Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Rodent Populations in Tokyo, Japan.

The persistence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among wildlife populations poses a potential risk for the emergence of novel variants. Therefore, monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infections in animals is crucial. As urban rodents live in close proximity to human habitats, there is a concern that they may be a potential source of zoonoses.

Common substitution mutation F348Y of acetylcholinesterase gene contributes to organophosphate and carbamate resistance in Cimex lectularius and C. hemipterus.

Bed bug control highly depends on insecticides with a limited number of modes of action, especially since the global prevalence of pyrethroid resistance. De facto insecticide options against bed bugs in Japan are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEis) that consist of organophosphates and carbamates. However, the status of AChEi resistance and the mechanisms involved have not been ascertained.

A novel nyavirus lacking matrix and glycoprotein genes from Argas japonicus ticks.

Viruses are highly diverse and are the sole agents that can infect organisms in all domains of life. Viruses are defined as capsid-encoding organisms as opposed to ribosome-encoding cellular organisms. However, recent advances in virology indicate the existence of unique viruses that do not meet this basic definition, such as capsidless viruses.

Current Incidence and Contamination Sources of Ascariasis in Japan.

Ascaris lumbricoides or roundworm is one of the key soil-transmitted helminths affecting humans. A small number of infections continue to occur in Japan, suggesting plant foodstuff contamination as the source of infection. To understand the current status of ascariasis incidence and to identify potential sources of infection, we extensively surveyed the available literature and collected data from testing facilities that examined clinical samples or foodstuffs.

Sexual differentiation and developmental stage identification of the Indian cockroach, Pycnoscelus indicus (Blattodea: Blaberidae).

We found that sexual differentiation of all the nymphal stages of Pycnoscelus indicus (Fabricius) was possible by observing the developmental features of their posterior abdominal segments. Using this observation, the sex of even the 1(st) stage instar nymph could be determined. The female of the 1(st) to 6(th) stage instar nymph possess a V-shaped notch at the middle of the posterior edge of the 9(th) sternite.

Effects of estrogen on food intake, serum leptin levels and leptin mRNA expression in adipose tissue of female rats.

The integration of metabolism and reproduction involves complex interactions of hypothalamic neuropeptides with metabolic hormones, fuels, and sex steroids. Of these, estrogen influences food intake, body weight, and the accumulation and distribution of adipose tissue. In this study, the effects of estrogen on food intake, serum leptin levels, and leptin mRNA expression were evaluated in ovariectomized rats.

First report of Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Nematoda: Angiostrongylidae) infections in invasive rodents from five islands of the Ogasawara Archipelago, Japan.

Background: Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935) is a parasite of murid rodents and causative agent of human neuro-angiostrongyliasis. In 2011, the Ogasawara Islands in the western North Pacific were assigned a World Natural Heritage site status. The occurrence of A.

Cockroach fauna in the Ogasawara Chain Islands of Japan and analysis of their habitats.

A survey of cockroach fauna was carried out on the 3 inhabited islands of the Ogasawara chain island of Japan, namely, Chichijima island, Hahajima island and Iwo island. Seven species, namely, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758), Periplaneta australasiae (Fabricius, 1775), Blattella lituricollis (Walker, 1868), Onychostylus vilis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865), Supella longipalpa (Fabricius, 1798), Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Opisthoplatia orientalis (Burmeister, 1838), were collected on Chichijima island. Four species, namely, P.

Phylogenetic relationships of rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, isolated from different geographical regions revealed widespread multiple lineages.

We conducted a pilot survey of genetic variation of A. cantonensis using small subunit (SSU) ribosomal (r) RNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (coxI) gene sequences. Two distinct SSU genotypes (G1 and G2) were identified among 17 individual A.