Ewa Dzika

Gyrodactylus proterorhini Ergens, 1967 (Monogenoidea, Gyrodactylidae) in gobiids from the Vistula River—the first record of the parasite in Poland

During a parasitological survey of two non-native fish species—racer goby Neogobius gymnotrachelus and monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis—in the Włocławek Reservoir on the lower Vistula River, the monogenean Gyrodactylus proterorhini was recorded for the first time in Poland, and for the first time, the racer goby was listed as the parasite host. Specimens of G. proterorhini were detected on body surface, fins, and gills of the fish studied. In 2006, the monkey goby was infected with the prevalence 41%, racer goby with the prevalence of 47%, at maximal intensity of 6 and 9 parasites per fish, (respectively). The infection level in relation to the fish size and sampling season was also discussed. The presented study supports the hypothesis of progressive introduction of the parasite with gobiids to the colonized areas.

Ultrastructure of the digestive tract of Paradiplozoon homoion (Monogenea)

Paradiplozoon homoion is a representative of blood-feeding ectoparasites from the family Diplozoidae (Polyopisthocotylea, Monogenea). Although these worms have been the subject of numerous taxonomical, phylogenetic and ecological studies, the ultrastructure of the alimentary system and related structures, as well as the mechanisms of essential processes like fish blood digestion, remain mostly unknown. Our observation of P. homoion using a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed two main types of digestive cells—U-shaped haematin cells and connecting syncytium. Particular structures such as mouth cavity with specialised receptors, two oval-shaped muscular buccal suckers, pharynx surrounded with the glandular cells, oesophagus, the intestinal caeca with intact erythrocytes in the lumen, the apical pinocytotic fibrous surface complex and haematin vesicles of U-shaped cells have been shown in detail. According to our results, the P. homoion is degrading the blood components predominantly intracellularly.

Metazoan Parasite Fauna of Fish Species from Lake Kortowskie

Metazoan Parasite Fauna of Fish Species from Lake Kortowskie Parasitological studies of fish from Lake Kortowskie were carried out from 2001 to 2004. In the current study, 381 fish representing ten species: perch, Perca fluviatilis L., bleak, Alburnus alburnus (L.), ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernuus (L.), silver bream, Abramis bjoercna (L.), pike, Esox lucius L., common gudgeon, Gobio gobio (L.), tench, Tinca tinca (L.), rudd, Scardinius erythrophthalmus (L.), bream, Abramis brama (L.) and roach, Rutilus rutilus (L.) were examined. The aim of the study was to review the parasites of selected fish species and to compare the infestation of bream, perch, and rudd in 1984-88, 1994 and 2001-2003. A total of 51 species of parasites belonging to Monogenea (27), Digenea (6), Cestoda (7), Nematoda (4), Acanthocephala (3), Crustacea (3), and Molusca (1) were recorded. The largest numbers of parasite species were found in roach (18), followed by bleak (14), perch and silver bream (13), bream (11), ruffe and pike (10), and the fewest in common gudgeon (4) and tench and rudd (2). Tetraonchus monenteron, Triaenophorus nodulosus, Ergasilus sieboldi, and molluscs glochidia occurred in 83.3% of the pike. Comparing the bream, perch, and rudd infestation parameters of over twenty years with the current results, it can be concluded that the changes are linked to environmental changes that have occurred as a consequence of the Lake Kortowskie experiment. Pasożyty (Metazoa) Ryb Z Jeziora Kortowskiego W latach 2001-2004 przeprowadzono badania parazytologiczne ryb z Jeziora Kortowskiego. To eutroficzne jezioro leży w granicach miasta Olsztyna. Od 1959 roku w jeziorze tym przeprowadzany jest eksperyment polegający na usuwaniu wód hipolimnionu. Obecnie zbadano 381 ryb reprezentujących 10 gatunków. Zanotowano 51 gatunków pasożytów należących do: Monogenea (27), Digenea (6), Cestoda (7), Nematoda (4), Acanthocephala (3), Crustacea (3) i Molusca (1). Stwierdzono 6334 pasożyty w badanych rybach, wśród których 3045 to przywry digeniczne. Najwięcej gatunków pasożytów zanotowano u płoci (18), następnie u uklei (14), okonia i krąpia (po 13), leszcza (11), jazgarza i szczupaka (10), a najmniej u kiełbia (4) oraz lina i wzdręgi (po 2). Porównano i przedyskutowano zarażenie leszcza, okonia i wzdręgi w odniesieniu do lat 1984-1988, 1994 i 2001-2003.

Mysterious chronic urticaria caused by Blastocystis spp.

Species of the genus Blastocystis, which are single‐cell, intestinal protozoan parasites of humans and animals, remain mysterious, with unclear clinical and epidemiologic significance. In recent years, many researchers have suggested a possible connection between Blastocystis spp. infection and chronic urticaria. In the present article, we review the literature and discuss the possible associations between the clinical symptomatology and pathogenicity of this organism in terms of its subtypes, morphologic forms, genetic diversity, and interactions with other intestinal microbiota.

