Schistosoma sinensium Pao, 1959, was first isolated from an unidentified snail in Szechuan Province, China, and was described on the basis of adult worms and eggs recovered from experimentally infected mice. We discovered snails, Tricula bollingi Davis, and rodents, Rattus rattus (L.) and Crocidura attenuata Milne-Edwards, infected with S. sinensium near Fang in northwest Thailand. Adult worms were recovered from small veins immediately adjacent to the small intestine. Eggs first appeared in the feces of experimentally infected mice at 25 days postinfection. Cercariae first emerged from experimentally infected T. bollingi at 40 days postinfection. Shortly after emerging, cercariae were found at the water surface, their bodies flat against the meniscus and tails hanging free in the water column. Our morphometric results for adults and eggs from naturally infected hosts agree well with those presented in the original description. The occurrence of a lateral spine on the egg of this Asian schistosome has created some confusion as to the affinities of S. sinensium. A comparison of 8 character states, including snail hosts, cercarial behavior, geographical distribution, and morphology of life cycle stages, indicates that S. sinensium is more closely related to S. japonicum Katsurada than it is to S. mansoni Sambon.
Two new nematodes belonging to the subfamily Nippostrongylinae (Nematoda: Trichostrongyloidea: Heligmonellidae) are described based on specimens from endemic murines of Sulawesi, Indonesia: Hasanuddinia maxomyos n. gen., n. sp. from Maxomys musschenbroekii and Eropeplus canus, and Heligmonoides musseri n. sp. from M. musschenbroekii, E. canus, and Margaretamys elegans. Hasanuddinia is closest to Rattusstrongylus of Malaysian rats in lacking a carene and in having a lateromedian gradient in the size of the synlophe ridges in the ventral side of the midbody but is distinguished in that the dorsal ray is divided in the distal half. Heligmonoides musseri most resembles H. bulbosus of Maxomys whiteheadi of Malaysia in having a carene supported by slender ridges of which the proximal portion is not thickened but is distinguished in having longer externodorsal rays and longer spicules. The ancestors of the present Sulawesi nematodes seem to have originated on the southeast Asian continent, were introduced to Sulawesi with the dispersal of some murines, and subsequently speciated.
A considerable number of rat-borne ectoparasite studies have been conducted since the early 1930s in the Malayan Peninsula (now known as peninsular Malaysia). The majority of studies were field surveys and collections of specimens across the region, and were conducted primarily to catalogue the ectoparasite host distribution and discover novel species. This has generated a signification amount of information, particularly on the diversity and host distribution; other aspects such as morphology, host distribution and medical significance have also been investigated. Amongst the four main groups (mites, fleas, ticks, lice), rat-borne mites have received the most attention with a particular emphasis on chiggers, due to their medical importance. More recent studies have examined the distribution of ectoparasites in rats from different habitat type simplicating a high prevalence of zoonotic species infesting rat populations. Despite being capable of transmitting dangerous pathogens to human, the health risks of rat-borne ectoparasites appear to be small with no serious outbreaks of diseases recorded. Although an extensive number of works have been published, there remain gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed, such as, the distribution of under studied ectoparasite groups (listrophorids and myobiids), determining factors influencing infestation, and understanding changes to the population distribution over time.
The occurrence of adult Gnathostoma malaysiae in Rattus surifer and R. tiomanicus in Malaysia has been reported but there are no known reports on the host tissue reactions. This paper reports on the gross pathology caused by G. malaysiae in a red spiny forest rat, R. surifer and the tissue reactions caused. A tumor-like growth was located on the mid-stomach wall in a female rat captured in Gunung Bachock, Kelantan, Malaysia. This growth consisted of four tunnel-like structures containing sanguinopurulent fluid and leukocytes and this structure led into a central canal. The tissue surrounding the tumor was greatly inflamed and there was localized gastritis. The tunnel-like structure was surrounded by dense fibrotic tissue. The stomach wall was devoid of superficial epithelium and smooth muscle but mucinous glands were present. The midregion of the fibrotic scar contained eggs of G. malaysiae which had evoked a strong tissue reaction and were surrounded by pus. Blood vessels were empty, dilated and had undergone vasculitis and thrombosis.
Breinlia booliati Singh and Ho, 1973 is described from the Malaysian wood rat, Rattus rattus jalorensis Bonhote. The parasites presented here were originally discovered in 1955 in Kuantan, Malaysia, but were not classified until now. On the basis of morphological observations of anatomical structures and comparisons with other species of Breinlia, it was determined that the parasites were B. booliati. The parasites discussed here show slight deviation from B. booliati, but they do not warrant a new species classification. There is some variation in anatomical measurements, the number of male caudal papillae, and the morphology of the microfilariae. Breinlia booliati from a new host is described in this article, with a brief discussion on Rattus species that are hosts of B. booliati and vectors that transmit the parasite. The occurrence of B. booliati in R. r. jalorensis represents the first report of the parasite in this host.
