We report for first time the presence of nematode, Ascaridia hermaphrodita Froelich, 1789, parasiting small intestine  of a Blue-Headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus Linnaeus, 1776). The specimen was sent to Avian Pathology Laboratory of Veterinary School of San Marcos University, Lima, Peru. Eighteen nematodes (12 females and 6 males) were studied and identified as A. hermaphrodita. The dicovery of this specie in P. menstruus  is the first record in Perú.

Reportamos por primera vez la presencia del nematodo, Ascaridia hermaphrodita Froelich, 1789, parasitando el intestino delgado de un Loro de cabeza azul (Pionus menstruus Linnaeus, 1776). El espécimen fue enviado al Laboratorio de Patología Aviar de la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria de la Universidad San Marcos, Lima, Perú. Dieciocho nematodos (12 hembras y 6 machos) fueron estudiados e identificados como A. hermaphrodita. El hallazgo de esta especie en P. menstruus constituye el primer registro en el Perú.

Three atypical cestodes with abnormal morphology were found in a domestic dog. The cestodes had a scolex with six suction cups and a triradiate strobila. All parasites were gravid cestodes. In addition, the dog was infested with 324 normal cestodes. Both cestodes (normal and abnormal) were morphologically and molecularly identified as Taenia multiceps. The sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene of the triradiate cestode and normal cestodes were identical to each other and had more than 99% similarity with other published and recorded sequences for T. multiceps. These findings represent the first record of atypical cestodes and massive cestode infestation by T. multiceps in a dog from Peru.

Cyclocoelum mutabile, un digeneo de la familia Cyclocoelidae, fue hallado parasitando los sacos aéreos de una polla de agua común (Gallinula chloropus), proveniente de alrededores del Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pantanos de villa, localizada en el distrito de Chorrillos en Lima, Perú. Un total de 7 parásitos fueron colectados e identificados por métodos morfológicos como C. mutabile. El diagnóstico fue confirmado por análisis molecular, amplificando los genes mitocondriales citocromo c oxidasa subunidad 1 (cox1) y deshidrogenasa NADH subunidad 1 (nad1). Las secuencias de nucleótidos de los aislados se compararon con secuencias previas de GenBank, y mostraron una similitud entre ellas (> 96%). Este hallazgo constituye el primer registro de C. mutabile para el Perú. Además, el trabajo realiza una breve descripción del parásito, así como la discusión de sus hospederos y dist...

Cyclocoelum mutabile, un digeneo de la familia Cyclocoelidae, fue hallado parasitando los sacos aéreos de una polla de agua común (Gallinula chloropus), proveniente de alrededores del Refugio de Vida Silvestre Pantanos de villa, localizada en el distrito de Chorrillos en Lima, Perú. Un total de 7 parásitos fueron colectados e identificados por métodos morfológicos como C. mutabile. El diagnóstico fue confirmado por análisis molecular, amplificando los genes mitocondriales citocromo c oxidasa subunidad 1 (cox1) y deshidrogenasa NADH subunidad 1 (nad1). Las secuencias de nucleótidos de los aislados se compararon con secuencias previas de GenBank, y mostraron una similitud entre ellas (> 96%). Este hallazgo constituye el primer registro de C. mutabile para el Perú. Además, el trabajo realiza una breve descripción del parásito, así como la discusión de sus hospederos y dist...

Natural infection by Fasciola hepatica is recorded in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and a taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis), both from the department of Cusco. Animals were remitted to the Veterinary Institute (IVITA-Maranganí, FMV, UNMSM) by the authorities of the National Service of Flora and Fauna (SERFOR, Cusco Headquarters). Six trematodes were collected from the bile ducts during the necropsy of the animals, and they were preserved in 70% ethanol. Morphological analysis indicated that they correspond to F. hepatica. This was confirmed by analyzing of the mitochondrial DNA of the parasites by partially amplifying the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) genes. Analysis of these genes had an identity greater than 99% compared to genes from GenBank. The present study demonstrates the occurrence of F. hepatica in these cervids...

Blastocystis is a chromist that can be found in the intestinal tract of animals and humans, and is currently considered an emerging pathogen with zoonotic potential. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three in vitro media culture which are considered appropriate for the development of Blastocystis: Jones, Pavlova and Boeck-Drbohlav modified (BDM). It was used 54 stool samples from Blastocystis positive pigs diagnosed by the spontaneous sedimentation technique. The number of microorganisms inoculated was divided in three categories: low, intermediate and high. Each sample was cultivated for duplicate in the three media and after 72 hours of incubation the pathogens were counted using the Neubauer chamber. Results showed that the Jones media was the more efficient, followed by Pavlova and BDM; moreover, better results were obtained when the level of microorganisms was low...

