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In the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, small-scale chicken farming is common. However, high levels of disease or mortality in such flocks impair economic development and challenge the livelihoods of many rural households. We investigated 61 diseased small-scale flocks (122 chickens) for evidence of infection with 5 bacteria, 4 viruses, and helminths. Serological profiles (ELISA) were also determined against 6 of these pathogens. The aims of this study were the following: (1) to investigate the prevalence of different pathogens and to compare the probability of detection of bacterial pathogens using PCR and culture; (2) to investigate the relationship between detection of organisms in birds' tissues and the observed morbidity and mortality, as well as their antibody profile; and (3) to characterize risk factors for infection with specific viral or bacterial pathogens. We used PCR to test for viral (viruses causing infectious bronchitis [IB], highly pathogenic avian influenza [HPAI], Newcastle disease, and infectious bursal disease [IBD]) and bacterial pathogens (Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Pasteurella multocida, Avibacterium paragallinarum, and Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale[ORT]). The latter two were also investigated in respiratory tissues by conventional culture. Colisepticemic Escherichia coliwas investigated by liver or spleen culture. In 49 of 61 (80.3%) flocks, at least one bacterial or viral pathogen was detected, and in 29 (47.5%) flocks, more than one pathogen was detected. A. paragallinarumwas detected in 62.3% flocks, followed by M. gallisepticum(26.2%), viruses causing IBD (24.6%) and IB (21.3%), septicemic E. coli(14.8%), ORT (13.1%), and HPAI viruses (4.9%). Of all flocks, 67.2% flocks were colonized by helminths. Mortality was highest among flocks infected with HPAI (100%, interquartile range [IQR]: 81.6–100%) and lowest with flocks infected with ORT (5.3%, IQR: 1.1–9.0%). The results indicated slight agreement (kappa ≤ 0.167) between detection by PCR and culture for both A. paragallinarumand ORT, as well as between the presence of cestodes and ORT infection (kappa = 0.317). Control of A. paragallinarum, viruses causing HPAI, IBD, and IB, M. gallisepticum, and gastrointestinal helminths should be a priority in small-scale flocks.

A new rictulariid nematode Pterygodermatites(Mesopectines) valladaresin. sp., parasite of the house mouse Mus musculus(Rodentia: Muridae) in the Canary Islands (Spain) is described by means of light and scanning electron microscopy. The new species belongs to the subgenus Mesopectinescharacterized by a more or less dorsal orientation of the buccal capsule, the presence of three oesophageal teeth, the morphology of the oral denticles and the Spirurida type of arrangement of caudal papillae in males. The most discriminant characteristics between the new species and the existing species in the subgenus Mesopectinesare (a) the number of cuticular projection pairs (62–64), (b) the size of right and left spicules (respectively, 62–90 µm and 123–139 µm), (c) the number of midventral fans in males (3–4), (d) the number of prevulvar/total cuticular projection pairs (38–42/63–71), (e) the posterior differentiation of combs into spines in relation to the position of the vulva and (f) the anterior position of the vulva in relation to the oesophagus-intestine junction in females. Parasitized hosts and geographical distribution are also useful criteria to distinguish P.(Me.) valladaresin. sp. from the remaining species of the subgenus. In addition, the cox1sequence of the new species is provided and compared with available data of related species.

Abstract: Host immunocompetence assessed by spleen size and response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) injection may give some indications on the control of parasite infection and on host mediation effect, through immunity, on parasite community structure. We investigated the helminth community and immunocompetence of the white-toothed shrew in a small area to test the relationship between immunocompetence and intensity of helminth infection. At the proximate level and if spleen mass and PHA response reflect the level of immunocompetence, we expected that individuals with a large spleen or a high PHA response should harbour a lower parasite load than individuals with relatively small spleen or low PHA response. In addition, we predicted that the structure of the helminth community should be mediated by the host’s immune defence. Spleen mass was linked to helminth infection. Nematodes and cestodes were negatively associated within hosts. PHA response was not related to total helminth intensity of infection but was negatively related to cestode intensity and positively to nematode intensity. This result suggests either a differential modulating effect on immunity by the two groups of worms or the existence of an antagonistic association between nematodes and cestodes mediated by the immune response of the host.

