Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"Interaction of predatory macroinvertebrate communities with malaria vectors in aquatic habitats of three climatic zones in Burkina Faso.","authors":"Judicael Ouedraogo, Simon P Sawadogo, Abdoulaye Niang, Abdoulaye Soulama, Sylvie Yerbanga, Tarwendpanga F X Ouédraogo, Bouraïma Vincent Séré, Charles Guissou, Roch K Dabiré, Ruth Müller, Olivier Gnankine, Abdoulaye Diabaté","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06794-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06794-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In aquatic larval habitats, Anopheles larvae are subject to the predatory activity and competition of macroinvertebrates. These macroinvertebrates may play a key role in the Anopheles population's bioregulation in aquatic habitats and malaria control. There are few studies characterizing macroinvertebrate predators and other macroinvertebrates coexisting with Anopheles larvae in Burkina Faso. This study aimed at characterizing and evaluating the different interactions between anopheline mosquito larvae, predatory macroinvertebrates, and other co-habitants in aquatic habitats in the three climatic zones of Burkina Faso.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A larval survey was performed in the three climatic zones of Burkina Faso (Sahelian, Soudano-Sahelian, and Soudanian zones) from September to November 2022. Mosquito larvae and other macroinvertebrates were sampled using standard dippers or bucket, preserved in Falcon tubes containing 80% ethanol, and transported to the laboratory for morphological identification. Alpha diversity analysis was used to measure macroinvertebrate diversity according to climatic zones and correlation matrix analysis was performed to determine the different interactions between Anopheles and other macroinvertebrates in breeding sites.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the studied larval habitats, Anopheles were found with several aquatic macroinvertebrate predators and other cohabiting macroinvertebrates. The abundance and alpha diversity indices of macroinvertebrate predators and other coexisting macroinvertebrates varied significantly according to climatic zone (P = 0.01). Correlation analyses showed that in the Sahelian zone, Anopheles spp., Corixidae, and Notonectidae shared the same aquatic habitats. In the Soudano-Sahelian zone, Anopheles spp. occupied the same larval habitats with Belostomatidae, Notonectidae, and Achatinidae, and in the Soudanian zone, their presence in larval habitats was correlated with that of Beatidae.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study showed a significant trophic association between Anopheles and predatory and other coexisting macroinvertebrates in larval habitats in Burkina Faso. Our study provides insights and thereby opens new avenues in terms of development of biological control against larvae of Anopheles populations in Burkina Faso.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"158"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12034178/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037519","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":"Decoding the impact of environmental shifts on snail density dynamics in the Yangtze River basin: a 26-year study.","authors":"Yanfeng Gong, Shiqing Zhang, Dandan Lin, Yu Cai, Shangbiao Lv, Mao Zheng, Benjiao Hu, Xiaolan Lei, Ning Xu, Jiamin Wang, Junhui Huang, Yu Zhou, Liyun Zhu, Yue Chen, Qingwu Jiang, Shizhu Li, Yibiao Zhou","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06782-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06782-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>With the intensification of climate change and human engineering activities, environmental changes have affected schistosome-transmitting snails. This study explored the influence of environmental changes on the evolution of snail populations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from annual snail surveys and related factors such as hydrology, temperature, vegetation, etc., on nine bottomlands from 1997 to 2022 were collected retrospectively from multiple sources. Interpretable machine learning and the Bayesian spatial-temporal model assessed the relationship between environmental change and snail density.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between 1997 and 2003, mean snail density was in a high-level fluctuation stage. From 2003 to 2012, it declined significantly from 0.773/0.1 m² to 0.093/0.1 m². However, it increased by 27.6% between 2013 (0.098/0.1 m²) and 2022 (0.125/0.1 m²). Since operation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) began in 2003, the duration of bottomland flooding decreased from 122 days (1997-2003) to 57 days (2003-2012) and then rebounded in 2012-2022, which was noticeable in the Anhui Section. The ground surface temperature and night light index of the bottomlands increased from 1997 to 2022. After adjusting for confounding factors (e.g. rainfall, temperature, and vegetation), the relative risk (RR) of increased snail density rose with flooding duration of between 20 and 100 days but decreased with flooding duration of > 100 days. Snail density showed an \"L\"-shaped relationship with the night light index, and the RR of increased snail density was lower at a higher night light index. Compared with bottomlands in the first quartile cluster of ground surface temperature, bottomlands in the second, third, and fourth quartile clusters of ground surface temperature had higher snail density RR values of 1.271 (95% CI 1.082-1.493), 1.302 (95% CI 1.146-1.480), and 1.278 (1.048, 1.559), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The TGD lowered the water level and flooding duration, which were not conducive to snail population growth. However, over time, the inhibitory effect of the TGD on snails may have been weakening, especially in areas far from the TGD. In recent years, the rebound of snail density may have been related to the rise in water levels and the change in the microenvironment. Establishing an efficient monitoring and response system is crucial for precisely controlling snails.