Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) remain an often-underestimated challenge in European pig production, affecting animal health, performance, and economic outcomes. The predominant species, Ascaris (A.) suum, Oesophagostomum (O.) spp., and Trichuris (T.) suis, impair growth, feed efficiency, and carcass quality, whilst also contributing to reproductive losses and liver condemnation. Moreover, GIN can modulate host immunity, interfere with vaccine responses, and influence coinfection outcomes, thereby compromising overall herd health. The zoonotic potential of A. suum and T. suis further highlights the need for effective control strategies. This review critically synthesises the available evidence on the occurrence, impact, and control of porcine GIN in Europe and identifies pig-specific knowledge gaps and priorities for integrated control. GIN occur across all European pig production systems. However, accurate surveillance remains challenging due to methodological heterogeneity, uneven geographical coverage, and limited recent large-scale epidemiological data. Reported farm-level prevalences therefore vary widely, ranging from 1 to 100% (A. suum), 2-27% (O. spp.), and 0.3-75% (T. suis). Higher infection levels are generally reported in outdoor, organic, and small-scale production systems. Current control strategies largely depend on anthelmintics. Reports of reduced efficacy and resistance, particularly in O. spp., highlight the need for improved surveillance and diagnostic-based treatment. Hygiene practices, housing design, flooring, bedding, pasture, and herd management can influence transmission, but their effectiveness under commercial conditions remains insufficiently evaluated. Alternative approaches, including dietary interventions, probiotics, genetic selection, and vaccine development, may complement conventional measures, although most are not yet established for routine use. Changes in climate, animal welfare requirements, production systems, and expectations concerning pharmaceutical use may further alter GIN exposure and control needs. Standardised surveillance, contemporary assessments of animal health and economic consequences, field-based intervention studies, and sustainable, integrated control programmes are therefore key priorities for European pig production.

The helminth parasite Ascaris lumbricoides remains a major global health burden, yet factors influencing its fertility and infection intensity are not fully understood. This cross-sectional study explored associations between host characteristics, worm biometrics, and parasite reproductive output in a rural Venezuelan community. Complete fecal evacuations were collected from 128 participants (57% of consenting population) across 45 houses. Following descriptive analyses of worm-related variables (count, length, weight, sex, male-to-female ratio, maturity), egg-related variables (eggs per gr of feces [EPG], fertile and infertile EPG, infertile-to-fertile ratio), and host characteristics (gender, age, household), both univariate methods and multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess associations. Worm biometrics showed non-significant associations with infection type (unisexual vs. bisexual), although male worms in unisexual infections tended to be heavier. A non-significant crowding effect was observed, with higher worm counts often linked to lower average worm length and weight. Worm length and weight were strongly correlated with egg production, though this relationship weakened in bisexual infections, likely due to reduced female fecundity. Male worm presence appeared to be the main determinant of egg fertility, with higher male-to-female ratios showing borderline significant association with lower ratios of unfertilized to fertilized eggs. Host age and household clustering were associated with worm count, whereas host gender was not. These findings support key biological principles of A. lumbricoides, including density-dependent crowding effects and male worm presence in egg fertility. The study also highlights the complexity of worm-specific and host-related factors influencing infection intensity and fecundity, providing insights for future research and more targeted deworming strategies.

