Parasitology最新文献

{"title":"An investigation of female genital schistosomiasis and associated genital infections in southern Malawi.","authors":"Dingase Kumwenda, Sekeleghe A Kayuni, Guilleary Deles, Bright Mainga, Fatima Ahmed, Abbigail Cawley, Lucas J Cunningham, David Lally Jnr, Priscilla Chammudzi, Donales Kapira, Gladys Namacha, Alice Chisale, Tereza Nchembe, Louis Kinley, Ephraim Chibwana, Gilbert Chapweteka, Henry Chibowa, Victor Kumfunda, Alexandra Juhasz, Sam Jones, Ruth Cowlishaw, John Archer, Angus M O'Ferrall, Sarah Rollason, Andrew Nguluwe, John Chiphwanya, Holystone Kafaninkhale, Peter Makaula, E James LaCourse, J Russell Stothard, Janelisa Musaya","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100802","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182025100802","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-38"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144964776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustained production and purification of <i>Ellipsomyxa mugilis</i> actinospores in a laboratory mesocosm.","authors":"Mónica Sá, Gabriel Oliveira, Carlos Antunes, Luís Filipe Rangel, Miguel Silva, Pedro Rodrigues, Sónia Rocha","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100784","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0031182025100784","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144964762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular characterization of two <i>Myxidium</i> species (Cnidaria: Bivalvulida: Myxidiidae) infecting barbs in the Sea of Galilee, Israel.","authors":"Aditya Gupta, Michal Haddas-Sasson, Dorothée Huchon","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100723","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0031182025100723","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Myxozoans are parasitic cnidarians that can cause severe damage to fish, resulting in economic losses to aquaculture and fisheries. In Israel, only a few taxonomic studies have been conducted on Myxozoa infecting freshwater fish and none on barb parasites. Here, we describe two new myxozoan species - <i>Myxidium grauri</i> n. sp. and <i>Myxidium sharmai</i> n. sp. - from the gallbladder of the barbs <i>Carasobarbus canis</i> and <i>Luciobarbus longiceps</i>, respectively, from the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). The prevalence of infection was 42.2% (19/45) for <i>M. grauri</i> n. sp. and 25% (5/20) for <i>M. sharmai</i> n. sp. We obtained 18S rRNA sequences for both species, providing the first molecular data on <i>Myxidium</i> infecting barbs from the Sea of Galilee. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the genera <i>Myxidium</i> and <i>Zschokkella</i> are not monophyletic. The <i>δ</i>-statistic was used to assess the phylogenetic signal of categorical traits within the Biliary Tract Clade IV lineage, which includes the species studied. The analysis revealed a significant phylogenetic signal associated with the host clade, the parasite's geographic origin and the type of environment it inhabits. However, some of these statistical results may be influenced by sampling bias, as Percomorpha and Otomorpha fish are disproportionately represented in marine and freshwater environments, respectively. The newly obtained sequences form a distinct lineage within a clade of freshwater-infecting myxozoans. Our findings suggest that myxozoan infections are widespread in the Sea of Galilee. Given their potential impact on fisheries and the lake's ecosystem, further research is needed to assess their distribution, dynamics and ecological consequences.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144964834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proof-of-concept trial in mature bulls prophylactically and therapeutically vaccinated with an experimental whole-cell killed <i>Tritrichomonas foetus</i> vaccine.","authors":"John Harvey Santos, Antonino Cavallaro, Kieren McCosker, Michael McGowan, Hannah Siddle, Loan Nguyen, Ali Raza, Gry Boe-Hansen, Ala Tabor","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100772","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0031182025100772","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Tritrichomonas foetus</i> causes bovine trichomonosis, a venereal disease that reduces productivity in naturally mated cattle. Its high prevalence in Northern Australian herds underscores the need for a locally made strain-specific vaccine. This study developed and tested a whole-cell killed <i>T. foetus</i> vaccine using the Queensland isolate TfOz5 (vaccine strain) and TfOz-N36 (Northern Territory isolate) as the challenge strain. The heat-inactivated vaccine, adjuvanted with Montanide ISA 61 VG, was administered subcutaneously in 2 doses (5 × 10⁷ cells/dose) at a 1-month interval to mature bulls (<i>n</i> = 6) (4-7 years old), while controls (<i>n</i> = 6) (4-8 years old) received adjuvant with PBS. Bulls were experimentally challenged intrapreputially with live cultures of <i>T. foetus</i> at 2- and 6-months post first vaccination. A therapeutic trial with <i>T. foetus</i>-positive, persistently infected mature bulls (<i>n</i> = 10) (4-7 years old) used the same vaccine regime without the subsequent <i>T. foetus</i> challenges. The vaccine was found to be safe, causing only mild local reactions. The vaccine challenge experiment demonstrated similar duration of <i>T. foetus</i> positivity, confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), compared to controls (94 vs. 106 days, <i>P =</i> 0.73). In the therapeutic experiment, 2/10 treated bulls tested negative for <i>T. foetus</i> at the end of the trial, while the remaining eight remained positive. Vaccinated bulls in both experiments showed significantly elevated serum anti-<i>T. foetus</i> IgG antibody levels, confirming the vaccine's immunogenicity. These findings demonstrate that the experimental vaccine is safe and capable of eliciting a specific immune response in mature bulls.