Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Variance partitioning reveals contrasting random effect contributions to the density and species composition of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in western Burkina Faso.","authors":"Tin-Yu J Hui, Patric Stephane Epopa, Abdoul Azize Millogo, Franck A Yao, Dao Koulmaga, Florian Noulin, Abdoulaye Diabate, Austin Burt","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07406-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07406-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Spatial-temporal variation exists in the density and species composition of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, which will in turn influence the transmission of the disease. While there has been extensive research on seasonality and other main drivers of the vector populations, the heterogeneity partitioned as random effects at various spatial-temporal scales is just as important but has not attracted the same attention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To investigate the relative contributions of the between-house, between-village and between-year variations, as well as other house-level covariates such as inhabitant number and bed net usage on vector density and species composition, intensive pyrethroid spray catches (PSC) sampling was conducted across a 60-month period between 2012 and 2019 from four villages in the Sudano-Sahelian region of Burkina Faso.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For density, measured by female Anopheles gambiae s.l. counts, our modelling showed that the between-house variation was the largest variance component, followed by the between-year then between-village variation, after accounting for seasonality and other covariates. Density increased with the number of inhabitants within a household but was uncorrelated with bed net presence. A subset of female mosquitoes was genotyped for species identification, and the composition of An. coluzzii and An. gambiae, the two dominant vectors in the region, varied markedly across villages without an overall trend. The between-village variance contributed up to 76% of the total random variation in species composition, followed by the between-year variance. The between-house variation was statistically insignificant. Neither household size nor bed net usage had any impact on species composition.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Interestingly, the between-house component of variation was the largest contributor when measuring mosquito density, but it was the least important for species composition. For between-village variation, the converse was found. Together with the baseline entomological data, the variance components help parameterise potential field trials for novel vector control programmes and monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147717792","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":"Long-term efficacy of fluralaner (Exzolt^®) in Gallus gallus domesticus against epidemiologically relevant triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae): a potential complementary strategy for Chagas disease control.","authors":"Luanderson Cardoso Pereira, Nathalie de Sena Pereira, Denis Dantas da Silva, Kivia Millana de Sousa, Clarice de Freitas Bezerra, Jéssica Martins Sanches, Lívia Fagundes Viana Bosnic, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira, Carlos Ramon do Nascimento Brito, Nelder Figueiredo Gontijo, Andressa Noronha Barbosa da Silva, Antonia Claudia Jácome da Câmara, Lúcia Maria da Cunha Galvão, Manuela Sales Lima Nascimento, Gabriel L Hamer, Cleber Galvão, Rita de Cássia Moreira de Souza, Marcos Horácio Pereira, Paulo Marcos Matta Guedes","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07382-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07382-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chagas disease control relies primarily on vector control using pyrethroid insecticide sprays with residual action in domestic and peridomestic environments. However, the necessity for repeated applications and the development of pyrethroid resistance in some countries have undermined this strategy. Alternative control tools are needed, and host-targeted systemic insecticides offer an alternative approach by creating toxic blood meals for hematophagous vectors. In peridomestic settings, chickens are major blood meal sources for triatomines. This study evaluated the insecticidal activity of orally administered fluralaner (Exzolt^®) to chickens against six triatomine species of epidemiological relevance for the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, in Latin America: Rhodnius prolixus, Triatoma infestans, Triatoma dimidiata, Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma pseudomaculata and Panstrongylus megistus.