The cat fur mite, Lynxacarus radovskyi Tenorio, 1974 (Acarina: Astigmata: Listrophoridae) is reported from cats, Felis catus from three sites in peninsular Malaysia. The first site is a Malay village, Kampong Menteri in Taiping, Perak, where the mites were found on local pet cats. The other two sites are urban cities of Kuala Lumpur, in the Federal Territory and Georgetown, in the island of Penang. Mites from the urban areas were collected from stray cats. Although several ectoparasites (fleas, mites, ticks and lice) have been previously reported, L. radovskyi is recorded herein for the first time on cats from peninsular Malaysia.
Birds are easily infested with ectoparasites due to their fitness, foraging behaviour, nesting cavities, micro- and macro-habitats. However, the status of ectoparasite infestation on birds in Sarawak is widely unknown. Rice field provides food resources to a variety of birds. This study was conducted to determine the species composition of ectoparasites from birds in a rice field at Kuap Village, Samarahan, Sarawak. A total of 69 birds consists of five species were caught from the rice field and the most common bird species found was the Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla). From these, 55 were found infested with ectoparasites with the infestation prevalence of 79.71%. A total of 2,513 ectoparasites from eight species were recovered from this study which comprised of six species of mites, one species of soft tick, and one species from the class Insecta. The most dominant ectoparasite species was mite namely, Nanopterodectes sp. with a total of 1,626 individuals. This baseline data on the ectoparasite composition and infestation of birds is important as some of the ectoparasites have the potential in transmitting zoonotic diseases to the farmers working at the rice fields in this region.
A survey of ectoparasitic fauna on birds was conducted in October 2017 until January 2018. The aims of this study were to investigate the ectoparasitic fauna on birds and to compare its prevalence in the selected mainland and island of Sarawak. A series of sampling by using mist-net has been done in Mount Sadong and Satang Besar Island with a total of 1440 hours of sampling effort for each locality. A total of 53 individuals of birds were captured and examined for its ectoparasites. Twenty-one species of ectoparasites were recorded comprising four species of lice and 17 species of mites. Four species of lice and 11 species of mites were detected in Mount Sadong while eight species of mites and no lice were detected in Satang Besar Island. The prevalence of ectoparasites infested on birds in Mount Sadong (33.33%) was higher than Satang Besar Island (17.39%). The p-value (p= 0.474) indicated there was no significant difference between the prevalence of ectoparasites from both localities. The result is important since ectoparasites infestation could affect the survival of birds and has the potential transmission of zoonotic disease.
Crusted scabies (also known as Norwegian scabies) is a highly contagious variant of scabies characterized by profuse proliferation of mites in the skin and widespread, crusted, hyperkeratotic papules, plaques, and nodules. Typically, pruritus is minimal or absent. The condition usually occurs in immunocompromised individuals. Occurrence in healthy infants has rarely been reported. We report an 11-month-old healthy Malay boy who presented with crusted scabies.
In a forensic acarology study, conducted in a secondary forest of Forensic Science Simulation Site, Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM) in Bangi, Selangor, six carcasses consisted of three monkeys and three rabbits were placed individually
in steel enclosures and observed for 35 days. The carcasses, the soil beneath them and pitfall traps were checked daily
for insects and mites. A species of mesostigmatid mite, Macrocheles scutatiformis was discovered and this is a first time
reported in Malaysia. There are about 94.0% of Macrocheles present inside the cages of the monkey and rabbit carcasses.
Most mites in this study were collected from soil beneath the carcasses, on a dung beetle and a Chrysomya rufifacies
larva. Our findings showed that M. scutatiformis have a potential role in forensic investigation involving dead animals
perhaps corpses especially during the dry stage of decomposition.
The aim of the present study was to estimate the epidemic situation of mites, in rabbit dermatologic disease in and around
Qena province, in the southern region of Egypt. Two hundred cases of dermatologic disease from the formentioned province
were investigated by conducting deep skin scraping between May 2011 and October 2012. The overall prevalence was
25%. Sarcoptic scabiei uniculi (22.5%) was the most frequent mite, followed by Notoedres cati cuniculi (2.5%). To the
best of our knowledge this is the first report of Notoedres cati cuniculi among studied rabbits in the study region. Study
on different breeds, English represents highest prevalence of mites 30%. Moreover, there was no significant difference
in the prevalence of mange mite infection between male and female rabbits (p > 0.05). Similarly, the prevalence was not
significant among the age groups and rabbit breeds (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the present prevalence of mange mites
was still high enough to cause significant economic losses in the study area. Therefore, strengthening the control effort
was suggested.
