Nasal schistosomes of wildfowl in the Czech Republic

Radix balthica is the only freshwater mollusc in Iceland that has been found to be the intermediate host of ocellate furcocercariae. Infections are common. On average, 4.8% out of almost 7,000 snails examined during 2003-2006 were found to shed cercariae in late summer and autumn. Search for adult bird schistosome worms, eggs and miracidia in the intestines and in the nasal cavity of 110 water birds of the orders Gaviiformes (one species), Podicipediformes (one species) and Anseriformes (nine species) revealed 39 (35.5%) infected hosts. Exclusively, anseriform birds were infected. Based on morphological features and measurements of eggs, seven distinct bird schistosome species were detected in four of the bird species. Allobilharzia visceralis was found in 26.7% of the whooper swans Cygnus cygnus. In Anas platyrhynchos, the nasal Trichobilharzia sp. I (prevalence 73.3%) and the visceral Trichobilharzia sp. III (66.7%) were detected. In Mergus serrator, the distinct egg types of Trichobilharzia sp. IV and Trichobilharzia sp. V were found in 83.3% of examined birds. In Anser anser, also two different egg types were found: large eggs, referred to as Trichobilharzia sp. II (prevalence 54.2%), and the small eggs of Dendritobilharzia sp. (8.3%). Egg size and shape comparisons indicate that Trichobilharzia sp. III and T. franki might be the same species.

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“…Horák et al 2002;Kolářová et al 1997;Rudolfová et al 2002). Many of them also occur in dense populations in Iceland (Petersen 1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversity of bird schistosomes in anseriform birds in Iceland based on egg measurements and egg morphology

Skírnisson

Kolářová

2008

Parasitol Res

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“…regenti were detected for example, in Iceland [15] and in France, where the prevalence on three studied localities reached 40% [9]. Based on findings of Rudolfová et al [14, 16], prevalence of T . regenti infection of waterfowl was 14% in Czech Republic (one studied locality) [16] and 22% in Gdansk area in Poland [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathogenicity ofTrichobilharziaspp. for Vertebrates

Lichtenbergová

Horák

2012

Journal of Parasitology Research

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Bird schistosomes, besides being responsible for bird schistosomiasis, are known as causative agents of cercarial dermatitis. Cercarial dermatitis develops after repeated contact with cercariae, mainly of the genus Trichobilharzia, and was described as a type I, immediate hypersensitivity response, followed by a late phase reaction. The immune response is Th2 polarized. Primary infection leads to an inflammatory reaction that is insufficient to eliminate the schistosomes and schistosomula may continue its migration through the body of avian as well as mammalian hosts. However, reinfections of experimental mice revealed an immune reaction leading to destruction of the majority of schistosomula in the skin. Infection with the nasal schistosome Trichobilharzia regenti probably represents a higher health risk than infections with visceral schistosomes. After the skin penetration by the cercariae, parasites migrate via the peripheral nerves, spinal cord to the brain, and terminate their life cycle in the nasal mucosa of waterfowl where they lay eggs. T. regenti can also get over skin barrier and migrate to CNS of experimental mice. During heavy infections, neuroinfections of both birds and mammals lead to the development of a cellular immune response and axonal damage in the vicinity of the schistosomulum. Such infections are manifest by neuromotor disorders.

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“…The search for schistosomes in water birds in France and Iceland in the past decade has revealed a number of species. Focusing on the nasal species, T. regenti, five final hosts have already been identified in France; A. platyrhynchos and A. fuligula, previously described by Rudolfová et al (2002) and Picard and Jousson (2001), and also C. olor, M. merganser and A. clypeata (Jouet et al 2009). In Iceland, recent molecular analyses of eggs and adult worms of a nasal Trichobilharzia found in A. platyrhynchos in Landmannalaugar, previously reported by Skírnisson and Kolářová (2008;Skírnisson et al 2009) and Aldhoun et al (2009) as undescribed species, have now confirmed that the involved species actually was T. regenti.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Previously, Palmer and Ossent (1984) had highlighted parasites from the nasal cavity of Cygnus olor from Alpine lakes. Later, birds belonging to the family of Anatidae including A. platyrhynchos, Aythya fuligula, A. ferina and Anas clypeata were found to be naturally infested with nasal Trichobilharzia (Rudolfová et al 2002). Some fragments of worms collected from these birds were analysed by molecular methods (Picard and Jousson 2001;Rudolfová et al 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Final hosts and variability of Trichobilharzia regenti under natural conditions

et al. 2010

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In Europe, despite of intensive work on avian schistosomes in the past, only one representative of nasal schistosomes has been detected so far, Trichobilharzia regenti, a species that remained undescribed to the scientific community until 1998. Since then, however, T. regenti has gained a considerable attention, not only due to the induction of serious lesions concomitant with the migration of the schistosomulae through the central nervous system of their natural hosts (birds) but also due to their implication in cercarial dermatitis and their neurotrophic behaviour in mammals (mice, experimental) where the parasite migrate to the CNS. From 2001 to 2010, by a parasitic control of various potential final hosts (aquatic birds) living in natural condition in France and in Iceland, we detected T. regenti in six species: Anas platyrhynchos, Cygnus olor, Aythya fuligula, Aythya ferina, Mergus merganser and Anser anser. Although morphological features, mainly of eggs, showed some variations with the original description of the parasite, molecular analysis confirmed their membership to the T. regenti species. Nevertheless, specific molecular and morphological variations were especially observed for nasal parasite isolated from Anas clypeata. For this species, we discuss the possibility for this nasal schistosome to belong to a nasal Trichobilharzia species already described in Africa or even an undescribed nasal species.

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Nasal schistosomes of wildfowl in the Czech Republic

Cited by 20 publications

References 4 publications

Diversity of bird schistosomes in anseriform birds in Iceland based on egg measurements and egg morphology

Diversity of bird schistosomes in anseriform birds in Iceland based on egg measurements and egg morphology

Pathogenicity ofTrichobilharziaspp. for Vertebrates

Final hosts and variability of Trichobilharzia regenti under natural conditions

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