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixteen non-breeding chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were randomized by weight into four groups: group 1, untreated control (n = 4); group 2, treated with two doses of 0.5 mg/kg fluralaner/Exzolt® (n = 4); group 3, treated with two doses of 2.5 mg/kg fluralaner/Exzolt® (n = 4); group 4, treated with two doses of 5.0 mg/kg fluralaner/Exzolt® (n = 4). To assess fluralaner (Exzolt®) efficacy, chickens were exposed to blood feeding by triatomines at baseline (day 0) and 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 56 and 77 days post-treatment. Mortality was monitored daily for up to 7 days after each feeding.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Treatment with 0.5, 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg of Exzolt® resulted in 100% insecticidal activity in triatomines for up to 14, 21 and 28 days post-treatment, respectively. The 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg doses produced comparable insecticidal activity, both superior than that observed at 0.5 mg/kg.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Oral administration of fluralaner (Exzolt®) to chickens induces 100% insecticidal activity and maintains insecticidal efficacy against multiple triatomine species for up to 28 and 56 days post-treatment, respectively. These findings highlighting the potential of fluralaner as a complementary vector control strategy for Chagas disease in endemic areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147717769","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":"Targeting protein-protein interactions in Plasmodium: from asexual replication to sexual development.","authors":"Jingjing Tang, Wei Tang, Yangxin Xie, Wanyi Yang, Xincheng Luo, Yi Yu, Bo He, Cong Liu, Zhenkui Li","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07390-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07390-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Malaria, a life-threatening protozoan disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted by mosquitoes, remains a global public health crisis. The 2025 World Malaria Report recorded 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024, with global elimination goals severely hampered by widespread insecticide resistance and the rapid spread of artemisinin-resistant parasites. Conventional antimalarials primarily target enzyme catalytic sites, which are vulnerable to resistance via single point mutations with minimal parasite fitness cost. In contrast, core Plasmodium biological processes-from erythrocyte invasion and intracellular survival to host-to-vector transmission-are tightly governed by conserved protein-protein interactions. These interfaces have far lower mutational potential, require cooperative compensatory mutations for resistance emergence, and offer high species selectivity, making them promising next-generation drug targets.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This review systematically synthesizes recent structural and functional advances in key multi-subunit complexes driving the Plasmodium life cycle, with a focus on asexual stages of P. falciparum and sexual development of P. berghei and P. yoelii. We integrate insights from cryo-electron microscopy, proximity-dependent biotinylation technologies, and advanced genetic manipulation, and critically evaluate emerging PPI-targeted therapeutic and transmission-blocking intervention strategies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We delineate the architecture and druggable vulnerabilities of core PPI networks mediating merozoite invasion, intraerythrocytic nutrient uptake, metabolic homeostasis, transcriptional regulation, proteostasis, and merozoite egress in asexual stages. We further dissect PPI networks governing sexual commitment, gametogenesis, fertilization, and mosquito transmission, and summarize the preclinical and clinical development progress of PPI-targeted neutralizing antibodies, vaccine candidates, and small-molecule inhibitors.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Targeting key Plasmodium PPI interfaces is a robust, evolutionarily constrained strategy for developing resistance-resilient antimalarials. Technological advances are overcoming the \"undruggable\" challenges of PPI targets, and this approach holds immense potential to address antimalarial resistance and advance global malaria elimination.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147717797","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":"Forgotten in the tropics: research on Culex mosquitoes is overshadowed in malaria and dengue-endemic regions.","authors":"Abdisalam A Abdi, Ryan Almeida, Trevor Harris, Tereza Magalhaes, Jose G Juarez, Gabriel L Hamer","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07309-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07309-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In many countries where mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue are endemic, the research community focuses on studying the mosquito vectors of these diseases in the Anopheles and Aedes genera, respectively. In these settings, other mosquito taxa, including Culex spp. and associated pathogens, appear less frequently in published studies. Although the field widely recognizes that several mosquito taxa and pathogen systems are understudied in several regions, few studies have quantified these patterns.