Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Determining mosquito age using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and artificial neural networks: insights into the influence of origin and sex.","authors":"Zili Gao, Yuzhen Zhang, Laura C Harrington, Courtney C Murdock, Elisabeth Martin, Dalton Manbeck-Mosig, Steve Vetrone, Nicolas Tremblay, Christopher M Barker, John M Clark, Lili He, Wei Zhu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06831-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06831-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and Zika, continue to pose significant threats to global health, resulting in millions of cases and thousands of deaths each year. Notably, only older mosquitoes can transmit these diseases. Therefore, accurate age estimation of mosquitoes is vital for targeted interventions and risk assessments. However, traditional methods, such as tracheole morphology analysis, are labor-intensive and have limited scalability. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), when coupled with artificial neural networks (ANNs), offers a robust and flexible alternative, facilitating accurate and efficient mosquito age determination even in diverse and complex environmental conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed 124 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from California (CA) and Thailand (TH) using SERS, each generating 20 spectra. The ANNs utilized a multilayer perceptron with two hidden layers of 100 neurons and rectified linear unit (ReLU) activation. Classification tasks used cross-entropy loss; regression applied mean squared error. Models were trained with a 70-30 training-validation split and optimized using the Adam optimizer over 10,000 iterations. Performance metrics included accuracy, correlation coefficient (R), and root mean square error (RMSE). t-Distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) visualizations and confusion matrices offered additional model insights into effectiveness.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ANN models demonstrated superior performance in differentiating mosquito age relative to non-ANN methods. For female CA mosquitoes, the models classified ages from day 1 to day 21 with 84% accuracy and predicted age with an R of 0.96 and RMSE of 2.18 days. Similarly, the models achieved 86% accuracy and an R-value of 0.95 for female TH mosquitoes. While mosquito origin and sex influenced performance, the combined model maintained robust results, achieving 80% accuracy and an R-value of 0.93. Implementing a voting mechanism across multiple spectra for each mosquito significantly improved accuracy, increasing classification performance from approximately 80% at the spectrum level to 100% at the mosquito level.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates the effectiveness of SERS combined with ANN for accurate age classification and prediction of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. The models achieved high accuracy across diverse populations, with a voting mechanism enhancing classification to 100%. These findings highlight the potential of SERS-ANN as a reliable tool for vector control and disease surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"218"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12150527/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144266967","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":"Anti-Toxoplasma gondii efficacy of beta, beta-dimethylacrylshikonin and isobutyrylshikonin in vitro and in vivo.","authors":"Hai-Ting Guo, Lu Wang, Bintao Zhai, Shi-Chen Xie, Wen-Bin Zheng, Xing-Quan Zhu, Zhong-Yuan Li","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06865-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06865-1","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread parasite that can infect almost all vertebrate species including humans, causing variable clinical symptoms from asymptomatic infection to serious diseases. Though extensive research has been done in recent decades, the prevention and control of T. gondii continue to present substantial challenges. Herbal medicines have long been a rich source of chemical entities and may provide new avenues for drug discovery against T. gondii. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the anti-T. gondii effect of two monomers, beta, beta-dimethylacrylshikonin (DMAS) and isobutyrylshikonin (IBS), extracted from the roots of a widely distributed and used medical plant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The cytotoxicity of DMAS and IBS on Vero cells was evaluated using the MTT assay, and the toxicity in mice was assessed on the basis of the changes of body weight combined with the histopathologic examinations on spleen, liver, and kidney. The effects of DMAS and IBS on mice against T. gondii acute infection were evaluated by combining survival curves with splenic histopathologic examination. Ultrastructural change in T. gondii tachyzoites post co-incubation in vitro was observed by electron microscopy. ACT1-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was conducted to quantify T. gondii tachyzoites, including proliferation and the inhibitory efficacy of DMAS and IBS. Invasion and attachment, intracellular proliferation, and parasitophorous vacuole viability evaluations were conducted to assess the effects on the asexual life cycle of T. gondii. In addition, untargeted metabolomics analysis was performed to clarify the underlying mechanisms by which DMAS and IBS act against this parasite.