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Introduction: In developing countries, prisoners are one of the marginalized groups most susceptible to intestinal parasite infection due to inadequate living conditions, malnutrition, a lack of potable water, overcrowding, and poor hygiene. Thus, this study is aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections among inmates of Hosanna town prison. Materials and Methods: An institution‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted in Hosanna Town's prisoners from June 1 to July 30, 2022, on a total of 420 inmates. The study participants were chosen using a simple random sampling technique. Sociodemographic, sanitation, hygienic, and related information were collected by using pretested questionnaires. In addition, about 5 g of stool sample was collected using a leak‐proof plastic stool cup and examined microscopically by using direct wet mount preparation and formalin–ether concentration techniques, and data were analyzed by using SPSS Version 25. Results: This study indicated an overall 39.2% (95% CI: 34.6–44.1) prevalence of intestinal parasites (165/420). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar was the most prevalent intestinal parasite found, followed by Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, Hookworms, Taenia species, and Schistosoma mansoni. About 3.1% of participants had dual parasitic infections. In addition, there is a significant association in multivariable logistic regression analysis between intestinal parasitic infection and various hygiene practices such as not using soap when washing hands after using the toilet ((aOR 1.62 (95% CI: 1.06–2.48)), p ≤ 0.027), not regularly washing hands before meals ((aOR 2.83 (95% CI: 1.79–4.46)), p ≤ 0.001), poor hand hygiene overall ((aOR 3.18 (95% CI: 2.00–4.99)), p ≤ 0.001), not trimming fingernails ((aOR 2.09 (95% CI: 1.29–3.37)), p ≤ 0.003), and length of time in prison (aOR: 4.27, 95% CI: 22.62–6.96, p = 0.001). Conclusions: The findings of the study indicated that the overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 39.2%, with 38.8% of the infected individuals falling within the 25–34 age range. Additionally, 67.3% of those infected had been imprisoned for over a year. Furthermore, the personal hygiene status of prisoners was found to be substantially correlated with the presence of parasites. Hosanna town prison should ensure sufficient sanitary supplies, promote personal hygiene, and implement health education. Regular medical checkups and routine nail‐clipping sessions are crucial for maintaining cleanliness and reducing parasite transmission among inmates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil‐transmitted helminth (STH) infections are a common problem in Ethiopia. This parasite affects the physical and mental development of children, causing malnutrition and iron deficiency anaemia. However, there are inadequate studies that demonstrate the extent of STHs and associated factors among kindergarten children in South Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, intensity, and associated factors of STH infection among kindergarten students in Bule Hora town. Methods: An institution‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 235 kindergarten children in Bule Hora town from January to February 2023. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect information on associated factors. EpiData and SPSS were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors. Results: In the present study, the prevalence of STH was 28.5% (95% CI: 22.7%–34.3%). A. lumbricoides 26 (11.1%) was the most common parasite identified. The arithmetic mean (+SD) of the egg counts for each species of STHs was as follows: A. Lumbricoides 1886.9 (+2103.2), T. Trichiura 299.2 (+305.8), and hookworms 756.1 (+739.4). Factors that showed significant association in the current study were hand washing after the toilet (AOR: 2.992, 95% CI: 1.299–6.891,), fingernail trimming (AOR: 3.646, 95% CI: 1.704–7.798,), and shoe wearing habit (AOR: 2.143, 95% CI: 1.170–3.924,). Conclusion: STH infection is a health problem among kindergarten children in Bule Hora town. Comprehensive health education on the value of hygienic habits, improved sanitation, and routine deworming of kindergarten children should be included in prevention and control efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite with global distribution capable of infecting homeothermic animals. Transmission of protozoan to humans includes ingestion of water and raw food contaminated with sporulated oocysts, ingestion of raw or undercooked meat with tissue cysts, and tachyzoites' transplacental