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a systematic literature review of mosquito-related studies published in 2010 and 2020 to test the hypothesis that the proportion of mosquito publications on Culex spp. would be higher in countries that are non-endemic for malaria and dengue. Studies were identified through PubMed and Web of Science using \"Country + mosquito\" keyword searches, screened by inclusion/exclusion criteria, and categorized by endemicity (malaria-endemic, dengue-endemic, both, and non-endemic). We summarized mosquito genera per study and compared their reporting frequencies using generalized linear mixed models (beta-binomial likelihood) adjusted for year and GDP per capita.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>After screening 10,834 unique publications, 1,389 met inclusion criteria. The average number of mosquito genera reported per study was significantly higher for non-endemic countries compared with countries endemic for malaria and dengue. Publications including data on Culex spp. mosquitoes were significantly higher for non-endemic countries (64.5%) compared with malaria endemic (30.2%) and dengue endemic (34.2%) countries. Between 2010 and 2020, reporting of Aedes spp. increased, whereas reporting of Anopheles decreased, consistent with changing global research emphasis over the decade, including the 2015-2017 Zika emergence and continued dengue expansion.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results indicate that the presence of human-amplified mosquito-borne pathogens (e.g., human malaria and dengue) is associated with lower reporting of Culex in the published field-collection literature and with comparatively less published attention to Culex-associated zoonotic pathogens. A step to help resolve this neglect is for researchers to include additional mosquito community data when publishing malaria and dengue vector studies. These findings can help the research and public health community to allocate attention on multiple vector-borne disease threats, proportional to the respective human health burden.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147717740","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":"Dogs as sentinel hosts for sand-fly-borne infections in the Mediterranean Basin: a multinational serological survey.","authors":"Gaetano Oliva, Gioia Bongiorno, Nazli Ayhan, Iva Kolářová, Valentina Foglia-Manzillo, Oscar David Kirstein, Kristýna Jelínková, Barbora Dvořáková, José Risueño, Elena Verdú-Serrano, Pedro Pérez-Cutillas, José Manuel Cristóvão, M Magdalena Alcover Amengual, Suha Kenan Arserim, Jesse Barandika Iza, Cristiana Cazapal, Aitor Cevidanes Miranda, Raúl Cuadrado Matías, Sarah Delacour Estrella, Victoriano Díaz-Sáez, Shirly Elbaz, Guillermo Fernández, Roser Fisa, Josefina Garrido, Manuela Gizzarelli, Claudia Fortuna, Aldo Scalone, Claudia Mangiapelo, Ilaria Bernardini, Stefania Orsini, Antonello Amendola, Giulietta Venturi, Trentina Di Muccio, Elif Kurum, Javier Lucientes, Yasmina Martínez, Franjo Martinković, Joaquina Martín-Sánchez, Manuel Morales-Yuste, Yaarit Nachum-Biala, Adolfo Paz Silva, Metin Pekağırbaş, Alejandro Polina, Xavier Roca-Geronès, Francisco Ruiz Fons, Rita Sánchez Andrade, Andrés Torres-Llamas, Kardelen Yetişmiş, Tatjana Živičnjak, Vladimir Ivović, Gad Baneth, Remi Charrel, Yusuf Özbel, Seray Töz, Petr Volf, Carla Maia, Eduardo Berriatua","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07386-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07386-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Phlebotomine sand-fly-borne infections are an emerging threat to human and animal health in Mediterranean countries, highlighting the need for improved surveillance and control strategies. Dogs are ideal sentinel hosts owing to their central role in the transmission of zoonotic Leishmania infantum, frequent exposure to sand fly bites, capacity to develop antibodies to phleboviruses, and close contact with humans. This study reports cross-sectional surveys of antibodies to Leishmania, Toscana virus (TOSV), and Sicilian sand fly virus (SFSV) in dogs from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Croatian Istria, Turkey, and Israel, as well as antibodies to salivary proteins of Phlebotomus perniciosus (Portugal, Spain, and Italy) and Phlebotomus papatasi (Spain and Italy), conducted within the Climate Monitoring and Decision Support Framework for the Detection and Mitigation of Sand fly Diseases with Cost-Benefit and Climate Policy Measures (CLIMOS) project.