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Apicomplexa micropore: history, function, and formation Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Jiong Yang, Shaojun Long, Geoff Hide, Zhao-Rong Lun, De-Hua Lai
The micropore, a mysterious structure found in apicomplexan species, was recently shown to be essential for nutrient acquisition in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii. However, the differences between the micropores of these two parasites questions the nature of a general apicomplexan micropore structure and whether the formation process model from Plasmodium can be applied to other apicomplexans
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Cystoisospora suis Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-13 Anna Sophia Feix, Anja Joachim
Abstract not available
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MAM 2024: Malaria in a changing world Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-12 Rhea J. Longley, Josephine Malinga, Eva Hesping, Edwin Sutanto, Sophia M. DonVito, Michal Kucharski, Damian A. Oyong, Julie M.J. Verhoef, Esrah Du, Elizabeth Villasis, Kioko Mwikali
Abstract not available
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Regulation of host metabolic health by parasitic helminths Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Suchandan Sikder, Doris Pierce, Eti R. Sarkar, Connor McHugh, Kate G.R. Quinlan, Paul Giacomin, Alex Loukas
Obesity is a worldwide pandemic and major risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D requires lifelong medical support to limit complications and is defined by impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance (IR), and chronic low-level systemic inflammation initiating from adipose tissue. The current preventative strategies include a healthy diet, controlled
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A targetable receptor-binding site on PfCyRPA to aid in the fight against malaria Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Thayne H. Dickey, Niraj H. Tolia
Recently, Day et al. identified a receptor-binding site on the malaria parasite protein PfCyRPA that binds the host sugar Neu5Ac, and they found that disrupting this interaction impedes parasite growth. A map of the receptor-binding site identifies an attractive target for antimalarial vaccines and therapeutics.
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A paradigm for Africa-centric vaccine development in Equatorial Guinea Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-05 Peter F. Billingsley, Thomas L. Richie, Salim Abdulla, Mitoha Ondo’o Ayekaba, Claudia A. Daubenberger, Guíllermo A. Garcia, Stephen L. Hoffman
The Equatorial Guinea Malaria Vaccine Initiative (EGMVI) highlights how long-term African government and international energy industry investment, plus novel partnerships, can enable clinical development of vaccines in Africa, for Africa. We review achievements and challenges of this pioneering, award-winning, public–private partnership which offers a model for future Africa-centric clinical research
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Subscription and Copyright Information Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-04-03
Abstract not available
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Roles of the tubulin-based cytoskeleton in the Toxoplasma gondii apical complex Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-25 Albert Tell i Puig, Dominique Soldati-Favre
Microtubules (MTs) play a vital role as key components of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton. The phylum Apicomplexa comprises eukaryotic unicellular parasitic organisms defined by the presence of an apical complex which consists of specialized secretory organelles and tubulin-based cytoskeletal elements. One apicomplexan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, is an omnipresent opportunistic pathogen with significant
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It’s not all about flagella – sticky invasion by pathogenic spirochetes Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-23 Martin Strnad, Nobuo Koizumi, Shuichi Nakamura, Marie Vancová, Ryan O.M. Rego
Pathogenic spirochetes cause a range of serious human diseases such as Lyme disease (LD), syphilis, leptospirosis, relapsing fever (RF), and periodontal disease. Motility is a critical virulence factor for spirochetes. From the mechanical perspective of the infection, it has been widely believed that flagella are the sole key players governing the migration and dissemination of these pathogens in the
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Exploiting integrative metabolomics to study host–parasite interactions in Plasmodium infections Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-19 Maria Nikulkova, Wael Abdrabou, Jane M. Carlton, Youssef Idaghdour
Despite years of research, malaria remains a significant global health burden, with poor diagnostic tests and increasing antimalarial drug resistance challenging diagnosis and treatment. While ‘single-omics’-based approaches have been instrumental in gaining insight into the biology and pathogenicity of the Plasmodium parasite and its interaction with the human host, a more comprehensive understanding
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From a bimodal to a multi-stage view on trypanosomes’ differential RNA editing Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-16 Homa Zamani, Naghmeh Poorinmohammad, Amin Azimi, Reza Salavati
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Itaconate as a potential target for antimalarial therapy Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Jonathon P. Bernardi, Taylen J. Nappi, Noah S. Butler
In a recent publication, Ramalho et al. investigated monocyte-derived dendritic cell (MODC) mobilization in response to Plasmodium infection. The authors showed that elevated levels of itaconate in MODCs results in reduced CD8 T cell activation and that the absence of itaconate is associated with enhanced parasite control.
