Acta tropica最新文献

{"title":"Proteophosphoglycan functional motifs display genetic polymorphism in a natural population of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.","authors":"Pollyana Primo Carvalho, Monaliza Souza, Lilian Medina, Marcus Muñoz, Albert Schriefer","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107606","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107606","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Leishmaniasis causes 3,5M DALYs. Treatment often requires parenteral administration and causes debilitating side effects. Vaccines to prevent the most dramatic outcomes would be most welcome. The Proteophosphoglycan (PPG) is encoded by ppg1 to ppg4 and mediates interaction of Leishmania spp. with macrophages employing two motifs: leucine-rich (LRR), and alanine, proline, and serine repeats (APS). We PCR amplified, cloned, sequenced, and assessed the conservation of LRR and APS of ppg3 and ppg4 in L. braziliensis of 24 patients from Northeast Brazil, then compared them to Leishmania spp. from Genebank. Evolutionary divergencies (ED) between ppg alleles were calculated by Maximum Composite Likelihood. The amplification success of ppg3-lrr was 87.5%; ppg3-aps was 58.3%; and ppg4-lrr was 62.5%. ppg3-lrr presented two conserved alleles of equal frequencies, similar to reference strain's (ED = 0.000). ppg4-lrr presented three alleles with overall lower conservation (ED = 48.820). Conservation was high for two of the alleles (ED = 0.003) present in 87.5% of isolates. Three alleles of ppg3-aps were observed (overall ED = 0.730). One occurred in three L. braziliensis isolates being similar to reference strain's (ED = 0.009). The other two were present in 70% of the isolates, substantially deviating from the reference L. braziliensis (ED > 1.000). Phylogeny employing ppg3-lrr, ppg3-aps or ppg4-lrr clustered L. braziliensis reference and test isolates with the other subgenus Viannia species, segregating them from species of other New and Old-World subgenera. Overall, moderate polymorphism affected functional PPG motifs, opening the possibility of their consideration in eventual subunit vaccines against leishmaniasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":" ","pages":"107606"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143750514","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":"Comparative study on the utility of automated chemiluminescence immunoassay for NS1 antigen-based dengue diagnosis.","authors":"Munjal Shah, Nehal Mehta, Zeenal Savla, Anand Ramaian Santhaseela, Elavarasan Tamilmani","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107604","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With newer dengue outbreaks extending to regions that were previously unaffected, about half of the world's population is now at risk of dengue infection. This scale of dengue spread and its undistinguishing primary fever symptom demands embracing automated high-throughput diagnostic techniques for quicker confirmatory diagnosis which otherwise requires time, cost and skill intensive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Magnetic bead-based automated chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) is one potential platform that has proven its diagnostic potential for different diseases. However, adoption of CLIA for dengue diagnosis demands extensive validation for widespread implementation. To this end, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of CLIA in comparison with routine dengue diagnostic approaches such as rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and RT-PCR. RDT and CLIA detected the presence of dengue non-structural protein 1 (NS1) antigen while RT-PCR detected the presence of viral RNA. From the analysis of 204 samples, the dengue test positive percentage was 17.6%, 16.7% and 19.6% by RDT, CLIA and RT-PCR methods, respectively. CLIA exhibited a sensitivity of 77.5%, specificity of 98.17% and a Cohen's kappa agreement (κ) value of 0.802 with RT-PCR. In addition, CLIA also exhibited a high κ-value of 0.931 with RDT. These findings show the reliability of NS1 antigen detection using automated CLIA for dengue diagnosis. This supports the potential to adopt high-throughput automated CLIA for dengue diagnosis when resources and expertise required to meet the need for quick test result turnaround during outbreaks may be limited.