PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases最新文献

{"title":"Efficacy and safety of albendazole 400 mg for 30 days compared to single dose of ivermectin in adult patients with low Loa loa microfilaremia: A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.","authors":"Luccheri Ndong Akomezoghe, Noé Patrick M'Bondoukwé, Denise Patricia Mawili Mboumba, Jacques Mari Ndong Ngomo, Bridy Chesly Moutombi Ditombi, Coella Joyce Mihindou, Roger Hadry Sibi Matotou, Valentin Migueba, Marielle Karine Bouyou Akotet","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0012383","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Loa loa infection is endemic in central African countries and particularly in Gabon. Treatment typically involves the use of ivermectin and albendazole, with albendazole often administered to reduce microfilaremia in individuals with high microfilaremia before taking ivermectin. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of albendazole in patients with low microfilaremia.</p><p><strong>Methodology and principal findings: </strong>The study was conducted from November 2021 to April, 2022 in the Woleu-Ntem province of northern Gabon. Following a questionnaire, direct examination of 10 µL of blood and leukoconcentration technique were perfomed for Loa loa detection. Of 406 identified microfilaremic cases, 48 volunteers were randomized, 21 women and 27 men, their mean age was 51 ± 13 years. Overall, 24 received, daily 400 mg albendazole for30 days and 24 others were treated with a single course of 200μg/kg ivermectin. Microfilaremia and adverse events were monitored from D0 to D30. In the per-protocol analysis, the mean microfilaremia decreased significantly by 82.3% and 90.4% in the albendazole and ivermectin groups, respectively (p< 0.001). The risk difference between both treatments was 8.1% [95% CI: 16.8; -0.6%]. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the mean microfilaremia decreased significantly by 82.4% and 90.8% in the ALB and IVM groups, respectively (p< 0.001), with a risk difference of 8.4% [95% CI: 16.2; 0.6%]. Eosinophil levels decreased by day 30, although they were not significantly different following albendazole and ivermectin treatments.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Albendazole demonstrated microfilaricidal activity in individuals with low Loa loa microfilaremia following a 30-day treatment. The monitoring of parasite density 3-10 months post-treatment is needed to complete the present findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0012383"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144337169","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":"Towards elimination: Challenges in community participation to a gHAT 'screen and treat' strategy using the new oral drug acoziborole in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.","authors":"Catiane Vander Kelen, Alain Mpanya, Ruth Nzuzi, Gérard Watakembi, Cathy Mbuyi, Elena Nicco, Epco Hasker","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013197","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013197","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Until recently, treatment options for gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) have been limited and toxic, negatively impacting community participation to screening and treatment. A new, non-toxic, single-dose oral drug has shown efficacy in a Phase III trial and is being tested in a trial called 'STROGHAT', which aims to demonstrate cessation of HAT transmission using a 'screen and treat' strategy. This study aims to explore community perceptions about current and future screening and treatment strategies and identify what could act as barriers to participation in order to prevent them. We conducted 8 focus group discussions and 18 semi-structured interviews with communities, community leaders and mobile unit managers in 4 selected villages out of 74 endemic villages included in the STROGHAT study. Our results highlight four main potential barriers: the rarity of cases has led to gHAT being perceived as a disease that no longer exists and participation to screening as a waste of time. Lack of awareness of new treatment and screening procedures perpetuates fears and misconceptions about treatment toxicity, lumbar puncture and mandatory hospitalisation. The introduction of a single-dose oral drug to be administered on the spot raised the issue of side effect monitoring and care. Finally, the lack of sensitivity to community cultural norms in the organisation of screening discourages people from participating. Those barriers are important to anticipate and include in elimination strategy. Also a monitor perception about acoziborole screen and treat during all the process through other social science based research is to foreseen.