A great variety of parasites and parasitoids exploit ant societies. Among them are the Mesostigmata mites, a particularly common and diverse group of ant-associated arthropods. While parasitism is ubiquitous in Mesostigmata, parasitoidism has only been described in the genus Macrodinychus. Yet information about the basic biology of most Macrodinychus species is lacking. Out of 24 formally described species, information about basic life-history traits is only available for three species. Here we formally describe two new Macrodinychus species, i.e. Macrodinychus hilpertae and Macrodinychus derbyensis. In both species, immature stages developed as ecto-parasitoids on ant pupae of the South-East Asian army ant Leptogenys distinguenda. By piercing the developing ant with their chelicera, the mites apparently suck ant hemolymph, ultimately killing host individuals. We compare infection rates among all studied Macrodinychus species and discuss possible host countermeasures against parasitoidism. The cryptic lifestyle of living inside ant nests has certainly hampered the scientific discovery of Macrodinychus mites and we expect that many more macrodinychid species await scientific discovery and description.
A survey of ticks and other ectoparasites was carried out during a national biodiversity scientific expedition at Ulu Muda Forest Reserve, Kedah, Malaysia from 23-29 March 2003. A total of 161 animals comprising 20 species of birds, 16 species of bats, six species of non-volant small mammals and 12 species of reptiles were examined for ticks and other ectoparasites. From these animals, nine species in five genera of ticks, 10 species in two families of Mesostigmatid mites and five species of chiggers were collected. Three of the ectoparasitic species found, Dermacentor auratus, Ixodes granulatus and Leptotrombidium deliense are of known public health importance. This survey produced the first list of ticks and other ectoparasites in the forest reserve and the third study of ectoparasites in Kedah. Fourteen species of these ectoparasites are new locality records.
A survey of ticks and other ectoparasites was carried out during a national biodiversity scientific expedition at Gunung Stong Forest Reserve, Kelantan, Malaysia from 23-29 May 2003. A total of 272 animals comprised of 12 species of birds, 21 species of bats, 7 species of rodents and 2 species of insects were examined for ticks and other ectoparasites. From these animals, 5 species in 4 genera of ticks; 7 species in 2 families of Mesostigmatid mites and 5 species of chiggers were collected. Among the ectoparasites found were Ixodes granulatus and Leptotrombidium deliense, which are of known medical importance. A tick island consisting of 10 nymphal stages of Dermacentor spp was observed feeding on Rattus tiomanicus.
The MAST CLA system was evaluated against skin prick test (SPT) for diagnosis of allergies to house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae) and cats. Forty three asthmatic children were examined by SPT and MAST CLA. Chi-square analysis indicated significant association between SPT and MAST CLA results for the house dust mites but not for cats. The sensitivities of MAST CLA for house dust mites and cats were 100 and 25% respectively; specificities were all less than 50%. The efficiency of MAST CLA for detection of allergy to the house dust mites was 88% and 44% for cats. A significant linear correlation was found between SPT wheal size and MAST CLA grade for D. farinae but not for D. pteronyssinus and cats. It is concluded that the MAST CLA allergy system can be used to supplement SPT for diagnosis of allergies to house dust mites but not to cats.
We investigated the aeroallergens affecting 200 asthmatics from the University Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and found 164 (82%) patients with skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to one or more of a panel of 14 allergens, which included indoor and outdoor animal and plant aeroallergens. Reactivity was most frequent to the indoor airborne allergens, with 159 (79.5%) reacting to either or both house dust mite (Dermatophagoides) species and 87 (43.5%) to cockroach. The SPT reactivity to house dust mites corresponded with the finding that patients found house dust to be the main precipitant of asthmatic attacks.
