Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Massive infection of a song thrush by Mesocestoides sp. (Cestoda) tetrathyridia that genetically match acephalic metacestodes causing lethal peritoneal larval cestodiasis in domesticated mammals.
- Journal:
- Parasites & vectors
- Year:
- 2019
- Authors:
- Heneberg, Petr et al.
- Affiliation:
- Third Faculty of Medicine
Plain-English summary
This study looked at a serious infection in a song thrush, a type of bird, caused by a parasite called Mesocestoides. The researchers found that this infection was likely fatal and involved a specific stage of the parasite known as tetrathyridia. They compared these findings with previous cases in other birds and mammals, noting that while the physical characteristics of the parasite were similar, they weren't enough to clearly identify the species. The genetic analysis suggested that this particular strain of Mesocestoides has been seen before in domestic dogs and cats, but it remains unclear if it is the same as those previously reported in birds. Overall, the findings highlight the need for more research to better understand this parasite and its effects on different animals.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Peritoneal larval cestodiasis induced by Mesocestoides Vaillant, 1863 (Cyclophyllidea: Mesocestoididae) is a common cause of severe infections in domestic dogs and cats, reported also from other mammals and less frequently from birds. However, there is a limited knowledge on the taxonomy of causative agents of this disease. RESULTS: In the present study, we investigated a massive, likely lethal, infection of a song thrush Turdus philomelos (Passeriformes: Turdidae) by Mesocestoides sp. tetrathyridia. We performed combined morphological and phylogenetic analysis of the tetrathyridia and compared them with the materials obtained previously from other birds and mammals. The metrical data fitted within the wide range reported by previous authors but confirmed the limited value of morphological data for species identification of tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides spp. The molecular analyses suggested that the isolates represented an unidentified Mesocestoides sp. that was previously repeatedly isolated and sequenced in larval and adult forms from domestic dogs and cats in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. In contrast to the present study, which found encysted tetrathyridia, four of the five previous studies that identified the same species described infections by acephalic metacestodes only. CONCLUSIONS: The tetrathyridia of the examined Mesocestoides sp. are described in the present study for the first time. However, the possible match with the species that were previously reported to infect birds remains uncertain. The phylogenetic analyses also suggested the rejection of two cases that were previously identified as Mesocestoides corti as they were likely caused by the same species as in the presently reported infection case. The newly provided DNA sequences should allow the assignment to species in the future, when adults of the genus Mesocestoides are more thoroughly sequenced.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31088533/