Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases最新文献

{"title":"Density-dependence and different dimensions of changing weather shape adult abundance patterns of common mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in Bloomington, Indiana, USA","authors":"Aidan Patrick Simons ,&nbsp;Amanda Lenfestey ,&nbsp;Luis Fernando Chaves","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the factors driving changes in mosquito abundance are key to quantify the risk they pose as vectors of pathogens. Here, to study the impacts of weather changes and density-dependent regulation on mosquito species abundance, we used season long weekly time series of <em>Aedes japonicus</em> (Theobald), <em>Aedes triseriatus</em> (Say), <em>Aedes vexans</em> (Meigen), <em>Anopheles punctipennis</em> (Say), C<em>oquillettidia perturbans</em> (Walker), and <em>Culex pipiens</em> L., common mosquito species in the Bloomington, IN, USA, area. We use the forced Ricker model to estimate population growth and density-dependence parameters, as well as the forcing by weather variables. We found that weather factors important for the population dynamics of these species were different. We found that <em>Cx. pipiens</em> population dynamics was not associated with any weather variables, while <em>Ae. japonicus</em>, <em>Ae. triseriatus</em> and <em>Cq. perturbans</em> were forced by relative humidity, <em>Ae. vexans</em> by SD of rainfall, and <em>An. punctipennis</em> by the kurtosis of temperature. These results illustrate the diversity of ways in which mosquitoes can respond to changing weather patterns and highlight the need for a more nuanced understanding of how mosquitoes respond to climate change by coupling field studies with mathematical modeling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100242"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143149067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cryptosporidium prevalence in calves and its effect on local water quality prior to abstraction and treatment","authors":"Ceri Edwards ,&nbsp;Frank Katzer ,&nbsp;Paul M. Bartley ,&nbsp;Janet Roden ,&nbsp;Hannah J. Shaw","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100295","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100295","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp., particularly <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em>, pose a significant threat to raw water quality and public health. Cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal zoonotic disease, causes diarrhoea in dairy and beef production systems worldwide. Infected calves shed <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. oocysts in faeces, posing risks of contaminating surface water sources. Understanding the dynamics of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> contamination is crucial for effective water quality management. This study investigated <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. prevalence in neonatal calves and its potential impact on water quality before abstraction and treatment. The study analysed faecal samples from 1–3-week-old calves on two English dairy farms upstream of a water abstraction point. Initial screening used <em>C. parvum</em> immune chromatographic assays (ICT) on 47 faecal samples. This was followed by DNA extraction and species identification, with <em>gp60</em> subtyping. Raw and treated water quality data were analysed to determine <em>Cryptosporidium</em> oocyst counts. <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em> was the predominant species in calves at both farms, with <em>gp60</em> subtype IIaA17G2R1 being the only subtype detected. Some calf samples revealed mixed infections with <em>C. parvum</em> and <em>C. ryanae</em>. Raw-water samples (<em>n</em> = 214) revealed a 50.00% positivity rate for <em>Cryptosporidium</em> oocysts, with 22.43% (24/107) containing <em>C. parvum/C. hominis</em> and the remainder 77.57% (83/107) <em>C. andersoni</em>. Water treatment significantly reduced oocyst counts (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001); however, due to the increase in popularity of bathing in rivers, oocysts present in raw river water may still prove a public health risk.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100295"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Small mammals as hosts of vector-borne pathogens in the High Tatra Mountains region in Slovakia, Central Europe","authors":"Bronislava Víchová ,&nbsp;Michal Stanko ,&nbsp;Martina Miterpáková ,&nbsp;Zuzana Hurníková ,&nbsp;Yaroslav Syrota ,&nbsp;Patrícia Schmer-Jakšová ,&nbsp;Petronela Komorová ,&nbsp;Lucia Vargová ,&nbsp;Veronika Blažeková ,&nbsp;Dana Zubriková ,&nbsp;Klaudia Mária Švirlochová ,&nbsp;Gabriela Chovancová","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100240","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100240","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rodents and insectivores are significant reservoirs of many zoonotic pathogens, contributing to the transmission of diseases affecting human and animal health. This study investigated the prevalence and diversity of vector-borne pathogens in small mammals within the High Tatras region of Slovakia, an area with substantial recreational activity and protected zones. A total of 156 small mammals, comprising ten species, were screened for pathogens such as <em>Bartonella</em> spp., <em>Borrelia</em> spp., <em>Anaplasma phagocytophilum</em>, and <em>Babesia</em> spp. The prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in the studied animals reached 74.35%, with <em>Bartonella</em> spp. being the most common, identified in 57.7% of the animals, particularly in <em>Apodemus flavicollis</em> and <em>Clethrionomys glareolus</em>. <em>Borrelia burgdorferi</em> (<em>sensu lato</em>) was detected in 11.5% of the rodents, with <em>Borrelia afzelii</em> identified as the predominant species. <em>Babesia microti</em> was found in <em>A. flavicollis</em> and <em>Mus musculus</em>, with a total prevalence of 3.2%. The lowest was the prevalence of <em>A. phagocytophilum</em> reaching 1.9%. This study provides evidence of the significant role of rodents as reservoirs of vector-borne pathogens in protected areas of the High Tatras region and Tatra National Park.