One new and one known species of parasitic nematodes are reported from Thailand for the first time: Falcaustra kaverii (Karve et Naik,1951) (Kathlaniidae) from the intestine of the freshwater fish Poropuntius deauratus (Valenciennes) (Cyprinidae) (new host record) and Ascarophis scatophagi sp. nov. (Cystidicolidae) from the intestine of the marine fish Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus) (Scatophagidae). The morphology of both these species was studied with the use of light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (the latter method used for F. kaverii for the first time). The new species (A. scatophagi) is mainly characterized by nonfilamented, markedly elongate-oval eggs (size 42-45 × 18 μm), spicules 555-642 μm and 105-150 μm long, the muscular/glandular oesophagus length ratio (1:13-34), bifurcate deirids, the length of the female tail (159-249 μm) and cephalic structures typical of the nominotypical subgenus Ascarophis. Representatives of Falcaustra Lane, 1915 and Ascarophis van Beneden, 1871 were not previously reported from fishes in Thai waters.
Rickettsial infections (Rickettsioses) are the causes of acute fever found in Thailand. It is classified as acute febrile illnesses transmitted by bloodsucking arthropod vectors (tick, flea, and chigger). This research investigated pathogens of scrub typhus in vectors from Bangkaew District, Phatthalung Province. A total of 303 pools of vector samples were ticks (
Rhipicephalus sanguineus, R. microplus
, and
Haemaphysalis
sp.), fleas (
Ctenocephalides felis orientis, C. f. felis
, and
C. canis
), and chiggers (
Leptotrombidium deliense, Aschoschoengastia indica, Blankaartia acuscutellaris
and
Walchia disparunguis pingue
) collected from reservoir hosts (dogs and rodents). The 17 and 56 kDa gene of
Rickettsia
causing scrub typhus were found in 29% of ticks and 98% of flea. DNA sequence analysis reveeled the detected strains were
R. asembonensis
and
Rickettsia
sp. cf1 and 5.The chiggers, 1%, were infected with
Rickettsia
strain TA763, a pathogen of scrub typhus.
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