Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Improved specificity of a probe-based real-time PCR for the detection of Dirofilaria immitis in canine blood.","authors":"Maureen A Kelly, Tiana L Sanders, Alexa Starnes, Emily Orr, Joe L Luksovsky, Caroline Sobotyk, Hassan Hakimi, Pabasara Weerarathne, Christine M Budke, Guilherme G Verocai","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07323-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07323-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dirofilaria immitis is a vector-borne filarioid nematode distributed worldwide and endemic across most of North America. In dogs, it is considered the most clinically significant parasite and a known cause of acquired cardiomyopathy. Clinically, canine heartworm disease can manifest acutely as caval syndrome and chronically as heart failure, often resulting in death. Different types of diagnostic tests, such as antigen-detection and microfilariae-detection tests (MFDTs), including modified Knott's test and molecular assays, may be used to diagnose D. immitis infection. Although some molecular tools, such as real-time PCR (qPCR), exhibit high accuracy, cross-reactivity with other Dirofilaria species found in companion animals remains a concern. Following our laboratory's previously published protocol, cross-reactivity was found with Dirofilaria striata isolated from a subcutaneous nodule of a cat from Texas. The objectives of this study were to: (i) evaluate the performance of three newly designed probe-based qPCR assays for detecting D. immitis and (ii) assess overall detection with the newly designed protocols compared with the previously published protocol and other diagnostic tests.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We designed three new probes using accessioned D. immitis cytochrome c subunit 1 sequences from various countries worldwide to increase reliability. These new probes were then tested with genomic DNA extracted from D. immitis and D. striata. Following this, we further assessed the performance of these newly designed probes and previously developed probe using 136 archival shelter dog samples previously found to be positive for D. immitis by at least one diagnostic test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of the three probes tested, two (probe 2 and probe 3) specifically detected D. immitis and showed no cross-reactivity with D. striata. Probe 3 showed the highest prevalence of D. immitis among all qPCR assays (68.4%; n = 93/136 samples), followed by the original probe (66.9%; n = 91/136), with probe 2 (59.6%; n = 81/136) showing the lowest. Our analysis of agreement between probes using Cohen's kappa (κ) statistic indicated almost perfect agreement between probe 3 and the previously published probe (κ = 0.86). The shelter dog samples were also evaluated using other heartworm diagnostic methods, including the modified Knott's test, which was positive for 61.0% (n = 83/136) of the positive samples, and the previously published qPCR, which was positive for 66.9% (n = 91/136) of the samples. All samples were also tested in parallel with a commercially available antigen detection test (DiroCHEK®; Zoetis Inc., Parsippany, NJ, USA), yielding 80.1% positivity pre-heat treatment (n = 109/136) and 94.9% post-heat treatment (n = 129/136). Probe 3 paired with post-heat treatment achieved the highest positivity of the molecular diagnostic tests (97.1%; n = 132/136).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This optimiz","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491785/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Blocking Dirofilaria immitis transmission by treatment of heartworm microfilaremic dogs with doxycycline.","authors":"John Wilson McCall, Abdelmoneim Mansour, Utami DiCosty, Crystal Fricks, Scott McCall, Ben Carson, Michael Timothy Dzimianski, Charles Thomas Nelson, Andrew R Moorhead","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07383-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07383-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study was conducted to determine whether heartworm infective larvae (L₃) from mosquitoes fed earlier on blood from dogs during daily administration of doxycycline at various dosages and treatment schedules and a single prophylactic dose of ivermectin could develop normally in dogs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 20 heartworm microfilaremic Beagles in a separate study allocated to four groups (n = 5/group) of five dogs were used as blood donors for mosquito infection. These donor dogs in groups 4, 5, and 6 had received doxycycline orally at 5.0, 7.5, or 10.0 mg/kg twice daily (BID) × 14 or 21 days, and ivermectin orally (minimum 6 mcg/kg) on day 0. Group 2 served as the untreated control. To produce infective larvae for each study, two sets of four groups of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes fed on blood from these four groups of dogs on day 14 (study A) or 21 (study B), respectively, and, infective third-stage larvae (L₃) were recovered 14 days later. In each study, 8 heartworm-naive dogs (4 groups of 2) were inoculated subcutaneously with 50 L₃/dog originating from mosquitoes fed on the corresponding donor group, for a total of 16 recipient dogs. Recipient dogs were monitored by antigen testing and microfilaria counts and necropsied for adult heartworm recovery and enumeration. Necropsies were performed on the same day at 252 days postinfection for study A and 245 days postinfection for study B.