Parasitology Research最新文献

{"title":"Cystoisospora belli infection in an immunocompetent patient.","authors":"Qiuchen Cheng, Lin Yu, Wenhua Zhang, LiuYang Hu, Xiuri Wang, Yule Wei, Xiaoqing Li, Lei Zhou, Yuehui Liang, Dan Huang, Yunxiao Liang","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08687-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08687-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cystoisospora belli, also known as Isospora belli, is an opportunistic pathogen which predominantly affects individuals with compromised immunity, including transplant recipients and patients with AIDS, HTLV-1 infections, or hematologic malignancies. The primary symptom of C. belli infection is diarrhea, but the rarity of C. belli infection makes C. belli an uncommon etiology in patients with diarrhea. Only sporadic cases of C. belli infection have been documented in the past century. Diagnosis of C. belli infection in non-endemic regions poses a challenge and delays can escalate mortality risks. This report detailed a unique case of C. belli infection from Guangxi, China involving a male with an intact immune system and no underlying tumor who presented with prolonged diarrhea and bile duct dilatation. C. belli was identified in bile based on acid-fast staining, a rare diagnosis in mainland China and globally. The patient was treated with sulfamethoxazole tablets following diagnosis and responded favorably with significant clinical improvement. This case underscores the importance of considering C. belli in the differential diagnosis of patients with unexplained diarrhea and hepatic ductal dilatation, even though the patient had normal immune function. This finding highlights the need for increased awareness and diagnostic vigilance in both endemic and non-endemic regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13265584/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147778340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A unified digital twin framework for predicting therapeutic response to central nervous system infections by pathogenic free-living amoebae.","authors":"Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui, Sutherland K Maciver, David Lloyd, Naveed Ahmed Khan","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08674-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08674-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Free-living amoebae such as Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Naegleria fowleri cause lethal infections of the central nervous system, with mortality rates exceeding 90%, despite intensive therapy. These infections remain among the most challenging in clinical practice because therapeutic outcomes are unpredictable and there are no reliable prognostic markers. This article proposes the use of a unified, treatment-centred digital twin framework capable of integrating molecular, pharmacological, immunological, and imaging data to simulate patient-specific responses in real time. By continuously assimilating clinical and biological information, the model forecasts lesion regression, survival probability, and toxicity thresholds under different therapeutic regimens. In contrast to static empirical approaches, this adaptive system can support dose adjustment, predict failure earlier than imaging alone, and test drug combinations virtually before administration. Such a paradigm could transform management of amoebic encephalitis from empirical to predictive medicine, providing a transferable foundation for other neglected central nervous system infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13236809/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147778296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic stressor regimes drive shifts in biofilm-associated parasites.","authors":"Annemie Doliwa, Ntambwe Albert Serge Mayombo, Iris Madge Pimentel, Philipp M Rehsen, Anna-Maria Vermiert, Willem Kaijser, Lisa Voskuhl, Matthijs Vos, Bernd Sures, Micah Dunthorn","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08669-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08669-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Parasites have gained increased recognition for their ecological relevance in riverine systems, which are highly vulnerable to biodiversity losses and degradation resulting from climate change and anthropogenic pressures. In recent decades, restoration efforts have been launched in many degraded watercourses to mitigate the influence of stressors. Yet, the ecological consequences of multiple stressor exposure and release remain complex, with the return to near-natural biotic communities representing only one possible trajectory. Parasites are still poorly understood in this context. To address this gap, we used the streamside mesocosm system ExStream to investigate the effects of multiple potential stressors and their release on biofilm-associated micro-eukaryotic parasites at a recently restored site of the Boye River. The Boye River system, a tributary of the Emscher River located in the Ruhr metropolis in western Germany, suffered from long-term hydromorphological degradation and pollution in the past until its restoration. In the ExStream experiment, we used a full-factorial design to manipulate flow velocity, salinity, and temperature during a stressor phase. The system entered a recovery phase afterwards, where the treatments were set to control conditions in all recovering mesocosms. Assessing metabarcoding data from biofilms that grew on the mesocosm walls revealed shifts in parasite assemblages between stressor and recovery phases, and reduced flow velocity was associated with altered community compositions and diversity decline. Our findings highlight that biofilm-associated parasite communities can provide important insights into the ecological dynamics of degraded and recovering river systems, and demonstrate that stressor legacies may persist beyond the period of exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":"125 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13090197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147717824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic diversity and co-circulation of tick-borne pathogens in Haemaphysalis spp. from Pakistan.","authors":"Bushra Javed, Muhammad Numan, Palwasha Alam, Hameed Ul Haq, Haroon Ahmed, Iram Liaqat, Mashal M Almutairi, Alanoud T Aljasham, Abid Ali","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08678-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08678-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Haemaphysalis is the second largest genus of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), both in terms of diversity and global distribution. Despite their wide occurrence, genetic information on this genus remains scarce. This study investigated