Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Scalable camera traps for measuring the attractiveness of sugar baits for controlling malaria and dengue vectors.","authors":"Felician C Meza, Frank C Tenywa, Simon Ashall, Fredros O Okumu, Sarah J Moore, Frederic Tripet","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06539-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06539-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) are promising new interventions that can complement existing vector control tools. However, reproducible and quantitative information on the level of attractiveness of ATSBs under field conditions is needed. Therefore, we customized camera traps for close-up imaging. We integrated them into a rugged ATSB monitoring station for day and nighttime recording of mosquitoes landing on the bait.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The camera traps were evaluated in a semifield system and then in the field in rural Tanzania. In semifield experiments, camera traps were set up in large cages (2 m × 5 m × 2 m) to record mosquitoes landing on an attractive sugar bait (ASB), a blank ASB, or 20% sucrose (w/v). Next, 198 mosquitoes (33 males and 33 females of Anopheles arabiensis, An. funestus and Aedes aegypti) were released into each large cage and allowed to seek a sugar meal for 72 h with a camera recording images of the mosquitoes present on the ASB at 1-min intervals. In the field, 16 camera traps were set in 16 households, 7 with ASB attractant, 7 with ASB blank, and 2 with 20% sucrose (w/v). Human landing catch (HLC) was performed on the same nights as the camera trap recordings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Under semifield conditions, significantly more mosquitoes visited the ASBs than the blank baits, with An. funestus visiting more frequently than An. arabiensis. There were no significant differences between female and male An. arabiensis visits, but female An. funestus visited more than their conspecific males did. The duration of visits did not vary between the ASB and blank controls or between the mosquito species. Moreover, mosquitoes visited the ASB or sucrose equally, with An. arabiensis visiting the baits more than An. funestus. Compared with male mosquitoes, female mosquitoes visited the baits more often. There was no significant difference in visit duration between the species.  In the field study, a mean of 70 An. arabiensis were caught per person per night on HLC, while 1 individual was caught per night on ASBs. There were significantly more visits by mosquitoes to the ASB than to the ASB blanks or sucrose solution, with more An. arabiensis visiting the baits than An. funestus or Culex quinquefasciatus. Significantly more females than males visited the baits of all the species. Again, the duration of visits was similar among An. arabiensis, An. funestus and C. quinquefasciatus. Aedes aegypti very rarely visited ASBs in the semifield experiments, and none were observed on baits in the field.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Using camera traps to record still images of mosquitoes on ASBs offers reliable, reproducible and quantitative information on their attractiveness in various environmental conditions. Thus, camera traps serve as effective tools for evaluating and improving ATSB technology.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"499"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11616269/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142771094","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":"Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth infections among schoolchildren living along the shore of Lake Hawassa, southern Ethiopia.","authors":"Belay Beyene, Susana Vaz Nery, Tariku Lambiyo, Techalew Shimelis","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06578-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06578-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are major public health problems in areas with poor sanitation and limited access to water. In Ethiopia, there is limited data available for monitoring the efficacy of interventions aimed at reducing helminth infections. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence of S. mansoni and STH infections, as well as factors associated with this prevalence, among schoolchildren and compared the findings with those of earlier studies. We also evaluated the diagnostic agreement between two parasitological methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study involving 363 schoolchildren from three rural primary schools located along the shore of Lake Hawassa, Sidama Regional State, southern Ethiopia, was conducted in October and November 2023. The schoolchildren were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Socio-demographic data were collected using pre-structured questionnaires. A single stool sample was collected from each study participant and processed using direct wet mount (DM) microscopy and the formol-ether concentration technique (FECT) to detect helminth ova.