The porcine roundworm, Ascaris suum, affects host intestinal physiology, microbiota composition and metabolic profiles. To better understand the mediators of these alterations, six pigs each were experimentally exposed to (i) 30 adult roundworms via gastric tube, or (ii) received injections into the duodenum of A. suum total excretory-secretory (ES) antigens, ES antigens secreted exclusively from the parasites' body surface (trans-cuticular ES), or cuticular somatic antigens, respectively. Six further pigs served as untreated controls. Microbiome composition in faeces, ingesta and mucosa samples from different intestinal compartments three days after transfer was studied by next-generation 16S rDNA sequencing. Metabolite profiles were assessed in ingesta and serum samples by nuclear magnetic resonance. Transfer of adult worms and their antigens significantly affected the caecal and colonic microbiome. Adult worm transfer also led to significantly increased levels of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon. Similarities between pigs exposed to adult A. suum and their antigens included increased relative abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing potentially beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus spp., Prevotella spp., and Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, while some opportunistic pathogens like Citrobacter spp. and Mucispirillum schaedleri were also increased. The net health effect during natural A. suum infections requires further study, but these preliminary findings warrant the hypothesis that low A. suum burdens might promote intestinal health. The results further indicate that certain microbial alterations are indeed mediated by A. suum antigens, although SCFA levels were unaffected in the antigen-treated groups, possibly due to the single application. Further investigations on chronically exposed animals are warranted, especially as porcine A. suum infections serve as a model for human ascariosis.

Background and objective Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) remains a significant health challenge among children under five in India and is often complicated by parasitic infestations and deficiencies of neurotropic vitamins. These factors may contribute to developmental delay. This study assessed the association between parasitic infestations and neurotropic vitamin deficiencies with developmental delay in children with SAM in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, India. Methods This hospital-based, cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) of the Government Medical College and its associated hospital in Datia district, Madhya Pradesh, India, from April 2022 to April 2024. Stool microscopy and blood investigations were performed to identify parasitic infections and estimate vitamin B1, B6, and holotranscobalamin (HoloTC) levels. Developmental status was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition (Bayley-IV). Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression. Results Parasitic infections were detected in 30 (30%) children, with Ascaris lumbricoides identified in 10 (33%). Developmental delay was observed in 25 (71%) children with parasitic infections compared to 10 (29%) without infection. Mean vitamin levels were lower in infected than in non-infected children: vitamin B1 (0.132 ng/mL vs. 0.98 ng/mL), vitamin B6 (0.142 ng/mL vs. 0.768 ng/mL), and HoloTC (17 pmol/L vs. 27 pmol/L). On multivariate analysis, parasitic infection (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 18.9, 95% CI: 5.2-68.2, p < 0.001) and HoloTC deficiency (aOR: 3.2, 95% CI: 1.05-9.7, p = 0.041) were independent predictors of developmental delay. Conclusions Parasitic infections and neurotropic vitamin deficiencies were strongly associated with developmental delay in children with SAM. Routine screening, deworming, and targeted nutritional interventions are essential to improve developmental outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Timor-Leste reduced soil-transmitted helminth (STH) prevalence from 29% to 18% by 2020 through mass drug administration (MDA) in 2015-2019. School-based deworming was interrupted for nearly four years during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in 2022 in 3 municipalities and nationwide in 2024. We aimed to estimate STH prevalence, geographical distribution and associated factors following the re-introduction of MDA.

Proanthocyanidins are a highly bioactive group of plant-specialized metabolites. The aim of this study was to investigate the antiparasitic activity of a comprehensive set of highly purified and characterized proanthocyanidin fractions with versatile procyanidin/prodelphinidin ratios, mean degrees of polymerization, and galloyl contents. In total, 111 characterized fractions from 11 plant species were tested against the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum using migration inhibition and mortality assays. The results showed that a high mean degree of polymerization and a high proportion of prodelphinidins increased the antiparasitic activity of the fractions. The galloylated proanthocyanidin fractions did not possess especially high antiparasitic activity because of their low mean degree of polymerization. In general, highly procyanidin-rich fractions had low activity, yet there were significant differences in activity among fractions, which consisted mainly of A-type proanthocyanidins and those, which consisted mainly of B-type proanthocyanidins.

