Dentition patterns and molecular diversity of Mastophorus muris (Gmelin, 1790) (Nematoda: Spiruroidea) support a host-associated subdivision.

Mastophorus muris (Gmelin, 1790) is a globally distributed parasitic nematode of broad range mammals. The taxonomy within the genus Mastophorus and the cryptic diversity among the genus are controversial among taxonomists. This study provides a detailed morphological description of M.

Aberrant microbiomes are associated with increased antibiotic resistance gene load in hybrid mice.

Antibiotic resistance is a priority public health problem resulting from eco-evolutionary dynamics within microbial communities and their interaction at a mammalian host interface or geographical scale. The links between mammalian host genetics, bacterial gut community, and antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) content must be better understood in natural populations inhabiting heterogeneous environments. Hybridization, the interbreeding of genetically divergent populations, influences different components of the gut microbial communities.

Host weight, seasonality and anthropogenic factors contribute to parasite community differences between urban and rural foxes.

Pathogens often occur at different prevalence along environmental gradients. This is of particular importance for gradients of anthropogenic impact such as rural-urban transitions presenting a changing interface between humans and wildlife. The assembly of parasite communities is affected by both the external environmental conditions and individual host characteristics.

Shifting focus from resistance to disease tolerance: A review on hybrid house mice.

Parasites have been proposed to modulate the fitness of hybridizing hosts in part based on observations in the European house mouse hybrid zone (HMHZ), a tension zone in which hybrids show reduced fitness. We here review evidence (1) for parasite load differences in hybrid versus parental mice and (2) for health and fitness effects of parasites promoting or preventing introgression and hybridization. The question of relative resistance or susceptibility of hybrids to parasites in the HMHZ has long been controversial.

DNA-based quantification and counting of transmission stages provides different but complementary parasite load estimates: an example from rodent coccidia (Eimeria).

Background: Counting parasite transmission stages in faeces is the classical measurement to quantify "parasite load". DNA-based quantifications of parasite intensities from faecal samples are relatively novel and often validated against such counts. When microscopic and molecular quantifications do not correlate, it is unclear whether oocyst counts or DNA-based intensity better reflects biologically meaningful concepts.

Coupling between tolerance and resistance for two related parasite species.

Resistance (host capacity to reduce parasite burden) and tolerance (host capacity to reduce impact on its health for a given parasite burden) manifest two different lines of defense. Tolerance can be independent from resistance, traded off against it, or the two can be positively correlated because of redundancy in underlying (immune) processes. We here tested whether this coupling between tolerance and resistance could differ upon infection with closely related parasite species.

Generalist species in rodents: Multilocus analyses indicate inadequate resolution of established markers.

Intracellular parasites of the genus are described as tissue/host-specific. Phylogenetic classification of rodent suggested that some species have a broader host range than previously assumed. We explore whether spp.

Intensity of infection with intracellular Eimeria spp. and pinworms is reduced in hybrid mice compared to parental subspecies.

Genetic diversity in animal immune systems is usually beneficial. In hybrid recombinants, this is less clear, as the immune system could also be impacted by genetic conflicts. In the European house mouse hybrid zone, the long-standing impression that hybrid mice are more highly parasitized and less fit than parentals persists despite the findings of recent studies.

Detection and quantification of house mouse at the species level - Challenges and solutions for the assessment of coccidia in wildlife.

Detection and quantification of coccidia in studies of wildlife can be challenging. Therefore, prevalence of coccidia is often not assessed at the parasite species level in non-livestock animals. Parasite species - specific prevalences are especially important when studying evolutionary questions in wild populations.