PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases最新文献

{"title":"SARS-CoV-2 Alchemy: Understanding the dynamics of age, vaccination, and geography in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in India.","authors":"Mansi Patel, Uzma Shamim, Umang Umang, Rajesh Pandey, Jitendra Narayan","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012918","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012918","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>COVID-19 pandemic had unprecedented global impact on health and society, highlighting the need for a detailed understanding of SARS-CoV-2 evolution in response to host and environmental factors. This study investigates the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 via mutation dynamics, focusing on distinct age cohorts, geographical location, and vaccination status within the Indian population, one of the nations most affected by COVID-19.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Comprehensive dataset, across diverse time points during the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variant waves, captured essential phases of the pandemic's footprint in India. By leveraging genomic data from Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), we examined the substitution mutation landscape of SARS-CoV-2 in three demographic segments: children (1-17 years), working-age adults (18-64 years), and elderly individuals (65+ years). A balanced dataset of 69,975 samples was used for the study, comprising 23,325 samples from each group. This design ensured high statistical power, as confirmed by power analysis. We employed bioinformatics and statistical analyses, to explore genetic diversity patterns and substitution frequencies across the age groups.</p><p><strong>Principal findings: </strong>The working-age group exhibited a notably high frequency of unique substitutions, suggesting that immune pressures within highly interactive populations may accelerate viral adaptation. Geographic analysis emphasizes notable regional variation in substitution rates, potentially driven by population density and local transmission dynamics, while regions with more homogeneous strain circulation show relatively lower substitution rates. The analysis also revealed a significant surge in unique substitutions across all age groups during the vaccination period, with substitution rates remaining elevated even after widespread vaccination, compared to pre-vaccination levels. This trend supports the virus's adaptive response to heightened immune pressures from vaccination, as observed through the increased prevalence of substitutions in important regions of SARS-CoV-2 genome like ORF1ab and Spike, potentially contributing to immune escape and transmissibility.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings affirm the importance of continuous surveillance on viral evolution, particularly in countries with high transmission rates. This research provides insights for anticipating future viral outbreaks and refining pandemic preparedness strategies, thus enhancing our capacity for proactive global health responses.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012918"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11922521/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143597712","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":"Chikungunya virus in Europe: A retrospective epidemiology study from 2007 to 2023.","authors":"Qian Liu, Hong Shen, Li Gu, Hui Yuan, Wentao Zhu","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012904","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012904","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus, is responsible for disease outbreaks worldwide. However, systematic knowledge of spatiotemporal distribution and risk patterns of CHIKV in mainland Europe remains unclear. Our aim was to decipher the epidemiological characteristics, diversity, and clinical manifestations of CHIKV.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this retrospective study, we retrieved the surveillance bulletins of chikungunya infections reported in Europe during 2007-2023 to depict the epidemiological characteristics. We performed genotyping and phylogenetic analyses to examine the evolution and mutation. We also searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to conduct meta-analyses of clinical manifestations.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>4730 chikungunya cases across twenty-two countries were documented in mainland Europe from 2007-2022, with no cases reported in 2023. The age-standardized incidence rate was highest in 2014 (0.31), with significant variations observed in each country per year. Although autochthonous outbreaks occurred in several countries, the majority of cases were travel-related, with individuals mainly getting infected during summer vacation. Most travel-related cases were reported as being acquired in India (11.7%), followed by Dominican Republic (9.0%), Guadeloupe (8.7%), and Thailand (7.8%). Genotyping of genome sequences identified two genotypes, with the majority belonging to II-ECSA. The E1 A226V mutation was detected from autochthonous outbreaks, including Italy in 2007 and France in 2014 and 2017. The most common symptoms reported were fever (97.6%), joint pain (94.3%), fatigue (63.5%), and skin rash (52.3%).