The study was aimed to estimate the relationship between the prevalence of allergic disease and helminth invasion by the trematode Opisthorchis felineus in rural and urban populations of Tomsk Oblast (West Siberia, Russia). Two hundred and one people from Kargasok village of Tomsk Oblast and 196 from the city of Tomsk were screened for the presence of atopy and O. felineus invasion. Opisthorchosis was found in 66 participants (32.8%) from Kargasok and in 22 people (11.2%) from Tomsk. Atopic diseases were more common in the urban population than in the rural: 52.8 and 31.4%, respectively. Positive skin-prick tests were significantly higher in the urban population than in rural people: 83.2 vs 24.4%, respectively. It was found that in the city, the presence of antibodies to O. felineus negatively correlates with the atopic sensitization by skin-prick tests. However, in the village, opisthorchosis was positively associated with atopic diseases. The data obtained confirm the negative association of rural lifestyle and atopic diseases prevalence and indicate that O. felineus invasion might be a modifying factor of this relationship in Tomsk Oblast.

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The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) and its homologues are produced in specialized neurons located in Vertebrates exclusively in a deep and evolutionarily old part of the forebrain, the hypothalamus. The axons of OT neurons form the classical hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal tract terminating on blood vessels of the neurohypothysis to release OT into the systemic blood circulation. However, as was recently demonstrated in mammals, collaterals of OT axons concomitantly project to various forebrain regions to modulate the activity of local networks. At the behavioral level, OT facilitates intraspecific social ontacts in mammals via various mechanisms ranging from the suppression of neuroendocrine stress responses to the direct OT action on neurons of socially relevant brain regions. Recent reports indicated possible contribution of OT to the formation of the social bond between domesticated mammals (dog, sheep, cattle) and humans. Indeed, social interaction between humans and a do mesticated animal resulted in the elevation of peripheral OT levels (in blood, saliva or urine) and, in congruence, exogenous (intranasal) OT application led to more frequent contacts between the owner and the domesticated animal. It has been known for decades that domesticated animals exhibit profound socio-communicative abilities accompanied by sup pressed aggression and stress responsiveness. These peculiarities of their behavior and physiology may be influen ed by the activity of the central OT system. Therefore, in the present mini-review we focus on the role of OT in the orchestration of distinct forms of social behavior, including the monogamous bond, maternal care, social memory and recognition, aggression, and anxiety. As a conclusion, we propose possible directions for exploration of the OT contribution to empathy between humans and domesticated animals, which was likely established in the course of their co-evolution during last 10.000-15.000 years.