Experimental parasitology最新文献

Prevalence of intestinal parasites in a tertiary care hospital and utility of AI-assisted fecal analyzer for their detection. 某三级医院肠道寄生虫的流行及人工智能辅助粪便分析仪的应用。

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-02-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109110

Prabhav Aggarwal, Jyoti Choudhary, Pallavi, Sonal Saxena, Sneha Dey

Introduction: Intestinal parasitic infections, caused by protozoa and helminths, can lead to malnutrition, anaemia, and impaired growth. While direct wet mount microscopy is the routine diagnostic method, it is limited by low sensitivity, labour intensiveness, and reliance on skilled personnel. Automated image-based systems using artificial intelligence (AI) present a promising alternative.

Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Microbiology of a tertiary care hospital from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024. Microscopic findings from 7267 fecal samples were analyzed. Additionally, 275 samples were processed using both conventional microscopy and the MISPA-F30 fecal analyzer. Microscopic images analyzed by the inbuilt AI software was reviewed independently by two microbiologists. Results from direct microscopy, MISPA-F30, and expert user audit were compared.

Results: Over three years, 7267 stool samples were examined via wet mount microscopy, detecting parasitic elements in 204 (2.8%) cases, with Giardia lamblia most frequently identified. A subset of 275 samples was concurrently analyzed using the MISPA F-30 fecal analyzer and microscopy. The analyzer showed 83.3% agreement with microscopy and 84.7% with user audit, which revealed 35 misidentified cases and six missed detections. However, MISPA F-30 identified ten cases overlooked by microscopy. Using a composite reference standard, the analyzer's sensitivity and specificity were 66.7% and 86.2%, respectively.

Conclusion: MISPA-F30 demonstrated acceptable sensitivity and specificity, it additionally reduces manual workload and alleviates fatigue of sample processing and microscopy. When supplemented by expert audit, its diagnostic performance was excellent. With further AI software development and database expansion, automated stool microscopy has considerable potential as a reliable diagnostic aid, though cost-effectiveness has to be weighed in.

由原生动物和蠕虫引起的肠道寄生虫感染可导致营养不良、贫血和生长受损。虽然直接湿片显微镜是常规的诊断方法，但它受到低灵敏度、劳动强度和对熟练人员的依赖的限制。使用人工智能（AI）的自动图像系统提供了一个有希望的替代方案。方法：本研究于2022年1月1日至2024年12月31日在某三级医院微生物科进行。分析了7267份粪便样本的显微镜检查结果。此外，使用常规显微镜和MISPA-F30粪便分析仪对275份样本进行处理。由内置人工智能软件分析的显微镜图像由两名微生物学家独立审查。结果从直接显微镜，MISPA-F30，和专家用户审计进行比较。结果：三年来，通过湿片显微镜检查了7267份粪便样本，在204例（2.8%）病例中检测到寄生虫，其中最常见的是贾第鞭毛虫。使用MISPA F-30粪便分析仪和显微镜同时分析275个样本子集。该分析仪与显微镜检查的符合率为83.3%，与用户审计的符合率为84.7%，其中误检35例，漏检6例。然而，MISPA F-30发现了10例显微镜下被忽视的病例。采用复合标准品，灵敏度为66.7%，特异度为86.2%。结论：MISPA-F30具有可接受的灵敏度和特异性，减少了人工工作量，减轻了样品处理和显微检查的疲劳。在辅以专家审计的情况下，其诊断性能优良。随着人工智能软件的进一步开发和数据库的扩展，自动化粪便显微镜作为一种可靠的诊断辅助手段具有相当大的潜力，尽管必须考虑成本效益。

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引用次数: 0

Increased of α-actin in inflammatory areas following Trypanosoma cruzi infection suggests the onset of megacolon. 克氏锥虫感染后炎症区Α-ACTIN增高提示巨结肠的发生。

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109113

A B R Gorzoni, L X Felix, J M Silva, C Pagliari, P Marabini Filho, M A Spadella, L P A Martins