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013197"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144337171","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":"Mapping of cholera Priority Areas for Multisectoral Interventions (PAMIs) using the 2023 GTFCC guidance: The Kenya experience.","authors":"Catherine Kiama, Emmanuel Okunga, Catherine Makwe, Annastacia Muange, Martins Livinus, Daniel Langat, Joan Brunkard, Anne Loarec","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013078","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cholera Priority Areas for Multisectoral Interventions (PAMIs), formerly known as \"hotspots\", are limited geographical areas where cholera persists or regularly reappears due to cultural, environmental, and socioeconomic conditions. Focusing interventions on PAMIs will help to effectively control and ultimately eliminate cholera among the most at-risk populations. The 2023 GTFCC Methodology was used to identify PAMIs for cholera control in Kenya. The analysis was conducted between February and March 2024, selecting PAMIs based on the previous six years' epidemiological data (Jan 2018 - Dec 2023) at the sub-county level. Epidemiological data was sourced from cholera outbreak line lists. The line list included both confirmed and suspected cholera cases of all ages admitted or reported to health facilities. The numerical priority index was calculated as a sum of four epidemiological indicators: incidence, mortality, persistence, and laboratory testing. Following a validation workshop, stakeholders selected a priority index threshold, identifying 78 sub-counties as initial PAMIs. There were 29 additional PAMIs included in the final list of 107 priority sub-counties based on country-specific vulnerability factors. This evidence-based approach will inform the targeting and implementation of multi-sectoral interventions in line with the Kenya National Cholera Plan.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013078"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12180658/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144337170","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":"Exploring one health-based strategies for rabies elimination: Overview and future prospects.","authors":"Renyun Zha, Jianyun Lu, Jianying Chen, Cheng Guo, Jiahai Lu","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013159","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013159","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Establishing a comprehensive and coordinated mechanism for rabies management is essential for achieving the goal of eliminating the disease. It requires the involvement of multiple disciplines and departments, as well as the implementation of necessary policies and measures. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has added further challenges to the goal, particularly for developing countries like China. However, certain regions in China are leveraging local advantages and departmental strengths to actively explore effective strategies.</p><p><strong>Principal findings: </strong>This review provides an overview of the global prevalence of rabies, international cooperation efforts, and specific measures. Of particular significance is the analysis of the transformation of the rabies situation in China as well as an exemplar management of a rabies case in the Baiyun District of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. We also discuss the hopeful action plan based on the One Health concept, aimed at achieving the goal of rabies elimination by 2030.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Rabies remains a significant threat to public health and economies across most countries worldwide. Despite this, eliminating rabies is increasingly feasible, with China showcasing notable progress, including the adoption of the One Health approach in disease prevention and control strategies.</p><p><strong>Synopsis: </strong>The distinction between disease eradication and elimination lies in their scope and permanence. Eradication involves globally reducing the incidence of infection caused by a specific agent to zero, requiring no further intervention measures once achieved. In contrast, disease elimination focuses on reducing the incidence of infection within a specific geographic area to zero, necessitating ongoing actions to prevent its transmission or re-emergence. In the long history of humans' battle against infectious diseases, the complete eradication of smallpox has undoubtedly been an inspiring achievement. However, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have remained in the forefront of people's minds, causing significant morbidity, mortality, and potential economic burdens in impoverished countries and regions worldwide. It is disappointing that rabies has not been eradicated globally. While high-income countries have achieved the elimination of canine-mediated rabies through dog vaccination and population management programs, there are fewer examples of successful large-scale elimination of canine rabies in low- and middle-income countries, primarily limited to Latin America.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013159"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12176176/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144327485","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":"What do we really know about brucellosis diagnosis in livestock worldwide? A systematic review.","authors":"Sonia Vection, Christopher G Laine, Angela M Arenas-Gamboa","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013185","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013185","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Diagnosis of brucellosis is not a straightforward task, with over 40 different tests available. Accurate diagnosis requires a series of diagnostic testing with proper interpretation of results. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) provides guidelines describing the different assays including their recommended use, protocols, and interpretation. PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched without restrictions and original work describing cross-sectional studies focusing on livestock species (cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats and swine) were included while reviews, case reports, and case-control studies were excluded. In this study, we systematically reviewed the literature and critically assessed the findings from 349 research studies to provide an overview of the different diagnostic methods used worldwide in livestock, and compared the tools and strategies used against the WOAH recommendations. A total of 232 studies (66.5%) focused on cattle followed by goats (34.1%), sheep (31.5%), buffaloes (14.6%), and swine (5.2%). Of these studies, 171 were from Africa (48.9%), 132 from Asia (37.8%), 36 from the Americas (10.3%), and 10 from Europe (2.8%). The most utilized immunological assayswere Rose Bengal test and indirect ELISA (63.9 and 36.7%, respectively). Interestingly, 73 studies (20.9%) used a single immunological assay to report on the status of animals. Direct methods such as culture and PCR were performed in 100 studies (28.7%) with culture being the most utilized (19.8%). Strikingly, we found that only 16% of included studies followed WOAH recommendations in terms of sample chosen, diagnostic assay utilized, protocol employed and results interpretation. In countries that reported the presence of B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis to the WOAH, only 4 of 28, 2 of 19, and 1 of 6 countries (reporting these strains, respectively), contained studies that followed guidelines and confirmed the presence of the pathogen. This highlights, not only significant gaps in currently available literature leading to an inaccurate picture of brucellosis in livestock, but most importantly raises significant issues regarding the accuracy of data reported by countries. These findings are concerning due to the significant consequences of not adhering to these guidelines including inaccurate diagnosis, delayed disease control, and increased zoonotic risk for exposed individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013185"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12173231/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318462","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":"Expression of interleukin-4 in schistosomiasis is influenced by age.","authors":"Tresford Lwanga, Lweendo Muchaili, Gift C Chama, Lukundo Siame, Cornelius Simutanda, Situmbeko Liweleya, Bislom C Mweene, Sydney Mulamfu, Sepiso K Masenga","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013176","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013176","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Schistosomiasis, a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), remains a significant public health issue, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite various interventions, the disease persists, with a considerable burden on affected populations. This study aimed to characterize the hematological and immunological profiles associated with Schistosoma infection in pediatric and adult populations in Mulobezi district of Zambia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional study, which included participants aged 5-55 years, carried out in Mulobezi District in the Western Province of Zambia. The sample size was 143, participants were stratified into children (<15 years) and adults (≥15 years). Schistosomiasis diagnosis was confirmed through urine microscopy using filtration methods, while full blood count and cytokine (IL-4, IL-10) analysis were performed on blood samples. A Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with infection. Statistical analyses were conducted using two-sided tests to assess the significance of the observed differences between groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of the 143 participants, 56 (39.2%) had schistosomiasis. In adjusted models, IL-4 showed age-dependent associations: significant in adults (AOR: 1.007, 95% CI: 1.003-1.012, p = 0.001) but not children (AOR: 1.001, 95% CI: 0.999-1.003, p = 0.072). Lymphocyte counts were elevated in both children (AOR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.07-3.54, p = 0.029) and adults (AOR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.19-7.36, p = 0.020). Eosinophils (children: AOR: 13.94, 95% CI: 0.24-811.21, p = 0.204; adults: AOR: 12.27, 95% CI: 0.73-207.13, p = 0.082) and IL-10 lost significance after adjustment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlights IL-4 and lymphocyte counts as potential immunomarkers for schistosomiasis infection. The age-specific IL-4 association suggests differential immune activation patterns, while persistent lymphocyte elevation across both groups indicates sustained adaptive immune engagement.