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Parasites of veterinary importance

Subject Editor
Adnan Hodžić, Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Austria

Associate Editors
Pablo Borrás, DVM, Centro Nacional de Diagnostico e Investigacion en Endemo Epidemias, Argentina
Jeba Jesudoss Chelladurai, DACVM, PhD, Kansas State University, USA
Alicia Rojas, PhD, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Alireza Sazmand, DVM, PhD, Bu-Ali Sina University, Iran
Antonio Varcasia, DVM, PhD, University of Sassari, Italy

The Parasites of veterinary importance section publishes articles relating to parasites and parasitic diseases of domestic, companion and farm animals including studies on biology, epidemiology, pathology, immunology, diagnosis and control. Studies relating to wildlife helminthic disease reservoirs and to ectoparasites and vectors of veterinary significance that do not fit within the remits of the other sections will also be considered.

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  1. The horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans, causes significant production losses to the cattle industry. Horn fly control relies on insecticides; however, alternative control methods such as vaccines are needed d...

    Authors: Luísa N. Domingues, Kylie G. Bendele, Lénaïg Halos, Yovany Moreno, Christian Epe, Monica Figueiredo, Martin Liebstein and Felix D. Guerrero
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:442
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Companion animal endoparasites play a substantial role in both veterinary medicine and public health. Updated epidemiological studies are necessary to identify trends in occurrence and distribution of these pa...

    Authors: Caroline Sobotyk, Kaitlyn E. Upton, Manigandan Lejeune, Thomas J. Nolan, Antoinette E. Marsh, Brian H. Herrin, Mindy M. Borst, Julie Piccione, Anne M. Zajac, Lauren E. Camp, Cassan N. Pulaski, Lindsay A. Starkey, Cristiano von Simson and Guilherme G. Verocai
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:439
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. Domesticated pigs are the main source of Trichinella sp. infections for humans, particularly when reared in backyards or free-ranging. In temperate areas of southern Europe, most pigs are farmed under controlled ...

    Authors: Edoardo Pozio, Mario Celli, Alessandra Ludovisi, Maria Interisano, Marco Amati and Maria Angeles Gómez-Morales
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:417
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) transmit trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock). Several studies have indicated that age, sex, site of capture, starvation and microbiome symbion...

    Authors: Cornelius Mweempwa, Kalinga Chilongo, Kyoko Hayashida and Boniface Namangala
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:409
    Content type: Research Published on:

  5. Plasmodium vivax transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) are receiving increasing attention. Based on excellent transmission-blocking activities of the PbPH (PBANKA_0417200) and PbSOP26 (PBANKA_1457700) antigens in...

    Authors: Yongzhe Zhang, Fei Liu, Yan Zhao, Fan Yang, Jie Bai, Xitong Jia, Wanlapa Roobsoong, Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Liwang Cui, Yaming Cao, Enjie Luo and Meilian Wang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:407
    Content type: Research Published on:

  6. Babesia species are intraerythrocytic Apicomplexan parasites that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. These pathogens are typically transmitted either by tick vectors or by direct blood-to-blood contact, and...

    Authors: Erin Stayton, Megan Lineberry, Jennifer Thomas, Tina Bass, Kelly Allen, Ramaswamy Chandrashekar, Gene Yost, Mason Reichard and Craig Miller
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:402
    Content type: Research Published on:

  7. Metacaspases are multifunctional proteins found in plants, fungi and protozoa, and are involved in processes such as insoluble protein aggregate clearance and cell proliferation. Our previous study demonstrate...

    Authors: Muzi Li, Jing Liu, Yayun Wu, Yihan Wu, Xiaodong Sun, Yong Fu, Xiao Zhang and Qun Liu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:400
    Content type: Research Published on:

  8. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease caused by Leishmania infantum, for which dogs constitute the main urban parasite reservoir. Control measures and the treatment of canine visceral leishmaniasis (C...

