Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"A simplified system for the detection of antennal responses to host-borne volatile organic compounds in sand flies.","authors":"Onofrio Marco Pistillo, Priscilla Farina, Marcos Antonio Bezerra-Santos, Ilaria D'Isita, Petr Volf, Domenico Otranto, Giovanni Benelli, Giacinto Salvatore Germinara","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06998-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06998-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Phlebotomus (Larroussius) perniciosus (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the most common and predominant vector of Leishmania infantum in the Western Mediterranean region. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by vertebrates are important cues affecting the behaviour of blood-feeding insects. Generally, the identification of putative behaviourally active VOCs involves three distinct phases: extraction, chemical characterization and chemoreceptivity evaluation using electrophysiological techniques. Here, we present a simplified gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-electroantennographic detection (GC-MS-EAD) setup adapted for screening bioactive compounds in sand flies, in which the chemical identification and antennal responses are recorded simultaneously.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The method integrates: (i) a flow-splitter that balances the flow rate of the two outgoing streams, (ii) GC columns with different lengths and diameters in the two sections splitter-MS and splitter-EAD and (iii) an antennal signal amplifier. The GC-MS-EAD analysis was applied to headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) extracts from a healthy dog, and antennal responses were recorded in female P. perniciosus sand flies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The canine VOC profile was predominantly composed of aldehydes, with hexanal and nonanal eliciting the strongest antennal responses in P. perniciosus.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This simplified GC-MS-EAD system shows promise for broader application in the study of host-vector interactions. Its use across different host-vector pairs may enhance our understanding of these relationships and inform the development of strategies for integrated vector monitoring and control.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"352"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12363082/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144883404","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":"Expression of endogenous Anopheles gambiae microRNAs using an Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) intronic expression system.","authors":"Rebecca M Johnson, Hillery C Metz, Yasutsugu Suzuki, Kyle J McLean, Jason L Rasgon","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06994-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06994-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV) is a highly species-specific parvovirus that reaches high titers in adult Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes with few transcriptomic effects and minimal significant fitness effects. Given these characteristics, AgDNV has been proposed as a viral vector for basic research and mosquito control. Previous work created an AgDNV co-expression system with a wild-type AgDNV helper plasmid and a transducing plasmid expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) that can be used to co-transfect cells to generate infectious recombinant transducing AgDNV virions. Generated virions infect the An. gambiae midgut, fat body, and ovaries, yet this viral vector system is limited in the size of transgenes that can be expressed due to capsid packaging limitations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Considering these size constraints, we created an artificial intron within the EGFP gene of the transducing construct that can express small pieces of genetic material such as microRNAs (miRNAs), microRNA sponges, or other small sequences. Placement of this intron in EGFP created a fluorescent reporter such that incorrect splicing produces a frameshift mutation in EGFP and an early stop codon, whereas correct splicing results in normal EGFP expression and co-transcription of the intronic genetic cargo. A selection of miRNAs with predicted or demonstrated importance in mosquito immunity and reproduction with expression localized to the fat body or ovaries were chosen as intronic cargo. Construct expression and splicing was evaluated, and the impact of miRNA expression on putative miRNA targets was measured in vitro and in vivo.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The created intron was correctly spliced in cells and mosquitoes; however, miRNA delivery resulted in inconsistent changes to miRNA and predicted target gene transcript levels-possibly due to organ-specific miRNA expression or inaccurate putative target predictions leading to miRNA-target gene sequence mismatch.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although our results on target gene expression were inconsistent, with optimization this viral vector and developed intron have potential as an expression tool within An. gambiae mosquitoes or cell lines.