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;Both DMAS and IBS, with higher half-maximal cytotoxic concentration (CC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;) values, exhibited concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in Vero cells and significantly inhibited the intracellular proliferation of T. gondii in vitro, showing lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC&lt;sub&gt;50&lt;/sub&gt;) values and higher selectivity index (SI) values. DMAS showed a statistically more potent effect than IBS, but both were not significantly more potent than that of pyrimethamine (PM). The tachyzoites exhibited severe ultrastructural damage following treatment with DMAS or IBS. Metabolomics analysis indicated that this abnormal biological lesion was caused by the disruptions in purine and pyrimidine metabolism pathways in T. gondii, with mechanisms likely differing from that of PM. In vivo, a dose of 1.5 mg/kg of DMAS showed no significant toxicity in Kunming (KM) mice, with no significant pathological damage or weight loss. At this dosage, both DMAS and IBS significantly alleviated the splenic hyperemia and statistically prolonged the survival times of T. gondii-infected mice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This study demonstrated that DMAS and IBS have an inhibitory effect o","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"217"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12150545/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144258675","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":"In vitro interaction profiles and midgut glycoconjugates of Trichophoromyia spp./Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni.","authors":"Thais Gouvea de Morais, Yetsenia Del Valle Sánchez Uzcátegui, Chubert Bernardo Castro de Sena, Rodrigo Ribeiro Furtado, Fernando Tobias Silveira, Edilene Oliveira da Silva, Thiago Vasconcelos Dos Santos","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06860-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06860-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Knowledge of sand fly-Leishmania attachment determinants is pivotal for providing evidence on vector status. Considering the Amazonian transmission context of Trichophoromyia spp.-L. (Viannia) lainsoni, the present study aimed to assess in vitro interactions and detect gut glycoconjugates associated with this vector-parasite association.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Field-caught Trichophoromyia brachipyga and Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis were tested. Lutzomyia longipalpis reared in the laboratory was used as a control. The intestines were obtained by dissection, and the species were confirmed by morphology. Interactions for each sand fly-Leishmania association were individually performed via an in vitro incubation system. N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc), galactose-(β 1,3)-GalNAc (Gal/GalNAc), and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc) glycoconjugates of Trichophoromyia spp. were analyzed by Western blotting using corresponding peroxidase-conjugated lectins.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No difference was found between Th. ubiquitalis and Lu. longipalpis attachment with L. (V.) lainsoni, and Lu. longipalpis with Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (control). However, Th. brachipyga-L. (V.) lainsoni attachment was weaker than that of the control. Trichophoromyia spp. were negative for residues of GlcNAc terminally exposed. Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis was positive for GalNAc and Gal/GalNAc, whereas Th. brachipyga presented only residues of GalNac terminally exposed.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The present study suggests that Trichophoromyia spp. sand flies, particularly Th. brachipyga, are susceptible to L. (V.) lainsoni, based on the observed vector-parasite attachment profiles and detection of GalNAc in their midguts. This supports early field data suggesting the vector status of these sand fly species.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"216"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12150580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144258676","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":"Prevalence, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Chagas disease in Guanare, Venezuela: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Iván A Escalante-Pérez, Ana A Alviares, Óscar D Omaña-Ávila, Fhabián S Carrión-Nessi, Daniela L Mendoza-Millán, Grecia de J Erimee-Vieira, Juan M Contreras-Rengifo, Vanessa C Sande-Mujica, Mariana de J de Marchis-Vento, Karim J Gebran-Chedid, Mario A Dubuc-Ponte, Daniela I Castro-Betancourt, Vittoria F Fuentes-Fiore, Rachell A Molina-Mendoza, Alejandro M Loreto-Rodrigues, Juan C Gomes-González, Luciano Mauriello, Eyleen Moronta, Belkisyolé Alarcón de Noya, Zoraida Díaz-Bello, David A Forero-Peña","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06846-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06846-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chagas disease (CD) is endemic in 21 Latin American countries, placing approximately 75 million people at risk of infection. In Venezuela, CD has been recognized since 1919, with seroprevalence estimates reaching up to 45% between 1958 and 1968. However, current data on the epidemiology of CD in Venezuela are limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study in September 2023 in Guanare municipality, located in northwestern Portuguesa state. Seroprevalence was determined by detecting anti-Trypanosoma cruzi IgG antibodies and assessing specific-IgG avidity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, we evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding CD in the region.