Gastrointestinal parasitism is prevalent among domestic dogs and cats in North America and represents a significant cause of clinical disease, particularly in puppies and kittens. The detection and correct identification of parasites in feces currently relies primarily on three different laboratory principles. This field evaluation study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of a qPCR panel in comparison with coproantigens and conventional zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation (O P) for the detection of gastrointestinal parasites. A convenience set of 1013 fecal samples from dogs and cats were collected in May and June 2025. Each sample from this study was evaluated with three different tests used to diagnose parasitic infections in dogs and cats: qPCR panel, coproantigen tests, and O P. Each of the three platforms was systematically evaluated against every other platform in a pairwise manner. Each sample was also coded as “parasite detected” or “parasites not detected” for overall parasite detection between the three tests. Overall, the qPCR panel, coproantigens, and O P detected parasitic targets in 276, 110, and 66 samples, respectively. Parasitic targets were detected in 29.62
The primary control strategy for the sheep biting louse (Bovicola ovis) relies on topical chemical-based treatments applied postshearing, with limited use of long-wool interventions. Resistance to commonly used chemical classes, including synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) and insect growth regulators (IGRs), has been reported, particularly in Australia, and may compromise control under some conditions. This series of studies evaluated the field efficacy and safety of a 10 mg/mL fluralaner oral solution (which was later registered as Flexolt®, MSD Animal Health) against naturally acquired B. ovis infestations on long-wool sheep. The studies were conducted across seven commercial sites (six in Australia and one in New Zealand [NZ]) with naturally infested flocks. At each site, 25 tracer sheep with ≥ 40 lice from 40 × 10 cm wool partings were selected pretreatment and monitored over time. All sheep in each flock were treated once on Day 0 with fluralaner at a nominal dose of 1.5 mg/kg body weight. Post-treatment lice and viable egg counts were conducted on 3 to 7 occasions per site. Efficacy was calculated relative to pretreatment lice counts. Resistance to SPs and IGRs was assessed in selected lice populations using laboratory bioassays. Lice counts were reduced by 100
The 2016–2019 sylvatic yellow fever epidemic in Brazil spread into the peri-urban areas of São Paulo State, raising concerns about the potential resurgence of urban yellow fever transmission in the Americas. In Alberto Löfgren State Park (PEAL), Serra da Cantareira, one of the world’s largest urban forests, southern brown howler monkeys became locally extinct in early January 2018 following a short-lived outbreak. To investigate mosquito feeding patterns during and after the yellow fever outbreak, we collected 5,001 female mosquitoes between December 2017 and March 2020, and screened 143 blood-engorged specimens using Nanopore sequencing. Vertebrate hosts were identified as the source of blood meals in 74.8
The invasive mosquito species Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the Asian Tiger Mosquito, constitutes a significant global health concern due to its role as a vector for diseases, such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya. In Greece, Ae. albopictus was first detected in 2005, with subsequent widespread establishment across the country. This study investigates the recent steps of the within Greece range expansion of Ae. albopictus, using and analyzing specimens collected between 2016 and 2022 from different parts of the country. Greek Ae. albopictus populations were genotyped using the standard mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcoding, a set of eight microsatellite markers. In addition, we explored the presence of the endosymbiont bacterium Wolbachia pipiens in Greek populations. A total of 408 female individuals were analyzed for COI variation, and all Greek samples were assigned to a single haplotype. Microsatellite analysis revealed a relatively low degree of genetic differentiation, attributed mainly to intra-population rather than inter-population differences. Wolbachia genotyping suggested the fixed presence of double infections with supergroups A and B (reaching to 100
Taenia arctos is a cestode associated with ursids as definitive hosts. Although the species has been reported from brown bears (Ursus arctos) in several parts of the Northern Hemisphere, it has not previously been confirmed in Slovakia. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether this species occurs in brown bears in the country. The gastrointestinal tracts of 125 legally culled free-ranging brown bears collected across Slovakia between 2025 and 2026 were examined for helminths following conventional parasitological examination procedures. The morphology of all recovered cestodes was examined under a light microscope. Then, one cestode from each infected bear was selected, and a DNA fragment encompassing the complete mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was PCR-amplified, Sanger-sequenced, and compared with the reference cox1 sequence of T. arctos. Taenia arctos was detected in 14 of 125 examined bears, corresponding to a prevalence of 11.2