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"355"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12366140/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144883406","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":"Investigation of bacterial microbiota variability in two allopatric populations of Nyssomyia umbratilis, susceptible and nonsusceptible to Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis infection in the Amazon region.","authors":"Eric Fabrício Marialva, Keillen Monick Martins-Campos, Victor Ramos de Almeida, Claudia María Ríos-Velasquez, Antônio Jorge Tempone, Felipe Arley Costa Pessoa, Yara Maria Traub-Cseko","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06976-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06976-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sand flies of the species Nyssomyia umbratilis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) are vectors of the parasite Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis, one of the etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Amazon region. In addition, Ny. umbratilis is a cryptic species, with populations showing differences in their ability to transmit the parasite. For instance, populations of Ny. umbratilis from the Manacapuru municipality (MAN), located on the south bank of the Negro river, in the Amazonas state of Brazil, shows refractoriness to Leishmania infection, while populations from Rio Preto da Eva municipality (RPE), located on the north bank of the Negro river, are susceptible to infection. This lack of vectorial capacity may be caused by several factors, including the intestinal bacterial microbiota of sand flies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this work, we carried out a metagenomic study of the intestinal microbiota of Ny. umbratilis populations from MAN and RPE. Ny. umbratilis females were collected in forested areas, sand fly midguts were dissected, DNA was extracted, and the 16 S rRNA gene sequenced to identify the bacterial composition of the microbiota.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 16 phyla, 33 classes, 49 orders, 93 families, and 112 genera of bacteria were identified. The phylum Proteobacteria was the most frequent (85.9%) in both localities, followed by the phyla Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes with, 9.9%, 4.9%, and 4.4%, respectively. In MAN, 84 genera were identified and 79 in RPE, with MAN having a greater richness compared with RPE. Among these, the genera Rickettsia, Prevotella, Porphyromonas, Peptostreptococcus, and Caulobacter were the most prevalent in MAN, and the genera Rickettsia, Prevotella, Cryocola, Porphyromonas, and Caulobacter were the most prevalent in RPE.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Bacterial microbiota from MAN insects presents a greater diversity in relation to the RPE insects. Some of the identified bacteria have the potential to be used in alternative transmission control approaches as the development of transgenic vectors, and also, bacteria found exclusively in MAN sand flies may be candidates for a future transmission control approach to combat leishmaniasis in the Amazon region.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"354"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12366322/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144883407","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":"Clonorchis sinensis-driven hepatocarcinogenesis via E2F1-CD24 transcriptional axis: mechanistic and therapeutic implications.","authors":"Wen-Min Lu, Jin Yan, Zhao-Ji Liu, Yong Wu, Qian-Ru Cui, Ji Feng, Yu Chen, Guang-Zhi Zhu, Tao Peng, Jing Zhou, Guo-Dong Lu","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06979-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06979-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global health burden, with disproportionately high mortality in China's Guangxi region, where endemic Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) infection coincides with elevated HCC incidence. Preliminary single-cell sequencing revealed marked overexpression of cluster of differentiation 24 (CD24) in HCC tissues, suggesting its potential pathological role. This study aims to elucidate the oncogenic mechanisms of C. sinensis excretory-secretory products (CsESPs) and their link to CD24-mediated HCC progression.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We employed an integrated clinical and experimental approach. First, clinical cohort analysis assessed CD24 expression in C. sinensis-associated HCC cases. Multiplatform bioinformatics validation (GEPIA/UALCAN/TIMER) evaluated CD24's prognostic significance and immune microenvironment modulation. Functional studies (quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blotting, CCK-8 assays, flow cytometry) examined CsESPs' effects on CD24 expression, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations (chromatin immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase reporter assays) identified E2F1-mediated transcriptional activation of CD24. siRNA-mediated CD24 knockdown validated its role in CsESPs-driven oncogenesis. Additionally, the expression of immune checkpoint (CTLA-4, LAG-3) was assessed in the co-cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)-HCC cells.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Clinical cohort analysis confirmed significant CD24 upregulation in HCC, particularly in C. sinensis-infected cases. Bioinformatic analyses linked high CD24 expression to poor prognosis and immune microenvironment alterations. Functional assays demonstrated that CsESPs enhance CD24 expression, promoting proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Mechanistically, E2F1 directly binds to CD24 promoter, driving its transcription upon CsESPs exposure. CD24 silencing reversed CsESPs-induced oncogenic effects. Furthermore, CsESPs upregulated immune checkpoints (CTLA-4, LAG-3) in the co-cultures of PBMC-HCC cells, an effect reversed by CD24 knockdown.