A survey on mange mite infestations in the aetiology of skin lesions in goats in Peninsular Malaysia is described. Skin lesions were observed in 25 (93%) of the 27 goat farms investigated. Mange mites were found in 22 (88%) of these goat herds. Chorioptes texanus was found in 20.7%, Psoroptes cuniculi in 19.3%, Sarcoptes scabiei in 18.6% and Demodex canis var. caprae in 0.4% of the samples, taken from the skin lesions. Thirteen cases of generalised manage were diagnosed, from which 9 were caused by S. scabiei, 2 by P. cuniculi and one by C. texanus. All other cases had more or less localised lesions. No significant differences could be found in incidence and distribution of skin lesions between age classes.
In a study of 124 adult patients with bronchial asthma, 65% of them had associated rhinitis. In the asthmatics who had associated rhinitis, both diseases usually started within two years of one another but either disease might develop first. In 21% of the patients, asthmatic attacks were preceded or precipitated by rhinitis symptoms. In the patients who had asthma alone or those associated with rhinitis, no significant difference were found in terms of age and sex distribution, age of onset, and a positive family history of asthma, rhinitis or allergic diseases. Response to skin prick test using six different types of allergens also showed no difference in the two groups of patients. Sensitivity to house dust was common among both groups of patients as well as in the normal controls suggesting a common occurrence of house dust mite in our community and making the skin prick test using this allergen unsuitable as a test for atopy in our population.
Study site: Chest clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia
Allergy to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was determined in 61 rhinitis patients using prick test (PT), enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 43 patients tested positive with PT. Forty six patients were positive when tested with EIA and ELISA. With PT as standard test, EIA was found to have 83.7% sensitivity and 44.4% specificity; ELISA had 81.4% sensitivity and 38.9% specificity. There was a linear relationship between absorbance values obtained by EIA and ELISA. The performance time was 8 hours, 24 hours and 30 minutes for ELISA, EIA and PT respectively. The cost per test for ELISA, EIA and PT was US$ 0.20, US$ 5.20 and US$ 0.14 respectively. It was concluded that ELISA was more cost-effective than EIA should be used to supplement PT for a more complete diagnosis of allergy.
Component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) using microarray technology has recently been introduced with the aim to improve diagnosis of allergy. The aim of this study was to compare performance of this allergen microarray to those of an established extract-based skin prick testing (SPT).45 patients with allergic rhinitis were studied (16 children and 29 adults). SPT to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae and Blomia tropicalis extracts and allergen microarray ImmunoCAP ISAC were carried out for all patients. Forty out of 45 patients demonstrated positive SPT to all mite extracts tested. These 40 patients were considered to be mite-allergic based on the positive SPT results. The remaining 5 patients with negative SPT to any mite extracts were classified as non-mite allergic. Comparatively, based on the microarray results, only 34 mite-allergic patients had detectable serum IgE to at least one of the mite allergen components tested whereas 6 patients with positive SPT to mite extracts showed no detectable IgE reactivity to any of the components tested. One non-mite allergic patient had a positive test- Blo t 5. Der p 10-positive patients also reacted to other cross-reactive tropomyosin from anisakis (Ani s 3) (25%), cockroach (Bla g 7) (50%) and shrimp (Pen m 1) (75%). CRD is a reliable tool for the diagnosis of allergy to mites. Der p 10 might be a useful indicator to identify a subset of mite-allergic patient that have additional sensitization due to cross-reactivity and thus allows selection of patients for immunotherapy.
Tick cell lines are increasingly used in many fields of tick and tick-borne disease research. The Tick Cell Biobank was established in 2009 to facilitate the development and uptake of these unique and valuable resources. As well as serving as a repository for existing and new ixodid and argasid tick cell lines, the Tick Cell Biobank supplies cell lines and training in their maintenance to scientists worldwide and generates novel cultures from tick species not already represented in the collection. Now part of the Institute of Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool, the Tick Cell Biobank has embarked on a new phase of activity particularly targeted at research on problems caused by ticks, other arthropods and the diseases they transmit in less-developed, lower- and middle-income countries. We are carrying out genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of selected cell lines derived from tropical tick species. We continue to expand the culture collection, currently comprising 63 cell lines derived from 18 ixodid and argasid tick species and one each from the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis and the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis, and are actively engaging with collaborators to obtain starting material for primary cell cultures from other midge species, mites, tsetse flies and bees. Outposts of the Tick Cell Biobank will be set up in Malaysia, Kenya and Brazil to facilitate uptake and exploitation of cell lines and associated training by scientists in these and neighbouring countries. Thus the Tick Cell Biobank will continue to underpin many areas of global research into biology and control of ticks, other arthropods and vector-borne viral, bacterial and protozoan pathogens.