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 11 of the 12 dogs that had received L₃ from mosquitoes fed on blood from treated dogs had no heartworms at necropsy; however, 1 dog that was administered doxycycline orally at the lowest dosage of 5.0 mg/kg BID daily and for the shorter treatment period of 14 days allowed only 1 adult female heartworm to reach the pulmonary arteries. All control dogs had male and female heartworms at necropsy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Treatment of microfilaremic dogs with doxycycline administered daily at 10.0 or 7.5 mg/kg BID for 14 days and one monthly dose of a heartworm preventive (macrocyclic lactone [ML]) renders the L₃ incapable of normal development in recipient dogs, which could potentially widen the scope of a multimodal prevention approach to reduce the spread of heartworm disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491866/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of two doxycycline dosages on inflammatory and stress response in dogs naturally infected with Dirofilaria immitis.","authors":"Daniel Julio Vera-Rodríguez, Rodrigo Morchón, Beatriz Regina Morales, José Alberto Montoya-Alonso, Elena Carretón, Noelia Costa-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07505-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07505-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Canine heartworm disease, caused by Dirofilaria immitis, is characterized by a marked inflammatory response largely driven by its endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia pipientis. Doxycycline is routinely incorporated into treatment protocols to reduce Wolbachia burden and the associated pathology. Although the standard recommended dosage is 10 mg/kg every 12 h for 28-30 days, evidence comparing lower dosages under clinical conditions remains limited. This study aimed to compare the effects of two doxycycline dosages on inflammatory and immune markers in dogs naturally infected with D. immitis during the pre-adulticidal phase of treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Seventy-seven dogs naturally infected with D. immitis were randomly allocated to receive doxycycline at either 10 mg/kg (n = 39) or 5 mg/kg (n = 38) every 12 h for 30 days, in combination with a single oral dose of ivermectin (6 µg/kg) administered at treatment initiation. Serum concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and cortisol were measured at baseline (day 0) and after treatment completion (day 30). Anti-recombinant Wolbachia surface protein (rWSP) antibody levels were determined by ELISA. Intra- and intergroup comparisons were performed using non-parametric statistical tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both doxycycline regimens resulted in a significant reduction in CRP concentrations from day 0 to day 30 (p < 0.05), indicating a decrease in systemic inflammation. No significant differences were observed between dosages in the magnitude of CRP reduction. Cortisol concentrations showed a non-significant downward trend in both groups, while anti-rWSP antibody levels remained stable throughout the study period. No significant intergroup differences were detected for any evaluated parameter.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Doxycycline administered at 5 mg/kg every 12 h for 30 days showed a comparable short-term biomarker response to the standard 10 mg/kg regimen during the pre-adulticidal phase. Lower doxycycline dosages may represent a potential alternative with possible benefits in terms of tolerance, compliance, and antimicrobial stewardship, although these aspects were not directly evaluated in the present study.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A retrospective comparison of two-dose and three-dose melarsomine, with doxycycline and a macrocyclic lactone, in 1246 shelter dogs.","authors":"Linda S Jacobson, Brian A DiGangi, Maria A Serrano, Joey Friedman, Mia K Cuccinello, Hannah M Garcia, Julie K Levy","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07344-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07344-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Doxycycline and a macrocyclic lactone (ML/doxy) are now standard additions to melarsomine treatment protocols. The safety and efficacy of the two-dose melarsomine protocol have not been revisited since these adjuncts were added to treatment guidelines.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a retrospective cohort study comparing two-dose and three-dose melarsomine in dogs with class 1 and 2 heartworm disease, treated at Miami-Dade Animal Services from 2014 to 2024. All dogs received ML/doxy. Outcome measures were efficacy 5-10 months after the last melarsomine injection, survival to 8 weeks post-melarsomine, and post-treatment complications. Efficacy was assessed for different MLs administered at intake.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Denominators for analyses varied on the basis of available data. There were 889 dogs in the two-dose melarsomine group and 357 in the three-dose group. Follow-up antigen tests were negative in 242/252 dogs (96.0%; confidence interval [CI] 92.9-97.8%) in the two-dose group and 24/24 (100%; CI 86.2-100%) in the three-dose group (P > 0.9999; not significant [NS]). All-cause mortality was 4/491 (0.8%) in the two-dose group and 4/154 (2.6%) in the three-dose group (P = 0.097; NS). Heartworm-related mortality was 1/491 (0.2%) in the two-dose group and remained at 4/154 (2.6%) in the three-dose group (P = 0.013). The deaths in the three-dose group were not considered to be related to the specific treatment protocol. Mild post-melarsomine complications occurred in 66/889 (7.4%) dogs in the two-dose group and 13/357 (3.6%) in the three-dose group (P = 0.014). Severe complications occurred in 3/889 (0.3%) dogs in the two-dose group and 5/357 (1.4%) in the three-dose group (P = 0.047). Two dogs that initially received ivermectin (2/65; 3.1%) and two that received milbemycin (2/35; 5/7%) had a positive follow-up antigen test, compared with none (0/33) for sustained-release moxidectin.