PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Clinical and molecular evidences of HTLV-1 infection in inpatients diagnosed with diseases previously described as associated to this infection: A case series in Gabon, Central Africa.","authors":"Eldridge Fedricksen Oloumbou, Léonie Ledaga Lentombo, Judicaël Obame-Nkoghe, Josaphat Iba-Ba, Jeordy Dimitri Engone Ondo, Christ Ognari Ayoumi, Moussa Yaro, Abdoulaye Diané, Philomène Kouna Ndouongo, Jean-Bruno Boguikouma, Ivan Mfouo-Tynga, Augustin Mouinga-Ondémé","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Human T-cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is endemic in Gabon, and despite the high prevalence, very few cases of HTLV-1 associated diseases are sporadically described. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the main teaching hospital of Gabon. Using serological and molecular techniques, plasma samples were tested and nucleic materials of all positive samples extracted from the buffy coat, then a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect fragments of 220 and 522-base-pairs of HTLV-1 Tax/Rex and Env genes, respectively. From March to September 2022, a total of 352 participants (51 median age, IQR 36-62) were recruited, consisting of 290 (82.4%) patients and 65 (17.6%) patients' family members. Of them, 36 (10.2%) samples were ELISA seropositive, and according to WB criteria, 22 were HTLV-1 positive (6.3%), 7 indeterminate (2%), 5 seronegative (1.4%) and 2 had HTLV seroreactivity (0.6%). The HTLV-1 infection was confirmed in 26 individuals (22 patients and 4 among their family members) with an overall prevalence estimated at 7.39% (26/352), and 3.7% (10/272) prevalence for diseases associated to HTLV-1, obtained from all clinical diagnoses. The link assessment between HTLV-1 infection and diseases' occurrence revealed 10.5% of cases of Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (2/19), 55.6% of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (5/9) and 60% of inflammatory myopathies (3/5). Most of the detected genotypes of HTLV-1 strains belonged to the central African HTLV-1b, four defined as HTLV-1a including a-Na, a-Wa and a-TC subclades, and one belonging to the HTLV-1d. Then, assessment of HTLV-1 intrafamilial transmission and risk factors reported one case of mother-to-child HTLV-1 transmission, and significant impacts of association between HTLV-1 infection with the gender and birthplaces were observed. Here, we discussed both the prevalence of HTLV-1 infection among patients and diseases previously described as associated to this retrovirus in Gabon. Our findings highlight the necessity to develop strategies to prevent and properly manage this infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013075"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144081506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cysticercosis and neurocysticercosis in people from Mocuba district, Zambézia province: A Mozambican community-based study.","authors":"Janny Mucavele, Noémia Nhancupe, Gaby Ermelindo Roberto Monteiro, Regina Daniel Miambo, Lídia Gouveia, Alberto Pondja, Irina Mendes Sousa, Stephen W Bickler, Constance A Benson, Robert T Schooley, Veronika Schmidt, Charlotte Ruether, Dominik Stelzle, Clarissa Prazeres da Costa, Ladino Suade, Milton L Wainberg, Maria A Oquendo, Andrea S Winkler, Emilia Virginia Noormahomed","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Taenia solium cysticercosis represents a significant public health concern, especially in low-income countries such as Mozambique, where especially the sub form neurocysticercosis can be associated with acute symptomatic seizures, epilepsy and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of T. solium cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, seizures and chronic headaches in the Mocuba district, Zambézia province, Mozambique, and to assess their associations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The overall study combined both a community-based and a clinic-based segment, including epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and neuroradiological approaches, to investigate the prevalence and the association of cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis, seizure activity and chronic headaches in the Mocuba district. The community-based study involved 6,932 participants who were asked a questionnaire related to signs/symptoms of neurocysticercosis and who were asked to provide a blood sample for serological testing. Serological tests (Antigen-ELISA and Western blot) were used to detect cysticerci specific antigens and antibodies, respectively, in the participants. The clinic-based study included cerebral computed tomography (CT) of 233 individuals - a subset of those recruited from the community (with and without seizure activity and with and without cysticercosis based on serology).