Parasite Epidemiology and Control最新文献

{"title":"Molecular prevalence of Ehrlichia canis in dogs examined at the Hospital de Clínicas Veterinárias of Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Southern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil","authors":"Daniel Felipe Buitrago Linares ,&nbsp;Kauê Rodriguez Martins ,&nbsp;Paola Renata Joanol Dallmann ,&nbsp;Sthéphani Alves Branco Camargo ,&nbsp;Oluwagbemiga Ademola Dada ,&nbsp;Éverton Fagonde da Silva ,&nbsp;Fabio Pereira Leivas Leite ,&nbsp;Marlete Brum Cleff ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Casquero Cunha","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Ehrlichia canis</em> is a pathogen that causes a multisystemic disease in dogs of all ages and sexes and belongs to a genus with zoonotic potential. This study aimed to determine the molecular prevalence of <em>E. canis</em> in a population of dogs with no clinical suspicion of ehrlichiosis, examined at the Hospital de Clínicas Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas (HCV, UFPel). Blood samples from 95 dogs were analyzed at the Veterinary Molecular Biology Laboratory (LabMol-Vet) using nested PCR (nPCR) targeting a 16S rDNA fragment. Amplified products were analyzed by electrophoresis on 1.5% agarose gel and visualized under UV light, revealing a molecular prevalence of 16.84% (16/95). Two PCR products were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis, providing complementary confirmation. This study represents one of the few molecular prevalence investigations conducted in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and underscore the need for continuous monitoring and further studies to better understand the dynamics of infection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00480"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiological study of gastrointestinal parasites in yaks (Bos grunniens) from the Ganzi Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Sichuan Province, China","authors":"Maqsood Ahmed ,&nbsp;Yao Pan ,&nbsp;Lidan Wang ,&nbsp;Youying Li ,&nbsp;Jiancheng Qi ,&nbsp;Lan Lan ,&nbsp;Zhicai Zuo ,&nbsp;Yue Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00506","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00506","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Yaks (<em>Bos grunniens</em>) serve as an indispensable economic pillar of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) of China, especially in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture (GTAP), where they provide milk, meat, and economic security for local communities. Gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) are common in yaks and pose a significant threat to their health and productivity. This study investigated the prevalence and intensity of the yak GIP in ten breeding regions of GTAP in western Sichuan Province, China, from February to April 2024. A total of 326 yak fecal samples were collected for the qualitative and quantitative analyses. Overall, 173 samples were positive for one or multiple parasite taxa, yielding an overall infection rate of 53.07% (95% CI: 47.64%–58.48%). The identified parasites included strongyle-type species (42.94%; 95% CI: 37.57%–48.31%), <em>Toxocara vitulorum</em> (9.82%; 95% CI: 6.59%–13.05%), <em>Nematodirus</em> spp. (1.23%; 95% CI: 0.48%–3.11%), and <em>Eimeria</em> spp. (0.31%; 95% CI: 0.05%–1.71%). The strongyle-type species was the most predominant group, with a peak infection prevalence in high-altitude regions (49.65%; 95% CI: 41.45%–57.85%), suggesting that the altitude might modulate the parasite dynamics, possibly driven by the interplay of climatic envelopes and host physiological stress. Taken together, this study provided the first comprehensive overview of GIP prevalence and taxa distribution of yaks in the Western Sichuan Plateau, highlighting the need for targeted parasite control strategies and increased awareness among yak farmers to improve animal health and productivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00506"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro acaricide efficacy evaluation on Ambylomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus ticks infesting cattle in the Gondar Zuria District, Northwest Ethiopia","authors":"Bizuayehu Meskele Tafese ,&nbsp;Moges Maru ,&nbsp;Zewdu Seyoum Tarekegn ,&nbsp;Mohammed Yesuf Adem ,&nbsp;Tsegaw Fentie Kassa","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00507","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00507","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks are major ectoparasites affecting the health and productivity of livestock in Ethiopia. However, there exists limited information on the current efficacy of widely used acaricides including ivermectin 1% and amitraz 12.5%. Experimental randomized controlled study design was conducted from February 2023 to June 2023 to evaluate in vitro susceptibility of field-collected <em>Amblyomma variegatum (A. variegatum)</em> and <em>Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus (R. decoloratus)</em> in cattle in Gondar Zuria District Northwest Ethiopia to ivermectin1% and amitraz 12.5% at varying concentrations. Collected engorged female ticks (<em>n</em> = 540) were exposed to four concentrations of ivermectin 1% (0.00125, 0.005, 0.01, and 0.025%) for 24 h and three level concentrations of amitraz 12.5% (0.0125, 0.025, and 0.05%) for 48 h. Ivermectin 1% produced rapid and concentration-dependent mortality, with maximum efficacy of 96.66% for <em>A. variegatum</em> and 90% for <em>R. decoloratus</em> at the highest dose (0.025%). Similarly, amitraz 12.5% showed strong dose-dependent activity after 48 h, achieving mortality of up to 80.0 and 90% for <em>A. variegatum</em> and <em>R. decoloratus</em>, respectively.