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Blood samples and epidemiological data were collected from 2500 dogs. Antibodies to Leishmania were detected by indirect immunofluorescence, phlebovirus antibodies by seroneutralization assays, and antibodies to P. perniciosus and P. papatasi salivary antigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using recombinant proteins rSP03B and rSP36, respectively. Sources of antibody variability were evaluated using mixed-effects logistic regression models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Antibodies to L. infantum, phleboviruses, and sand fly saliva were widely detected, although seroprevalence varied markedly by region. No Leishmania-seropositive dogs were found in Istria, parts of northern Spain, or several districts in Israel, whereas seroprevalence exceeded 30% in Sicily and in several Turkish and Spanish provinces. TOSV seropositivity was generally absent or below 5%, except in southern Spain (8-24%) and Muğla, Turkey (10%). SFSV exposure was highly focal, occurring mainly in Turkey (12%), Israel (12%), and Lisbon (7%). Exposure to P. perniciosus was very high in Portugal, Sicily, and most of Spain, while P. papatasi exposure was highest in Sicily and selected Spanish regions. Antibody variability was driven primarily by geographical location.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The marked geographical heterogeneity observed confirms dogs as valuable sentinels for sand-fly-borne infections. These infections are highly clustered across Mediterranean regions, likely reflecting differences in sand fly density and infection rates. Understanding the drivers of this heterogeneity is essential for accurate risk mapping and effective control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147699372","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":"Assessing the susceptibility of 200 Rhipicephalus microplus populations to fluralaner using larval immersion test: A nationwide analysis from Brazil.","authors":"Haile Dean Figueiredo Chagas, Arthur Matos de Santana, Gabriel Webert Gomes, Ana Carolinne Lopes Ascenção, Emanuel Magalhães Souza, Laura Cristina Ferreira Faria, Mayara Macedo Barrozo, Ana Lucia Coutinho Teixeira, Daniel de Castro Rodrigues, Fernando de Almeida Borges, Lívio Martins Costa-Junior, Lorena Lopes Ferreira, Márcia Cristina de Azevedo Prata, Welber Daniel Zanetti Lopes, Caio Monteiro","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07364-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07364-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In 2022, a tick control product, against Rhipicephalus microplus, containing fluralaner as the active ingredient was initially launched in the Brazilian market, followed by other markets across Latin America. Once a new molecule is introduced for the control of a parasitic organism, it becomes essential to develop methods for assessing the susceptibility of target parasitic populations. In this context, discriminating dose (DD) tests represent a valuable tool.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study evaluated the susceptibility profile of 200 R. microplus populations originating from 21 federal units (20 states and a federal district) across all five regions of Brazil, using a larval immersion test (LIT) with two discriminating doses (DD) of 1.55 and 3.16 µg/mL. Populations showing mortality rates above 95% were classified as susceptible. A field trial was also conducted with one population (São José do Rio Pardo [SJRP]), which had a known history of exposure to fluralaner, to compare laboratory and field test outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The DD at a concentration of 1.55 µg/mL resulted in 100% mortality in 160 populations (80%), whereas the DD at a concentration of 3.16 µg/mL showed more consistent results, with 100% mortality in 182 populations (91%). In the field trial population, SJRP, fluralaner achieved 100% therapeutic efficacy (days +7 to +21) and persistent efficacy (days +28 to +42).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LIT using DDs can provide indicative data on the susceptibility of R. microplus to fluralaner. The discriminating dose at a concentration of 3.16 µg/mL was shown to be the most appropriate for monitoring the susceptibility of R. microplus populations to fluralaner. Laboratory and field data support the classification of the SJRP population as susceptible, demonstrating consistency between the two sets of results. These results can serve as a basis for continuous spatial and temporal monitoring of the susceptibility of R. microplus populations to fluralaner. Continued research, integrating laboratory and field results, is essential to increase the reliability of laboratory-based testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147699427","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":"A targeted amplicon sequencing panel for cost-effective high-throughput genotyping of Aedes aegypti.","authors":"Josquin Daron, Alicia Lecuyer, Laurence Ma, Pegah Marzooghi, Mallery I Breban, Peter Kyrylos, I'ah Donovan-Banfield, Seth N Redmond, Louis Lambrechts","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07370-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-026-07370-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of several medically important arboviruses, including dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Characterizing the genetic diversity of Ae. aegypti is essential to understand its evolutionary history and population dynamics and to evaluate vector control strategies. However, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is