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Unlocking the mystery of the feeder organelle and versatile energy metabolism in Cryptosporidium parvum Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Dongqiang Wang, Guan Zhu
Xu and colleagues recently revealed the critical role of Cryptosporidium's feeder organelle in nutrient uptake, showcasing the parasite's ability to harness glucose and glucose-6-phosphate from host cells. This illuminates the sophisticated energy metabolism and survival strategies of the parasite, highlighting potential therapeutic targets.
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Navigating the terrain of neutrophil extracellular traps in severe malaria pathogenesis Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Maria Saeed, Elizabeth H. Aitken, Stephen J. Rogerson
Du, Ren, et al. recently showed in a Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) experimental malaria model that phosphatase of regenerating liver 2 (PRL2) regulates neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in severe malaria (SM)-related acute lung injury (ALI). PRL2 deficiency caused SM with ALI in a mouse model by increasing NETs in pulmonary tissue; hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may ameliorate this.
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Vector biology of the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-07 Charlotte O. Moore, Marcos Rogério André, Jan Šlapeta, Edward B. Breitschwerdt
Ctenocephalides felis, the cat flea, is among the most prevalent and widely dispersed vectors worldwide. Unfortunately, research on C. felis and associated pathogens (Bartonella and Rickettsia spp.) lags behind that of other vectors and vector-borne pathogens. Therefore, we aimed to review fundamental aspects of C. felis as a vector (behavior, epidemiology, phylogenetics, immunology, and microbiome
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Revisiting the determinants of malaria transmission Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Lauriane Sollelis, Virginia M. Howick, Matthias Marti
Malaria parasites have coevolved with humans over thousands of years, mirroring their migration out of Africa. They persist to this day, despite continuous elimination efforts worldwide. These parasites can adapt to changing environments during infection of human and mosquito, and when expanding the geographical range by switching vector species. Recent studies in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium
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Brain parasites and misorientation of migratory birds Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Staffan Bensch, Mélanie Duc, Gediminas Valkiūnas
Haemoproteus blood parasites of birds are thought to be relatively benign. Recent findings show that infections may develop in the brain of birds, possibly distorting their orientation sense. Misdirected migration may lead migrants outside their range where they are recognized as vagrants and can transmit parasites to novel hosts.
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Insects' essential role in understanding and broadening animal medication Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Silvio Erler, Sheena C. Cotter, Dalial Freitak, Hauke Koch, Evan C. Palmer-Young, Jacobus C. de Roode, Angela M. Smilanich, H. Michael G. Lattorff
Like humans, animals use plants and other materials as medication against parasites. Recent decades have shown that the study of insects can greatly advance our understanding of medication behaviors. The ease of rearing insects under laboratory conditions has enabled controlled experiments to test critical hypotheses, while their spectrum of reproductive strategies and living arrangements – ranging
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Gaps in parasitological research in the molecular era Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Tomáš Scholz
We live in the age of molecular biology and ‘-omics’, and molecular methods have opened up unimagined possibilities for biological research, including parasitology. However, too one-sided a focus on new approaches can lead to major gaps as less ‘cool’ topics are neglected. Selected areas of research are briefly discussed to highlight the gaps caused by the current excessive focus on molecular and ‘-omics’
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Arbovirus impact on mosquito behavior: the jury is still out Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-28 Théo Maire, Louis Lambrechts, Felix J.H. Hol
Parasites can manipulate host behavior to enhance transmission, but our understanding of arbovirus-induced changes in mosquito behavior is limited. Here, we explore current knowledge on such behavioral alterations in mosquito vectors, focusing on host-seeking and blood-feeding behaviors. Reviewing studies on dengue, Zika, La Crosse, Sindbis, and West Nile viruses in Aedes or Culex mosquitoes reveals
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A promising pipeline of preclinical drug candidates for leishmaniasis and chronic Chagas’ disease Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Manuel Saldivia, Ana Paula C.A. Lima, Jeremy C. Mottram
The drug discovery pipeline for leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis has been filling with novel chemical entities with known mechanisms of action. and report a cytochrome bc complex inhibitor as another promising preclinical candidate for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and, in combination with benznidazole, for chronic Chagas’ disease (CCD).