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144964765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age and spatial effects of <i>Eimeria</i> spp. infections in European hare (<i>Lepus europaeus</i>) killed by vehicle collisions.","authors":"Jan Hušek, Kateřina Brynychová, Jan Cukor, Jakub Hruška, Jana Kvičerová","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100735","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182025100735","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Risk factors for <i>Eimeria</i> infections are well documented in farm and pet animals, but studies focusing on wildlife species are less common. This research aimed to investigate the impact of selected demographic and environmental factors on the prevalence of <i>Eimeria</i> in the European hare (<i>Lepus europaeus</i>). Additionally, we analysed whether <i>Eimeria</i> infection affected the behaviour of hares by examining the relationship between infection status and the likelihood of a hare being killed by a vehicle at a hotspot for road mortality. Between 11 February 2022 and 24 June 2024, we collected 22 hare carcasses that had been killed in traffic along an 83.9 km monitoring route in central Bohemia, Czech Republic, to evaluate <i>Eimeria</i> prevalence in relation to factors such as age, hare density, distance to the nearest water source and rainfall over the previous 3 months. Contrary to our expectations, we found a higher prevalence of <i>Eimeria</i> in adult hares compared to juveniles. We propose that this outcome may be due to the high mortality rates among leverets and juvenile hares, which removes susceptible individuals from the population early on. The effects of the other factors examined were not significant. In conclusion, our study revealed that <i>Eimeria</i> infection did not contribute to the clustering of hare-vehicle collisions. We emphasize the importance of studying risk factors in wildlife species across different ecological contexts. Our findings challenge the general assumption that age negatively influences <i>Eimeria</i> prevalence.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144964773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genital schistosomiasis in non-endemic settings: a clinical perspective.","authors":"Hannah Rafferty, Clare E Warrell, Laura E Nabarro, Gauri Godbole, Peter Chiodini","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100759","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0031182025100759","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Genital schistosomiasis, caused mainly by infection with <i>Schistosoma haematobium</i> flukes, causes a variety of symptoms and significant complications in men and women. With high levels of migration from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe and North America, genital schistosomiasis is likely to be encountered more frequently by clinicians in non-endemic areas. In this article, we review the current knowledge of genital schistosomiasis in non-endemic areas, available guidelines and barriers to clinical care of patients. Future work to address these barriers will likely improve care for patients with this neglected and stigmatized disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144883430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular characterization and reference mitogenome of the hookworm <i>Uncinaria criniformis</i> (Goeze, 1782) from the Eurasian badger.","authors":"Georgiana Deak, Jan Šlapeta","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100760","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0031182025100760","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hookworms are common parasites of Eurasian badgers (<i>Meles meles</i>), typically identified as <i>Uncinaria criniformis</i>. The taxonomic distinction from <i>Uncinaria stenocephala</i>, a species found in dogs and foxes, has long been debated. In this study, we molecularly characterized <i>U. criniformis</i> from a Eurasian badger in Romania using genome skimming. We assembled the complete mitochondrial genome and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA region from 2 adult hookworms morphologically consistent with <i>U. criniformis</i>. Phylogenetic analysis of 12 mitochondrial protein-coding genes demonstrated strongly supported clade of <i>U. criniformis</i> with <i>Ancylostoma</i> spp. ITS rDNA and <i>cox</i>1 sequence comparisons revealed only 92.4-92.8% and 88.0-88.5% identity, respectively, between <i>U. criniformis</i> and <i>U. stenocephala</i>, confirming their molecular distinctiveness. In contrast, our sequences showed >99% identity to sequences from <i>Arthrostoma leucurus</i>, a hookworm recently described from the Asian badger (<i>Meles leucurus</i>), suggesting conspecificity. These findings support the validity of <i>U. criniformis</i> as a distinct species parasitizing <i>M. meles</i>, and we propose <i>A. leucurus</i> as a junior synonym of <i>U. criniformis</i>. Our results highlight the polyphyly of the genus <i>Uncinaria</i> and point to the need for broader mitogenomic sampling of hookworms. The molecular markers generated here provide a reference for future parasitological surveys and wildlife disease studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144874522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incorporating the gender dimension into infectious disease research: how is <i>Parasitology</i> progressing?","authors":"Christina P Tadiri","doi":"10.1017/S003118202510070X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S003118202510070X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Both sex (biological) and gender (socio-cultural) are increasingly recognized as important factors in disease risks and outcomes, including parasitic infections and especially those of the genital tract. Many funding agencies now require these dimensions be incorporated into research proposals, though little guidance is given regarding how, leading to confusion among those who do not specialize in this area. In this commentary, I review instances of the use of the word 'gender' in the archives of <i>Parasitology</i> (174 articles) to assess how parasitologists are progressing in the incorporation of this dimension and identify what can be done to improve efforts. Use of the term has increased since 1990, reflecting an enthusiasm among parasitologists for including this dimension to their work. Examination of articles which use this term reveals that correct and thorough incorporation of the gender dimension has also increased, but that these articles only account for 8.0% of all articles using the term, demonstrating widespread persistent confusion around terminology regarding sex and gender and how to best account for gender in parasitological research. Parasitologists studying animals should only refer to sex and should incorporate sex into their research design and report whether there are differences in baseline or response between sexes. Parasitologists studying humans should incorporate sex, but then also consider whether any observed differences are due to biological factors like sex hormones and immunity or gendered social variables like behavioural norms and healthcare access. These considerations will further our understanding of host-parasite interactions and improve health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144837224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Back from the dead: validity and taxonomic position of <i>Cotylurus brandivitellatus</i> (Belogurov, Maksimova et Tolkacheva, 1966) in light of the integrative taxonomy approach.","authors":"Julia Gabrysiak, Gerard Kanarek, Beata Rydelek, Sandra Wydra, Grzegorz Zaleśny, Joanna Hildebrand","doi":"10.1017/S003118202510067X","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S003118202510067X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accurate species identification is essential for biodiversity research, especially in the field of parasitological systematics. In particular, the incorporation of DNA-based methods in the study of Digenea has transformed taxonomy by allowing for precise species delimitation, clarification of life cycles, and the identification of cryptic diversity. However, to prevent taxonomic misidentification, a growing concern in public sequence databases, these molecular techniques must be supplemented with high-quality morphological data. This study provides an integrative assessment (combining both morphological and molecular data) of <i>Cotylurus brandivitellatus</i>, based on adult specimens obtained from naturally infected mute swan (<i>Cygnus olor</i>) in Gdańsk Pomerania. The observed morphological characteristics are consistent with the original description of <i>C. brandivitellatus</i> and align with the established description of the genus <i>Cotylurus</i>. Phylogenetic analysis, utilizing concatenated LSU rDNA and COI mtDNA markers, confirms the distinct taxonomic status of <i>C. brandivitellatus</i>. It forms a sister clade with <i>C. strigeoides</i>, which is clearly separate from other species within the <i>Cotylurus</i> genus. These findings validate the existence of <i>C. brandivitellatus</i> and offer new insights into species delineation and evolutionary relationships within <i>Cotylurus</i>, highlighting the importance of integrative approaches in trematode systematics.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144817338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disease surveillance in albatrosses and petrels from the Southwest Atlantic and Southern Ocean.","authors":"Patricia Pereira Serafini, Annelise Zabel Sgarioni, Richard A Phillips, Alice Pereira, Tiffany Emmerich, Thamires P Pontes, Derek B Amorim, Cristiane K M Kolesnikovas, André O S Lima, Guilherme Klafke, José Reck, Afonso C D Bainy, Karim H Lüchmann, Camille Bonneaud","doi":"10.1017/S0031182025100590","DOIUrl":"10.1017/S0031182025100590","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Emerging infectious diseases pose threats to wildlife, particularly in geographically isolated populations where hosts may lack prior exposure and immunity. Seabirds inhabiting remote islands in the southwest Atlantic and Southern Ocean, including threatened albatrosses and petrels, are increasingly affected by infectious pathogens. However, baseline data on vector-borne infections in these species remain scarce. This study assessed the presence of vector-borne haemosporidian parasites (<i>Plasmodium, Haemoproteus</i> and <i>Leucocytozoon</i>) and bacterial pathogens (<i>Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Anaplasma</i> and <i>Ehrlichia</i>) in albatrosses and petrels, providing insights into disease prevalence and potential threats to these populations. We analysed blood and tissue samples from 269 individuals of 5 albatross and 12 petrel species, collected over an 11-year period (2013-2023) from South Georgia and multiple sites along the Brazilian coastline. Molecular assays, including nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), were used for pathogen screening. Blood smears from birds sampled in South Georgia were also examined for haemoparasites via light microscopy. We found no molecular or microscopy evidence of infection with haemosporidian parasites, <i>Borrelia, Anaplasma</i> or <i>Ehrlichia</i> in any of the samples. These findings suggest that vector-borne pathogens are either absent or at low prevalence, possibly because of limited vector presence, natural resistance or historical isolation from infection. Continuous monitoring is critical given current environmental changes and risks of pathogen introduction via climate-driven shifts in vector distribution. Our study establishes an essential baseline for future disease surveillance, prevention and mitigation in albatrosses and petrels, underscoring the importance of long-term monitoring to detect emerging pathogens in vulnerable seabird populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":19967,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology","volume":" ","pages":"1-7"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144817339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}