International journal for parasitology最新文献

{"title":"The spatial proteome of Eimeria tenella provides a high-resolution view of proteins localised to key invasion organelles.","authors":"E Attree, K Barylyuk, C Noonan, E Einarsson, V Marugan-Hernandez, O Gundogdu, D Blake, F Tomley, R F Waller, D Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104878","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104878","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Eimeria tenella is one of the most prevalent species of Eimeria that infects chickens causing coccidiosis, an enteric disease estimated to cost the poultry industry over £10.4 billion globally per year. The E. tenella genome contains ∼7,268 protein-coding genes, almost half of which are annotated as hypothetical with no known function. In this study we investigated the localisation of E. tenella sporozite proteins using Hyperplexed Localisation of Organelle Proteins by Isotope Tagging (hyperLOPIT) combined with Bayesian machine learning. We assigned 722 identified proteins with previously unknown localisation to one of 12 subcellular niches at ≥0.99 confidence, substantially expanding the known proteome of this invasive parasite stage. These included 49 and 70 proteins assigned to the invasion-related microneme and rhoptry organelles respectively. Importantly, we observed distinct separation of previously described surface antigen (SAG) A and B proteins into separate subcellular niches including one (SAGB) within the micronemes, suggestive of functional divergence between these two SAG sub-families and highlighting a potential mechanism contributing to virulence. Furthermore, our spatial map provides vital functional context for hypothetical proteins, notably assigning a highly conserved ortholog of the T. gondii SPATR (secreted protein with an altered thrombospondin repeat) to the microneme, supporting its shared role in apicomplexan host cell invasion. This spatial proteome provides a valuable resource to the research community, revealing complex evolutionary divergences of key protein subfamilies. These create opportunities to further our understanding of parasite pathogenicity, identify vaccine candidates and enable comparative evolutionary and biological analyses across diverse apicomplexan parasites that impact human, livestock and wider animal welfare.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"104878"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147856355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal vaccination with gamete-related antigens of Cystoisospora suis reduces clinical effects and oocyst excretion in an experimental model of suckling piglet coccidiosis.","authors":"Anja Joachim, Teresa Cruz-Bustos, Anna S Feix, Bärbel Ruttkowski, Lukas Schwarz","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104868","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104868","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The protozoan parasite Cystoisospora suis (Order Coccidia) is a major cause of gastrointestinal disease in suckling piglets, resulting in significant economic losses to the pig industry due to diarrhea, weight loss and increased susceptibility to secondary infections. Current control strategies are limited and rely primarily on strict hygiene measures and the use of toltrazuril, and reports on resistance against this drug in C. suis have been reported. To address the urgent need for alternative control measures, this study investigated maternal vaccination as an approach to confer passive immunity to piglets. We evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of a recombinant vaccine containing three antigens from the sexual stages of C. suis: CsTyRP, CsOWP1 and CsHAP2. Sows were vaccinated three times prior to parturition and antibody transfer to piglets via colostrum and the outcome of experimental infections of piglets with C. suis on the third day of life were assessed in comparison to an adjuvant-only (sham vaccinated) control group. Vaccinated sows developed significant antibody titers which were successfully transferred to their offspring. Piglets from vaccinated sows showed a significant reduction in oocyst shedding and improved weight gain compared to controls. We here provide the first evidence that a recombinant vaccine effectively reduces the clinical impact of C. suis in neonatal piglets and lays the groundwork for the development of sustainable vaccination strategies against mammalian coccidiosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"104868"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147837448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recommendations for sustainable control of cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1887) in Latin America and the Caribbean.","authors":"G A