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100240"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11751563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143026256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring bioactive molecules released during inter- and intraspecific competition: A paradigm for novel antiparasitic drug discovery and design for human use","authors":"Pichet Ruenchit","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many antiparasitic drugs have become obsolete and ineffective in treating parasitic diseases. This ineffectiveness arises from parasite drug resistance, high toxicity, and low drug efficacy. Thus, the discovery of novel agents is urgently needed to control parasitic diseases. Various strategies are employed in drug discovery, design, and development. This review highlights the paradigm of searching for bioactive molecules produced during inter- and intraspecific competition among organisms, particularly between microbes and parasites, as a strategy for <em>de novo</em> antiparasitic drug discovery. Competitive interactions occur when individuals of the same or different species coexist in overlapping niches and compete for space and resources. These interactions are well recognized. Therefore, bioactive molecules released during these interactions are promising targets for novel drug discovery. Compelling data indicate that microbes remain a potential source for the discovery of novel antiparasitic drugs because of their diversity. Many antimicrobial producers in nature have yet to be isolated and investigated. This body of evidence underscores the success of numerous therapeutic drugs, including penicillin, β-lactams, and tetracyclines, which have been successfully discovered and developed for treating infectious diseases. This review comprehensively covers these concepts, with a particular focus on inter- and intraspecific competition in the discovery of novel antiparasitic agents. This approach will pave the way for identifying alternative strategies to control and eradicate parasitic diseases that continue to threaten human health. Additionally, this review discusses current antiparasitic drugs and their mechanisms of action, limitations, and existing gaps. This discussion emphasizes the ongoing need to explore novel antiparasitic drugs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100256"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143826358","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bats from an area of the Colombian Caribbean reveal the circulation of Alphacoronavirus","authors":"Caty Martínez ,&nbsp;Daniel Echeverri ,&nbsp;Alfonso Calderón ,&nbsp;Eliana Hurtado ,&nbsp;Bertha Gastelbondo ,&nbsp;Yésica López ,&nbsp;Jairo Martínez ,&nbsp;Yeimy López ,&nbsp;Yesica Botero ,&nbsp;Camilo Guzmán ,&nbsp;Ketty Galeano ,&nbsp;Valeria Bertel ,&nbsp;Yonairo Herrera ,&nbsp;Germán Arrieta ,&nbsp;Joao Pessoa Araujo ,&nbsp;Salim Mattar","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evolutionary origin of coronaviruses is related to bats (order Chiroptera), and their association with pathologies in animals and humans is expected. Anthropic threats reduce bat diversity and expose humans to extraordinary transmission and spread of associated viruses, putting health and food security at risk owing to the multiple ecological roles that bats play. This study aimed to determine the presence of coronaviruses in bats in the Department of Córdoba, Colombia. Between 2022 and 2023, 11 municipalities were selected using non-probabilistic sampling methods. A total of 262 bats belonging to 16 species of five families were captured and identified. Serological tests were performed to detect SARS-CoV-2, and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to detect the coronavirus RdRp gene. RdRp-positive samples were sequenced using Sanger sequencing. Five specimens (2.7%) had antibodies against the coronavirus N protein, and the RdRp gene was detected in 55 specimens (21.0%), all belonging to the family Phyllostomidae. Phylogenetic analysis of the RdRp gene revealed that the newly generated sequences represented alphacoronaviruses. Bats tested in ecoregions with greater anthropogenic intervention were shown to be carriers of coronaviruses, unlike bats from conserved ecoregions. Coronavirus surveillance in bats has revealed previous infections through serology and circulating infections in natural populations of different ecoregions of the Department of Córdoba, where inter-species jumps could be generated by contact between bats and domestic/wild animals, or humans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100261"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pseudocapillaria tomentosa (Nematoda: Capillariidae) in fish and its significance in comprehending host-parasite relationships: A review","authors":"Amin Marandi ,&nbsp;Anne Majgaard Jensen ,&nbsp;Louise von Gersdorff Jørgensen","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Helminth parasites, including capillariids, pose a significant