often cost-prohibitive at scale due to the species' large genome size. Reduced-representation approaches offer a cost-effective alternative, yet a standardized genome-wide marker set for population genetic studies of Ae. aegypti is lacking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We developed a targeted amplicon sequencing panel for cost-effective, high-throughput genotyping across 291 loci distributed throughout the Ae. aegypti genome. We evaluated its performance by comparing patterns of population structure and genetic admixture inferred from the amplicon sequences with those obtained from WGS data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In silico analyses demonstrate that the amplicon panel reliably reproduces population structure patterns typically observed with WGS. It also effectively distinguishes among diverse laboratory colonies of Ae. aegypti and yields individual genetic admixture estimates consistent with WGS results.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This targeted amplicon sequencing panel enables high-throughput genotyping at reduced cost and provides a practical alternative to WGS for population genetic and genomic surveillance studies. It should facilitate large-scale genotyping of Ae. aegypti, particularly in resource-limited settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147691452","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":"Impact of environmental and socioeconomic factors on the prevalence of and DALYs due to cutaneous leishmaniasis globally from 1990 to 2021 based on remote sensing and GIS technologies.","authors":"Xinyi Chen, Bin Xie, Yinan Cui, Hanlu Li, Xingyun Wang, Jiahao Zhou, Zhe Lu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07395-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07395-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease caused by Leishmania spp., is a major public health threat. The synergistic effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors on the global distribution of leishmaniasis are unknown.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Applying epidemiological data on cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 database, we used spatial autocorrelation and standard deviation ellipses to explore the spatiotemporal clustering and migration patterns of CL. Four remote sensing-retrieved environmental factors and five socioeconomic factors were selected for analysis. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to screen for factors correlated with the prevalence of and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to CL. Ordinary least squares (OLS), geographically weighted regression (GWR) and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) were used to assess the impact of the influencing factors on the prevalence of and DALYs due to CL.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 1990 to 2008, the global prevalence of and DALYs due to CL exhibited significant positive spatial autocorrelation (Z > 1.96, P < 0.05). Prevalence and DALYs both had one cold spot, located in northern Africa, and two hot spots, located in Central America and Central Asia. Temperature, infant mortality rate (IMR) and humidity were significantly positively correlated with the prevalence of and DALYs due to CL, whereas gross domestic product (GDP) and surface solar radiation (SSR) were significantly negatively correlated with the latter. The GTWR model demonstrated the best regression performance, with adjusted R² values for prevalence reaching 0.841, 0.984, 0.839 and 0.972, and those for DALYs reaching 0.816, 0.966, 0.837 and 0.972 in Asia, Europe, the Americas and Africa, respectively. Regression coefficients further quantified the individual contributions of each factor to the prevalence of and DALYs due to CL, which could provide a scientific basis for governments to implement targeted control of CL.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To our knowledge, this study is the first to analyze the global spatiotemporal distribution patterns of the prevalence of and DALYs due to CL and quantitatively study the spatiotemporal effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors on CL on a global scale. Environmental (temperature, SSR and humidity) and socioeconomic (GDP and IMR) factors were significantly correlated with the prevalence of and DALYs due to CL. The GTWR model outperformed the GWR and OLS models, further confirming the spatiotemporal effects of influencing factors on CL.