</p>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":" ","pages":"107604"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741800","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":"Sequencing and description of mitochondrial genome of Coquillettidia venezuelensis, Trichoprosopon digitatum and Uranotaenia calosomata (Diptera: Culicidae).","authors":"Fábio Silva da Silva, Bruna Laís Sena do Nascimento, Ana Cecília Ribeiro Cruz, Hanna Carolina Farias Reis, Daniel Damous Dias, Bruno Tardelli Diniz Nunes, Sandro Patroca da Silva, Ivy Tsuya Essachika Prazeres, José Wilson Rosa Junior, Liliane Leal das Chagas, Durval Bertram Rodrigues Vieira, Roberto Carlos Feitosa Brandão, Lívia Carício Martins, Daniele Barbosa de Almeida Medeiros, Joaquim Pinto Nunes Neto","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107601","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mosquitoes constitute a monophyletic taxon with approximately 3,700 species, widely distributed across continents and recognized as primary vectors of various infectious agents. Despite their medical importance, limited information is available on the evolutionary biology and molecular taxonomy of many mosquito species. In this study, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of Coquillettidia venezuelensis Theobald, 1912, Trichoprosopon digitatum Rondani, 1848, and Uranotaenia calosomata Dyar & Knab, 1907, collected from the Brazilian Amazon. Sequencing was performed using the NextSeq 500 platform, resulting in genomes averaging 15,329 bp in length, comprising 37 functional subunits (13 PCGs, 22 tRNA, and 2 rRNA) and an A+T-rich control region. Comparative analyses revealed conserved genome organization, codon usage bias favoring AT-rich codons, and evidence of purifying selection acting on PCGs. Notably, a unique tRNA gene rearrangement was identified in Tr. digitatum, supporting its association with the Sabethini tribe. Phylogenetic reconstruction using concatenated PCGs confirmed the monophyly of major mosquito lineages, corroborating current taxonomic classifications and previous molecular and morphological studies. Our findings enrich the genetic resources available for Culicidae, contributing to improved molecular taxonomy and evolutionary understanding of these taxa. Additionally, this study highlights the potential of using transcriptomic data to recover mitochondrial genomes, offering a valuable tool for future systematic and eco-epidemiological research. Integration of mitochondrial data with nuclear markers and expanded taxonomic sampling is recommended to enhance resolution of deeper phylogenetic relationships within Culicidae.</p>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":" ","pages":"107601"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143741806","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":"Tick-borne pathogens in small mammals from the Pantanal biome, Brazil","authors":"Richard de Campos Pacheco ,&nbsp;Hermes Ribeiro Luz ,&nbsp;Francisco Borges Costa ,&nbsp;Hector Ribeiro Benatti ,&nbsp;Thallitha Samih Wischral Jayme Vieira ,&nbsp;Maerle Oliveira Maia ,&nbsp;Sebastián Muñoz-Leal ,&nbsp;Nathalia de Assis Pereira ,&nbsp;Daniel Moura de Aguiar ,&nbsp;Marcelo Bahia Labruna","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107599","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107599","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The order Piroplasmida (e.g., &lt;em&gt;Babesia, Theileria, Cytauxzoon&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Rangelia&lt;/em&gt;) and order Eucoccidiorida, Suborder Adelorina (e.g., &lt;em&gt;Hepatozoon&lt;/em&gt;) comprise protozoa of the phylum Apicomplexa. At the same time, the Anaplasmataceae family (Order &lt;em&gt;Rickettsiales&lt;/em&gt;) encompasses important bacterial pathogens, notably the genera &lt;em&gt;Anaplasma&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Ehrlichia&lt;/em&gt;. All these genera of agents have pathogenic species transmitted to vertebrate hosts via ticks and pose significant economic, veterinary, and medical concerns. Biological samples of small mammals (Rodentia and Didelphiomorphia) collected between 2015 and 2018, as part of a study on the eco-epidemiological aspects of Brazilian spotted fever, were made available to investigate the molecular prevalence of Piroplasmida, &lt;em&gt;Hepatozoon&lt;/em&gt; species, and Anaplasmataceae agents. The study included 28 marsupials of the species &lt;em&gt;Gracilinanus agilis&lt;/em&gt; and 62 rodents, which comprised &lt;em&gt;Cerradomys subflavus, Dasyprocta azarae, Hylaeamys megacephalus, Necromys lasiurus, and Oecomys mamorae&lt;/em&gt;. All individuals were captured in the municipality of Poconé in the Brazilian Pantanal, located in midwestern Brazil. Among 333 biological samples, including blood (n=85), spleen (n=85), liver (n=90), and lung (n=73), &lt;em&gt;Hepatozoon&lt;/em&gt; were molecularly detected in cricetid rodents &lt;em&gt;H. megacephalus&lt;/em&gt; (n=2) and &lt;em&gt;Oecomys&lt;/em&gt; sp. (n=1), representing 3.3 % of the small mammals surveyed. Positive results for &lt;em&gt;Anaplasma&lt;/em&gt; sp. were observed in 21 (23.3 %) animals, including &lt;em&gt;H. megacephalus&lt;/em&gt; (n=15), &lt;em&gt;Oecomys&lt;/em&gt; sp. (n=1), four rodents not