Falcaustra donanaensissp. nov. (Nematoda, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Mauremys leprosa(Testudines, Bataguridae) is described. By the absence of pseudosucker, arrangement of the male caudal papillae and the size of the spicules Falcaustra donanaensissp. nov. resembles only to Falcaustra washingtonensis[Bursey and Aker (2001) J Parasitol 87:1082–1084], a species from Ambistoma tigrinum melanostictumin the Nearctic Region. Papillae pattern in the male of F. washingtonensisis similar to F. donanaensis, but differs by the presence of a median papilla in the American species, length of pharynx, spicule, and gubernacle in males, size of eggs, and number of eggs in female. This is the first species of Falcaustrareported in freshwater turtles in the Iberian Peninsula.Falcaustra donanaensissp. nov. (Nematoda, Kathlaniidae) from the large intestine of Mauremys leprosa(Testudines, Bataguridae) is described. By the absence of pseudosucker, arrangement of the male caudal papillae and the size of the spicules Falcaustra donanaensissp. nov. resembles only to Falcaustra washingtonensis[Bursey and Aker (2001) J Parasitol 87:1082–1084], a species from Ambistoma tigrinum melanostictumin the Nearctic Region. Papillae pattern in the male of F. washingtonensisis similar to F. donanaensis, but differs by the presence of a median papilla in the American species, length of pharynx, spicule, and gubernacle in males, size of eggs, and number of eggs in female. This is the first species of Falcaustrareported in freshwater turtles in the Iberian Peninsula.

A new species of Soboliphyme from the endemic Iberian mole ( Talpa occidentalis) is described. Soboliphyme occidentalis sp. nov. can be readily distinguished from all of its congeners primarily by the position of the vulva, which clearly shows a posterior oesophageal location, and the number of male caudal papillae. S. occidentalis sp. nov. is the only species that has four pairs of caudal papillae. S. abei, S. caucasica and S. jamesoni can be distinguished from S. occidentalis sp. nov. by not having a notched sucker, the anterior position of the vulva and two polar plugs in the eggs. S. jamesoni has an armate oral sucker and longer spicule; S. caucasica a longer spicule and shorter eggs, and S. abei has shorter eggs, which separate these species from S. occidentalis sp. nov. In the rest of the species with a notched oral sucker, S. baturini and S. hirudiniformis are differentiated from S. occidentalis sp. nov. by the anterior position of the vulva, two polar plugs in the egg and the spicule length in S. baturini and S. hirudiniformis and the size of eggs in S. baturini and S. hirudiniformis. S. ataahai, S. soricis and S. urotrichi have the vulva at the oesophago-intestinal junction, 9–10 male caudal papillae ( S. ataahai and S. urotrichi), absence of male caudal papillae ( S. soricis), armate oral sucker and long spicule in S. ataahai and one row of six circumoral spines in S. urotrichi. A key to the species of Soboliphyme is presented.

Helminth parasites were studied in the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, (Rodentia, Arvicolinae), in southern Italy (Calabrian region). In total, 193 C. glareolus from three different areas captured between 1982 and 2001 were examined and nine species of helminths were recovered: one trematode (Corrigia vitta), four cestodes (Taenia martis larvae, Mesocestoides sp. larvae, Paranoplocephala omphalodes, Catenotaenia henttoneni) and four nematodes (Aonchotheca annulosa, Mastophorus muris, He-ligmosomoides glareoli, Syphacia petrusewiczi). This is the first record of the bank vole helminth fauna in Italy. The study of the helminth community of this host reveals no quantitative differences between sexes and habitat influences, but the data show an isolationist character of the community due to low diversity and reduced interactions between species. The geographic localization of Calabria, the limit of the range of this species in Europe, could affect the low species richness found in C. glareolus in contrast with European voles (Clethrionomys spp.).

During a study of the helminth fauna of 1,643 rodents trapped along the Mekong River (Thailand, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Cambodia) in 2008–2011, the spirurid nematode Physaloptera ngociLe-Van-Hoa, 1961 was recovered with an overall prevalence of 2.8%. Based on the original description, it was identified in nine of 23 different Murinae host species and is here reported for the first time from these three countries. A scanning electron microscopy study provides additional morphological data.

This study describes in detail the phylogeographic pattern of the edible dormouse (Glis glis) a European rodent with pronounced hibernating behavior. We used sequences of 831 base pairs of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome-b gene from 130 edible dormice collected at 43 localities throughout its distribution. Our results reveal presence of 3 main haplogroups: Sicilian, South Italian (restricted to the Calabrian region), and European (a widespread lineage corresponding to all remaining western, central, and eastern European populations). Examination of paleontological data confirms refugiai regions for G. glis in the 3 Mediterranean peninsulas, although overall low genetic diversity is found. The low diversity of the European lineage is probably the result of a recent expansion (dated around 2,000 years ago) from a single refugium. Other factors, such as the ecological constraints on the species, may have caused genetic bottlenecks that reinforced the low genetic variability of G. glis. This work could have important implications for strategies to conserve the edible dormouse by defining important areas for their conservation.