Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles
Infection by blood flukes Hapalotrema mistroides and Neospirorchis sp. (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) has been recently reported in Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Mediterranean Sea. Observations of post mortem lesions are generally used to assess disease severity, and few attempts have been made...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2018-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224418300737 |
| _version_ | 1818110106364018688 |
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| author | Erica Marchiori Rudi Cassini Irene Ricci Federica Marcer |
| author_facet | Erica Marchiori Rudi Cassini Irene Ricci Federica Marcer |
| author_sort | Erica Marchiori |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Infection by blood flukes Hapalotrema mistroides and Neospirorchis sp. (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) has been recently reported in Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Mediterranean Sea. Observations of post mortem lesions are generally used to assess disease severity, and few attempts have been made to standardize the evaluation of the parasitic burden from tissue egg counts. Faeces and spleen homogenates of 105 loggerheads from the northwestern Adriatic Sea were submitted to a sedimentation-flotation technique for the research of spirorchiid eggs; molecular techniques were used for unequivocal identification. Egg quantification for positive faeces and spleen samples was achieved using a modified McMaster method. Spleen samples were also submitted to quantification through the only method cited in the literature for similar purposes, which involves preventive chemical digestion. Correlations between splenic counts obtained from the two different methods and between faecal and splenic egg burdens were calculated using Spearman's rho test. Concordance between studies on eggs in faeces and spleen tissue was also calculated. Eggs of H. mistroides and Neogen-11 were found in spleen and faecal samples. Strong correlations were found between splenic egg burdens calculated from the two methods for H. mistroides, demonstrating that the modified McMaster method can be used for quantification. A multiplying factor must be used before drawing comparisons, as egg burdens are higher in value when measured after chemical digestion. High concordance was obtained from a qualitative examination of faeces and spleen tissue of H. mistroides, showing that copromicroscopic examination can be used for in vivo diagnosis. As weak correlations were found between faecal and splenic egg counts, faecal burden cannot be regarded as indicative of disease severity. For Neogen-11, low concordance was found between faeces and spleen tissue, likely reflecting lower levels of egg embolization in organs. Keywords: Sea turtles, Spirorchiidae, McMaster, Egg burden |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:41:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-061353bba2b64944a8e23b314246a59c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-2244 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T02:41:52Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| spelling | doaj.art-061353bba2b64944a8e23b314246a59c2022-12-22T01:23:33ZengElsevierInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife2213-22442018-12-0173409414Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtlesErica Marchiori0Rudi Cassini1Irene Ricci2Federica Marcer3Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, PD, Italy; Corresponding author. Tel.: +390498272777.Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, PD, ItalySchool of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Via Gentile III Da Varano, 62032, Camerino, MC, ItalyDepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, PD, ItalyInfection by blood flukes Hapalotrema mistroides and Neospirorchis sp. (Digenea: Spirorchiidae) has been recently reported in Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) in the Mediterranean Sea. Observations of post mortem lesions are generally used to assess disease severity, and few attempts have been made to standardize the evaluation of the parasitic burden from tissue egg counts. Faeces and spleen homogenates of 105 loggerheads from the northwestern Adriatic Sea were submitted to a sedimentation-flotation technique for the research of spirorchiid eggs; molecular techniques were used for unequivocal identification. Egg quantification for positive faeces and spleen samples was achieved using a modified McMaster method. Spleen samples were also submitted to quantification through the only method cited in the literature for similar purposes, which involves preventive chemical digestion. Correlations between splenic counts obtained from the two different methods and between faecal and splenic egg burdens were calculated using Spearman's rho test. Concordance between studies on eggs in faeces and spleen tissue was also calculated. Eggs of H. mistroides and Neogen-11 were found in spleen and faecal samples. Strong correlations were found between splenic egg burdens calculated from the two methods for H. mistroides, demonstrating that the modified McMaster method can be used for quantification. A multiplying factor must be used before drawing comparisons, as egg burdens are higher in value when measured after chemical digestion. High concordance was obtained from a qualitative examination of faeces and spleen tissue of H. mistroides, showing that copromicroscopic examination can be used for in vivo diagnosis. As weak correlations were found between faecal and splenic egg counts, faecal burden cannot be regarded as indicative of disease severity. For Neogen-11, low concordance was found between faeces and spleen tissue, likely reflecting lower levels of egg embolization in organs. Keywords: Sea turtles, Spirorchiidae, McMaster, Egg burdenhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224418300737 |
| spellingShingle | Erica Marchiori Rudi Cassini Irene Ricci Federica Marcer Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| title | Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles |
| title_full | Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles |
| title_fullStr | Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles |
| title_short | Qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating Spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles |
| title_sort | qualitative and quantitative methods for estimating spirorchiidiasis burden in sea turtles |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224418300737 |
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