Acta tropica最新文献

{"title":"folA thyA knockout E. coli as a suitable surrogate model for evaluation of antifolate sensitivity against PfDHFR-TS","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107360","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107360","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A new superior bacteria complementation model was achieved for testing antifolate compounds and investigating antifolate resistance in the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) enzyme of the malaria parasite. Earlier models depended on the addition of trimethoprim (TMP) to chemically suppress the host <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<em>Ec</em>) DHFR function. However, incomplete suppression of <em>Ec</em>DHFR and potential interference of antibiotics needed to maintain plasmids for complementary gene expression can complicate the interpretations. To overcome such limitations, the <em>folA</em> (F) and <em>thyA</em> (T) genes were genetically knocked out (Δ) in <em>E. coli</em> BL21(DE3). The resulting <em>Ec</em>ΔFΔT cells were thymidine auxotroph where thymidine supplementation or functional complementation with heterologous DHFR-thymidylate synthase (TS) is needed to restore the loss of gene functions. When tested against pyrimethamine (PYR) and its analogs designed to target <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> (<em>Pf</em>) DHFR-TS, the 50 % inhibitory concentration values obtained from <em>Ec</em>ΔFΔT surrogates expressing wildtype (<em>Pf</em>TM4) or double mutant (<em>Pf</em>K1) DHFR-TS showed strong correlations to the results obtained from the standard <em>in vitro P. falciparum</em> growth inhibition assay. Interestingly, while TMP had little effect on the susceptibility to PYR and analogs in <em>Ec</em>ΔFΔT expressing <em>Pf</em>DHFR-TS, it hypersensitized the chemically knockdown <em>E. coli</em> BL21(DE3) expressing <em>Pf</em>TM4 DHFR-TS but desensitized the one carrying <em>Pf</em>K1 DHFR-TS. The low intrinsic expression level of <em>Pf</em>TM4 in <em>E. coli</em> BL21(DE3) by western blot analysis may explain the hypersensitive to antifolates of chemical knockdown bacteria surrogate. These results demonstrated the usefulness of <em>Ec</em>ΔFΔT surrogate as a new tool for antifolate antimalarial screening with potential application for investigation of antifolate resistance mechanism.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141981478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multifaceted computational profiling of thymol and geraniol against the human proteome for bio-repellent alternatives: Toxicity predictions, degradation analysis, and quantum mechanical approaches","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107359","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107359","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>With growing interest in natural compounds as alternative mosquito repellents, assessing the toxicity and structure of potential repellent naturals like thymol (monoterpene phenol) and geraniol (monoterpene alcohol) is vital for understanding their stability and human impact. This study aimed to determine the structural, toxicity, and binding profiles of thymol and geraniol using computational predictions, xTB metadynamics, quantum mechanics, and principal component analysis. Toxicity studies using Protox-II, T.E.S.T, and SwissADME indicated that thymol and geraniol belong to toxicity class 4 and 5, respectively, with low toxicity predictions in other endpoints. Overall pharmacokinetic profile was generated via pkCSM. Off-target predictions via SwissTarget Predictions, LigTMap, Pharmapper, and SuperPred showed that these molecules can bind to 614 human proteins. The degradation of thymol and geraniol were performed using xTB metadynamics and the outcomes showed that the degradants for both compounds were stable and had lower toxicity profile. Nine tautomers were generated via quantum mechanics for thymol and four for geraniol, with RMSD ranging from 3.8 to 6.3 Å for thymol and 3.6 to 4 Å for geraniol after superimpositions. DFT studies found that HOMO-LUMO values and electronegativity parameters of thymol and geraniol did not differ significantly from their isomers. Binding affinity studies against 614 proteins, analysed via PCA and violin plots, highlighted the probable range of binding. These multifaceted <em>in-silico</em> findings corroborate the stability and potential utility of thymol and geraniol as safer alternatives in repellent applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141981479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validation of real-time PCR assays for detecting Plasmodium and Babesia DNA species in blood samples","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107350","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107350","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Malaria and babesiosis are global health threats affecting humans, wildlife, and domestic animals, particularly in Africa, the Americas, and Europe. Malaria can lead to severe outcomes, while babesiosis usually resembles a mild illness but can be severe and fatal in individuals with weakened immune systems. Swift, accurate detection of these parasites is crucial for treatment and control. We evaluated a real-time PCR assay for diagnosing five <em>Plasmodium</em> and three <em>Babesia</em> species from blood samples, assessing its sensitivity, specificity, and analytical performance by analyzing 46 malaria-positive and 32 <em>Babesia</em> spp-positive samples diagnosed through microscopy. The limit of detection for <em>Plasmodium</em> species ranged from 30 to 0.0003 copies/µL. For mixed infections, it was 0.3 copies/µL for <em>P. falciparum/P. vivax</em> and 3 copies/µL for <em>P. malariae/P. knowlesi. Babesia</em> species had a detection limit of 0.2 copies/µL. No cross-reactivity was observed among 64 DNA samples from various microorganisms. The assay showed good sensitivity, detecting <em>Plasmodium</em> and <em>Babesia</em> species with 100 % accuracy overall, except for <em>P. falciparum</em> (97.7 %) and <em>B. microti</em> (12.5 %). The low sensitivity of detecting <em>B. microti</em> was attributed to limitations in microscopy for species identification. This technique heavily relies on the proficiency of the examiner, as species within the genus cannot be distinguished under a microscope. Additionally, <em>Babesia</em> can be confused with the early trophozoite stage (ring forms) of <em>Plasmodium</em> parasites. The findings support multiplex qPCR's diagnostic superiority over the gold standard, despite higher costs. It offers enhanced sensitivity, specificity, and detects mixed infections, crucial for effective monitoring and diagnosis of malaria and babesiosis in endemic regions with significant public health challenges.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141970399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larvicidal activity of β-Citral: An In-vitro and In-silico study to understand its potential against mosquito","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107356","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107356","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Tropical and subtropical regions face millions of deaths from mosquito-borne illnesses yearly. Insecticides prevent transmission but pose health risks like dermatitis and allergies. The primary objective was to mitigate the recurring dependence on synthetic insecticides, thereby curbing the development of mosquito resistance. Leaves of <em>Cymbopogon flexuosus</em> (lemongrass) was collected from Mayurbhanj, India, processed, then extracted by steam distillation for essential oils &amp; analyzed spectroscopically. Larvicidal assays were performed across varying concentrations, revealing the significant mortality induced by the <em>Cymbopogon flexuosus</em> extract against <em>Anopheles stephensi</em> larvae. 3D structure was modelled by using G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) sequence and structural stability was also validated. After docking the binding free energy was determined from GPCR protein with β-citral complex. Molecular dynamics (MD) study was conducted on the docked pose that displayed an optimal interactome profile. The larvicidal assay at the 12th and 24th hour revealed the highest LC50 (lethal concentration) of 23.493 ppm and 19.664 ppm . β-Citral has a high binding affinity and an identifiable binding site, which suggests that it may play a larvicidal role in regulating the receptor's function by creating stable complexes with it. β-Citral from lemongrass oils has potential larvicidal activity and effective against GPCR family 1 of mosquito and highly effective repellents against mosquito-borne diseases.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141915868","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of urine metabolite biomarkers for the detection of S. haematobium infection in pre-school aged children in a rural community in Zimbabwe","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107327","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107327","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Early diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis is key to its control and elimination. The current gold standard microscopic examination techniques lack sensitivity in detecting light Schistosomiasis infections in pre-school aged children thus it is urgent to develop diagnostic tools that may be integrated into control programs. In this study, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of urine metabolite biomarkers using a chemical reagent strip in the detection of <em>S. haematobium</em> infection in pre-school aged children.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>A case-control study was conducted involving 82 pre-school aged children that were age and sex matched. Urine samples were collected for 3 consecutive days and were evaluated using urine filtration gold techniques as the gold standard method. The samples were simultaneously measured for metabolite biomarkers specifically haematuria, proteins, ketones, nitrites, glucose, bilirubin and urobilinogen using chemical reagent strips. Pearson correlation test was used to measure the relationship between <em>S. haematobium</em> infection and the urine metabolite biomarkers.