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013176"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12173192/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318461","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":"Breaking down malaria outbreak: A multidisciplinary approach in a border village of French Guiana.","authors":"Hélène Tréhard, Guillaume Lacour, Emilie Mosnier, Amandine Guidez, Yanouk Epelboin, Yassamine Lazrek, Felix Djossou, Jean Gaudart, Isabelle Dusfour, Lise Musset","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013096","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Isolated areas of malaria transmission can persist in countries nearing malaria elimination. To tailor interventions accordingly, smaller-scale surveillance and a deeper understanding of local conditions are needed, including human, environmental and vectorial parameters, and how these parameters interact. This study investigated the potential at-risk situations that could explain the dynamics of malaria persistence in an isolated recurrent high transmission area in French Guiana, using a transdisciplinary approach.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>We implemented an ancillary study in Trois-Palétuviers (200 inhabitants), an isolated village in French Guiana bordering Brazil. This was based on two cross-sectional surveys conducted from September to December in 2017 and 2018 that collected both malaria prevalence and behavioural data. Entomological data were collected using 4 Mosquito Magnet traps for three consecutive nights each month. A total of 182 participants were included. The median age was 12.5 years in 2017 (IQR [5;27]). Malaria PCR prevalence was 51% (n = 92) in 2017 and 16% (n = 30) in 2018. Almost all participants used bed nets (99%, n = 180) - but 88% had at least one factor of bed nets ineffectiveness (mainly inadequate drying and washing) -, 63% (n = 114) used indoor insecticides and 32% (n = 57) used skin repellents. Anopheles darlingi, representing 99.7% of the Anopheles caught, were captured throughout the night, with higher abundance in the evening and early morning. No An. darlingi were found in slash-and-burn fields. The high relative abundance of An. darlingi before bedtime exposed inhabitants to the vector's bites.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>The absence of An. darlingi in expected locations, such as slash-and-burn fields, points to the complex ecology of malaria transmission and underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of environmental influences, with continuous surveillance. Cross-description of the data suggests a high risk of exposure to mosquito bites by residents before they are protected by bed nets. The inadequacy of anti-vectorial protective measures could be mitigated by education campaigns about protective tools, and by additional protective tools and a frequent distribution of bed nets.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013096"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144318460","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":"Mass spectrometry-based discovery and diagnostic validation of T. cruzi antigens in the urine of congenitally infected Chagas Disease patients.","authors":"Kathryn Cassels, Raghad Almofeez, Jessica Roman, Hannah Steinberg, Ahana Byne, Amanda Haymond, Freddy Tinajeros, María Del Carmen Menduiña, Edith Málaga Machaca, Manuela Verástegui, José Luis Ramírez, Lance Liotta, Robert H Gilman, Alessandra Luchini","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013082","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, Chagas disease affects an estimated 7 million people globally. Diagnosis of Chagas disease in infants is urgently needed, as early detection allows for more effective treatment and reduced mortality. However, current diagnostics are inappropriate for effective detection in infants due to differences in the mechanism of disease in infants and the infant immune system, as well as lack of diagnostic sensitivity and loss to follow up. Studying peripheral biomarkers in urine can leverage physiological concentration in the bladder to increase yield of proteins secreted by pathogen, infected cells, or antigen processed by immune cells residing in different body sites.</p><p><strong>Principal findings: </strong>We analyzed the urine of a cohort of infants who were congenitally infected with Chagas disease, using a method including affinity enrichment, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics analysis to characterize the T. cruzi secreted peptidome. We identified 198 peptides specific for T. cruzi and analyzed them in light of their potential for diagnostic utility. Our protocol revealed that peptides of the hyper-mutating mucin-associated surface protein and trans-sialidase protein families could be identified in patient urine and can serve as diagnostic markers of disease. We developed antibodies against conserved regions of each protein and validated that these antibodies could be used to differentiate the urine of Chagas disease patients (N = 16 cases) from healthy controls (N = 19). By utilizing affinity enrichment sample preprocessing and anti-trans-sialidase and anti-MASP antibodies in tandem, we differentiated cases from controls with 87.5% sensitivity and 94.7% specificity.