the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and associated pathogens of Haemaphysalis ticks infesting small ruminants across northern Pakistan. A total of 613 ticks were collected from 95 infested goats and sheep. Four species were identified based on morphological and molecular analyses, including Haemaphysalis (Ha.) cornupunctata, Ha. danieli, Ha. montgomeryi, and a distinct Haemaphysalis sp. closely related to Ha. sulcata. Species identification was confirmed using mitochondrial 16 S rDNA and cox1 markers. Molecular confirmation of unidentified Haemaphysalis sp. was detected across multiple districts of northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, indicating close relation to Ha. sulcata. Pathogen screening revealed Rickettsia hoogstraalii (gltA and ompB) in Haemaphysalis sp. and Ha. danieli, Theileria sinensis-like (18 S rDNA) in Ha. montgomeryi and Ha. danieli, and Anaplasma bovis (16 S rDNA) in Ha. cornupunctata and Ha. montgomeryi. This study provides the first molecular evidence of T. sinensis-like in Ha. montgomeryi and Ha. danieli, R. hoogstraalii in Ha. danieli and Haemaphysalis sp., and A. bovis in Ha. cornupunctata and Ha. montgomeryi from Pakistan. Phylogenetic analyses supported species-level relationships and revealed substantial genetic divergence within Haemaphysalis. These findings highlight the importance of locality-based molecular surveillance for resolving cryptic diversity and improving understanding of tick–pathogen associations in mountainous regions of Pakistan.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13212628/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147699184","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Haematology, serum biochemistry, innate and adaptive immune system responses to blood pathogen infections in cattle: A review.","authors":"Onyinyechukwu Ada Agina, Felix Atawal Andong, Jacinta Ngozi Omeke, Ukamaka Uchenna Eze, Madubuike Umunna Anyanwu, I F Jaja, James Wabwire Oguttu","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08652-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08652-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infection with blood pathogens, such as Anaplasma, Haemotropic Mycoplasma, and trypanosomes, has affected the livestock industry, particularly in developing countries and the tropics. Clinical signs associated with infections caused by these blood pathogens include anaemia of the haemolytic type (immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia), decreased milk yield, abortion, anorexia, cachexia, disseminated intravascular coagulopathies, conjunctivitis, ecchymoses, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, and death in severe cases. Immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia is more evident in anaplasmosis as the degree of anaemia is often out of proportion to the prevailing bacteriemia. Additionally, icterus, increases in serum liver enzymes and variable white blood cell count changes are observed in affected animals. Recovered cattle may become asymptomatic carriers as some apicomplexan species tend to form sequestration in the cerebrum. Asymptomatic cattle are sources of blood pathogens to competent haematophagous arthropods and consequent transfer of infection to susceptible/naive animals. Nonetheless, persistent blood infections are typically attributable to pathogens that have developed multiple strategies, including immune subversion and the dysregulation of both natural and acquired immune responses, enabling them to persist within an immunocompetent host. Therefore, this review has provided veterinary clinicians, researchers, and laboratory technicians with an overview of the haematological and serum biochemistry profiles of cattle infected with blood pathogens, prevention and control strategies, and specific innate and adaptive immune system responses, as well as the adaptive and survival properties of these blood pathogen infections in cattle.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13222901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147699448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poor population recovery of lake Washington Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Pacific Northwestern USA may be associated with disease caused by Ceratonova shasta in an urban-influenced watershed.","authors":"Jan Lovy, Sophie A Hall, Carl O Ostberg, Justin B Greer, Dorothy M Chase, Genevieve M A Kent, Timothy J Kuzan, Carla M Conway","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08679-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08679-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the effects of anthropogenic changes on fish disease is vital for supporting mitigative actions for fisheries population recovery. The Lake Washington watershed in the Pacific Northwestern United States is influenced by high urban development and climate change, compromising the sustainability of anadromous salmon. We investigated Ceratonova shasta, a myxozoan parasite, in Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to determine the impacts of C. shasta-induced enteronecrosis during salmon freshwater migrations within this watershed. All sampled adult Chinook Salmon returning to an enhancement hatchery to spawn were infected with genotype I C. shasta with a high prevalence of severe enteritis and enteronecrosis. Parasite loads and associated pathology were more severe in adult fish succumbing to prespawn mortality than in fish that spawned. Natural prespawn mortality of Chinook Salmon in the Cedar River was also associated with high C. shasta loads. Sentinel exposure studies with Chinook Salmon juveniles in the spring and fall demonstrated high levels of C. shasta genotype II actinospores in the Lake Washington Ship Canal, a human engineered canal that salmon must traverse in their freshwater migrations from the Puget Sound. The sentinel juvenile Chinook Salmon succumbed to clinical disease and high mortality from genotype II C. shasta, suggesting that these stocks have high susceptibility to this genotype. The results show that both genotypes I and II pose disease risks to adult and juvenile stages of Chinook Salmon in the watershed, and that the Lake Washington Ship Canal could be a C. shasta ‘hot spot’ for genotype II that may increase disease risk for juveniles during smolt emigration.