Parasite最新文献

{"title":"Human infestations with Fasciola hepatica in Austria between 1955 and 2025: data from a low-incidence country.","authors":"Peter Mikosch, Eva Trifina-Mikosch, Caroline Schwarz, Herbert Auer","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026047","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although rare, human Fasciola hepatica (FH) infestations represent a clinically relevant parasitosis that can cause significant clinical manifestations and functional limitations, particularly affecting the liver. Laboratory tests typically reveal elevated white blood cell counts and absolute or relative eosinophilia. The Department of Medical Parasitology at the Institute for Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Center of Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, is the national reference center for FH infestations in Austria. In this study, we assessed all confirmed human FH infestation cases between 1955 and 2025 and retrospectively analyzed their demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging data. In all, 64 human FH infestations were recorded. Although some patients were asymptomatic, most had fever, abdominal pain, hepatosplenomegaly, and elevated liver parameters. Pancreatitis, diarrhea, pulmonary symptoms, weight loss, or skin lesions, mainly urticaria, were present in a few cases. During the observation period, the diagnosed cases gradually increased decade by decade, largely due to improved diagnostic tests for FH. However, during the last 10 years, a decline in new diagnosed cases has been observed. Until the 1980s, cases concerned only individuals born in Austria. Since the 1990s, there have been case reports concerning people with a migration background, reflecting demographic changes. The distribution of FH cases within Austria was found to be unequal, with certain regions reporting higher incidence (Salzburg, Upper Austria, and Vorarlberg). Fasciola hepatica infestation is a rare parasitosis in Austria. However, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis, especially among migrants and travelers returning from endemic regions presenting with eosinophilia and abdominal pain.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"47"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13521509/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148831393","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":"Proteomic identification of Acanthamoeba castellanii excretory-secretory proteins associated with Klebsiella pneumoniae capsule enlargement: a candidate role for C-type lysozyme.","authors":"Chun-Hsien Chen, Jian-Ming Huang, Wei-Chen Lin, Chih-Ming Tsai, Hsin-Yu Hsieh, Yu-Jen Wang","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2026057","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Acanthamoeba castellanii and Klebsiella pneumoniae are environmental commensals that co-exist in aquatic habitats. Our previous studies demonstrated that A. castellanii genotype T4 (AcT4) induces capsule enlargement and hypermucoviscosity in K. pneumoniae through small excretory-secretory proteins (ESPs; <10 kDa) that activate the Rcs two-component system, upregulating capsule biosynthesis genes independently of virulence plasmids. However, the molecular identity of these active ESPs remained undefined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>To identify candidate proteins, we performed label-free quantitative proteomics (LC-MS/MS) on conditioned medium from AcT4 co-cultured with K. pneumoniae (Ac/Kp) versus AcT4 alone (Ac only; n = 3 per group). A total of 391 A. castellanii proteins were identified; seven showed significantly increased extracellular abundance in Ac/Kp medium (log₂ ratio ≥ 1, p < 0.05), and 98 showed decreased abundance. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that increased-abundance proteins were enriched in transport, signaling/regulation, redox activity, ion/metal binding, and chaperone/stress response categories. Among these, a C-type lysozyme/α-lactalbumin superfamily protein (UniProt L8GZI4; 14.7 kDa; log₂ ratio = 5.19) was identified as a priority candidate, as lysozyme-mediated peptidoglycan hydrolysis generates muropeptides-known activators of the Rcs phosphorelay.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This comparative secretome analysis provides the first proteomic catalogue of AcT4 extracellular proteins during co-culture with K. pneumoniae and identifies C-type lysozyme as a biologically plausible candidate mediating Rcs-dependent capsule induction. These findings lay the groundwork for future validation of AcT4-derived ESPs in protozoa-bacteria interactions and their potential role in the environmental emergence of hypervirulent K. pneumoniae.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"57"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632502/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113312","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":"Effects of small-scale temperature shifts on Aedes mosquito production and the influence of environmental conditions on quality assessment with the FAO/IAEA flight test device.","authors":"Wadaka Mamai, Hamidou Maiga, Odet Bueno-Masso, Thomas Wallner, Nanwintoum Sévérin Bimbile Somda, Simran Singh Kotla, Thabo Mashatola, Hanano Yamada, Chantel Janet de Beer, Jérémy Bouyer","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026019","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Variations in environmental parameters such as temperature and relative humidity (RH) can significantly affect mass-rearing outcomes and quality assessment. While the impact of broad temperature changes is well documented, the effects of small-scale