Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis.
J Invertebr Pathol. 2018 Sep;157:4-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jip.2018.07.004. Epub 2018 Jul 9.
Unusual inclusion bodies occur within the epithelial cells of the digestive gland of queen conch, Lobatus gigas, and have previously been described as apicomplexan parasites. The aim of this study was to investigate the parasitic features of these inclusion bodies in queen conch. L. gigas from St. Kitts (Caribbean Sea) consistently (100% of n = 61) showed large numbers of ovoid to tri-bulbous dark brown inclusion bodies (15 × 30 µm) within vacuolar cells. Histochemical stains demonstrated iron, melanin, and glycoprotein and/or mucopolysaccharide within the inclusion bodies. Microscopic features indicative of a host response to injury were lacking in every case, as were consistent morphological forms to indicate distinct parasitic stages. Transmission electron microscopy failed to reveal cellular organelles of parasitic organisms and DNA extractions of purified inclusion bodies did not yield sufficient concentrations for successful PCR amplification. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed a number of elements, particularly iron, within the inclusion bodies. We conclude that the inclusion bodies are not an infectious agent, and hypothesize that they represent a storage form for iron, and potentially other elements, within a protein matrix. Similar structures have been described in the digestive glands of other invertebrates, including prosobranchs.
大王具足虫消化腺的上皮细胞中存在异常内含物，先前被描述为顶复门寄生虫。本研究旨在探究大王具足虫中这些内含物的寄生特征。来自圣基茨（加勒比海）的大王具足虫（Lobatus gigas） consistently (100% of n = 61) consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistent consistent consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistentConsistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistently consistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistentlyConsistently consistently
