PURPOSE: The purpose is to describe the new species morphologically and molecularly and provide new information of its evolutionally relationships with other species of the subgenus.

METHODS: Standard methods of collection and examination of marine hosts, processing and illustrating of specimens, and taxonomic identification of parasites using the extensive collection of the lead author were used. Specimens were further studied using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and ion sectioning of hooks, SEM analysis, and molecular sequencing. Type specimens were deposited at the Harold W. Manter Lab. collection, Lincoln, Nebraska.

RESULTS: Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) fusiformis n. sp. is described from the catfish, Arius sp. (Ariidae: Siluriformes) off the Pacific Coast of Vietnam at Bac Lieu in the Gulf of Thailand. The three other marine Indian species include A. (A.) arii Bilqees, 1971 which is also described from a similar catfish, Arius serratus Day off the Karachi coast in the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean. Our new species from Vietnam is distinguished from the other 46 species by a combination of characters including a small fusiform trunk, complete circles of small hollow spines covering the entire trunk, prominent double apical organs often extending posteriorly past posterior hooks, middle and posterior hooks of equal size slightly smaller than anterior hooks, large neck continuous with the outline of the proboscis without distinct separation, big drop-shaped cephalic ganglion, extension of the proboscis receptacle anteriorly past the base of the proboscis up to the insertion point of the posterior hooks, presence of two para-receptacle structures (PRSs), free unattached thick lemnisci, short female reproductive system with filamentous attachment of the distal end of the uterine bell to the ventral body wall, and small narrowly ellipsoid eggs with thickened polar ends. Partial sequences of the 18S and internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of ribosomal RNA were generated and used for phylogenetic analyses to confirm the taxonomic identity of Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) fusiformis n. sp.

METHODS: hrCRP was expressed in E. coli Rosetta-gami and extracted from the SDS-PAGE gel. Male BALB/c mice were inoculated subcutaneously at the base of their tails by 1 × 105 stationary-phase of Leishmania major promastigotes (MHRO/IR/75/ER) suspended in sterile phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Nodules and subsequently, ulcers developed 14 days post-injection. 1.5 µg of the purified protein was administered on lesions of pre-infected mice by Leishmania major in the intervention group for five consecutive days.

RESULTS: The mean area of the lesions was decreased by about seven folds in the intervention group as compared to the control group after two weeks of the treatment (p = 0.024). The results were verified by the real-time polymerase chain reaction so that the parasite burden was determined 27 times in the control group as compared to the intervention group (p = 0.02). Two weeks after treatment, the conversion of the lesions to scars in the intervention group was observed.

METHODS: The demographic profiles for each participant were obtained through a questionnaire survey prior to blood collection. A total of 389 participants were recruited and blood samples screened for the presence of anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibody using an ELISA commercial kit, SERION ELISA classic Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM.

RESULTS: The overall T. gondii seroprevalence was 69.6% with 56.8% seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG, 7.7% seropositive for anti-Toxoplasma IgM and 5.1% seropositive for both IgG and IgM antibodies. The presence of both antibody classes in blood samples indicated high avidity, suggesting latent infection. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations that included; age, ethnicity, location and employment status while, significant lifestyle factors included source of drinking water and eating style. A multifactorial statistical model that incorporated all the significant effects from the first-stage univariate analyses listed above revealed that age and ethnicity were the two dominant and independent effects on IgG seroprevalence. For seroprevalence of IgM, the multifactorial model revealed a significant interaction between work and accommodation. IgM seroprevalence was higher among the unemployed inhabitants of PPR (Program Perumahan Rakyat) than those living in non-PPR accommodation, and higher than among the employed irrespective of their accommodation.

PURPOSE: This study reports on the first finding of Psychoda larvae collected from decomposing rabbit carcasses placed in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia.

METHODS: The larvae were first observed on rabbit carcasses and were collected using tweezers and carefully preserved in 70% ethanol. They were subsequently mounted on microscopy slides using Hoyer's medium and identified as Psychoda sp. morphologically. The identification was also confirmed through a DNA barcoding analysis.

RESULTS: Psychoda sp. larvae were collected on day-10 post-mortem where the rabbit carcasses were at the advanced decay stage of decomposition. The cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequences of the larvae had 90% similarity with the Psychoda spp. in the database.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with T. evansi infection among cattle in Peninsular Malaysia. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed on 1045 blood samples collected from 43 farms. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on risk factors associated with T. evansi prevalence. The RoTat 1.2 set of primers was used to amplify products of 205 base pair.

PURPOSE: We report an autochthonous case of A. ceylanicum in a suburban area of Selangor, Malaysia. A 66-year-old Indian lady who is an avid gardener presented with chronic diarrhea of 4 months' duration.

METHODS: The patient was examined clinically and colonoscopy was performed. Adult parasites obtained via colonoscopy were subjected to microscopy and molecular investigations.