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 388 participants were enrolled, with a mean age of 29 (standard deviation [SD] = 21) years; 67% (n = 260) were female. Seven individuals, aged between 62 and 75 years, tested positive for T. cruzi, yielding an estimated seroprevalence of 2%. Among these ELISA-confirmed cases, the majority were men (71%, n = 5) with a mean age of 67 (SD = 5) years. Their occupations included construction work (42%, n = 3), farming (29%, n = 2), and housekeeping (29%, n = 2). In the KAP survey, 28% of respondents reported having a family member with CD, and 39% recalled observing the insect vector in their homes. Notably, 83% were aware that CD is transmitted by an insect vector. Although over 70% expressed positive attitudes toward educational initiatives and indicated willingness to collaborate with health services for prompt diagnosis and vector elimination, more than 80% reported inadequate vector control practices.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The seroprevalence of CD in the Guanare population was 2%, with all positive cases occurring in individuals over 60 years of age, suggesting an absence of active transmission in the area. While community knowledge and attitudes regarding CD were generally favorable, vector control practices were suboptimal. Future studies employing probabilistic sampling across various regions of the state are needed to further elucidate the epidemiology of CD in Venezuela.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"215"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12147284/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144248992","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":"Endoparasites of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in Germany and their zoonotic potential: proposed Capillaria ovoreticulata genetically identified as Capillaria putorii.","authors":"Karolin Schütte, Andrea Springer, Florian Brandes, Maximilian Reuschel, Michael Fehr, Angela Kern, Christina Strube","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06858-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06858-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) are frequently infected with a variety of endoparasites. The hedgehogs' synanthropic lifestyle results in frequent contact with pets and humans, posing the risk of parasite spillover from a One Health perspective.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present study assessed the endoparasite fauna and excretion intensity of 531 European hedgehogs presented at wildlife rehabilitation centres in Germany. Faecal samples were examined by the combined sedimentation-flotation method, the Baermann technique and FASTest® CRYPTO-GIARDIA Strips (MEGACOR Diagnostik GmbH) from July 2018 to May 2021. Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. positive samples were further differentiated via amplification of the 60 kDa glycoprotein gene and the β-giardin gene, respectively. In addition, molecular identification of adult intestinal Capillaria spp. and Acanthocephala spp. was achieved via the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox-1) gene. Article title: Kindly check and confirm the edit made in the article title. The article title has been checked and the edit made is confirmed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Endoparasite prevalence was 95.5% (507/531). The most frequently detected helminth species was Crenosoma striatum (77.6%, [412/531]), followed by Capillaria erinacei (68.2%, [362/531]), Capillaria putorii (68.2%, [362/531]), Capillaria aerophila (26.7%, [142/531]), Brachylaemus erinacei (5.1%, [27/531]), undetermined trematode eggs (0.2% [1/531]) and Hymenolepis nana (0.2%, [1/531]). Detected protozoans included coccidia (12.8%, [68/531]), Cryptosporidium spp. (11.9%, [63/531]) and Giardia spp. (1.3%, [7/531]). Acanthocephala spp. were present in 1.5% (8/531) of samples, and two examined specimens were molecularly identified as Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus. Infections with C. aerophila showed a significant seasonal pattern and a negative correlation with bodyweight. For the remaining parasites, no significant associations with age, bodyweight, survival or seasonality were observed. Molecular typing revealed the presence of Cryptosporidium parvum subtype IIa prevalence of 2.1%, [11/531]), IIc (0.9%, [5/531]) and IId (0.6%, [3/531]), Cryptosporidium erinacei subtype XIIIa (6.1%, [33/531]) and XIIIb (0.2%, [1/531]), and Giardia duodenalis (sub)assemblage A(1) (1.3%, [7/531]).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The hedgehogs showed high infection rates with pulmonary and gastrointestinal helminths. Molecular analysis clarified the species distribution of the gastrointestinal Capillaria, consisting of C. erinacei and C. putorii, disproving the existence of the previously described Capillaria ovoreticulata. Furthermore, molecular typing of Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp. revealed zoonotic subtypes and (sub)assemblages. In addition, C. aerophila and H. nana may infect humans. Therefore, precautionary measures should be taken when handling hedgehogs to mitigate the zoonotic risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"214"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12145657/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144248991","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":"Advances in surveillance and control methods for Aedes-borne diseases and urban vectors: report of the International Conference, August 2024, Tanzania.","authors":"Anne Poinsignon, Florence Fournet, Halfan S Ngowo, Victoria Franco Martins Barreira, João Pinto, Frederic Bartumeus, Emmanuel W Kaindoa, Vincent Corbel","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06838-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06838-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Vector-borne