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The aim of the study was to determine the structure of helminth communities of White Stork in north-eastern Poland in the years 2015–2018. The study material comprised 61 White Storks Ciconia ciconia from within the borders of Biebrza National Park. Seven parasite taxa were detected in the storks. The cestode Dictymetra riccii , the nematode Dispharynx cf. nasuta , and acanthocephalans are new parasites for storks in Poland. Prevalence of helminths was 32.8%, with a mean intensity of 12.2, in a range from 1 to 60 and with mean abundance of 3.8. The biodiversity of the component community expressed by Simpson’s diversity index was 0.639, and dominance expressed by the Berger–Parker index was 0.485. The dominant species in the component community was the cestode Dictymetra discoidea . The average biodiversity of infracommunities, expressed by Brillouin’s diversity index, was 0.07 ± 0.13. The greatest species richness of helminths in storks was recorded in July (five species). The greatest intensity of infection was noted in the case of infection with Tylodelphys excavata in June. The prevalence of the cestode Dictymetra discoidea in adult storks (35.5%) was significantly higher than in juvenile storks (4.17%) (chi 2  = 7.78, p  = 0.005).

The family Hippoboscidae is a less known group of blood-sucking flies. Deer ked are particularly important for animal health; they may act as potential vectors of disease to ungulates, and may transmit pathogens to animals and humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) DNA in deer keds using molecular methods. Results prove the presence of Megatrypanum trypanosome DNA in the studied winged adult deer keds and this is the first detection of this pathogen in Lipoptena fortisetosa. In addition, this paper evidences the occurrence of L. fortisetosa in two new locations: one in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, and another in the Strzałowo Forest Inspectorate (Piska Forest), both in north-eastern Poland.

Background The bacteria of the genus Bartonella are obligate parasites of vertebrates. Their distribution range covers almost the entire world from America, Europe, Asia to Africa and Australia. Some species of Bartonella are pathogenic for humans. Their main vectors are blood-sucking arthropods such as fleas, ticks and blood-feeding flies. One such dipteran able to transfer vector-borne pathogens is the deer ked ( Lipoptena cervi ) of the family Hippoboscidae. This species acts as a transmitter of Bartonella spp. in cervid hosts in Europe. Methods In the present study, 217 specimens of deer ked ( Lipoptena cervi ) were collected from 26 red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) hunted in January 2014. A short fragment (333 bp) of the rpoB gene was used as a marker to identify Bartonella spp. in deer ked tissue by PCR test. A longer fragment (850 bp) of the rpoB gene was amplified from 21 of the positive samples, sequenced and used for phylogenetic analysis. Results The overall prevalence of Lipoptena cervi infection with Bartonella spp. was 75.12% (163/217); 86.67% (104/120) of females and 60.82% (59/97) of males collected from red deer hunted in the Strzałowo Forest District in Poland (53°45′57.03″N, 21°25′17.79″E) were infected. The nucleotide sequences from 14 isolates ( Bartonella sp. 1) showed close similarity to Bartonella schoenbuchensis isolated from moose blood from Sweden (GenBank: KB915628) and human blood from France (GenBank: HG977196); Bartonella sp. 2 (5 isolates) and Bartonella sp. 3 (one isolate) were similar to Bartonella sp. from Japanese sika deer (GenBank: AB703149), and Bartonella sp. 4 (one isolate) was almost identical to Bartonella sp. isolated from Japanese sika deer from Japan (GenBank: AB703146). Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to confirm the presence of Bartonella spp. in deer keds ( Lipoptena cervi ) in Poland by molecular methods. Bartonella sp. 1 isolates were most closely related to B. schoenbuchensis isolated from moose from Sweden and human blood from France. The rest of our isolates ( Bartonella spp. 2–4) were similar to Bartonella spp. isolated from Japanese sika deer from Japan.

The article examines the presence of metacestodes on the liver capsule in two wild boars and on the liver capsule and mediastinum in moose. Cysticerci were identified as Taenia hydatigena metacestodes by morphological features—size and shape of rostellar hooks and molecular analysis of the partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene. Molecular analysis revealed similarities between the metacestodes isolated from the wild mammals in the present study to T. hydatigena in European wolves. It is possible that infection of moose and wild boar with T. hydatigena metacestode is related to the growth in the wolf population in Europe.

Coprological analysis of a sample from one free-living hedgehog was done with the use of a direct flotation method with additional incubation of fecal material. The study revealed three types of eggs and oocysts in the feces. The most commonly diagnosed were oocysts of Isospora rastegaievae (543/3g), while oocysts of Monocystis sp. (267/3g) and eggs of Aonchotheca/Eucoleus spp. (52/3g) were seen less often. This is the first report of coccidia I. rastegaievae (Apicomplexa: Eimeriida) and acephaline gregarine Monocystis sp. (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida) infection in a hedgehog in Poland.

