Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of Hand Bioburden and Genomic Features of <i>Staphylococcus</i> spp. Following Handwashing Practice Among Aboriginal Schoolchildren in Rural Malaysia.","authors":"Ling Huey Khong, Nik Mohd Noor Nik Zuraina, Choo Yee Yu, Zeti Norfidiyati Salmuna, Muhammad Nashrul Farhan Samsudin, Siti Rohajar Mat Yusof, Ayub Mohamad, Norlizaini Mohd Dom, Alyaa Farhan Zulkefli, Wil Sern Lim, Terrence Anak Kuta, Muhammad Haris Fadillah Muhamad, Nur Syafawati Ismail, Yasmin Khairani Muhammad Ismadi, Tuan Noorkorina Tuan Kub","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11100266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100266","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Data integrating hand bioburden and antimicrobial resistance with genomic characterisation among Aboriginal schoolchildren remains limited. Hand imprint samples were collected from 60 Orang Asli schoolchildren in Kelantan, Malaysia, immediately before and after handwashing, three months after a one-day educational intervention. Selected pre-handwashing <i>Staphylococcus</i> isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and four multidrug-resistant <i>Staphylococcus arlettae</i> isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing. Mean left-hand and median right-hand bioburden, expressed as log₁₀ colony forming units(CFUs)/plate, were lower after handwashing, but neither comparison was statistically significant after Holm adjustment. <i>Escherichia coli</i>/<i>Shigella</i> complex recovery decreased from 21/60 participants (35.0%) to none (Holm-adjusted <i>p</i> < 0.001). Resistance to penicillin, fusidic acid and erythromycin was frequent, while most isolates were susceptible to linezolid and rifampicin. Sequencing identified <i>msr(A)</i> and <i>dfrG</i> in all four isolates, <i>mph(C)</i> in three, partial arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME)-associated sequences in all four, and the rep24c replicon belonging to the replication initiation protein family RepA_N in two. Genotype-phenotype concordance was partial: ResFinder detected no corresponding acquired resistance determinants for several resistant or intermediate phenotypes. These exploratory findings describe immediate bacterial recovery and selected isolates' resistance and genomic features; they do not establish the effectiveness of the earlier educational intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149273650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immune Network Dysregulation Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Infective Endocarditis.","authors":"Isabela Galizzi Fae, Pedro Henrique Oliveira Murta Pinto, Gustavo Brandão Oliveira, Roni Arley Silva Duque, Fernanda Sophya Leite Cambraia, Lucas Chaves Diamante, Guilherme Lelis Costa, Andréa Teixeira-Carvalho, Deisy Morselli Gysi, José Luiz Padilha da Silva, Teresa Cristina Abreu Ferrari, Maria Carmo Pereira Nunes","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11100265","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100265","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Infective endocarditis (IE) is characterized by systemic inflammation, yet the contribution of cytokine network dysregulation to clinical outcomes remains poorly understood. We aimed to evaluate cytokine co-expression patterns in IE and identify immune network signatures associated with in-hospital mortality and major complications. We conducted a prospective cohort study of adult patients hospitalized with IE at a quaternary public hospital in Brazil (2012-2024). Serum cytokines and chemokines were measured at one to three time points during hospitalization. Weighted topological overlap (wTO) and Co-expression Differential Network Analysis (CoDiNA) were used to characterize cytokine interactions in baseline. Logistic mixed-effects models assessed associations between individual cytokines and in-hospital mortality. Of 305 screened patients, 160 met inclusion criteria (41 deaths; in-hospital mortality 25.6%). Survivors exhibited dense, integrated cytokine interaction networks, whereas non-survivors showed markedly fragmented networks with loss of connectivity across multiple cytokines. IFN-γ and IL-1RA formed a preserved but isolated axis in fatal cases, while IL-7 displayed outcome-specific connectivity in patients with infectious complications. A distinct triad involving IFN-γ, IL-1RA, and IL-6 differentiated patients with cardiac complications. In multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, and sampling time, CCL2 was independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Immune network disruption is strongly associated with adverse outcomes in IE. Distinct cytokine signatures, including altered interactions of IFN-γ, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-7, and CCL2, identify high-risk patients and reveal potential biological pathways underlying clinical deterioration.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149273687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Histopathological Diagnosis of Pulmonary Paragonimiasis: A Case Report from Ecuador.","authors":"Katherine Fuentes-Ortiz, Ligia Gabriela Velalcázar-Oñate, Bruna Espín-Nuñez, Manuel Calvopiña","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11100264","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100264","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Paragonimiasis is a foodborne trematode infection caused by <i>Paragonimus</i> spp. that primarily affects the lungs and may mimic tuberculosis, pulmonary mycoses, abscess, or malignancy because of its nonspecific clinical and radiological manifestations. Definitive diagnosis relies on the identification of <i>Paragonimus</i> eggs in respiratory specimens or tissue. We report a 17-year-old female from the Ecuadorian Amazon with a 5-year history of chronic cough and recurrent hemoptysis. Repeated examinations of sputum and stool were negative for <i>Paragonimus</i> eggs, and GeneXpert MTB/RIF assays and mycobacterial cultures were negative. Chest computed tomography performed approximately 1 year apart demonstrated a persistent 12 × 13-mm mixed solid-cystic lesion with central necrosis in the left upper lobe. Marked peripheral eosinophilia and elevated serum IgE were present. Bronchoalveolar lavage showed no parasitic structures, and a CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsy was nondiagnostic. Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection was subsequently performed. Histopathological examination revealed eosinophil-rich granulomatous inflammation and multiple thick-shelled, operculated eggs that were morphologically consistent with <i>Paragonimus</i> spp. Species-level identification was not performed. A detailed epidemiological history disclosed frequent consumption of raw freshwater crabs and shrimp. Following surgical resection and praziquantel treatment, respiratory symptoms resolved and eosinophilia markedly decreased; the patient remained asymptomatic during 1 year of follow-up. This case emphasizes that pulmonary paragonimiasis should be considered in patients from endemic areas with chronic hemoptysis, eosinophilia, compatible pulmonary lesions, and relevant dietary exposure, even when conventional parasitological examinations are negative. We highlight the value of histopathological examination of adequately sampled lung tissue when conventional parasitological investigations are repeatedly negative.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149273723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stage-Dependent Anthelmintic Activity of Licarin A Against the Neurotropic Nematode <i>Angiostrongylus cantonensis</i>.","authors":"Elias L Neves, Lucas Fukui-Silva, Thainá R Teixeira, Davi Luna-Tavares, Felipe S Sales, João Henrique G Lago, Nadjar Nitz, Josué de Moraes","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11100263","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100263","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Angiostrongylus cantonensis</i> is the leading cause of eosinophilic meningitis worldwide, but therapeutic options remain limited. This study investigated the anthelmintic activity and preliminary selectivity of licarin A, a neolignan isolated from <i>Nectandra oppositifolia</i>. The compound was evaluated <i>in vitro</i> against first-stage (L1) larvae, infective third-stage (L3) larvae, and adult worms, using albendazole as the reference drug. Cytotoxicity was assessed in mammalian kidney epithelial, keratinocyte, and neuronal cell models, while whole-organism toxicity was examined in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>. Physicochemical, pharmacokinetic, drug-likeness, and toxicological properties were also predicted computationally. Licarin A was active against L1 and L3 larvae, with EC₅₀ values of 16.8 and 36.4 µM, respectively. Its activity was comparable to albendazole against L1 but lower against L3, and no relevant effect was observed against adult worms (EC₅₀ > 100 µM). No detectable cytotoxicity or lethality was observed in the mammalian cell lines or <i>C. elegans</i> at concentrations up to 500 µM. Computational analyses indicated favorable drug-likeness, high gastrointestinal absorption, blood-brain barrier permeation, lack of recognition as a P-glycoprotein substrate, and generally low predicted toxicity. These findings identify licarin A as a selective, stage-dependent anthelmintic hit and provide a foundation for optimization of its scaffold against parasitic nematodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149273536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"São Tomé and Príncipe on the Verge of Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis as a Public Health Problem: Evidence from IDA Impact Assessment Surveys.","authors":"Didier Bakajika, Alzíra Rosário, Jessica Vicente Fernandes, Lamine Diawara, Jean-Paul Tambwe Mangala, Jean Kale Kalenga, Vilfrido Santana Gil, Dyesse Yumba, Honorat Zouré, Elizabeth Juma, Abdoulaye Diarra, Jonathan King, Jorge Cano","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11100262","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100262","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accelerated efforts to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) as a public health problem have been supported by the introduction of the triple-drug regimen of ivermectin, diethylcarbamazine and albendazole (IDA) in endemic settings. In São Tomé and Príncipe, nationwide mass drug administration (MDA) with diethylcarbamazine and albendazole was implemented in 2018, followed by IDA in 2019 and 2020. This study assesses progress towards elimination using post-MDA impact assessment surveys conducted after cessation of treatment. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted among adults aged 20 years and older in 2022 and again between December 2024 and January 2025. Circulating filarial antigen (CFA) was detected using the filarial test strip (FTS). Individuals who tested positive were examined for microfilaremia using nocturnal calibrated thick blood smear microscopy. MDA coverage data were obtained from national programme records, and morbidity was assessed by clinical screening during the surveys. Three rounds of nationwide MDA achieved high epidemiological coverage (86.4% in 2018, 74.2% in 2019 and 80.0% in 2020). The impact assessment surveys conducted in 2022 evaluated 14,132 adults, with 21 individuals (0.15%) testing positive for CFA, while the follow-up survey conducted between December 2024 and January 2025 assessed 14,653 adults and detected seven positive cases (0.05%). No microfilariae were detected among the 28 antigen-positive individuals examined using nocturnal calibrated thick blood smears. Clinical screening during the surveys identified 190 cases of lymphoedema and nine cases of hydrocoele. Infection indicators remain well below WHO decision thresholds, suggesting that LF transmission is unlikely to be sustained. São Tomé and Príncipe appears to be close to eliminating LF as a public health problem. However, strengthening morbidity management services will be essential to support the preparation of the national elimination dossier.