SOUTHEASTERN SOCIETY OF PARASITOLOGISTS

& HELMINTHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF

WASHINGTON

(Affiliates of The American Society of Parasitologists)

PROGRAM & ABSTRACTS*

April 9-11, 2015

Hosted by:

Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine &

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia *In memory of Prof. George William Benz (1954-2015) of Middle Tennessee State University; an esteemed scientist, scholar, mentor, and friend who had a deep love and fascination for parasitology, ichthyology, and life.

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SOUTHEASTERN SOCIETY OF PARASITOLOGISTS President: Dennis Kyle Vice-President: Richard W. Gerhold President - Elect: Stephen A. Bullard Council Representative: Bruce Conn Past-President: Derek Zelmer Secretary-Treasurer: Renee Carleton Past Presidents Past Vice-Presidents 1969 Elon E. Byrd 1969 Richard E. Bradley 1970 Burton J. Bogitsh 1970 Gerald W. Benz 1971 Robert B. Short 1971 Raymond L. Kisner 1972 Felix H. Lauter 1972 James S. McDaniel 1973 James H. Oliver, Jr. 1973 John V. Ernst 1974 A. B. Weathersby 1974 Gerald W. Esch 1975 Reinard Harkema 1975 John V. Aliff 1976 Gerald W. Esch 1976 Grover C. Miller 1977 John V. Ernst 1977 Kenneth C. Corkum 1978 John McCall 1978 Vernon Powders 1979 Grover C. Miller 1979 Raymond E. Kuhn 1980 Kenneth C. Corkum 1980 Jeffrey A. Butts 1981 Sharon Patton 1981 Larry R. McDougald 1982 Raymond E. Kuhn 1982 William L. Current 1983 John P. Harley 1983 Gayle P. Noblet 1984 Jeffrey A. Butts 1984 William C. Grant 1985 Gayle P. Noblet 1985 William B. Lushbaugh 1986 John R. Seed 1986 Leon W. Bone 1987 William B. Lushbaugh 1987 Robert W. Edwards 1988 Leon W. Bone 1988 Michael D. Stuart 1989 Robert W. Edwards 1989 Rick L. Tarleton 1990 Stephen G. Kayes 1990 J. Ed Hall 1991 Michael D. Stuart 1991 Byron L. Blagburn 1992 William F. Font 1992 Larry N. Gleason 1993 Byron L. Blagburn 1993 Robin M. Overstreet 1994 Larry S. Roberts 1994 John M. Aho 1995 Leon F. Duobinis-Gray 1995 David S. Lindsay 1996 Robin M. Overstreet 1996 D. Bruce Conn 1997 John M. Aho 1997 George W. Benz 1998 David S. Lindsay 1998 Cheryl D. Davis 1999 D. Bruce Conn 1999 Vincent A. Connors 2000 George W. Benz 2000 Charles T. Faulkner 2001 Cheryl D. Davis 2001 Claire A. Fuller 2002 Oscar Pung 2002 Vina Diderrich-Faulkner 2003 Vincent A. Connors 2003 Jennifer Spencer 2004 Charles T. Faulkner 2004 Isaure de Buron 2005 Malcolm E. Powell 2005 Edwin C. Rowland 2006 Jennifer Spencer 2006 Michael Yabsley 2007 Claire Fuller 2007 Alexa Rosypal 2008 Vina D. Faulkner 2008 Heather Stockdale 2009 Michael Yabsley 2009 Shella Mitchell 2010 Alexa Rosypal 2010 Derek Zelmer 2011 Isaure de Buron 2011 Andrea Varela-Stokes 2012 Chris Hall 2012 Dennis E. Kyle 2013 Derek Zelmer 2013 Stephen A. Bullard 2014 Dennis Kyle 2014 Richard Gerhold Secretary-Treasurer Council Representatives (cont.) 1969-1986 Mary C. Dunn 1976 Gerald W. Esch 1987- 2008 Sharon Patton 1977-1980 Robert B. Short 2008-2014 Vincent Connors 1981-1983 Gerald W. Esch 2014-present Renee Carelton 1984-2000 Sharon Patton Council Representative 2001-2003 Edwin C. Rowland 1970-1971 G. W. Hunter III 2004-2006 Isaure de Buron 1972 Henry W. Leigh 2007 Michael Yabsley 1973-1974 A.B. Weathersby 2008-2010 Sharon Patton 1975 Richard Harkema 2010-present Bruce Conn

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Joint meeting of the Southeastern Society of Parasitologists

& Helminthological Society of Washington

2015 Program Summary*

THURSDAY (9 APRIL)

Check In/Late Registration (Day’s Inn) 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. SSP Executive Committees- (Day’s Inn) 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. SSP Presidential Symposium- (Day’s Inn) 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. SSP Welcome Reception (Day’s Inn) 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

FRIDAY (10 APRIL)

Paper Session 1 (VCOMII) 8:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Paper Session 2 (VCOMII) 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Lunch (VCOMII) 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Paper Session 3 (VCOMII) 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Paper Session 4 (VCOMII) 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. SSP Perspectives Lecturer (VCOMII) 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Karen Masterson, author of “The Malaria Project: The US Government’s Secret Mission to Find a Miracle Cure”

SATURDAY (11 APRIL)

Helm. Soc. Executive Committee Meeting (VCOMII) 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Paper Session 5 (VCOMII) 9:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Helm. Soc. Business Meeting (VCOMII) 11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. SSP Business Meeting & Lunch (VCOMII) 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. *All Friday (April 10th) & Saturday (April 11th) paper sessions and coffee breaks will be held in the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine II (VCOM II) (@ 2280 Kraft Drive, corner of Research Center Drive and Kraft Drive on left, across street from main VCOM (VCOMI) building.

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SSP PRESIDENTIAL SYMPOSIUM

Day’s Inn Blacksburg; Thursday 9 April 2015, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Presiding: Stephen A. Bullard, Auburn University 4:30 David Lindsay, Department of Biological Sciences and Pathobiology,

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. “Welcome to Virginia Tech”

4:40 John M. Hawdon, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. “Controlling soil transmitted nematodes: time to think inside the box?”

5:15 Ben Hanelt, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. “A report from the front lines of an academic job search: current trends, what the future may hold, and working on a viable backup plan.”

5:50 Lisa Belden, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. “The role of community ecology in understanding transmission of complex life cycles.”

6:25 Stephen A. Bullard, School of Fisheries, Auburn University, Auburn AL. Closing remarks, meeting announcements, adjournment.

6:30 Loading PPT files on laptop (Information for Speakers: All speakers

should upload their presentations at least 20 minutes in advance of their session. There are no concurrent sessions, and all presentations can be loaded onto a single laptop. This laptop will be available for loading on Thursday (April 9th) following the Presidential Symposium.

SSP WELCOME RECEPTION

Day’s Inn Blacksburg; Thursday 9 April 2015 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

PAPER SESSION I

VCOMII; Friday 10 April 2015 8:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Moderators: Tavis Anderson & Alice Houk * Presenting Author † Ciordia-Stewart Porter Research Competitor ‡ Byrd-Dunn Student Paper Competitor 7:45 Load papers for talks 8:15 1† MCGREGOR, CARI. Radford University, Radford VA. Does infection of

the freshwater snail Helisoma trivolvis by trematode parasites induce behavioral changes?

8:30 2† COX, KATELYN*, ASHLEY SMITH, & CHERYL D. DAVIS. Department of

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Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green KY. Serologic surveillance for canine Chagas disease in Central and Eastern Kentucky.

8:45 3† DONAGGIO, JENNIFER M.1*, DAVID M. MONTAGUE2, DANA MORIN2, MARCELLA J. KELLY2, & ANNE M. ZAJAC1. 1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, and 2Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA. Endoparasites of the American black bear, Ursus americanus, in two western Virginia Counties.

9:00 4† DORAN, JOHN T.*, CAROLINE CAMPBELL, TERE M. WILLIAMS, DAVID S. LINDSAY, & IRVING C. ALLEN.. Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Blacksburg VA. The noncanonical NLR inflammasome modulates Toxoplasma gondii recognition and immune response.

9:15 5† HARDING, ALFRED T.1*, ABIGAIL WILLEMSE1, CHRISTOPHER HALL1, & DOMINIC QUALLEY2. 1Biology Department Berry College, Rome GA. 2Chemistry Department Berry College, Rome GA. An in silico examination of the efficacy of naphthalene-based RNA editing inhibitors in Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major.

9:30 6† PHILLIPS, KAITLYN M.1*, SKYLAR R. HOPKINS1, LISA K. BELDEN1, & JEREMY M. WOJDAK2. 1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. 2Department of Biology, Radford University, Radford, VA. Investigating defense mutualisms: under what condition is Chaetogaster limnaei limnaei a mutualist or parasite of snails?

9:45 7‡ ZIEMAN, ELLIOT1,2*, MEGAN SCHWARZINGER1, CLAYTON K. NIELSEN2,3 & F. AGUSTÍN JIMÉNEZ1. 1Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL. 62901-6501, 2Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. 62901, 3Department of Forestry and Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. 62901-4619. Cytauxzoon felis (Apicomplexa: Theileriidae) in bobcats, domestic cats, and tick vectors in the southern region of Illinois.

10:00 8‡ COKER, SARAH M.1,2, WHITNEY M. KISTLER1,2, SHANNON E. CURRY1,2, CATHARINE N. WELCH1,2, HEATHER W. BARRON3, STEFAN HARSCH4, SONIA M. HERNANDEZ1,2, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,2. 1Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 2Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 3Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Sanibel, FL. 4South Florida Wildlife Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL. A single haplotype of Haemoproteus is widespread in white ibis (Eudocimus albus) from urban and rural sites in Southern Florida.

Coffee Break: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

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PAPER SESSION 2

VCOMII; Friday 10 April 2015 10:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Moderators: Chris Hall & Meriam Saleh *Presenting Author †Ciordia-Stewart Porter Research Competitor ‡Byrd-Dunn Student Paper Competitor 10:30 9‡ GRUNENWALD, CAROLINE M.1*, RICHARD W. GERHOLD2, LISA

MULLER3, & CHUNLEI SU1. 1Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. 2Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. 3Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. Genetic characterization of the meningeal worm Parelaphostrongylus tenuis from multiple host species and across spatial scales.