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147691511","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":"Functional characterization of 11 novel rhoptry proteins in the type I RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii using the CRISPR-Cas9 system.","authors":"Hong-Yu Song, Hui Cao, Shi-Bo Huang, Hany M Elsheikha, Zhi Zheng, Xin-Sheng Lu, Xing Tian, Xiao-Nan Zheng, Xing-Quan Zhu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07387-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07387-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rhoptry proteins (ROPs) are secreted effectors that play important roles in the virulence of Toxoplasma gondii by facilitating host cell invasion and immune modulation. Although many ROPs have been predicted, their specific functions remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the roles of 11 previously uncharacterized ROPs in T. gondii biology, with a focus on their contributions to virulence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-mediated genome editing was employed to generate epitope-tagged and knockout mutants for each candidate ROP in the T. gondii RHΔku80 strain. Subcellular localization was determined via immunofluorescence microscopy in both tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages. In vitro assays assessed parasite invasion, replication, egress, and plaque formation. In vivo virulence was evaluated in mouse infection models. To explore molecular mechanisms underlying virulence attenuation, we performed transcriptomic profiling of RHΔrop64 and RHΔrop65 knockout strains.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All 11 candidate ROPs exhibited rhoptry localization in both tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages. Despite no apparent in vitro growth defects, deletion of ROP64 and ROP65 led to significant attenuation of virulence in mice, with ROP64 showing the most pronounced effect. Transcriptome analysis revealed downregulation of key immune-modulatory genes, including ROP5, ROP39, TgIST, and PLP1. In addition, RHΔrop64 exhibited broader suppression of ROPs than RHΔrop65, suggesting it has a more pronounced role in immune modulation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ROP64 and ROP65 are critical to T. gondii virulence, likely through modulation of the parasite's immune-evasive machinery. Their regulatory influence on effector expression underscores their importance in host adaptation. Importantly, the RHΔrop64 mutant displays characteristics of an attenuated strain with potential for vaccine development against toxoplasmosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147675466","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":"Dynamic landscape of microRNA expression in the feline small intestine during Toxoplasma gondii infection.","authors":"Bintao Zhai, Bibo Bao, Shi-Chen Xie, Hui Yang, Yang Liu, Weiwei Wang, Yaxin Zhou, Bing Li, Junjun He, Jiyu Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-026-07356-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-026-07356-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular parasite with felids as its definitive hosts, undergoes sexual reproduction and oocyst shedding in the feline small intestine, a critical stage for its transmission. Small non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), are crucial post-transcriptional regulators in host-pathogen interactions, but their role in the definitive host's intestine during T. gondii infection remains unexplored.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifteen cats were divided into control, primary infection (6, 10, 14 days post-infection, DPI), and secondary infection (SI) groups. Infection was confirmed via B1 gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Small RNA sequencing was performed on the ileal epithelium. Bioinformatics analyses identified known and novel miRNAs, differential expression, target genes, and enriched pathways. Key miRNA-messenger RNA (mRNA) interactions were validated by dual-luciferase assay, and sequencing results were confirmed by quantitative PCR (qPCR).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Successful infection was molecularly confirmed. Sequencing identified 2666 miRNAs (2575 known, 91 novel). A dynamic pattern of differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs was observed, with peaks at 6 DPI (126), 10 DPI (122), 14DPI (36) and SI DPI (237), coinciding with active oocyst shedding. Key miRNAs like hsa-miR-199b-5p and ssc-miR-199b-5p were persistently downregulated. Target prediction and network analysis revealed complex interactions, including miR-199b-5p targeting CYTH1 and COQ7. Functional enrichment highlighted significant involvement of target genes in the Rap1 and AMPK signaling pathways, as well as processes related to development and cellular organization. The novel_538-CNN2 interaction was experimentally validated.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides the first comprehensive profile of miRNA expression in the feline small intestine during T. gondii infection. The temporal dynamics and specific dysregulation of miRNAs, coupled with enrichment in key pathways controlling cell adhesion and metabolism, suggest that T. gondii could orchestrate a sophisticated post-transcriptional program in its definitive host to potentially modify the intestinal environment for successful oocyst production and shedding. These findings lay the groundwork for future functional studies regarding the interplay between T. gondii and its definitive hosts.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147662433","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}