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Emerging roles of the epitranscriptome in parasitic protozoan biology and pathogenesis Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Gangqiang Guo, Yutong Lin, Xinqi Zhu, Feng Ding, Xiangyang Xue, Qingfeng Zhang
RNA modifications (epitranscriptome) – such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C), and pseudouridine (Ψ) – modulate RNA processing, stability, interaction, and translation, thereby playing critical roles in the development, replication, virulence, metabolism, and life cycle adaptations of parasitic protozoa. Here, we summarize potential homologs of the major human RNA modification regulatory
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Fasciola nyanzae Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Ruben Schols, Tine Huyse
Abstract not available
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Amirthalingamia macracantha Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Tomáš Scholz, Nadav Davidovich
Abstract not available
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Sex in a dish: high-efficiency Toxoplasma pre-sexual development Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-03 Nicole D. Hryckowian, Laura J. Knoll
successfully grew cat-restricted stages of in cell culture by targeting parasite epigenetics and transcription factors. The highlight of this report is how efficiently parasites convert to these pre-sexual stages. Their work is an important step toward achieving feline-free recapitulation of the sexual cycle.
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Entomophthora muscae Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Carolyn Elya
Abstract not available
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Snail microbiota and snail–schistosome interactions: axenic and gnotobiotic technologies Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Xi Sun, Jinni Hong, Tao Ding, Zhongdao Wu, Datao Lin
The microbiota in the intermediate snail hosts of human schistosomes can significantly affect host biology. For decades, researchers have developed axenic snails to manipulate the symbiotic microbiota. This review summarizes the characteristics of symbiotic microbes in intermediate snail hosts and describes their interactions with snails, affecting snail growth, development, and parasite transmission
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Appropriate naming of the two Plasmodium ovale species Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-24 Georges Snounou, Paul M. Sharp, Richard Culleton
Abstract not available
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Mosquito core viromes: do they exist? Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Cassandra Koh, Maria-Carla Saleh
Abstract not available
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Parasitic nematodes: dietary habits and their implications Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-22 Ching-Jung Lin, Shahid Siddique
Nematodes, a diverse group of roundworms, exhibit a wide range of dietary habits, including parasitism of animals and plants. These parasites cause substantial economic losses in agriculture and pose significant health challenges to humans and animals. This review explores the unique adaptations of parasitic nematodes, emphasizing their nutritional requirements and metabolic dependencies. Recent research
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Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-22 Sarah Myers, Kathryn Duncan
Abstract not available
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Glycosylation in malaria parasites: what do we know? Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-22 D. Channe Gowda, Louis H. Miller
In malaria parasites, although post-translational modification of proteins with N-. O-, and C-glycosidic bond-linked glycans is limited, it is confined to relatively fewer proteins in which the glycans are present at significant levels and may have important functions. Furthermore, several proteins are modified with glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) which represent the predominant glycan synthesized
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Zoonotic dirofilariases: one, no one, or more than one parasite Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-15 Livia Perles, Filipe Dantas-Torres, Jürgen Krücken, Rodrigo Morchón, Julia Walochnik, Domenico Otranto
Dirofilaria spp. are vector-borne filarial nematodes that affect a variety of animal species, including humans. Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are the two main zoonotic species, but also other wildlife-associated Dirofilaria species are occasionally reported as causative agents of human dirofilariasis, including Dirofilaria striata, Dirofilaria tenuis, Dirofilaria ursi, Dirofilaria spectans
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Sphaerospora molnari Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Tamás Dobai, Pavla Bartošová-Sojková
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Biodiversity differentially impacts disease dynamics across marine and terrestrial habitats Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-11 Katrina M. Pagenkopp Lohan, Sarah A. Gignoux-Wolfsohn, Gregory M. Ruiz
The relationship between biodiversity and infectious disease, where increased biodiversity leads to decreased disease risk, originated from research in terrestrial disease systems and remains relatively underexplored in marine systems. Understanding the impacts of biodiversity on disease in marine versus terrestrial systems is key to continued marine ecosystem functioning, sustainable aquaculture,
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Designing equity, diversity, and inclusion training for postgraduate parasitologists Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Kieran Higgins
Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) have received increased attention in the sciences, with increasing expectation that students will receive formal training in this area. However, compared with other biosciences, little guidance has been produced for parasitology educators. Therefore, this article presents the contents and evaluation of pilot training designed for postgraduates.