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of seizures and chronic headaches in the community-based study was 6.5% and 46.2% respectively, and the cysticercosis seroprevalence was 9.6%. Seizures and chronic headaches presented significant associations with cysticercosis seropositivity (p < 0.05). The clinic-based study revealed 9 (3.9%) of 233 individuals with neurocysticercosis-typical lesions on CT-scan of whom one case was negative on serology and on screening for seizure activity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The community-based prevalence of seizure activity and cysticercosis was high in the Mocuba district. There was also a significant association of seizure activity and chronic headaches with the seroprevalence of cysticercosis and 8 out of 9 people with neurocysticercosis had seizure activity. This highlights the importance of increased awareness and the need for building health literacy within the healthcare workforce and the communities as well as the implementation of targeted interventions, both for people with seizure activity with and without neurocysticercosis. Future research should also assess the impact of preventive measures in reducing disease burden caused by T. solium.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013083"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143989253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clonorchis sinensis extracellular vesicles associated with Csi-let-7a-5p activate pro-inflammatory macrophages to induce biliary injury.","authors":"Beibei Zhang, Xing Li, Qian-Yang Zhou, Chen Zhang, Zheng-Rui Bian, Xin-Xin Ren, Qian Yu, Hui Hua, Zhihua Jiang, Bo Zhang, Xiang-Yang Li, Mu-Xin Chen, Kui-Yang Zheng, Chao Yan","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013080","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>During Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) infection, pro-inflammatory macrophages (M1 macrophages) are highly activated, yet their role in the disease remains poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles from C. sinensis (CsEVs) can activate these macrophages, and inhibiting a specific miRNA (Csi-let-7a-5p) in CsEVs (InCsEVs) can reduce this activation. In the present study, liver macrophages in mice were removed using clodronate liposomes (Clodlip). Subsequently, different types of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were adoptively transferred into the mice lacking liver macrophages: untreated (PBS-BMDM), treated with CsEVs (CsEVs-BMDM), treated with a control (ScrCsEVs-BMDM), or treated with InCsEVs (InCsEVs-BMDM). Biliary damages were then evaluated. The results indicated that the transferred macrophages successfully repopulated the mice. CsEVs-BMDM led to significant inflammation and bile duct damage, accompanied by higher levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β). However, when macrophages were treated with InCsEVs, the damage and inflammation were alleviated, and the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β decreased. These findings suggest that pro-inflammatory macrophages activated by CsEVs, especially through Csi-let-7a-5p, play a crucial role in biliary damage during C. sinensis infection. Although other immune cells may also be involved, this study emphasizes the significance of pro-inflammatory macrophages in clonorchiasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013080"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12074333/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144048109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Opportunities and challenges for plague vector control in Madagascar.","authors":"Annick Onimalala Raveloson, Mireille Harimalala, Beza Ramasindrazana, Romain Girod, Thomas Robert Gillespie, Diego Ayala, Adelaide Miarinjara","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013054","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013054","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plague is a rodent-borne disease transmitted to humans by the bite of fleas infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Flea control is a key part of the overall plague management strategy. Insecticide-based strategies are designed to reduce or eliminate fleas from the environment in order to stop the disease transmission cycle during outbreaks. Many efforts have been directed toward monitoring flea susceptibility to insecticides using standardized bioassay methods recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Several studies have reported the development of insecticide resistance in vector species across Madagascar, which could be one of the factors contributing to the re-emergence of plague in endemic foci. However, the assessment of the operational efficacy of vector control in the field has received less attention. Furthermore, the mechanisms conferring flea resistance to insecticides remain poorly explored. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of (i) the effectiveness of insecticides for flea vector control in Madagascar, (ii) longitudinal surveillance of insecticide resistance in flea vector populations across the country, and (iii) insecticide resistance mechanisms in these fleas. Current vector control methods, including WHO standard methods for assessing the susceptibility or resistance of adult fleas, are presented and discussed. In addition, we propose recommendations for future research to improve the effectiveness of vector control and insecticide resistance mitigation for more effective control of plague-vector fleas in Madagascar.