Experimental parasitology最新文献

{"title":"Niosomes as a vehicle for excretory/secretory antigens enhance immunization efficacy of Toxoplasma gondii vaccine","authors":"Salwa S. Younis ,&nbsp;Ghada A. Gamea ,&nbsp;Gamal M. El Maghraby ,&nbsp;Mona F. Arafa ,&nbsp;Rana A. Khalifa ,&nbsp;Sara M. Shoeib ,&nbsp;Rehab M. El-Gohary ,&nbsp;Basma M. Elmansory","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Till now, there is no well-established vaccine for toxoplasmosis in humans. This study evaluated the efficacy of niosomes to enhance the immunogenicity of <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> excretory/secretory antigens (ESAs) vaccine in mice. The mice were divided into the following groups: group I (naïve), group II (naïve challenged), group III (alum), group IV (niosomes), group V (ESAs), group VI (ESAs and alum) and group VII (ESAs-loaded niosomes). All immunized mice received three doses of vaccine intraperitoneally two weeks apart. Two weeks later, mice were challenged with intraperitoneal injection of 10³ viable tachyzoites of virulent RH strain. Parasitological, histopathological, and immunological studies were done<strong>.</strong> ESAs-loaded niosomes offered the best protection as they significantly decreased the mean parasitic count in liver and spleen with reduction rates of 85 and 90 %, respectively. Also, it reduced efficiently the inflammation and parenchymal injury in liver with intense iNOS immunostaining expression. In addition, it was effective in stimulation of humoral and cellular immune responses evidenced by the high significant anti-<em>Toxoplasma</em> IgG, increasing of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ percentages by flowcytometry and serum IFN-γ levels. Therefore, niosomes were proved to be promising vaccine candidates due to enhancing the antigenicity of ESA and their long acting antiparasitic effect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109024"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145039477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sublethal exposure of emamectin benzoate and thiamethoxam alters the biological parameters and genes expression in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)","authors":"Khalid Mehmood ,&nbsp;Muhammad Nadir Naqqash ,&nbsp;Nimra Batool ,&nbsp;Bander Albogami ,&nbsp;Hadeer Darwish ,&nbsp;Ahmed Noureldeen ,&nbsp;Fatemah E. Alajmi","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excessive use of agrochemicals results in contamination of water due to runoff or leaching. Insecticide induced-hormesis, a phenomenon characterized by low dose stimulation following exposure to insecticide, is crucial to insect pest resurgence. In this study, the effects of low or sublethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate and thiamethoxam on biological traits and genes expression were investigated for yellow fever mosquito, <em>Aedes aegypti</em> following 48 h exposures. Bioassay was conducted to compute LC₁₀ and LC₂₀ values for both test insecticides. The low lethal (LC₁₀) and sublethal (LC₂₀) concentrations of emamectin benzoate and thiamethoxam significantly reduced longevity and fecundity of the exposed mosquitoes. However, population parameters showed a negative change in the F₁ progeny of emamectin exposed <em>A. aegypti</em> mosquitoes. While, stimulatory effects on pre-adult stage, longevity, and fertility were observed in the progeny generation (F₁) of <em>A. aegypti</em>, when parental generation (F₀) were exposed to LC₁₀ and LC₂₀ of thiamethoxam. However, at F₂ generation the population parameters in all the treatments were statistically similar to the control except in the LC₂₀ treatment of emamectin benzoate. The LC₁₀ and LC₂₀ of thiamethoxam significantly increased the expression level of vitellogenin in progeny generation, while inhibitory effects were observed for both treatments of emamectin benzoate. Additionally, the expression levels of P450 genes including CYP6P15, CYP6BB2, and CYP9J26 were up-regulated in the exposed insects. Taken together, our results show the hormetic effects in thiamethoxam on F₁ and F₂ individuals, which might be due to the intermittent changes in expression of genes involved in fertility, growth and insecticide detoxification in <em>A. aegypti</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109021"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145014174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acaricidal activity of various essential oil components against acaricide-resistant Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)","authors":"Jyoti,&nbsp;Manisha,&nbsp;Harkirat Singh,&nbsp;Nirbhay Kumar Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em>, an important ixodid tick species, poses significant economic and health challenges to the livestock directly by impairing animal productivity and serving as a vector for various pathogens. Although tick control strategies broadly integrate synthetic acaricides and environmental management, the emergence of acaricide resistance undermines these efforts thereby, necessitating alternative approaches. This study evaluated the acaricidal efficacy of six essential oil components (EOCs) such as cedrol, cinnamaldehyde, citral, eugenol, limonene and menthol against deltamethrin and ivermectin resistant <em>R. microplus</em> population by larval packet test. Among the studied EOCs, cinnamaldehyde exhibited the highest acaricide potential (LC₅₀ = 0.042 %), followed by menthol (LC₅₀ = 0.084 %), eugenol (LC₅₀ = 0.171 %) and citral (LC₅₀ = 0.185 %). Cedrol (LC₅₀ = 1.09 %) demonstrated a lower activity, while limonene (LC₅₀ = 22.0 %) was least effective. Probit regression analysis revealed steep dose-response slopes for cinnamaldehyde, citral and eugenol indicating strong acaricidal effects at low concentrations. These findings identify cinnamaldehyde, menthol, eugenol and citral as promising candidates for the development of plant-based acaricides, supporting their potential integration into the sustainable tick management strategies for management of acaricide-resistant <em>R. microplus</em> populations<strong>.