The inflammatory process triggered byTrypanosoma cruzi infection plays a central role in the pathogenesis of chagasic megacolon, primarily through enteric nervous system (ENS) damage and intestinal wall remodeling. This study aimed to evaluate histological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical alterations in the colonic muscle layer and enteric glial components during the progression of Chagas disease. Forty-four male Swiss mice were infected with the T. cruzi QM2 strain and analyzed at 60 days (acute phase) and 180 days (chronic phase) post-infection. Histopathological, morphometric, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to assess inflammatory infiltrate, tissue architecture, collagen deposition, mast cell density, and the expression of S100, GFAP, and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) proteins. The acute phase was characterized by intense inflammation, presence of amastigote nests, morphometric alterations, increased GFAP and α-SMA expression, and decreased S100 expression. In the chronic phase, the inflammatory infiltrate persisted, accompanied by significant structural remodeling of the colonic wall, although without fibrosis or changes in mast cell density. Notably, the increased α-SMA expression was strongly associated with the presence of inflammatory infiltrate. These findings provide robust evidence of an early and progressive colonic wall remodeling process, highlighting key cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of digestive manifestations in Chagas disease, and reinforce the relevance of the murine model for investigating the pathophysiology of chagasic megacolon.

克氏锥虫感染引发的炎症过程在恰加斯巨结肠的发病机制中起核心作用，主要通过肠神经系统（ENS）损伤和肠壁重塑。本研究旨在评估恰加斯病进展过程中结肠肌层和肠胶质成分的组织学、形态计量学和免疫组织化学改变。将44只雄性瑞士小鼠感染克氏t形虫QM2株，并在感染后60天（急性期）和180天（慢性期）进行分析。通过组织病理学、形态计量学和免疫组织化学分析来评估炎症浸润、组织结构、胶原沉积、肥大细胞密度以及S100、GFAP和α-平滑肌肌动蛋白（α-SMA）蛋白的表达。急性期表现为剧烈炎症，出现无梭体巢，形态改变，GFAP和α-SMA表达升高，S100表达降低。在慢性期，尽管没有纤维化或肥大细胞密度的改变，但炎症浸润持续存在，伴有结肠壁明显的结构重塑。值得注意的是，α-SMA表达的增加与炎症浸润的存在密切相关。这些发现提供了早期和进行性结肠壁重塑过程的有力证据，突出了恰加斯病消化道表现发展的关键细胞和分子机制，并加强了研究恰加斯巨结肠病理生理学的小鼠模型的相关性。

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引用次数: 0

7-dehydrocholesterol reductase inhibitors control Leishmania spp. in human macrophages 7-脱氢胆固醇还原酶抑制剂控制人巨噬细胞中的利什曼原虫

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-29 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109112

Carlos Henrique da Silva Mota, Ana Marília Viana Utim, Wesley Lima de Paula, Geovanna Medeiros de Oliveira, Ana Luísa Macedo das Mercez Torres, Fátima Ribeiro-Dias, Rodrigo Saar Gomes

Leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania spp., is a neglected parasitic disease with a broad clinical spectrum, whose treatments are toxic and present failures and resistance. Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania amazonensis are highly prevalent species in Brazil. Cholesterol metabolism affects immune responses. 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) converts 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) to cholesterol and this enzyme regulates macrophage polarization towards the M2 profile. Inhibiting DHCR7 enhances pro-inflammatory responses and may control infections, prompting investigation into its effects on Leishmania in macrophages. Human macrophages derived from THP-1 cells were infected with L. amazonensis or L. braziliensis for 24 h and treated with pharmacological DHCR7 inhibitors tamoxifen and AY9944. Inhibition of DHCR7 reduced infection by both Leishmania species in human macrophages. Additionally, DHCR7 inhibitors promoted an increase in the production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROS) and in the production of TNF and IL-1β by human macrophages infected with L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis. These data suggest that DHCR7 inhibitors control Leishmania spp. infection in vitro and pave the way for new therapeutic approaches for this neglected disease.