health risk to animals, including fishes, birds, and mammals. <em>Pseudocapillaria tomentosa</em> is a widespread, but poorly studied parasite primarily infecting freshwater cyprinid fishes in the northern hemisphere. However, despite controlled laboratory procedures, the parasite is also prevalent in many zebrafish (<em>Danio rerio</em>) research facilities due to inadequate measures to ensure biological security and the ability of the nematode to endure chlorine treatment. <em>Pseudocapillaria tomentosa</em> typically causes chronic disease in fish, leading to morbidity, mortality, and economic challenges. Clinical signs include emaciation, ulcers, anemia, and hemorrhage, as well as reduced growth and reproductive ability, and prominent humpback lesions in severe infections. Diagnosing <em>P. tomentosa</em> infections involve observation of eggs in wet mount preparations or worms in histological sections of the intestine. However, definitive species identification requires detailed morphological examination and molecular analyses. <em>Pseudocapillaria tomentosa</em> can be effectively managed through anthelmintic treatments such as emamectin, fenbendazole, albendazole, and mebendazole as well as preventive measures including maintaining optimal water quality, reducing fish density, and implementing strict quarantine protocols. This review discusses the use of the zebrafish to study host-parasite interactions, particularly with the parasitic nematode <em>P. tomentosa</em>. The zebrafish is a suitable model for studying infectious diseases, including parasites, due to its well-characterized immune system, reporter lines and cell lineages. This model organism exhibits immune responses to helminth antigens, including eosinophilia and the upregulation of inflammatory cytokines like Tnf-α and Ifn-γ. The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in susceptibility to parasitic infections in zebrafish and an imbalanced or dysbiotic gut microbiome can predispose fish to parasitic infections, while a healthy, balanced microbiome can enhance resistance. Furthermore, probiotic-based interventions are being explored as a way to boost mucosal immunity and modify the gut microbiome to prevent parasitic infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100265"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143922470","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of haemotropic mycoplasmas and blood piroplasmids in domestic and wild ruminants in Slovakia, Central Europe","authors":"Dana Zubriková ,&nbsp;Lucia Vargová ,&nbsp;Júlia Halapy ,&nbsp;Branislav Lukáč ,&nbsp;Veronika Blažeková ,&nbsp;Klaudia Mária Švirlochová ,&nbsp;Eva Čisovská Bazsalovicsová ,&nbsp;Ján Čurlík ,&nbsp;Ivana Heglasová ,&nbsp;Bronislava Víchová","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Some piroplasmids and haemotropic mycoplasmas are important pathogens affecting domestic and wild animals, leading to various clinical symptoms and economic losses. This study aimed to determine, for the first time, the prevalence of haemotropic mycoplasmas and <em>Babesia</em>/<em>Theileria</em> species in domestic and wild ruminants in Slovakia, Central Europe. Blood samples from cattle, goats, and sheep (<em>n</em> = 549) and liver samples from red deer (<em>n</em> = 43) were collected across Slovakia between 2008 and 2024. DNA was extracted and screened by PCR and sequencing for haemotropic mycoplasmas and piroplasmids. The overall prevalence of haemotropic mycoplasmas was highest in cattle at 53.3% (124/232) and in sheep at 60% (90/150), whereas the prevalence in goats was substantially lower (4.2%; 7/167). Specifically, <em>Mycoplasma wenyonii</em> and “<em>Candidatus</em> Mycoplasma haematobovis” were detected in cattle, while <em>Mycoplasma ovis</em>-like microorganisms were identified in sheep and goats. For <em>Babesia</em>/<em>Theileria</em> species, a prevalence of 1.8% was recorded in goats, with no detections in sheep, and a prevalence of 65.1% was confirmed in red deer, where sequencing confirmed the presence of <em>Theileria capreoli</em>. This study presents the first report on the prevalence of haemotropic mycoplasmas in ruminants in Slovakia, highlighting the need for further research into transmission dynamics and potential zoonotic risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100270"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gene regulation in Cryptosporidium: New insights and unanswered questions","authors":"Samantha Gunasekera ,&nbsp;Jessica C. Kissinger","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100280","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100280","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Parasites of the genus <em>Cryptosporidium</em> have evolved to have a highly compact genome of ∼9.1 Mb. The mechanisms that regulate gene expression in <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. remain incompletely understood at all levels, including chromatin accessibility, transcription factor activation and repression and RNA processing. This review discusses possible mechanisms of gene regulation in <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp., including histone modifications, <em>cis</em> regulatory elements, transcription factors and non-coding RNAs. <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. are among the most basal branching apicomplexans and existing evidence suggests that they diverge from other members of their phylum <em>via</em> retention of the E2F/DP1 transcription factor family, and the recent discovery that <em>C. parvum</em> produces polycistronic transcripts. Most of what we know about gene regulation in the genus <em>Cryptosporidium</em> is based on sequence conservation and homology with other members of the phylum Apicomplexa, and in some cases, more distant eukaryotes. Very few putative gene regulatory components identified in <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. are supported by experimental confirmation. This review summarizes what we know about gene regulation in <em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. and identifies gaps in our current understanding.