Cell motility is essential for processes such as immune responses, wound healing, and fertilization. Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent model for studying sperm motility, due to the worm's transparency and high sperm production. C. elegans amoeboid sperm move by extending and retracting pseudopods, which are powered internally by the dynamic polymerization and depolymerization of the nematode Major Sperm Protein (MSP). Previous biochemical studies in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum identified MSP polymerization-activating kinase (MPAK) as a key regulator of MSP assembly within the pseudopod. Here we investigate two C. elegans homologs, Tau Tubulin Kinase 8.1 (ttbk-8.1) and Tau Tubulin Kinase 8.2 (ttbk-8.2), that arose from a C. elegans-specific gene duplication. We generated both single and double knockout mutants; single knockout animals have fertility comparable to wildtype. Self-fertilizing double knockout (ttbk-8.1/2) hermaphrodites are severely sub-fertile, and males are completely infertile. ttbk-8.1/2 males successfully transfer sperm to females; however, their sperm cannot crawl to the site of fertilization. During sperm activation, ttbk-8.1/2 sperm undergo the two key events of sperm activation (membranous organelle fusion and pseudopod extension), however the process is abnormally slow. Furthermore, the resulting pseudopods are non-motile and abnormally smooth. Localization of key proteins to the pseudopods remains unaffected. TTBK-8.1/2 colocalizes with MSP to the fibrous bodies in mature spermatocytes, distributes throughout the cytoplasm in spermatids, and is confined to pseudopods of spermatozoa. These findings suggest an essential role for TTBK-8.1/2 in timely sperm activation and pseudopod motility.

A 2.5-year-old boy who had recently migrated from a northern highland area of Vietnam to the south presented with fever, diarrhea, progressive respiratory distress, and severe abdominal distension. He was referred in septic shock, requiring mechanical ventilation and two vasopressors. Emergency laparotomy revealed complete jejunoileal obstruction from a dense bolus of more than 100 Ascaris lumbricoides worms and approximately 70 cm of transmural bowel necrosis. Segmental resection, complete worm extraction, and primary end-to-end anastomosis were performed. Histopathology confirmed transmural hemorrhagic infarction consistent with ischemic necrosis from mechanical obstruction. The child recovered after intensive care, antimicrobial treatment, transfusion support, and a single oral dose of albendazole after postoperative stabilization and return of oral intake; he was discharged on postoperative day 20 and remained well at 2 months when a second single dose of albendazole was administered. Massive ascariasis should remain a differential diagnosis in children with acute abdomen in endemic settings or after migration from endemic areas.

Intensive poultry farming produces substantial volumes of chicken manure that require effective and hygienic management. This study investigated a composite inoculant formulated with four microorganisms: Kocuria rosea ACCC 10488, Bacillus subtilis ACCC 60364, Trichoderma longibrachiatum ACCC 32584, and Lactobacillus plantarum ACCC 11118. This study investigated a composite inoculant formulated with four microorganisms obtained from the Agricultural Culture Collection of China (ACCC): Kocuria rosea ACCC 10488, Bacillus subtilis ACCC 60364, Trichoderma longibrachiatum ACCC 32584, and Lactobacillus plantarum ACCC 11118. Its performance was examined both without amendment and after addition of plant-derived bulking materials. The experiment included five treatments: untreated chicken manure (T1), the bulking-agent mixture without microbial addition (T2), a commercial inoculant combined with the same bulking materials (T3), the newly prepared inoculant without bulking agents (T4), and the newly prepared inoculant combined with the bulking mixture (T5). Three independent 50-kg piles were prepared for every treatment. Temperature was recorded for 45 days; physicochemical characteristics, odor indicators, nutrient concentrations, enzyme activities, seed-bioassay responses, and Ascaris egg mortality were evaluated over the initial 15 days. T5 reached 74 °C on days 5 and 10 and remained above 50 °C through day 30 at the plotted observation points. On day 15, this treatment had lower measured levels of odorous compounds, greater concentrations of available phosphorus and potassium, a 99% germination index, and complete mortality of the assayed Ascaris eggs. Collectively, T5 showed favorable changes across several indicators of early composting performance under the conditions tested. The study did not examine microbial community structure, persistence of the introduced strains, functional genes, whole-pile nutrient mass balances, or longer-term agronomic performance. Consequently, the data neither establish synergistic interactions among the component strains nor identify specific nutrient-transformation pathways.