</div><div>Two-way ANOVA confirmed that ivermectin 1% concentration, observation time and their interaction significantly affected mean mortality rate of <em>A. variegatum</em> (F = 3.34, <em>P</em> = 0.0184; F = 12.51, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.001; F = 4.94, P &lt; 0.001) and <em>R. decoloratus</em> (F = 21.02, P &lt; 0.001; F = 36.81, P &lt; 0.001; F = 3.45, <em>P</em> = 0.0016), respectively. In addition, amitraz 12.5% concentration and exposure time significantly affected mortality in <em>A. variegatum</em> (F = 26.72, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001; F = 4.20, <em>p</em> = 0.0129) and <em>R. decoloratus</em> (F = 44.41, p &lt; 0.001; F = 12.82, p &lt; 0.001), although the interaction effect was not significant for <em>A. variegatum</em> (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) but was significant for <em>R. decoloratus</em> (<em>P</em> <em>&lt; 0.05)</em>. These findings indicate that both acaricides remain effective against adult ticks in the study area, with ivermectin 1% acting more rapidly and amitraz 12.5% demonstrating a clear dose–response relationship. Continued surveillance and integrated tick management are recommended to mitigate the risk of emerging acaricide resistance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00507"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiological patterns of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Iran and its neighboring endemic high-risk territories: A systematic review","authors":"Jalal Mohammadi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Amin Rezaei ,&nbsp;Kourosh Azizi ,&nbsp;Zahra Nasiri ,&nbsp;Mohsen Kalantari","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study synthesizes epidemiological, virological, and ecological data from Iran and its neighboring endemic countries between 2005 and 2025. Analysis of 55 included studies revealed that the disease disproportionately affects males aged 15–44, particularly livestock handlers, slaughterhouse workers, and housewives, with elevated incidence in border provinces during spring and summer. <em>Hyalomma</em> ticks were identified as the primary reservoirs and vectors, while domestic ruminants—sheep, goats, and cattle —were confirmed as served as amplifying hosts. Phylogenetic investigations highlighted the Asia 1 genotype (Clade IV) across all three nations. Case fatality rates varied regionally, ranging from 8% to 20% in Iran and escalating to 12%–40% in Iran's territories, reflecting disparities in healthcare access and outbreak management. Endemic transmission hubs were concentrated in interconnected border zones, driven by unregulated livestock trade and seasonal migration that facilitate bidirectional pathogen exchange. The findings underscore the role of ecological connectivity and socioeconomic practices in perpetuating CCHF's regional burden. This review provides a novel, integrated perspective on cross-border transmission dynamics, offering insights for targeted interventions. Addressing these gaps will be critical to curbing CCHF's impact high-risk regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00499"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infections in the school children of Sarlahi, Nepal","authors":"Merina Lama ,&nbsp;Janak Raj Subedi ,&nbsp;Rajendra Prasad Parajuli","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00508","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00508","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A large proportion of the global population is affected by intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) caused by protozoa and helminths. These infections lead to intestinal inflammation, malabsorption, and nutritional deficiencies, ultimately impairing growth and child health. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap regarding the link between nutritional status and IPIs in children over the age of five. It investigates this relationship among schoolchildren aged 6 to 17 years attending public and private schools in the Sarlahi district of Nepal. Data collection included child and adolescent interviews, anthropometric measurements, and stool sample analysis. The microscopic examination was performed using direct wet mount and concentration techniques. The overall parasitic prevalence was 30.8% (74/239), among which more females (35.3%) were infected than male children (25.2%), though this difference did not reach statistical significance (<em>p</em> = 0.06). The prevalence of parasites was found more in public school (35.8%) than private school (24.5%). <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> was the most prevalent with a prevalence of 25.0% followed by <em>Giardia lamblia</em> (5%), <em>Entamoeba histolytica</em> and <em>E. coli</em> (i.e., 1.7 to 1.3%, respectively). Helminth parasites were more frequent (i.e., 25.4%) than protozoan (i.e., 8.3%) parasites. Students from public schools had a significantly higher prevalence of <em>G. lamblia</em> infection and co-infections compared to those from private schools (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). Barefooted Participants had significantly higher unadjusted odds of infection (cOR = 9.37; 95% CI: 1.03–85.35). Likewise, Janajati and Dalit participants showed increased odds of any IPIs (cOR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.01–4.34) compared to their reference groups. There was no significant association between IPIs and nutritional status. Despite ongoing mass deworming programs, the relatively high prevalence of IPIs among school-aged children remains concerning. Poor personal hygiene, inadequate sanitation, cohabitation with livestock, and the use of unboiled drinking water may contribute to persistent infections, particularly among females and children from Janajati and Dalit communities with lower socioeconomic status. Targeted school-based health education and hygiene promotion programs are warranted to reduce the infection burden and sustain control efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00508"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147849640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polymorphisms of the plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthase gene among patients attending LEPI and ADLUCEM hospitals in the west region of Cameroon","authors":"Guela Djoukou Mba Edna ,&nbsp;Noumedem Anangmo Christelle Nadia ,&nbsp;Yamssi Cedric ,&nbsp;Simeni Njonnou Sylvain Raoul ,&nbsp;Ngongang Ouankou Christian ,&nbsp;Tchuenkam Kom Pacome ,&nbsp;Ngouyamsa Nsapkain Aboubakar Sidiki ,&nbsp;Tientcheu Noutong Jemimah Sandra ,&nbsp;Toumko Towa Merveille ,&nbsp;Guemegne Anaiss Patricia Line ,&nbsp;Kana Tsague Yval ,&nbsp;Haibo Hu ,&nbsp;Simeon Pierre Choukem","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00510","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00510","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cameroon bears a high malaria burden, and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine (SP) remains widely used for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy despite the adoption of artemisinin-based combination therapies. Continued programmatic use of SP under sustained malaria transmission exerts selective pressure for resistant <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> strains. This study investigated the molecular epidemiology of resistance-associated mutations in the <em>P. falciparum</em> dihydropteroate synthase (<em>Pfdhps</em>) gene in two health facilities in the Mbouda Health District, Cameroon.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>Blood samples were collected from consenting patients, and tested using a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and thick blood smear to detect <em>P. falciparum</em> and determine parasite density. Positive samples were spotted onto Whatman filter paper for molecular analysis. Parasite DNA was extracted using the Chelex 100 method. The Pfdhps gene was amplified by semi-nested PCR, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was performed using <em>AvaII</em> and <em>BstUI</em> to detect the A437G and A581G mutations, respectively.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 286 samples (198 women and 88 men aged 29 ± 20 years) were collected, <em>P. falciparum</em> was present in 87 (30.41%). Male participants had a slightly higher mean parasite density (2343 ± 1240 parasites/μL) compared to females (2283 ± 1483 parasites/μL). Education level was also significantly associated with positivity (<em>p</em> = 0.001), with the highest prevalence among participants with primary education only (41.66%) and the lowest among those with no formal schooling (10.34%). The frequency of the A581G mutant allele was 67.60%, while that of A437G was 45.07%. The wild-type allele frequencies were 48.87% for A437G and 22.53% for A581G. Mixed alleles were observed only for A437G (1.40%).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The high frequency of <em>Pfdhps</em> mutations suggests substantial sulfadoxine resistance pressure in the study area. However, as <em>dhfr</em> mutations associated with pyrimethamine resistance were not assessed, overall sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine efficacy cannot be conclusively determined.