Parasitologia

Toxoplasma gondii infects 30–60% of the global population, with parasites often persisting in the brain. Given the burden of psychiatric disorders and their potential link to pathogens, this study determined the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis among psychiatric patients, assessed seropositivity’s association with psychiatric disorders and identified associated risk factors. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2024 to April 2025 at Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, Cape Coast, Ghana, involving 91 inpatients and outpatients. Demographic data were collected via structured questionnaire, clinical diagnoses (DSM-IV) from medical records, and blood samples tested for anti-toxoplasma IgG using ELISA. Overall seroprevalence was 70.3% (64/91) with no significant association between seropositivity and specific psychiatric disorders (p = 0.076), though rates were highest in schizoaffective disorder (100%), schizophrenia (73.5%), major depressive disorder (66.7%), and bipolar disorder (60%). On unadjusted analysis, cat ownership (p = 0.023) and failure to wash fruits and vegetables (p = 0.016) were significantly associated with seropositivity, but neither remained significant after adjustment (cat ownership: AOR = 4.23, 95% CI: 0.823–36.141, p = 0.149; food hygiene: AOR = 0.246, 95% CI: 0.092–5.310, p = 0.481). No significant association was found with psychiatric conditions or demographic variables. These findings revealed high toxoplasmosis exposure among psychiatric patients with cat contact and poor food hygiene as key modifiable risk factors. However, they do point to the need to conduct future cross sectional and longitudinal studies, including a non-psychiatric control group, to gain a greater understanding of any potential causal link in this relatively understudied area.

Resistance of ticks to synthetic acaricides has reduced the effectiveness of commercial products and increased interest in sustainable alternatives such as essential oils (EOs). This study characterized the chemical composition of EOs obtained from leaves and fruits of Schinus terebinthifolius, evaluated the in vitro acaricidal activity of EOs against R. microplus, and assessed its susceptibility to conventional acaricides. Ticks were collected from naturally infested cattle that had not been subjected to acaricidal treatment. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Adult immersion tests were performed in triplicate using seven combinations of synthetic acaricides, EOs at concentrations of 1%, 0.5%, and 0.25%, and control groups. The leaves and fruit EOs contained 48 and 20 compounds, respectively. Among the commercial acaricides, only two formulations achieved efficacy higher than 95%. The EOs exhibited concentration-dependent activity. At 1%, adult female mortality was 16.67% and 20.0% for leaf and fruit EOs, respectively, while the corresponding acaricidal efficacies were 96.69% and 97.90%. EO concentration showed positive and negative linear associations with oviposition inhibition and reproductive parameters, respectively. These findings indicate that the EOs of S. terebinthifolius exhibit in vitro acaricidal activity against R. microplus, supporting further investigation of their potential for tick control.

Fasciolosis, caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, negatively impacts buffalo production systems worldwide as a parasitic and zoonotic disease. Due to their semi-aquatic foraging behavior, buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are highly exposed to Fasciola infections. The reported prevalence rates vary widely, hindering effective control strategies. This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the global pooled prevalence of Fasciola infection in buffaloes and explored major sources of heterogeneity. Following PRISMA guidelines, major databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, CAB Abstracts, and Google Scholar) were searched from inception through September 2026. The primary synthesis used a random-effects binomial generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) with a logit link. Heterogeneity was quantified using Cochran’s Q, I², and τ²; subgroup analyses and univariate meta-regression were used to explore study-level sources of variation, and Egger’s regression was used to assess funnel-plot asymmetry when at least 10 estimates were available. The final quantitative dataset comprised 64 publications contributing 73 effect estimates and 2,267,945 buffaloes after the removal of one exact duplicate estimate. The global pooled prevalence in buffaloes was 16.5% (95% CI: 12.1–22.0%), with very high heterogeneity (I² = 99.8%; τ² = 2.366 on the logit scale). The pooled prevalence was 45.7% in Europe, 19.5% in Asia, 4.2% in Africa, and 7.9% in the Americas. By parasite identification, the prevalence was 28.4% for F. gigantica, 16.6% for F. hepatica, and 13.0% for Fasciola spp.; by diagnostic method, it was 20.8% for fecal examination, 10.5% for post-mortem examination, and 11.7% for ELISA. Continent was a significant categorical moderator (Qm = 16.48, p < 0.001; R² = 19.3%), whereas study period, diagnostic method, Fasciola identification, categorical sample size, and climatic zone were not. When the sample size was modeled continuously as ln(n), it was inversely associated with prevalence (Qm = 11.42, p < 0.001; R² = 15.8%). Fasciola infections remain an important and highly heterogeneous problem in buffalo populations. The wide variation among settings, together with evidence of continent- and sample size-related effects, supports region-specific surveillance, standardized diagnostics, molecular species identification, and integrated One Health control rather than reliance on a single global prevalence estimate.