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The suitable niches for CHIKV are expanding due to climate change and global travel. With the absence of specific antiviral treatments and vaccines still in development, surveillance and vector control are essential in suppressing the re-emergence and epidemics of CHIKV.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012904"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11906167/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143575805","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 the potential of tick transcriptomes for virus screening: A data reuse approach for tick-borne virus surveillance.","authors":"Koray Ergunay, Brian P Bourke, Yvonne-Marie Linton","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012907","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012907","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>We set out to investigate the utility of publicly available tick transcriptomic data to identify and characterize known and recently described tick-borne viruses, using de novo assembly and subsequent protein database alignment and taxonomical binning.</p><p><strong>Methodology/principal findings: </strong>A total of 127 virus contigs were recovered from 35 transcriptomes, originating from cell lines (40%), colony-reared ticks (25.7%) or field-collected ticks (34.2%). Generated virus contigs encompass DNA (n = 2) and RNA (n = 13) virus families, with 3 and 28 taxonomically distinct isolates, respectively. Known human and animal pathogens comprise 32.8% of the contigs, where Beiji nairovirus (BJNV) was the most prevalent tick-borne pathogenic virus, identified in 22.8% of the transcriptomes. Other pathogens included Nuomin virus (NUMV) (2.8%), African swine fever virus (ASFV) (5.7%), African horse sickness virus 3 (AHSV-3) (2.8%) and Alongshan virus (ALSV) (2.8%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Previously generated transcriptome data can be leveraged for detecting tick-borne viruses, as exemplified by new descriptions of ALSV and BJNV in new geographic locations and other viruses previously detailed in screening reports. Monitoring pathogens using publicly available data might facilitate biosurveillance by directing efforts to regions of preliminary spillover and identifying targets for screening. Metadata availability is crucial for further assessments of detections.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012907"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11922208/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143574553","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":"Genomic characterization of a dog-mediated rabies outbreak in El Pedregal, Arequipa, Peru.","authors":"Renzo Salazar, Kirstyn Brunker, Elvis W Díaz, Edith Zegarra, Ynes Monroy, Gorky N Baldarrago, Katty Borrini-Mayorí, Micaela De la Puente-León, Natasha Palmalux, Jenna Nichols, Sandeep Kasaragod, Michael Z Levy, Katie Hampson, Ricardo Castillo-Neyra","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012396","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012396","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Rabies, a re-emerging zoonosis with the highest known human case fatality rate, has been largely absent from Peru, except for endemic circulation in the Puno region on the Bolivian border and re-emergence in Arequipa City in 2015, where it has persisted. In 2021, an outbreak occurred in the rapidly expanding city of El Pedregal near Arequipa, followed by more cases in 2022 after nearly a year of epidemiological silence. While currently under control, questions persist regarding the origin of the El Pedregal outbreak and implications for maintaining rabies control in Peru.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We sequenced 25 dog rabies virus (RABV) genomes from the El Pedregal outbreak (n=11) and Arequipa City (n=14) from 2021-2023 using Nanopore sequencing in Peru. Historical genomes from Puno (n=4, 2010-2012) and Arequipa (n=5, 2015-2019), were sequenced using an Illumina approach in the UK. In total, 34 RABV genomes were generated, including archived and newly obtained samples. The genomes were analyzed phylogenetically to understand the outbreak's context and origins.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Phylogenomic analysis identified two genetic clusters in El Pedregal: 2021 cases stemmed from a single introduction unrelated to Arequipa cases, while the 2022 sequence suggested a new introduction from Arequipa rather than persistence. In relation to canine RABV diversity in Latin America, all new sequences belonged to the new minor clade, Cosmopolitan Am5, sharing relatives from Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Genomic insights into the El Pedregal outbreak revealed multiple introductions over a 2-year window. Eco-epidemiological conditions, including migratory worker patterns, suggest human-mediated movement drove introductions. Despite outbreak containment, El Pedregal remains at risk of dog-mediated rabies due to ongoing circulation in Arequipa, Puno, and Bolivia. Human-mediated movement of dogs presents a major risk for rabies re-emergence in Peru, jeopardizing regional dog-mediated rabies control. Additional sequence data is needed for comprehensive phylogenetic analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012396"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143568583","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":"Guillain-Barré syndrome after the Zika epidemic in Colombia: A multicenter, matched case-control study.","authors":"Lyda Osorio, Beatriz