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The diagnostic performance of urine biomarkers were correlated with the microscopic examination urine filtration technique. Haematuria (<em>r</em> = 0.592, <em>p</em> = 0.0001) and proteinuria (<em>r</em> = 0.448, <em>p</em> = 0.0001) were correlated to <em>S. haematobium</em> infection. Negative correlations with <em>p</em> &gt; 0.05 were recorded for ketones and urobilinogen. Highest sensitivity was 65.9 % (CI, 49.4 - 79.9) for haematuria whilst protein (albumin) biomarker had a lower specificity value of 43.9 % (28.5 – 60.3). Inversely, highest sensitivity was 87.8 % (73.8 – 95.9) for proteinuria whilst haematuria had a lower sensitivity value of 82.9 % (67.9 – 92.8). The positive predictive values ranged from 57.7 % (41.6 – 72.2) to 79.4 % (65.5 - 88.7) whereas negative predictive values ranged from 70.8 % (60.8 – 79.2) to 52.0 % (48.7 – 55.3). With respect to diagnostic efficiency, haematuria had a fair diagnostic performance with an area under the curve of 0.76 followed by proteinuria with proteinuria whilst the remaining metabolites fail discriminating ability with an area under the curve of &lt;0.5.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Although haematuria and protein biomarkers in urine are moderately sensitive and specific, they are important morbidity indicators of urogenital schistosomiasis in pre-school aged that may be utilised during screening in schistosomiasis control programs. We recommend comprehensive analysis of biomarkers using metabolomics techniques to identify novel urine biomarkers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141911287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular detection, subtyping of Blastocystis sp. in migratory birds from nature reserves in northeastern China","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Migratory birds play an important role in the cross-regional transmission of zoonotic pathogens. Assessing the presence of zoonotic pathogens carried by migratory birds is critical for disease control. However, information about <em>Blastocystis</em> infection in the migratory birds is very limited. Thus, we conducted this study with the aim to explore the occurrence, prevalence and subtyping of <em>Blastocystis</em> in four breeds of migratory birds in northeastern China. From October 2022 to April 2023, a total of 427 fresh fecal samples were obtained from four breeds of migratory birds in five nature reserves in northeastern China, and screened for <em>Blastocystis</em> by PCR amplification. Twenty-one (4.92 %) of the studied samples were confirmed <em>Blastocystis</em>-positive, and two known zoonotic subtypes ST6 and ST7 were founded, with ST7 being the major subtype. Until now, we firstly reported the infection status and subtyping of <em>Blastocystis</em> in the migratory Greater White-Fronted Goose, White Stork, Oriental White Stork and Bean Goose in China. More importantly, these findings present further data on the genetic diversity and transmission routes of <em>Blastocystis</em> and further arouse public health concerns about this organism.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141911290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying the molecular mechanisms of action of wound healing properties of Mathan tailam and Mahamegarajanga tailam in Wistar albino rats: Evidence through IL-10/VEGF/TNF-α signalling pathways","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The Siddha system of medicine (SSM) is the oldest medical science practised in the ancient period of the southern part of India and Sri Lanka. Many formulations were described for wound healing in the SSM, with specific diagnostic differentiation in the Siddha literature. Most preparations for wound healing were available in the form of oil-based formulations, especially for external usage. Mathan tailam (MT) and Mahamegarajanga tailam (MMRT) have been used by Siddha physicians and traditional practitioners to treat wounds. Mathan tailam is a popular regimen for skin lacerations, burns, skin infections, diabetic wounds, and dermatitis. Mahamegarajanga tailam has long been used by traditional vaidyars to treat cuts and burns. Both MT and MMRT are clinically well-appreciated drugs for wound healing and need to be studied for their mechanisms of action for scientific documentation. In an <em>in vivo</em> study on albino rats -excisional wound model, the histopathological changes, histo-immune response, biomarker analysis, and mRNA expression were studied and analysed. Wounds treated with MT and MMRT healed faster (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) than the untreated group (CNT). Histological investigation showed rapid re-epithelialization, dense collagen deposition, increased enzymatic antioxidant activities and decreased lipid peroxidation in the MT and MMRT groups. mRNA expression reveals MT and MMRT-treated tissues able to induce convergent cell motility in wound space. Our study for the first time provides strong <em>in vivo</em> experimental evidence that Mathan tailam and Mahamegarajanga tailam play a crucial role in promoting skin tissue wound healing through IL-6/VEGF/TNF-α mediated mechanisms. Traditional practices continue to teach us valuable lessons, as seen by their continuous use in their locality for years.