Diagnosis of leishmaniasis based on antibodies detection represents a challenge due to cross‐reaction of sera with other infectious agents, which co‐exist in endemic areas of Leishmania sp., especially patients with Trypanosoma cruzi. This work is aimed at searching for immunogenic proteins in sera from patients with cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis that may be potential candidates for the development

Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are largely used as a model for infectious diseases because it is very susceptible to several pathogens, including Leishmania spp. parasites. However, the research community faces limitations in its use due to the lack of immunological reagents and tools to study the immune system in this model. In this context, we proposed the validation of some important commercially

Chagas disease (CD) is a global health concern with approximately 12 000 deaths per year worldwide. In the chronic phase, about 30% of patients develop the cardiac clinical form, which presents symptoms associated with the presence of inflammatory cells in the cardiac tissue. Neutrophils are inflammatory cells able to modulate the chronic immune response against pathogens. These cells are capable of

More than 11 million people were estimated to have been infected by Schistosoma japonicum in China before the 1950s. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the longitudinal effects of previous schistosome infection (PSI).

To analyze the effects of a protein deficient (PD) diet on antibody‐dependent cell‐mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) in vitro against newborn larvae (NBL) of Trichinella spiralis in the lungs of infected rats.

The bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease and is transmitted to humans through an Ixodes tick vector. B. burgdorferi is able to survive in both mammalian and tick hosts through careful modulation of its gene expression. This allows B. burgdorferi to adapt to the environmental and nutritional changes that occur when it is transmitted between the two hosts. Distinct

Immune mediated hypersensitivity reactions to ticks and other arthropods are well documented. Hypersensitivity to ixodid (hard bodied) ticks is especially important because they transmit infection to humans throughout the world and are responsible for most vector‐borne diseases in the United States. The causative pathogens of these diseases are transmitted in tick saliva that is secreted into the host

This special issue of Parasite Immunology focuses on the scope of immune interactions that take place within the triad of ticks, their vertebrate hosts, and tick‐borne pathogens. Ticks and tick‐borne infections are global medical and veterinary public health threats due to greater abundance and expanding geographic ranges of tick vectors; introduction of tick transmitted diseases into new areas; emerging

Ticks are the primary vector of arboviruses in temperate climates worldwide. They are both the vector of these pathogens to humans and an integral component of the viral sylvatic cycle. Understanding the tick‐pathogen interaction provides information about the natural maintenance of these pathogens and informs the development of countermeasures against human infection. In this review, we discuss currently

It is known that miRNAs are effective in immune response in the diagnosis and treatment of many infectious diseases. However, the miRNAs profile is unknown in Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis which can be fatal if left untreated. The miRNAs profile that activates the T and B cells forming the immune system in Alveolar and Cystic Ecinococcosis patients was investigated in this study. A total of 50

Despite immunization appearing to be the most appropriate strategy for long term control of the vector‐borne leishmaniases, no sustainable vaccine is currently available against any form of leishmaniasis. We therefore evaluated, in the context of vaccine antigen candidates, antigen‐specific immune response at various stages of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).

The recent development of high‐throughput NGS technologies, (ie, next‐generation sequencing) has highlighted the complexity of tick microbial communities—which include pathogens, symbionts, and commensals—and also their dynamic variability. Symbionts and commensals can confer crucial and diverse benefits to their hosts, playing nutritional roles or affecting fitness, development, nutrition, reproduction

Immunocompromised mice are extensively used in the screening of vaccines and drugs for Cryptosporidium, but this study model does not reflect the real status of infection in immunocompetent animals. This study aimed to provide an optimized animal model for future studies of Cryptosporidium vaccine.

To date, a Toxoplasma gondii vaccine for clinical use remains unavailable, though multiple vaccine candidates have been suggested. In our previous studies, unadjuvanted virus‐like particles (VLPs) vaccines expressing multiple T. gondii antigens were confirmed to be protective against T. gondii challenge infection. Yet, the protective efficacy of adjuvanted T. gondii VLP in comparison with the unadjuvanted

Acquired tick resistance is a phenomenon wherein the host elicits an immune response against tick salivary components upon repeated tick infestations. The immune responses, potentially directed against critical salivary components, thwart tick feeding, and the animal becomes resistant to subsequent tick infestations. The development of tick resistance is frequently observed when ticks feed on non‐natural

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan with worldwide distribution and triggers a strong Th1 immune response in infected susceptible hosts. On the contrary, most helminth infections are characterized by Th2 immune response and the use of helminth‐derived antigens to regulate immune response in inflammatory disorders has been broadly investigated.