Sabatini, F A Borges, L M Costa-Junior, U Cuore, A Cutolo, C A Fiel, N N Jonsson, W D Z Lopes, S López-Osorio, J R Martins, M Molento, C M O Monteiro, N Morel, S Nava, P Parodi, M Pulido, J Reck, D S Rodrigues, R I Rodriguez-Vivas","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpara.2026.104869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The control of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, is an ongoing challenge for cattle producers in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. It is a robust parasite that transmits potentially fatal pathogens and can cause substantial damage to cattle in its own right. With a high fecundity and a life cycle with an off-host, free-living phase that can extend to around one year, R. microplus has a demonstrated capacity to both, evade treatment with acaricides and to acquire resistance to acaricides. The aim of this article is to design current best practice recommendations for control of R. microplus for Latin American environments, based on empirical and theoretical studies available in the literature, and on the field experiences of the authors. To help control program designers ensure that all critical factors are considered, a five-pointed approach to control is recommended: 1) Treat with the right product; 2) Treat using the right dose; 3) Treat the right animals; 4) Treat at the right time; 5) Use non-acaricidal methods. Consideration of each of these points should enable control of ticks consistent with three pillars of sustainable parasite control: 1) ensuring environmental and human safety; 2) enhancing the production of high-quality, high welfare animal products; and 3) preserving the financial viability of cattle farms.</p>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"104869"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147837495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Plasmodium falciparum Liver Stage Antigen 3 plays a role in completing the final stages of merozoite invasion of red blood cells","authors":"Masayuki Morita ,&nbsp;Charlie Jennison ,&nbsp;Matthew T. O’Neill ,&nbsp;Bernard N. Kanoi ,&nbsp;Tomoko Ishino ,&nbsp;Takafumi Tsuboi ,&nbsp;Justin A. Boddey ,&nbsp;Eizo Takashima","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the red blood cell (RBC) invasion mechanism by <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em>, the causative agent of human malaria, is critical for developing blood-stage vaccines. Most research on the roles of parasite molecules during invasion into the RBC has focused on the pre-invasion and invasion phases, particularly on merozoite proteins in these early steps. Consequently, well-established blood-stage vaccine candidates, such as MSP1, AMA1, EBA175, Rh5, CyRPA, and Ripr, have been discovered by research targeting the early invasion phases. Recently, we identified that Liver Stage Antigen 3 (LSA3) is a merozoite dense granule protein and a novel blood-stage vaccine candidate, given that antigen-specific antibodies inhibit parasite growth by 24%. However, the precise role of LSA3 in RBC invasion remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the function of LSA3 during merozoite invasion of RBCs. In the late-invasion phase, LSA3 localized to the posterior end of invading wild-type merozoites accessible to anti-LSA3 antibodies in the culture medium. <em>In vitro</em> cultured <em>lsa3</em> knockout parasites (Δ<em>LSA3</em>) exhibited slowed parasite growth. Time-lapse imaging revealed that knockout of <em>lsa3</em> resulted in a 65% reduction in normal invasion completion relative to the wild-type. Furthermore, Δ<em>LSA3</em> parasites displayed a high frequency of accolé-form: aberrant morphology, with a protruding convex-shaped ring-stage just beneath the RBC membrane, following successful internalization into RBCs. This study provides the first evidence that a merozoite dense granule protein potentially plays an important role in the late-invasion phase of the <em>P. falciparum</em> erythrocytic cycle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104743"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145367894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular and morphological support for the synonymy of Nephrostomum and Patagifer: discovery of new species and broad geographic connections","authors":"María G. Díaz González ,&nbsp;Danimar López-Hernández ,&nbsp;Vasyl V. Tkach ,&nbsp;Fabiana Drago ,&nbsp;Fred D. Chibwana ,&nbsp;Martina R. Laidemitt ,&nbsp;Christopher A. Blanar ,&nbsp;Verónica Núñez ,&nbsp;Mariano Dueñas Díaz ,&nbsp;Luis A. Gomez-Puerta ,&nbsp;Sean A. Locke","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, DNA was sequenced from adults of <em>Patagifer</em> Dietz, 1909 and <em>Nephrostomum</em> Dietz, 1909 (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) collected