Terebelliform annelids can serve as intermediate hosts for blood flukes of marine fishes and sea turtles. The scarcity of global reports on the life cycles of these parasites reflects the need for further exploration. Our objective was to further our knowledge of the diversity and life cycles of blood flukes in coastal South Carolina (SC), United States. Four species of terebellids ( Enoplobranchus sanguineus , Amphitrite ornata , Pista palmata , and Streblosoma hartmanae ) were collected (total N = 201) at low tide from September 2025 to February 2026 at two localities in SC. Twelve specimens of three terebellid species were infected, and parasites were identified by sequencing the LSU and ITS2 regions of ribosomal RNA and the COI mitochondrial DNA gene. Enoplobranchus sanguineus (12.9% prevalence, 4/31) and A. ornata (3.6% prevalence, 2/55) were infected with the previously reported blood flukes Neospirorchis sp. Neogen14 (Unicaecidae) and Cardicola parvus (Aporocotylidae), respectively. No specimens of S. hartmanae were infected (0/86). One new aporocotylid with mature sporocysts containing microcercous cercariae was discovered in P. palmata (20.7% prevalence, 6/29). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that sequences of the new aporocotylid were in a well-supported clade with sequences of Braya spp. and Cardicola abu . The fish host of this parasite has yet to be discovered to fully elucidate the life cycle of this new aporocotylid.
Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites with a wide host range. To elucidate the relationship between Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection dynamics and evolution within China’s sika deer population, 466 fresh fecal samples were collected from May to October 2024 across four provinces, Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, and Shandong. The ITS region of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was amplified using nested PCR, enabling the identification and genotyping of E. bieneusi. The overall prevalence of E. bieneusi in sika deer was 44.4% (207/466). Province-specific prevalence was highest in Shandong (76.0%, 38/50) and Heilongjiang (75.3%, 67/89), followed by Jilin (38.7%, 65/168), and lowest in Liaoning (23.3%, 37/159). The prevalence in autumn (44.9%) was slightly higher than in summer (41.7%), and the prevalence in adult deer (48.7%) was found to be significantly higher than in young deer (31.6%). In this study, we identified a total of 11 E. bieneusi genotypes, including 9 known genotypes (BEB6, HND-II, LND-I, JLD-XIX, CHN-F1, HLJD-I, HLJD-III, Type IV, and COS-I) and 2 novel genotypes (named JL-D-4 and JL-D-5). Among them, BEB6 was the dominant genotype (38.7%, 80/207). This study enriches the genotype data of E. bieneusi , reveals the prevalence of E. bieneusi in some sika deer populations, and provides a reference for subsequent epidemiologic research as well as prevention and control efforts.
Background : Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) caused by Leishmania major remains a major public health concern in Morocco, especially in certain semi-arid and pre-Saharan regions where ecological conditions favor transmission. In recent decades, the epidemiology of ZCL has evolved significantly, particularly in its temporal patterns and the persistence of transmission in major endemic provinces. In this study, we adopted a retrospective observational approach to explore the long-term spatiotemporal dynamics of ZCL across nine endemic provinces in Morocco and to assess its potential environmental, socio-economic, and demographic determinants using a descriptive analytical framework. Principal findings : A total of 58,880 ZCL cases were reported during the study period between 1995 and 2022, with incidence peaks observed in 2010 and 2018, reflecting cyclical epidemic dynamics. The Drâa-Tafilalet region accounted for the highest disease burden, with Zagora province identified as the main epidemiological hotspot. Children aged ≤10 represented the most affected age group (40.8% of total cases), whereas infection rates did not differ significantly between the sexes (female-to-male ratio = 1.17). Higher incidence was observed in hyper-arid provinces characterized by sandy-clay-loam soils. However, incidence was not statistically correlated with either environmental or social variables ( p > 0.05). Conclusions : ZCL remains endemic in Morocco, with persistent hotspots linked to specific ecological contexts. These findings highlight the importance of geographically targeted surveillance and control measures to support the integration of environmental indicators into risk monitoring and early-warning systems for leishmaniasis.
The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is an ecologically important small game mammal whose populations have declined in many European countries. A total of 370 faecal samples collected between 2022 and 2024 from hares in the Czechia and Slovakia were molecularly screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. (18S rRNA, gp60), Giardia intestinalis (TPI), Encephalitozoon spp., and Enterocytozoon bieneusi (ITS). qPCR analysis confirmed the presence of Cryptosporidium spp. (n = 15; 4.1%; CI: 2.5-6.6%), Encephalitozoon spp. (n = 34; 9.2%; CI: 6.7-12.6%), and E. bieneusi (n = 16; 4.3%; CI: 2.6-6.9%). Sequence analyses revealed the presence of C. parvum (n = 2), C. sciurinum (n = 3), C. ubiquitum (n = 5), and Cryptosporidium sp. deer mouse genotype IV (n = 5). At the gp60 locus, C. parvum belonged to subtypes IIaA15G1R1 and IIaA23G1R1, C. sciurinum to subtypes VIIIcA10G2R1 (n = 2) and VIIIbA11G1R1 (n = 1), and C. ubiquitum to subtypes XIIa (n = 3) and XIId (n = 2). Five E. bieneusi genotypes were identified: D (n = 8), CHALT1 (n = 1), WildBoar3 (n = 1), CHN-F1 (n = 2), and C (n = 4). Encephalitozoon sequencing revealed E. cuniculi genotypes I (n = 6), II (n = 26), and III (n = 1), and E. hellem (n = 1). Giardia intestinalis was not detected. Cryptosporidium sp. deer mouse genotype IV is reported here for the first time in Europe.
Scabies is a common health concern, particularly among infants and children from socioeconomically disadvantaged households. This single-center retrospective observational cohort study describes scabies phenotypes, associated factors, treatment patterns, complications, and 12-month scabies-related re-attendance among diagnosed children between March 2018 and March 2023. Data from 1,094 children living in Turkey were extracted from medical records. Patients were classified as having classic, crusted, or nodular scabies for descriptive analyses; crusted and nodular scabies were combined as variant scabies only for selected regression models. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with variant scabies and hospitalization. Most cases occurred in fall and winter (67.6%). Crusted and nodular scabies were identified in 93 (8.5%) and 18 (1.6%) patients, respectively. Underlying abnormalities were reviewed separately for crusted and nodular scabies. Among hospitalized children, 61.5% had variant scabies, and clinically suspected secondary bacterial infection was documented in 77 of 78 hospitalized patients. Cultures were obtained from all hospitalized children; among culture-positive cases, Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated organism. Among children who re-attended within one year, permethrin was the most frequently documented treatment (92.3% of documented treatments). Underlying disease and younger age were independently associated with variant scabies, whereas underlying disease, variant scabies, and younger age were independently associated with hospitalization. Re-attendance was more frequent in variant scabies ( p < 0.001). Crusted scabies warrants careful evaluation for underlying abnormalities and secondary infection, while nodular scabies should be interpreted as a distinct hypersensitivity-related phenotype. These findings support proactive household-level management and follow-up.