</p><p><strong>Conclusions/significance: </strong>Our work suggests that it is possible to detect Trypanosoma cruzi infection directly from a noninvasively collected fluid such as urine. A direct test in urine with this success rate would be well suited for rapid diagnosis in low-resource areas. Further studies to validate this approach are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013082"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12169537/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144310685","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":"Techniques for the surgical correction of lagophthalmos secondary to leprosy: A systematic review.","authors":"Matthew Willis, Heynes Brown, Dan McGrath, Essam Eltoukhy, Anil Fastenau","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013200","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013200","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Leprosy is an infectious neglected tropical disease that can result in chronic immune mediated nerve damage. When this involves the facial nerve, this can lead to lagophthalmos, with the later stages requiring surgical correction. If untreated lagophthalmos can cause keratopathies leading to visual impairment and eventual blindness. However, to date no paper has systematically reviewed the surgical management of lagophthalmos in those affected by leprosy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review was conducted on the 16/11/2024 with data from PubMed, Infolep, Web of Sciences Core Collection and Medline ALL. Data extraction and analysis followed PRISMA guidelines. Included were English-language studies on the outcomes of surgical procedures for the surgical management of lagophthalmos, regardless the year of publication.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The 12 papers identified contained data from seven countries. The majority of papers studied Temporalis Muscle transfer. Gillies technique or modifications of this technique were reported in five papers. Three papers reported modifications of Johnson's method of temporalis tendon transfer. One paper reported TMT using a silicone sling. Patients also received TMT using the Brown-McDonnell and the McCord-Cordner techniques. Lagophthalmos was also corrected using gold or steel weight implant techniques. One paper each studied lateral tarsal strip, modified tarsorrhaphy and scapha graft.</p><p><strong>Discussion/conclusion: </strong>Treatment of lagophthalmos is vital to preserve vision in those affected by leprosy, however, it is important to take into consideration the practical advantages of the five broad techniques identified by this review. Factors such as the type of anaesthesia, level of expertise, success rate, incidence and risk of complications, and longevity and stability of the results, are vital to consider when conducting these surgical procedures in reduced resource settings. Therefore, operations which are more cost effective, show a reduced complication rate and yield better long-term results without complicated follow-up are more likely to be adopted in lower resource settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013200"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144310686","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":"Infectiousness of Leishmania major to Phlebotomus papatasi: differences between natural reservoir host Meriones shawi and laboratory model BALB/c mice.","authors":"Barbora Vojtková, Tomáš Bečvář, Lenka Pacáková, Daniel Frynta, Nalia Mekarnia, Kamal Eddine Benallal, Petr Volf, Jovana Sádlová","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0013183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Host infectiousness to insect vectors is a crucial parameter for understanding the transmission dynamics of insect-borne infectious diseases such as leishmaniases. Despite their importance, critical factors influencing the outwards transmission of Leishmania major, including parasite distribution within the host body and the minimum number of skin amastigotes required for vector infection, remain poorly characterized. To address these gaps, we studied these parameters in the natural North African reservoir host Meriones shawi and in BALB/c mice infected with a low parasite dose. Using qPCR, we quantified Leishmania loads in different zones (regions) of infected ear pinnae, whereas microscale infectiousness was evaluated via microbiopsies and fluorescence microscopy. The amastigote distribution within infected ears was heterogeneous, with pronounced differences between the lesion center, lesion margin, and visually unaffected surrounding skin. Phlebotomus papatasi females that fed in areas where no amastigotes were detected via microscopy did not become infected. In M. shawi, lesion margins have emerged as the most effective source of infection. The number of amastigotes at bite sites where sand fly females became infected ranged from 4--500, with as few as 2--10 amastigotes sufficient to initiate vector infection. This low infection threshold was confirmed by experiments in which P. papatasi was fed through a chick-skin membrane. In contrast, the BALB/c mouse model showed only minor differences in infectiousness between lesion centers and margins. The minimum infectious dose in BALB/c mice was approximately 100 times greater than that in M. shawi, with successful infections occurring at sites containing 1,500-10,000 amastigotes. These findings advance our understanding of Leishmania transmission by addressing critical knowledge gaps and enabling more accurate modelling of cutaneous leishmaniasis epidemiology. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of incorporating natural host models in research, as the dynamics of disease progression and transmission parameters can differ significantly between natural hosts and standard laboratory models.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 6","pages":"e0013183"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144310674","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}