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149273504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antigen Positivity Without Infection: Confirmatory Mapping in Children Rules out Lymphatic Filariasis in Loiasis Co-Endemic Settings in Gabon.","authors":"Didier Bakajika, Julienne Atsame, Jeremie Rody Pambou, Philemon Koumba Koumba, Sylvie Alberte Ntsame Ella, Rychy Fustel Kombila Kombila, Davi Mawule, Ghislaine Nkone Asseko, Kelly Zongo, Mamadou Serme, Ambroise Bonkoungou, Sanon Karim, Moussa Sounkalo Sanfo, Aime Adjami, Dyesse Yumba, Honorat Zouré, Jorge Cano, Elizabeth Juma","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11100261","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed11100261","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Precise mapping is essential for guiding lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination programmes, yet antigen tests in loiasis co-endemic settings must be read with caution because of cross-reactivity. Gabon's 2015 national mapping flagged 18 of 52 health districts (HDs) as potentially endemic, but that signal needed confirmation before committing populations to mass drug administration (MDA). We surveyed all 18 HDs between July and August 2025, enrolling 6688 children aged 9-14 years from 341 communities and testing them with the STANDARD™ Q Filariasis Antigen Test (QFAT); every QFAT-positive child then underwent nocturnal calibrated thick-smear microscopy and Wb-LDR quantitative PCR (qPCR) on dried blood spots. Thirteen children (0.19%) were QFAT-positive across eight HDs, and 17 of 18 HDs fell below the confirmatory mapping threshold for MDA. None of the thirteen carried <i>Wuchereria bancrofti</i> microfilariae or DNA; microscopy instead identified <i>Loa loa</i> in three and <i>Mansonella perstans</i> in one. MDA for LF is not warranted in the surveyed HDs, and these findings show why antigen results in loiasis co-endemic settings require parasitological or molecular confirmation before any programmatic decision.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149273652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Time Series and Pattern of Dog Bites and Rabies in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, 2009-2019: A Call for Inter-Sectoral Collaboration in the Fight Against Rabies.","authors":"William Tasiame, Sherry Ama Mawuko Johnson, Obed Owusu Yeboah, Benjamin Emikpe, Raphael Folitse, Vitus Burimuah, Theophilus Odoom, Christian Drosten, Victor Max Corman, Philip El-Duah","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090260","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090260","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dog-mediated human rabies is a vaccine-preventable neglected zoonotic disease, causing thousands of deaths every year across Africa and Asia. Information to generate the appropriate attention and action to avert human rabies is lacking due to disaggregation of available data. This study sought to understand the burden of dog-mediated rabies transmission and response patterns in Ghana's Ashanti Region, and analyzed dog-bite surveillance, rabies laboratory investigations, and hospital visitation data from 2009 to 2019. A total of 442 bite incidents were recorded, with most occurring in the Kumasi metropolis, particularly in the Oforikrom and Manhyia sub-metros. Many victims sought healthcare outside their bite-incident districts, often at the Manhyia Government Hospital, likely due to vaccine availability. Bite incidents were generally reported promptly within two days, although final investigations took about fourteen days. The sale of implicated dogs for human consumption during observation periods posed an additional rabies risk. There was a 67.53% positivity for animal rabies (<i>n</i> = 156/231) in laboratory investigations, and dogs accounted for most confirmed cases (141/210), though livestock and non-human primates were also affected. More than 70% of dog-bite victims were linked to rabies-positive animals, showing a significant association between bites and confirmed rabies cases. Reported dog-bite frequency varied considerably over time, with the highest monthly frequencies occurring between 2010 and 2013, and with a sustained positive seasonal effect from August to November within a year. The findings highlight that dog-mediated rabies remains a major public health threat in the region and emphasize the need for improved One Health investigations, surveillance, and public education to reduce rabies transmission and exposure risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13611304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149040797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Risk Factors for Poor Neurological Outcomes at Discharge in Tuberculous Meningitis: Disease Severity, Host Factors, and Drug Therapy.","authors":"Yuxia Yu, Huarui Liu, Huan Yang, Dan Ye, Lu Xia, Xiaoqing Ma, Jiayi Wang, Yuchong Sun, Feng Li, Yuanyuan Chen","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090259","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090259","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study investigated independent factors associated with neurological prognosis at discharge in patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) and evaluated the impact of intensified treatment regimens.