fluctuations (1-2 °C shifts) on development and quality remain largely unexplored. This study was carried out to investigate the responses of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to incremental changes in rearing temperature and to evaluate the influence of temperature and RH on quality assessment with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/International Atomic Energy Agency (FAO/IAEA) flight test device (FTD). First-instar larvae were reared under controlled conditions at five constant temperatures (26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 °C) maintaining the larval density and feeding regime as applied in mass-rearing conditions. Key parameters assessed included time to pupation, pupation rate, male escape rate, and body size. Additionally, male Ae. aegypti escape rate was evaluated under varying room temperatures and RH levels to assess the consistency and reliability of the FTD. Small-scale temperature fluctuations significantly impacted key life-history traits of Aedes mosquitoes, with higher temperatures accelerating time to pupation and enhancing pupation rates in both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Moreover, Aedes albopictus consistently exhibited lower pupal yields and male escape rates compared to Ae. aegypti. Adult male quality assessed using the FTD was significantly influenced by the environmental temperature, but showed no significant variation in response to changes in RH. These results highlight the importance of precisely controlling environmental conditions during larval mass-rearing and adult quality assessment using the FAO/IAEA FTD to ensure consistent and reliable outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13073146/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147675606","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":"Deciphering Trypanosoma lainsoni kDNA minicircles: insights into genetic diversity, mRNA editing, and molecular diagnosis.","authors":"Juan José Aguirre, Noelia Floridia-Yapur, Fanny Rusman, Soledad Hodi, Tatiana Ponce, Anahí Guadalupe Diaz, Gonzalo Greif, Luisa Berná, Carlos Robello, Patricio Diosque, Nicolás Tomasini","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026034","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026034","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The mitochondrial genome of kinetoplastids, organized in a unique DNA net called the kinetoplast, presents significant complexity compared to other eukaryotic mitochondrial genomes. Minicircles, which constitute over 90% of the kinetoplast mass, are essential for the post-transcriptional editing of maxicircle transcripts. This study focuses on Trypanosoma lainsoni, a trypanosomatid first discovered in northern Brazil and later reported in Argentina. Utilizing a combined second and third generation sequencing approach, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the kDNA minicircles of three Argentinian isolates of T. lainsoni. Through de novo assembly, minicircle molecules with two conserved regions interspaced by two hypervariable regions 180° apart, were identified. Guide RNAs encoded within hypervariable regions were inferred and the mitochondrial mRNA editing cascades mediated by these guide RNAs were fully reconstructed. We also developed a PCR-based approach for the detection and confirmation of T. lainsoni kDNA using minicircle-specific primers. A deeper analysis on the diversity of minicircle hypervariable regions revealed that the three isolates correspond to different genotypes circulating in the region. This research significantly advances our understanding of the genomic architecture of T. lainsoni and offers valuable tools for its molecular identification, differentiation from other trypanosomes, and the study of kinetoplastid biology.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"34"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13233029/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148157519","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":"Occurrence of brachylaimid trematodes, alive and shell-trapped, in sympatric species of terrestrial gastropods in France.","authors":"Claudia Gérard, Maxime Dahirel, Marie-Claire Martin, Armelle Ansart","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2026052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Following the detection of Brachylaima spp., which are potentially pathogenic for domestic animals and humans, in Cornu aspersum and Cepaea nemoralis at a rural site in France, we investigated trematode distribution among sympatric gastropod species to assess their role in the parasite life cycle. Eight species were investigated (Cepaea nemoralis, Cernuella neglecta, Clausilia bidentata, Cochlicella acuta, Cornu aspersum, Lauria cylindracea, Pomatias elegans, and Theba pisana). Four species were parasitised by trematodes: C. aspersum (prevalence 56%), C. nemoralis (10%), and T. pisana (2%) as second intermediate hosts of Brachylaima spp., and C. neglecta (6%) as new first intermediate host of Pseudoleucochloridium sp. Moreover, we observed for the first time shell-encapsulation of trematodes in a non-helicid species (C. neglecta) and nematodes in a non-stylommatophoran species (P. elegans), suggesting more general anti-parasite defence than previously thought among land snails. Our current and previous results, including molecular data (28S rDNA, COI mtDNA), suggest the occurrence of four Brachylaima species at the site: Brachylaima mesostoma and three unidentified species. Cornu aspersum is the only identified first intermediate host for B. mesostoma and one of the unidentified trematode species also found at a metacercarial stage in C. aspersum and C. nemoralis. Another unidentified species recorded in C. aspersum and C. nemoralis, characterised by small orange metacercariae, may be a new species. The sole metacercaria found in T. pisana may also belong to an undescribed species.