from avian definitive hosts in Nearctic, Neotropic, Palearctic and Afrotropic regions. Phylogenetic analyses of entire mitochondrial genomes, nuclear rDNA operons, and partial 28S, ITS2, <em>cox1</em>, and <em>nad1</em> all indicate that <em>Nephrostomum</em> is synonymous with <em>Patagifer</em>, which is given priority, and that head-collar characters formerly used to separate these genera represent traits that vary among closely related congeneric species. Low interspecific divergence in partial 28S (0–0.41 %) in <em>Patagifer</em> has contributed to misidentifications, while mitochondrial markers provided greater resolution and revealed greater species diversity. Six species were included in the present study: <em>P. ramosum</em>, <em>P. bilobus</em>, <em>P. vioscai</em>, <em>P. limai</em>, an unidentified species known only from cercariae, and a new species with distinctive head collar morphology, from <em>Theristicus caerulescens</em> in Argentina. In both <em>P. ramosum</em> and <em>P. bilobus</em>, mitochondrial markers show intercontinental distributions that can be plausibly linked to historical transatlantic expansions of their Old-World avian hosts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104748"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145451932","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of gregarine (Apicomplexa) colonisation on the functional response of the amphipod host","authors":"Heather J. Knight ,&nbsp;Kevin O. McKinley ,&nbsp;Anastasios D. Tsaousis ,&nbsp;Jennifer A. Dodd ,&nbsp;Sonja Rückert","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gregarines are a notably understudied but widespread group of protists that colonise aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. This limited understanding of gregarines and their interactions with their hosts results partly from the absence of established culturing techniques and our understanding therefore has heavily relied on field collections. This study utilised for the first time cultured <em>Gammarus pulex</em> populations and comparative functional response models to explore the effects of gregarine colonisation on the host’s consumption of Chironomid prey. This study shows that both positive and negative <em>G. pulex</em> displayed a Type II functional response. There were no statistical differences in the functional response parameters between the two groups. These results suggest that, under the study conditions, gregarines may function as commensal symbionts within their <em>G. pulex</em> host. This is consistent with growing evidence for gregarines acting across a range of symbiotic roles within their hosts. These findings provide insight into the role of gregarines in <em>G. pulex</em>, an invertebrate species frequently used for field- and lab-based experiments, contributing to the evidence of the complex and varied gregarine host-symbiont interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104742"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145312814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anisakid nematodes in skates (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes) along a depth gradient: do bathymetry and host size influence the presence of zoonotic parasites?","authors":"Manuel M. Irigoitia ,&nbsp;Marialetizia Palomba ,&nbsp;Paola E. Braicovich ,&nbsp;María Paz Gutiérrez ,&nbsp;Delfina Canel ,&nbsp;Simonetta Mattiucci ,&nbsp;Juan T. Timi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Some species of Anisakidae are known to cause human anisakidosis due to ingestion of seafood containing larvae L3. Although cartilaginous fishes are infrequently reported as hosts for anisakids, they could play a role in their transmission to definitive hosts. The occurrence and level of infestation by anisakids on 18 species of skates were analysed, based on a sample of 676 specimens. A total of 1692 worms were recorded; the morphologic and genetic analysis of mDNA cox2 gene, confirmed the presence of <em>Anisakis pegreffii</em>, <em>A. berlandi</em> and <em>Phocanema cattani</em>, whose presence and burdens varied among the species of skates examined. The models generated from prevalence and mean abundance data showed that both bathymetric distribution and length of skates influence the anisakid load in the host species studied. <em>Phocanema cattani</em> prevailed in coastal skates, whereas <em>Anisakis</em> spp. were more common at greater depths. Indeed, the molecular analysis showed that <em>A. pegreffii</em> was most frequent in skates species inhabiting coastal to middle shelf waters, while <em>A. berlandi</em> was relatively more common in skate species living in deeper waters. The knowledge of the epidemiology of anisakids in the Southwestern Atlantic is still incipient, particularly those studies employing molecular approaches. Despite this study being geographically limited and restricted to a closely related group of hosts, the observed patterns would be extensive to other latitudes and species. This would contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the ecology of an emerging zoonoses, which have implications for human health and international trade; even more under a global warming scenario.