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013054"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12074601/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144038842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of benznidazole and its antitrypanosomal activity in a murine model of chronic Chagas disease.","authors":"Frauke Assmus, Ayorinde Adehin, Richard M Hoglund, Amanda Fortes Francisco, Michael D Lewis, John M Kelly, Susan A Charman, Karen L White, David M Shackleford, Fanny Escudié, Eric Chatelain, Ivan Scandale, Joel Tarning","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012968","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012968","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is an urgent need for improved treatments for Chagas disease, a neglected tropical infection caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Benznidazole, the first line therapy, has severe limitations such as poor tolerability and variable efficacy in the chronic stage of infection. To optimize dosing regimens, a better understanding of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship for benznidazole is crucial. This study aimed to characterize the population pharmacokinetic properties of benznidazole in mice and investigate the relationship between exposure and antitrypanosomal activity in T. cruzi infected mice.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>Antitrypanosomal activity was assessed in 118 BALB/c mice with chronic-stage T. cruzi infection, utilizing highly sensitive in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI). Benznidazole was administered at doses ranging from 10 to 100 mg/kg for 5-20 days. The pharmacokinetic properties of benznidazole were evaluated in 52 uninfected BALB/c mice using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling. The relationship between simulated benznidazole exposure and sterile parasitological cure in the BLI experiments was evaluated by logistic regression and partial least squares - discriminant analysis. Benznidazole pharmacokinetics in mice were well described by a one-compartment disposition model with first-order absorption, with higher doses associated with slower absorption. Univariate logistic regression revealed a significant correlation between drug exposure and the probability of parasitological cure. Total plasma exposure, time above IC90 and peak plasma concentration were all strongly associated with efficacy, provided that benznidazole was administered for at least 5 days.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>This is the first study to successfully quantify the dose-response relationship for benznidazole in T. cruzi-infected mice using preclinical BLI data. Our results underscore the complexity of distinguishing PK/PD drivers of efficacy due to high collinearity between PK/PD index parameters, and we propose dose-fractionation studies for future research. Studying the PK/PD relationship using the BLI model provides valuable insights, aiding hypothesis generation through endpoint assessment of parasite infection.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0012968"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12074391/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144008533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical characteristics and serotype association of dengue and dengue like illness in Pakistan.","authors":"Najeeha Talat Iqbal, Kumail Ahmed, Aqsa Khalid, Kehkashan Imtiaz, Qamreen Mumtaz Ali, Tania Munir, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Unab Khan, Badar Afzal, Farah Naz Qamar, Jesse J Waggoner, Hannah Fenelon, Helene McOwen, Erum Khan, Peter Rabinowitz, Wesley C Van Voorhis","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012978","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012978","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pakistan has been an endemic country for dengue virus since 1994, with a significant increase in cases reported in 2022 largely due to heavy rainfall and flooding. All four serotypes of the dengue virus (DENV) are present in Pakistan, with DENV 1 and DENV 2 being the most prevalent. The current study aims to explore the clinical presentations and features of dengue fever in a tertiary care hospital.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>We enrolled and studied 349 cases of suspected and confirmed dengue presenting for care at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi between June 2021 and November 2023. Collected data on cases included clinical symptoms and laboratory results including qRT-PCR and serotype characterization.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The majority of subjects enrolled (75%) had mild disease without warning signs, while 11% exhibited warning signs, 1.4% had severe dengue, and 12.6% had no dengue diagnosis. Patients with severe dengue (SD) had significantly higher levels of liver enzymes (AST and ALT) compared to those with non-severe dengue (NSD) (AST; p = 0.024 and ALT; p = 0.047). Additionally, a higher grade of thrombocytopenia was significantly associated with hospitalization (p = 0.0008), and prolonged illness (p = 0.03). Both Platelet (p < 0.0001) and WBC counts (p = 0.001) were significantly lower in dengue PCR-positive patients in comparison to Dengue PCR-negative. Among those tested for dengue serotypes, DENV 1 (34%) and DENV 2 (45%) emerged as the predominant serotypes, with mixed infections accounting for 17%. The sensitivity of q-RT PCR was found to be 87.25% and the specificity of 68.35%. qRT-PCR detected 43.5% of cases with viral fever initially screened negative by IgM or NS1.