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings establish a novel parasitic carcinogenesis paradigm wherein C. sinensis promotes HCC development through E2F1-mediated transcriptional activation of CD24, simultaneously identifying prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets while suggesting combinatory immunotherapy strategies for parasite-associated HCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"353"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12366411/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144883405","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":"Environmental correlates of Aedes aegypti abundance in the West Valley region of San Bernardino County, California, USA, from 2017 to 2023: an ecological modeling study.","authors":"Gaëlle T Sehi, Solomon K Birhanie, Jacob Hans, Michelle Q Brown, Daniel M Parker","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06967-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06967-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, are major vectors of globally significant diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Since 2013, Ae. aegypti populations have rapidly expanded in California, making control efforts difficult due to their widespread, small-scale breeding sites and strong adaptation to urban environments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Remote sensing technologies, coupled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS), offer innovative solutions for mosquito surveillance and control. However, understanding the environmental drivers of mosquito abundance, particularly in California's diverse ecological settings, remains an important gap. To address this gap, we analyzed Ae. aegypti abundance (2017 to 2023) in relation to environmental variables, such as temperature, precipitation, surface water, elevation, and built environment. We applied hotspot analysis to identify spatial clusters of high mosquito abundance and used a generalized additive model (GAM) with a negative binomial distribution to assess environmental and meteorological influences on mosquito counts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Hotspot analyses revealed clusters of Ae. aegypti hotspots near residential areas. Aedes aegypti counts increased with higher surface water availability and temperature.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study characterizes the spatial and temporal dynamics of Ae. aegypti mosquito abundance in the West Valley region of San Bernardino County from 2017 to 2023, shedding light on the influence of environmental factors and human activities on temporal trends. Our findings emphasize the critical role of temperature and water availability in shaping mosquito population dynamics, highlighting the need for proactive vector control strategies in response to environmental changes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"349"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12359924/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144874485","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":"Estimated density of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto-infected Ixodes scapularis nymphs in the eastern United States.","authors":"Karen M Holcomb, Erik Foster, Sarah E Maes, Christina M Parise, Lynn M Osikowicz, Andrias Hojgaard, Rebecca J Eisen","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06937-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06937-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Most vector-borne disease cases reported in the United States are caused by pathogens spread by blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis. Of these, a majority are Lyme disease cases caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). Because most human infections are associated with nymphal tick bites, the density of host-seeking B. burgdorferi s.s.-infected I. scapularis nymphs (DIN) is often used to estimate risk of Lyme disease cases. DIN combines estimates of nymphal infection prevalence with estimates of densities of host-seeking nymphs, making it a costly metric to obtain through tick surveillance. Thus, field-derived estimates of DIN are limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To fill these gaps, we sought to estimate DIN across all counties in the eastern United States. We first estimated B. burgdorferi s.s. prevalence in host-seeking I. scapularis nymphs using generalized additive models and historical tick surveillance data reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ArboNET database (2004-2023). We then combined prevalence estimates with previously estimated densities of host-seeking nymphs to estimate DIN. We validated these model-based estimates against data reported to ArboNET: field-derived county estimates of prevalence and DIN as well as county records of B. burgdorferi s.s. presence and collection of host-seeking nymphs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We estimated higher average nymphal prevalence (20-30%) in the Upper Midwest and Northeast and lower prevalence (0-5%) throughout the Southeast. Categorizing estimated DIN as minimal or elevated, we identified areas in the Upper Midwest and Northeast as elevated, with the majority of the Southeast and Great Plains as minimal risk.