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall prevalence of helminths was 59.8%, with 36.6% of participating children having a single infection and 23.1% having multiple infections. Schistosoma mansoni and STHs were present in 33.9% and 38.8% of children, respectively. The STHs included Ascaris lumbricoides (28.9% of children), Trichuris trichiura (10.7%), hookworms (5.2%) and Strongyloides stercoralis (2.8%). Diagnostic agreement between the DM microscopy method and FECT was substantial [kappa (κ) = 0.710] for the detection of Hymenolepis nana and almost perfect (κ = 0.827) for the dection of A. lumbricoides, but only fair for the detection of other detected helminths. Children at Finchawa primary school had a lower prevalence of S. mansoni infection [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.31; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.76] than those at St Paul's Tullo Catholic primary school. STH infections were more common among children who sometimes (vs. always) washed their hands before meals (AOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.01-3.54) and those who regularly played with soil (AOR 2.56; 95% CI 1.47-4.46).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study showed a reduction in STH infections from a high prevalence in 2015 to a moderate prevalence at the present time, despite a similar moderate prevalence of S. mansoni infection. Thus, it is crucial to intensify deworming interventions to reduce the burden of helminths in the study area. Additionally, there is a need to enhance the capacity of clinical laboratories to perform FECT in Ethiopian clinical settings where DM is often employed to diagnose helminths.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"498"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11613809/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142771095","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":"Evaluating the significance of Toxoplasma gondii sporozoite antibodies in cats: a pilot study.","authors":"Janelle Scott, Arianne Morris, Jennifer Hawley, Andrea Valeria Scorza, Michala Henriksen, Michael Lappin","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06553-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06553-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>People can acquire Toxoplasma gondii infection by ingestion of sporulated oocysts passed in cat feces; whether this route is common in cats is unknown. The primary objectives of this study were to (a) adapt a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of T. gondii tachyzoite IgG antibodies in feline sera to detect T. gondii sporozoite IgG antibodies, (b) utilize the ELISA to confirm that exposed cats can mount an antibody response to sporozoites, (c) estimate the prevalence of sporozoite antibodies in naturally exposed cats, and (d) evaluate associations between the serologic status of naturally exposed cats and clinical signs that could be caused by toxoplasmosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To generate positive control sera, three male cats were orally inoculated with approximately 100,000 sporulated oocysts of the ME49 strain of T. gondii. A human antisporozoite antibody ELISA was then adapted for use with cat sera. Detectable levels of antisporozoite IgG were found in two of the three experimentally inoculated cats. The sera of 100 healthy cats and 295 clinically ill cats were assessed in the prototype sporozoite ELISA and a commercially available tachyzoite ELISA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ELISA estimated that prevalence of antisporozoite IgG was 2% in healthy cats and 3.1% in clinically ill cats; in contrast, the overall estimated prevalence of antitachyzoite IgG was 15%. Only two of 395 cats (0.5%) had both antisporozoite and antitachyzoite IgG.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While experimentally infected and naturally exposed cats developed antisporozoite antibodies, the low prevalence did not allow for the evaluation of associations among clinical signs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"497"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11610286/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142771192","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":"Genus Bithynia: morphological classification to molecular identification.","authors":"Guoyang Huang, Xiaohong Peng","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06591-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06591-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Snails of the genus Bithynia, whose primary habitat is slow-flowing ponds and ditches, serve as the first intermediate hosts of liver fluke. Currently, approximately 200 million individuals worldwide are at risk of liver fluke infection, yet questions still persist regarding the taxonomic identification of Bithynia genus, a crucial player in the transmission of this disease. Accurate taxonomic classification of the Bithynia genus could significantly enhance current understanding of the disease's transmission mechanisms. In this article we comprehensively review the extensive research conducted on Bithynia genus, spanning past inquiries up to the latest findings. The primary emphasis is placed on exploring the taxonomic identification of this genus within various technological settings. We then present a consolidated analysis of the morphological taxonomic identification methods, highlighting their strengths and limitations. We also introduce a novel perspective on the future direction of identification and classification efforts for the members of this genus, emphasizing the crucial role Bithynia plays in the epidemiological cycle of liver fluke transmission. We conclude by urging researchers to prioritize the significance of the members of this genus in the epidemiological cycle of liver fluke transmission and in control measures for disease dissemination, within the context of the vector organisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"496"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11608500/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142771193","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":"Rodent group borreliae do occur in wild rodents from the Caribbean region of Colombia.","authors":"Yesica López, Ketty Galeano, Álvaro A Faccini-Martínez, Sebastián Muñoz-Leal, Yeimi Lopez-Mejia, Marina Muñoz, Juan D Ramírez, Camilo Guzman, Alfonso Calderon, Salim Mattar","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06560-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06560-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bacteria of the genus Borrelia are agents of disease in both domestic animals and humans and pose a significant public health risk. Borrelia species have complex transmission cycles, often using rodents as vertebrate reservoir hosts. These bacteria are classified into three well-defined monophyletic groups: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) complex, the relapsing fever (RF) group, and a third group associated with reptiles and echidnas. Moreover, a new group of Borrelia associated with rodents has recently been proposed, as these bacteria form a phylogenetic group separated from the previously mentioned groups. This study aimed to investigate the presence of DNA of Borrelia spirochetes in rodents in specific areas of the Colombian Caribbean.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 155 rodent spleen samples were selected from the tissue bank. These samples were obtained in the departments of La Guajira and Córdoba (Northern Colombia). DNA extraction and specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting Borrelia 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene were performed, followed by nested PCR (nPCR) on positive samples to obtain larger fragments of the 16S rRNA gene and characterize the flaB gene. Alignments of generated sequences and ortholog sequences downloaded from Genbank were performed in Clustal Omega. A phylogenetic tree was built with the maximum likelihood method in IQTREE.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Spleen samples from rodents of the genera Heteromys, Mus, Necromys, Olygoryzomys, Proechymis, Rattus, Sigmodon, and Zygodontomys were processed. Overall, 6.5% (4/162) of the animals tested positive for Borrelia by real-time PCR. All quantitative PCR (qPCR)-positive samples were also positive for nPCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene, yielding fragments of 344-408 bp and 603-673 bp from two Sigmodon rodents and two Zygodontomys rodents from La Guajira and Córdoba. All samples were negative for the flaB gene. Only samples from Zygodontomys rodents presented good quality sequences. A BLASTn analysis showed a percentage of identity ranging between 98.16 and 96.06% with Borrelia sp. R57. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that sequences of the present study clustered with species of the recently proposed Borrelia \"rodent group.\"</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This is the first detection of borreliae of the \"rodent group\" in South America. Our results reaffirm the occurrence of a group of spirochetes associated with rodents, extending its geographic distribution to the Colombian Caribbean.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"494"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11606233/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142755403","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":"The microneme protein1 (MIC1) of Chinese 1 Toxoplasma regulates pyroptosis through the TLR4/NLRP3 pathway in macrophages.","authors":"Wenze Sun, Fan Zhang, Jinjin Zhu, Yanxia Yu, Yang Wang, Qingli Luo, Li Yu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06584-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06584-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>TgMIC1, a soluble adhesion protein that typically facilitates parasite invasion, exhibited varying expression levels among distinct virulence strains of Chinese 1 Toxoplasma. This study aims to explore its role in immunological regulation and its association with diverse postinfection outcomes in Toxoplasma infection.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>First, the mic1 knockout strain Wh3Δmic1 was generated and assessed for its virulence and proliferative capacity. Subsequently, the serum inflammation levels were examined in mice infected with Wh3Δmic1, Wh3, and Wh6. Furthermore, rMIC1 and rMIC1-T126A/T220A, which lack binding sites to N-glycan in TLR4, were produced for coculture with bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) to investigate their impact on pyroptosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our data showed Wh3Δmic1 exhibited a significant reduction in invasion efficiency, limited growth, and attenuated inflammatory responses in mice. Additionally, it displayed a decreased capacity to induce pyroptosis when compared with Wh3-infected BMDMs. Moreover, rMIC1 but not rMIC1-T126A/T220A was found to be able to upregulate NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and activate GSDMD and caspase-1 in BMDMs but not in TLR4^-/- and NLRP3^-/- BMDMs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>TgMIC1 is implicated in both parasite invasion and the modulation of macrophage pyroptosis via the TLR4/NLRP3 pathway. This investigation indicates that TgMIC1 serves diverse functions in Toxoplasma gondii infection, thereby enhancing comprehension of the immune regulatory mechanisms of the parasite.