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141911289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular prevalence and subtype characteristics of Blastocystis among school children in Hainan, the tropical island province of China","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Blastocystis</em> is one of the most common zoonotic intestinal protozoa with global distribution and can cause gastrointestinal syndrome mainly characterized by diarrhea. School children are the main susceptible population. No epidemiological data on <em>Blastocystis</em> among school children in Hainan, the only tropical island province in China. Between March 2021 and June 2023, 1973 fecal samples were collected from school children across three regions in Hainan province. <em>Blastocystis</em> was examined by amplifying the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and subtypes were identified through DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The overall prevalence of <em>Blastocystis</em> was 7.3 % (144/1973). The differences in infection rates across different regions, nationalities, and educational stages are statistically significant (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Five subtypes were identified, of which ST3 was the dominant subtype (60.4 %; 87/144), followed by ST1 (27.8 %; 40/144), ST7 (10.4 %; 15/144), ST6 (0.7 %; 1/144), and ST2 (0.7 %; 1/144). 42 known sequences and 15 novel sequences were identified including eight new variations of the ST1 (ST1–16∼ST1–23) with similarities ranging from 98.3 % to 99.78 % and seven new variations of the ST7 (ST7–7∼ST7–13) with similarities ranging from 97.7 % to 99.79 % by intra-subtype genetic polymorphisms analysis. The results evaluate the public health risks of <em>Blastocystis</em> among school children in Hainan and the sources of infection were discussed, providing important basic data for the effective prevention and control of intestinal parasitic diseases in Hainan.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001706X24002353/pdfft?md5=2fdf1517dd0698a3358c679e164898d8&pid=1-s2.0-S0001706X24002353-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141911291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hemoplasmas in wild rodents and marsupials from the Caatinga Biome, Brazil","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A total of 231 blood samples from wild mammals belonging to the orders Rodentia (<em>n</em> = 142) and Didelphimorphia (<em>n</em> = 89) were screened by real-time PCR assay (qPCR), being six <em>Rhipidomys</em> sp., 118 <em>Thrichomys laurentius</em>, nine <em>Rattus rattus</em>, four <em>Kerodon rupestris</em>, five <em>Necromys lasiurus</em>, 42 <em>Didelphis albiventris</em> and 47 <em>Monodelphis domestica</em>. Results using qPCR showed that 32 of the total 231 (13.85 %) samples were positive for hemoplasma sequences of the 16S rRNA gene. Sequences from two <em>D. albiventris</em> showed 99.77–99.89 % identity with ‘<em>Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haemoalbiventris’ and 99.09 % with ‘<em>Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haemodidelphidis’, respectively. Furthermore, one <em>M. domestica</em> and five <em>T. laurentius</em> showed 99.72–99.77 % identity with <em>Mycoplasma</em> sp., and one <em>K. rupestris</em> showed 98.13 % identity with <em>'Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haematohydrochaerus'; and from two <em>Rattus rattus</em> showed 99.65–99.89 % identity with <em>Mycoplasma</em> sp. and <em>'Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haemomuris'. The 23S rRNA gene sequences obtained from the two <em>D. albiventris</em> showed 100 % identity with <em>'Ca</em>. M. haemoalbiventris' whereas the sequences from the <em>R. rattus</em> showed only 85.31 % identity with <em>'Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haematohydrochaerus'. Two <em>T. laurentius</em> and one <em>K. rupestris</em> showed 84.66–92.97 % identity with <em>'Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haemosphiggurus'. Based on phylogenetic and Neighbor-Net network analyses of the 16S and 23S rRNA genes, potential novel species are described. In addition, ‘<em>Ca</em>. M. haemoalbiventris’ was detected in <em>Didelphis albiventris</em>, and <em>Mycoplasma</em> sp. was detected in <em>Rattus</em> sp. rodents from the Caatinga biome, Brazil.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141911288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An evaluation of a lateral flow rapid diagnostic test for Strongyloides stercoralis infection","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> in humans often presents as a chronic asymptomatic infection. Diagnosis can be challenging due to the limited sensitivity of faecal-based parasitological techniques. A prototype lateral flow rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for the detection of specific antibodies against <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> (SsRapid) was evaluated using 143 samples from the serum bank of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute. Group 1 (<em>n</em> = 30) comprised serum samples from larvae-positive individuals; the RDT's diagnostic sensitivity was 97 % (29/30). Group II comprised serum samples from patients with other parasitic infections (<em>n</em> = 86) and Swiss blood donors (<em>n</em> = 27); the RDT's diagnostic specificity for this group was 90 % (102/113). The RDT showed good diagnostic performance and is a promising point-of-care test for detecting human <em>Strongyloides stercoralis</em> infection.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141888174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}