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00510"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147849639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of amitraz acaricide footbaths against cattle and goat tick infestations on sites in Highveld and Lowveld regions of Zimbabwe","authors":"Obey Daga ,&nbsp;Thokozani Hove ,&nbsp;Silvester Chikerema ,&nbsp;Vladimir Grosbois ,&nbsp;Christopher Gadzirai ,&nbsp;Frédéric Stachurski ,&nbsp;Mathieu Bourgarel ,&nbsp;Laure Guerrini","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks cause significant economic losses in the Zimbabwean livestock sector. Conventional control methods such as plunge dipping or hand spraying are costly, water-intensive, and often impractical, particularly during dry seasons. This study evaluated the efficacy of amitraz acaricide footbaths in reducing tick infestations on cattle and goat across three sites in the Highveld and Lowveld regions of Zimbabwe between February and October 2023. Tick infestation levels were compared between livestock managed using conventional tick control methods (plunge dipping complemented by tick grease application in Lowveld, or complete body hand spraying in the highveld) and livestock managed using footbathing complemented by tick grease application. A total of 21,500 ticks representing eight species were collected on 48 cattle and 48 goats. The effects of treatment and season on tick infestation were tested using zero-inflated negative binomial regression models, which accounted for excess zeros and overdispersion in tick count data. In the Lowveld, footbaths significantly reduced cattle tick infestation by the 3 most abundant tick species: <em>Ripicephalus microplus</em> (40% reduction), <em>Amblyoma. hebraeum</em> (51%) and <em>R. decoloratus</em> (43%). Significant reductions in infestation rate by <em>A. hebraeum</em> (70%) and <em>R. decoloratus</em> (68%) was also observed on goats from the same Lowveld site. In the Highveld goat site, footbath significantly reduced infestation by <em>A. hebraeum</em> (91%), <em>R. appendiculatus</em> (46%), <em>R. decoloratus</em> (49%) and <em>R. evertsi evertsi</em> (82%) on goats. In the Highveld cattle site where the conventional method to control ticks was complete body hand spraying, footbathing was not more effective than the conventional method for controlling <em>R. decoloratus</em>, the dominant tick species. Tick counts varied seasonally, with <em>Rhipicephalus</em> subgenus <em>Boophilus</em> ticks most abundant on cattle, during the dry season in Lowveld and during the rainy season in Highveld). Similarly, footbath did not perform better than conventional methods to control Hyalomma tick species (i.e. <em>H. truncatum</em> and <em>H. rufides</em>) found in goats and cattle in the Highveld and Lowveld sites. The study also shows patterns of seasonal variation (i.e. difference between the rainy season and the dry season) in ticks infestation rates that differ depending on site, host species and tick species. These findings suggest that acaricide footbaths provide a practical, low-cost alternative for tick control in both cattle and goats, especially in areas with limited water resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00479"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146122648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phylogeny of Wolbachia strains in populations of Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens in Hormozgan Province, South of Iran","authors":"Alireza Sanei-Dehkordi ,&nbsp;Amir Hossein Roozitalab ,&nbsp;Saeed Shahabi ,&nbsp;Mehrnaz Rahimi ,&nbsp;Zahra Rousta ,&nbsp;Raziyeh Shahheidari ,&nbsp;Elahe Golestani ,&nbsp;Azim Paksa","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2026.e00495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div><em>Aedes aegypti</em>, and <em>Culex pipiens</em> are the primary vector of human arboviral diseases, which represent an important public health problem. Controlling mosquitoes with <em>Wolbachia</em> as an endosymbiont bacterium is a new approach in this field. This study was conducted to detect <em>Wolbachia</em> infection in <em>Aedes aegypti</em> and <em>Culex pipiens</em> in Hormozgan Province, South of Iran.</div></div><div><h3>Material and method</h3><div>Specimens of <em>Ae. aegypti</em> and <em>Cx. pipiens</em> were collected from 10 localities in Bandar Abbas City, Hormozgan province of southern Iran. All samples were identified using valid identification keys. After DNA identification by Collin's method, genomic DNA of the mosquitoes were used for detection of <em>Wolbachia</em> infection by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of <em>Wolbachia</em> surface protein (wsp gene).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In this study, a total, 460 <em>Ae. aegypti</em> and 716 <em>Cx. pipiens</em> were collected. From a total of 358 adult <em>Cx. pipiens</em> screened using the wsp primer, 212 (59.22%) <em>Cx. pipiens</em> mosquitoes infected <em>Wolbachia</em>. The <em>Cx. pipiens</em> wsp sample sequences were similar to <em>Wolbachia</em> strains belonging to supergroups B. Out of a total of 230 <em>Ae. aegypti</em> investigations of <em>Wolbachia</em> infection, the results showed that there is no <em>Wolbachia</em> infection in this species.