Leishmania braziliensis is the main causative agent of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in Brazil. Current treatment includes different drugs that have important side effects and identification of cases of parasite resistance to treatment support the search for new therapeutic strategies. Recent findings have indicated that CXCL10, a chemokine that recruits and activates Th1 cells, NK cells, macrophages

‘Omics’ technologies have facilitated the identification of hundreds to thousands of tick molecules that mediate tick feeding and play a role in the transmission of tick‐borne diseases. Deep sequencing methodologies have played a key role in this knowledge accumulation, profoundly facilitating the study of the biology of disease vectors lacking reference genomes. For example, the nucleotide sequences

Ticks are blood‐feeding ectoparasites that transmit a variety of pathogens to host animals and humans, causing severe infectious diseases such as Lyme disease. In a certain combination of animal and tick species, tick infestation elicits acquired immunity against ticks in the host, which can reduce the ability of ticks to feed on blood and to transmit pathogens in the following tick infestations. Therefore

Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellated extracellular protozoan parasite that infects the human genitourinary tract, is usually transmitted by sexual contact. Our previous study showed that the leukotriene B4 (LTB4), a T vaginalis‐secreted lipid mediator, induces interleukin (IL)‐8 production and promotes mast cell degranulation and migration via BLT1 in human. In this study, we investigated whether T vaginalis

Local and systemic immune mediators of Morada Nova lambs with divergent Haemonchus contortus resistance phenotypes were evaluated.

This study aimed at investigating the impact of Dicrocoelium ova on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) treatment in C57BL6 mice.

ES‐62 is a well‐studied anti‐inflammatory molecule secreted by L4‐adult stage Acanthocheilonema viteae. We maintain the life cycle of A viteae using Meriones libycus as the definitive host. Here, we investigated whether the full life cycle could be maintained, and functional ES‐62 produced, in a related jird species—Meriones shawi.

Polyreactive antibodies (pAb) bind to a broad range of unrelated structures, providing hosts with functional components able to rapidly recognize and protect against different pathogens. However, their roles against helminth parasites are still unexplored. Here, pAb profiles were analysed in cystic echinococcosis (CE), a zoonosis caused by the cestode Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. Levels of anti‐DNP

Leishmaniasis is considered a disease with multiple clinical/immunopathological characteristics, depending on the immunity of the host and the species of the parasite. In Panama, the most prevalent species that causes localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) is Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis, and its immune response is poorly studied. Therefore, we evaluated by immunohistochemistry, the in situ immune

Hookworm infection is considered the most prevalent human soil‐transmitted helminth infection affecting approximately 500 million people and accounting for 3.2 million disability‐adjusted life years lost annually. As with many other neglected tropical diseases, no international surveillance mechanisms that show accurate data on the prevalence of hookworm infection are in place, thus hindering strategies

Radiation‐attenuated sporozoites induce sterilizing immunity and remain the 'gold standard' for malaria vaccine development. Despite practical challenges in translating these whole sporozoite vaccines to large‐scale intervention programmes, they have provided an excellent platform to dissect the immune responses to malaria pre‐erythrocytic (PE) stages, comprising both sporozoites and exoerythrocytic

Early biomarkers of the response to treatment are lacking and may help to reduce mortality by the vector‐borne disease visceral leishmaniasis (VL).

DX5+NKT cells’ distribution and population change in BALB/c and FVB mice infected by C sinensis and their function in liver damage were investigated.

Trypanosoma cruzi is a remarkably versatile parasite. It can parasitize almost any nucleated cell type and naturally infects hundreds of mammal species across much of the Americas. In humans, it is the cause of Chagas disease, a set of mainly chronic conditions predominantly affecting the heart and gastrointestinal tract, which can progress to become life threatening. Yet around two thirds of infected

IgA and Th17 responses are pivotal for the control of Giardia infections. Eosinophils support IgA class switching, the survival of intestinal IgA+ plasma cells at steady state and can control Th17 activity in the small intestine. To see whether eosinophils regulate adaptive immune responses during giardiasis, we investigated Giardia muris infections in wild‐type BALB/c and eosinophil‐deficient ∆dblGATA‐1

To generate different larval stages of Strongylus vulgaris and to study cytokine responses in cultures of eqPBMC exposed to defined larval stages of S. vulgaris and cyathostomins with the aim to understand the early immune reaction to these parasites.

To describe an anti‐Strongyloides IgA, IgG and IgG immune complex antibody response profile in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Serodiagnosis of sheep scab is an established diagnostic method and has become popular in recent years. However, the current diagnostic antigen, Pso o 2, has shown promise as a component of a recombinant vaccine for scab, making it incompatible with discriminating between infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA). Here, we describe the discovery and characterization of a novel Psoroptes ovis immunodiagnostic

Schistosomiasis is the most important helminth disease in the world from a public health perspective. S mansoni and S japonicum account for the majority of global intestinal schistosomiasis cases, and the pathogenesis is widely assumed to be fundamentally similar. However, the majority of research on schistosomiasis has been carried out on S mansoni and comparisons between the two species are rarely

Given the involvement of IL‐9 in the immune responses to parasitic infections, we aimed to determine alterations in the levels of IL‐9+CD4+ T cells and the cytokines influencing their differentiations and functions following treatment in paediatric visceral leishmaniasis (VL).