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104747"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145431482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Glycan remodelling of live adult Schistosoma mansoni worms by chemical inhibition of α-mannosidases","authors":"Eleonore B. Kuhlemaijer ,&nbsp;Tom Veldhuizen ,&nbsp;Isabella A. van Hulst ,&nbsp;Tessa Liesker ,&nbsp;Benjamin J. Hulme ,&nbsp;Josephine E. Forde-Thomas ,&nbsp;Gabriel Rinaldi ,&nbsp;Karl F. Hoffmann ,&nbsp;Angela van Diepen ,&nbsp;Cornelis H. Hokke","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.11.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting over 250 million people worldwide. <em>Schistosoma</em> parasites can survive in the human host for years due to their capability to evade and modulate host immune responses. Glycans and glycoproteins produced by schistosomes are thought to play an important role in shaping parasite-host interactions. In addition, N-linked glycans are vital post-translational protein modifications involved in fundamental cellular and developmental processes like protein folding and cell–cell interactions. In this study, we generated live <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> adult worms with altered N-glycosylation using the α-mannosidase inhibitors kifunensine and swainsonine, compounds which restrict complex N-glycan processing thereby preventing complex N-glycan formation. We show that <em>ex vivo</em> cultured adult schistosomes display a stable N-glycosylation profile during two weeks of culture characterised by roughly one-third mannose and two-third complex glycans. Inhibition of α-mannosidases during culture resulted in a modified N-glycan profile over time: kifunensine-treated parasites were found to contain 76% mannose N-glycans, while swainsonine-treated parasites showed a strongly increased abundance of hybrid glycans and (fucosylated) mannose glycans. These observations are in line with the expected effect of the inhibitors on endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi α-mannosidases, respectively. Additionally, we examined the N-glycan composition of the worm tegument, a major parasitic structure found at the parasite-host interface. The tegument contained mainly complex N-glycans, often carrying the GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAc (LacdiNAc, LDN) motif, different from the rest of the schistosome body. Again, α-mannosidase inhibition changed the N-glycosylation profile of the tegument, similarly as observed for whole worms. No negative effects of any of the treatments on parasite motility or morphology were observed, indicating that the basic biology of the worms in culture was not affected by these N-glycosylation changes. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of creating a live glyco-remodelled parasite, setting the scene for studying functional parasite glycobiology and glycan-mediated effects in host-parasite interaction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104750"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145573884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of Oesophagostomum dentatum excretory-secretory molecules and extracellular vesicles uncovers a repertoire of microRNAs shared with A. Suum and T. Suis and ES containing Paz and Piwi domain proteins implicated in RNAi signaling","authors":"Maibritt Mardahl ,&nbsp;Eline P. Hansen ,&nbsp;Bastian Fromm ,&nbsp;Anne Borup ,&nbsp;Bradley Whitehead ,&nbsp;Anders T. Boysen ,&nbsp;Allan Stensballe ,&nbsp;Kasper L. Andersen ,&nbsp;Andrew R. Williams ,&nbsp;Aaron R. Jex ,&nbsp;Robin B. Gasser ,&nbsp;Merete Fredholm ,&nbsp;Stig Milan Thamsborg ,&nbsp;Peter Nejsum","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are prevalent in pigs, with the nodular worm, &lt;em&gt;Oesophagostomum dentatum,&lt;/em&gt; causing a chronic infection that affects animal welfare and productivity. Unlike the two other dominant soil-transmitted helminths of pigs, &lt;em&gt;Ascaris suum&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Trichuris suis&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;O. dentatum&lt;/em&gt; promotes immune responses that deviate from the normal parasite-induced type 2 helper (Th2) response causing long-term infection with minimally acquired immunity. &lt;em&gt;O. dentatum&lt;/em&gt; induces a proinflammatory Type 1 helper(Th1)-like response followed