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"156"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12032699/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143999634","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":"Global, regional, and national burden of Visceral leishmaniasis, 1990-2021: findings from the global burden of disease study 2021.","authors":"Shun-Xian Zhang, Guo-Bing Yang, Jian-Yong Sun, Yong-Jun Li, Jian Yang, Ji-Chun Wang, Yao Deng","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06796-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06796-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by protozoa of the Leishmania genus; it is transmitted through the bites of infected phlebotomine sandflies. Clinically, it manifests in three primary forms: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Among these, VL represents the most severe form, characterized by high morbidity and mortality, and poses a considerable public health burden, particularly in endemic regions. This study utilizes data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2021 to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the global epidemiological trends and burden of VL from 1990 to 2021, aiming to generate evidence-based insights to inform prevention and control strategies.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using GBD 2021 data, this study examined trends in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of VL across 204 countries and territories, stratified by age, sex, and sociodemographic index (SDI) levels. Average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated to describe trends in age-standardized rates and indicator counts from 1990 to 2021.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 1990 to 2021, the global age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR; AAPC = -0.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.25, -0.24), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR; AAPC = -0.06, 95% CI -0.06, -0.05), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR; AAPC = -0.03, 95% CI -0.04, -0.02), and DALY rate (AAPC = -2.38, 95% CI -2.44, -2.33) for VL all showed a declining trend. The ASMR was highest among children under 5 years old and decreased progressively with age. VL remains a critical and under-recognized tropical disease in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>VL disproportionately affects males and presents the highest risk in children under 5 years. Enhanced global collaboration in infectious disease control, with a focus on regions such as Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, is essential to further reduce the burden of VL.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"157"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12032768/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143974792","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":"Assessing Wolbachia circulation in wild populations of phlebotomine sand flies from Spain and Morocco: implications for control of leishmaniasis.","authors":"Andrés Torres-Llamas, Victoriano Díaz-Sáez, Manuel Morales-Yuste, Patricia Ibáñez-De Haro, Arturo Enrique López-López, Victoriano Corpas-López, Francisco Morillas-Márquez, Joaquina Martín-Sánchez","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06771-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06771-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vector-borne diseases such as leishmaniasis exert a huge burden of morbidity and mortality that are mainly controlled through vector control. The increasing threat of insecticide-resistant vectors entails incorporating more vector control interventions to eliminate these diseases. Introduction of Wolbachia into wild vector populations has been suggested as a potential vector control measure that would require extensive regional knowledge. The aim of this work is to estimate the prevalence of Wolbachia infection and monitor circulating strains in wild sand fly populations from Spain and Morocco, two countries where leishmaniasis is endemic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Wolbachia was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Haplotype diversity was performed by sequencing, and phylogenetic relationships were then established. In silico prediction of the Wolbachia surface protein (WSP) structures was performed. To investigate the relationship between epidemiological variables and the presence of Wolbachia, regression analyses were employed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Wolbachia was detected in 45.8% of the specimens tested (319/697), and similar infection rates were found (P = 0.92) in males (46.1%; 94/204) and females (45.6%; 225/493). Differences in infection were detected among Spanish sand fly species (P < 0.001), being higher for Phlebotomus papatasi (35/52) and Phlebotomus perniciosus (239/384). No infected Phlebotomus sergenti specimens were found in Spain, whereas two different Wolbachia haplotypes were detected in P. sergenti sand flies from Morocco. No significant differences were found between sex, species, or capture sites in specimens captured in Morocco (P > 0.05). Five Wolbachia haplotypes distributed in the known A and B supergroups were identified. Structural analysis showed a nine-amino acid insertion in the fourth loop of a Wolbachia haplotype found in P. sergenti specimens from El Borouj (Morocco).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We confirmed the circulation of different Wolbachia strains in all sand fly species investigated. All L. infantum proven or suspected vectors shared the same, or a closely related, Wolbachia haplotype. The haplotype bearing the loop insertion was found in the locality undergoing an anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreak. These extracellular loops might have some role in enhancing or inhibiting the development of Leishmania and other pathogens in sand flies. These findings are very promising and highlight the need to further investigate the tripartite interactions between Wolbachia strain, Leishmania species, and sand fly species/lineage.