    Authors: Matheus Silva de Jesus, João Victor Andrade Cruz, Lívia Brito Coelho, Lairton Souza Borja, Edmilson Domingos da Silva, Manuela da Silva Solcà, Claudia Ida Brodskyn and Deborah Bittencourt Mothé Fraga
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:398
    Content type: Research Published on:

  9. Babesia bovis is one of the most significant tick-transmitted pathogens of cattle worldwide. Babesia bovis parasites have a complex lifecycle, including development within the mammalian host and tick vector. Each...

    Authors: Hala E. Hussein, Wendell C. Johnson, Naomi S. Taus, Janaina Capelli-Peixoto, Carlos E. Suarez, Michelle R. Mousel and Massaro W. Ueti
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:395
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. Canine heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is a life-threatening infection of dogs with a global distribution. Information on the prevalence of D. immitis and associated risk factors for canine heartworm antigen posi...

    Authors: Jessica L. Panetta, Nichola Eliza Davies Calvani, Bronwyn Orr, Aldo Gianfranco Nicoletti, Michael P. Ward and Jan Šlapeta
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:393
    Content type: Research Published on:

  11. The diagnosis of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in ruminants is routinely based on morphological/morphometric analysis of parasite specimens recovered by coprological methods, followed by larval cu...

    Authors: Nikol Reslova, Lucie Skorpikova, Iveta Angela Kyrianova, Jaroslav Vadlejch, Johan Höglund, Philip Skuce and Martin Kasny
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:391
    Content type: Research Published on:

  12. During the last decades, filarial infections caused by Dirofilaria spp. have spread rapidly within dog populations of several European countries. Increasing scientific interest in filariasis, and the availability...

    Authors: Mirabela Oana Dumitrache, Gianluca D’Amico, Eugeniu Voiniţchi, Serghei Maximenco, Viorica Mircean and Angela Monica Ionică
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:390
    Content type: Research Published on:

  13. Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis are among the most important canine vector-borne pathogens (CVBPs) of zoonotic concern in Europe. In endemic areas for both of these CVBPs, the use of systemic ectopar...

    Authors: Rossella Panarese, Roberta Iatta, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Andrea Zatelli, Frederic Beugnet and Domenico Otranto
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:381
    Content type: Research Published on:

  14. Ovine psoroptic mange (sheep scab) is a highly pathogenic contagious infection caused by the mite Psoroptes ovis. Following 21 years in which scab was eradicated in the UK, it was inadvertently reintroduced in 19...

    Authors: Emily Joanne Nixon, Ellen Brooks-Pollock and Richard Wall
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:344
    Content type: Research Published on:

  15. Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is a zoonotic disease caused by Leishmania infantum. Although usually transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, infection by vertical transmission and by blood transfusion have also been...

    Authors: Harold Salant, Yaarit Nachum‑Biala, Barbara Feinmesser, Maya Perelmutter and Gad Baneth
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:326
    Content type: Research Published on:

  16. Histomonosis is a severe re-emerging disease of poultry caused by Histomonas meleagridis, a protozoan parasite which survives in the environment via the cecal worm Heterakis gallinarum. Following infection, the p...

    Authors: Gürbüz Daş, Lukas Wachter, Manuel Stehr, Ivana Bilic, Beatrice Grafl, Patricia Wernsdorf, Cornelia C. Metges, Michael Hess and Dieter Liebhart
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:323
    Content type: Research Published on:

  17. The human flea, Pulex irritans, is widespread globally and has a long association with humans, one of its principal hosts. Its role in plague transmission is still under discussion, although its high prevalence i...

    Authors: Adélaïde Miarinjara, David M. Bland, James R. Belthoff and B. Joseph Hinnebusch
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:317
    Content type: Research Published on:

  18. Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) can be appropriately managed following international recommendations. However, few studies have assessed the preferred protocols in real-life veterinary practice and whether these a...

    Authors: Marta Monteiro, Sara Prata, Luís Cardoso, Isabel Pereira da Fonseca and Rodolfo Oliveira Leal
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:306
    Content type: Research Published on:

  19. A pivotal randomised, blinded, positive-controlled, multicentre, European field study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a novel combination tablet of lotilaner and milbemycin oxime (Cre...

