host defense. Here, we report that Ganaspis brasiliensis, a parasitoid of D. suzukii survives well on Drosophila yakuba, a host species with a strong cellular immunity, and infected flies are unable to mount a strong immune response. To predict possible toxin-like proteins in Ganaspis venoms that might suppress cellular …

Tick Responses To Diverse Chemical Attractants To Enhance Tick Surveillance Methods' Efficacy, Pamela Kelman, Tyler Chavers, Emily Owens Pickle, Daniel Sonenshine, Melissa S. Nolan, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae), Ixodes scapularis Say, and Dermacentor variabilis Say are three hard-bodied ticks responsible for vectoring pathogens that cause most human tick-borne diseases in the United States of America (USA). Tick surveillance is critical to elucidate high-risk areas for targeted vector control and public health interventions. Despite tick-borne diseases having a higher annual incidence compared to mosquito-borne diseases in the USA, tick traps used for surveillance are grossly under-developed compared to the suite of sophisticated mosquito traps available on the commercial market. This study sought to identify potential prospective tick trap improvements by evaluating the relative attraction …

Location Intelligence Unveils Seasonal Spatiotemporal Pattern Shifts Of Habitat Use And Selection By Cattle Across A South Texas Coastal Landscape Infested With Rhipicephalus Microplus, Taylor G. Donaldson, Brian T. Rich, Miranda R. Peterson, Hsiao-Hsuan Wang, William E. Grant, Donald B. Thomas, Kimberly H. Lohmeyer, Adalberto Á. Pérez De León, Pete D. Teel

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Knowledge gaps on the dynamics of cattle fever tick-cattle-habitat-climate interactions in South Texas and their influence on the efficacy of treatments to eliminate infestations with the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus prevent optimal interventions by the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program (CFTEP). The CFTEP has been operating in the USA since 1907. This study applied the concept of location intelligence to examine movement, habitat use and selection by cattle in a highly heterogeneous coastal landscape infested with R. microplus. Cattle interface with white-tailed deer and nilgai, which are alternate wildlife hosts of R. microplus, in this unique South …

Rwanda's Natural Remedies: A Fresh Look At The Fight Against Malaria, Leandre Nsabimana Ndisanze

Pomona Senior Theses

Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases globally, disproportionately affecting sub-Saharan Africa, where Rwanda continues to face high transmission rates and rising resistance to conventional interventions. Despite decades of control efforts, the emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and insecticide-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes threatens to reverse recent gains. This research responds to the urgent need for sustainable and culturally relevant alternatives by exploring the therapeutic potential of Rwandan traditional medicinal plants. These indigenous remedies, long used by local healers, offer an underexplored reservoir of bioactive compounds that may provide the basis for novel antimalarial drugs.

The central hypothesis of this …

Impacts Of Tick Parasitism On The Rodent Gut Microbiome, Robert J. Brinkerhoff, Joshua Pandian, Meghan Leber, Isabella D. Hauser, Holly D. Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Host microbiota may impact disease vector behavior and pathogen transmission, but little is known about associations between ectoparasites and microbial communities in wildlife reservoir species. We used Illumina metagenomic sequencing to explore the impacts of tick parasitism on the rodent fecal microbiome in both a field and laboratory setting. We found that tick parasitism on wild hosts was associated with variation in the fecal microbiota of both the white-footed deermouse, Peromyscus leucopus, and the southern cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus. In a lab experiment, we detected significant changes to the fecal microbiome after experimental exposure to immature ticks in …

Fluke Egg Sedimentation Test Procedure, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The department’s approved procedure for detecting trematode eggs and the Eimeria leuckarti sedimentation method (FEST) on faecal samples.

Archaeoparasitology Of The Colorado Plateau, Karl J. Reinhard, Morgana Caacho

Karl Reinhard Publications

Archaeoparasitology has been conducted in the Southwest for 57 years. In the first decade of the period, two pictures of parasitism emerged. Analysis of compressed organic sediments from a latrine at Elden Pueblo presented a spectrum of geohelminths not different from medieval Europe. These findings contrast pronouncedly with an analysis of coprolites from all other studies that show consistent pinworm parasitism at other sites in the Southwest. We summarize the paleoepidemiological bases for these contrasting phenomena.

Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Scott L. Gardner Publications

In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …

Description Of All Stages Of A New Tick Species From California Haemaphysalis Vespertina (Acari: Ixodidae), With Redescription Of H. Leporispalustris Packard, 1869 Adults And Phylogenetic Relationships Among Related U.S. Taxa, Andrea Egizi, Santiago Nava, Angie Nakano, Megan E. M. Saunders, Lauren P. Maestas, Autumn D. Angelus, Bruce Noden, Robyn M. Nadolny, Waheed I. Bajwa, Charles Lubelcyzk, Chanakya R. Bhosale, Susan Paskewitz, Holly D. Gaff, Lorenza Beati

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

All active stages of Haemaphysalis vespertina sp. nov. (Acari: Ixodidae), a tick previously identified as H. leporispalustris Packard, 1869, are described from specimens collected on the vegetation and from leporids in California and Oregon. The adults of H. leporispalustris Packard, 1969 are redescribed based on type material. Adults of the two species can be distinguished by their overall size, the dorsal shape of palpal segment II, the number and shape of dorsal and ventral setae on palpal segment II, the number of spurs on coxae II, the length of setae on scutum, legs and coxae, and the pattern of scutal …

Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera Glycines Ichinohe) Virulence Assay Against Resistance Sources In Nebraska, Pratibha Karki

Department of Plant Pathology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe), one of the major yield-limiting pathogens of soybean, is currently found in 60 counties of Nebraska that produce more than 90% of the state’s soybean. Often, yield loss occurs without any above-ground symptoms, which makes it difficult to manage. The primary management option is the use of SCN-resistant varieties. Several soybean plant introductions serve as resistance sources against SCN. Unfortunately, the single source, PI 88788, is used in approximately 90% of resistant varieties and its prolonged use has increased the virulence status of SCN in the U.S. A study was conducted to assess …

Novel Therapuetic Approaches For Chagas Disease, Juan Carlos Silva

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the hemoflagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. This disease is considered one of the 20 neglected tropical diseases (NTD), and it is estimated that 6 to 8 million people worldwide are diagnosed with CD. In the United States, Chagas infection is not reported in all states; however, most reported CD cases are chronic infections. Chagas infection is characterized by two phases: an acute and a chronic phase. Until this present moment, no prophylactic or therapeutic human vaccine is available. However, in a recent study in a murine model, our group showed that the synthetic 20-merpeptide (DAENPGGEVFNDNKKGLSRV) …

Finding Them Before They Find Us: Solving The Emerging Infectious Disease Crisis, Daniel R. Brooks

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

The human population grows daily, it’s on the move, and it’s carving a deep technological footprint on our planet. We alter landscapes and perturb ecosystems, inserting ourselves and other species into novel regions of the world, leading to potentially irreversible changes in the biosphere. This is not news. More than 75 years ago, Charles Elton, one of the founders of modern ecology, wrote, “We must make no mistake; we are seeing one of the greatest historical convulsions in the world’s fauna and flora.” We are also in the midst of a public health and epidemiological crisis. Climate change alters movements …

Multiple Factors Regulate The Expression Of Sufcdsub In Streptococcus Mutans, Kassapa Ellepola, Lauren C. Guillot, Bradley Comeaux, Yiran Han, Jessica K. Kajfasz, Jacob P. Bitoun, Grace Spatafora, Jose A. Lemos, Zezhang T. Wen

School of Dentistry Faculty Publications

Introduction: The sufCDSUB gene cluster, encoding the sole iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster assembly system in S. mutans, was recently shown to be up-regulated in response to oxidative stressors and Fe limitation. Methods: In this study, luciferase reporter fusion assays, electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays (EMSA) and in vitro transcription assays (IVT) were used to dissect the cis- and trans-acting factors that regulate the expression of sufCDSUB. Results and discussion: Results showed deletion of perR, for the only Fur-family transcriptional regulator in S. mutans, resulted in > 5-fold increases in luciferase activity under the control of the sufCDSUB promoter (P < 0.01), as compared to the parent strain, UA159 when the reporter strains were grown in medium with no supplemental iron. Site-directed mutagenesis of a PerR-box in the promoter region led to elevation of the reporter activity by >1.6-fold (P < 0.01). In an EMSA, recombinant PerR (rPerR) was shown to bind to the cognate sufCDSUB promoter leading to mobility retardation. On the other hand, the reporter activity was increased by > 84-fold …

Prevalence And Pathology Of Endoparasitic Infections Of Rock Pigeons (Columba Livia) In Taiwan, Chih-Li Yu, Yen-Li Huang