</strong></div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109018"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145004941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of an in vitro assay using abscisic acid to study Toxoplasma gondii infectivity","authors":"Tina Wagner ,&nbsp;Ildiko Rita Dunay ,&nbsp;Arwid Daugschies ,&nbsp;Stefanie Wiedmer ,&nbsp;Berit Bangoura","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The common parasite <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> can infect all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Although most infections in humans remain asymptomatic, clinical toxoplasmosis can develop into a fatal disease. Infections are usually contracted by oral ingestion of tissue cysts or oocysts contained in cat feces.</div><div>Currently, the mouse bioassay is applied as a final experiment to evaluate meat infectivity. This study aims to establish an alternative cell culture and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based <em>in vitro</em> infectivity assay for tissue cysts. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) is applied to increase parasite multiplication.</div><div>A human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) host cell culture was infected with bradyzoites from mouse tissue. Treatment groups included uninfected controls, infected untreated controls, and infected ABA treated groups. The applied ABA concentrations used ranged from 0.2 ng/μl to 20 ng/μl, and ABA incubation times ranged from 2 h to 18 h before ABA removal. At 48 h after infection, <em>T. gondii</em> deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in the cell cultures was quantified by qPCR. The results indicate that parasite DNA copy numbers are markedly increased when using ABA at 2 ng/μl for 4–6 h or at 20 ng/μl for 2 h incubation. Our results indicate that this newly established <em>in vitro</em> assay is suitable to determine <em>T. gondii</em> cyst infectivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109011"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145008116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Targeting the zinc metalloprotease gp63 of Leishmania for vaccine design and new drug discovery using immunoinformatics, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies","authors":"Mohammad Tuhin Ali ,&nbsp;Tania Rahman ,&nbsp;Parag Palit ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ikhtear Uddin ,&nbsp;Veronique Seidel","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by <em>Leishmania</em> spp., for which there is no vaccine and an urgent need for better drugs. The zinc metalloprotease gp63 of <em>Leishmania</em> has been identified as an antigenic structure for vaccine design and a promising target for new antileishmanial agents. In this study, immunoinformatics was used to design a full vaccine construct with the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes of gp63 from Old and New World <em>Leishmania</em> spp. The vaccine construct comprising of these epitopes, with suitable adjuvant and linker sequences, was found to be thermostable, highly antigenic and non-allergenic. A total of 13 linear B-cell epitopes, and 12 continuous and four discontinuous B-cell epitopes, were further identified using the BepiPred and ElliPro prediction programs, respectively. In addition, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies were performed to identify new antileishmanial molecules with the potential to target gp63. Nareline - a phytomolecule from the antileishmanial plant <em>Alstonia scholaris</em> - showed the best predictive binding affinity for gp63, forming stable interactions with key residues in the active site of this protein. This study highlights the promising role of gp63 in the search for new vaccines and therapeutic agents to combat leishmaniasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109009"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultrastructural characterization and pathogenicity of Allovohlkamfia spelaea in a murine model: Neuropulmonary infections and therapeutic potential of ellagic acid","authors":"Enas A.M. Huseein ,&nbsp;Fatma A.S. Anwar ,&nbsp;Gamal H. Abed ,&nbsp;Hossam El-Din M. Omar ,&nbsp;Tasneem M. Hassan ,&nbsp;Haiam M.M. Farrag ,&nbsp;Sary Kh Abdel-Gahfar ,&nbsp;Mahmoud Soliman ,&nbsp;Alzahraa Abdelraouf Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>Allovahlkampfia spelaea (A. spelaea)</em> is a free-living amoeba that has recently been recognized to cause <em>Acanthamoeba</em>-like keratitis, the treatment of which is complex. The pathogenic potential of <em>Allovahlkampfia</em> spp. remains unexplored. This study characterized <em>A. spelaea</em> through ultrastructural morphological analysis and investigated the pathogenic potential of the <em>A. spelaea</em> strain KS1, which was isolated from a patient with keratitis, in a murine model, with a focus on neuro-pulmonary infections. Additionally, this study assessed the therapeutic effectiveness of ellagic acid (EA) against tissue damage caused by amoebic infections.