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100280"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Survey of tick-borne pathogens in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks from livestock in the Northern Punjab Province, Pakistan","authors":"Mariachiara Ciarma ,&nbsp;Sophie Melis ,&nbsp;Beatrice Bisaglia ,&nbsp;Gherard Batisti Biffignandi ,&nbsp;Gull Sanober Sunny ,&nbsp;Michela Vumbaca ,&nbsp;Sara Epis ,&nbsp;Muhammad Arshad ,&nbsp;Haroon Ahmed ,&nbsp;Davide Sassera ,&nbsp;Michele Castelli","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100275","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100275","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ticks are worldwide distributed hematophagous ectoparasites that can act as vectors of numerous zoonotic pathogens of concern for human and veterinary health. In this study, we investigated the presence and abundance of bacterial and protozoan tick-borne pathogens in livestock-associated ticks from Northern Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 374 ticks were collected by convenience sampling in 40 villages and were morphologically and molecularly characterized, with all of them being identified as <em>Rhipicephalus microplus</em>. Out of 121 adult female ticks that were tested by PCR, 57 (47.1%) were positive for <em>Ehrlichia canis</em>, 16 (13.2%) for <em>Anaplasma marginale</em>, 13 (10.7%) for <em>Theileria orientalis</em>, 3 (2.5%) for <em>Ehrlichia muris</em>, and none for <em>Rickettsia</em> spp. Phylogenetic analyses indicated a high proximity of the newly characterized pathogens with conspecifics from other countries, thus suggesting possible recent long-distance spread of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Moreover, the investigated pathogens showed seasonal variations in ticks, being more abundant during summer. The higher temperature and lower humidity of this season may represent favourable conditions for tick and pathogen survival and spread. The present findings provide an updated report of the distribution of ticks and tick-borne pathogens associated with livestock in Punjab. This highlights the need for further research to monitor the presence and dissemination of these pathogens, and to develop local and general epidemiological control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100275"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144222726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiology and surveillance of West Nile virus in the Mediterranean Basin during 2010–2023: A systematic review","authors":"Ibrahim Abbas ,&nbsp;Fahad Ahmed ,&nbsp;Hira Muqaddas ,&nbsp;Alberto Alberti ,&nbsp;Antonio Varcasia ,&nbsp;Luigi Sedda","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100277","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100277","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change can cause spatio-temporal shifts in the epidemiology of various vector borne pathogens, especially in vulnerable areas such as the Mediterranean Basin (MB). Among these pathogens, the West Nile virus (WNV) became endemic in the region. This systematic review and meta-analysis study summarizes WNV epidemiology, molecular characteristics, and surveillance in various MB countries, relying on data and scientific articles on WNV published during 2010–2023. The number of published articles varied across the three MB subregions: Southern Europe (<em>n</em> = 153), North Africa (<em>n</em> = 33), and Western Asia (<em>n</em> = 14). During this period, 5765 WNV cases in humans were documented across 19 MB countries with peaks during 2018–2022, mostly in Italy and Greece. The latter had neurological disease in 70.3% of 1868 cases, and a high case fatality rate (13.7%). Fewer WNV cases were reported in North Africa despite having the highest pooled human seroprevalence (15.4%), suggesting potential underdiagnosis and cryptic transmission. Overall, 6.5% out of 160,775 individuals had WNV-IgG antibodies in their sera, and WNV-neutralizing antibodies (NA) were detected in ∼50% of 731 IgG-seropositive individuals, indicating co-circulation of other flaviviruses in the MB. In horses, 698 confirmed cases were reported across 14 MB countries. Compared to humans, horses had a higher pooled IgG (26.0%) and NA (71.8%) prevalence, but a lower case fatality rate (6.1%). Wild birds, the key amplifying hosts, displayed a pooled IgG seroprevalence of 11.9%. WNV-RNA was detected in 4.5% of 3040 dead or neurologically diseased wild birds. Entomological surveillance revealed WNV-RNA in 2.5% of 52,159 mosquito pools tested, mostly <em>Culex pipiens</em>. WNV lineages 1 and 2 co-circulate, with Lineage 2 being dominant in Southern Europe. Surveillance capabilities vary across subregions, with robust integrated strategies in Southern Europe and limited efforts in North Africa and Western Asia. Since no vaccines are available for humans, integrated One Health approaches are crucial for effective surveillance and early warning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100277"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144271400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}