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our resulting risk map can be used to raise awareness of Lyme disease in communities at elevated risk and aid in the promotion of tick-bite prevention practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"350"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12362874/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144874486","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":"Uninvited guests: diversity and specificity of Trypanosoma infections in frog-biting midges (Corethrella spp.).","authors":"Maximilian Sigl, Jonas Virgo, Ulmar Grafe, Jonas Henske, Maximilian Schweinsberg, Thomas Eltz","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06993-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06993-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Female frog-biting midges (Corethrella) are hematophagous micropredators that feed on frogs and serve as vectors for trypanosomes (Trypanosoma), unicellular flagellate parasites. Little is known about the infection ecology and host specialization within this tritrophic interaction.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this study, we explore the prevalence, diversity and specificity of Trypanosoma infections in Corethrella across various localities in tropical America and Borneo by sequencing both midge and trypanosome markers in midge samples.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Bayesian phylogenetic analyses and ASAP species delimitation of Corethrella (cytochrome c oxidase I [COI]) and Trypanosoma (18S, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase [GAPDH]) revealed a previously unknown high diversity of frog-biting midge-associated trypanosomes. Across regions and localities, the infection prevalence in midges caught by acoustic midge traps ranged from 2.9% to 23.5%, suggesting that a notable proportion of midges carried trypanosomes, likely acquired from a previous blood meal. At one locality, La Gamba (Costa Rica), the infection prevalence in trap-caught midges was 10.9%, while it was even higher in midges collected directly from frog hosts (20.7%), in agreement with the hypothesis that midges ingest trypanosomes from infected frogs. Bipartite network analyses revealed high degrees of specialization of Trypanosoma in trap-caught Corethrella, both across all localities (H2' = 0.87) and when analyzed for our most sampled locality (Cahuita, Costa Rica) alone (H2' = 0.94).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our data suggest that most trypanosomes detected in trap-caught midges are established, host-competent (i.e., specialist) parasites in an infective stadium.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"348"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12355796/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144859525","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":"Impact of levels of parasitemia and antibodies, acute-phase proteins, as well as stays abroad on hematological and biochemical parameters in 342 dogs with acute Babesia canis infection.","authors":"Imke Maretje von Hohnhorst, Andreas Moritz, Clara Marie Eisenecker, Christina Strube, Kezia Eudora Rodjana, Elisabeth Müller, Ingo Schäfer","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06997-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06997-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Babesia canis infections are of rising importance in Germany. This retrospective study aimed to correlate hematological and biochemical parameters with acute-phase proteins, levels of parasitemia and antibodies, as well as stays abroad in dogs with acute B. canis infection.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Dogs in Germany tested PCR-positive for B. canis and negative for Anaplasma phagocytophilum from January 2018 to December 2024 were included if data on hematocrit, leukocytes, and platelets were available. Hematological scoring (HES) was performed by addition of points for mild (+ 1), moderate (+ 2), and marked (+ 3) anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia, as well as for the presence of pancytopenia (+ 3) and leukocytosis (+ 1). Results of biochemical and CRP analysis, Babesia antibody determination, and pathogen quantification were included, if available. P ≤ 0.05 in Spearman's rank correlation was considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>342 dogs were included. History of stays abroad was known for 191/342 dogs (55.8%; no stays abroad 113/191 (59.2%), imported 55/191 (28.8%), travel 23/191 (12.0%)). The most common clinicopathologic findings were increased CRP (87.4%), thrombocytopenia (85.1%), anemia (78.7%), hyperbilirubinemia (74.2%), decreased iron levels (51.1%), and leukopenia (49.7%). Dogs without stays abroad showed significantly higher HES (n = 113, median: 6), CRP (n = 60, median: 116.2 mg/l), and levels of parasitemia (n = 92, median: 2916 × 10³ parasites/ml), but lower serum antibody levels (n = 59, median: 1.5 TE) compared with imported dogs (HES: n = 55, median: 2; CRP: n = 23, median: 40.0 mg/l; levels of parasitemia: n = 29, median: 23 × 10³ parasites/ml; antibodies: n = 37, median: 60.6 TE) (P < 0.001 each). Positive correlations were found between CRP and levels of parasitemia (ρ = 0.444), CRP and HES (ρ = 0.406), as well as levels of parasitemia and HES (ρ = 0.348), while negative correlations were observed between levels of antibodies and parasitemia (ρ = -0.666), as well as antibody levels and HES (ρ = -0.652) (P < 0.001 each).