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Immunosuppressed male Wister rats were intranasally inoculated with <em>A. spelaea</em> trophozoites (1 × 10⁶/ml) and divided into control, infected untreated, and infected treated (50 mg/kg EA daily) groups. Histopathological and ultrastructural analyses of brain and lung tissues were conducted by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of EA were assessed via comparative tissue pathology.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><em>A. spelaea</em> infection induced <em>A. spelaea</em>-induced neural lesions resembling granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) in the brain, which was characterized by gliosis, vasculitis, and necrosis, in addition to severe pulmonary damage, including suppurative bronchopneumonia and abscesses. Trophozoites presented with pseudopodia, acanthopodia, and amoebostomes, whereas cysts presented with double-layered walls. EA-treated rats presented nearly normal brain and lung histology, with reduced inflammation and gliosis, highlighting the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of EA.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the neurotropic and pulmonary pathogenicity of <em>A. spelaea</em>, with ultrastructures parallel to those of <em>Vahlkampfia</em> spp. and <em>Acanthamoeba</em> spp. Ellagic acid significantly reduces infection-induced damage, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for infections caused by free-living amoebae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109008"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vacuum-sealed anaerobic plate culture enhances growth and confluence of Giardia intestinalis trophozoites","authors":"Nor-Athirah Mohd-Najib ,&nbsp;Hasmah Abdullah ,&nbsp;Candy Chuah ,&nbsp;Basripuzi-Nurul-Hayyan Hassan-Basri ,&nbsp;Weng-Kin Wong","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Giardia intestinalis</em> trophozoites, the replicative stage responsible for human giardiasis, require anaerobic settings for microtiter plate culture. However, residual ambient oxygen (AAO₂) within plates and enclosed compartments could hinder consistent confluence. This study evaluated a vacuum-sealed bag (VS) combined with an anaerobic gas generator sachet (AS) (VS + AS) as an alternative culture method to minimize residual AAO₂. The conventional airtight compartment plus AS (AT + AS) served as the reference, while VS without AS (VS–AS) functioned as the negative control. Two-fold serially diluted trophozoites were seeded in 96-well plates, and confluence was scored at 48-, 96-, and 144-h post-seeding using a 5-point scale (0: 0–20 % to 4+: 80–100 %). MTT assays were used to validate the association between seeded cell number and parasite viability, as well as inter-well variation among fully confluent wells. VS + AS cultures achieved ≥3+ confluence within 48 h and maintained this through 96 h, whereas AT + AS required 96–144 h to reach comparable levels. VS–AS consistently showed poor growth. Optimal confluence in the VS + AS system was observed with seeding densities of 6 × 10⁴ to 5 × 10⁵ trophozoites per well. MTT assays confirmed a strong linear correlation between seeded cell number (10³^.⁹–10⁵^.⁷) and OD₅₄₀ readings (r² = 0.98). The inter-well variation among fully confluence wells was below 10 %. In conclusion, the VS + AS system accelerates trophozoite growth and improves reproducibility compared with conventional methods. This approach provides a reliable platform for studying <em>Giardia</em> trophozoite biology and supports the discovery of novel anti-giardial compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109010"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144992074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unmasking the intestinal impact: Acute Toxoplasma gondii infection induces severe morphological and immunological changes in female C57BL/6 mice","authors":"Paulo Watanabe ,&nbsp;Vivian Fuguhara de Lima ,&nbsp;Amanda Gubert Alves dos Santos ,&nbsp;Lucas Casagrande ,&nbsp;Vinicius Franca Scanavaca ,&nbsp;Priscila Laet Santana ,&nbsp;Roberto Kenji Nakamura Cuman ,&nbsp;Debora de Mello Gonçales Sant Ana ,&nbsp;Gessilda de Alcantara Nogueira-Melo","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> (<em>T. gondi</em>i), is a common zoonotic disease with a seropositivity rate of up to 60 % in adults. While often asymptomatic, it can cause severe complications in immunocompromised individuals. Oral transmission is the primary route of infection, leading to intestinal inflammation. This study evaluated morphoquantitative changes in the colons of female C57BL/6 mice acutely infected with <em>T. gondii</em>. Mice were divided into control and infected groups and euthanized five days post-infection for colon collection. Histological analyses quantified intraepithelial lymphocytes, goblet cells, mast cells, and collagen fibres, while immunostaining assessed neurons and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) expression. Infected mice exhibited increased intraepithelial lymphocytes and myeloperoxidase activity, alongside a significant reduction in AB-1.0-positive goblet cells, indicating impaired mucus secretion. Notably, the longitudinal muscle layer showed increased thickness, whereas the submucosal layer and crypt depth were reduced. Histopathological evaluation revealed epithelial hyperplasia, mucosal ulceration, and abscess formation. A decrease in myenteric neurons was also observed, although VIP expression remained unchanged. These findings