One new species and two new subspecies of fleas are described. These are S. sulawesiensis n. sp. from North and Central Sulawesi, S. alticola pilosus n. ssp. from Central Sulawesi, and S. alticola crassinavis n. ssp. from North Sulawesi. All three of these new taxa are ectoparasites of native, endemic murine rodents. Two of the new taxa, S. sulawesiensis and S. alticola crassinavis, coexist on the same mountain, Gunung Moajat, in North Sulawesi. The related S. alticola alticola, which becomes the nominate subspecies, parasitises the murine rodent Maxomys alticola in northern Borneo (Sabah) and it is hypothesized that Sigmactenus first colonized Sulawesi as an ectoparasite of ancestral Maxomys, or perhaps Rattus, as these murines dispersed from southeast Asia to Sulawesi; 15 endemic murine rodent species belonging to these two genera are known to currently inhabit Sulawesi. An identification key and distribution map are included for all known species and subspecies of Sigmactenus. In addition to the three new taxa and S. a. alticola, these include: S. celebensis from South Sulawesi, S. timorensis from Timor, S. toxopeusi from New Guinea, and S. werneri from the Philippines (Mindanao and Negros).
A survey for small mammal parasites carried out in a secondary forest of Ulu Gombak, Selangor, Peninsula Malaysia yielded the following animals: Rattus bowersi (7), Rattus tiomanicus jalorensis (2), Maxomys rajah (12), Maxoyms whiteheadi (3), Leopoldamys sabanus(13), Sundamys muelleri(10), Lariscus insignis (1), Sundasciurus tenuis (1) and Tupaia glis (2). The following nematodes: Capillaria hepatica, Hepatojarakus malayae, Trichostrongylus sp. and Streptopharagus sp., the following cestodes: Hymenolepis sp., Raillietina sp. and Taenia taeniaformis; and trematode, Zonorchis sp. from Tupaia glis were recovered. No parasites were observed during blood examination. No endoparasite was seen in Maxomys whiteheadi, Lariscus insignis and Sundasciurus tenuis. The following parasites, Capillaria hepatica, Hymenolepis sp., Raillietina sp. and Taenia taeniaformis are considered of medical importance.
Schistosoma malayensis n. sp., a member of the Schistosoma japonicum complex is described from Rattus muelleri in Peninsular Malaysia and 2 strains are characterized. The only morphological differences noted among adults from natural hosts were that S. malayensis are in general smaller than S. mekongi and S. japonicum. But these differences may be the result of host-induced variations and therefore are of little taxonomic value. To minimize the effects of host-induced variations, adult worms recovered from laboratory mice with similar worm burdens at 50-56 days postinfection were compared. These comparisons revealed only minor morphometric differences among these 3 species. Schistosoma malayensis eggs from naturally and experimentally infected hosts are most similar to those of S. mekongi, with eggs of both species being, in general, smaller than those of S. japonicum. The egg index for S. malayensis is usually higher than for S. japonicum and lower than for S. mekongi. Differences were noted in the developmental rates in mice for 2 isolates of S. malayensis, S. mekongi, and S. japonicum (Philippine strain), but relatively large differences observed between isolates of S. malayensis indicate that, in this case, the developmental rate is not a useful taxonomic character. Schistosoma malayensis is erected principally on the basis of differences, reported elsewhere, in the life histories and in the electrophoretic migration patterns of isoenzymes of adult worms as compared to S. mekongi and S. japonicum. These comparisons indicate that S. malayensis is more closely related to S. mekongi than to S. japonicum.
Trapping of small mammals was conducted at 5 study sites in Kuala Selangor Nature Park (KSNP) from 20-24 June 2005. A total of 11 animals comprising 2 species of rodents, Maxomys whiteheadi and Rattus exulans were caught from 3 sites, i.e from an area of mixed secondary forest and mangrove swamp; an area of mangrove swamp, and from an area of lalang fringing mangrove swamp. From these animals, the following 7 species of ectoparasites were found: Laelaps echidninus, Laelaps nuttalli, Ascoschoengastia indica, Leptotrombidium deliense, Hoplopleura pectinata, Hoplopleura pacifica and Polyplax spinulosa. One of the ectoparasites found, L. deliense is a known vector of scrub typhus and thus may pose potential health risks to visitors to KSNP.