RESULTS: Clinical examinations were unremarkable, and blood investigation revealed normochromic normocytic anemia. Stool occult blood was positive but negative for ova, cyst and adult parasites. Colonoscopy performed showed multiple diverticulae and worm infestation from the terminal ileum to sigmoid colon. Morphological examination on the adult worms showed the specific characteristics of Ancylostoma species. Molecular investigations further confirmed the nematode as Ancylostoma ceylanicum. She was treated with albendazole 400 mg daily for 3 days with symptomatic improvements sustained 3 months later. It is suspected that the patient had ingested or contacted soil contaminated with filariform larvae while gardening.

METHODS: A total of 399 dog blood samples were collected from veterinary hospitals and animal shelters in Malaysia to determine the infection rate and associated risk factors via a combination of microscopic, serologic and molecular diagnostic techniques.

METHODS: Cytochrome b gene sequences (479 bp) generated from India and available at MalAvi database were used to study the avian haemosporidian prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of lineages at local and world levels.

RESULTS: One common (COLL2) and only once in the study (CYOPOL01, CHD01, CYORUB01, EUMTHA01, GEOCIT01) haemosporidian lineages were discovered. 5.88% prevalence of haemosporidian infection was found in 102 samples belonging to 6 host species. Haemoproteus prevalence was 4.90% across five host species (Phylloscopus trochiloides, Cyornis poliogenys, C. hainanus dialilaemus, C. rubeculoides, Eumiyas thalassinus) and Plasmodium prevalence was 0.98% in Geokichla citrina. Spatial phylogeny at the global level showed that COLL2 lineage, found in C. poliogenys in India, was genetically identical to H. pallidus lineages (COLL2) in parts of Africa, Europe, North America, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The Plasmodium lineage (GEOCIT01) was related to PADOM16 in Egypt, but the sequences were only 93.89% alike.

METHODS: Fish were collected off Mazatlán Port (23° 12' N, 106° 26' W), in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico (southeastern Gulf of California). The copepods were morphologically analyzed by light microscopy. Sequences of the COI mtDNA gene were generated for the first time for this species. These sequences were compared to COI sequences from six species of Lernaeenicus available in GenBank.

RESULTS: The specimens of the present study exhibited a cephalosome without apparent lateral processes, which were originally described for L. longiventris. No remarkable differences were observed with previous descriptions regarding appendages and body proportions. The phylogenetic tree based on COI sequences showed that L. longiventris was closer to L. radiatus although with low bootstrap values support in ML tree, both species formed a sister clade of L. sprattae.

METHODS: Fresh specimens of chondracanthids were collected from the buccal cavity of two species of deep-sea fishes (fish hosts were frozen), Chaunax abei Le Danois, 1978 (Lophiiformes: Chaunacidae) and Setarches longimanus (Alcock, 1894) (Perciformes: Setarchidae), caught at a depth of 212 m in Suruga Bay, Japan (34° 37'48.87″ N, 138° 43'2.958″ E). Both the species are described and illustrated based on ovigerous females.

RESULTS: The genus Avatar gen. nov. can readily be distinguished from all other chondracanthid genera by the following combination of features: cephalothorax slightly wider than long with anterior pair of large and posterior pair of small lateral lobes, and two pairs of ventro-lateral processes; the very posteriormost part of the first pedigerous somite contributes to the neck; cylindrical trunk with two pairs of blunt proximal fusiform processes; antennule with small knob terminally; antenna bearing distal endopodal segment; labrum protruding ventrally; two pairs of biramous legs each with 2-segmented rami. Kokeshioides gen. nov. has the following combinations of features that distinguish it from other chondracanthid genera: body flattened, without lateral processes; cephalothorax much wider than long, with paired anterolateral and posterolateral lobes, folded ventrally; the very posteriormost part of the first pedigerous somite contributes to the neck; mandible elongate; legs unique, heavily sclerotized, represented by two pairs of acutely pointed processes.

METHODOLOGY: E. histolytica HM-1:IMSS genomic DNA was isolated and two putative choline/ethanolamine kinase genes (EhCK1 and EhCK2) were cloned and expressed from Escherichia coli BL21 strain. Enzymatic characterizations were further carried out on the purified enzymes.

RESULTS: EhCK1 and EhCK2 were identified from E. histolytica genome. The deduced amino acid sequences were more identical to its homologues in human (35-48%) than other organisms. The proteins were clustered as ethanolamine kinase in the constructed phylogeny tree. Sequence analysis showed that they possessed all the conserved motifs in choline kinase family: ATP-binding loop, Brenner's phosphotransferase motif, and choline kinase motif. Here, the open reading frames were cloned, expressed, and purified to apparent homogeneity. EhCK1 showed activity with choline but not ethanolamine. The biochemical characterization showed that it had a Vmax of 1.9 ± 0.1 µmol/min/mg. Its Km for choline and ATP was 203 ± 26 µM and 3.1 ± 0.4 mM, respectively. In contrast, EhCK2 enzymatic activity was only detected when Mn2+ was used as the co-factor instead of Mg2+ like other choline/ethanolamine kinases. Highly sensitive and specific antibody against EhCK1 was developed and used to confirm the endogenous EhCK1 expression using immunoblotting.