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"155"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12032678/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144041155","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":"Assessing current and future areas of ecological suitability for Lutzomyia shannoni in North America.","authors":"Sydney DeWinter, Grace K Nichol, Christopher Fernandez-Prada, Amy L Greer, J Scott Weese, Katie M Clow","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06781-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06781-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the Americas, sand flies of the Lutzomyia genus are the vectors of pathogens of human and animal health significance. Lutzomyia shannoni is suspected to transmit vesicular stomatitis virus, along with Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania infantum (causative agents of leishmaniases). Despite the suspected vector potential of Lu. shannoni, significant knowledge gaps remain, including how ongoing climate changes could facilitate their range expansion. The objectives of this study were to predict the current and future ecological suitability of regions across North America for Lu. shannoni and to identify variables driving ecological suitability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Occurrence records were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Disease Vectors Database, the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution) and published literature on Lu. shannoni surveillance and capture. Historical climate data from 1991-2020, along with projection data for Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 2-4.5 and 3-7.0 were obtained. An additional terrestrial ecoregions layer was applied. The ecological niche model was created using maximum entropy (MaxEnt) algorithms to identify regions which currently are or may become ecologically suitable for Lu. shannoni.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Currently, regions in eastern, western and southern Mexico, along with the Midwest, southeastern and eastern regions of the USA are ecologically suitable for Lu. shannoni. In the future, ecological suitability for Lu. shannoni is expected to increase slightly in the northeastern regions of the USA and in Atlantic Canada, and to decrease in the southeastern reaches of Mexico. Degree-days below 0 °C (spring and autumn), precipitation as snow (summer and winter), terrestrial ecoregions, number of frost-free days (summer), Hargreaves climatic moisture deficit (summer), degree-days above 5 °C (autumn) and Hogg's climatic moisture index (summer) were all identified as predictors of ecological suitability.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings from this study identified climate and environmental variables driving the ecological suitability of regions for Lu. shannoni and can be used to inform public health professionals of high-risk regions for exposure at present and into the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"154"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12032769/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144015964","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":"Molecular characterisation of common Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Ireland.","authors":"Elsie Isiye, Angela Valcarcel Olmeda, Thomas Curran, David O'Neill, Theo de Waal, Gerald Barry, Aidan O'Hanlon, James O'Shaughnessy, Nicole Keohane McCarthy, Akke Vellinga, Audrey Jenkinson, Alan Johnson, Damien Barrett, Sarah Costello, Annetta Zintl, Denise O'Meara","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06754-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06754-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) act as vectors for several arboviruses, including bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV), which affect livestock health and productivity. In Ireland, limited genetic data are available regarding the diversity of Culicoides species. This study represents the first attempt to characterise Culicoides in this region using molecular techniques.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adult Culicoides samples were captured using Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI) traps across six locations in Ireland. Subsequent molecular analyses involved polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and the internal transcriber spacer (ITS) barcoding regions to obtain species identities. In addition, using both markers, we inferred the population genetic structure and potential colonisation pathways of Culicoides obsoletus sensu stricto (s. str.), the major vector species in Ireland.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>DNA barcoding facilitated identification of 177 specimens. Eight common Culicoides species were identified through DNA barcoding of CO1 and ITS gene regions. The presence of putative vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) were also confirmed, including species in the subgenus Avaritia (C. obsoletus s. str., C. scoticus, C. chiopterus, and C. dewulfi) and subgenus Culicoides s. str. (C. pulicaris and C. punctatus). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the relationship between these vector species and facilitated the placement of Culicoides spp. that could not be identified to species level through DNA barcoding. Haplotype network analysis of C. obsoletus showed that some haplotypes of these species are shared between Continental Europe, the UK, and Ireland, suggesting a possible incursion pathway for this vector.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>DNA barcoding employing a combination of two barcodes, CO1 and ITS, proved effective in identifying Culicoides, especially species within the obsoletus complex, which are difficult to morphologically distinguish. Our findings also suggest that investigation of the population genetic structure of Culicoides spp. could be used to model the potential introduction routes of midge-borne pathogens into the country.