Parra, Martha Moyano, Reydmar Lopez-Gonzalez, Jorge A Jimenez-Arango, José Vargas-Manotas, Jairo Lizarazo, Gustavo E Ramos-Burbano, Mario Daniel Llanos, Fernando Rosso, Jonathan Urrego, Juan P Rojas, Christian A Rojas, Julie Benavides-Melo, Viviana A Martinez-Villota, Karina A Luque-Burgos, Adriana M Ruiz, Liliana Soto, Laura Quintero-Corzo, Jaime A Quintero, Daniela Zuluaga-Lotero, David Acero-Garces, Susana C Dominguez-Peñuela, Susan Halstead, Hugh J Willison, Carlos A Pardo","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012898","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012898","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Zika produced the highest increase in the incidence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Latin America in the last decade. The Neuroinfections Emerging in the Americas Study (NEAS) was established in 2016 to investigate the association of emerging infectious disorders with GBS in Colombia. The present study assessed the role of preceding infections, including arboviruses and other pathogens, as risk factors for GBS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A case-control study was conducted prospectively between June 2016 and December 2019 in 5 Colombian cities. We recruited newly diagnosed patients with GBS and a house control plus an age and season-matched-hospital control per case. Clinical information, blood, CSF, and urine samples were used to diagnose bacterial and viral infections. Anti-glycolipid antibodies were identified in serum. Statistical analyses were performed using conditional logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Fifty-seven patients with GBS, 66·7% male, 52 years of median age, were recruited along with 77 (55 house and 22 hospital) controls. GBS was associated with presenting diarrhea (adjusted OR 10·94; 95% CI 1·8-66·29; p=0·009) and a history of recent upper respiratory tract infection (aOR 13·91; 95% CI 2·38-81·1 p=0·003). Specific recent infections did not significantly differ between cases and controls, but the number of infections was associated with GBS (aOR=1·77 95% CI 1·04-3·01 p=0·03). C. jejuni (74%), M. pneumoniae (23%), and Chikungunya (7%) were the most frequent infections. Anti-glycolipid IgG against GM1 and their heterodimer complexes were identified to be associated with GBS.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>After the Zika epidemic, infections causing diarrhea and upper respiratory diseases contributed to the burden of GBS in Colombia. Prevention and control of food-borne pathogens could reduce the incidence of GBS in Colombia.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012898"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11922255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143568585","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":"Into the spotlight: A spatial study of potentially underreported leptospirosis among dengue-negative patients in São Paulo city, Brazil.","authors":"Stephanie Bergmann Esteves, Luciano Marcondes de Oliveira, Aline Gil Alves Guilloux, Adriana Cortez, Eduardo de Masi, Isabelle Martins Ribeiro Ferreira, Evelyn Moura de Lima, Gabriele Yumi Ramalho, Priscila de Castilho Luna, Jose Soares Ferreira Neto, Marcos Bryan Heinemann, Bruno Alonso Miotto","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012888","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012888","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leptospirosis and dengue share similar unspecific symptoms, complicating differential diagnosis in endemic regions. This overlap is further exacerbated by the often-underrecognized nature of leptospirosis, resulting in low clinical suspicion among healthcare providers. Understanding the scale of underdiagnosed leptospirosis cases, particularly among dengue-negative patients, is critical for improving public health responses. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 6,936 febrile patients who tested negative for dengue at public health services across São Paulo city. Serum samples from these patients were subsequently tested for anti-Leptospira IgM antibodies. Spatial analysis was conducted to identify areas at increased risk of underdiagnosed leptospirosis, and these findings were compared to cases reported in the Brazilian's Information System for Notifiable Diseases from 2009 to 2019. Our results revealed that, from the 6,936 patients tested, 786 (11.3%) were seroreactive for leptospirosis, with a higher prevalence among women (55.7%; p=0.003). Spatial analysis identified 18 high-risk clusters for potentially unrecognized leptospirosis, predominantly in peripheral regions with socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Notably, two significant high-risk areas were located in the North (RR=2.13) and South (RR=2.69) regions of the city. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted public health interventions to improve disease surveillance and diagnostic capacity, particularly in the high-risk areas identified. Addressing underrecognition of leptospirosis is essential for reducing morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Future research should expand on this work by integrating broader temporal, environmental, and socioeconomic data.