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A significant number of studies report growing resistance in nematodes thriving in both humans and livestock. This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic efficiency of Curcubita pepo (C. pepo) L. hot water extract (HWE), cold water extract (CWE) or ethanol extract (ETE) on two model nematodes: Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and Heligmosoides bakeri (H. bakeri). Methods: Raman, IR and LC-MS spectroscopy analyses were performed on the studied plant material to deliver qualitative and quantitative data on the composition of the obtained extracts: ETE, HWE and CWE. The in vitro activity evaluation showed an impact of C. pepo extracts on C. elegans and different developmental stages of H. bakeri. The following in vivo experiments on mice infected with H. bakeri confirmed inhibitory properties of the most active pumpkin extract selected by the in vitro study. All of the extracts were found to contain cucurbitine, aminoacids, fatty acids, and-for the first time-berberine and palmatine were identified. All C. pepo seed extracts exhibited a nematidicidal potential in vitro, affecting the survival of L1 and L2 H. bakeri larvae. The ETE was the strongest and demonstrated a positive effect on H. bakeri eggs hatching and marked inhibitory properties against worm motility, compared to a PBS control. No significant effects of pumpkin seed extracts on C. elegans integrity or motility were found. The EtOH extract in the in vivo studies showed anthelmintic properties against both H. bakeri fecal egg counts and adult worm burdens. The highest egg counts reduction was observed for the 8 g/kg dose (IC50 against H. bakeri = 2.43; 95% Cl = 2.01–2.94). A decrease in faecal egg counts (FEC) was accompanied by a significant reduction in worm burden of the treated mice compared to the control group. Conclusions: Pumpkin seed extracts may be used to control of Gastrointestinal (G.I.) nematode infections. This relatively inexpensive alternative to the currently available chemotherapeutic should be considered as a novel drug candidate in the nearest future.

The autopsy of 487 slaughter horses revealed the presence of Anoplocephala perfoliata in 36 animals. The invasions varied in the intensity (3 to 2,069 tapeworms) and in the level of tapeworms’ proglottid maturity. Twenty nine horses were found to contain tapeworms with gravid proglottid. Fecal samples collected from the rectum were tested using following techniques: flotation with solution-saturated NaCl, decantation, McMaster’s, and modified sedimentation-flotation methods (50 g feces samples, flotation solution-saturated NaCl and sucrose, specific gravity 1.25 g/ml). The number of A. perfoliata positive fecal samples was significantly higher using the sedimentation-flotation methods 21 (58.33 %) than flotation 6 (16.66 %), decantation 3 (8.33 %), and McMaster’s 1 (2.77 %) techniques. The sensitivities of the coprological methods during the patent period were 20.69, 10.34, 3.45, and 72.41 % for the flotation, decantation, McMaster’s, and sedimentation-flotation method, respectively. Sedimentation–flotation techniques proved to be more sensitive than other one. The lowest intensity of invasion possible to detect using this method was nine tapeworms with gravid proglottid.

The objective of the study was to examine a population of free-living carnivorous mammals most commonly found in Poland (red fox, beech marten, and raccoon) for the occurrence of bacteria that are potentially pathogenic for humans and other animal species and to determine their virulence potential (the presence of selected virulence genes). From the total pool of isolates obtained (n = 328), we selected 90 belonging to species that pose the greatest potential threat to human health: Salmonella spp. (n = 19; 4.51%), Yersinia enterocolitica (n = 10; 2.37%), Listeria monocytogenes and L. ivanovii (n = 21), and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 40; 9.5%). The Salmonella spp. isolates represented three different subspecies; S. enterica subsp. enterica accounted for a significant proportion (15/19), and most of the serotypes isolated (S. Typhimurium, S. Infantis, S. Newport and S. Enteritidis) were among the 10 non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes that are most often responsible for infections in Europe, including Poland. Y. enterococlitica was detected in the smallest percentage of animals, but 60% of strains among the isolates tested possessed the ail gene, which is responsible for attachment and invasion. Potentially pathogenic Listeria species were isolated from approx. 5% of the animals. The presence of all tested virulence genes was shown in 35% of L. monocytogenes strains, while in the case of the other strains, the genes occurred in varying numbers and configurations. The presence of the inlA, inlC, hlyA, and iap genes was noted in all strains, whereas the genes encoding PI-PLC, actin, and internalin Imo2821 were present in varying percentages (from 80% to 55%). S. aureus was obtained from 40 individuals. Most isolates possessed the hla, hld (95% for each), and hlb (32.5%) genes encoding hemolysins as well as the gene encoding leukotoxin lukED (70%). In a similar percentage of strains (77.5%), the presence of at least one gene encoding enterotoxin was found, with 12.5% exhibiting the presence of egc-like variants. In two animals, we also noted the gene encoding the TSST-1 toxin. The results of the study showed that free-living animals may be a significant reservoir of bacteria that are potentially pathogenic for humans. The results of the statistical analysis revealed that, among the animals species studied, the red fox constitutes the most important source of infections.

Worldwide, data on Capillaria (Pearsonema) plica infections of the urinary tract in domestic carnivores are limited. Nevertheless, cystitis with hematuria, dysuria or pollakiuria may suggest a C. plica infection. A three-year old dog from Poland showing pollakiuria and hematuria was presented. At urine analysis, C. plica eggs were found in the urine sediment. The dog was unsuccessfully treated with a daily oral dose of fenbendazole 50 mg/kg BW for 5 days, while a single subcutaneous administration of ivermectin 0.2 mg/kg BW once effectively eliminated C. plica infection.

Effect of dietary supplementation with preparation comprising the blend of essential oil from Origanumvulgare (lamiaceae) and Citrus spp. (citraceae) on coccidia invasion and lamb growth,

The field survey has been performed to study the epidemiology of calf coccidiosis in Poland. It was found that the Eimeria spp. coccidia occurred on 93.0 % of the investigated farms. But the highly pathogenic species (E. bovis and E. zuernii) were found on 88.4 % of the investigated farms. Those were also found more frequently in bigger farms (92.3 %) compared to smaller ones (85.1 %). However, the intensity of E. bovis as well as E. zuernii infection remained, in most cases, low -75.4 and 79.8 % or moderate -21.3 and 18.5 %, respectively. The intensity of those infections was, respectively, 3.1x and 1.9x higher in big farms. Conclusion: The Eimeria spp. are very common pathogens in cattle farms in Poland. The highly pathogenic Eimeria occurred more frequently in big rather than in small farms.