Although feline platynosomosis has been commonly reported in several parts of the world, the taxonomy and epidemiological chain related to cat liver flukes remain controversial. In this study, nuclear ribosomal ITS, 28S, and mitochondrial cox1 sequences obtained for Platynosomum illiciens from cat, marmoset, lizard, and snail found naturally infected in Brazil reveal no significant molecular differences between these isolates. Moreover, sequence data confirm that Brazilian P. illiciens from different hosts is conspecific with parasites obtained from cats in Vietnam, supporting wide distribution of the species. The lack of pronounced specificity of P. illiciens to definitive hosts is confirmed here for the first time using molecular approach. The results are discussed in context of the epizootology of platynosomosis.
Hippocrepis hippocrepis
is a notocotylid that has been widely reported in capybaras; however, the molluscs that act as intermediate hosts of this parasite remain unknown. Furthermore, there are currently no molecular data available for
H
.
hippocrepis
regarding its phylogenetic relationship with other members of the family Notocotylidae. In the present study, we collected monostome cercariae and adult parasites from the planorbid
Biomphalaria straminea
and in the large intestine of capybaras, respectively, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We subjected them to morphological and molecular (amplification and sequencing of partial regions of 28S and
cox-1
genes) studies. Adult parasites collected from the capybaras were identified as
H
.
hippocrepis
and the sequences obtained for both molecular markers showed 100% similarity with monostome cercariae found in
B
.
straminea
. The sequences obtained for
H
.
hippocrepis
were compared with data available in public databases; analysis revealed this species differs from other notocotylids with available sequences (1.5–3.8% with respect to 28S and 11.4%–13.8% with respect to
cox-1
). On the phylogenetic analyses,
H
.
hippocrepis
appeared to be a distinct lineage in relation to other notocotylids. Some ecological aspects related to the infection of capybaras with
H
.
hippocrepis
are briefly discussed.
We investigated the transmission of the fishborne trematodes Centrocestus formosanus and Haplorchis pumilio by Melanoides tuberculata snails in Peru. We report on results of experimental, morphological, and molecular approaches and discuss the potential risk for future human cases, given the existence of food habits in the country involving the ingestion of raw fish.
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