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"495"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11607952/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142755408","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":"Taurine potentiates artemisinin efficacy against malaria by modulating the immune response in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice.","authors":"Xin Li, Ning Jiang, Qilong Li, Kexin Zheng, Yiwei Zhang, Xiaoyu Sang, Ying Feng, Ran Chen, Qijun Chen","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06585-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06585-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Artemisinin (ART) is a frontline drug for the treatment of malaria; however, the emergence of ART-resistant Plasmodium strains necessitates increasing ART sensitivity. Given that taurine (TAU) has been shown to have immunomodulatory activity, we investigated the effects of TAU as an adjunct therapy to ART in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Mice infected with P. berghei ANKA strain (P. berghei ANKA) were treated with TAU alone, ART alone or a combination of TAU and ART (TAU + ART), and their survival time and parasitaemia were recorded. The cytotoxic effects of TAU and ART were subsequently assessed. The expression levels of inflammasome-related genes and inflammatory factors in mice infected with P. berghei ANKA were analysed in relation to those in mice treated with TAU alone, ART alone or the TAU + ART combination. The therapeutic effects were further evaluated by histological analysis and measurement of the spleen index.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the control mice, P. berghei ANKA-infected mice treated with ART in combination with TAU presented significantly lower parasitaemia and prolonged survival. The combined treatment resulted in significant reductions in the expression levels of inflammasome-related genes in the spleen, including absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2), caspase-1, NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (Nlrp3), Nlrp1b, Nlrp1b, NLR family CARD domain containing 4 (Nlrc4), Nlrp6, nucleotide binding oligomerization domain containing 1 (NOD1) and NOD2, and decreases in the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the serum, including interleukin (IL)-12p70, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, IL-10 and IL-6. Histopathological analysis confirmed that TAU + ART combination treatment reduced spleen pathology caused by P. berghei ANKA infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings indicate that TAU potentiates ART efficacy by modulating the immune response in P. berghei-infected mice.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"493"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11606117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142755405","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":"IRF4 regulates myeloid-derived suppressor cells expansion and function in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice.","authors":"Lu Zhou, Peibin Lin, Guorong Deng, Lengshan Mo, Cansheng Hong, Zhihan Jiang, Yiqiang Zhu, Yi Zhao, Yanwei Qi, Tengfei Hu, Qianlian Wu, Jian Zhang, Qingqing Li, Quan Yang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06543-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06543-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a crucial member of the IRF family of transcription factors and is pivotal in orchestrating the body's defense against tumors and infections by modulating the differentiation and functionality of immune cells. The role of IRF4 in mice during Schistosoma japonicum infection, as well as the effects of IRF4 deficiency on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), remains inadequately understood.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate the pathological damage in different organs of mice following infection with S. japonicum. Flow cytometry was employed to study the effect of IRF4 on the proliferation and function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in S. japonicum-infected mice.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Knockout of IRF4 in myeloid cells significantly mitigated pathological damage to the liver and lungs in mice infected with S. japonicum. Knockout of IRF4 in myeloid cells also inhibited the expansion and functionality of MDSCs by downregulating programmed death ligand 2 (PD-L2) expression and interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) secretion in mice infected with S. japonicum. Mechanistic studies revealed that IRF4 deficiency inhibited the expansion and function of MDSCs and that this inhibition was mediated by the STAT3 and AKT signaling pathways. Also, IRF4 myeloid knockout promoted the expansion of T cells in S. japonicum-infected mice, but had no significant effect on B cell aggregation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, these findings highlight the importance of IRF4 in regulating MDSCs and their impact on tissue damage during S. japonicum infection, providing valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets for managing the pathological consequences of this parasitic infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"492"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11605884/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142751373","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":"Detection