Acta tropica最新文献

{"title":"Circulation of influenza D virus in Ukraine: A multi-species serological study","authors":"Alessandro Falsini ,&nbsp;Aurora Fiori ,&nbsp;Emanuele Montomoli ,&nbsp;Nataliia Muzyka ,&nbsp;Denys Muzyka ,&nbsp;Claudia Maria Trombetta","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.107980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Influenza viruses infect a wide range of animal species and continue to pose a significant threat to global health. Influenza D virus (IDV), first identified in 2011, has emerged as a new pathogen with a broad host range and remains poorly understood. This seroepidemiological study aimed to investigate the circulation of IDVs in Ukraine by analysing serum samples from domestic, wild and pet animals collected between 2021 and 2024. All samples tested negative for influenza A viruses. The highest seroprevalence for the D/660 lineage was detected in horses (57%), followed by swine (10%), with sporadic positivity observed in wild and companion animals. Positivity for the D/OK lineage was lower across all species. Overall, these finding provide evidence of the circulation and predominance of the D/660 lineage as the major IDV circulating in Ukraine and underscore the importance of coordinated surveillance in livestock, wildlife, and at-risk human populations to fully evaluate the public health implications of this emerging pathogen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"274 ","pages":"Article 107980"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974856","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 of Plasmodium falciparum Infections Missed by Microscopy and HRP2-Based RDTs in the Dominican Republic","authors":"Claudia Cabrera Federo ,&nbsp;Francisco Cuevas ,&nbsp;Ana Margarida Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Bruno Freitas ,&nbsp;Isaac Miguel ,&nbsp;Vitoria Baptista ,&nbsp;Mariagiulia Conte ,&nbsp;Ana Santos-Pereira ,&nbsp;Edita Aquino ,&nbsp;Mildre Disla ,&nbsp;Akemi Tabata ,&nbsp;Nuno S. Osório ,&nbsp;Modesto Cruz ,&nbsp;Maria Isabel Veiga","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107956","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107956","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Malaria elimination in the Dominican Republic is both a public health and economic priority. With low incidence rates and the potential to interrupt transmission in the near future, the country has been included in the WHO E2025 elimination initiative. At this critical stage, highly sensitive diagnostics are essential to detect all infections, particularly in low-transmission settings where undetected cases can sustain transmission and jeopardize elimination efforts.</div><div>This study assessed the prevalence of low-density <em>Plasmodium</em> infections that escape detection by both HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and microscopy in the Dominican Republic. A total of 1095 suspected malaria cases, initially classified as negative by HRP2-based RDTs and microscopy, were re-examined. Nucleic acids were extracted from used RDT cassettes and screened for <em>Plasmodium</em> spp. using real-time PCR. For samples testing positive for <em>P. falciparum, pfhrp2</em> gene deletion analysis was subsequently performed<em>.</em></div><div>Results showed that nucleic acid extraction from RDT cassette was successful in 969/1095 (88.5%) samples and <em>P. falciparum</em> DNA was detected in 18/969 (1.9%). Notably, 16.7% (3/18) of these PCR-positive samples carried <em>pfhrp2</em> deletions, which undermine HRP2-based RDT performance.</div><div>These findings underscore the need to strengthen diagnostic strategies to sustain and accelerate malaria elimination efforts in the Dominican Republic.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107956"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145809214","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":"In vitro and in silico evaluation of the acaricidal activity of ethanol extract from Xylopia emarginata Mart. on Rhipicephalus microplus","authors":"Juliana Pimenta Cruz ,&nbsp;Victor Soares Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Leonardo Ferreira Oliveira ,&nbsp;Daniel Sobreira Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Eduardo Robson Duarte ,&nbsp;Mauro Aparecido de Sousa Xavier ,&nbsp;Viviane de Oliveira Vasconcelos","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107963","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107963","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The cattle tick <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em> has developed resistant populations due to the recurrent use of synthetic acaricides, increasing health and environmental risks; plant extracts may represent a promising alternative<em>.</em> This study evaluated the acaricidal potential of the ethanol extract (EE) from <em>Xylopia emarginata</em> Mart. against larvae and engorged females of <em>R. microplus. In vitro</em> assays, histological, chromatographic, and <em>in silico</em> analyses were performed. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry identified nine compounds, including myrtenal, spathulenol, and caryophyllene oxide. In bioassays, the EE showed high acaricidal activity against larvae, with CL₉₀ = 61.92 mg mL⁻¹ (95 % CI: 53.84–73.84 mg mL⁻¹). In engorged females, oviposition was not significantly affected; however, hatchability was reduced by 32.79 %, accompanied by histological alterations in the ovaries, such as cytoplasmic degradation, vacuolization, and oocyte rupture, that compromised embryonic development. Molecular docking analyses revealed strong binding affinities of spatulenol and caryophyllene oxide to key resistance-related enzymes. For all enzymes, the first score refers to spatulenol and the second to caryophyllene oxide: −8.215 and −8.374 kcal/mol for GST, −6.984 and −7.109 kcal/mol for AChE, and −7.791 and −6.702 kcal/mol for CYP450, suggesting potential mechanisms underlying their acaricidal effects. The predicted absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties indicated good intestinal absorption and compliance with Lipinski's Rule of 5. Together, the results demonstrate that the EE of <em>X. emarginata</em> has promising acaricidal activity, acting at different stages of the tick life cycle and representing a sustainable alternative for the integrated control of <em>R. microplus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107963"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145852976","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":"Old World screwworm myiasis: first report of Chrysomya bezziana in Chinese Milu (Elaphurus davidianus)","authors":"Xinyuan Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Zhong ,&nbsp;Yunfang Shan ,&nbsp;Qingyun Guo ,&nbsp;Zhibin Cheng ,&nbsp;Xinglong Song ,&nbsp;Congshan Yang ,&nbsp;Jiade Bai ,&nbsp;Qingxun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Myiasis is the infestation of humans and other warm-blooded animals with dipterous larvae. In the current study, a total of 40 maggots were collected from the cutaneous lesions of the Chinese Milu (<em>Elaphurus davidianus</em>) in China. Based on morphological identification, the third-instar larvae were classified as <em>Chrysomya bezziana</em>. To accurately identify this species, genomic DNA from the larvae was analyzed using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The findings indicated that the examined larvae were unequivocally consistent with the Old World screwworm fly, <em>C. bezziana</em>. This study firstly documented the cases of cutaneous myiasis caused by <em>C. bezziana</em> in Chinese Milu, and provided effective strategies for the prevention and control of myiasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107938"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145705752","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 evidence of zoonotic bacterial pathogens in hard ticks collected from stray cats in the Jerusalem district, Israel","authors":"J. Gonçalves-Oliveira ,&nbsp;H. Salant ,&nbsp;Y. Nachum-Biala ,&nbsp;A. Antonovskaia ,&nbsp;K.Y. Mumcuoglu ,&nbsp;G. Baneth ,&nbsp;S. Harrus","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107961","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107961","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks are known to harbor a great diversity of bacterial agents with potential human and animal health implications. This study investigated the occurrence of <em>Rickettsia</em> and <em>Bartonella</em> spp. in ticks collected from stray cats in the Jerusalem District. Between March 2021 and October 2024, 5002 stray cats were examined, and 330 ticks were collected from 165 infested individuals (3.3%). Three tick species were detected, <em>Rhipicephalus turanicus</em> (<em>n</em> = 224), <em>Haemaphysalis adleri</em> (<em>n</em> = 99), and <em>Rhipicephalus rutilus</em> (<em>n</em> = 7). <em>Rickettsia massiliae</em>-DNA was detected in 31% of the ticks. Moreover, <em>Bartonella</em>-DNA was detected in 3.3% of the ticks, including the two zoonotic species, <em>Bartonella henselae</em> and <em>Bartonella koehlerae.</em> Co-infections with <em>R. massiliae</em> and <em>B. henselae</em> occurred in 3 of the 330 samples (0.9%). No <em>Rickettsia felis-</em>DNA was detected in any of the tick samples. These findings uncover the circulation of <em>R. massiliae, B. henselae</em> and <em>B. koehlerae</em> among ticks from stray cats in the Jerusalem district and highlight the potential zoonotic risks in this densely populated and touristic region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107961"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145853026","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":"Performance comparison of rapid diagnostic test, microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction for Malaria detection in high-transmission area, Keerom Regency, Papua Province, Indonesia","authors":"Muhammad Fajri Rohkmad ,&nbsp;Semuel Sandy ,&nbsp;Mirna Widiyanti ,&nbsp;Setyo Adiningsih ,&nbsp;Agung Puja Kesuma ,&nbsp;Yustinus Maladan ,&nbsp;Yusnita Mirna Anggraeni ,&nbsp;Tri Ramadhani ,&nbsp;Mara Ipa ,&nbsp;Muhammad Choirul Hidajat ,&nbsp;Hanna Kawulur ,&nbsp;Chandra Mukti Kurniawan ,&nbsp;Adrianus Don Kopo ,&nbsp;NLP Indi Dharmayanti ,&nbsp;Triwibowo Ambar Garjito ,&nbsp;Antonius Oktavian ,&nbsp;Harimat Hendarwan","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107935","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107935","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates the performance of three diagnostic methods for malaria detection, Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs), microscopy, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), in the high-transmission area of Keerom Regency, Papua Province, Indonesia. With malaria posing a significant health threat, particularly in Indonesia, accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and disease management. The study involved 234 participants suspected of having uncomplicated malaria, with blood samples analyzed using all three diagnostic methods. Results indicated that PCR identified 42.3 % of malaria cases, while microscopy and RDTs detected 26.5 % and 22.6 %, respectively. Notably, PCR