identified at the species level, and the marsupial &lt;em&gt;G. agilis&lt;/em&gt; (n=1). All biological samples were negative for Piroplasmida. Phylogenetic analysis of a partial 18S rRNA gene sequence from &lt;em&gt;Hepatozoon&lt;/em&gt; sp. detected in &lt;em&gt;H. megacephalus&lt;/em&gt; clustered into a clade with &lt;em&gt;Hepatozoon&lt;/em&gt; sp. identified in &lt;em&gt;Cuniculus paca&lt;/em&gt; from the Brazilian Amazon. In addition, a Bayesian phylogenetic inference based on the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA) from members of the Anaplasmataceae family obtained from &lt;em&gt;H. megacephalus, Oecomys&lt;/em&gt; sp., and an unidentified rodent clustered together. This cluster was part of a sub-clade with two &lt;em&gt;Anaplasma&lt;/em&gt; sp. sequences from &lt;em&gt;Amblyomma coelebs&lt;/em&gt; nymphs collected from coatis (&lt;em&gt;Nasau nasua&lt;/em&gt;) in southern Brazil and ‘&lt;em&gt;Candidatus&lt;/em&gt; Anaplasma sparouinense’ detected in a human from French Guiana. In conclusion, we provide strong evidence of a high occurrence of &lt;em&gt;Anaplasma&lt;/em&gt; genotypes infecting Cricetidae rodents in the Pantanal biome, which suggests that humans may be at risk of infection by an &lt;em&gt;Anaplasma&lt;/em&gt; genotype closely related to ‘&lt;em&gt;Ca.&lt;/em&gt; A. sparouinense’, responsible for an unusual case of human anaplasmosis in the Amazon rainforest. Given the potential involvement of rodents and marsupials in the natural cycle and tr","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"264 ","pages":"Article 107599"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726102","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":"First molecular detection of Babesia bigemina in horseflies from Uruguay","authors":"Diuliani Fonseca Morales ,&nbsp;Pablo Parodi ,&nbsp;Luana Ferreira Viana dos Reis ,&nbsp;Mariana Cavalcanti Nascimento ,&nbsp;Gratchela Dutra Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Leandro Silva Nunes ,&nbsp;Alejo Menchaca ,&nbsp;Franklin Riet‐Correa ,&nbsp;Tiago Kütter Krolow ,&nbsp;Martín Lucas ,&nbsp;Anderson Saravia ,&nbsp;William Borges Domingues ,&nbsp;Vinicius Farias Campos ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Ferreira Krüger","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107595","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107595","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis are primarily transmitted by the biological vector <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em>. However, <em>Anaplasma marginale</em> may also be mechanically transmitted through the bites of haematophagous flies such as tabanids. While biological transmission by ticks is the predominant route for <em>Babesia</em> species, some reports suggest that mechanical transmission via fomites contaminated with merozoites may occur. Additionally, mechanical vectors such as tabanids may contribute to the spread of the disease. This study investigated the presence of <em>Babesia bigemina</em> and <em>Babesia bovis</em> in tabanids from three localities in Uruguay previously evaluated for the presence of <em>A. marginale</em>. We performed PCR amplification targeting the <em>Rap-1a</em> and <em>gp45</em> genes, followed by Sanger sequencing. Our findings revealed that 4.21 % of the tabanids tested positive for <em>B. bigemina</em>, with the highest prevalence in Tacuarembó (28.57 %), followed by Paysandú (3.22 %) and Colonia (1.75 %). <em>Dasybasis missionum</em> from Tacuarembó, <em>Poeciloderas lindneri</em> from Paysandú, and <em>Tabanus</em> sp. from Colonia were positive. Additionally, a co-detection rate of 2 % with <em>A. marginale</em> was observed. These findings underscore the potential role of tabanids as vectors for <em>Babesia bigemina</em>, emphasizing the need for integrated vector control strategies in livestock management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"264 ","pages":"Article 107595"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143726103","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":"Basic research on Chagas disease: Fifty years of a successful initiative.","authors":"Samuel Goldenberg, Bianca Zingales, Walter Colli","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107598","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107598","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Annual Meetings on Basic Research in Chagas Disease, traditionally held in Caxambu, a spa town in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This milestone is noteworthy as these events have played a crucial to developing the Brazilian protozoology community. We review the history of these meetings from their inception in 1974 in Rio de Janeiro, tracing their evolution over the past five decades. The growing success of the meetings attracted