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>By utilizing wsp molecular maker, our study demonstrated the presence of supergroup B strain of <em>Wolbachia</em> in individual <em>Cx. pipiens</em> samples. Although no <em>Wolbachia</em> infection in <em>Ae. aegypti</em> was detected in present study but it is possible to introduce <em>Wolbachia</em> populations with <em>Wolbachia</em>-free populations by infecting this species and it can be used as a promising tool for controlling vectors and reducing the transmission of arboviral diseases by cytoplasmic incompatibility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article e00495"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and risk factors of soil-transmitted helminth infections in Northwestern Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study on Bengali and Santal women","authors":"Aleya Begum ,&nbsp;Fahmida Tasnim Liza ,&nbsp;Mandira Mukutmoni ,&nbsp;Kanij Fatema Oishee ,&nbsp;Tilak Chandra Nath","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections remain a major public health challenge in low-resource settings. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence and risk factors of STH infections among reproductive-aged women (15–49 years) from the Bengali and Santal communities in Northwestern Bangladesh. A total of 352 women participated in a questionnaire assessing STH-related knowledge and practices, with 188 providing stool samples for parasitological analysis. The study revealed an overall STH prevalence of 81.9 % (154/188) among the surveyed women. <em>Ascaris lumbricoides</em> was the predominant species, infecting 78.72 % (148/188, 95 % CI: 72.0–84.2 %) of participants, followed by hookworm species 5.31 % (10/188, 95 % CI: 2.7–9.8 %) and <em>Trichuris trichiura</em> 3.19 % (6/188, 95 % CI: 1.3–7.1 %). Socioeconomic factors such as low income, limited education, occupation, and unsanitary toilet facilities were significantly associated with STH infections. Poor hygiene practices, consumption of undercooked food, and inadequate health education were also linked to higher infection rates. Additionally, irregular nail trimming and infrequent deworming medication use emerged as key behavioral risk factors. These findings underscore the need for targeted health education, improved sanitation, and regular deworming programs to reduce STH transmission. Strengthening community-based interventions and promoting hygienic practices could significantly alleviate the STH burden among rural women in Northwestern Bangladesh.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article e00473"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular identification of Borrelia and Rickettsia in hard ticks infesting domestic and wild animals in Cameroon","authors":"Archile Paguem ,&nbsp;Pierre Kamtsap ,&nbsp;Kingsley Tanyi Manchang ,&nbsp;Alfons Renz ,&nbsp;Sabine Schaper ,&nbsp;Gerhard. Dobler ,&nbsp;Robert E. Rollins ,&nbsp;Lidia Chitimia-Dobler","doi":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.parepi.2025.e00475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks are blood-sucking arthropods which can vector various, pathogenic microorganisms between humans and domestic or wild animal hosts. In Cameroon, little is still known about the diversity of ticks and tick-borne pathogens found feeding on these various hosts. This study investigates the frequency of positive pools of <em>Borrelia</em> spp. and <em>Rickettsia</em> spp. in 415 DNA pools arising from 1148 collected ticks belonging to five genera and twenty-five tick species collected from both domestic and wild animals in Cameroon. Tick species were identified morphologically and confirmed molecularly when necessary. All tick pools were tested for <em>Rickettsia</em> spp. and <em>Borrelia</em> spp. using molecular methods of which 18.01 % and 10.38 % of tick pools tested positive for <em>Rickettsia</em> or <em>Borrelia</em> DNA, respectively. This is the first <em>Borrelia</em> spp. detection in ticks collected from wild animals in Cameroon. Three species of <em>Rickettsia</em> were found in ticks feeding on domestic animals, namely, <em>Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii</em>, and <em>Rickettsia massiliae. Borrelia</em> spp. in Cameroon are closely related to <em>Candidatus</em> Borrelia javanensis from China, as well as <em>Candidatus</em> Borrelia africana and <em>Candidatus</em> Borrelia ivorensis from the Ivory Coast. Although the risk this <em>Borrelia</em> species could pose to humans or animals is currently not known, both <em>Rickettsia</em> species are known to cause human disease warranting continuous monitoring and future research to determine the overall public health risk these microorganisms could pose.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37873,"journal":{"name":"Parasite Epidemiology and Control","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article e00475"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}