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>About 60% of dogs with acute B. canis infection had no history of stays abroad, thus representing autochthonous infections. Most dogs without stays abroad were immunologically naive, in contrast to most imported dogs showing positive and high antibody levels. Dogs with high antibody levels showed less severe clinicopathological alterations and lower levels of parasitemia in the peripheral blood, explained by protective antibody activity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"347"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12355803/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144859524","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":"Interactions between bacterial vaginosis-associated microbiota and Trichomonas vaginalis modulate parasite-induced pathogenicity and host immune responses.","authors":"Shu-Fang Chiu, Ching-Yun Huang, Chien-Yung Chen, Wei-Jane Hsu, Yuan-Ming Yeh, Ya-Wen Shih, Lichieh Julie Chu, Wei-Ning Lin, Kuo-Yang Huang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06996-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06996-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Trichomoniasis, caused by Trichomonas vaginalis (Tv), is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection (STI). Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by a reduction in health-associated Lactobacillus and an overgrowth of anaerobes. Both BV-associated bacteria (BVB) and Tv are linked to adverse gynecologic outcomes. Herein, we aimed to investigate whether interactions between vaginal bacterial species and Tv could modulate Tv pathogenicity and Tv-induced host immune responses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We established a co-culture system to evaluate the interaction between Tv and various vaginal bacteria, including Lactobacillus crispatus, Escherichia coli, Prevotella bivia, and Lactobacillus iners, in the context of polymicrobial infection in ectocervical cells (Ect1). The impact of the interactions between Tv and these bacterial species on Tv adhesion, Tv-induced cytotoxicity in Ect1 cells, and cytokine secretion were assessed. Additionally, the molecular mechanisms governing host inflammation following Tv-bacteria interactions were investigated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our in vitro model showed that specific BVB, particularly P. bivia, enhanced the expression of Tv ap65 gene and promoted Tv adhesion to host cells. Additionally, Tv pretreated with P. bivia increased cytotoxicity and upregulated IL-6, IL-8, CXCL1, and IP-10 secretion in Ect1 cells. Furthermore, Ect1 cells stimulated with Tv pretreated with P. bivia also activated the PI3K, ERK, and p38 MAPK pathways, triggering epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) events. These results demonstrate that this potential pathobiont enhances Tv pathogenicity, highlighting the impact of the vaginal microbiome on host cells during Tv infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study significantly advances our understanding of the complex host-bacteria-parasite interactions in the vaginal ecosystem.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"346"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12351803/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144855981","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":"Comparing the performance of OvaCyte and traditional techniques in detecting canine gastrointestinal parasites.","authors":"Nagwa Elghryani, Conor G McAloon, Geetika Lahan, Trish McOwan, Theo de Waal","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06935-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06935-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Companion animals are infected with a range of helminth and protozoan parasites which can have a significant effect on health and welfare. While several diagnostic techniques are available to detect parasitic infection, they all vary in sensitivity and specificity. This study aims to estimate the diagnostic performance of the OvaCyte™ Pet Analyser by comparing it with established benchmarks commonly used in reference laboratories.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 141 canine faecal samples, containing at least one species of parasite after screening using double centrifugation, were tested using four index tests: centrifugal flotation (faeces weighing either 1 g or 2 g), passive flotation, and the OvaCyte™ technique. The true status of each sample was determined on the basis of the initial screening test and the aggregated result of the four index tests. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each of the four index tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The OvaCyte™ Pet Analyser displayed high sensitivity ranging from 90% to 100% in detecting various parasite species in canines. Its sensitivity for roundworm and hookworm detection differed significantly from centrifugal flotation using 1 g and passive flotation techniques (P < 0.05). The OvaCyte™ demonstrated higher sensitivity in detecting Cystoisospora spp. (90%) and Capillaria spp. (100%) compared to all flotation methods (P < 0.001), though it showed slightly lower specificity than the other techniques.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results highlight the variability in sensitivity across different diagnostic methods, underscoring the importance of selecting the most reliable technique for accurate parasite detection in veterinary practice. However, the OvaCyte™ Pet Analyser exhibits an elevated level of sensitivity compared to other techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"345"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12351915/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144848240","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}