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings suggest that two-dose melarsomine, with ML/doxy, is a potential alternative to three-dose melarsomine for class 1 and 2 heartworm disease. Moxidectin may be the preferred ML in the two-dose protocol.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491798/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Endothelial proteomic response to Dirofilaria repens somatic antigens and the Dr20/22 protein reveals parasite-driven modulation of angiogenesis.","authors":"Manuel Collado-Cuadrado, Ana Montero-Calle, Sara Vázquez-Ávila, Rodrigo Barderas, Mateusz Pękacz, Anna Zawistowska-Deniziak, Javier Sotillo, Miguel Pericacho, Rodrigo Morchón","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07314-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07314-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although Dirofilaria repens induces perivascular proliferation in subcutaneous nodules, the molecular factors driving this angiogenic response remain unknown. The objective of this study is to investigate the activation of the angiogenic mechanism in an in vitro model of human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with D. repens somatic antigen (DrSA) and Dr20/22 protein, identifying the key pathways underlying the vascular pathology caused by the parasite.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>After 24 h of stimulation with vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), DrSA, Dr20/22, DrSA+VEGF-A, and Dr20/22+VEGF-A, cell viability was assessed, and proteins from the cell lysate and supernatant of HUVEC cultures were processed. Proteomic profiles were analysed by data-independent acquisition/label-free quantitation/liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (DIA-LFQ LC-MS/MS), and bioinformatics analyses (Gene Ontology, enrichment pathway analysis) were performed to identify proteins differentially expressed in relation to the angiogenic process in subcutaneous dirofilariasis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Supernatant analysis showed that DrSA+VEGF-A and Dr20/22+VEGF-A induced the most robust pro-angiogenic response compared to single treatments. Co-stimulation significantly upregulated key secreted proteins, including angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2), cadherin-5 (CDH5), and multimerin-1 (MMRN1). This synergistic secretome, characterized by enriched angiogenesis pathways, identifies secreted endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) as primary drivers of vascular activation and remodelling in the host-parasite interface.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>DrSA and Dr20/22 act as key molecular drivers that manipulate host angiogenesis. While their synergy with VEGF-A clarifies the origin of vascular changes in subcutaneous dirofilariasis, further research is essential to fully characterize the specific pathways governing vascular pathology and subcutaneous nodule formation. These investigations will deepen the scientific understanding of host-parasite interactions and the disease's clinical etiopathogenesis.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491736/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adulticide treatment with melarsomine: outcome in 283 heartworm-positive dogs in Germany.","authors":"Imke Maerz, Sophie Rütjes, Sebastian Genz, Pia Žagar","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07404-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07404-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heartworm disease is of increasing significance in Europe because of climate change and the movement of dogs from endemic regions. Despite guidelines from the American Heartworm Society (AHS) and the European Society of Dirofilariosis and Angiostrongylosis (ESDA), some clinicians favor macrocyclic lactones and doxycycline alone, partly because of concerns about melarsomine complications. Recent studies, however, support the safety and efficacy of the recommended protocol.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective study analyzed the outcomes of dogs with Class I-III heartworm disease that underwent melarsomine adulticide treatment at a German referral center. Demographic, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and outcome data, including adverse events, were systematically retrieved. Diagnosis was confirmed by antigen testing, with heat treatment applied when indicated. Therapy consisted of 28 days of doxycycline and monthly macrocyclic lactones, followed by a three-dose melarsomine protocol as recommended by AHS/ESDA. Supportive care included sedation, intravenous fluids, maropitant, and additional medications as clinically indicated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 283 dogs were included. Median age was 4.2 years (range: 8 months-11.5 years), and median body weight was 19 (range: 3.4-51.1) kg. Females comprised 53% (84% spayed) and males 45% (89% neutered). All dogs originated from endemic European countries. Clinical signs before treatment included respiratory symptoms (31%), exercise intolerance (15%), gastrointestinal signs (8.5%), and others (2%), while 53% were asymptomatic. Complications following melarsomine were generally mild: injection-site soreness (9.2% after first, 2.1% after third injection), gastrointestinal signs (3.5% after first, 0.7% after third injection), and coughing (12.7% after first, 5.3% after third injection). Two dogs (0.7%) died during treatment, one from cardiac arrest under anesthesia and one from pancytopenia, but neither was conclusively attributable to melarsomine. At 6-month follow-up, none of the 221 dogs tested remained antigen positive.