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012888"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11922267/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143568586","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":"Status of human onchocerciasis transmission in the Adamaoua region of Cameroon after 20 years of ivermectin mass distribution.","authors":"Philippe Bienvenu Nwane, Hugues Clotaire Nana-Djeunga, Narcisse Nzune Toche, André Domché, Fesuh Nono Bertrand, Yannick Emalio Niamsi, Guy Roger Njitchuang, Martine Augusta Flore Tsasse, Jean Bopda, Steve Mbickmen, Aubin Balog, Alexis Nkwelle, Patrice Nkwelle, Clarisse Ebene, Honoré Obama, Paul Messi, Benjamin Biholong, Serge Billong, Georges Nko'o Ayissi, Joseph Kamgno","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0011511","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0011511","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Significant progress has been made in onchocerciasis control through mass distribution of ivermectin among affected human populations, fostering optimism for disease elimination. However, despite these considerable advances, the elimination of the disease remains a major challenge in many African foci. This paper describes the current situation of onchocerciasis in Adamaoua Region of Cameroon after 20 consecutive years of ivermectin mass treatment.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>The study was conducted between August and September 2020 in Adamaoua Region of Cameroon. Onchocerciasis endemicity was assessed through parasitological and clinical diagnosis. Microfilarodermia and nodule prevalences assessed in 2020 were compared to those of 1998-2002 and 2010-2013 surveys using the Chi-square (X 2) statistic test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 4,814 participants aged between 5 and 108 years, including 50.4% men and 49.6% women were enrolled in the study. The nodule and microfilaria prevalences reported from this sub-sample were 0.87 [0.64 - 1.19] % and 0.77 [0.54 - 1.07] %, respectively. At the community level, the mf prevalences ranged from 0.5% to 4.5%. Globally, the community microfilarial loads (CMFL) were < 0.5 mf/ss. The survey therapeutic coverage rates were between 40% and 78%, lower than those reported (79% - 83%) by the NOCP. The coverage rates in ivermectin treatment in all age groups of the population were below 65%, except for the 40-50 age group where it was ≈70%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this study show a drastic decline in onchocerciasis prevalences after 20 consecutive years of CDTI, indicating a significant progress towards stopping O. volvulus transmission in Adamaoua Region. However, additional efforts are needed to increase the population coverage in ivermectin treatment in order to stop the parasite transmission in this region.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0011511"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11925462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143558520","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":"Insights into Haemophilus macrolide resistance: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Irfan Ahmad, Aziz Kubaev, Ahmed Hussein Zwamel, Roopashree R, Lalji Baldaniya, Jaswinder Kaur, Bindu Rani, Masoumeh Beig","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012878","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012878","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Haemophilus spp., particularly Haemophilus influenzae, are major global pathogens causing various infections. Macrolides are crucial in treating these infections, but rising resistance to macrolides in Haemophilus spp. highlights the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to assess the prevalence of macrolide resistance in Haemophilus spp, across different global regions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from May 2015 to December 2023 to identify studies on macrolide resistance in Haemophilus spp. The review included English-language full-text articles that reported resistance proportions and sample sizes. Study quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool. Statistical analysis was performed using a random-effects model using the metafor package in R.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 10,114 articles were retrieved, and after a comprehensive evaluation, 15 studies (from 19 reports) met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Most studies (eight reports from three countries) focused on clarithromycin susceptibility, revealing a pooled prevalence of 7.2%. High heterogeneity was observed for azithromycin (I² = 96.31%, p < 0.001). Azithromycin resistance was higher than clarithromycin, with a resistance rate of 9.3% (nine reports), while erythromycin resistance was significantly higher at 79% (four reports). Subgroup analysis revealed significant variations in resistance prevalence based on geographic location and continent for azithromycin, erythromycin, and clarithromycin. Additionally, notable differences were observed in resistance rates depending on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods and AST guidelines for both azithromycin and erythromycin. Clarithromycin resistance increased from 0.7% (2015-2019) to 12.6% (2020-2023).