10:45 10‡ HOPKINS, SKYLAR R.1*, LINDSEY J. BOYLE2, LISA K. BELDEN1, & JEREMY M. WOJDAK3. 1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. 2Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA. 3Department of Biology, Radford University, Radford, VA, USA. Transmission of a snail symbiont depends on contact between hosts, host health, and host size.

11:00 11‡ ROBERTS, JACKSON R.1, THOMAS R. PLATT2, & STEPHEN A. BULLARD1. 1Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL. 2Department of Biological Sciences, St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame IN. Diversity, host specificity, and taxonomic identities of turtle blood flukes (Digenea: paraphyletic “Spirorchiidae”).

11:15 12‡ LEE, JUNG KEUN*, GAIL MORARU, AMANDA BENTON, JOHN STOKES, & ANDREA VARELA-STOKES. Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS. Co-infection dynamics of Rickettsia parkeri and “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae” on Amblyomma maculatum (Gulf Coast tick) using capillary feeding.

11:30 13‡ PELTIER, SARAH1,2*, MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,2, JUSTIN BROWN3, & MARK TERNENT3. 1Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 2Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 3Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA. Mange in Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania: Etiologic Agent(s), Diagnostic Assays, and Environmental Persistence of Mites.

11:45 14‡ PURPLE, KATHRYN & RICHARD GERHOLD. Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. The persistence of Trichomonas gallinae isolates in simulated bird baths under various

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reproduced environmental conditions. 12:00 15 HOUK, ALICE E., CAITLIN M. COSSABOOM, ARIELLE ARNOLD,

NAMMALWAR SRIRANGANATHAN, JEANNINE S. STROBL, ANNE M. ZAJAC & DAVID S. LINDSAY. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Cystoisospora canis has similar proteins and orthologous genes to Toxoplasma gondii involved in tissue cyst development and survival.

Lunch Break: VCOMII 12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

PAPER SESSION 3

VCOMII; Friday 10 April 2015 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Moderators: Charles Faulkner & Jackson Roberts *Presenting Author ‡Byrd-Dunn Student Paper Competitor 1:30 16‡ WOMBLE, MATTHEW R.*, & STEPHEN A. BULLARD. Aquatic

Parasitology Lab, School of Fisheries Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849. Small things considered: the luring life of Proterometra and cyptic nature of Leuceruthrus (Digenea:Azygiidae).

1:45 17‡ SAPP, SARAH G. H.1,2, SARA WEINSTEIN3, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,4

1Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and 2Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; 3Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California; 4Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Comparison of Baylisascaris procyonis infection dynamics and host competence in two Peromyscus species.

2:00 18‡ SAPP, SARAH G. H.1,2*, LISA N. RASCOE3, PATRICIA WILKINS3, SUKWAN HANDALI3, ELIZABETH B. GRAY3, MARK EBERHARD3, DANA M. WOODHALL3, SUSAN P. MONTGOMERY3, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY 2,4.1Department of Infectious Diseases and 2Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 3Parasitic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and 4Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Detection of antibodies to raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) and risk factors for exposure in wildlife rehabilitators from the United States and Canada.

2:15 19‡ SAWYER, R. O.1*, T. P. RUSHIN1, A. E. HOUK1, D. SCOTT2, A. C. ROSYPAL3, & D. S. LINDSAY.1.1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 2Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, NC, 3Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC.

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Demonstration of opossum transmitted Sarcocystis in raptors.

2:30 20‡ SALEH, MERIAM N.1*, ALEXANDRA D. GILLEY2, MEGHAN K. BYRNES2, & ANNE M. ZAJAC1. 1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology and 2Department of Academic Affairs, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Treatment and control of Giardia duodenalis in a dog colony used for veterinary instruction.

Coffee Break: 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

PAPER SESSION 4 VCOMII; Friday 10 April 2015 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Moderators: Isaure de Buron and Matthew Womble *Presenting Author 3:00 21

HUGHES, GRANT1, SHANNA-KAY SAMUELS2, KOMAL SHAIKH2, JASON RASGON1 & ANNE VARDO-ZALIK2*. 1The Huck Institutes of The Life Sciences, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, U.S.A. 2Science Department, The Pennsylvania State University, York, PA 17403, U.S.A. Discrimination of the Plasmodium mexicanum vectors Lutzomyia stewarti and Lutzomyia vexator by a PCR-RFLP assay and Wolbachia infection.

3:15 22 WEIRICH, JESSICA M.1*, FRANÇOIS CATZEFLIS2 & F. AGUSTÍN JIMÉNEZ1. 1Department of Zoology Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, Carbondale IL. 2Laboratoire Paléontologie Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France. Identification and description of a new species of Guerrerostrongylus (Nematoda Heligmonellidae) in cricetid rodents from French Guyana.

3:30 23 BROWN, CAROLINE1, CAROLINE GRUNENWALD2, & RICHARD GERHOLD3*. 1College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 3Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Examining nested PCR on cerebrospinal fluid as a potential live animal assay for diagnosis of meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) infection.

3:45 24 CASEY, SARAH J.¹, ANNE M.ZAJAC¹, STEPHAN WILDEUS². ¹Dept. Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA and ²Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, Petersburg VA. Worm burdens of Haemonchus contortus in alpacas and sheep following experimental infection.

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SSP PERSPECTIVES LECTURER

VCOMII; Friday 10 April 2015, 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Presiding: Dr. Stephen A. Bullard, Auburn University 4:15 Dr. Karen Masterson, Johns Hopkins University, author of “The Malaria

Project: The US Government’s Secret Mission to Find a Miracle Cure”

Dinner On your own. (We suggest the First and Main Shopping Center which has

Bull and Bones Brewhaus and Grill, El Rodeo Mexican cuisine, Sal’s Italian and Saki House for sushi. It’s located on South Main street in Blacksburg about 2.5 miles away from the hotel)

PAPER SESSION 5

VCOMII; Saturday 11 April 2015 9:15 a.m. – 11:45 p.m. Moderators: Derek Zelmer & Ash Bullard *Presenting Author 9:15 25 BULLARD, STEPHEN A., RAPHAEL ORÉLIS-RIBEIRO, & MATTHEW

R. WOMBLE. Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, Auburn University, Auburn AL. Parasites too can cause lesions on Gulf of Mexico fishes.

9:30 26 DAVIS, CHERYL D.1*, M. SUSAN JONES2, M. EVE MAIN2 DAWN GARRETT-WRIGHT2, TARA HOLADAY3, & STEVEN HOUSE4. Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. School of Nursing, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Counseling and Health Services, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky. Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. Ascariasis and enterobiasis in a rural Kentucky farming community.

9:45 27 MCDERMID, KIMBERLY R.1,2, ANDREI SNYMAN3, F.J. VERREYNNE4, JOHN P. CARROLL3, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,2*. 1Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA 2Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 3 School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 4Vet and Agric Consultants, Gaborone, Botswana. High diversity of Babesia spp. in lions (Pathera leo) from Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana.

10:00 28 SARMENT, LEA V., MYRA C. HUGHEY, & LISA K. BELDEN. Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA. Parasites and microbes: the symbiont communities of spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) from Blacksburg, VA, USA.

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10:30 29 NIMS, TODD N.1,2*, OSCAR J. PUNG1, C. RAY CHANDLER1, RALPH P. ECKERLIN3, & LANCE A. DURDEN1. 1Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro GA. 2Science Department, Georgia Perimeter College, Covington, GA. 3Natural Sciences Division, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA. Helminthes of the oldfield mouse, Peromyscus polionotus, and golden mouse, Ochrotomys nuttalli, in southeast Georgia, USA.

10:45 30 MORARU, GAIL MIRIAM. Department of Basic Sciences, College of

Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS. Rickettsia species in ticks collected from domestic animals in central Panamá.

11:00 31 GERHOLD, RICHARD1*, LISA MULLER2, & CHUNLEI SU3. 1

Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 2Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 3Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in white-tailed deer in Tennessee.

11:15 32 DE BURON, ISAURE1* KRISTINA M. HILL-SPANIK1, LEEANN HASELDEN2, & STEPHEN D. ATKINSON3. 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston SC. 2Marine Resources Research Institute, Division of Natural Resources, Charleston SC. 3Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR. Kudoa inornata: a seasonal parasite?

11:30 33 ZELMER, DEREK1 & THOMAS PLATT2. Dispersal patterns of Echinostoma caproni cercariae. 1Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken SC. 2Departmen tof Biology, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN.

11:45 34 ORÉLIS-RIBEIRO, RAPHAEL1, KENNETH M. HALANYCH2, & STEPHEN A. BULLARD1*. 1Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL. 2Dept. of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849. Diversity and ancestry of flatworms (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) infecting blood of craniates.

11:50 a.m. Helm. Soc. Business Meeting (VCOMII) 12:00 p.m. Lunch and SSP Business Meeting in (VCOMII)

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We thank our sponsors!

• SCYNEXIS

• VMCVM DEPT BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AND PATHOBIOLOGY