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The epidemiology of dengue fever during a widespread outbreak in 2022 showed a predominance of DENV 1 and DENV 2 serotypes with milder phenotype of viral illness. Screening with rapid tests requires further confirmation by molecular assay in cases with dengue and dengue-like illness. The sensitivity of q-RT PCR using gold standard.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0012978"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12068610/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144051240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Blastocystis carriage and colonization intensity on gut microbiota composition in a non-westernized rural population from Colombia.","authors":"Sergio Castañeda, Jeff Tomiak, Lee O'Brien Andersen, Claudia Patricia Acosta, Luis Reinel Vasquez-A, Christen Rune Stensvold, Juan David Ramírez","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013111","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The role of Blastocystis, a common intestinal parasitic protist of humans and other animals, in human health and disease remains elusive. Recent studies suggest a connection between Blastocystis colonization, healthier lifestyles, and high-diversity gut microbiota. Nevertheless, studies concerning the relationship between Blastocystis colonization, its intensity, and gut microbiota composition -involving both bacterial and eukaryotic communities- remain limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study examines the impact of Blastocystis carriage and colonization intensity on gut microbiota composition in a rural community in Colombia. A total of 88 human samples were collected from the rural population of Las Guacas village, located in the Cauca department in southwest Colombia. We utilized 16S and 18S rDNA sequencing to analyze both bacterial and eukaryotic microbiota, comparing Blastocystis-positive and -negative individuals, as well as groups with varying Blastocystis colonization intensity (low, medium, high), to identify distinct microbiota profiles and differentially abundant taxa linked to each condition.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis revealed significant differences between Blastocystis-positive and -negative individuals. In terms of bacterial composition and structure, Blastocystis-positive individuals exhibited distinct microbiota profiles, as shown by beta diversity analysis. Taxa associated with colonization included Bacteroides, Prevotella, Oscillibacter, Faecalibacterium, and Alistipes. Higher Blastocystis colonization intensity was associated with an increased abundance of taxa such as Alistipes and Lachnospira, while lower intensities correlated with beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia. Regarding eukaryotic composition, beta diversity analysis revealed distinct profiles associated with Blastocystis colonization. Differentially abundant taxa, including Entamoeba coli, were more prevalent in Blastocystis-positive individuals, while Blastocystis-negative individuals exhibited a higher abundance of opportunistic fungi, such as Candida albicans. Machine learning models, including random forest classifiers, supported these findings, identifying Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides as predictors of Blastocystis colonization.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that Blastocystis may modulate gut microbiota, contributing to microbial balance providing new insights into the ecological implications of Blastocystis in rural populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013111"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144056264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"XDR typhoid in Pakistan: A threat to global health security and a wake-up call for antimicrobial stewardship.","authors":"Muhammad Ahmed Abdullah, Babar Tasneem Shaikh, Maryam Ashraf, Shahzad Ali Khan","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid, caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, has emerged as a critical global health security threat, with Pakistan, particularly Sindh province, at its epicenter. The misuse of antibiotics, inadequate diagnostic tools, and poor water and sanitation infrastructure have created ideal conditions for the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). XDR typhoid strains resistant to multiple first-line antibiotics have been linked to environmental contamination, with urban areas like Karachi demonstrating high rates of waterborne transmission. International travel has amplified this threat, exporting cases to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, thus highlighting its global implications. This commentary examines the historical context of typhoid treatment, the drivers of AMR in Pakistan, and the critical role of antimicrobial stewardship in combating XDR typhoid. It advocates for an integrated approach that would encompass improvements in water quality, expanded vaccination coverage with typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs), and stringent audit of antibiotic prescription practices. Immediate local and global action is needed to contain this public health crisis and prevent the resurgence of typhoid as a largely untreatable disease. This situation underscores the urgency of addressing AMR to safeguard global health security.