Journal of Parasitology Research最新文献

Chorioptic mange is a challenging condition to treat due to the superficial locations of the nonhematophagous mite Chorioptes bovis, and while topical acaricides are recommended, the clinical feature relapses are frequent. In a double-blinded clinical trial, three randomized groups of Spanish-Breton horses (n = 32) naturally infected with C. bovis on their legs were evaluated over a period of 70 days. All treatments were applied once every 14 days for three treatments. Before treatment and on Day (D)10, D25, D37, D56, and D70, each leg per animal was scored according to equine pastern dermatitis clinical presentations and severity (1 = mild, 2 = exudative, and 3 = chronic proliferative), and mite reduction was calculated using a 2 cm × 6 cm adhesive tape counting total mites on D36, D56, and D70. The trial aimed to assess the clinical improvement and efficacy of a topical pyrethroid emulsion alone (Group 1), and in combination with benzoyl peroxide (Group 2), compared to a control group (Group 3). The trial also included environmental disinfection. The acaricide efficacy was determined using Abbott's formula. Our analysis reveals no adverse reactions attributable to the treatment, yet lesions showed limited clinical improvement. Both treatment groups exhibited mite reduction compared to the control. The mite reduction on the evaluated days was 14.58%, 47.62%, and 55.77% for Group 1 and 85.42%, 88.10%, and 78.85% for Group 2, respectively. The mite reduction was significant in Group 2 on D56 and D70 (p < 0.0156) compared to the pretreatment and superior to Group 1 (p < 0.0229) at the end of the study (D70). The age and mite numbers showed no significant connection. In horses with higher clinical scores, there were no significant changes, most probably due to the short length of the study. The combination of benzoyl peroxide with topical pyrethroids can reduce the numbers of C. bovis mites, and it can be considered an alternative therapeutic option in horses.

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) are considered a global health problem, especially in developing countries such as Sudan. Over three million people have been displaced in Sudan due to civil war, and children are severely affected. However, there is limited data regarding IPIs among children in internally displaced centers (IDCs) in the White Nile State, especially in Kosti City. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of IPIs and the associated risk factors among Sudanese children in an IDC in Kosti City, White Nile State, Sudan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 508 children at the IDC, and 508 corresponding stool samples were collected. Parents and guardians of children aged 1-10 were contacted randomly to voluntarily enroll their wards in the study. The sample collection period was from June 15th to November 15th, 2023. The stool samples were examined using direct wet mount and formal ether concentration techniques. Results: The overall prevalence of IPIs among children of the IDC was 33.9% (172/508). Specifically, the prevalence of intestinal parasites (IPs) among the children were Entamoeba histolytica (6.7%), Giardia lamblia (25.0%), and Hymenolepis nana (2.2%). Age-wise, the proportion of IPIs among children (1-5 years) was 29.8% (59/198), and those 6-10 years were 40.3% (125/310), p < 0.05. IPIs among males (32.1%) were less than females (34.9%), p > 0.05. Conclusion: The study concluded a relatively high prevalence of IPIs among children in IDC in Kosti City, White Nile State, Sudan. Therefore, a swift public intervention plan is needed, such as improving hygiene and sanitation, health education, and periodic screening and deworming of the affected population, particularly children.

Background: Apical membrane antigen 1 (AMA1) is a highly conserved microneme protein in apicomplexan parasites. In this study, immunoinformatics tools and in silico protein structure prediction were used to characterize the structure, physicochemical properties, posttranslational modification sites, immunogenic epitopes, allergenicity, and immune simulation of the Toxoplasma gondii AMA1 (TgAMA1) protein. Methods: A comprehensive analysis was performed using multiple bioinformatics web servers to analyze the antigenicity, physicochemical features, secondary and tertiary structures, B and T cell epitopes, and in silico immune simulation of TgAMA1. Results: The analysis revealed that the AMA1 protein consists of 569 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of approximately 63 kDa. The grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) was -0.531 and the aliphatic index was calculated as 64.62. Based on the GOR IV server, TgAMA1 contained 20.21% alpha helices, 58.52% random coils, and 21.27% extended strands. The Ramachandran plot of the refined model revealed that over 97% of the residues were located in the favored region. The AMA1 protein was highly immunogenic and nonallergenic in nature. In silico immune simulation using the C-ImmSim server suggested that three doses of TgAMA1 would elicit potent humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights for further in vitro and in vivo investigations of TgAMA1's potential as a vaccine candidate against toxoplasmosis.