Studies on parasite populations in Antarctic soils are scarce and thus little is known about the threat of these parasites towards either the natural fauna or human visitors. However, human presence in Antarctica, mainly through research and tourism, keeps increasing over time, potentially exposing visitors to zoonotic infections from Antarctic wildlife and environment. Most available literature to date has focused on faecal samples from Antarctic vertebrates. Therefore, this study addressed the possible presence of parasites in Antarctic soil that may be infectious to humans. Soil samples were obtained from five locations on Signy Island (South Orkney Islands, maritime Antarctic), namely North Point and Gourlay Peninsula (penguin rookeries), Pumphouse (relic coal-powered pump house), Jane Col (barren high altitude fellfield) and Berntsen Point (low altitude vegetated fellfield close to current research station). Approximately 10% of the soil samples (14/135) from 3 out of the 5 study sites had parasites which included Diphyllobotridae spp. eggs, Cryptosporidium sp., an apicomplexan protozoa (gregarine), Toxoplasma gondii, helminths (a cestode, Tetrabothrius sp., and a nematode larva) and mites. The presence of parasites in the 3 sites are most likely due to the presence of animal and human activities as two of these sites are penguin rookeries (North Point and Gourlay Peninsula) while the third site (Pumphouse Lake) has human activity. While some of the parasite species found in the soil samples appear to be distinctive, there were also parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma gondii that have a global distribution and are potentially pathogenic.
Naturally, plant habitats are exposed to several potential effects of biotic and different abiotic environmental challenges. Several types of micro-organisms namely; bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, mites, insects, mammals and other herbivorous animals are found in large amounts in all ecosystems, which lead to considerable reduction in crop productivity. These organisms are agents carrying different diseases that can damage the plants through the secretion of toxic-microbial poisons that can penetrate in the plant tissues. Toxins are injurious substances that act on plant protoplast to influence disease development. In response to the stress effect, plants defend themselves by bearing some substances such as phytoalexins. Production of phytoalexins is one of the complex mechanisms through which plants exhibit disease resistance. Several findings specifically on phytoalexins have widen the understanding in the fields of plant biochemistry and molecular biology. However, this review reports the interaction of toxins and phytoalexins in plant-pathogen cycle, research progress on the association of phytoalexins with plant disease resistance as well as the role of the phytoalexins in plant disease control.
Eight caaes of this condition are described, the patients being four Ceylonese, three Indians, and one Chinese, all males except one. Symptoms consisted of breathlessness and cough, sputum being sometimes purulent and occasionally blood-stained. Six of the patients complained of loss of weight, and in one, a Ceylonese schoolboy, this was the only presenting symptom. The authors found the most troublesome complaint to be a paroxysmal cough which was always worst at night. On clinical examination rhonchi were heard scattered throughout both lung fields in five cases, the lungs being clear in the other three. X-ray examination showed characteristic mottling of both lungs in four cases and of one lung in one case; another showed increased vascular markings, while in two the lungs were clear. Sputum was examined for tubercle bacilli and mites but none were found. The technique used for searching for mites is not described. A marked eosinophilia was found in all cases, the highest count recorded being 33, 264 eosinophils per cmm.Treatment consisted of arsenic, given in the form of neoarsphenamine, six injections of 0.3 gm. in six cases, and stovarsol 4 grains t.d.s. for seven and ten days respectively in the other two. Four of the patients were cured, three were improved, while one was showing a favourable response although treatment had not been completed.The author emphasizes the importance of performing repeated blood counts in order to avoid missing this condition. Out of the eight cases which he describes, one had been wrongly diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis and three as bronchial asthma. One of the latter had an initial eosinophil count of 4, 092 which rose to 17, 700 three weeks later. H. T. H. Wilson