    Authors: Sophie Forster, Scott Wiseman and Daniel E. Snyder
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:299
    Content type: Research Published on:

  20. Parasites, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists, helminths, and arthropods, are ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. Consequently, hosts are frequently infected with more than one parasite species simulta...

    Authors: Dávid Herczeg, János Ujszegi, Andrea Kásler, Dóra Holly and Attila Hettyey
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:296
    Content type: Review Published on:

  22. The combination of milbemycin oxime (MO) and lotilaner (Credelio® Plus) is a novel systemic endectocide that provides month-long effectiveness in dogs after a single oral treatment. The safety of Credelio® Plus f...

    Authors: Kari L. Riggs and Scott Wiseman
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:285
    Content type: Research Published on:

  23. Dirofilaria immitis, a globally distributed filarial parasite of dogs, is known to cause serious or fatal cardiopulmonary disease. Client-owned dogs were enrolled in a clinical field study in the USA to evaluate ...

    Authors: Lisa M. Young, Scott Wiseman, Elizabeth Crawley, Kim Wallace and Daniel E. Snyder
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:284
    Content type: Research Published on:

  24. Currently, various zoonotic diseases are classified as emerging or reemerging. Because equids have a direct relationship with various vectors, they are possibly more frequently exposed to zoonotic agents than ...

    Authors: Sonia Carmen Lopo Costa, Jéssica de Souza Freitas, Fábio Santos Carvalho, Maria Julia Salim Pereira, Matheus Dias Cordeiro, Adivaldo Henrique da Fonseca, Márcia Mariza Gomes Jusi, Rosangela Zacarias Machado and Alexandre Dias Munhoz
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:275
    Content type: Research Published on:

  25. Sarcocystis species are obligatorily heteroxenous parasites, of which some are zoonotic, representing a public health and economic impact. This study investigated the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. in cattle samp...

    Authors: Hang Zeng, Inge Van Damme, Teresia Wanjiru Kabi, Barbara Šoba and Sarah Gabriël
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:271
    Content type: Research Published on:

  26. The study objective was to examine cat owner ectoparasiticide purchases in the United States and estimate the impact of purchase gaps on timely ectoparasite protection administration. These purchase gaps lead ...

    Authors: Robert Lavan, Dorothy Normile, Imran Husain, Amita Singh and Kathleen Heaney
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:264
    Content type: Research Published on:

  27. A randomised, blinded, positive controlled, multicentre, Good Clinical Practice-compliant, pivotal field study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new combination of lotilaner + milbemy...

    Authors: Brad Hayes, Scott Wiseman and Daniel E. Snyder
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:258
    Content type: Research Published on:

  28. The ascarid, Toxocara canis, is a common and important zoonotic intestinal nematode parasite that infects dogs globally. An effective treatment that kills any pre-patent stages of immature T. canis could addition...

    Authors: Lisa M. Young, Scott Wiseman, Elizabeth Crawley, Dwight D. Bowman, Craig R. Reinemeyer and Daniel E. Snyder
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:256
    Content type: Research Published on:

  29. The hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum, is a common and important zoonotic intestinal nematode parasite that infects dogs globally. Both the immature and adult stages of A. caninum ingest large volumes of blood during...

    Authors: Daniel E. Snyder, Scott Wiseman, Elizabeth Crawley, Kim Wallace, Dwight D. Bowman and Craig R. Reinemeyer
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:255
    Content type: Research Published on:

  30. Swine coccidiosis, a protozoan disease caused by coccidia, can result in diarrhoea and weight loss in piglets and even economic losses in the pig industry. Here, we report the first systematic review and meta-...

    Authors: Qing-Long Gong, Wen-Xuan Zhao, Yan-Chun Wang, Ying Zong, Qi Wang, Yang Yang, Yi Yang, Kun Shi, Jian-Ming Li, Xue Leng, Rui Du and Quan Zhao
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:248
    Content type: Research Published on:

  31. Equine ascariosis, caused by Parascaris spp., is a worldwide endoparasitic disease affecting young horses in particular. Despite the great number of horses reared in Italy, large-scale epidemiological surveys dea...