The Schistosoma japonicum (S japonicum)‐infected ApoE gene deficiency (ApoE−/−) mice were used to determine effect of ApoE on hepatic immunopathology.

Gene drive is the process of copying of an endonuclease‐containing cassette that leads to increased frequency of inheritance of the desired traits in a targeted population. CRISPR/Cas9 technology is advancing genetic manipulation of insects in the field of gene drive experiments. The CRISPR/Cas9 drive could be engineered for genetic manipulation of parasites and/or vectors for disease control. A number

Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium spp. can cause devastating pathological effects in humans and livestock, and in particular to young or immunocompromised individuals. The current treatment plans for these enteric parasites are limited due to long drug courses, severe side effects or simply a lack of efficacy. The study of the early interactions between the parasites and the site of infection in

This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity and humoral and cellular immune response of three heterologous vaccines against Leishmania infantum, yet containing synthetic peptides from Leishmania major in the experimental model in hamsters.

Merozoite surface protein 8 (MSP‐8) of Plasmodium parasites plays an important role in erythrocyte invasion and is a potential malaria vaccine candidate.

Gyrodactylids are ubiquitous ectoparasites of teleost fish, but our understanding of the host immune response against them is fragmentary. Here, we used RNA‐Seq to investigate genes involved in the primary response to infection with Gyrodactylus bullatarudis on the skin of guppies, Poecilia reticulata, an important evolutionary model, but also one of the most common fish in the global ornamental trade

Leishmania donovani, the causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), modulates host monocytes/macrophages to ensure its survival. However, knowledge regarding the host‐parasite interactions underpinning the disease remains limited. As disease progression is associated with polarization of monocytes/macrophages towards M2, which is regulated by cytokines IL‐4/IL‐13 and IL‐10, this study evaluated

Fasciola hepatica causes economically important disease in livestock worldwide. The relevance of this parasitic infection extends beyond its direct consequences due to its immunoregulatory properties.

Identification of a 29 kDa heat stress protein in filarial parasite Setaria cervi and evaluation of its diagnostic potential against lymphatic filariasis.

Gill health is one of the main health challenges for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) mariculture worldwide, and amoebic gill disease (AGD), caused by the marine ectoprotozoan Neoparamoeba perurans , is currently one of the most significant diseases in terms of prevalence and economic impact. This review describes the host response of Atlantic salmon to the disease, focusing on the pathological changes

The salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Lsal ) is an ectoparasitic copepod that exerts immunomodulatory and physiological effects on its host Atlantic salmon. Over 30 years of research on louse biology, control, host responses and the host‐parasite relationship has provided a plethora of information on the intricacies of host resistance and parasite adaptation. Atlantic salmon exhibit temporal and

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD), caused by the myxozoan Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae, is one of the most serious parasitic diseases of salmonids in which outbreaks cause severe economic constraints for the aquaculture industry and declines of wild species throughout Europe and North America. Given that rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ) is one of the most widely farmed freshwater fish and an

The possibility of manipulating the immune response in lambs to the gastrointestinal nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis to reduce production losses associated with infection was investigated. In a series of four experiments, attempts to immunize sheep via the mucosal route to modify the immune response and induce mucosal tolerance are outlined. Initially, a proof of concept study was conducted

The objective of this study was to determine the association of TNF‐α −308 G/A, IFN‐γ +874 T/A, IL‐12B + 1188 A/C, IL‐10 −1082 G/A and IL‐4 −590 C/T polymorphisms with susceptibility to CL.

A 24‐year‐old patient presented with a 4‐month‐long high‐spiking fever, characteristic rash, sore throat and arthralgias. Bone marrow biopsy examination demonstrated visceral leishmaniasis with the presence of typical Leishman‐Donovan bodies. During the treatment for visceral leishmaniasis with the sodium stibogluconate, he died suddenly. According to the symptoms, we infer that the patient catch the

We evaluate whether the serum and aqueous humour (AH) level of IgG anti‐Hsp70.1 antibodies improved the biological diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis.

The objective of this study was to identify and characterize cell populations within ovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) associated with Haemonchus contortus (Hc) larval morbidity and impairment in vitro.

Skin lesions in nonulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis (NUCL) caused by Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi are characterized by a mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis, which is composed mainly of lymphocytes, followed by macrophages, few plasma cells and epithelioid granulomas with mild tissue parasitism. Previous studies have shown that the main population of lymphocytes present in the dermal

Giardia lamblia is a protozoan parasite that causes giardiasis, one of the most common worldwide gastrointestinal diseases. For rational development of a Giardia vaccine, increasing our understanding of the host‐Giardia interaction is crucial. In this study, we analysed the immunogenicity and antigenicity of two G lamblia strain variants [GS and GS‐5G8 (+)], which express different levels of the variant‐specific