• VMCVM RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES

DEPARTMENT

• VCOM

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INVITED SPEAKERS

Dr. John Hawdon has spent his 24-year academic career studying hookworms, and his laboratory group was the first to study mechanistic aspects of signaling during hookworm infection. He earned his BSc in Animal Science at Pennsylvania State University, and his PhD in Parasitology from University of Pennsylvania. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the MacArthur Center for Molecular Parasitology at Yale University School of Medicine. Before joining GW in 2000, Dr. Hawdon was an Associate Research Scientist in the Medical Helminthology Laboratory in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale University School of Medicine. He is a member of the American Society of Parasitologists, Helminthological Society of Washington, and American Assoc. of Veterinary Parasitologists. Dr. Hawdon's research interests focus around the hookworm infectious process. Dr. Hawdon's laboratory is presently investigating the molecular events of activation to parasitism in the framework of dauer recovery in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Dr. Ben Hanelt is an Assistant Research Professor and a Lecturer III at the Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico. He received a PhD in Biology from the University of Nebraska. His research is primarily focused on the coevolution of host-parasite interactions and is presently using hairworms (phylum Nematomorpha) as a model system. The two main projects Ben is currently working on are 1) the taxonomy, systematics, and diversity of hairworms in the New World, and 2) how host-parasite units respond to microbiological (bacterial) threats and how this response differs from the combined response of each symbiont individually when not paired as a unit. He teaches Medical Microbiology at the University of New Mexico and is proud father of a 2 year old girl who is fascinated with spiders and ants. Dr. Lisa Belden, Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA “The role of community ecology in understanding transmission of complex life cycle parasites.” Dr. Belden is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech. She received her PhD in Zoology from Oregon State University. Her research is primarily focused on understanding the role of community composition in disease dynamics within two systems: (1) the amphibian skin microbiome, addressing how symbiotic microbes can influence infection by the pathogenic amphibian chytrid fungus, and (2) trematodes with complex life cycles, addressing how the presence of alternative hosts, predators, and other species can influence transmission. She teaches evolutionary biology and community ecology at Virginia Tech, and serves on the board of the local nature center. Journalist Karen M. Masterson is author of The Malaria Project (NAL, Penguin, Oct. 2015) and a science-writing instructor at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Ms. Masterson’s new book tells a story of scientists, military battles, disease rates, and microbe hunters. Her narrative centers on Plasmodium vivax and falciparum, and the tricks they play to avoid capture. She tracks two American tropical disease experts from their beginnings—during the dark ages of malaria research—to their eventual lead roles in an all-out effort to stop malaria from decimating Allied troops during World War II. Over 400 researchers pitched in. They made important discoveries, which led to new drugs—all originally from Germany and still in use today. Her main message is that modern medicine is no match for these parasites and that a different approach is needed, if elimination is the goal. She researched the book while serving as a journalism fellow in the Malaria Branch of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and as an in-house malaria expert and writing coach at the Stimson Center (a Washington, DC, think tank). Prior to studying public health and microbiology, she was a national reporter for the Houston Chronicle and an environmental reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She also has written for Time, The Lancet, The (Baltimore) Sun, and other publications. She currently teaches science-writing courses designed for science and public health majors at Johns Hopkins University.

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ABSTRACTS 1. MCGREGOR, CARI. Radford University, Radford VA. Does infection of the freshwater snail Helisoma trivolvis by trematode parasites induce behavioral changes? Many aquatic snails have infections that vary in degree of intensity. Helisoma trivolvis serves as an intermediate host for certain parasitic species. Helisoma trivolvis is a freshwater snail that serves as an intermediate host for Echinostoma trivolvis. The definitive hosts for E. trivolvis are muskrats, which eat H. trivolvis and ingest E. trivolvis. The purpose of this study was to see if there were any behavioral changes in trematode-infected H. trivolvis. More specifically, would intensity of infection change the snail’s behavior, causing the H. trivolvis to expose itself more often, possibly increasing transmission? Experiments were conducted to see if higher infected H. trivolvis would choose algae over a covered habitat. The results showed that there was no difference in the behavior for low-infected snails and high-infected snails. 2. COX, KATELYN*, ASHLEY SMITH, & CHERYL D. DAVIS. Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green KY. Serologic surveillance for canine Chagas disease in Central and Eastern Kentucky. Domestic canines are regarded as natural sentinels for the transmission of vector-borne pathogens since infection in an owner’s dog suggests the presence of the vector in or around the household. In collaboration with the University of Kentucky’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Lexington, Kentucky, we have investigated the prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi (the causative agent of Chagas disease) in canines from central and eastern Kentucky via a serological test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DNA sequencing. In addition, Canine SNAP 4Dx plus tests (Idexx Laboratories, Inc.) were used to determine the prevalence of four other vector-borne pathogens: Ehrlichia canis/ewingii, B. burgdorferi, anaplasmosis phagoctiphilum/platys, or Dirofilarea immitis in the dogs. Results to date reveal a surprisingly high seroprevalence of 10.23% for T. cruzi. Of these serological positives four (4.5%) were confirmed using the polymerase chain reaction and one resulted in a known T. cruzi sequence. In addition, results of the SNAP 4DX plus tests show a prevalence of 5.68% for Ehrlichia canis (the causative agent of ehrlichiosis) and 6.82% for B. burgdorferi (the Lyme disease spirochete). We believe that further studies are urgently needed to fully evaluate the role that canines might be playing as reservoir hosts for these as well as other vector borne diseases in Kentucky. This project was supported in part by a grant from the NIGMS (2 P20 GM10436-14). 3. DONAGGIO, JENNIFER M.1*, DAVID M. MONTAGUE2, DANA MORIN2, MARCELLA J. KELLY2, & ANNE M. ZAJAC1. 1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, and 2Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA. Endoparasites of the American black bear, Ursus americanus, in two western Virginia Counties. Data on endoparasites of the American black bear (Ursus americanus) are limited in Virginia. This coprological survey was conducted to assess current endoparasite species prevalence and document any changes in endoparasitic fauna previously reported in or near Virginia. Ninety-six fecal samples collected from June 2011 through

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May 2013, in Bath and western Rockingham Counties were examined for endoparasites. Scats were collected monthly along 16 transects, each 5 kilometers in length. Fecal samples in this survey were confirmed as black bear scats using mtDNA analyses. Samples were frozen after collection until analysis. After thawing, five grams from each sample were analyzed using a modification of the Wisconsin centrifugal fecal flotation technique. The resulting slides were scanned using the 10X objective of the microscope. Of the 96 samples analyzed, 46 samples contained eggs from at least one endoparasite species (48%). The most prevalent helminth eggs observed were Baylisascaris transfuga (23%), hookworm (11%), and Physaloptera sp. (9%). Other parasite eggs/cysts detected, included Sarcocystis sp., Alaria sp., Taenia sp., and capillarid and spirurid species. Also detected were eggs of parasites not known to infect the black bear including Trichuris sp., Toxocara sp., an unidentified trematode, and a Moniezia sp-like egg. This is the first report of Alaria sp., and Taenia sp., in black bears in the state of Virginia. 4. DORAN, JOHN T.*, CAROLINE CAMPBELL, TERE M. WILLIAMS, DAVID S. LINDSAY, & IRVING C ALLEN. Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Blacksburg VA. The noncanonical NLR inflammasome modulates Toxoplasma gondii recognition and immune response. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite credited for infecting up to a third of the world’s human population. Recognition of T. gondii by the host immune system is a complex process that is not well understood. NLR family members are cytosolic pattern recognition receptors that sense pathogens and initiate the formation of a multi-protein complex termed the “inflammasome”. Canonical NLR inflammasome formation results in the activation of Caspase-1 and the subsequent cleavage of IL-1β/IL-18. However, the formation of a non-canonical NLR inflammasome has recently been described that functions through the activation of Caspase-11. Our hypothesis predicts that the non-canonical NLR inflammasome will significantly contribute to the host immune response following T. gondii infection. To evaluate the contribution of the canonical inflammasome, we utilized mice lacking the adaptor protein ASC. Here, we observed that Asc-/- mice and wild type animals have similar levels of inflammation, cyst formation, and survival rates. We next evaluated the contribution of the non-canonical inflammasome utilizing Caspase-11 deficient mice. Following T. gondii infection, we observed that the Casp11-/- animals had higher survival rates than both wild type animals and mice lacking components of the canonical inflammasome. We also observed higher inflammation and cyst formation in the brains of Casp11-/- mice compared to the other animals. Together, our data suggests that the non-canonical inflammasome indeed modulates the host immune response following T. gondii infection. It appears that in the absence of Caspase-11, increased inflammation through a currently undefined mechanism likely favors bradyzoite cyst formation, which promotes host survival. 5. HARDING, ALFRED T.1*, ABIGAIL WILLEMSE1, CHRISTOPHER HALL1, & DOMINIC QUALLEY2. 1Biology Department Berry College, Rome GA. 2Chemistry Department Berry College, Rome GA. An In Silico Examination of the Efficacy of Naphthalene-based RNA Editing Inhibitors in Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major.

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Eukaryotic parasites are responsible for a great deal of morbidity and mortality in humans and animal populations. These parasites are often difficult to effectively treat due to shared metabolic pathways with their eukaryotic hosts. This requires that potential targets for novel drugs be investigated to develop more effective treatments. The editosome, an RNA editing complex unique to kinetoplast parasites, is one such potential drug target. Several napthaline-based small drug (NBSD) molecules have demonstrated the ability to inhibit T. brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, through its binding of the RNA Editing Ligase 1 (REL1) subunit of the editosome. These molecules have not, however, been evaluated for their efficacy in two other closely related kinetoplast parasites of humans, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major, the etiologic agents of Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis respectively. Given the close evolutionary relationship of these parasites to T. brucei, we hypothesized that the NBSDs shown to block editosome function in T. brucei would also be effective in T. cruzi and L. major. To address this question we have performed a computer based docking simulation of the NBSD molecules with REL1 of the T. cruzi and L. major editosome complex. Computer results predicted a high affinity interaction between the modeled REL1 proteins of both T. cruzi (-10.2 – -6.3 kcal/mol) and L. major (-10.2 – -6.3 kcal/mol) and the NBSD inhibitors. This suggests that NBSD molecules could be equally effective against other kinetoplast parasites, offering potentially new therapeutic agents for these parasitic diseases. 6. PHILLIPS, KAITLYN M.1*, SKYLAR R. HOPKINS1, LISA K. BELDEN1, & JEREMY M. WOJDAK2. 1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. 2Department of Biology, Radford University, Radford, VA. Investigating defense mutualisms: under what condition is Chaetogaster limnaei limnaei a mutualist or parasite of snails? Defense mutualisms are a special class of mutualism in which a symbiont defends its host from a natural enemy, frequently a parasite. These relationships can have important implications for host health and more broadly can influence disease dynamics in natural systems. However, recent work suggests that these host-symbiont relationships may not be fixed because the benefits and costs for the species involved are context-dependent. To investigate whether the net effect of defensive symbionts on host fitness is changed by the presence and abundance of natural enemies, I investigated the defense mutualism between the annelid Chaetogaster limnaei limnaei and its aquatic snail host. I performed an experiment where defensive symbionts were present or absent and hosts were exposed to free-living trematode parasites at three densities: control, low, and high densities. Adult snail fitness was measured via growth, survival, and reproductive success. Neither parasites nor defensive symbionts affected any snail fitness measures. These results contradict other experimental work with juvenile snails and different snail species, which suggests that host snail characteristics may play an important, previously unrecognized role in determining the outcome of host-symbiont interactions. 7. ZIEMAN, ELLIOT1,2*, MEGAN SCHWARZINGER1, CLAYTON K. NIELSEN2,3 & F. AGUSTÍN JIMÉNEZ1. 1Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, IL. 62901-6501, 2Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. 62901, 3Department of Forestry and Center for