by a delayed non-protective Th2 response. The mechanism underlying this disparate response is unclear. Intestinal parasites interact with the host via excreted-secreted molecules and here we investigate the protein and microRNA content of the infectious L3 and adult stage of &lt;em&gt;O. dentatum&lt;/em&gt; focusing particularly on identifying the content of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Using Cryo-EM, nanoparticle tracking analysis and silver staining, we confirmed the presence of EVs in adult worm ES. Proteomic analysis revealed prototypical ES proteins, including SCP-like proteins, transthyretin-like proteins, and peptidases, proteases and hydrolases. Interestingly, a DEAD-Box RNA helicase was found unique to EVs, while a Paz domain protein and a Piwi domain protein was found in the adult worm ES that shows sequence similarity to these domains in the exWAGO protein found in &lt;em&gt;H. bakeri&lt;/em&gt; EVs. Pathway enrichment analyses revealed proteins involved in nutrient metabolism, and the proteasome. To understand which microRNAs &lt;em&gt;O. dentatum&lt;/em&gt; parasites secrete, we annotated the microRNA complement from small RNA-seq libraries from the ES, EVs and EV-depleted SN using microRNA prediction tools (MirMachine and MirMiner). We identified 44 precursor microRNAs and 88 mature microRNAs in the &lt;em&gt;O. dentatum&lt;/em&gt; ES microRNA complement. Quantification revealed 22, 44, and 48 mature microRNAs in L3 EVs, adult EVs and adult SN, respectively, with substantial overlap between L3 and adult EVs (n = 22, 37 % of shared set) and between adult EVs and SN (n = 58, 75 % of shared set). Differential analysis identified 11 microRNAs significantly differentially abundant between sample types. To explore potential conservation of EV microRNAs across nematode species, we here, for the first time, compare the microRNA family profiles of &lt;em&gt;O. dentatum&lt;/em&gt; adult EVs with those of &lt;em&gt;A. suum&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;T. suis&lt;/em&gt;. We found eight shared microRNA families that are known to be highly abundant in the worms themselves: LET-7, MIR-10, MIR-34, MIR-9, MIR-305, MIR-54, MIR-216, and MIR-750. Their diverging microRNA profiles might underlie their species-specific differences in parasitism. Taken together, this study expands the current knowledge of excretory-secretory molecules in non-model parasitic nematodes and confirms the presence of proteins involved in RNAi processing in the ES of the clade V nemato","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104746"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145421788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of a lateral flow test to diagnose liver fluke in cattle and sheep","authors":"Tessa R. Walsh ,&nbsp;Joseph W. Angell ,&nbsp;Andrew Bentham ,&nbsp;Eleanor Bentley ,&nbsp;Helen Clough ,&nbsp;John Graham-Brown ,&nbsp;Alison Howell ,&nbsp;Sonja Steinke ,&nbsp;Alison Wakeham ,&nbsp;Diana J.L. Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2025.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Fasciola hepatica</em> (the liver fluke) is an important parasite of cattle and sheep globally. Current diagnostic tests are laboratory based, which involve costs for sample collection and time taken for results to be returned. This can discourage farmers from engaging with the industry message to test before treating. Treatment in the absence of a diagnosis can contribute to the development of resistance to anthelmintics. We have developed a lateral flow test (LFT) to detect antibodies to fluke in whole blood, which can be used on-farm to detect exposure in cattle and sheep within 10 min. LFT performance was evaluated though on-farm trials sampling 10 sheep on 24 farms, and where possible, up to 10 cattle. Results were compared to those obtained with an in-house antibody detection ELISA. Linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between LFT and ELISA results. Bayesian analysis assuming no gold standard indicated that the LFT had a sensitivity (Se) of 77 % (95 % Credible Interval [CI] 61–91 %) and specificity (Sp) of 80 % (CI 70–89 %) in cattle and 67 % Se (CI 47–94 %) and 71 % Sp (CI 62–82 %) for sheep. Sub-setting for first season lambs gave 96 % Se (CI 85–100 %) and 74 % Sp (CI 65–84 %). A group interview with the farmers who participated in on-farm trials indicated they found the LFT easy to use and thought it would be a useful tool to guide treatment decisions. The LFT will enable farmers to better engage with fluke management on their farms and encourage appropriate use of anthelmintics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":"56 5","pages":"Article 104752"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145581651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}