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"149"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12016113/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037698","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":"Off-grid field-deployable molecular diagnostic platform for malaria surveillance.","authors":"Madhavinadha Prasad Kona, Armel N Tedjou, Mary Kefi, Francesco Buongiorno, Charles S Wondji, George Dimopoulos","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06779-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06779-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Malaria, a major global health concern, continues to cause substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly in tropical regions. Traditional malaria diagnostic methods such as microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) are effective but face challenges in field settings because of their requirement for laboratories with specialized equipment and trained personnel. This study presents the development and validation of a portable, cost-effective, field-deployable real-time qPCR platform for detecting Plasmodium species.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Field-compatible DNA isolation was performed using DNAzol, and TaqMan probes targeting 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) were employed to detect five Plasmodium species-P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. knowlesi-using the bCUBE qPCR platform. In vitro-cultured P. falciparum and experimentally infected Anopheles gambiae were used to quantify P. falciparum infections, with infection prevalence compared to microscopy. The bCUBE qPCR system was also evaluated under field conditions to detect P. falciparum infections in field-collected An. gambiae mosquitoes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The bCUBE qPCR demonstrated a strong linear correlation (R² = 0.993) with a standard laboratory qPCR machine for detecting P. falciparum infections. It successfully detected as few as 0.5 parasites/µl of blood, one oocyst in mosquito guts, and 5-10 sporozoites in salivary glands. It was also capable of discriminating between P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. knowlesi. Field evaluations in Cameroon confirmed its accuracy in identifying P. falciparum in mosquito samples, with same-day results. The capability of the bCUBE qPCR system to detect infections in both individual and pooled mosquito surveillance further highlights its potential for in-field large-scale malaria monitoring surveillance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The bCUBE qPCR system offers a portable, sensitive, and scalable solution for malaria diagnostics, enabling real-time surveillance in resource-limited settings. Its ability to provide rapid, on-site results reduces the need for centralized laboratory testing, facilitating timely decision-making in malaria control programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"150"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12016468/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144014641","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":"Plasmodium cynomolgi: potential emergence of new zoonotic malaria in Southeast Asia.","authors":"Nantha Kumar Jeyaprakasam, Wei Kit Phang, Shahhaziq Shahari, Indra Vythilingam","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06784-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06784-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The reported cases of Plasmodium cynomolgi in Southeast Asia pose a significant public health concern. Sporadic reports of human Plasmodium cynomolgi infections have increased in the past few years, raising attention regarding its potential impact on human populations. Further compounding this issue are the morphological similarities between P. cynomolgi and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax, which may lead to misdiagnosis and underreporting of P. cynomolgi infections. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that P. cynomolgi can effectively invade human reticulocytes using mechanisms like those employed by P. vivax, underscoring its capacity to infect human hosts if given the opportunity. These studies collectively highlight the parasite's potential to establish infections in humans and emphasize the need for molecular diagnostic tools to accurately detect P. cynomolgi. Additionally, challenges in accurate diagnosis and surveillance systems may underestimate the true extent of their impact, making it imperative for healthcare authorities to bolster monitoring efforts and deploy targeted interventions. Strengthening surveillance, improving diagnostic capabilities, and developing targeted vector control strategies are crucial to mitigating the risk of P. cynomolgi becoming a major zoonotic disease like its counterpart, Plasmodium knowlesi. Thus, this review aims to highlight the current understanding of P. cynomolgi infections in human, vector, and macaque hosts based on collated data from previous studies while underscoring the urgent need for enhanced surveillance, accurate diagnostic tools, and effective vector control strategies to mitigate its potential as a significant zoonotic threat in Southeast Asia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"151"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12020267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037118","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":"Evaluation of the 2022 West Nile virus forecasting challenge, USA.","authors":"Ryan D Harp, Karen M Holcomb, Renata Retkute, Alisa Prusokiene, Augustinas Prusokas, Zeynep Ertem, Marco Ajelli, Allisandra G Kummer, Maria Litvinova, Stefano Merler, Ana Pastore Y Piontti, Piero Poletti, Alessandro Vespignani, Andre B B Wilke, Agnese Zardini, Kelly Helm Smith, Philip Armstrong, Nicholas DeFelice, Alexander Keyel, John Shepard, Rebecca Smith, Andrew Tyre, John Humphreys, Lee W Cohnstaedt, Saman Hosseini, Caterina Scoglio, Morgan E Gorris, Martha Barnard, S Kane Moser, Julie A Spencer, Maggie S J McCarter, Christopher Lee, Melissa S Nolan, Christopher M Barker, J Erin Staples, Randall J Nett, Michael A Johansson","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06767-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06767-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental USA, with an average of ~1200 severe, neuroinvasive cases reported annually from 2005 to 2021 (range 386-2873). Despite this burden, efforts to forecast WNV disease to inform public health measures to reduce disease incidence have had limited success. Here, we analyze forecasts submitted to the 2022 WNV Forecasting Challenge, a follow-up to the 2020 WNV Forecasting Challenge.