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013067"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12068562/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144020762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact and cost of a new rapid diagnostic test for school-based prevalence mapping and monitoring and evaluation surveys of schistosomiasis: A modelling study.","authors":"Joshua M Chevalier, Kyra H Grantz, Sarah Girdwood, Stella Kepha, Thierry Ramos, Brooke E Nichols, Shaukat Khan, Sarah Hingel","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In endemic communities where the prevalence of Schistosomiasis is ≥ 10%, annual preventive chemotherapy is recommended. Traditional sampling methods determine infection prevalence through district-level surveys in school-aged-children (SAC). Recently, an alternative sampling strategy-the Schistosomiasis Practical and Precision Assessment (SPPA) protocol-was developed to aid in targeting treatment to the sub-district level. A prototype circulating anodic antigen rapid diagnostic test (CAA RDT) could avoid the pitfalls associated with current microscopy techniques and therefore be better suited to support precision-mapping.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>We modelled the ability of a CAA RDT to correctly classify sub-district prevalence above or below the 10% threshold in simulated districts under alternative sampling strategies. Each district (10 sub-districts/district) had varying mean prevalence and prevalence distributions. Test sensitivity (60-100%) and specificity (95-100%) of the CAA RDT was varied. We then determined the associated survey costs for prevalence mapping or monitoring and evaluation for each sampling strategy using the CAA RDT compared to microscopy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The CAA RDT cost/SAC was US$12.14, which was similar to Kato-Katz (US$13.23/SAC) using traditional sampling. Sampling with the CAA RDT cost the least when conducting SPPA sampling or M&E, or when both Kato-Katz and urine filtration were required. High specificity of the CAA RDT was a key determinant of performance and a test with 100% specificity and 85% sensitivity correctly classified the most sub-districts (87%) under SPPA sampling. SPPA sampling generally led to less under- and overtreatment of sub-districts compared to traditional sampling.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A CAA RDT with high specificity will lead to similar treatment success at lower costs, under either sampling strategy, as compared to Kato-Katz and urine filtration. The CAA RDT could be a valuable diagnostic tool for determining schistosomiasis prevalence and could better support precision mapping strategies through reduced costs, thereby improving mass drug administration and aiding programmes to eliminate schistosomiasis as a public health problem.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0013071"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144023597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical features of talaromycosis in people living with HIV/AIDS (PWHA) and patients with anti-interferon-γ autoantibodies.","authors":"Kawisara Krasaewes, Narootchai Patanadamrongchai, Quanhathai Kaewpoowat, Jiraprapa Wipasa, Saowaluck Yasri, Antika Wongthanee, Romanee Chaiwarith","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012992","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012992","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Talaromycosis is increasingly reported in HIV-uninfected, immunocompromised individuals in an endemic area. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics and mortality associated with talaromycosis in adult immunocompromised individuals caused by the anti-interferon-gamma autoantibody (anti-IFN- γ AAb) with those of people living with HIV/AIDS (PWHA).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Thailand, in adults with confirmed HIV infection or anti-IFN- γ-AAbs diagnosed with talaromycosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-two patients with anti-IFN- γ-AAbs and 235 PWHA were included. Patients with anti-IFN- γ-AAbs were older and more likely to have comorbidities. PWHA were more likely to have constitutional symptoms, cough, dyspnea, diarrhea, splenomegaly, umbilicated skin lesions, abnormal chest radiographs, and fungemia. Patients with anti-IFN- γ-AAbs were more likely to have skin lesions such as macule/papules/nodules, abscesses and Sweet's syndrome, as well as bone and joint infections and higher white blood cell counts. The time from first symptom to treatment was longer in patients with anti-IFN- γ-AAbs (44.5 days vs. 30.0 days, p-value = 0.049). The 24-week mortality rate was 9.4% (3 patients) in patients with anti-IFN- γ-AAbs and 15.3% (36 patients) in PWHA (p-value = 0.372).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The clinical features of talaromycosis in patients with anti-IFN- γ-AAbs differed from PWHA. Clinicians in areas where talaromycosis is endemic should be aware of the different features of talaromycosis in patients with anti-IFN- γ AAbs.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 5","pages":"e0012992"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12064013/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144018193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}