由利什曼原虫引起的利什曼病是一种被忽视的寄生虫病，具有广泛的临床范围，其治疗是有毒的，并且存在失败和耐药性。巴西利什曼原虫和亚马逊利什曼原虫是巴西高度流行的物种。胆固醇代谢影响免疫反应。7-脱氢胆固醇还原酶（DHCR7）将7-脱氢胆固醇（7-DHC）转化为胆固醇，并调节巨噬细胞向M2谱的极化。抑制DHCR7可增强促炎反应，并可能控制感染，促使研究其对巨噬细胞利什曼原虫的影响。将THP-1细胞衍生的人巨噬细胞感染亚马逊乳杆菌或巴西乳杆菌24 h，并用DHCR7药理学抑制剂他莫昔芬和AY9944处理。抑制DHCR7可减少两种利什曼原虫在人巨噬细胞中的感染。此外，DHCR7抑制剂促进了亚马逊乳杆菌和巴西乳杆菌感染的人巨噬细胞活性氧中间体（ROS）的产生以及TNF和IL-1β的产生。这些数据表明，DHCR7抑制剂在体外控制利什曼原虫感染，并为这种被忽视疾病的新治疗方法铺平了道路。

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引用次数: 0

A novel development of Gold Nano-based indirect ELISA for sero-diagnosis of Babesia canis 基于金纳米的犬巴贝斯虫血清诊断间接ELISA新进展。

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-20 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109100

Marwa M. Attia , Sara S. Barsoum , Mohamed Kamel , Marwa M. Khalifa

Innovative diagnostic techniques were used nanogold to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the original techniques of ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay); our mission production of novel kits for the diagnosis of the most common blood parasites in dogs, Babesia canis (B. canis). The protozoan antigens were formalin-killing cells. The production of antisera was performed on rats. A chemical reduction method was used to prepare gold nanoparticles. The nanoparticles synthesized were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The minimum antigen levels and tested sera dilutions were assessed via the checkerboard calibration; ELISA and nano-ELISA were also done. The parameters of ELISA were calculated; for instance, sensitivity and specificity, disease prevalence of antigen, positive and negative predictive values. The mean optical density (OD) of the measurements was calculated for the experimental and the control sera. The image of the synthesized gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) by transmission electron microscopic (TEM) was rounded with a mean diameter ranging from 7.92 to 12.8 nm. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for the Nano-ELISA assay is assessed against the microscopic blood examination, which serves as the gold standard. A comparison between ROC curve for the indirect ELISA assay and the gold standard of microscopic blood examination was done. In conclusion a Nanobased ELISA was the most sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of babesiosis in dogs.

创新的诊断技术采用纳米金，以提高ELISA（酶联免疫吸附试验）原有技术的敏感性和特异性；我们的使命是生产诊断犬中最常见的血液寄生虫犬巴贝斯虫（B. canis）的新型试剂盒。原生动物抗原是杀死福尔马林的细胞。在大鼠身上进行了抗血清的制备。采用化学还原法制备了金纳米颗粒。利用透射电镜对合成的纳米颗粒进行了分析。通过棋盘校正评估最低抗原水平和检测血清稀释度；ELISA和纳米酶联免疫吸附测定。计算ELISA各项参数；例如，敏感性和特异性，抗原的疾病患病率，阳性和阴性预测值。计算了实验血清和对照血清的平均光密度（OD）。通过透射电子显微镜（TEM），合成的金纳米颗粒（Au-NPs）的图像呈圆形，平均直径在35 ~ 75 nm之间。纳米elisa检测的受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线是根据作为金标准的显微血液检查来评估的。比较间接ELISA法与镜检金标准法的ROC曲线。结果表明，纳米酶联免疫吸附试验对犬巴贝斯虫病的诊断具有较高的敏感性和特异性。

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引用次数: 0

Green-synthesized silver nanoparticles from Aloe vera L. suppress Meloidogyne incognita and induce defense responses in chickpea 芦荟绿色合成银纳米粒子对鹰嘴豆的抑制作用及诱导防御反应