The aim of this study was to develop a stochastic simulation model to estimate implementation costs of porcine cysticercosis (CP) control programmes. Three scenarios were proposed: (1) use of a commercial recombinant vaccine (RV), (2) mixed use of RV plus oxfendazole (OFZ), and (3) dosing with OFZ. To establish the efficacy of the interventions, the probabilities of elimination of cysticercosis were obtained through the “cystiSim” agent-based model. The cost model was developed in R with 10 000 iterations. It was found that the mixed scenario offered a probability of 0.987 eliminating cysticercosis in 6.5 years and with an annual cost of S/. 335,208 (95% CI: S/ 309,922 – 368,698) (1 US$ = S/. 3.75). In contrast, the dosing strategy with OFZ proved to be less expensive with S/. 260,518 (95% CI: S/ 237,559 – 293,704) per year and a probability of elimination of 0.951...

Blastocystis is a chromist that can be found in the intestinal tract of animals and humans, and is currently considered an emerging pathogen with zoonotic potential. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three in vitro media culture which are considered appropriate for the development of Blastocystis: Jones, Pavlova and Boeck-Drbohlav modified (BDM). It was used 54 stool samples from Blastocystis positive pigs diagnosed by the spontaneous sedimentation technique. The number of microorganisms inoculated was divided in three categories: low, intermediate and high. Each sample was cultivated for duplicate in the three media and after 72 hours of incubation the pathogens were counted using the Neubauer chamber. Results showed that the Jones media was the more efficient, followed by Pavlova and BDM; moreover, better results were obtained when the level of microorganisms was low...

Natural infection by Fasciola hepatica is recorded in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and a taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis), both from the department of Cusco. Animals were remitted to the Veterinary Institute (IVITA-Maranganí, FMV, UNMSM) by the authorities of the National Service of Flora and Fauna (SERFOR, Cusco Headquarters). Six trematodes were collected from the bile ducts during the necropsy of the animals, and they were preserved in 70% ethanol. Morphological analysis indicated that they correspond to F. hepatica. This was confirmed by analyzing of the mitochondrial DNA of the parasites by partially amplifying the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) genes. Analysis of these genes had an identity greater than 99% compared to genes from GenBank. The present study demonstrates the occurrence of F. hepatica in these cervids...

Estudio para comprobar que la eficacia del tratamiento antiparasitario para cisticercosis con albendazole (ABZ) o praziquantel (PZQ) no es óptimo. Se demuestra que la combinación de estas dos drogas mejora la eficacia antiparasitaria.

Estudio de cohorte prospectivo con un sub estudio de control de caso anidado, destinado a evaluar la incidencia de recaídas de convulsiones y su asociación con edema perilesional en pacientes con cisticercosis calcificada. Se incluyeron 17 pacientes de 65 años, atendidos en el Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurológicas, en Lima, Perú, con Neurocisticercosis y una historia de convulsiones y dolores de cabeza severos recurrentes dentro de los 10 años previos.

Background. The enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay is the reference serological test for neurocysticercosis (NCC). A positive result on EITB does not always correlate with the presence of active infections in the central nervous system (CNS), and patients with a single viable brain cyst may be EITB negative. Nonetheless, EITB antibody banding patterns appears to be related with the expression of 3 protein families of Taenia solium, and in turn with the characteristics of NCC in the CNS (type, stage, and burden of viable cysts). Methods. We evaluated EITB antibody banding patterns and brain imaging findings of 548 NCC cases. Similar banding patterns were grouped into homogeneous classes using latent class analysis. The association between classes and brain imaging findings was assessed. Results. Four classes were identified. Class 1 (patients negative or only positive t...

Neurocysticercosis is a parasitic brain disease caused by the larval form (Cysticercus cellulosae) of Taenia solium and is the leading cause of preventable epilepsy worldwide. However, the pathophysiology and relation to the wide range of clinical features remains poorly understood. Axonal swelling is emerging as an important early pathological finding in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and as a cause of brain injury, but has not been well described in neurocysticercosis. Histological analysis was performed on human, rat and porcine NCC brain specimens to identify axonal pathology. Rat infection was successfully carried out via two routes of inoculation: direct intracranial injection and oral feeding. Extensive axonal swellings, in the form of spheroids, were observed in both humans and rats and to a lesser extent in pigs with NCC. Spheroids demonstrated increased immunoreactivity to...