diseases, particularly arboviral diseases transmitted by mosquitoes (e.g. dengue, Zika and chikungunya), have (re)emerged globally with increasing prevalence and severity. Climatic and environmental changes have resulted in significant expansion of the geographical distribution of Aedes mosquito vectors to unprecedented levels, creating optimal conditions for their introduction and establishment in new areas, especially in Africa. The prevention of Aedes-borne diseases relies heavily on controlling vector populations. However, the global resurgence of dengue underscores the limitations of current vector control tools in preventing epidemics, highlighting the urgent need for affordable, scalable and community-based vector control measures to address Aedes-borne diseases and urban mosquito vectors (e.g. Aedes spp. and Anopheles stephensi), with the overall aim to improve public health and well-being. In this report, we summarize the main outcomes of the \"International conference on advances in surveillance and control methods for Aedes-borne diseases and urban vectors\" held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 26-28 August 2024. The conference aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange, promote collaborative research and drive innovation in the surveillance and control of Aedes-borne diseases in Africa. Key objectives included reviewing the performance of new tools and technologies for Aedes control, and fostering inter-sectoral and international collaborations to strengthen public health measures against mosquito-borne diseases. The event was attended by more than 200 participants from 20 nationalities/countries and was streamed live online, with 321 virtual accesses recorded during the 3-day event.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"212"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12142953/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144248989","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 analysis of isoxazoline activity on human and canine GABA receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes.","authors":"Heinz Sager, Anouk Sarr, Emmanuelle Kuntz, Lucien Rufener","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06847-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06847-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Isoxazolines, including sarolaner, lotilaner, afoxolaner and fluralaner, are a class of ectoparasiticides that target gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABARs) in insects and acari. However, their potential action on mammalian GABARs has not been extensively compared.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study investigated the inhibitory effects of these isoxazolines on human and canine GABARs expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Eleven functional GABAR subunit combinations from human and canine isoforms were successfully cloned and expressed. Two-electrode voltage-clamp measurements were performed to determine the inhibitory effects of the isoxazolines.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Sarolaner, afoxolaner and fluralaner exhibited partial to high inhibition of human and canine GABARs, with fluralaner showing the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values (1.9-13 µM). In contrast, lotilaner had little or no inhibitory effect, with IC₅₀ values > 30 µM for both human and canine GABARs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While neurological adverse events have been reported in dogs, particularly in breeds with the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene mutation, this study suggests that direct inhibition of canine GABARs may not be the primary cause. However, the interpretation of these results represents a challenge, and a direct correlation with documented cases of adverse events remains difficult. Further research is needed to understand the exposure of mammalian GABARs to isoxazolines and the analog-specific safety risks associated with the observed in vitro receptor activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"213"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12144822/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144248990","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":"Exploring the mechanisms of action of the antimicrobial peptide CZS-5 against Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes: insights from metabolomics and molecular dynamics.","authors":"Juan Felipe Osorio-Méndez, Daniel Pardo-Rodriguez, Cristian Rocha-Roa, Lily Johana Toro, Laura Muñoz-Tabares, Delia Piedad Recalde-Reyes, Mónica P Cala","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06861-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06861-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected tropical illness affecting an estimated 6-7 million people worldwide. The currently approved drugs have significant limitations, but antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as promising therapeutic alternatives. Members of the cruzioseptin family, a group of AMPs derived from the frog Cruziohyla calcarifer, have demonstrated anti-T. cruzi activity, but their mode of action remains poorly understood. Herein, T. cruzi epimastigotes were used to identify active cruzioseptins and investigate their mechanism of action through untargeted metabolomics and molecular dynamics simulations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Synthetic versions of three previously unstudied cruzioseptins (CZS-5, CZS-7, and CZS-11) were evaluated for their effects on T. cruzi X-1081 epimastigotes via microplate assays with resazurin-based viability measurements. CZS-1, a peptide with known anti-T. cruzi activity, was also included. Selectivity was assessed via hemolysis assays on human erythrocytes. To evaluate membrane damage, DNA leakage assays and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed on epimastigotes treated with CZS-5. In addition, the interaction of cruzioseptins with the epimastigote membrane was modeled using molecular dynamics simulations. To explore additional mechanisms of action, a multiplatform metabolomic analysis (HILIC-LC-QTOF-MS and GC-QTOF-MS) was conducted to identify altered metabolites in epimastigotes treated with CZS-5.