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109098

Rose Rizvi, Khan Nazima Mohammad, Aiman Zafar, Irshad Mahmood

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is a major constraint in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production, causing substantial yield losses worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the nematicidal efficacy and defense-inducing potential of Aloe vera L.–mediated green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against M. incognita in chickpea under greenhouse conditions. AgNPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy and SEM, confirming spherical particles (20–40 nm) with a distinct surface plasmon resonance peak at 420 nm. M. incognita infection caused severe reductions in plant growth, photosynthetic pigments, and nodulation; however, AgNP application (25–100 mg L⁻¹) significantly alleviated these effects. The 50 mg L⁻¹ treatment was most effective, enhancing biomass and pigment content while reducing gall formation and egg masses by more than 60 %. Defense-related biochemical responses showed increased activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis revealed strong upregulation of PR1, PR5, LOX, and WRKY70 genes, indicating activation of salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-mediated defense pathways. Overall, Aloe vera L.–derived AgNPs exhibit dual functionality as nematicidal agents and abiotic elicitors of host resistance, highlighting their potential as sustainable tools for nematode management, though additional nanoparticle characterization and field-scale validation are warranted.

根结线虫（Meloidogyne incognita）是鹰嘴豆（Cicer arietinum L.）生产的主要制约因素，在世界范围内造成了重大的产量损失。本研究旨在评价芦荟l .介导的绿色合成银纳米粒子（AgNPs）在温室条件下对鹰嘴豆线虫的杀线虫效果和防御诱导潜力。利用紫外可见光谱和扫描电镜对AgNPs进行了表征，证实了AgNPs为球形（20 ~ 40 nm），在420 nm处有明显的表面等离子体共振峰。M. incognita感染导致植物生长、光合色素和结瘤严重减少；然而，施用AgNP （25-100 mg L-1）可显著减轻这些影响。50 mg L-1处理最有效，提高了生物量和色素含量，减少了60%以上的胆形成和卵块。防御相关生化反应显示苯丙氨酸解氨酶（PAL）、过氧化物酶（POD）和多酚氧化酶（PPO）活性增加。此外，qRT-PCR分析显示PR1、PR5、LOX和WRKY70基因强烈上调，表明水杨酸和茉莉酸介导的防御途径被激活。总的来说，芦荟l .衍生的AgNPs表现出作为杀线虫剂和宿主抗性的非生物激发子的双重功能，突出了它们作为线虫管理可持续工具的潜力，尽管需要额外的纳米颗粒表征和现场规模验证。

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引用次数: 0

A deep learning-based tool for rapid and automated detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts: A new approach for veterinary diagnostics and epizootiological surveys 基于深度学习的隐孢子虫卵囊快速自动检测工具：兽医诊断和流行病学调查的新方法。

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-11 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109099

Şima Şahinduran , İsmail Kırbaş , Ahmet Çifci

Cryptosporidiosis, caused by Cryptosporidium spp., is a significant zoonotic parasitic disease impacting neonatal calves, leading to severe diarrhea, dehydration, and substantial economic losses in the livestock industry. Rapid and accurate detection of Cryptosporidium oocysts is crucial for effective disease management and control, contributing to both animal and human health under a One Health perspective. This study investigates the application of state-of-the-art object detection algorithms, YOLOv10 and YOLOv11, for the automated identification of Cryptosporidium oocysts in microscopic images of calf fecal samples. A dataset of 406 annotated images was used to train and evaluate these models using metrics including precision, recall, and mean Average Precision (mAP). YOLOv11 demonstrated superior precision (88.94 %), indicating a reduced false-positive rate, which is critical for avoiding unnecessary treatments and for the accurate assessment of prevalence in epidemiological studies. Conversely, YOLOv10 exhibited higher recall (92.57 %), ensuring high sensitivity for screening purposes where minimizing false negatives is paramount. These findings highlight the potential of advanced object detection as a rapid, scalable, and cost-effective AI-assisted screening and support tool for Cryptosporidium. This automated system has the potential to standardize diagnostic procedures, facilitate high-throughput microscopy-based surveillance, and improve our understanding of oocyst shedding dynamics in infected animals.