researchers focused on other protozoa, particularly Leishmania, and in 2004, the Brazilian Society of Protozoology assumed responsibility for organizing the Caxambu Meetings. In this review, we analyze the progress of research on Chagas disease and leishmaniasis in Brazil by examining publication trends and the number of master's dissertations and doctoral theses defended on these diseases during the periods 1923-1975 and 1976-2024. We emphasize that the initial financial support from the Integrated Endemic Diseases Program (PIDE) of the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq) and the Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR/WHO), launched in 1973 and 1974 respectively, was of fundamental importance.</p>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":" ","pages":"107598"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143699375","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":"Proteomic profiling of spleen in rat infected with clonorchissinensis using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis.","authors":"Su Han, Jie Wan, Xiaoli Zhang, Jian Ding, Xiang Li, Yang Cheng, Yifan Sun, Zhenli Xu, Jianlin Wu, Rui Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107594","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107594","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Clonorchiasis, caused by Clonorchissinensis, remains a significant yet neglected tropical disease with substantial global health implications. As the largest immune organ in mammals, the spleen plays a crucial role in defending against C. sinensis infection; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying spleen pathogenesis during such infections are poorly understood. To address this gap, quantitative Tandem Mass Tags (TMT) liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was employed to profile protein changes in the spleens of rats infected with C. sinensis. This analysis identified 40,664 peptides from 6,817 proteins, including 371 and 464 differentially expressed proteins at 4 and 8 weeks post-infection (wpi) compared to the control groups, respectively. Clustering analysis revealed distinct proteomic profiles among the groups, while gene ontology analysis associated the differentially expressed proteins with biological binding activities and metabolic processes. KEGG analysis revealed significant enrichment of immune-related and metabolic pathways, including AMPK, IL-17, and p53 signaling pathways. These findings reveal dynamic alterations in spleen proteins during C. sinensis infection, offering valuable insights into the biomarker candidates for early diagnosis. Future studies are warranted to validate these potential biomarkers and explore their utility for early diagnosis of clonorchiasis.</p>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":" ","pages":"107594"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143699377","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":"Access, utilisation and barriers to lymphedema care: A mixed method study in Puducherry, India","authors":"Muhammed Jabir ,&nbsp;Sudipta Maiti ,&nbsp;Dinesh Raja Jeyapal ,&nbsp;Anoop C Choolayil ,&nbsp;Dhanalakshmi Rajendran ,&nbsp;Jency Priskilla","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lymphatic filariasis (LF) causes chronic conditions such as lymphedema and hydrocele, which require continued care to prevent disease progression and reduce the risk of secondary infections. The delivery and utilisation of lymphedema care services are shaped by various socio-economic and systemic factors. Although India has implemented the strategy of mass drug administration (MDA) across all 345 endemic districts, it still lags in the implementation of morbidity care to affected individuals. Healthcare access and treatment barriers among lymphedema patients are less explored domains. This mixed-methods study aimed to assess healthcare utilization and identify barriers to care among patients with lymphedema in Puducherry, a district that stopped MDA in 2013 and is currently under surveillance. The study involved analysis of patient records from three primary healthcare centres and in-depth interviews with 21 lymphedema patients and six healthcare providers. Data were collected between May and August 2024 and analysed thematically. The findings revealed significant variation in healthcare access and utilization, with urban centres showing higher patient attendance and more consistent distribution of services. While most participants had access to essential supplies and care, some faced challenges due to mobility constraints, and inconsistent service delivery. The implementation of care has often been challenged by staff shortages, difficulties in patient tracking, mobility issues among advanced-stage patients, and insufficient training. Family support