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Adulticide treatment with melarsomine showed high efficacy and an acceptable safety profile. Most adverse events were mild and self-limiting, with rare severe complications. These findings support the use of evidence-based, guideline-driven protocols to manage heartworm disease in dogs living in European countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491706/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Treatment of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) disease in dogs in the USA: general findings and cost of disease.","authors":"Kennedy Mwacalimba, Briana Ferguson, Christopher Brennan, Barbara Poulsen Nautrup, Jennifer Little, Kate Stiefelmeyer, Marina Moldavchuk, Ashley Mosko","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07487-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07487-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heartworm (HW) disease is caused by the adult worms of Dirofilaria immitis. Treatment of HW disease is costly and often challenging. Therefore, the mainstay of HW disease management is to prevent the development of adult worms. The objective of this retrospective study was to use a transaction database to collect information and cost estimates on the prevention and treatment of canine HW disease in the USA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Anonymized transaction data from clinics throughout the USA were used. For the HW disease treatment group (TG) dogs were identified that had a transaction record for adulticidal therapy using melarsomine between August 2022 and July 2023. These dogs were tracked up to 95 days before the first melarsomine treatment for transactions given current American Heartworm Society (AHS) guidelines for the treatment of HW disease. Clinics with records of at least one dog with HW treatment were included. End of the tracking period was 5 days after the last melarsomine injection for the cost evaluation and 12-months for the evaluation of mortality. Included clinics were searched for dogs in the preventive group (PG), i.e., dogs that had a HW test between August 2022 and July 2023, followed by transaction of at least 8.9 HW preventive medication doses over the total observation period of 12 months, starting with the first transaction of HW preventive medication.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2425 dogs were included in the TG and 235,188 dogs qualified for the PG. The adherence to AHS guidelines was low in our study, with stipulated medications and treatments missing in many dogs. Total costs for an average dog with HW disease were calculated at $1457, not considering indirect or intangible costs. Costs of HW preventive medication in year-round purchase compliant dogs were estimated at $182.90. Dogs up to 9 years of age that were treated for HW disease had a significantly higher risk of mortality than dogs in the PG (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Costs of HW disease treatment are substantial, not considering the intangible effects on the animal and dog owner. The high costs and potential burden of disease underscore the benefit of year-round heartworm disease prevention.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491753/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative proteomic analysis of the angiogenic response in an in vitro model of vascular endothelial cells to excretory/secretory and somatic antigens of Dirofilaria immitis.","authors":"Manuel Collado-Cuadrado, Alfonso Balmori-de la Puente, Ana Montero-Calle, Sara Vázquez-Ávila, Rodrigo Barderas, Javier Sotillo, Elena Carretón, Miguel Pericacho, Rodrigo Morchón","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07307-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07307-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dirofilaria immitis infection induces endothelial inflammation and vascular remodeling, contributing to heartworm disease pathology. While excretory/secretory antigens (DiES) are known to promote angiogenesis, somatic antigens (DiSA) exhibit different modulatory effects. This study aims to characterize the differential angiogenic response of endothelial cells to these antigenic fractions using a proteomic approach.