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Ecology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. 62901-4619. Cytauxzoon felis (Apicomplexa: Theileriidae) in bobcats, domestic cats, and tick vectors in the southern region of Illinois. Cytauxzoon felis is an intraerythrocytic Apicomplexan parasite of felines in the southeastern US. Infection in domestic cats (Felis catus) can result in the highly fatal cytauxzoonosis. Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are the natural host and often show no apparent pathology associated with infection by C. felis. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) are competent vectors of C. felis. Previous work on C. felis has addressed the infection in one host species in a specific geographic region. In particular, distribution of the parasite in tick vectors was based on ticks removed from domestic animals and humans. A comprehensive study of the distribution of the parasite in both questing ticks and felines is necessary. Our study had two general objectives: i) to determine the prevalence and parasitemia of C. felis in bobcats and prevalence in questing tick vectors, and ii) to compare the genetic diversity of C. felis among different hosts. We screened tissues of 122 bobcats, and 218 ticks (117 A. americanum, 101 D. variabilis) and 8 domestic cats suspected to suffer cytauxzoonosis for the presence of C. felis using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers. Bobcats from Illinois showed a prevalence of 66%, whereas ticks had a prevalence of 15.6% with no difference between species. Eight cases of cytauxzoonosis were confirmed in domestic cats. This is the first study to examine a local population of ticks, domestic cats and bobcats. Our data indicate a very high prevalence in ticks and bobcats. More research is necessary to evaluate the causes of these high prevalences, specifically exploring the possibility that domestic cats may be acting as reservoirs and that localized foci of infections may have elevated the prevalence in ticks. 8. COKER, SARAH M.1,2, WHITNEY M. KISTLER1,2, SHANNON E. CURRY1,2, CATHARINE N. WELCH1,2, HEATHER W. BARRON3, STEFAN HARSCH4, SONIA M. HERNANDEZ1,2, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,2. 1Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 2Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 3Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Sanibel, FL. 4South Florida Wildlife Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL. A single haplotype of Haemoproteus is widespread in white ibis (Eudocimus albus) from urban and rural sites in Southern Florida. Urban development in Florida has major implications for wetland dependent birds. Habitat quality and use changes can alter the exposure of animals to pathogens. White ibis (Eudocimus albus) have become increasingly urbanized with many now relying heavily on urban and suburban habitats. Avian haemosporidia parasites can cause acute disease and reduced fitness. Because southern Florida is subtropical with a high diversity of vectors, we hypothesized that there will be a high prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidia in ibis and differences would exist between urban and rural birds. Blood samples from white ibis from Palm Beach (n=263), Lee (n=18), and Broward (n=18) Counties in southern Florida were tested for hemoparasites by analysis of Giemsa-stained thin blood smears and PCR. In Palm Beach (n=11 sites), Lee, and Broward (natural sites in Everglades) Counties, 68%, 61%, and 27% were positive, respectively. Sequences of 139 positives from urban and rural sites revealed a novel genetic haplotype of Haemoproteus. Morphologically, parasites were identified as H. plataleae. Parasitemias of 66 positive birds were very low (average 0.085%, range

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<0.001%-0.890%). No Plasmodium infections were detected in any white ibis despite a recent report of a Plasmodium sp. in a white ibis in Palm Beach and sympatric birds from Lee and Broward Counties having Haemoproteus and Plasmodium infections. Additional research is needed to determine if this Haemoproteus species has subclinical effects on ibis health and if Plasmodium or additional Haemoproteus haplotypes infect white ibis more commonly elsewhere in the southeastern US. 9. GRUNENWALD, CAROLINE M.1*, RICHARD W. GERHOLD2, LISA MULLER3, & CHUNLEI SU1. 1Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. 2Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. 3Department of Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. Genetic characterization of the meningeal worm Parelaphostrongylus tenuis from multiple host species and across spatial scales. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis is a metastrongylid nematode harbored by white-tailed deer and transmitted by ingesting infected gastropod intermediate hosts while grazing. In atypical hosts such as moose, P. tenuis infection causes severe neurological disease and death due to nematode migration within the central nervous system. Although P. tenuis is commonly distributed throughout northeastern and select parts of southeastern North America, nothing is known about the genetic diversity of this parasite. To better understand the genetic population structure, 36 adult P. tenuis were collected from 5 different host species in 7 different states, including 27 white-tailed deer and 9 clinically diseased animals. The second internal transcribed spacer region and the cytochrome oxidase I and II genes were amplified, cloned, sequenced, and compared against known P. tenuis sequences in GenBank. Bioinformatic and phylogenetic analysis of the sequences revealed limited variation between isolates, with the majority of P. tenuis samples (68%) clustering into a single genotype. No geographic or host patterning associated with genotype was observed. The lack of intraspecies diversity and the absence of geographical and host patterning suggests P. tenuis may have undergone a recent genetic bottleneck event. One explanation could be the near extermination of deer in North America during the early 1900’s. Significant loss in deer host numbers likely resulted in a significant decrease in environmental parasite load and thus parasite diversity. This study represents the first attempt to genetically characterize the P. tenuis parasite and suggests past anthropogenic activities may have significantly shaped the parasite’s current population genetic structure. 10. HOPKINS, SKYLAR R.1*, LINDSEY J. BOYLE2, LISA K. BELDEN1, & JEREMY M. WOJDAK3. 1Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA. 2Biology Department, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA. 3Department of Biology, Radford University, Radford, VA, USA. Transmission of a snail symbiont depends on contact between hosts, host health, and host size. Chaetogaster limnaei is an oligochaete worm that lives ectosymbiotically on aquatic snails and consumes trematode miracidia and cercariae. It is unclear whether this symbiont is typically a mutualist, commensal, or parasite of snails. However, like all macroparasites, Chaetogaster is aggregately distributed among snail hosts, so that most snails have no oligochaetes, and a few snails have many oligochaetes. This aggregation might arise from variation in Chaetogaster transmission/dispersal rates among hosts. To explore this possibility, we performed a series of six experiments to

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determine what factors affected net symbiont dispersal from a current “donor” host to a new “receiver” host. Symbionts rarely dispersed unless hosts directly contacted one another. However, symbionts would overcome their reluctance to disperse across the open environment if the donor host died. When hosts could directly contact, net symbiont dispersal varied with both host size and trematode infection status, whereas symbiont density did not influence the probability of symbiont dispersal. Together, these experiments show that symbiont dispersal is not a constant, random process, as is often assumed in symbiont dispersal models, but rather the probability of dispersal varies with ecological conditions and among individual hosts. The observed heterogeneity in dispersal rates among hosts may help explain Chaetogaster aggregation among snail hosts in nature. 11. ROBERTS, JACKSON R.1, THOMAS R. PLATT2, & STEPHEN A. BULLARD1. 1Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL. 2Department of Biological Sciences, St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame IN. Diversity, host specificity, and taxonomic identities of turtle blood flukes (Digenea: paraphyletic “Spirorchiidae”). Turtle blood flukes (TBFs; paraphyletic “Spirorchiidae”) total 30 (35%) and 55 (65%) species that mature in marine and freshwater turtles. Only 40 of 327 (12%) turtle species host TBFs, including 23 (7%) known to harbor concurrent infections. TBF diversity in many turtle lineages and geographic regions is underexplored. Morphology of TBFs from lung of black marsh turtle, Siebenrockiella crassicollis, from Malaysia resemble monotypic Unicaecum by having a single cecum but differs from it by having a post-ovarian cirrus; indicating a phylogenetic affiliation with the basal TBF clade in a recently-published schistosomatoid phylogeny. The only named TBF that infects S. crassicollis was assigned to a larger sister clade that includes schistosomes. Intermediate host specificity may have driven monophyly of the Unicaecum clade. Alabama’s Mobile-Tensaw River Basin, which harbors much of North America’s freshwater biodiversity, is little explored for TBFs: none of 27 freshwater turtles is a confirmed host, despite many (41%) harboring TBF infections elsewhere. We opportunistically sampled common snapping turtles, Chelydra serpentina, and common pond sliders, Trachemys scripta, from the Tallapoosa River System (Alabama) for TBFs. Common snapping turtles were infected by Spirorchis sp. (lung, heart; prevalence 66%; mean intensity 3.5), Hapalorhyncus sp. (mesentery, lungs, heart, liver; 66%; 22), and a putatively unnamed species (mesentery; 33%; 8). The common pond slider was infected by Spirorchis sp. (mesentery, lungs, eye blood vessels; 100%; 3.8). All comprise new host geographic locality records for TBFs and offer opportunity to discover new species and provide supplemental morphological observations of named species. 12. LEE, JUNG KEUN*, GAIL MORARU, AMANDA BENTON, JOHN STOKES, & ANDREA VARELA-STOKES. Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS. Co-infection dynamics of Rickettsia parkeri and “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae” on Amblyomma maculatum (Gulf Coast tick) using capillary feeding. A spotted fever group rickettsiosis, American Boutonneuse fever, was recently described in the southern United States with the first human case reported in 2004. The

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causative agent, Rickettsia parkeri, has been detected up to 56 % of sampled Amblyomma maculatum (Gulf Coast tick), the primary tick vector in the U.S. Amblyomma maculatum may also be infected with a novel rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity, “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae.” Interestingly both rickettsial species may co-infect individual ticks, sometimes at rates higher than expected by chance alone. In order to understand possible interactions between these rickettsial species in A. maculatum, we investigated tissue distribution and transovarial transmission of R. parkeri and “Ca. R. andeanae” in singly- and co-infected A. maculatum that were experimentally infected with rickettsiae and then fed on a vertebrate host. Selected tissues (salivary gland, midgut and ovary) of A. maculatum were collected on days 0 (7 days post-infection), 6 and 12 after placement on rabbits. Thus far, we have tested salivary glands and eggs using species-specific PCR targeting rickettsial ompA. Some samples from each experimental group were infected with their respective rickettsiae on Day 0, however, infections rates decreased on Day 6. On day 12, R. parkeri was not detected in any salivary glands. DNA from “Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae,” but not from R. parkeri, was detected in eggs from ovipositing females. Quantitative analysis of rickettsiae in tick tissues is in progress to better understand transmission of the pathogen, R. parkeri, and possible interactions with “Ca. R. andeanae” in infected ticks. 13. PELTIER, SARAH1,2*, MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,2, JUSTIN BROWN3, & MARK TERNENT3. 1Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 2Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. 3Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA. Mange in Black Bears (Ursus americanus) in Pennsylvania: Etiologic Agent(s), Diagnostic Assays, and Environmental Persistence of Mites. Mange is parasitic skin disease in many mammalian hosts characterized by hair loss, thickened skin, and crusty lesions which can lead to poor body condition, secondary infections and possibly death. Mange in black bears (Ursus americanus) has been reportedly associated with three mite species, Sarcoptes scabiei, Ursicoptes americanus, and Demodex ursi. Mange in Pennsylvania black bears was first reported in 1991 and since then has become an increasing problem throughout much of the state. Currently, little is known about the ecology and epidemiology of mange in Pennsylvania black bears, and this lack of information has limited efficient management efforts. Consequently, the goals of this research are 1) to characterize the etiologic agent(s) of mange in Pennsylvania black bears through morphologic and molecular techniques; and 2) to determine the most appropriate diagnostic approaches to identify mite exposure, mite infection, or disease by comparing histopathology, cytology, serology, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Samples from 22 black bears with severe mange were examined. Based on morphology all 22 were identified as S. scabiei, with an average of 31 mites present per sample. Nine samples have been tested by PCR targeting the ITS-2 region and all were positive. Of the three samples that have been sequenced, all were identical and represented a single genetic type of S. scabiei. Collectively, these data will improve our knowledge of mange and form the basis for understanding why this epizootic is occurring and what management options exist. 14. PURPLE, KATHRYN & RICHARD GERHOLD. Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN. The persistence of Trichomonas