隐孢子虫病是由隐孢子虫引起的一种重要的人畜共患寄生虫病，影响新生牛犊，导致严重的腹泻、脱水和畜牧业的重大经济损失。快速准确地检测隐孢子虫卵囊对于有效的疾病管理和控制至关重要，有助于在“同一个健康”的观点下促进动物和人类的健康。本研究探讨了最先进的目标检测算法YOLOv10和YOLOv11在小牛粪便样本显微图像中隐孢子虫卵囊的自动识别中的应用。使用406个带注释的图像数据集来训练和评估这些模型，使用包括精度、召回率和平均平均精度（mAP）在内的指标。YOLOv11显示出更高的准确性（88.94%），表明假阳性率降低，这对于避免不必要的治疗和准确评估流行病学研究中的患病率至关重要。相反，YOLOv10表现出更高的召回率（92.57%），确保了筛选目的的高灵敏度，最大限度地减少假阴性是至关重要的。这些发现突出了先进的目标检测作为隐孢子虫快速、可扩展且具有成本效益的人工智能辅助筛查和支持工具的潜力。这种自动化系统有可能标准化诊断程序，促进基于高通量显微镜的监测，并提高我们对感染动物卵囊脱落动力学的理解。

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引用次数: 0

Alternative culture medium based on Manihot esculenta (Cassava) for the growth of Bacillus thuringiensis aimed at the control of Aedes aegypti 研究了以木薯为基础的苏云金芽孢杆菌替代培养基对埃及伊蚊的防治作用。

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109097

Katiane dos Santos Lobo , Juliete Lima Viana , Fátima Maria de Souza Pereira , Pedro Alberto Pavão Pessoa , Jefferson Almeida Rocha , Joelma Soares da Silva , Valéria Cristina Soares Pinheiro , Rosemary Aparecida Roque

The objective was to evaluate alternative culture media for the growth of the Bacillus thuringiensis strains BtMA-690, BtMA-750, and BtMA-1114, assessing growth parameters such as pH, spore concentration, optical density, and biomass, as well as selective and quantitative bioassays with Aedes aegypti larvae to estimate the lethal concentration (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀). The isolates BtMA-690 and BtMA-750 remained around neutrality (pH 7.0) throughout the fermentation period in the conventional media, while in the alternative medium they maintained a pH of 6.0, in contrast, BtMA-1114 showed a pH variation (6.0–8.0) across the media tested. In terms of spore concentration, for BtMA-690 and BtMA-750, the cassava-based alternative medium showed higher spores/mL values compared to the conventional media. Absorbance readings were higher for the conventional Nutrient Broth medium for isolates BtMA-690 and BtMA-750, whereas for BtMA-1114 the highest values were obtained with the Luria Bertani (LB) medium and the cassava-based alternative medium. Regarding biomass after 72 h, the LB medium showed higher values for all three isolates tested. The selective bioassays showed 100 % larval mortality within 24 h for the isolates BtMA-690 and BtMA-750 in both the conventional Nutrient Broth and the cassava-based alternative medium. The lowest LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values obtained for the isolates were 0.0102 mg/mL and 0.0253 mg/mL, respectively, for BtMA-690. The use of alternative media improved bacterial yield, making them competitive in the market and environmentally beneficial, with potential application in the production of bioproducts.