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forecasting teams submitted probabilistic forecasts of annual West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease (WNND) cases for each county in the continental USA for the 2022 WNV season. We assessed the skill of team-specific forecasts, baseline forecasts, and an ensemble created from team-specific forecasts. We then characterized the impact of model characteristics and county-specific contextual factors (e.g., population) on forecast skill.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ensemble forecasts for 2022 anticipated a season at or below median long-term WNND incidence for nearly all (> 99%) counties. More counties reported higher case numbers than anticipated by the ensemble forecast median, but national caseload (826) was well below the 10-year median (1386). Forecast skill was highest for the ensemble forecast, though the historical negative binomial baseline model and several team-submitted forecasts had similar forecast skill. Forecasts utilizing regression-based frameworks tended to have more skill than those that did not and models using climate, mosquito surveillance, demographic, or avian data had less skill than those that did not, potentially due to overfitting. County-contextual analysis showed strong relationships with the number of years that WNND had been reported and permutation entropy (historical variability). Evaluations based on weighted interval score and logarithmic scoring metrics produced similar results.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The relative success of the ensemble forecast, the best forecast for 2022, suggests potential gains in community ability to forecast WNV, an improvement from the 2020 Challenge. Similar to the previous challenge, however, our results indicate that skill was still limited with general underprediction despite a relative low incidence year. Potential opportunities for improvement include refining mechanistic approaches, integrating additional data sources, and considering different approaches for areas with and without previous cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"152"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12020065/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144049202","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":"Safety of Credelio Quattro™ (lotilaner, moxidectin, praziquantel, and pyrantel chewable tablets) in homozygous MDR1-mutant collie dogs.","authors":"Kari L Riggs, Xinshuo Wang, Scott Wiseman","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06795-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06795-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Multidrug resistance-1 (MDR1) mutant dogs have diminished or lack P-glycoprotein (Pgp) expression at the blood-brain barrier and are therefore more susceptible to neurotoxicity caused by macrocyclic lactones and other Pgp substrates due to increased drug penetration into the brain. Therefore, the safety of products containing macrocyclic lactones are required to be evaluated in this sensitive population. Credelio Quattro (lotilaner, moxidectin, praziquantel, and pyrantel chewable tablets) is a novel endectocide for monthly oral administration in dogs. As moxidectin is a macrocyclic lactone, Credelio Quattro was administered to homozygous MDR1 mutant Collie dogs to evaluate the safety of the product.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study employed a completely randomized and blinded design, where dogs were allocated to one of four treatment groups. A total of 32 dogs were divided into 4 groups (placebo control, 1×, 2×, or 5×, the maximum recommended labeled dose of Credelio Quattro) each consisting of 8 dogs. Treatment was administered on 3 consecutive occasions, 28 days apart. Dogs were evaluated pre-dose and through 72-h post-treatment using the avermectin sensitive (AVS) categories of seizures or convulsions, ataxia, depression, mydriasis, muscle tremors, and salivation/drooling/vomiting. The assessment of safety was based on AVS scores, general health observations, body weight, and physical examinations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Credelio Quattro was well tolerated with no serious adverse events. There were no incidents of seizures or convulsions, ataxia, mydriasis, or muscle tremors observed. Salivation/drooling/vomiting was the most frequent observation, occurring in all groups, and most frequently in the 5× group. Vomiting is a dose-dependent effect observed for Credelio Quattro in healthy dogs and is therefore unlikely to represent a neurological effect in MDR1 dogs. Depression was observed in one dog in each of the 0×, 2×, and 5× groups. This was likely a spurious result versus true toxicity, as the sign was subtle and occurred singularly including at 0×. For all AVS signs, the events were transient, and dogs recovered without any intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Credelio Quattro was well tolerated and is safe in MDR1 mutant dogs up to 5× the maximum recommended dose following three consecutive monthly administrations.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"153"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12020015/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144030710","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}