    Authors: Antonio Scala, Claudia Tamponi, Giuliana Sanna, Giulio Predieri, Luisa Meloni, Stephane Knoll, Giampietro Sedda, Giorgia Dessì, Maria Grazia Cappai and Antonio Varcasia
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:246
    Content type: Research Published on:

  32. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) represent a significant economic burden to cattle farming in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria. However, in the northern part of this country, where the largest livesto...

    Authors: Adamu Haruna Mamman, Vincenzo Lorusso, Babagana Mohammed Adam, Goni Abraham Dogo, Kevin J. Bown and Richard J. Birtles
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:242
    Content type: Research Published on:

    The Correction to this article has been published in Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:353

  33. Cattle fever ticks (CFT), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and R. (B.) microplus, are vectors of microbes causing bovine babesiosis and pose a threat to the economic viability of the US livestock industry. Eff...

    Authors: Hsiao-Hsuan Wang, William E. Grant, Pete D. Teel, Kimberly H. Lohmeyer and Adalberto A. Pérez de León
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:231
    Content type: Research Published on:

  34. Various heartworm (HW) diagnostic testing modalities detect products of, or reactions to, different life cycle stages of Dirofilaria immitis. Microfilariae (Mf) can be directly visualized in blood, antigen (Ag) f...

    Authors: Jennifer N. Lane, Annette Litster, Susan E. Little, Jessica Y. Rodriguez, Kennedy K. Mwacalimba, Kellee D. Sundstrom, E. Susan Amirian, Simone D. Guerios, Maria A. Serrano, Kellie M. Hays and Julie K. Levy
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:224
    Content type: Research Published on:

  35. Cattle are intermediate hosts of six Sarcocystis species, among which Sarcocystis hominis and Sarcocystis heydorni can infect humans through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat. In addition to the zoonotic...

    Authors: Selene Rubiola, Tiziana Civera, Felice Panebianco, Davide Vercellino and Francesco Chiesa
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:223
    Content type: Research Published on:

  36. Dogs are the main reservoir hosts of Leishmania infantum; nevertheless, recent investigations indicate a likely role for cats in the epidemiology of Leishmania infection. Feline leishmaniosis (FeL) remains poorly...

    Authors: Giulia Savioli, Joy Archer, Emanuele Brianti, Giovanni Benelli, Manuela Schnyder, Roberta Iatta, Domenico Otranto and Cinzia Cantacessi
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:217
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  37. The salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is a parasite of salmonid fish. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exhibit only a limited and ineffective immune response when infested with this parasite. Prostaglandins (PG...

    Authors: Sussie Dalvin, Christiane Eichner, Michael Dondrup and Aina-Cathrine Øvergård
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:206
    Content type: Research Published on:

  38. Onchocerca lupi is an emerging, zoonotic filarioid nematode associated with ocular disease in companion animals in North America and the Old World. The areas where this parasite is assumed to be endemic in the US...

    Authors: Guilherme G. Verocai, Caroline Sobotyk, Allegra Lamison, Mindy M. Borst and Erin E. Edwards
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:203
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  39. Onchocerca lupi and Cercopithifilaria spp. are vector-borne filarioids of dogs, which harbour skin microfilariae (mfs), the former being of zoonotic concern. Proper treatment studies using compounds with microfil...

    Authors: Domenico Otranto, Vito Colella, Marcos Antônio Bezerra-Santos, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Maria Alfonsa Cavalera, André Pereira, Roland Schaper and Carla Maia
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:199
    Content type: Research Published on:

  40. Growing evidence points towards a role of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth parasites of ruminants in modifying the composition of the host gut flora, with likely repercussions on the pathophysiology of worm infe...

    Authors: James Rooney, Alba Cortés, Riccardo Scotti, Daniel R. G. Price, Yvonne Bartley, Karen Fairlie-Clarke, Tom N. McNeilly, Alasdair J. Nisbet and Cinzia Cantacessi
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:189
    Content type: Research Published on:

  41. Poultry red mite (PRM) (Dermanyssus gallinae) infestations are a cause of anaemia, impaired productivity and stress-related behaviours linked to reduced hen welfare. A study investigated the potential health, wel...