demonstrate that acute T. gondii infection induces substantial alterations in intestinal structure, including immune cell infiltration, goblet cell depletion, and muscle layer remodelling. The reduction in myenteric neurons, despite stable VIP expression, suggests specific neuroimmune interactions in the infected gut. Collectively, this study highlights the profound impact of <em>T. gondii</em> on colonic morphology and function, underscoring the complexity of host–parasite interactions during acute infection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 109007"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144920262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In-vitro experiments suggest Ixodes ricinus nymphs prefer blood with Borrelia infection and low glucocorticoid levels.","authors":"Tosca Vanroy, Bram Catfolis, Elin Verbrugghe, Kris Verheyen, Luc Lens, Diederik Strubbe, Frank Pasmans, An Martel, Siska Croubels, Marc Cherlet, Lander Baeten","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.108999","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.108999","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ticks play a significant role in the transmission of various pathogens, impacting both human and animal health. Understanding the factors influencing tick feeding preferences is crucial for mitigating the risk of tick-borne diseases. This study investigates the blood preference of Ixodes ricinus nymphs, focusing on host species, stress hormone levels (glucocorticoids), and the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. bacteria. We conducted three series of in vitro experiments using a setup where individual blood drops (15 μl) were placed on filter paper over a 37 °C plate. Ticks were placed in the center, and their movements were tracked for 2 min to record preferences. The first experiment tested preferences for blood from different hosts (mouse, bird, sheep). The second examined the role of stress hormones by offering blood with varying levels of added cortisol and corticosterone (0, 10, 100, 1000 ng/ml). The third experiment investigated the potential influence of Borrelia infection, combined with elevated stress hormone levels, on blood preference. Our results show that I. ricinus nymphs preferred blood without added glucocorticoids and, in mice, blood with Borrelia infection. No clear preference for a specific host species was observed. These findings offer insights into how host physiological state may affect tick host selection, even though I. ricinus may not always have the opportunity to choose between hosts. Future studies should explore these interactions in more biologically relevant models to better understand the dynamics of tick attachment and feeding. Unraveling these mechanisms could aid in developing new strategies to control tick-borne diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"108999"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144768561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A low-cost house eave screening technique complements insecticide-treated nets in reducing indoor human exposure to the bites of anopheles mosquitoes in a malaria endemic area of south forested Cameroon: results from a pilot study","authors":"Rosine Danale Metitsi Tesongang ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Elanga-Ndille ,&nbsp;Glwadys Cheteug Nguetsa ,&nbsp;Herman Parfait Awono-Ambene ,&nbsp;Abraham Fomena ,&nbsp;Raymond Tabue ,&nbsp;Cyrille Ndo","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Currents insecticide-based vector control strategies are struggling to reduce malaria transmission. This pilot study investigated the potential of a low-cost eave screening technique to reduce human exposure to malaria vectors in a forested area of Cameroon. The pre-intervention phase consisted of collecting baseline data on malaria epidemiology including the human malaria prevalence, vector biology and the bio-efficacy of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). During the intervention phase, selected houses were improved by screening open eaves with wire insect mesh stapled to wood lathe strips that were attached to the exterior walls. Neighbouring unscreened houses were used as the control. In the post-intervention phase, entomological parameters of malaria transmission were assessed again and compared between improved and unimproved houses. In addition, the cost, community perceptions and the durability of the intervention were evaluated. Prior to the intervention, the prevalence of malaria in human was 38.85 %, while the entomological inoculation rate (EIR) was 73 infected bites per person per year (ib/p/y). <em>Anopheles gambiae</em> s.l. was the major local vector and was full susceptible to pirimiphos-methyl but resistant to bendiocarb and pyrethroids insecticides. The possession and use ITNs were 89.62 % and 79 %, respectively. Only the pyrethroid + PBO ITNs were effective against the local <em>An. gambiae</em> s.l. population. The intervention led to a 5.5-fold reduction in the EIR in improved houses (from 37.70 to 6.90 ib/p/y), was cost-effective ($23.6 spent per modified house) and was highly appreciated by community beneficiaries since it improved their wellbeing. This pilot study employed a low-cost house improvement technique that can be integrated with other vector control strategies in malaria endemic areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"276 ","pages":"Article 109006"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144894879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}