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study underscores the significant challenges of macrolide resistance in treating Haemophilus spp. infections. Additionally, ongoing surveillance of resistance patterns and exploring contributing factors are crucial to enhancing treatment effectiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012878"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11902202/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143558517","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":"Major basic protein and eosinophil peroxidase support microfilariae motility inhibition by eosinophil ETosis.","authors":"Pia Philippa Schumacher, Jesuthas Ajendra, Benjamin Lenz, Frederic Risch, Alexandra Ehrens, Celia Nieto-Pérez, Marianne Koschel, Tilman Aden, Achim Hoerauf, Marc P Hübner","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012889","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012889","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Eosinophils are a hallmark of filarial infections. They are primary effector cells and can attack filariae by releasing extracellular traps that contain toxic cationic proteins, such as eosinophil peroxidase and major basic protein. Previous studies demonstrated that the extracellular traps of eosinophils are induced by the microfilariae of Litomosoides sigmodontis and that they inhibit their motility. In this project, we aimed to investigate the role of these cationic proteins during the extracellular trap-mediated immobilization of microfilariae. Our results indicate that extracellular DNA traps from knockout mice that lack eosinophil peroxidase or major basic protein are significantly less able to immobilize and kill microfilariae. Accordingly, the addition of these cationic proteins to in vitro cultures inhibited microfilariae motility in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, we examined eosinophils from the natural host, the cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus. While eosinophils of cotton rats release DNA after stimulation with PMA and zymosan, microfilariae did not trigger this effector function. Our work shows that eosinophil granule proteins impair the motility of microfilariae and indicate significant differences in the effector functions of eosinophils between the mouse model and the natural host. We hypothesize that the absence of DNA nets released by cotton rat eosinophils in response to microfilariae may explain the higher microfilarial load and longer patency of the natural host.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012889"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11902130/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143606948","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":"Wastewater surveillance for Salmonella Typhi and its association with seroincidence of enteric fever in Vellore, India.","authors":"Dilip Abraham, Lalithambigai Kathiresan, Midhun Sasikumar, Kristen Aiemjoy, Richelle C Charles, Dilesh Kumar, Rajan Srinivasan, Catherine Troman, Elizabeth Gray, Christopher B Uzzell, Jacob John, Balaji Veeraraghavan, Nicholas C Grassly, Venkata Raghava Mohan","doi":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012373","DOIUrl":"10.1371/journal.pntd.0012373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Blood culture-based surveillance for typhoid fever has limited sensitivity, and operational challenges are encountered in resource-limited settings. Environmental surveillance targeting Salmonella Typhi (S. Typhi) shed in wastewater (WW), coupled with cross-sectional serosurveys of S. Typhi-specific antibodies estimating exposure to infection, emerges as a promising alternative.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We assessed the feasibility and effectiveness of wastewater (WW) and sero-surveillance for S. Typhi in Vellore, India, from May 2022 to April 2023. Monthly samples were collected from 40 sites in open drainage channels and processed using standardized protocols. DNA was extracted and analyzed via quantitative PCR for S. Typhi genes (ttr, tviB, staG) and the fecal biomarker HF183. Clinical cases of enteric fever were recorded from four major hospitals, and a cross-sectional serosurvey measured hemolysin E (HlyE) IgG levels in children under 15 years of age to estimate seroincidence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>7.50% (39/520) of grab and 15.28% (79/517) Moore swabs were positive for all 3 S. Typhi genes. Moore swab positivity was significantly associated with HF183 (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.08, 95% CI: 1.59-5.95) and upstream catchment population (aOR: 4.67, 1.97-11.04), and there was increased detection during monsoon season - membrane filtration (aOR: 2.99, 1.06-8.49), and Moore swab samples (aOR: 1.29, 0.60-2.79). Only 11 blood culture-confirmed typhoid cases were documented over the study period. Estimated seroincidence was 10.4/100 person-years (py) (95% CI: 9.61 - 11.5/100 py). The number of S. Typhi positive samples at a site was associated with the estimated sero-incidence in the site catchment population (incidence rate ratios: 1.14 (1.07-1.23) and 1.10 (1.02-1.20) for grab and Moore swabs respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings underscore the utility and effectiveness of alternate surveillance approaches to estimating the incidence of S. Typhi infection in resource-limited settings, offering valuable insights for public health interventions and disease monitoring strategies where conventional methods are challenging to implement.</p>","PeriodicalId":49000,"journal":{"name":"PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases","volume":"19 3","pages":"e0012373"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11896026/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143606952","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}