目的是评估苏云金芽孢杆菌BtMA-690、BtMA-750和BtMA-1114菌株生长的替代培养基，评估pH、孢子浓度、光密度和生物量等生长参数，并对埃及伊蚊幼虫进行选择性和定量生物测定，以估计致死浓度（LC50和LC90）。分离物BtMA-690和BtMA-750在常规培养基中保持中性（pH 7.0），而在替代培养基中保持pH 6.0，相反，BtMA-1114在不同培养基中表现出pH变化（6.0至8.0）。在孢子浓度方面，对于BtMA-690和BtMA-750，木薯基替代培养基比常规培养基显示更高的孢子/mL值。菌株BtMA-690和BtMA-750的吸光度在常规营养肉汤培养基中较高，而菌株BtMA-1114的吸光度在Luria Bertani （LB）培养基和木薯基替代培养基中最高。对于72 h后的生物量，LB培养基对三种分离菌均有较高的测定值。选择性生物测定表明，分离株BtMA-690和BtMA-750在常规营养液和木薯基替代培养基中24小时内幼虫死亡率均为100%。BtMA-690的最低LC50和LC90值分别为0.0102 mg/mL和0.0253 mg/mL。替代培养基的使用提高了细菌产量，使它们在市场上具有竞争力，对环境有益，在生物产品的生产中具有潜在的应用前景。

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引用次数: 0

Assessment of GC-MS and antioxidant properties of seaweed extracts as a new larvicidal agent targeting Culex quinquefasciatus 海藻提取物作为新型致倦库蚊杀幼虫剂的气相色谱-质谱及抗氧化性能评价

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2026-01-07 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2026.109096

Pachaan Kolanchinathan , Paramasivan Deepa , Dharmaraj Praveenkumar , Alagan Subbiah Vijayakumar

Mosquito-borne illnesses present a major public health issue, requiring the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches to control vectors. The present study explores the larvicidal potential of seaweed extracts and the antioxidant activities of Codium fragile and Turbinaria conoides-derived bioactive substances as a natural alternative to synthetic insecticides. The phytochemical analysis indicated that both C. fragile and T. conoides ethanolic extracts contained a total of fourteen compounds, which is greater than the other extracts. The GC-MS analysis performed on the ethanolic extract of C. fragile and T. conoides revealed the presence of twenty distinct compounds. C. fragile was found to have hexadecanoic acid (27.79 %), 4-methanocycloocta[d]pyridaz (7.39 %), 1,1-dimethoxy-2-hepten-7-al (7.04 %), and octadecanoic acid (5.9 %). For T. conoides, the main compounds discovered were dibutyl phthalate (69.56 %), 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid (14.01 %), and phthalic acid (2.58 %), all of which exhibited the highest area percentages. The ethanolic extract of T. conoides demonstrated the highest antioxidant activity, with DPPH at 81.48 ± 1.0 %, ABTS at 88.29 ± 1.0 %, and hydroxyl radical scavenging at 86.51 ± 1.0 %, followed by other extracts. The antioxidant exhibited IC50 values of 22.50 ± 1 μg mL⁻¹, 34.86 ± 0.9 μg mL⁻¹, and 40.69 ± 1.1 μg mL⁻¹ for DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities, respectively. The findings suggest that the compound acts as a powerful antioxidant, with lower IC₅₀ values indicating a greater antioxidant potential. Chloroform extracts from C. fragile and T. conoides demonstrated significant effects on Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. Consequently, the bioactive compounds derived from the ethanolic extracts could be utilized as alternatives for both antioxidant and larvicidal applications, potentially reducing the negative environmental impacts associated with synthetic insecticides. Seaweed presents a promising option for controlling mosquitoes due to its larvicidal characteristics.

蚊媒疾病是一个重大的公共卫生问题，需要制定可持续和环境友好的方法来控制病媒。本研究探讨了海藻提取物的杀幼虫潜力，以及龙舌兰和贝壳鼻甲衍生生物活性物质作为合成杀虫剂的天然替代品的抗氧化活性。植物化学分析结果表明，松香和松香乙醇提取物中含有14种化合物，比其他提取物多。气相色谱-质谱联用分析结果显示，两种植物的乙醇提取物中含有20种不同的化合物。易碎草中含有十六烷酸（27.79%）、4-甲烷环己酸（7.39%）、1,1-二甲氧基-2-庚烯-7-al（7.04%）和十八烷酸（5.9%）。发现的主要化合物为邻苯二甲酸二丁酯（69.56%）、1,2-苯二甲酸（14.01%）和邻苯二甲酸（2.58%），其面积百分比最高。其抗氧化活性最高，DPPH为81.48±1.0%，ABTS为88.29±1.0%，羟基自由基清除能力为86.51±1.0%，其他提取物次之。该抗氧化剂对DPPH、ABTS和羟基自由基的IC50分别为22.50±1 μg mL−1、34.86±0.9 μg mL−1和40.69±1.1 μg mL−1。研究结果表明，该化合物是一种强大的抗氧化剂，IC50值越低，表明其抗氧化潜力越大。三氯甲烷提取物对Cx有显著的抑制作用。quinquefasciatus幼虫。因此，从乙醇提取物中提取的生物活性化合物可以作为抗氧化和杀幼虫的替代品，潜在地减少与合成杀虫剂相关的负面环境影响。由于海藻具有杀幼虫的特性，它是一种很有前途的控制蚊子的选择。