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis was conducted in 518 TBM patients from two Chinese medical centers. LASSO and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify independent risk factors for poor neurological outcomes. A 1:1 PSM based on intensified treatment exposure was performed to assess its association with neurological outcomes, with an exploratory outcome-based matched comparison conducted for other prognostic factors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 518 patients, 123 (23.75%) had poor neurological outcomes. The poor-prognosis group had higher proportions of MRC stage III (30.08% vs. 8.35%, <i>p</i> < 0.001), linezolid use (58.54% vs. 40.76%, |SMD| = 0.361), and fluoroquinolone use (87.8% vs. 75.19%, |SMD| = 0.386). Multivariable analysis identified decreased muscle strength, MRC stage II/III, albumin < 30 g/L, and hydrocephalus as independent risk factors for poor neurological outcomes. After treatment-exposure-based PSM, intensified treatment was not significantly associated with neurological outcomes, while an exploratory matched analysis suggested a potential association between diabetes mellitus and unfavorable neurological outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Neurological prognosis in TBM is influenced by both disease severity and host baseline status. Intensified therapy was not significantly associated with neurological outcome at discharge after adjustment, highlighting the importance of individualized risk management.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13611471/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149040793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Effects of Climate Variability on Diarrheal Diseases, Malaria, and Malnutrition in Children Under Five Years in Revuè Sub-Basin, Manica Province, Mozambique.","authors":"Tatiana J Marrufo, Genito A Maúre, Américo F José, Osvaldo F Inlamea, Bettencourt P S Capece, Maria-Raquel G Silva","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090258","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090258","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Transmission of water, vector, and foodborne diseases tends to increase with climate variability, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. Globally, this dynamic contributes to adverse health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries such as Mozambique. Nevertheless, the influence of climate variability on disease patterns remains unclear. We assessed the potential relationship between climate variables and diseases, including diarrheal diseases, malaria, and malnutrition, in four districts around the Revuè sub-basin. An ecological, longitudinal, retrospective study conducted from 2016 to 2024 used secondary weekly disease data and annual malnutrition records. We applied a Generalized Additive Model framework to evaluate non-linear associations between climate factors and disease case counts. Our main findings showed that while higher maximum temperature was associated with increased cumulative malaria case counts, cumulative and heavy rainfall (~100 mm/week) was associated with decreased diarrheal disease case counts. Higher prevalence of moderate acute malnutrition is associated with a decrease in annual mean total precipitation (<i>p</i> = 0.0062). In contrast, higher prevalence of severe acute malnutrition is associated with a decrease in annual mean temperature (<i>p</i> = 0.0312). This study contributes to understanding climate variables associated with water, vector, and foodborne diseases, enhancing our understanding of factors contributing to overall food insecurity and affecting public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13611516/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149040676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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 Three Anthelmintics on the Transcriptome of FHs 74 Int Enterocytes.","authors":"Kornkanok Nakudom, Amornrat Geadkaew-Krenc, Wansika Phadungsil, Rudi Grams","doi":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090257","DOIUrl":"10.3390/tropicalmed11090257","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Helminth infections continue to present a substantial public health challenge worldwide, particularly in tropical and developing areas. Despite the widespread use of anthelmintic drugs for treatment and control, their effects on host cells remain poorly understood. In this study, the three commonly used anthelmintics albendazole, ivermectin, and praziquantel were investigated by transcriptome analysis for their effects on gene activity in the human intestinal cell line FHs 74 Int after 24-h exposure. The drug concentrations used were substantially higher than in the treatment of helminthiases but did not affect cell viability after 24 h and less than 50% after 72 h. Praziquantel had negligible toxic effects on the intestinal cells at the highest achievable concentration of 1 mM whereas albendazole and ivermectin were already effective at low micromolar concentrations and were tested at 1 µM and 15 µM concentrations. Consistent with the observed cytotoxicity, transcriptome analysis showed no transcriptional changes for 1 mM praziquantel at low cutoff criteria of adjusted <i>p</i>-value (padj) ≤ 0.05, log₂ fold change ≥ 0. At the same padj but with log₂ fold change ≥ 2, 17 upregulated and 2 downregulated genes were found after treatment with 1 µM albendazole and 106 upregulated and 65 downregulated genes with 15 µM ivermectin. Analysis of these genes showed that albendazole caused a modest upregulation of cell cycle related processes, especially mitotic spindle formation, and chromosome segregation. The cells showed a stronger response to ivermectin and the data suggested inhibition of cell proliferation through downregulated transcription factors and nuclear receptors and stimulation of cell growth and cell survival mechanisms through upregulated metabolic enzymes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23330,"journal":{"name":"Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease","volume":"11 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13611716/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149040711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}