Macvicaria magellanica n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) is the third representative of this genus occurring in fish in the Magellanic sub-region of sub-Antarctica and the first one found in sub-coastal waters in this area (the Beagle Channel). Its main taxonomic features include an elongate body, oral:ventral sucker ratio based on widths of 1.0:1.52–1.98, cirrus sac reaching to level of posterior half of the ventral sucker, testes arranged in tandem, numerous vitelline follicles divided into 2 groups separated by a gap parallel to the ventral sucker, vitelline follicles dorsally not confluent at the uterus and gonads, and egg dimensions of 40–51 × 25–32 μm. The most similar species is Macvicaria antarctica, but it differs from the newly described species in having vitelline follicles dorsally confluent at the level of the uterus and by occurring in fish associated with the Falkland–Patagonian shelf at greater depths (at the North Scotia Ridge, 300–500 m). A key to 9 Antarctic and sub-Antarctic species of Macvicaria is included.

Fish of five species of Notothenioidei (104 specimens), Cottoperca trigloides, Patagonotothen brevicauda, P. longipes, P. tessellata and Champsocephalus esox , caught in the Beagle Channel (Magellanic sub-region, sub-Antarctica) were infected with Digenea of nine species (1130 specimens). Faunistic data on the occurrence of all nine parasites are provided. The most abundant digenean species was Macvicaria magellanica found in the intestine of three host species of the genus Patagonotothen . The second most abundant digenean species was Elytrophalloides oatesi found in the stomach of four host species, with exception of P. brevicauda . Three digenean species: Stenakron kerguelense, Whitegonimus ozoufae and Genolinea bowersi , were more abundant in fish caught at the harbor of Ushuaia (depth 7–9 m), remaining six species: M. magellanica, Neolepidapedoides subantarcticus, Postmonorchis variabilis, Derogenes varicus, E. oatesi and Lecithaster macrocotyle , in the eastern mouth of the Beagle Channel (depth 30 m).

The infection of black rockcod, Notothenia coriiceps, with digeneans in Admiralty Bay (South Shetland Islands) within three months, from November 2007 to January 2008, is compared with the infection in the same threemonths in 1978/79, based on the examination of twenty fish collected in each month. Digenea found in 1978/1979 season were more numer− ous, and more diverse. Only five digenean species, Macvicaria georgiana, Neolebouria antarctica, Lepidapedon garrardi, Genolinea bowersi and Lecithaster macrocotyle, were re− corded during both investigations,whereas three species, Neolepidapedon trematomi, Elytro− phalloides oatesi and Gonocerca phycidis, only in 1978/79. M. georgiana was the dominant species in 1978/79 and sub−dominant in 2007/08. Other digeneans were found in N. coriiceps in 2007/08 invariably together with M. georgiana. G. bowersi was the sub−dominant species in 1978/79 and the most common species in 2007/2008. Infections with Digenea belonging to other species were much less intense. Of the three rare or common species in 1978/79, the two, L. garrardi and L. macrocotyle, occurred in both seasons, whereas E. oatesi occurred only in 1978/79. Three remaining species were sporadic or absent. The overall results there− fore demonstrated that infections with almost all digenean species were less strong in 2007/08 than three decades earlier, in 1978/79. Only data on M. georgiana, G. bowersi and L. garrardi were statistically significant (p <0.05). Data on the occurrence of 14 species of Digenea in N. coriiceps from South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands, South Georgia, Argentine Is− lands, Melchior Islands, Adelie Land and Heard Island are given.

Whitegonimus ozoufae n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Zoogonidae) is reported from the stomach of Patagonotothen tessellata in the harbor of Ushuaia in the Beagle Channel (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina) at a depth of 7–9 m. The female genital system structure indicates the new taxon belongs in the subfamily Lepidophyllinae (Zoogonidae). None of the genera previously described is similar to the new genus. The most important taxonomic features are the spined tegument, lack of enlarged circumoral spines, gonads arranged in tandem, long caeca, vitelline follicles extending from the level of the ventral sucker to the posterior end of anterior testis, and a Y-shaped excretory vesicle. Only 3 genera, Overstreetia, Anarhichotrema, and Pseudopalaeorchis, have testes arranged in tandem, but they differ from the new genus in possessing enlarged circumoral spines, oral sucker size, esophagus length, length of caeca, vitellaria restricted to hindbody, the form of the ovary, and an I-shaped excretory vesicle.

In total, 6401 amphipods, including 5707 Cheirimedon femoratus , caught at the Galindez Island (Argentine Islands, Western Antarctica) were examined for the presence of cystacanths and advanced acanthellae of Acanthocephala. Two parasite species, Corynosoma pseudohamanni Zdzitowiecki, 1984 and Metacanthocephalus johnstoni Zdzitowiecki, 1983, were found in the haemocoeloma of C. femoratus . Total prevalence was 1.19%, that of C. pseudohamanni 0.68% and of M. johnstoni 0.51%. Additionally, 8 of 1416 C. femoratus caught in the Admiralty Bay (South Shetland Islands) were found to be infected with C. pseudohamanni and free of M. johnstoni . The representative of the genus Metacanthocephalus was found in the intermediate host for the first time. C. pseudohamanni was more abundant at the Galindez Island (prevalence 0.68%) than in the Admiralty Bay (prevalence 0.42% in previous investigations and 0.56% in present ones). Amphipods harboured usually one or rarely two acanthocephalans of one species. Both parasites were more abundant in amphipods caught in the polluted water closely to the Vernadsky Station than in the Mick Channel, farther from the station (prevalence 0.77% vs. 0.51% for C. pseudohamanni and 0.64% vs. 0.26% for M. johnstoni ).