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引用次数: 0

Molecular diversity, selection pressure, and structural modeling of Actin in Trypanosoma evansi isolates 伊瓦西锥虫分离株肌动蛋白的分子多样性、选择压力和结构建模

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2025-12-30 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109086

Siju Susan Jacob, Pinaki Prasad Sengupta, Snigdha Madhaba Maharana

Trypanosoma evansi, the causative agent of Surra, infects a wide range of domestic and wild animals, across tropical and subtropical regions. Although T. evansi isolates are generally considered genetically homologous, variations are anticipated due to host diversity and geographical distribution. This study investigated the molecular diversity, codon usage bias, haplotype distribution, and structural characteristics of actin in T. evansi isolates obtained from naturally infected dogs, buffaloes, lion and leopards in Karnataka and Chhattisgarh, India, with a focus on the conserved actin gene. PCR amplification of the full-length 1131 bp actin gene was standardized, and the amplicons were sequenced from these isolates. Sequence alignment revealed high nucleotide similarity (99.5 %–100 %) among the isolates, with two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified: a G to A transversion at position 204 and an A to G transversion at position 358, the latter resulting in a non-synonymous amino acid substitution (methionine to valine) at position 120. Codon usage analysis indicated a preference for codons ending in adenine or uracil, consistent with kinetoplastid parasites. Phylogenetic analysis using the maximum likelihood method (K2+G model) confirmed the clustering of the isolates of the present study with T. evansi isolates from Rajasthan and China, forming a distinct clade clearly separated from other Trypanosoma species. The Ka/Ks ratios ranged from 0.299 to 1.500, suggesting both purifying and positive selection pressures. Haplotype network analysis identified eight haplotypes among 13 sequences, indicating a moderate level of haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.8590) and a complex evolutionary structure. Protein modeling using AlphaFold revealed the conservation of the canonical actin fold architecture, reinforcing the structural and functional conservation of actin in T. evansi. The combined findings provide valuable insights into the genetic diversity, evolutionary pressures, and structural stability of T. evansi actin gene, contributing to a better understanding of its molecular epidemiology and potential targets for control strategies.

伊文氏锥虫是苏拉的病原体，在热带和亚热带地区广泛感染家畜和野生动物。虽然伊瓦西t型病毒分离株通常被认为是遗传同源的，但由于宿主多样性和地理分布，预计会出现变异。本研究从印度卡纳塔克邦和恰蒂斯加尔邦自然感染的狗、水牛、狮子和豹子中分离得到的伊氏T. evansi分离物中研究了肌动蛋白的分子多样性、密码子使用偏性、单倍型分布和结构特征，重点研究了保守的肌动蛋白基因。对1131bp的肌动蛋白基因进行标准化PCR扩增，并对扩增产物进行测序。序列比对结果显示，菌株间核苷酸相似性高（99.5% - 100%），鉴定出2个单核苷酸多态性（snp）：第204位的G到a翻转和第358位的a到G翻转，后者导致第120位的非同义氨基酸取代（蛋氨酸到缬氨酸）。密码子使用分析表明，它们倾向于以腺嘌呤或尿嘧啶结尾的密码子，这与着丝质体寄生虫一致。利用最大似然方法（K2+G模型）进行系统发育分析，证实本研究分离物与来自拉贾斯坦邦和中国的伊瓦西锥虫分离物聚类，形成一个与其他锥虫种明显分离的独立分支。Ka/Ks比值在0.299 ~ 1.500之间，表明存在净化压力和正向选择压力。单倍型网络分析在13个序列中鉴定出8个单倍型，表明单倍型多样性中等（Hd = 0.8590），进化结构复杂。使用AlphaFold进行蛋白质建模，揭示了典型肌动蛋白折叠结构的保守性，加强了T. evansi中肌动蛋白的结构和功能保守性。这些研究结果对伊瓦氏T. evansi肌动蛋白基因的遗传多样性、进化压力和结构稳定性提供了有价值的见解，有助于更好地了解其分子流行病学和潜在的控制策略靶点。