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured and stimulated for 24 h with DiES or DiSA, either alone or supplemented with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A to simulate active angiogenesis. Proteomic profiles of cell supernatants and lysates were analyzed using data-independent acquisition-label-free quantification (DIA-LFQ) liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Bioinformatic analyses, including Gene Ontology and pathway enrichment, were performed to identify dysregulated proteins and molecular mechanisms related to angiogenesis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Stimulation with DiES, particularly in combination with VEGF-A, produced the most significant enrichment of angiogenic processes, characterized by the downregulated anti-angiogenic proteins tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (WARS1) and the modulation of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway [upregulated 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDPK1) and downregulated AKT3]. Conversely, DiSA induced a limited angiogenic response with fewer dysregulated proteins. Notably, angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2) was upregulated in all treatments, suggesting universal vascular destabilization. However, in the absence of VEGF-A, both antigens induced markers of vascular regression and cell lysis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>DiSA and DiES exert distinct immunomodulatory effects on the endothelium. DiES acts synergistically with VEGF-A to drive angiogenesis via the ANGPT/tyrosine kinase receptor (TIE) and PI3K/AKT axes, whereas DiSA fails to support this process effectively. These proteomic insights contribute to elucidate the molecular mechanisms driving vascular remodeling and pathology in heartworm disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13491696/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148796492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of lotilaner (Credelio^™ chewable tablets) for preventing Babesia canis transmission to dogs by infected Dermacentor reticulatus ticks.","authors":"Katrin Deuster, Laura A Webb, Carin Rautenbach, William E Anderson, Reinier Zwiegers, Friederike Krämer, Brad Hayes, Lisa Young","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07606-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-026-07606-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Canine babesiosis is a clinically significant tick-borne disease, caused by different Babesia species. Babesia canis, one of the most important and widespread species in Europe, is transmitted by Dermacentor reticulatus ticks and can cause potentially fatal canine disease. Prevention of pathogen transmission can be achieved by regular tick control and prophylaxis. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a single oral application of lotilaner (Credelio^™, Elanco) in dogs for blocking pathogen transmission compared to a negative control group.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-four B. canis-negative dogs were allocated to three groups (n = 8 each). The two treatment groups were treated once orally with Credelio either on Day 0 or 23, while the negative control was sham-dosed accordingly. All dogs were challenged with B. canis-infected D. reticulatus on Day 28, i.e., 28- or 5-days post-treatment (p.t.), for the lotilaner-treated groups. Tick efficacy was assessed by in situ tick counts 24 and 48 h after infestation (Days 29 and 30) and final tick counts and removals 120 h after infestation (Day 33). Clinical examinations, hematology (blood smear), serology (IFAT) and blood PCR were performed in all dogs systematically and in case of suspected clinical babesiosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A single oral treatment with Credelio 28 or 5 days prior to infestation with B. canis-infected D. reticulatus resulted in 100% blocking efficacy against B. canis transmission, as compared to untreated dogs (p < 0.001). The lotilaner-treated dogs were healthy and did not show any clinical or hematological signs of B. canis infection. No treated dog seroconverted or showed a positive PCR. The untreated negative controls tested positive for B. canis from Day 35 onward. All negative controls developed B. canis infection by Day 36 (clinical signs, blood smear, PCR). From Day 43 onward, positive IFAT was also observed. Lotilaner administered on Day 0 or Day 23 demonstrated tick efficacy of 99.7 and 100%, respectively (Day 33).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study confirmed a single oral application of lotilaner chewable tablets was highly effective (100%) against D. reticulatus, blocking the transmission of B. canis to dogs at the beginning as well as at the end of the monthly treatment interval of Credelio.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13543353/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148887212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Why we need more individual-based parasite research.","authors":"Gerardo Fracasso, Robert Poulin, Barbara Tschirren","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07567-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-026-07567-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Absract: </strong>A vast body of literature has investigated the direct and indirect effects of parasites on hosts. While the key role of among-individual variation of host traits has long been acknowledged, individual parasite variation has mostly been overlooked due to the difficulties in studying individual parasites. This has hampered advances in our understanding of fundamental parasite biology as well as progress in the development of novel control strategies. Here, we show how recent technological and methodological innovations, coupled with an improved theoretical understanding, allow for a paradigm shift towards individual-based approaches in parasite-related research and highlight potential breakthroughs across fields. We suggest that ectoparasites-due to their life history as well as medical and veterinary importance-are ideal model systems for the study of individual parasite variation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13463528/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148713431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}