    Authors: Ivo Petersen, Katharina Johannhörster, Eric Pagot, Damian Escribano, Eva Zschiesche, Déborah Temple and Emmanuel Thomas
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:181
    Content type: Research Published on:

  42. Feline leishmaniosis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by Leishmania spp. Leishmania infection in dogs is prevalent in the Mediterranean basin, but in other animals, such as cats, it could also play a ro...

    Authors: Maria Magdalena Alcover, Asier Basurco, Antonio Fernandez, Cristina Riera, Roser Fisa, Ana Gonzalez, Maite Verde, Ana María Garrido, Héctor Ruíz, Andrés Yzuel and Sergio Villanueva-Saz
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:178
    Content type: Research Published on:

  44. Canine life stage is a key factor in parasite prevalence as clinical signs associated with parasitism are more common in pups. In adult dogs, health status and geographical region may also play a role in paras...

    Authors: Sarah Sweet, Evan Hegarty, Donald J. McCrann, Michael Coyne, Dave Kincaid and Donald Szlosek
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:173
    Content type: Research Published on:

  45. In Spain, sarcoptic mange was first described in native wildlife in 1987 in Cazorla Natural Park, causing the death of nearly 95% of the local native population of Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica). Since then, addi...

    Authors: Barbara Moroni, Samer Angelone, Jesús M. Pérez, Anna Rita Molinar Min, Mario Pasquetti, Paolo Tizzani, Jorge Ramón López-Olvera, Marta Valldeperes, José Enrique Granados, Santiago Lavín, Gregorio Mentaberre, Leonor Camacho-Sillero, Carlos Martínez-Carrasco, Alvaro Oleaga, Mónica Candela, Pier Giuseppe Meneguz…
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:171
    Content type: Research Published on:

  46. Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are caused by a wide range of pathogens transmitted by arthropods. They have been an issue of growing importance in recent years; however, there is limited information abou...

    Authors: Ana Mafalda Dordio, Relja Beck, Telmo Nunes, Isabel Pereira da Fonseca and Jacinto Gomes
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:163
    Content type: Research Published on:

  48. Theileria orientalis is a tick-borne hemoparasite that causes anemia, ill thrift, and death in cattle globally. The Ikeda strain of T. orientalis is more virulent than other strains, leading to severe clinical si...

    Authors: Kelcey D. Dinkel, David R. Herndon, Susan M. Noh, Kevin K. Lahmers, S. Michelle Todd, Massaro W. Ueti, Glen A. Scoles, Kathleen L. Mason and Lindsay M. Fry
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:157
    Content type: Research Published on:

  49. Scabies and impetigo are endemic in many tropical, low- and middle-income countries. Mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin has emerged as a control strategy for these conditions. In 2019, Timor-Leste ...

    Authors: Alexander Matthews, Brandon Le, Salvador Amaral, Paul Arkell, Merita Monteiro, Naomi Clarke, Terlinda Barros, Joaquim de Jesus Mendonça, Sonia Maria Exposto Gusmão, Leonia Maria dos Reis Seixas, João Henrique Araújo da Piedade, Daniel Engelman, Andrew C. Steer, Nicholas S. S. Fancourt, Jennifer Yan, John Kaldor…
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:156
    Content type: Research Published on:

  50. Scabies is caused by burrowing of the mite Sarcoptes scabiei into the stratum corneum. Currently, diagnosis via routine skin scraping is very difficult, and information on the allergenic identification of S. scab...

    Authors: Nengxing Shen, Yuhang Chen, Wenrui Wei, Lang Xiong, Yuanyuan Tao, Jie Xiao, Song Liu, Xue He, Xiaodi Du, Xiaobin Gu, Yue Xie, Jing Xu, Xuerong Peng and Guangyou Yang
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:148
    Content type: Research Published on:

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