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Penicillidia conspicua Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Tamara Szentiványi, Péter Estók
Abstract not available
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The mosquito core virome: beyond the buzz Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-06 Lander De Coninck, Jelle Matthijnssens
Abstract not available
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Subscription and Copyright Information Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-03
Abstract not available
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Biomechanics of parasite migration within hosts Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2024-01-02 Yi-Ting Yeh, Juan C. del Álamo, Conor R. Caffrey
The dissemination of protozoan and metazoan parasites through host tissues is hindered by cellular barriers, dense extracellular matrices, and fluid forces in the bloodstream. To overcome these diverse biophysical impediments, parasites implement versatile migratory strategies. Parasite-exerted mechanical forces and upregulation of the host's cellular contractile machinery are the motors for these
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Calling them names: variants of Plasmodium ovale Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-29 Jan Šlapeta, Colin J. Sutherland, Hans-Peter Fuehrer
Abstract not available
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Wastewater-based surveillance of vector-borne pathogens: a cautionary note Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-29 Farah Ishtiaq
Diamond et al. recently identified malaria and dengue as high-priority diseases in wastewater surveillance for climate-change-driven shifts in pathogen dynamics. When employing wastewater surveillance for vector-borne pathogens it is essential to take into account the geographical context, pathogen biology, and the availability of sewage networks for meaningful interventions.
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The knowns and unknowns of helminth–host miRNA cross-kingdom communication Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-26 Sumaiya Chowdhury, Dayna Sais, Sheila Donnelly, Nham Tran
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that oversee gene modulation. They are integral to cellular functions and can migrate between species, leading to cross-kingdom gene suppression. Recent breakthroughs in helminth genome studies have sparked curiosity about helminth RNA regulators and their ability to regulate genes across species. Growing data indicate that helminth miRNAs have a significant
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Baylisascaris procyonis (Raccoon roundworm) Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-26 Jessica Tzu-Wan Kuo, Timothy Wu, Araceli Lucio-Forster
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Anopheles stephensi ecology and control in Africa Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Guofa Zhou, Daibin Zhong, Delenasaw Yewhalaw, Guiyun Yan
The encroachment and rapid spread of Anopheles stephensi across Africa presents a significant challenge to malaria control and elimination efforts. Understanding the ecology and behavior of An. stephensi will critically inform control measures and provide prerequisite knowledge for exploring new larval and adult control tools to contain its spread.
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Time to drop the term ‘simian malaria parasites’ Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-20 Richard Culleton, Geoffrey Ian McFadden
The term ‘simian malaria parasites’ has crept into the modern malaria literature as a synonym for ‘non-human primate malaria parasites’, most commonly referring to species of Plasmodium infective to Old World monkeys. As humans are also simians, we contend that this usage is erroneous, and should not be used.