of Dirofilaria immitis in golden jackals (Canis aureus L.) but not in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.) and European badgers (Meles meles L.) in Croatia.","authors":"Šimun Naletilić, Ema Gagović, Željko Mihaljević, Adam Polkinghorne, Ana Beck, Relja Beck","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06576-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06576-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dirofilariosis is a parasitic mosquito-borne disease caused by members of the genus Dirofilaria, which includes Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens. Surveillance studies in Europe have revealed that D. immitis can also be detected in a range of wild carnivores, raising questions over the impact of infections on wild carnivore animal health but also whether these populations may act as a reservoir for infection of other species, including domestic dogs and humans.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the current study, we conducted surveillance for the presence of D. immitis in several wild carnivore species, including golden jackals (Canis aureus; n = 77), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes; n = 326), and European badgers (Meles meles; n = 28), collected during an annual rabies surveillance and control program from across continental and coastal regions of Croatia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Macroscopic examination of the right chambers of the heart during a post-mortem examination resulted in the detection of filarial parasites in 6.5% (5/77) golden jackal carcasses. Morphological identification, confirmed by molecular screening, classified all parasites as D. immitis. No D. immitis were detected in the red foxes or European badgers examined. All infected golden jackals were adults aged from 2 to 7 years with a parasite load ranging from 2 to 7 nematodes per carcass. One animal was infected with a sexually mature pair, while a second harbored pre-mature parasites; the remaining positive jackals were infected with female parasites only. Notably, histological examination of cardiac and lung tissue revealed proliferative endarteritis in the jackal with the highest parasite burden.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Further studies are required to establish whether golden jackals, as well as other wild carnivore hosts, may serve as competent definitive hosts of D. immitis and act as reservoirs for infection of other species including domestic dogs and humans. Histological changes in the cardiac tissue of at least one positive jackal were suggestive of infection with pathological consequences for the host.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"490"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11600906/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142739752","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":"Transcriptome-wide mapping of internal mRNA N⁷-methylguanosine in sporulated and unsporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella reveals stage-specific signatures.","authors":"Qing-Xin Fan, Zi-Rui Wang, Jin-Long Wang, Yu-Xuan Wang, Ze-Dong Zhang, Lin-Mei Yu, Tao Jia, Xing-Quan Zhu, Qing Liu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06580-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06580-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Growing evidence indicates that N⁷-methylguanosine (m⁷G) modification plays critical roles in epigenetic regulation. However, no data regarding m⁷G modification are currently available in Eimeria tenella, a highly virulent species causing coccidiosis in chickens.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the present study, we explore the distribution of internal messenger RNA (mRNA) m⁷G modification in sporulated and unsporulated oocysts of E. tenella as well as its potential biological functions during oocyst development using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and mRNA sequencing (mRNA-seq), and the mRNA-seq and MeRIP-seq data were verified by the quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and MeRIP-qPCR, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our data showed that m⁷G peaks were detected throughout the whole mRNA body, and the coding DNA sequence (CDS) region displayed the most methylation modification. Compared with unsporulated oocysts, 7799 hypermethylated peaks and 1945 hypomethylated peaks were identified in sporulated oocysts. Further combined analysis of differentially methylated genes (DMGs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed that there was a generally positive correlation between m⁷G modification levels and gene transcript abundance. Unsurprisingly, the mRNA-seq and MeRIP-seq data showed good consistency with the results of the RT-qPCR and MeRIP-qPCR, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs with altered m⁷G-methylated peaks were involved in diverse biological functions and pathways, including DNA replication, RNA transport, spliceosome, autophagy-yeast, and cAMP signaling pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Altogether, our findings revealed the potential significance of internal m⁷G modification in E. tenella oocysts, providing some directions and clues for later in-depth research.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"17 1","pages":"491"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11603632/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142739723","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}