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gallinae isolates in simulated bird baths under various reproduced environmental conditions. Bird baths are often implicated in the dissemination of the protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, the causative agent of the potentially fatal disease trichomonosis, to naïve avian hosts. These implications, however, are based upon speculation rather than scientifically established findings of the behavior of T. gallinae in aquatic environments. We used a set of laboratory experiments to document the persistence of T. gallinae in differing water conditions in rigid plastic containers to simulate bird baths. Each simulated bird bath contained 500ml of distilled water with various treatments, including addition of 15g organic material, increased temperature, and common disinfectants. We inoculated each container one of multiple isolates of T. gallinae from wild avian hosts. We discovered that a T. gallinae isolate from a Cooper’s hawk persisted in distilled water with the addition of organic material for at least 16 hours, far exceeding the previously published persistence of 20 minutes. We also characterized higher temperature, 33˚C, as a beneficial condition for the persistence of a broad-winged hawk T. gallinae isolate in the organic material treatment yielding a persistence of 20 hours. Finally, we have found certain concentrations of common disinfectants inhibit persistence by up to 32-fold. These experimental results provide scientific evidence that bird baths have the potential to serve as a nidus of infection in trichomonosis outbreaks and could serve as a practical target for managing future epidemics. National Center for Veterinary Parasitology. 15. HOUK, ALICE E., CAITLIN M. COSSABOOM, ARIELLE ARNOLD, NAMMALWAR SRIRANGANATHAN, JEANNINE S. STROBL, ANNE M. ZAJAC & DAVID S. LINDSAY. Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Cystoisospora canis has similar proteins and orthologous genes to Toxoplasma gondii involved in tissue cyst development and survival. Cystoisospora canis is a parasite of dogs that can cause bloody diarrhea, weight loss, general malaise and even death in severe cases. Biologically Cystoisospora spp. are similar to Toxoplasma gondii, an important zoonosis worldwide. T. gondii produces polyzoic tissue cysts (PZT) while monozoic tissue cysts (MZT) are produced by C. canis. Reactivation of T. gondii PZT can cause toxoplasmic encephalitis among other serious complications. We hypothesized that C. canis is similar enough biologically and genetically to serve as a model for T. gondii PZT. We found similar binding patterns on C. canis MZT walls and T. gondii PZT walls using BAG-5 polyclonal antisera and SalmonE monoclonal antibody. These antibodies recognize proteins important for development and persistence of the T. gondii tissue cyst. Dolichos biflorus lectin, which recognizes sugar residues on the cyst walls of T. gondii PZT, also reacted to C. canis MZT. Next, we identified 20 genes in T. gondii involved in virulence, pathogenesis and tissue cyst formation and used PCR to determine if orthologous genes were present in C. canis. Our initial studies have found C. canis to have 8 orthologous genes of the 20 evaluated. These observations, in addition to our previous studies, indicate that C. canis is biologically and genetically similar to T. gondii and can serve as a model to examine tissue cyst wall development. We plan on using this model system to study host factors that cause reactivation of tissue cysts which is vitally important to finding effective therapeutic agents against T. gondii.

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16. WOMBLE, MATTHEW R.*, & STEPHEN A. BULLARD. Aquatic Parasitology Lab, School of Fisheries Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL 36849. Small things considered: the luring life of Proterometra and cyptic nature of Leuceruthrus (Digenea:Azygiidae). Using morphology and genetic data, we provide novel data on the taxonomic diversity, life cycles, and geographic distributions of species of Proterometra and Leuceruthrus (Digenea: Azygiidae), a group of putatively highly-endemic and little-studied flukes, infecting highly valued fishes (i.e., Centrarchidae), and snails (i.e., Pleuroceridae). As such, they serve as a prime example of the seemingly rich, yet cryptic fauna that range throughout freshwater ecosystems in the southeast United States, and beyond. We collected adults and, or, cercariae of 6 species of Proterometra and 2 species of Leuceruthrus from 8 snail species, 14 fish species, ranging in 10 rivers/lakes and 6 states. Specimens for morphology were processed accordingly and studied with light and scanning microscopy; whereas, specimens for molecular biology were fixed directly in 95% EtOH and processed for sequencing. For morphology, all specimens were compared with published descriptions and type material of morphologically similar congeners. In agreement with our morphological results, the ITS2 rDNA sequence data suggests that several of the specimens collected represent species new to science. Previous to this work no species level molecular data existed on GenBank for Proterometra or Leuceruthrus. This study represents (i) the first taxonomic study of a species of Proterometra in the past 20 years, and in over 80 years for a species of Leuceruthrus, (ii) provides novel taxonomic information for adults and cercariae of both genera, (iii) contributes new host and geographic locality records, (iv) and is the first use of molecular methods to elucidate life cycles for azygiids. 17. SAPP, SARAH G. H.1,2, SARA WEINSTEIN3, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,4 1. Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study and 2. Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; 3. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California ; 4. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. Comparison of Baylisascaris procyonis infection dynamics and host competence in two Peromyscus species. Deer mice (Peromyscus spp.) are intermediate hosts for the raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, and infection in P. leucopus serves an important role in parasite transmission. Although infection has been reported in several Peromyscus species, no data are available on differential susceptibility of the various species. We compared infection dynamics of B. procyonis in two species (P. leucopus and P. maniculatus ssp. bairdii). Groups of six captive-bred mice of each species were inoculated per os with one of three doses (~10, ~50, or ~500) of embryonated B. procyonis eggs obtained from feces of a naturally-infected raccoon. Animals were monitored twice daily for clinical sings and behavioral abnormalities and were euthanized at the onset of severe CNS symptoms or 45-48 days post infection (DPI). Larvae were enumerated in the brain via microscopic examination, and in skeletal muscle and visceral organs via artificial digestion with HCl-pepsin. Overall, P. maniculatus had higher mortality (100%, 83%, and 17% for high, medium and low dose groups) and earlier disease onset compared with P. leucopus, which had lower mortality

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in the medium and low dose groups (67% and 0%) and later onset of disease in all dose groups. P. maniculatus had significantly more larvae in the brain than P. leucopus at the highest dose. Interestingly, total larval recovery was similar across species and dose groups. These data indicate that during experimental infections with biologically-relevant doses, P. maniculatus are more likely to develop severe disease compared with P. leucopus, suggesting that even closely-related rodents may experience differential mortality. 18. SAPP, SARAH G. H.1,2*, LISA N. RASCOE3, PATRICIA WILKINS3, SUKWAN HANDALI3, ELIZABETH B. GRAY3, MARK EBERHARD3, DANA M. WOODHALL3, SUSAN P. MONTGOMERY3, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY 2,4 .1. Department of Infectious Diseases and 2. Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 3. Parasitic Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; and 4. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA. Detection of antibodies to raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) and risk factors for exposure in wildlife rehabilitators from the United States and Canada. Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm, is a zoonotic parasite and a cause of severe neurologic disease in >130 wildlife species. Nearly all diagnosed human cases have been fatal or resulted in severe neurologic complications. Most severe infections were in children who likely ingested large numbers of parasite eggs. We hypothesized that healthy adult at-risk individuals may develop asymptomatic or sub-clinical infections resulting from accidental ingestion of low numbers of eggs. Wildlife rehabilitators may be a population at risk due to frequent contact with raccoons and/or their feces. We collected serum samples from 273 wildlife rehabilitators from 33 states and 3 Canadian provinces and administered a questionnaire to assess potential risk factors. Samples were tested for B. procyonis-specific antibodies using a recombinant RAG-1 antigen immunoblot. Overall, 19 participants (7%) were positive for antibodies to B. procyonis, of which 13 (68%) had actively rehabilitated raccoons in the past year. All 19 positive individuals conducted rehabilitation in areas where B. procyonis is present or suspected to be present in raccoons (i.e., 12 U.S. states and one Canadian province), and all reported at least some history of raccoon contact. Use of PPE was variable, but most participants reported frequent use of gloves and hand-washing, and the majority (81%) reported regular anthelminthic treatment of raccoons. In summary, antibodies to B. procyonis were detected in healthy adult wildlife rehabilitators. Currently, we are administering a questionnaire to wildlife rehabilitators to assess knowledge of B. procyonis and use of PPE to better understand educational needs within this community. 19. SAWYER, R. O.1*, T. P. RUSHIN1, A. E. HOUK1, D. SCOTT2, A. C. ROSYPAL3, & D. S. LINDSAY.1.1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 2Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, NC, 3Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC. Demonstration of opossum transmitted Sarcocystis in raptors. Protozoal encephalitis is being increasingly reported in raptors. DNA of Sarcocystis falcatula has been identified in Great Horned Owls, Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles using PCR and a case of encephalitis in a northern gannet due to a S. falcatula-Arg-like