emerged as a key factor in helping patients cope with the disease. Strengthening healthcare delivery through enhanced resource allocation, staff training, patient tracking systems, and targeted financial and psychosocial interventions is essential for equitable and effective care for patients. As India works toward LF elimination by 2027, sustained efforts to improve care for lymphedema patients remain crucial, especially in region under post-MDA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"264 ","pages":"Article 107590"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143699374","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":"Exploring the presence of Leishmania RNA Virus 1 in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis isolates from the most endemic area of American tegumentary Leishmaniasis in Argentina","authors":"María Cristina Almazán ,&nbsp;Gabriela González-Prieto ,&nbsp;Luiza de Oliveira R. Pereira ,&nbsp;Melisa Díaz-Fernández ,&nbsp;Guillermo Portal ,&nbsp;Lilian Motta Cantanhêde ,&nbsp;Fernanda García-Bustos ,&nbsp;Cecilia Parodi ,&nbsp;Pamela Cajal ,&nbsp;Marcelo Quipildor ,&nbsp;Julio Nasser ,&nbsp;Alejandro Krolewiecki ,&nbsp;Alejandra Barrio","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) comprises a group of diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the <em>Leishmania</em> genus. The endosymbiont <em>Leishmania</em> RNA Virus 1 (LRV1) has been associated with severe disease forms and treatment failure in several South American countries; however, no data are available for Argentina. This study conducted the first screening for LRV1 in the country's most endemic region, Salta Province, analyzing 44 clinical samples from cutaneous, mucosal, and relapsing ATL cases. All samples were identified as <em>Leishmania</em> (<em>Viannia</em>) <em>braziliensis</em> by PCR-RFLP, and tested negative for LRV1 using RT-PCR. Applying a zero-patient design to avoid concluding absolute absence, the theoretical LRV1 prevalence was estimated to be below 7 %, substantially lower than the 25–77 % range reported in Amazonian regions. These findings suggest that LRV1 distribution may not extend into Argentina. While LRV1 may contribute to disease severity when present, it should not be regarded as an exclusive or definitive factor in clinical presentation or therapeutic response in the region. Further research into genetic, immunological, and epidemiological factors is needed to better understand severe ATL forms in Argentina and to develop targeted strategies for improved disease management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"264 ","pages":"Article 107591"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143690846","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":"New therapeutic insights of marine derived alginate nanoparticles on experimental giardiasis","authors":"Eman A Elmorsy ,&nbsp;Marwa Abdelaziz ,&nbsp;Heba F. Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Hoda A Rashed","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Giardiasis, caused by the protozoan parasite <em>Giardia lamblia</em>, is a prevailing gastrointestinal infection with significant global health implications. Traditional treatments, primarily based on nitroimidazole derivatives, often face challenges such as drug resistance and adverse side effects. This study explores the use of alginate nanoparticles (Alg-NPs) as a novel therapy against experimental giardiasis. Treating <em>Giardia</em>-infected mice with Alg-NPs resulted in a significant reduction in the parasite load up to 88.2 % and 92.7 % in trophozoite and cyst counts, respectively. Ultrastructurally, the treated trophozoites showed significant structural damage, including disrupted membrane integrity and loss of flagella. Alg-Nps also reduced the oxidative stress marker MDA and improved the antioxidant GSH level in treated mice. These changes were reflected in restoration of the intestinal architecture and a reduction in inflammation. Additionally, enterocytes exhibited enhanced cellular integrity and reduced signs of damage, as shown by histopathological and ultrastructure examinations. These changes were accompanied by a significant elevation in IL-17A levels in the treated mice, confirming the immune-stimulatory role of Alg-Nps in aiding the elimination of the <em>Giardia</em> infection. In conclusion, this multi-faceted study demonstrates the potential of Alg-NPs as a promising therapeutic strategy against giardiasis that not only effectively targets the parasite but also mitigates host tissue damage and inflammation, paving the way for further research and potential clinical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"264 ","pages":"Article 107592"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143690848","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}