revealed a substantial number of cases missed by microscopy and RDTs, highlighting the limitations of these methods in low-parasitemia situations. The sensitivity and specificity of microscopy and RDTs were assessed against PCR as the reference standard, revealing significant discrepancies in diagnostic accuracy. The findings underscore the need for enhanced diagnostic strategies to improve case detection and support elimination efforts in Keerom regency, Papua, Indonesia</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107935"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145695869","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":"Temporal genomic diversity of Dengue virus in South India from 2019 to 2024","authors":"Sudarson Sundarrajan ,&nbsp;Santharam S Katta ,&nbsp;Sridhar KN ,&nbsp;Suraj Jagtap ,&nbsp;Nagaraj C","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107934","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107934","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dengue is an endemic disease in over 100 countries, causing an estimated 500,000 hospitalizations each year. The global mortality rate for severe dengue infections is around 2.5 %. India is a major dengue hotspot, accounting for almost a third of all global cases. Despite this significant burden, there are limited studies on the circulating serotypes and genetic lineages of the dengue virus (DENV) within the country. This retrospective study investigates the distribution and genetic diversity of circulating dengue virus (DENV) variants based on clinical samples collected from healthcare centres between 2019 and 2024 in South India. A total of 1015 samples from dengue patients tested positive for at least one of the dengue NS1, IgM, or IgG markers. Among these, 210 NS1-positive samples underwent DENV serotyping via RT-PCR, and 84 of those were further characterized through Sanger sequencing of the C-prM gene to determine genotype and lineage associations. The analysis revealed a decline in dengue infection rates with increasing age, supported by a corresponding rise in IgG seropositivity. Notably, individuals under 20 years of age exhibited a significantly higher frequency of severe disease compared to older age groups. All four DENV serotypes, DENV-1 through DENV-4, were detected across the study period, with a shift in dominant serotype approximately every 2–3 years. DENV-2 and DENV-3 emerged as the most prevalent serotypes. Phylogenetic analysis identified the following genotype-lineage associations: DENV-1 as Genotype III (Lineage: 1III_A), DENV-2 as Genotype II (Cosmopolitan) (Lineages: 2II_A and 2II_F), DENV-3 as Genotype III (Lineage: 3III_B), and DENV-4 as Genotype I (Lineage: 4I_B). These findings underscore the dynamic nature of dengue virus transmission and genetic evolution in the region, emphasizing the importance of age-specific surveillance and targeted prevention strategies. This study contributes valuable insights into local DENV circulation patterns, which are critical for informing diagnostic, therapeutic, and vaccine development efforts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107934"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145695902","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":"“Proteome-wide immunoinformatics analysis of Leishmania major: discovery of eight novel vaccine candidates and systematic evaluation of historical targets”","authors":"Ali Abdulqader,&nbsp;Farah M. Abdulsada,&nbsp;Mariam Qassim Al-Dulemey,&nbsp;Mohd Shahir Shamsir","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107949","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107949","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Leishmania major</em> remains a significant public health threat, yet vaccine development has been hampered by fragmented antigen selection approaches and limited systematic proteome-wide analysis. In this study, we developed a comprehensive immunoinformatics pipeline to systematically evaluate the entire L. <em>major</em> proteome (8038 proteins) using standardized selection criteria: subcellular localization (extracellular/membrane), antigenicity (VaxiJen ≥ 0.5), allergenicity assessment (AllerTOP/AlgPred consensus), signal peptide presence (SignalP ≥ 0.7), transmembrane topology (TMHs &lt; 2), optimal sequence length (100–500 aa), host homology exclusion (≤ 30% identity), and cross-species conservation analysis. This rigorous screening identified nine potential vaccine targets, including eight novel candidates and the well-known established antigen GP46 (Q4Q6B6) that passed all filtering criteria. Remarkably, four candidates (E9AFZ7, Q4Q0L6, Q4Q0X3, Q4QC59) remain annotated as \"uncharacterized proteins\" in UniProt, representing completely unexplored therapeutic targets. All nine candidates exhibited optimal vaccine properties: membrane/extracellular localization, high antigenicity (VaxiJen 0.52–0.89), non-allergenicity, signal peptide presence, and absence of human homologs. To validate our pipeline's stringency, we retrospectively analyzed twelve historically proposed L. <em>major</em> vaccine candidates using identical criteria. Strikingly, 67% (8/12) failed our selection standards: eight due to concerning host homology (&gt; 30% human identity) and four due to predicted allergenicity, with only GP46 meeting all requirements. Cross-species conservation analysis demonstrated broad <em>Leishmania</em> species coverage for our novel candidates, supporting their potential as universal vaccine targets. This study represents a paradigm shift from focusing on individual known antigens to employing systematic proteome-wide