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parasite has been reported. Opossums are the definitive host of these parasites. Raptors also act as definitive hosts for various Sarcocystis species with unknown life cycles. We examined muscles of 114 raptors using PCR. ITS primer pair 18S 9L/1H was used to detect DNA from all Sarcocystis species, while primers JNB 33/54 were used to determine the presence of S. falcatula, S. falcatula Arg-like, S. lindsayi or S. neurona. Of the 114 DNA samples examined for Sarcocystis, 27 birds were positive by ITS PCR and 9 of those birds were also positive for JNB using PCR. Examination by RFLP using the enzymes DraI and HinfI indicated that S. falcatula was present in 4 of 9 birds, S. falcatula Arg-like was present in 3 of 9 birds, and that S. lindsayi and S. neurona were not found in any of the 9 birds. Not enough DNA was present in 2 of 9 raptors to conduct RFLP. This study demonstrates that S. falcatula and S. falcatula Arg-like parasites are present in the muscles of raptors. It also demonstrates that additional species of Sarcocystis are present in raptors (ITS positive/JNB 33/54 negative). Phylogenetic studies are underway using the ITS sequences to compare Sarcocystis species found in these raptors. 20. SALEH, MERIAM N.1*, ALEXANDRA D. GILLEY2, MEGHAN K. BYRNES2, & ANNE M. ZAJAC1. 1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology and 2Department of Academic Affairs, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Treatment and control of Giardia duodenalis in a dog colony used for veterinary instruction The protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis is a common cause of canine diarrhea. Infections are more common in dogs housed in kennels. Metronidazole and fenbendazole are commonly used for treatment. Controlling infection can be difficult and should include cleaning and disinfection. Twenty-two mixed breed dogs were acquired for instruction and added to the existing colony of 12 dogs in August 2013. They were dewormed with fenbendazole two weeks prior to arrival. In September several dogs developed diarrhea. Zinc sulfate fecal flotations on pooled samples were positive for Giardia. All dogs were treated with metronidazole (7 days), with no change in clinical signs. Subsequently, all dogs were tested by ZnSO4 flotation or immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and were positive. We attempted to eliminate Giardia from the colony using an integrated approach that included: 1) a 10 day course of fenbendazole (50mg/kg), 2) removing dogs from kennels on treatment D5 for bathing, and 3) kennel disinfection with a quaternary ammonium disinfectant and drying. One dog received metronidazole D11-D17 because of loose stool. All dogs were IFA negative for Giardia on D8 and D13. On D20 one cyst was detected in one dog. Samples examined by IFA on days 20, 27, 34, 41, 62, 83, 104, 125, 146, 167,188, and 209; all were negative for Giardia. A sample collected before the integrated treatment was genotyped and found to be the canine specific genotype, Assemblage C. This integrated approach appears to have eliminated Giardia from this colony, despite their outdoor access and frequent handling. 21. HUGHES1, GRANT, SHANNA-KAY SAMUELS2, KOMAL SHAIKH2, JASON RASGON1 & ANNE VARDO-ZALIK2*. 1The Huck Institutes of The Life Sciences, The Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Department of Entomology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, U.S.A. 2Science Department, The Pennsylvania State University, York, PA 17403, U.S.A. Discrimination of the Plasmodium mexicanum vectors Lutzomyia stewarti and Lutzomyia vexator by a PCR-RFLP assay and Wolbachia infection.

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Lutzomyia vexator and Lutzomyia stewarti are two sand fly species found in North America and they transmit Plasmodium mexicanum to lizards in northern California. Morphologically, these species are extremely similar, but using PCR-RFLP of the COI gene, it is possible to identify the species molecularly by using species specific restriction enzymes (RE). In this experiment, all L. stewarti were cut with the RE AccI, while no L. vexator were cut. The RE Sau961 digested 93% of L. vexator and none of L. stewarti. Molecular identification is also possible using PCR to test for the presence of the bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachia. Wolbachia infection was detected in L. stewarti only (93%). Thus, we determined two ways to differentiate between these two important sand fly species. 22. WEIRICH, JESSICA M.1*, FRANÇOIS CATZEFLIS2 & F. AGUSTÍN JIMÉNEZ1. 1Department of Zoology Southern Illinois University of Carbondale, Carbondale IL. 2Laboratoire Paléontologie Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France. Identification and description of a new species of Guerrerostrongylus (Nematoda Heligmonellidae) in cricetid rodents from French Guyana. Guerrerostrongylus includes four species that infect sigmodontine rodents throughout the eastern half of South America. These include the G. zetta from Nectomys squamipes, Oligoryzomys nigripes, and Oecomys mamorae from Argentina and Brazil; G. uruguayensis from Oligoryzomys flavescens from Uruguay; G. gomesae from Oecomys mamorae from Brazil, and G. ulysi infecting Sooretamys angouya in northeastern Argentina. Based on the arrangement of cuticular ridges and configuration of the caudal bursa, it was determined that trichostrongyle nematodes belonging to this genus were present in the small intestine of four Guianan oecomys, Oecomys auyantepui (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) in French Guiana. The worms were measured and compared against types and vouchers specimens of all the known species in the genus. The specimens collected from the Guianan oecomys show a unique arrangement in the bursa in that ray eight does extended to the edge of the bursal margin, unlike the ray eight of the other species of Guerrerostrongylus. The size of gubernaculum, spicules, uterine sphincter, in combination with the number of ridges, suggest specimens found in O. auyantepui belong to an undescribed species. To assess the placement of Guerrerostrongylus in the phylogeny of Helligmonellidae, paratypes of the species were used to amplify and sequence the mitochondrial genes Cytochrome oxidase 1 (Cox1), cytochrome oxidase b (cob), large ribosomal subunit RNA (rrnL), and the first and second nuclear transcriber spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2).

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23. BROWN, CAROLINE1, CAROLINE GRUNENWALD2, & RICHARD GERHOLD3*. 1College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 3Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Examining nested PCR on cerebrospinal fluid as a potential live animal assay for diagnosis of meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) infection. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (meningeal worm) infection causes severe neurological disease and death in domestic and wild camelids, cervids, ruminants, and equids. Currently no antemortem diagnostic test is available for the detection of P. tenuis infection. Animals are definitively diagnosed with verminous migration upon necropsy, through histological evaluation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of brain spinal cord tissue. We attempted to validate a cerebrospinal fluid based nested PCR (nPCR) assay to diagnose P. tenuis in cases of unexplained neurologic disease in live animals. Thirty-one cerebrospinal fluid samples from a variety of P. tenuis-suspect animals having variable neurologic signs or animals with no neurological impairment were analyzed using the nPCR protocol. Seven of the thirty-one samples, all from free ranging moose (Alces alces linneaus), were PCR positive for P. tenuis. Four of these samples were sufficient for sequencing and one of the four sequences had a 100% identity to P. tenuis from (GenBanK accession GU122924). The remaining three sequences were of host DNA. These results indicate that CSF nPCR and subsequent sequencing is a low sensitivity, but high specificity test for P. tenuis in live animals. Currently our laboratory is working on developing an ELISA test for P. tenuis infection and also offers diagnostic PCR testing of animal tissue samples for P. tenuis and other parasitic infections. 24. CASEY, SARAH J.¹, ANNE M. ZAJAC¹, STEPHAN WILDEUS². ¹Dept. Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA and ²Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, Petersburg VA. Worm burdens of Haemonchus contortus in alpacas and sheep following experimental infection. Haemonchus contortus is the most important small ruminant gastrointestinal parasite. Heavy infections may cause anemia and death. The third compartment of the stomach of alpacas (C3) can also be infected with consequent development of clinical signs. In this study we examined whether previously observed differences in fecal egg counts (FEC) between alpacas and sheep reflect a difference between hosts in worm burdens. All animals used in the study were initially dewormed. Infective H. contortus larvae were administered orally to alpacas as either a bolus infection (20,000 larvae as a single dose, n=8) or a tickle infection (4,000 larvae/day for 5 days, n=8). Similar bolus and trickle infections were administered to rams (n=6 per group). FEC were determined every 5 days from day 14 to day 49 after infection. All animals were euthanized 49 days after final H. contortus infection and aliquots of the abomasal or C3 contents were harvested for determination of total worm burden. Stomachs were also incubated overnight in saline to facilitate recovery of larvae and aliquots of the rinsings were collected. Also, the pH of the rumen and abomasum were measured. Sheep FEC were higher than those of alpacas. Mean total worm burdens were significantly lower (p<0.0001) in alpacas (bolus=708, trickle=541) than sheep (bolus=4,895, trickle=3,142). All parasites seen were adults. The mean pH was significantly higher in

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alpaca C3 (6.2-6.5) than in the sheep abomasum (3.7-4.4). Our results provide further support for the hypothesis that alpacas are less susceptible than sheep to H. contortus infection. 25. BULLARD, STEPHEN A., RAPHAEL ORÉLIS-RIBEIRO, & MATTHEW R. WOMBLE. Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, Auburn University, Auburn AL. Parasites too can cause lesions on Gulf of Mexico fishes. The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon (DHOS) oil spill focused much more attention on Gulf of Mexico aquatic animal health, especially regarding the outward appearance of commercially- and recreationally-valued aquatic organisms such as red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) and shrimps (Penaeidae). Media reports asserted that the DHOS was causally linked with several non-infectious disease processes in fishes but seemingly lacked specific details and supporting scientific evidence from parasitology, microbiology, pathology, and environmental chemistry. Information on the infectious and non-infectious diseases of fishes, or the lack thereof, can demonstrably impact ecosystem science (micro- & macro-evolutionary processes), industry (tourism, fisheries), human health (zoonoses, seafood safety), and community resilience (bequest value, perception of environmental quality). We argue that a deeper understanding of parasitism, parasitology, and marine disease (broadly) can help citizens, stakeholders, and researchers better interpret how, when, where, and why Gulf of Mexico fish are infected, lesioned, or debilitated. Herein, we provide some curious examples of parasites that cause abnormalities or skin lesions on their fish hosts: red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) infected with a skin-dwelling parasitic nematode (Huffmanela oleumimica) and electric stingray (Narcine bancroftii) infected by a leech (Branchellion torpedinis) as well as yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) infected by ectoparasitic flatworms (Capsala cf. biparasiticum and Dermophthirius penneri, respectively). We suspect that these host-parasite relationships have resulted from ecological and phylogenetic interactions between and among parasites and their hosts over a geological timescale, including parasite life history specializations and host-parasite coevolution. We also emphasize the value of infectious and non-infectious disease studies that characterize interactive effects of anthropogenic disturbances, fish health, and parasite pathogenicity. 26. DAVIS, CHERYL D.1*, M. SUSAN JONES2, M. EVE MAIN2 DAWN GARRETT-WRIGHT2, TARA HOLADAY3, & STEVEN HOUSE4. Department of Biology, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. School of Nursing, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Counseling and Health Services, Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky. Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. Ascariasis and enterobiasis in a rural Kentucky farming community. A cross-sectional study was conducted to screen for parasitic helminth infection in a rural Kentucky farming community. The target population was a self-selected sample of men, women, and children. A total of 104 individuals from 25 families participated in one or more aspects of the study. No participants tested positive for Strongyloides stercoralis antibodies, 9/38 (23.7%) were positive for Enterobius vermicularis (human pinworm), and 1/99 (1.0%) was positive for Ascaris. Swine manure samples from six