An ultrastructural study of the surface and attachment structures of Paradiplozoon homoion (Bychowsky & Nagibina, 1959) (Monogenea: Diplozoidae)

BackgroundSpecies of Diplozoon Palombi, 1949 (Monogenea: Diplozoidae) are blood-feeding ectoparasites mainly parasitising the gills of cyprinid fishes. Although these parasites have been the subject of numerous taxonomic, phylogenetic and ecological studies, the ultrastructure of the surface and haptor attachment structures remains almost unknown. In this study, we used transmission electron microscopy to examine the ultrastructure of attachment clamps and neodermal surface of Paradiplozoon homoion (Bychowsky & Nagibina, 1959), family Diplozoidae Palombi, 1949, thereby broadening our knowledge of platyhelminth biology.ResultsThe hindbody surface of P. homoion is distinctly ridged, each ridge being supported by several muscle fibers and equipped with scales on the surface plasma membrane. Such structures have not been recorded previously in species of the family Diplozoidae. Comparisons of the surface structure of different body parts revealed slight differences in the thickness and number of organelles. Each of the clamps has a flattened bowl-like structure composed of sclerites, movable skeletal-like structures that are anchored by robust, radially oriented muscle bundles. The base of the posterior median plate sclerites is equipped with glandular cells possessing secretory vesicles.ConclusionThis study brings detailed ultrastructural data for the surface and haptoral attachment clamps of P. homoion and provides new insights into the ultrastructure of Diplozoidae. Glandular cells at the base of the attachment clamps responsible for sclerite development in diplozoid species were observed for the first time. Our findings support the hypothesis that the structure of particular neodermal compartments is similar within the Platyhelminthes. On the other hand, the diplozoid glandular system and the mechanism of sclerite development clearly merits further attention.

Bisphenol A Causes Liver Damage and Selectively Alters the Neurochemical Coding of Intrahepatic Parasympathetic Nerves in Juvenile Porcine Models under Physiological Conditions

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an extremely common polymer that is used in typical everyday products throughout the world, especially in food and beverage containers. Within the last ten years, it has been found that the BPA monomer tends to leach into foodstuffs, and nanogram concentrations of it may cause a variety of deleterious health effects. These health problems are very evident in developing children and in young adults. The aim of this study was to expose developing pigs to dietary BPA at both legally acceptable and ten-fold higher levels. Livers that had been exposed to BPA showed vacuolar degeneration, sinusoidal dilatation, vascular congestion and glycogen depletion that increased with exposure levels. Furthermore, the livers of these models were then examined for irregularities and double-labeled immunofluorescence was used to check the innervated hepatic samples for varying neuronal expression of selected neuronal markers in the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). It was found that both the PSNS and all of the neuronal markers showed increased expression, with some of them being significant even at recommended safe exposure levels. The implications are quite serious since these effects have been observed at recommended safe levels with expression increasing in-line with exposure levels. The increased neuronal markers studied here have been previously correlated with behavioral/psychological disorders of children and young adults, as well as with childhood obesity and diabetes. However, further research must be performed in order to develop a mechanism for the above-mentioned correlations.

Immunohistochemical characteristics of porcine intrahepatic nerves under physiological conditions and after Bisphenol A administration

BACKGROUND The neurochemistry of hepatic nerve fibres was investigated in large animal models after dietary exposure to the endocrine disrupting compound known as bisphenol A (BPA). MATERIALS AND METHODS Antibodies against neuronal peptides were used to study changes in hepatic nerve fibres after exposure to BPA at varying concentrations using standard immunofluorescence techniques. The neuropeptides investigated were substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP), calcitonin gene regulated peptide (CGRP) and cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART). Immunoreactive nerve fibres were counted in multiple sections of the liver and among multiple animals at varying exposure levels. The data was pooled and presented as mean ± standard error of the mean. RESULTS It was found that all of the nerve fibres investigated showed upregulation of these neural markers after BPA exposure, even at exposure levels currently considered to be safe. These results show very dramatic increases in nerve fibres containing the above-mentioned neuropeptides and the altered neurochemical levels may be causing a range of pathophysiological states if the trend of over-expression is extrapolated to developing humans. CONCLUSIONS This may have serious implications for children and young adults who are exposed to this very common plastic polymer, if the same trends are occurring in humans.

Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) distribution in north-eastern Poland: an endemic area of tick-borne diseases

Dermacentor reticulatus is the second most important tick species in Poland. Although the north-eastern region of Poland is considered typical for D. reticulatus and is treated as a contiguous area of Eastern populations of the meadow ticks, the occurrence of this tick species in this region to date has been recorded as separate foci. The present report supplements data on the geographical distribution of D. reticulatus in urban and natural biotopes of north-eastern Poland (Warmia and Mazury province). In 2015–2017 (during the springtime activity of ticks) adult questing D. reticulatus were found in 13 of 25 monitored localities. Six sites are located in urbanized areas, within the administrative borders of the city of Olsztyn and seven sites are in natural biotopes in the central part of Warmia and Mazury. A total of 398 adult D. reticulatus ticks, including 257 females and 141 males, were collected. A comparison of data grouped according to urban and natural type of area revealed no statistical differences between them. Taking into account the habitat type, the mean tick density was the highest in open landscapes. The identification of new foci D. reticulatus in the endemic areas of Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis and canine babesiosis is crucial for determining the risk of diseases transmitted by ticks and taking proper preventive measures.