M Adela Valero1, M Dolores Bargues1, Messaoud Khoubbane1, Patricio Artigas1, Carla Quesada1, Lavinia Berinde2, Florencio M Ubeira3, Mercedes Mezo4, Jose L Hernandez5, Veronica H Agramunt1, Santiago Mas-Coma6. 1. Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. 2. Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain Department of Microbiology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", 6 Louis Pasteur street, Cluj-Napoca 400394, Romania. 3. Laboratorio de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15784 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 4. Laboratorio de Parasitoloxía, Centro de Investigacións Agrarias de Mabegondo, Instituto Galego da Calidade Alimentaria-Xunta de Galicia, Carretera AC-542 de Betanzos a Mesón do Vento, km 7, 15318 Abegondo, A Coruña, Spain. 5. Laboratorio de Análisis Clínicos, Hospital Central de la Defensa Gómez Ulla, Calle Glorieta del Ejercito No. 1, 28047 Madrid, Spain. 6. Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain S.Mas.Coma@uv.es.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fascioliasis is caused by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. The latter, always considered secondary in human infection, nowadays appears increasingly involved in Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, little is known about its pathogenicity, mainly due to difficulties in assessing the moment a patient first becomes infected and the differential diagnosis with F. hepatica. METHODS: A long-term, 24-week, experimental study comparing F. hepatica and F. gigantica was made for the first time in the same animal model host, Guirra sheep. Serum biochemical parameters of liver damage, serum electrolytes, protein metabolism, plasma proteins, carbohydrate metabolism, hepatic lipid metabolism and inflammation were analysed on a biweekly basis as morbidity indicators. Serum anti-Fasciola IgG, coproantigen and egg shedding were simultaneously followed up. RESULTS: rDNA and mtDNA sequencing and the morphometric study by computer image analysis system (CIAS) showed that fasciolids used fitted standard species characteristics. Results demonstrated that F. gigantica is more pathogenic, given its bigger size and biomass but not due to genetic differences which are few. Fasciola gigantica shows a delayed development of 1-2 weeks regarding both the biliary phase and the beginning of egg shedding, with respective consequences for biochemical modifications in the acute and chronic periods. CONCLUSIONS: The higher F. gigantica pathogenicity contrasts with previous studies which only reflected the faster development of F. hepatica observed in short-term experiments.
BACKGROUND: Fascioliasis is caused by Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. The latter, always considered secondary in humaninfection, nowadays appears increasingly involved in Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, little is known about its pathogenicity, mainly due to difficulties in assessing the moment a patient first becomes infected and the differential diagnosis with F. hepatica. METHODS: A long-term, 24-week, experimental study comparing F. hepatica and F. gigantica was made for the first time in the same animal model host, Guirra sheep. Serum biochemical parameters of liver damage, serum electrolytes, protein metabolism, plasma proteins, carbohydrate metabolism, hepatic lipid metabolism and inflammation were analysed on a biweekly basis as morbidity indicators. Serum anti-Fasciola IgG, coproantigen and egg shedding were simultaneously followed up. RESULTS: rDNA and mtDNA sequencing and the morphometric study by computer image analysis system (CIAS) showed that fasciolids used fitted standard species characteristics. Results demonstrated that F. gigantica is more pathogenic, given its bigger size and biomass but not due to genetic differences which are few. Fasciola gigantica shows a delayed development of 1-2 weeks regarding both the biliary phase and the beginning of egg shedding, with respective consequences for biochemical modifications in the acute and chronic periods. CONCLUSIONS: The higher F. gigantica pathogenicity contrasts with previous studies which only reflected the faster development of F. hepatica observed in short-term experiments.
Authors: Victoria Martínez-Sernández; Ricardo A Orbegozo-Medina; Marta González-Warleta; Mercedes Mezo; Florencio M Ubeira Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2016-07-20
Authors: Victoria Martínez-Sernández; María J Perteguer; Mercedes Mezo; Marta González-Warleta; Teresa Gárate; M Adela Valero; Florencio M Ubeira Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-11-21 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: M Adela Valero; Ignacio Perez-Crespo; Carlos Chillón-Marinas; Messaoud Khoubbane; Carla Quesada; Marta Reguera-Gomez; Santiago Mas-Coma; Manuel Fresno; Núria Gironès Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-03-31 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: J González-Miguel; M A Valero; M Reguera-Gomez; C Mas-Bargues; M D Bargues; F Simón; S Mas-Coma Journal: Parasitology Date: 2018-09-24 Impact factor: 3.234