Crossed effects of helminth infection and lead exposure on fitness: An experimental study in feral pigeons (Columba livia).

Living organisms are exposed to multiple environmental factors that can affect their fitness. The negative effects of these simultaneous stressors can be additive or can interact in negative synergistic or antagonistic ways to affect the health of exposed individuals. Parasites can accumulate pollutants in their own tissues and have been shown to increase the tolerance of their hosts to different pollutants (antagonistic interaction between parasites and pollutants).

Differential analysis of the haemolymph proteome of Carcinus maenas parasitized by Sacculina carcini (Cirripeda, Rhizocephala) reveals potential mechanisms of parasite control.

Sacculina carcini is an endoparasite of the green crab, Carcinus maenas. This parasite induces behavioural changes in its host and affects its metabolism by inhibiting moulting and reproduction. Using a proteomic approach in mass spectrometry, we studied the haemolymph proteomes of healthy and parasitized wild green crabs from Brittany, France to identify proteins that are differentially expressed as a consequence of parasitization.

The "parasite detoxification hypothesis": lead exposure potentially changes the ecological interaction from parasitism to mutualism.

In urban areas, organisms are exposed to high pollutant levels, especially element trace metals that may impact host-parasite interactions. Indeed, parasites have been reported to reduce the negative effects of pollutants on their hosts. The fitness of parasitized organisms in polluted environments may therefore be greater than that of unparasitized organisms.

Morphostructural data and phylogenetic relationships of a new cnidarian myxosporean infecting spleen of an economic and ecological important bryconid fish from Brazil.

A new cnidarian myxosporean infecting the spleen of an economic and ecological important bryconid fish (Salminus franciscanus) is described based on integrative taxonomic approach including morphological, ultrastructural, biological traits, geography, molecular data and phylogenetic analysis. In a total of thirty specimens examined, nineteen (63.3%) were infected by an undescribed parasite species belonging to the genus Myxobolus.

Taxonomy and 18S rDNA-based phylogeny of Henneguya multiradiatus n. sp. (Cnidaria: Myxobolidae) a parasite of Brochis multiradiatus from Peruvian Amazon.

A new myxozoan species belonging to the genus Henneguya was isolated from the serous membrane of the visceral cavity of the hognosed catfish Brochis multiradiatus from Peruvian Amazon. Whitish plasmodia, macroscopically visible, were found in four of the thirty examined fishes. Mature myxospores were ellipsoidal in shape in frontal view and had a total length of 44.

Molecular Phylogeny and taxonomy of a new Myxobolus species from the endangered ornamental fish, Otocinclus cocama endemic to Peru: A host-parasite coextinction approach.

A new Myxobolus species is described infecting gill filaments of the endangered ornamental fish Otocinclus cocama from Peruvian Amazon. In a total of 35 fish examined, five (14.3%) had myxozoan plasmodia.

Development of Graphidium strigosum (Nematoda, Haemonchidae) in its natural host, the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and comparison with several Haemonchidae parasites of ruminants.

The morphogenesis (studied for the first time) and the chronology of the life cycle of Graphidium strigosum (Dujardin, 1845) were studied in detail in its natural host, Oryctolagus cuniculus. Naive rabbits were each infected per os with G. strigosum infective larvae (L3).