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Pigeon racing is popular in Taiwan, but most lofts are located on residential roofs or in attics, which means pigeons could potentially spread parasites to humans. It is necessary to investigate the prevalence and diversity of endoparasitic infections in pigeons. This study investigated endoparasitic infections in 301 pigeons (both loft-kept racing and feral pigeons) in Taiwan using gross and histopathological examinations. The identified endoparasites included Trichomonas spp. (30.2%, 91/301); Ascaridia spp. (22.3%, 67/301); Haemoproteus spp. (20.6%, 62/301); Eimeria spp. (11.0%, 33/301); Capillaria spp. (7.3%, 22/301); Hexamita spp. (6.0%, 18/301); Raillietina spp. (4.7%, 14/301); Heterakis spp. (2%, 6/301); and Dispharynx sp., …

Limosilactobacillus Reuteri Ameliorates Maternal Separation Stress In Newborn Mice And Alters Subsequent Adult Behaviour, Z. M. Saleh, B. Okeugo, V. R. Venna, F. W. Blixt, V. A. Quaicoe, E. S. Park, S. Giorgberidze, Meng Luo, Christopher M. Taylor, J. M. Rhoads, Y. Liu

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Maternal separation (MS) in mice results in behavioral deficits and gut microbiota dysbiosis that all persist into adulthood. Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 modulates gut microbiota, alters systemic metabolites, and facilitates immune regulation. To assess the effect of DSM 17938 on biochemical and behavioural stress-associated changes, newborn mice were exposed to unpredictable MS (MSU) daily from day 7 to day 20 of life, with intragastric administration of DSM 17938 or PBS as control. Body weight, brain levels of cholecystokinin (CCK), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), corticosterone, and stool microbiota were assessed at day 21. Behaviour tests including Y-maze (YMT), Tail Suspension …

Lupin Root Diseases - Diagnosis And Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Root, hypocotyl and stem base diseases can be significant problems in lupin crops, reducing stand density, plant vigour and yield. Root disease is present in nearly all narrow leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) paddocks but in the majority of paddocks has only a small impact on crop development. However, in paddocks where high levels of root rot occurs, plant establishment, seedling vigour and crop yield can be significantly affected.

When a root disease is present in a crop very little can be done to manage it in that cropping season. It is therefore vital that the cause is correctly identified to …

Natural Panola Mountain Ehrlichia Infections In Cattle In A Longitudinal Study Of Angus Beef Calves, Cierra Briggs, Drew Casey, Anna Grace Deakins, Jeremy G. Powell, Kelly Loftin, Emily G. Mcdermott

Entomology and Plant Pathology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Panola Mountain Ehrlichia (PME) is an emerging zoonotic pathogen, transmitted by Amblyomma americanum ticks in the southeastern United States. It is closely related to Ehrlichia ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater disease. Heartwater disease is an often-fatal illness of ruminant livestock present in Africa and the Caribbean. The taxonomic relationship between PME and E. ruminantium has raised concerns about the pathogenicity of PME in livestock. To determine whether cattle could be naturally infected with PME in an endemic area, we conducted a one-year longitudinal study of Angus-breed beef calves in Fayetteville, Arkansas. One hundred seventy-seven calves born between September …

Low Prevalence Of Soil Transmitted Helminth Infection In Ugandan Children Hospitalized With Severe Malaria, Drew Capone, Nuzrath Jahan, Ruth Namazzi, Robert Opoka, Chandy John

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Co-infection by intestinal helminths and Plasmodium spp. may be common in endemic communities. Several studies have identified a relationship between helminth infection, Plasmodium spp. infection and malaria severity. However, the relationship is not well defined, and results are inconclusive. We analyzed stool samples from a cohort of children with severe malaria enrolled in two hospitals in Uganda from 2014-2017 and asymptomatic community children from the same household or neighborhood and enrolled at the same time, all 6 months to 48 months of age. We investigated if intestinal helminth infection modified risk of severe malaria. We extracted nucleic acids from stool …

Insect Pests And Their Management In Oats, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Field pests

Damage from invertebrate pests is generally not a major factor for oat crops, however there is a zero tolerance to live pests in export hay.

Significant damage can occur if pest populations build up. Planning rotations to minimise pest carryover, timely sowing, adequate crop nutrition, and good control of weed and root diseases will assist in reducing the likelihood of crop damage by insect pests. Check crops regularly throughout their growth for field insects.

• Control redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea during the seedling stage if necessary.

• Aphids should be checked for and controlled from flag …