Publications by authors named "Valentina Luci"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigated two types of parasitic nematodes from the family Acuariidae found in piscivorous birds, specifically the European great cormorant from Italy and the pygmy cormorant from Israel.
- Researchers used light and scanning electron microscopy along with DNA sequencing to analyze the parasites.
- Findings included the first record of Acuariidae in Israel and new molecular data that can aid future research on these parasites' distribution and evolution.
Synanthropic rodents play a crucial role in maintaining the life cycle of in anthropized regions and can serve as indicators of environmental oocyst contamination. This investigation aimed to explore the occurrence of infection within synanthropic rodent populations using a molecular diagnostic technique targeting the 18S rDNA gene, which is generic for Coccidia, with subsequent specific PCR confirmation. We examined 97 brown rats (), 67 black rats (), 47 house mice (), and 1 common shrew ().
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe distribution of parasites is shaped by a variety of factors, among which are the migratory movements of their hosts. Israel has a unique position to migratory routes of several bird species leaving Europe to winter in Africa, however, detailed studies on the parasite fauna of birds from this area are scarce. Our study investigates occurrence and distribution of sibling species among complex in from Italy and Israel, to acquire further information on the geographical range of these species to gain deeper knowledge on the ecology of these parasites and their bird host.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Freshwater and marine ecosystems, particularly the Sea of Galilee, serve as habitats for parasitic nematodes from the Anisakidae family, which can use various fish species as hosts to complete their life cycle.
- A study conducted in 2021, 57 years after the initial survey in 1964, found a significant decrease in the prevalence of nematode larvae in fish, with rates of 16.8% in 1964 dropping to 0.85% in 2021, using both morphological and molecular identification methods.
- The research discovered two native cyprinid fish infected with larvae and highlighted the importance of understanding the distribution and host range of these parasites for potential risks in fishery products