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farms were also examined for the presence of helminth eggs. Two/6 (33.3%) of the samples were positive for both Ascaris eggs and strongylid eggs and 2/6 (33.3%) were positive only for strongylid eggs. These results demonstrate that active transmission of pinworm and Ascaris is occurring in this community. The role that pigs may be playing in the zoonotic transmission of Ascaris in this community and in similar farming communities warrants further investigation. This project was supported in part by a grant from the NIGMS (2 P20 GM10436-14). 27. MCDERMID, KIMBERLY R.1,2, ANDREI SNYMAN3, F.J. VERREYNNE4, JOHN P. CARROLL3, & MICHAEL J. YABSLEY1,2*. 1Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA 2Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 3

School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 4Vet and Agric Consultants, Gaborone, Botswana. High diversity of Babesia spp. in lions (Pathera leo) from Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana. African lion (Panthera leo) numbers are decreasing rapidly and populations are becoming smaller and more fragmented. This study was conducted to obtain data on the prevalence and diversity of blood parasites in a threatened lion population in southeastern Botswana. Blood, serum, and ectoparasite samples were collected on 50% (n=13) of the adult/sub-adult lions in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve. Data on parasites was obtained by molecular testing for Trypanosoma, Anaplasma, Theileria and Ehrlichia spp. Only Babesia spp. were detected and all lions were positive using genus-wide probes. Only two lions were positive for tested species probes; one lion was positive with B. felis, B. lengau, B. microti, and T. bicornis probes and the other lion was positive with B. felis, B. lengau and B. microti probes. Sequencing of amplicons from four lions (two above and two positive only with genus-probes) revealed four Babesia spp. including variants of B. felis, a variant of B. lengau, B. canis vogeli and a Babesia sp. which is only 96% similar to other Babesia spp. and likely represents a novel species most similar to B. microti. Six lions were infested with ticks identified as Rhipicentor nuttalli (n=4 lions), Rhipicephalus simus (n=2), Rhipicephalus sulcatus (n=2) and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (n=1). Because concurrent infections with Babesia and canine distemper virus can lead to clinical disease, these data are important to determine appropriate management and conservation strategies for this population, especially when it is incorporated into a larger metapopulation with lions from South Africa and Zimbabwe. 28. SARMENT, LEA V., MYRA C. HUGHEY, & LISA K. BELDEN. Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA. Parasites and microbes: the symbiont communities of spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) from Blacksburg, VA, USA. Vertebrates host a high diversity of symbionts. Although they share a single host, taxonomically diverse symbiont communities are often studied in isolation. This study investigated two symbiont communities associated with spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer)—helminth parasites and skin bacteria—with the goal of understanding how different symbiont communities interact, either directly or indirectly through effects on host immune function and health. Spring peepers (N=18 in 2013, N=12 in 2014) were collected from a single pond at Virginia Tech’s Kentland Farm and examined for internal

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parasites and skin microbes. The diversity of the cutaneous bacterial communities of all individuals was assessed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Overall, 47% of individuals contained parasites (50% in 2013, 42% in 2014). Consistent with previous studies, the most common parasites were nematodes and trematodes, located in the stomach or intestines. Infection intensity ranged from 1−5 and 1−40 individuals/host for nematodes and trematodes, respectively. Spring peepers harbored a rich bacterial community on their skin, consisting of 275−683 operational taxonomic units (~bacterial species). Preliminary analyses examining relationships between parasite presence and skin bacterial community diversity revealed interesting trends. First, individuals infected with parasites generally had less rich bacterial communities. Second, the bacterial communities of individuals infected with parasites clustered together, suggesting that shifts in bacterial community composition associated with infection are consistent across individuals. Given the preliminary nature of our findings, additional research is needed to better understand the relationship between skin bacterial community composition and infection with nematodes or trematodes. 29. NIMS, TODD N.1,2*, OSCAR J. PUNG1, C. RAY CHANDLER1, RALPH P. ECKERLIN3, & LANCE A. DURDEN1. 1Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro GA. 2Science Department, Georgia Perimeter College, Covington, GA. 3Natural Sciences Division, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA. Helminthes of the oldfield mouse, Peromyscus polionotus, and golden mouse, Ochrotomys nuttalli, in southeast Georgia, USA. Small mammals, including oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus) and golden mice (Ochrotomys nuttalli), were live-trapped from paired burned and unburned longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) habitats in southeastern Georgia, USA. We previously recorded 12 species of parasitic or epifaunistic arthropods from 112 oldfield mice from 2 burned habitats and 8 species of arthropods from 16 mice from 2 fire-suppressed longleaf pine habitats. From a subset of the oldfield mice (n=30), we now report 5 species of helminthes; specifically, the nematodes, Carolinensis peromysci, Pterygodermatites peromysci, and Syphacia peromysci, the cestode, Hymenolepis folkertsi, and the trematode, Lyperosomum sp. In addition, from a subset of the golden mice (n=8), we now report 2 nematodes, Carolinensis peromysci and Syphacia peromysci. Hymenolepis folkertsi, a newly described species of tapeworm, was collected from an oldfield mouse included in this study. 30. MORARU, GAIL MIRIAM. Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS. Rickettsia species in ticks collected from domestic animals in central Panamá. Tick-borne diseases of veterinary and human medical importance occur worldwide, affecting human and non-human animal health, but are not well documented in Central America. Many spotted fever group rickettsiae are carried by ixodid ticks, with some being pathogenic and others of unknown pathogenicity. Attached ticks (n=72) were collected in the spring of 2012 from horses and dogs in central Panamá (Agua Salud, Sierra Llorona, Gamboa). Three different genera were collected: Amblyomma (n=1 larva, n=66 nymphs, n=2 adults), Dermacentor (n=2 adults), and Rhipicephalus (n=1 adult). DNA was extracted from individual ticks, and extracts were tested by PCR amplification targeting both tick mitochondrial DNA and rickettsial DNA. For rickettsial

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detection, and fragments of the RNA polymerase beta-subunit (rpoB), rickettsial outer membrane protein A (ompA), and citrate synthase-encoding (gltA) genes were targeted. Of 31 ticks tested thus far, 24 were positive for rickettsial DNA (77.4%) based on the rpoB gene. Positive samples will be prepared for sequencing to determine Rickettsia species. This work demonstrates the high prevalence of rickettsiae in ticks on domestic species in Panamá, representing a threat to both domestic animals and humans in places with limited access to healthcare. 31. GERHOLD, RICHARD1*, LISA MULLER2, & CHUNLEI SU3. 1 Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 2Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 3Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Transmission of Toxoplasma gondii in white-tailed deer in Tennessee. Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s Neglected Parasitic Infections needing further research on transmission and prevention. Genotyping has disclosed six different groups of T. gondii that are associated with varying degrees of virulence with some being highly virulent. Previous studies of isolates from US wildlife suggest that wild species maintain a greater diversity of T. gondii genotypes than is found in agricultural animals; however, T. gondii genotype data from these hosts are limited. To further understand the diversity of T. gondii in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), we screened sera from hunter-killed deer from eastern, middle, and western Tennessee for T. gondii exposure via the modified agglutination test. Heart or tongue from select seropositive animals was digested and inoculated into mice to propagate T. gondii tachyzoites. Tachyzoites were genotyped by multiplex multilocus nested PCR-RFLP method employing 10 genetic markers. Of the 136 sampled deer, 52 (38.2%) were seropositive. Seropositive deer were more frequent in western Tennessee (53%, n=35) compared to middle (14.3%, n=2) and eastern Tennessee (26.8%, n=15). Genotyping of 4 white-tailed deer derived T. gondii isolates disclosed type 12 isolate commonly found in wildlife in North America. We conclude that T. gondii is prevalent in deer in Tennessee and further research on diversity and transmission dynamics among wildlife with these wild/feral animal genotypes is warranted. Further GIS, age, and gender analyses are being conducted to determine what factors are associated with T. gondii infection. 32. DE BURON, ISAURE1* KRISTINA M. HILL-SPANIK1, LEEANN HASELDEN2, & STEPHEN D. ATKINSON3. 1Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston SC. 2Marine Resources Research Institute, Division of Natural Resources, Charleston SC. 3Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR. Kudoa inornata: a seasonal parasite? Kudoa inornata is a muscle-dwelling myxozoan that infects the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus. Over 80% of adult spotted seatrout in South Carolina wild populations are infected. The purpose of this study was to determine if infection of spotted seatrout by K. inornata follows a seasonal pattern. During a two year experiment (2013-2014), two replicates of 10 naïve sentinel seatrout were exposed monthly to raw water from Charleston Harbor. At the end of each month exposure, the presence of myxospores was determined via microscopic observation of squashed