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Molecular markers for malaria genetic epidemiology: progress and pitfalls Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-20 Shazia Ruybal-Pesántez, Kirsty McCann, Jessy Vibin, Sasha Siegel, Sarah Auburn, Alyssa E. Barry
Over recent years, progress in molecular markers for genotyping malaria parasites has enabled informative studies of epidemiology and transmission dynamics. Results have highlighted the value of these tools for surveillance to support malaria control and elimination strategies. There are many different types and panels of markers available for malaria parasite genotyping, and for end users, the nuances
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Plasmodium falciparum ring-stage plasticity and drug resistance Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-15 Lucien Platon, Didier Ménard
Malaria is a life-threatening tropical disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, of which Plasmodium falciparum is the most lethal. Malaria parasites have a complex life cycle, with stages occurring in both the Anopheles mosquito vector and human host. Ring stages are the youngest form of the parasite in the intraerythrocytic developmental cycle and are associated with evasion of spleen
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Babesia divergens Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-15 Ana Maria Filipe, Viktoriya Levytska, Marie Jalovecka
Abstract not available
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Phylogenetic framework to explore trait evolution in Trypanosomatidae Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Alexei Yu. Kostygov, Amanda T.S. Albanaz, Anzhelika Butenko, Evgeny S. Gerasimov, Julius Lukeš, Vyacheslav Yurchenko
The number of sequenced trypanosomatid genomes has reached a critical point so that they are now available for almost all genera and subgenera. Based on this, we inferred a phylogenomic tree and propose it as a framework to study trait evolution together with some examples of how to do it.
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Measuring heterogeneities in soil-transmitted helminth transmission and control Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-11 Rosie Maddren, Roy M. Anderson
The global effort over the past decade to control soil-transmitted helminths (STH) has resulted in communities with endemic infection reaching low prevalence levels suitable for the validation of elimination as a public health problem (EPHP), defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as <2% of infections classified as moderate or heavy intensity. The spatial scale in which this is validated is
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Unravelling mysteries at the perivascular space: a new rationale for cerebral malaria pathogenesis Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-08 Samuel C. Wassmer, Tania F. de Koning-Ward, Georges E.R. Grau, Saparna Pai
Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe neurological complication caused by Plasmodium falciparum parasites; it is characterized by the sequestration of infected red blood cells within the cerebral microvasculature. New findings, combined with a better understanding of the central nervous system (CNS) barriers, have provided greater insight into the players and events involved in CM, including site-specific
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Translating mosquito viromes into vector management strategies Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-12-07 Cassandra Koh, Maria-Carla Saleh
Mosquitoes are best known for transmitting human and animal viruses. However, they also harbour mosquito-specific viruses (MSVs) as part of their microbiota. These are a group of viruses whose diversity and prevalence overshadow their medically relevant counterparts. Although metagenomics sequencing has remarkably accelerated the discovery of these viruses, what we know about them is often limited
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The two parasite species formerly known as Plasmodium ovale Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-11-30 Georges Snounou, Paul M. Sharp, Richard Culleton
Plasmodium ovale was the last of the exclusively human malaria parasites to be described, in 1922, and has remained the least well studied. Beginning in 1995, two divergent forms of the parasite, later termed ‘classic’ and ‘variant’, were described. By 2010, it was realised that these forms are two closely related, but genetically distinct and non-recombining species; they were given the names Plasmodium
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Advances and challenges in synthetic biology for mosquito control Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-11-24 Shih-Che Weng, Reem A. Masri, Omar S. Akbari
Mosquito-borne illnesses represent a significant global health peril, resulting in approximately one million fatalities annually. West Nile, dengue, Zika, and malaria are continuously expanding their global reach, driven by factors that escalate mosquito populations and pathogen transmission. Innovative control measures are imperative to combat these catastrophic ailments. Conventional approaches,
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Current and upcoming point-of-care diagnostics for schistosomiasis Trends Parasitol. (IF 9.6) Pub Date : 2023-11-23 Jonas Rivera, Yi Mu, Catherine A. Gordon, Malcolm K. Jones, Guofeng Cheng, Pengfei Cai
Point-of-care (POC) diagnostics are simple and effective portable tools that can be used for fast mapping of helminthic diseases and monitoring control programs. Most POC tests (POCTs) available for schistosomiasis diagnosis are lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs). The emergence of simple and rapid DNA isolation methods, along with isothermal nucleic acid amplification strategies – for example, loop-mediated