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"55"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632504/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113238","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":"First detection and molecular characterization of three trichomonad species in experimental beagle dogs in China.","authors":"Xiao-Long Liao, Xue-Li Ge, Rong-Jun Gong, Jia-Min Ma, Yong-Hao Wang, Li-Qin Gui, Qing-Hong Guo, Xin-Chao Liu, Wen-Chao Li","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2026056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Three different parasites of the phylum Parabasalia (Pentatrichomonas hominis, Tritrichomonas foetus and Dientamoeba fragilis) have been described in dogs. However, limited information about the prevalence of these trichomonad species in experimental beagle dogs in China is available. The aim of the current study was to investigate the frequency and molecular characterization of these three parasites species in these dogs. A total of 452 fecal samples were collected from ordinary clean-grade experimental beagle dogs and examined using PCR analysis, and positive samples were subsequently sequenced for species identification and analysis. Results showed that the prevalence of P. hominis, T. foetus and D. fragilis in the experimental dogs was 6.4% (29/452, 95% CI: 4.1-8.7%), 0% (0/452) and 0.7% (3/452, 95% CI: 0-1.4%), respectively. The sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the obtained sequences of P. hominis SSU rRNA genes were similar to the previously reported genotype CC1, and the sequences of D. fragilis SSU rRNA genes belonged to genotype 1, which is the most common genotype in humans. Our study provides the first data on the molecular prevalence of P. hominis, T. foetus and D. fragilis in experimental beagle dogs globally.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"56"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632503/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113309","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":"Low genetic polymorphism of the PvMSP1-19 vaccine candidate among Plasmodium vivax isolates along the Thailand-Myanmar border.","authors":"Phiraya Pitchayatanakorn, Kanyarat Boonpeng, Natthakorn Inthanon, Chawaporn Khamkheaw, Suphattra Chanphetr, Janyaporn Tansuangkunnatham, Kaewkanha Kijprasong, Suttipat Srisutham","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026055","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plasmodium vivax remains the predominant malaria species in Thailand, accounting for approximately 97% of all reported cases, with transmission persisting in endemic border regions such as Kanchanaburi Province along the Thailand-Myanmar border. The C-terminal 19-kDa fragment of merozoite surface protein 1 (PvMSP1-19) has been proposed as a promising blood-stage vaccine candidate owing to its essential role in erythrocyte invasion and EGF-like domains. However, population-level genetic evidence from localized transmission foci in Southeast Asia remains limited. I this study, we investigated the genetic diversity and structural integrity of PvMSP1-19 in 109 P. vivax clinical isolates from Kanchanaburi, Thailand, between 2023 and 2025. Genomic DNA was extracted and the PvMSP1-19 region was amplified by PCR, sequenced by Sanger sequencing, and population genetic parameters were analyzed using DnaSP. Protein structure was predicted using AlphaFold3 and validated by MolProbity, PROCHECK, ProSA, and ERRAT2. Sequence analysis across 276 nucleotide positions identified only one segregating site, yielding two haplotypes with extremely low nucleotide and haplotype diversity. The dominant haplotype, corresponding to the Sal-1 reference strain, was present in 99.1% of isolates, and the single nucleotide substitution identified was synonymous, resulting in no amino acid substitution. A negative Tajima's D value suggested a trend consistent with purifying selection, although this was not statistically significant. Structural modelling of PvMSP1-19 confirmed a stable, high-quality conformation. These findings demonstrate that PvMSP1-19 is highly conserved in P. vivax populations circulating along the Thailand-Myanmar border and support its potential as a promising antigen for blood-stage vaccine development targeting vivax malaria in Southeast Asia.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"54"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13617994/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149070092","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":"Stomoxys calcitrans as a potential mechanical vector of Anaplasma phagocytophilum: assessment through original ex vivo feeding models.","authors":"Clotilde Rouxel, Guillem Weis-Servat, Emmanuel Liénard, Shukri Sharif, Anne-Claire Lagrée, Pierre Lucien Deshuillers, Henri-Jean Boulouis, Nadia Haddad, Emilie Bouhsira","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026021","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Granulocytic anaplasmosis is a zoonotic disease that affects various domestic mammals (dogs, horses, and, more rarely, cats). In ruminants, it is better known as tick-borne fever (TBF) and is responsible for significant economic losses on European livestock farms, mainly due to a drop in milk production, abortions, and immunosuppression, which can lead to secondary infections. The disease is caused by the strictly intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, whose biological vectors are ticks of the genus Ixodes. Other blood-feeding arthropods may be involved in transmitting this bacterium, notably Stomoxys calcitrans, a major ectoparasite of livestock that is implicated in transmitting other pathogens, including bacteria of the genus Anaplasma. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of S. calcitrans to act as a mechanical vector of A. phagocytophilum under laboratory conditions. Two experimental models were employed: one mimicking immediate transmission, and the other delayed transmission. In both models, A. phagocytophilum DNA and RNA were detected in S. calcitrans for the first time, but no traces of the bacterium's DNA or RNA were found in the glass feeder's blood. Further research is needed to confirm these findings through field studies investigating the presence of the bacterium in flies under natural conditions. This study also describes two original infection models of stable flies designed to reproduce their ex vivo blood-feeding, promoting alternative experimental approaches in accordance with animal welfare regulations and 4R principles.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13105450/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147777961","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 surveillance of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.","authors":"Mamoudou Cissé, Alamissa Soulama, Edmond W Silga, Michel K Gomgnimbou","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026035","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of molecular markers of Plasmodium (P.) falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) among pregnant women in Bobo-Dioulasso, and to examine their association with maternal anaemia. This cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2022 among 288 SP-naïve pregnant women attending antenatal care at the Centre Médical Urbain of Lafiabougou. Dried blood spots were collected, and P. falciparum infection was detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeting the varATS gene. Positive samples were genotyped for mutations in the Pfdhfr and Pfdhps genes using a nested PCR approach followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of resistance markers and maternal anaemia. Among the 172 qPCR-confirmed P. falciparum-positive samples, the Pfdhfr triple mutant haplotype (N51I, C59R, S108N) was detected in 33.7% of cases, while the Pfdhps A437G mutation was present in 82.7%. No Pfdhfr I164L or Pfdhps K540E mutations were observed. Gestational age was independently associated with carriage of the triple Pfdhfr mutation (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). Both gestational age (adjusted OR = 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-4.9) and infection with parasites carrying the triple Pfdhfr mutation (adjusted OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 1.8-8.3) were significant predictors of maternal anaemia. The relatively high prevalence of SP resistance markers indicates sustained drug pressure in this setting. Although SP appears to remain effective for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy, continued molecular surveillance is warranted to inform malaria control policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"36"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13290108/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148302575","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":"Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major: Do humans play a role in amplifying transmission?","authors":"Karim Aoun, Fida Maatallah, Aïda Bouratbine","doi":"10.1051/parasite/2026030","DOIUrl":"10.1051/parasite/2026030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) caused by Leishmania (L.) major is the most widespread form of CL worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of cases annually. It is associated with significant morbidity and economic burden, particularly in North Africa and the Middle East. For over a century, the zoonotic transmission of ZCL, involving wild gerbils (Muridae: Gerbillinae) as the reservoir and Phlebotomus (Ph.) papatasi as the vector, has been considered an established fact, with no contradictory debate. However, the pronounced endophilic and anthropophilic behaviors of Ph. papatasi, the exposure of multiple and large lesions, although with relatively limited persistence, to sandflies during their seasonal activity, and the simultaneous detection of human and L. major DNA within the vector, suggest a contribution of humans to the parasite cycle. Conversely, the high incidence of the disease in anthropized foci and the high prevalence of family cases highlight the role of humans in amplifying transmission. The experiments carried out by Adler and Theodor in the 1920s in Palestine and the more recent studies done by Fatemi et al. (2018) in Iran that identified L. major infectious metacyclic forms in Ph. papatasi fed on ZCL lesions reinforce this hypothesis. Additional xenodiagnoses-based approaches could provide definitive answers and lead to better management and control of ZCL, leading to a recommendation of updated preventive measures at the household level. This review aims to report on what is currently known about the zoonotic transmission of L. major, and to develop arguments supporting the hypothesis that humans play a potential role as \"reservoir host\" of the parasite, albeit a complementary one.</p>","PeriodicalId":19796,"journal":{"name":"Parasite","volume":"33 ","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13200818/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148016809","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}