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muscle biopsies. When no myxospores were visualized, samples were screened for K. inornata rDNA using PCR. In both years, peak infection by myxospores was observed during the summer with no infection November through April. However, PCR results indicate the presence of K. inornata in fish muscle over a longer period of time. Because only naïve fish were used, these results indicate that actinospores of K. inornata appear to be released by the annelid vector (yet to be identified) throughout most of the year. The results show that the seasonal presence of myxospores in seatrout muscle is a reflection of the different development rates of myxospores at various water temperatures. Future studies should focus on temporal quantification of waterborne actinospores and identification of the annelid vector. 33. ZELMER, DEREK A.1 THOMAS R. PLATT2. 1Department of Biology and Geology, University of South Carolina Aiken, Aiken SC. 2Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame IN. Dispersal patterns of Echinostoma caproni cercariae. Behavior of cercariae often is assumed to be adaptive in terms of increasing the probability of overlap between the infective stage and the next host in the life cycle. Cercariae of Echinostoma caproni have been demonstrated to have a negative geotropic response. Biomphalaria glabrata shedding cercariae of E. caproni were placed at one of 2 heights in one corner of a 2.5 gallon aquarium containing sentinel B. glabrata, distributed at 2 different heights at the 4 corners of the aquaria. Infection patterns differed for cercariae shed from source snails at the bottom and top of the aquarium. The patterns of infection in the sentinel snails were compared to a drunkard’s walk model, as well as models varying infection delay, cercaria life span, and the pattern of vertical migration. The only model that improved upon the drunkard’s walk, in terms of overall fit, incorporated a time delay for infectivity, and provided a good fit only for the cercariae released from the upper portion of the aquarium. 34. ORÉLIS-RIBEIRO, RAPHAEL1, KENNETH M. HALANYCH2, & STEPHEN A. BULLARD1*. 1Aquatic Parasitology Laboratory, School of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn AL. 2Dept. of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849. Diversity and ancestry of flatworms (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea) infecting blood of craniates. We analyzed new and all available sequence data for the partial D1–D2 domains of 28S rDNA from 83 blood flukes to test monophyly of fish blood flukes (Aporocotylidae) and their interrelationships with tetrapod blood flukes (i.e., Schistosomatidae and “Spirorchiidae”). We also tested monophyly of the blood flukes infecting gastropods compared with those of bivalves plus polychaetes. Based on this analysis, the blood flukes infecting marine bony fishes (Euteleostei) are monophyletic. The clade comprising a chondrichthyan blood fluke plus all marine euteleost blood flukes is the sister group to all tetrapod blood flukes (= spirorchiids and schistosomes). Several innominate blood fluke cercariae from freshwater gastropods were monophyletic and sister to the clade comprising spirorchiids and schistosomes but low nodal support indicated that they may represent a distinct blood fluke lineage with phylogenetic affinities also to fish blood flukes. Blood flukes that utilize gastropod intermediate hosts were monophyletic (= unidentified gastropod cercariae + tetrapod blood flukes) and those utilizing bivalves and polychaetes were monophyletic (= marine fish blood flukes).

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Low or no taxon sampling among blood flukes of basal fish lineages and primary division freshwater fish lineages are significant data gaps needing closure. We also note that no record of a blood fluke infection exists in a hagfish (Myxiniformes), lamprey (Petromyzontiformes), or non-tetrapod sarcopterygiian, i.e., coelacanths (Coelacanthomorpha) or lungfishes (Dipnoi). The present phylogenetic analysis reiterated support for monophyly of Schistosomatidae and paraphyly of Spirorchiidae, with the blood flukes of freshwater turtles basal to those of marine turtles plus schistosomes. 35. HAWDON, JOHN M. The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC. Controlling soil transmitted nematodes: time to think inside the box? Over 1 billion people worldwide are infected with the soil transmitted nematodes (STN) Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and the hookworms Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. These infections cause significant morbidity in more than 450 million people, primarily children and pregnant women, resulting in over 39 million disability adjusted life years lost. Considerable effort and resources have been, and continue to be, spent on top-down, medical based programs to control STN infections, with few long-term successes. I will discuss the problems with these methods, and propose a new emphasis on sustainable, long-term investments in sanitation-based technological approaches to provide a bottom-up, culturally appropriate and economically desirable solution to STN control in endemic areas. Using China as an example, the use of this technology as a solution to rural sanitation and energy problems will be described, and its advantages over current strategies of mass drug administration and vaccination for STN control highlighted. 36. HANELT, BEN. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. A report from the front lines of an academic job search: current trends, what the future may hold, and working on a viable backup plan. Many of us have gotten sage advice, as graduate students, about how to land a tenure track position; by simply following this advice you will join your colleagues who await you in the ivory tower. Yeah right. Even young scientists who followed this advice are entering one of the toughest job markets in recent times. Between 2005 and 2009, more than 100,000 doctoral degrees were awarded in the United State, coinciding with only 16,000 new tenure track positions. This gluttony of fresh PhD students and increasingly amassing post-docs, Research Professors, Visiting Professors, etc., has led to increased competition for the few available academic jobs. Receiving 400-600 applications for an R1 position and 100-200 applications for a small liberal arts college position has become commonplace. Landing a job with these odds seems insurmountable, but there are things candidates, can do to land on the top rather than the bottom of the rankings pile. I will discuss the application packet, how to ensure that your packet is not immediately passed over, and how committees go about ‘processing’ hundreds of packets. I will briefly talk about the ins and outs of a phone interview, campus interview, research seminar, teaching demonstration, and the often dreaded “chalk talk”. Finally, I will consider the idea that careers can exist outside of academia and that graduate students who prepare early during their careers will find that the transition between academia and the outside world leads to less anxiety and disappointment.

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37. BELDEN, LISA K. Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA. The role of community ecology in understanding transmission of complex life cycle parasites. While traditional research understanding parasite transmission has focused on single host-single parasite interactions, there is now growing appreciation for the role of the broader community of species in altering infection dynamics. Research in the Belden Lab has focused in recent years on understanding how understanding the broader web of species interactions for trematodes with complex life cycles involving a series of three host species might impact transmission of these parasites within natural systems. I will review several of the experiments we have completed investigating the potential role of predators and host diversity and density in altering within pond trematode dynamics. In addition, I will briefly discuss how these same ideas from community ecology can apply to understanding how potential pathogens might interact with the complex symbiotic communities of microbes that compose the vertebrate microbiome. Overall, I suggest that community context plays an important role in determining the outcome of host-parasite interactions. 38. PHILLIPS, ANNA J.* & WILLIAM E. MOSER. Institution: Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA. Collections management policies and procedures of the USNPC. Since its founding in 1894, the United States National Parasite Collection (USNPC) has been maintained by scientists and curators of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initially in Washington, D.C., and then for over 70 years at the Beltsville Area Research Center in Maryland. The USNPC holdings include approximately 210,000 lots (20,000,000 specimens) consisting of 35 phyla of parasitic taxa and including over 14,000 type lots (3,000 holotypes and 7,000 type series). The USNPC is a cornerstone for global and North American parasitology and serves as an irreplaceable resource for research programs emphasizing biodiversity and systematics of parasites and complex host-parasite systems. In 2013 an agreement was articulated between the USDA/ARS and the Smithsonian Institution to transfer the USNPC in its entirety (fluid specimens, slide specimens, frozen tissues, and reprints) to the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington, D.C. The relocation of the USNPC to the NMNH is underway. Curatorial control now lies with the NMNH and collections management policy of the NMNH is implemented by the Department of Invertebrate Zoology (NMNH-IZ) and the Department of Entomology (NMNH-Ent). Information about procedures for donation of specimens, policies for loans, including requests for destructive sampling, and arranging scientific visits can be found at the website for the NMNH-IZ (http://invertebrates.si.edu/collections.htm). The entire USNPC Collection Database can be downloaded on the NMNH-IZ website (http://invertebrates.si.edu/parasites.htm).The web interface of the NMNH-IZ specimen catalog can be accessed at: collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/iz/.

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Southeastern Society of Parasitologists Award Recipients Meritorious Service Award Byrd-Dunn Award 1983 Robert B. Short 1975 William F. Font 1985 James H. Oliver, Jr. 1976 Hugh M. Turner 1986 A.B. Weathersby 1977 Raymond S. Kutzman 1990 Grover C. Miller 1978 Kenneth S. Saladin 1991 Burton J. Bogitsh 1979 Dean S. Cunningham 1996 Sharon Patton 1980 Gregory F. Mathis 1999 John Richard Seed 1981 Oliver J. Booker, III 2004 Gayle P. Noblet 1982 Steve J. Upton 2013 Charles T. Faulkner 1983 Wesley L. Shoop 1984 Dennis E. Kyle President's Award 1986 Cheryl D. Davis 1987 Charles T. Faulkner 1986 Mary C. Dunn 1988 Victoria H. Mann 1989 Constance E. Bell 1990 Sheila A. Peel Ciordia-Stewart Porter Award 1991 Sara R. Davis 1992 Fred J. Herndon 2012 Zachary Adkins 1993 Rebecca A. Cole & 2013 Frank W. Soveg Chrystal L. Mars 2014 Candice Alge 1994 Lance W. Fontenot 1995 Julia S. Jackson 1996 Vina R. Diderrich 1997 Derek A. Zelmer 1998 Chris A. Hall 1999 Kelly Still 2000 Michael Barger & Allison K. Witherow

2001 Megan R. Collins 2002 Deborah M. Lai 2003 Alyssa Kunz 2004 Michael J. Yabsley 2005 Francisco Palomeque 2006 Tiffany G. Baker 2007 Andrew McElwain 2008 Heather Stockdale 2009 Dawn M. Roellig 2010 Rick Gerhold 2011 Carrie Umberger

2012 Elizabeth Gleim 2013 Alice E. Houk 2014 Adonis McQueen & Brigette Brinton

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Professor George William Benz (1954-2015). A native of New Haven, CT, George served as Fisheries Biologist for the state of Connecticut (1980-85), Curator of Fishes and Chief Research scientist for the Tennessee Aquarium (1991-2003), Director of the Tennessee Aquarium Research Institute (1997-2003), President of the Southeastern Society of Parasitologists (1997), and Professor of Parasitology at Middle Tennessee State University (2003-2015). At MTSU George taught lecture and laboratory sections of General Biology, Ichthyology, and Marine Biology, among other courses, while also conducting parasitological research with the undergraduates and graduate students he passionately mentored in his laboratory. George’s research interests were broad, including parasite taxonomy, copepodology, helminthology, fish biology, aquatic animal health, and aquaculture science. He had a passion for the parasitic copepods of elasmobranchs and made substantive contributions to our knowledge of their biology and global taxonomic diversity. A naturally-gifted and captivating ambassador for Parasitology, George’s research was

featured in myriad widely read textbooks and news outlets as well as television; including Der Spiegel, Highlights for Children, World Wildlife Fund, Discover, National Geographic Channel, BBC, and Discovery Channel. George considered SSP his ‘home society’ but made considerable professional contributions to other societies and their journals, including service as Associate Editor for the Journal of Parasitology (2000-2009), among other editorial or ad hoc reviewer roles. George routinely stated that the best part of his daily routine was interacting with the students in his laboratory, and his love of life and the natural world around him was infectious to all those he touched. George affected many of us in the SSP personally and professionally. We miss him.