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among the tested cruzioseptins, CZS-5 exhibited the highest potency (IC₅₀ = 4.7 ± 1.0 µM) and selectivity (SI = 50.3). This peptide induced DNA leakage from epimastigotes and caused surface alterations, suggesting membrane damage. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that CZS-5 may exert its effects through the formation of toroidal pores in the parasite membrane. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed 118 altered metabolites in CZS-5-treated epimastigotes, with significant enrichment of glycerophospholipids (40.7%), supporting the involvement of membrane disruption. In addition, metabolic pathways were affected, suggesting complementary mechanisms of action, including oxidative stress and disruptions in energy metabolism.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>CZS-5 was identified as a potent cruzioseptin with multiple potential mechanisms of action in the epimastigotes stage of T. cruzi. Further validation is needed in clinically relevant parasite stages to assess its potential as a therapeutic agent.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"208"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12139317/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144234723","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":"Preliminary data on the vector competence of Aedes caspius for Dirofililaria immitis in a traditionally endemic area of northern Italy.","authors":"Alice Vismarra, Marco Genchi, Alessia Maltoni, Manuela Semeraro, Laura Helen Kramer, Mattia Calzolari, Annalisa Grisendi, Gastone Dalmonte, Marta Fozzer","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06828-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06828-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dirofilaria immitis, the agent of canine and feline heartworm disease, and Dirofilaria repens, the agent of subcutaneous dirofilariosis, are widespread mosquito-borne helminths. The present study is aimed at updating current knowledge of the composition of potential vector species in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, a traditionally endemic area for D. immitis and D. repens.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Mosquitoes were collected in 2022 and 2023 as part of the regional surveillance plan for West Nile Virus (WNV). The capture zones included peri-urban and rural areas and mosquitoes were captured with CDC-CO₂ traps. DNA from approximately 30% of female mosquitoes of each captured species (Culex pipiens, Aedes caspius, Aedes vexans, Aedes albopictus) was extracted and analyzed for the presence of D. immitis and D. repens.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 140 pools (~ 20 mosquitoes each) in 2022 and 133 in 2023 have been analyzed. DNA of D. immitis was identified in 14 pools in 2022 and in 15 pools in 2023. None of the pools was positive for D. repens. In 2022, about 85% of the positive pools belonged to Ae. caspius species (11/13) and the other three pools to Ae. vexans. In 2023, 73% of the positive pools belonged to Ae. caspius, followed by Ae. vexans and Ae. albopictus (both 13.3%). A significant overlap emerged from the same traps positioned in Ferrara and Bologna provinces, which tested positive for D. immitis in both 2022 and 2023.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These data highlight how, despite the abundance of Cx. pipiens captured, the most receptive species for D. immitis appear to be Ae. caspius and Ae. vexans. Furthermore, the geographical data highlights how the areas of the province of Ferrara and Bologna are the main geographical reservoirs of the parasite.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"210"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12143055/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144234752","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":"Anopheles hyrcanus (Diptera: Culicidae): yet another invasive mosquito species in Germany.","authors":"Doreen Werner, Henrike Nehls, Christiane Eska, Helge Kampen","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06827-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06827-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>From August to October 2024, 62 specimens of the non-native mosquito species Anopheles hyrcanus were trapped in the federal state of Brandenburg, northeastern Germany. At one site, 59 specimens, and at a second site, 3 specimens were collected, with both sites located in floodplain areas, approximately 25 km apart. The records represent the northernmost collection sites of this species worldwide. Anopheles hyrcanus is considered a potential vector of malaria parasites, dirofilarial worms, and various viruses, although vector capacity appears to be generally low. The findings in Germany follow the recent detections of the species in Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Austria, and Poland, suggesting possible establishment in more northern areas as a consequence of climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"211"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12142929/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144234722","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}