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引用次数: 0

Effect of a low-protein diet on the spleen of Swiss Webster mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni 低蛋白饮食对感染曼氏血吸虫瑞士韦氏小鼠脾脏的影响。

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q3 PARASITOLOGY

Experimental parasitology

Pub Date : 2025-12-18 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109085

Joana Bernardo , Magda Sanches , Christiane Leal Corrêa , Luciana Brandão-Bezerra , José Roberto Machado-Silva , Renata Heisler Neves

Schistosomiasis is the second most prevalent parasitic disease globally. It is common in tropical and subtropical regions, with transmission dependent on human contact with contaminated water and the presence of an intermediate host. The disease is associated with poverty and coexists with inefficient nutrient consumption among populations lacking basic sanitation. In this study, we performed a histopathological analysis of the spleen in Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice fed a low-protein diet. Mice were divided into four groups (n = 5 animals per group): uninfected, standard diet (US); uninfected, low-protein diet (ULP); infected, standard diet (IS); and infected, low-protein diet (ILP). S. mansoni infection (BH strain, with approximately 100 cercariae via subcutaneous route) occurred at the 4th week of diet administration, and euthanasia was performed after 9 weeks of infection. After euthanasia, the spleen was excised, cleaved, fixed, and then underwent histological processing and staining for the relevant analyses. Splenic alterations were investigated through qualitative and quantitative histological analyses, utilizing white pulp and capsule morphometry, stereology (D36 method), and megakaryocyte quantification. Histopathological analyses of the ILP group revealed a notable increase in hemosiderin and bilirubin pigment deposits, a 100 % increase in the volume density of trabeculae and megakaryocytes (albeit with deficient synthesis), and intense organizational changes in the splenic parenchyma. Therefore, the presented data suggest that protein deficiency exacerbates splenic tissue disorganization, a common condition in schistosomiasis, significantly impacting disease pathogenesis and host response.

血吸虫病是全球第二大流行的寄生虫病。该病常见于热带和亚热带地区，传播依赖于人类接触受污染的水和中间宿主的存在。该病与贫困有关，并与缺乏基本卫生设施的人群中营养消耗效率低下并存。在这项研究中，我们对喂食低蛋白饮食的感染曼氏血吸虫的小鼠的脾脏进行了组织病理学分析。小鼠分为四组（每组n = 5只）：未感染，标准饮食（US）；未感染低蛋白饮食（ULP）；受感染，标准饮食（IS）；感染，低蛋白饮食（ILP）。进食第4周发生曼氏链球菌感染（BH株，皮下感染约100条尾蚴），感染9周后进行安乐死。安乐死后，切除脾脏，切开，固定，然后进行组织学处理和染色进行相关分析。通过定性和定量组织学分析，利用白髓和包膜形态测定、体视学（D36法）和巨核细胞定量来研究脾脏的改变。ILP组的组织病理学分析显示含铁血黄素和胆红素色素沉积明显增加，小梁和巨核细胞体积密度增加100%（尽管合成不足），脾实质组织改变强烈。因此，这些数据表明，蛋白质缺乏加剧了血吸虫病常见的脾组织紊乱，显著影响了疾病的发病机制和宿主的反应。

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引用次数: 0