discovery, delivering a standardized framework for <em>Leishmania</em> vaccine candidate selection. The identification of nine candidates including GP46 antigen, including four uncharacterized proteins, significantly expands the therapeutic pipeline while our validation approach establishes quality-control standards essential for advancing neglected tropical disease vaccine development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107949"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145800339","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":"In-depth Spatio-temporal analysis of scarlet fever in subtropical China: Aiding targeted control efforts and the healthy China initiative","authors":"Shenglan Liu ,&nbsp;Hengming Liu ,&nbsp;Yuanzhi Huang ,&nbsp;Xinru Lei ,&nbsp;Dongliang Ke ,&nbsp;Zhiqun Lei ,&nbsp;Zhixin Lei","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The public health challenge of scarlet fever, caused by Group A Streptococcus, is significant due to its potential to develop into severe complications, including glomerulonephritis, rheumatic fever, and toxic shock syndrome. These sequelae substantially elevate long-term cardiovascular risks and contribute to increased child mortality rates. This investigation aimed to analyze the distribution of scarlet fever in terms of space and time in China from 2004 to 2020, and to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions on its epidemiological characteristics. The comprehensive investigation utilized China's complete national surveillance infrastructure, analyzing 753,697 confirmed cases with 11 fatalities recorded monthly across all 31 provincial divisions from 2004 to 2020. This analysis identified persistent incidence escalation until 2018, with the annual percentage change (APC) peaking at 12.35%, through integrated application of Joinpoint regression, spatial autocorrelation, SaTScan spatiotemporal scanning, characterized by pronounced geographical clustering in northern and eastern provinces. For example the average incidence in high-risk regions like Beijing reached 14.36 per 100,000 and demographic concentration among children aged 0–9 years (Moran's <em>I</em> &gt; 0.4). Province-specific incidence predictions were developed using a range of time-series models that were tailored to the dynamics of local epidemics. The epidemiological landscape transformed dramatically following COVID-19 non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in 2020, with national incidence declining precipitously by over 70% and the previously dissolving as reflected in the plunge of Moran's I from 0.37 to 0.05. This research delivers the inaugural 17-year high-resolution baseline (2004–2019) and a multi-model analytical framework on the Asian continent, offering vital decision support for precision public health interventions as directed by the 'Healthy China' plan. The study concluded that NPIs played a significant role in controlling the spread of scarlet fever. The scientific approach of identifying high-risk areas and vulnerable child groups based on spatial, temporal, and demographic characteristics helps in optimizing the allocation of resources for prevention and control, thereby enhancing infection prevention and control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107954"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145832090","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":"Surface ultrastructure and lodging of Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia cysts on fruits and vegetables","authors":"Ernesto Ramírez-Moreno ,&nbsp;Keity J. Farfán-Pira ,&nbsp;Nancy Rivas ,&nbsp;Ricardo Alejandre-Aguilar ,&nbsp;Alberto Antonio-Campos","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107950","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107950","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intestinal protozoan infections remain a global public health concern, particularly when transmitted through contaminated fruits and vegetables. This study investigated whether surface ultrastructures of selected produce create favorable microenvironments for cyst lodging of <em>Entamoeba histolytica</em> and <em>Giardia lamblia</em>. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine <em>Fragaria × ananassa, Coriandrum sativum, Solanum lycopersicum</em>, and <em>Lactuca sativa</em>. Plant surfaces exhibit distinct irregularities, including cavities, crevices, and vein-associated folds, which provide protective sites for cyst retention. Cysts were frequently observed within seed-associated cavities of <em>F. × ananassa</em>, along vein-associated and stomatal depressions in <em>C. sativum</em>, and within surface pits of <em>S. lycopersicum</em>. In <em>L. sativa</em>, the number of cavities did not differ significantly between outer and intermediate leaves (10–12 cavities/100 μm²), whereas inner leaves displayed significantly higher cavity densities (14–18 cavities/100 μm²; <em>p</em> &lt; 0.008), and cysts were commonly found lodged within cavities of the inner leaf, as well as within folds and surface irregularities of the outer leaves. These findings demonstrate that microscopic features of plant surfaces facilitate protozoan persistence, thereby contributing to foodborne transmission. Understanding these interactions underscores the need for improved agricultural handling, food processing strategies, and consumer level education to mitigate the risk of parasitic infections linked to fresh produce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107950"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145779745","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}