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13194286/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147691679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retraction Note: Toxicity of herbal extracts used in ethno-veterinary medicine and green-encapsulated ZnO nanoparticles against Aedes aegypti and microbial pathogens.","authors":"Balan Banumathi, Baskaralingam Vaseeharan, Ramachandran Ishwarya, Marimuthu Govindarajan, Naiyf S Alharbi, Shine Kadaikunnan, Jamal M Khaled, Giovanni Benelli","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08680-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08680-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":"125 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13079465/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147691724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Markedly reduced prevalence of Schistocephalus solidus in pelagic three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from Lake Constance.","authors":"Felix Salge, Herwig Stibor, Michael Schubert, Christian Vogelmann","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08677-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08677-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Host total length, body mass and prevalence of Schistocephalus solidus were assessed in pelagic three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from Upper Lake Constance, a prealpine lake in Central Europe, based on 987 individuals collected by pelagic trawl in late autumn 2024. In addition, 62 fish sampled using gillnets in late autumn 2025 were examined using the same biometric and parasitological procedures. The 2024 population was dominated by small-bodied individuals, with a mean total length of 5.26 ± 0.55 cm and a mean body mass of 1.56 ± 0.51 g. Infection was rare: 16 of 987 fish were infected in 2024, corresponding to a prevalence of 1.6%, and parasite index (PI = parasite wet mass / host wet mass) values ranged from 0.013 to 0.302. In 2025, prevalence remained similarly low at 3.2%. Compared with earlier reports from Lake Constance, the late-autumn 2024 sample indicates markedly lower prevalence of S. solidus in the pelagic population, and the 2025 sample showed similarly low prevalence.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":"125 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13079495/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147675927","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and predisposing factors of hookworm infection and anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Dawuro Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Getachew Teshome, Berhanu Effa, Asrat Chernet, Temesgen Weldemedhin, Mengistu Geribo","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08675-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08675-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hookworm infection and anemia remain major public health problems in developing countries, particularly among pregnant women in resource-limited settings. These conditions are associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, including increased morbidity, mortality, and poor pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of hookworm infection and anemia among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Dawuro Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to March 2023 among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected public health facilities. A total of 367 participants were recruited using systematic random sampling. Data on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Stool specimens were collected from each participant and examined for hookworm infection using direct wet mount and test tube flotation techniques. Hemoglobin concentration was measured using a portable HemoSmart analyzer. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with hookworm infection and anemia. A total of 367 pregnant women participated in the study, yielding a response rate of 100%. The prevalence of hookworm infection and anemia was 10.6% and 31.9%, respectively, with a mean hemoglobin concentration of 11.33 ± 1.92 g/dL. Factors significantly associated with hookworm infection and anemia included walking barefoot (AOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.27–6.60), poor sanitation practices (AOR = 2.89; 95% CI: 1.24–6.74), inadequate iron supplementation (AOR = 4.59; 95% CI: 1.8–11.5), and low household income (AOR = 7.0; 95% CI: 3.27–14.98). Hookworm infection and anemia were common among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Dawuro Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. These conditions were associated with behavioral and socioeconomic factors such as lack of footwear, poor sanitation practices, inadequate iron supplementation, and low household income. Strengthening early antenatal care attendance, improving sanitation and hygiene practices, and ensuring adequate nutritional supplementation may help reduce the burden of hookworm infection and anemia among pregnant women.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13180755/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147663057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular validation and redescription of Glypthelmins staffordi (Digenea: Plagiorchiidae) with an updated key to genus Glypthelmins Stafford, 1905.","authors":"Abigail Hui En Chan, Urusa Thaenkham, Chanisara Kaenkaew, Vachirapong Charoennitiwat, Wallop Pakdee","doi":"10.1007/s00436-026-08668-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00436-026-08668-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Glypthelmins is a genus comprising species that parasitize anurans and has been reported in America and Asia. The taxonomic history of the genus Glypthelmins is problematic, involving the reclassification of species into other genera. Glypthelmins staffordi was consequently not considered a valid species in Glypthelmins due to morphological differences and was placed in the genus Rauschiella. Thus, the valid name of G. staffordi prior to this work is R. staffordi. Moreover, no molecular data has been published for R. staffordi. To address this gap, a morphological redescription of G. staffordi is provided, along with the confirmation of the phylogenetic placement of G. staffordi in genus Glypthelmins using three genetic markers. Morphological comparisons were conducted with eight other Glypthelmins species, and the molecular phylogeny revealed that the G. staffordi specimens form a monophyletic group with other Glypthelmins. Glypthelmins staffordi was also evidenced to be genetically distant from genus Rauschiella. Thus, G. staffordi is proposed to be reinstated as a valid species within the genus Glypthelmins, instead of in Rauschiella. Additionally, the morphological character of the excretory vesicle should not be used as a key character to distinguish among genera. Supplementing the systematics of this taxonomically complex group, we provide an updated key for the genus Glypthelmins, alongside molecular sequences of G. staffordi, to supplement the identification of Glypthelmins species.</p>","PeriodicalId":19968,"journal":{"name":"Parasitology Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13171979/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147646130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}