transmission. Fresh goat milk intake has already been linked to human toxoplasmosis outbreaks, but little is known about the infectious potential of this biological sample. Accordingly, the aim of the present study is to assess the survival and infectivity of T. gondii tachyzoites in fresh goat milk samples through an experimental protocol to detect this parasite via bioassay carried out with a murine model, DNA amplification, and serology. Swiss Webster mice were inoculated with fresh goat milk samples contaminated with different T. gondii RH strain tachyzoite concentrations per milliliter and stored for different refrigeration times. Animals showing clinical signs compatible to toxoplasmosis were euthanized. Milk samples contaminated with high parasitic loads and kept for a shorter refrigeration time were the most lethal ones. No significant differences were observed between mean death rates recorded for different goat milk contamination concentrations (p = 0.1888), and for the refrigeration time, contaminated milk samples were kept under (p = 0.9440). T. gondii DNA was amplified in all contaminated milk samples, but only one of the surviving mice was serologically positive. Results of the present study have shown T. gondii survival and infectivity in fresh goat milk samples, and it highlights its significant risk for public health. Therefore, molecular methods must be the tests of choice when milk samples are used to assess infection caused by protozoan in goats' dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new microsporidian Toguebayea baccigeri n. gen., n. sp., hyperparasite of Bacciger israelensis (Digenea, Faustulidae), parasite of Boops boops (Teleostei, Sparidae) is described by means of transmission electron microscopy. The phylogenetic analysis, based on the SSU rDNA gene, places the new species in the clade containing mainly crustacean-infecting microsporidia of the genus Cucumispora, within superclade V (Marinosporidia) sensu Vossbrinck et al., 2014. Mature spores of T. baccigeri are ovoid, uninucleated and measure 2.5 × 1.4 μm. The number of coils of the polar tube is 8–10. The polaroplast is composed of an external lamellar part and an internal vesicular or granular part. The main differences that distinguish the new genus and new species from the closely related microsporidia include hyperparasitism in a digenean host infecting a marine fish, the geographic distribution (coast of Tunisia), presence of one nucleus at all developmental stages, disporoblastic sporogony, and the absence of sporophorous vacuoles.

The ultrastructure of the mature spermatozoa of Tergestia clonacantha and T. laticollis collected from the digestive tracts of fishes from New Caledonia is described using transmission electron microscopy and compared to that of related species. The spermatozoa of the two species exhibit the general pattern described in most digeneans, namely two axonemes with the 9 + “1” pattern of the Trepaxonemata, nucleus, mitochondrion, cortical microtubules, an external ornamentation of the plasma membrane, spine-like bodies and granules of glycogen. The spermatozoa of T. clonacantha and T. laticollis show the same ultrastructural model with some specificities in each case, particularly in the disposition of the structures in the posterior extremities of the spermatozoon. This study confirms that ultrastructural characters of the mature spermatozoon are useful tools for the phylogenetic analysis of the Digenea.

We describe here the mature spermatozoa of three species of bucephalids, namely Bucephalus margaritae, Rhipidocotyle khalili and Prosorhynchus longisaccatus. This study provides the first ultrastructural data on the genera Bucephalus and Rhipidocotyle and enabled us to confirm the model of the mature spermatozoon in the Bucephalinae. The spermatozoon exhibits two axonemes with the 9 + “1” pattern of the Trepaxonemata, one of which is very short, lateral expansion, external ornamentation of the plasma membrane located in the anterior extremity of the spermatozoon and associated with cortical microtubules, spine-like bodies, a mitochondrion, and a nucleus. The maximum number of cortical microtubules is located in the anterior part of the spermatozoon. However, more studies are needed to elucidate if spine-like bodies are present in all the Bucephalinae or not. In the Prosorhynchinae, the mature spermatozoon exhibits a similar ultrastructural pattern. Some differences are observed, particularly the axoneme lengths and the arrangement of the spine-like bodies. The posterior extremity of the spermatozoon in the Bucephalinae exhibits only the nucleus, but prosorhynchines have microtubules.