Introduction: Human intestinal parasites are identified as causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, particularly in underdeveloped countries. Objective: This study was conducted to assess the status of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) among malnourished children attending Bele Gesgar Primary Hospital and investigate the possible risk factors of infections. Materials and Methods: A case-control study design was employed in this study. The parasites were detected using a wet mount, formalin-ether concentration, and modified Ziehl-Neelsen methods. Results: There were 422 children under the age ≤ 14 who took part in the study. The overall prevalence of IPIs was 31.75% (134/422) among sampled children, 44.07% in malnourished, and 19.43% in well nourished. Among malnourished children, the most prevalent parasites were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (11.37%), followed by Giardia lamblia (9.48%) and Ascaris lumbricoides (3.79%). The highest protozoal and parasite (helminths) infections were detected in the age groups below 5 years (46.24%) and the lowest in the age group of 11-14 (13.98%). Having no toilet (aOR = 3.541; p = 0.023), not handwashing after toilet (aOR = 3.074; p = 0.010), having contact with animals (aOR = 0.095; p = 0.001), and playing with mud and soil (aOR = 13.210; p = 0.001) were found as significant risk factors of parasitic infection among the malnourished children according to multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: In general, this study indicated that the status of parasite infections in children showed variation based on age and sex. In addition, not toilet usage, not washing hands with soap after toilet, having contact with animals, and playing with mud and soil were significant risk factors (p < 0.05) for IPIs in malnourished children.

This is a cross-sectional study that is aimed at evaluating the efficacy of antilice shampoo against head lice infestation in primary schoolgirls at level 3-6 (aged between 9 and 12 years) with a high prevalence of infestation in Pathum Thani Province and which also reported a current prevalence of lice infestation in this school. The study was conducted during January-March 2023. A total of 356 schoolchildren were screened for lice infestation. The prevalence rate of lice infestation was found in 78 students (21.9%) from all schoolchildren. Girls (50.3%) showed a higher rate of lice infestation than boys (0.5%) with a significant difference (p < 0.05). Most lice-infested girls (100%) reported itching. Seventy-two of 77 infested girls (93.5%) agreed to use shampoos for lice treatment. Two types of commercial shampoos were considered for lice treatment: (1) chemical (permethrin 0.5% W/V) antilice shampoo and (2) herbal antilice shampoo, since it is cheap and available in the market. The results of chemical (permethrin 0.5% W/V) antilice shampoo showed similar efficacy for lice treatment as herbal antilice shampoo with no significant difference in statistics (p > 0.05). Using the antilice shampoos consecutively 3 times demonstrated the highest efficacy of treatment (73.0%), followed by 2 times (34.3%), and the lowest efficacy of treatment was a single application (5.6%). No serious side effects from both shampoos in participants: 2 cases of itching and 1 case of the burning sensation. This indicated that in the area of the high prevalence of lice infestation, herbal antilice shampoo might be an alternative choice for lice treatment. However, we recommended using it once a week 3 times consecutively to reach the highest efficacy for treatment. In addition, this treatment should be extended to family members with lice infestation.

Background: Echinococcus granulosus is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of the parasite Echinococcus, which has a long incubation period, expensive diagnosis and treatment, and long duration of medication, so it brings a great economic burden to patients and their families. Shangri-La City is one of the counties with a high prevalence of echinococcosis in Yunnan Province. The antigen-positive rate of Echinococcus feces is high and there is a potential risk of infecting people. Evaluation of comprehensive prevention and control intervention and different frequencies of dewormed dogs (EC-DD) are crucial. Methods: From 2022 to 2023, Jiefang, Nishi, and Jidi villages in Jiantang Town of Shangri-La City were selected as the intervention group (TIG) and Hongpo Village as the control group (TCG) for EC-DD. TIG took comprehensive intervention measures such as registration management of domestic dogs (RMDD), single tying of dogs alone (STDA), deworming of registered domestic dogs (DRDD), standardized disposal of feces after deworming (SDFD), and population health promotion and intervention (PHPI), while TCG did not do any prevention and control intervention. Results: The evaluation survey results show that the positive rate of Echinococcus antigen (PREA) of TIG decreased from 3.15% baseline to 1.94%. Compared with the baseline, it decreased 38.41%, and the PREA of TCG increased from 1.88% baseline to 4.17%. Compared with the baseline, it increased 56.35%. The knowledge awareness rate (TKAR) was increased from 56.56% baseline to 81.46%. Compared with the baseline, it increased by 30.57%. In the survey of dog keeping, the evaluation values of STDA, DRDD, SDFD, and the practice of not feeding dogs the diseased organs of animals were higher than the baseline values. In the survey of people's behavior habits, the evaluation values of people regularly washing hands, not drinking raw water, and not burning cow dung at home also improved compared with the baseline value. Conclusions: In areas with low prevalence of echinococcosis, the village with positive dogs shall take measures for the management of RMDD, STDA, and SDFD and perform deworming four times a year. In addition to these, the comprehensive prevention and control measures combined with PHPI can effectively control the PREA.

Background: Trypanosoma caninum presents aflagellar and flagellar epimastigote, trypomastigote, and spheromastigote forms in axenic cultures. Attempts to utilize trypomastigote forms of T. caninum to develop in vitro and in vivo infection models have failed. To investigate the infection potential of aflagellar epimastigotes, T. caninum interaction studies were performed using DH82 cells and BALB/c mouse peritoneal macrophages in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM)/F-12 medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum and bovine serum albumin. Light-field microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze these interactions. Regarding T. caninum-macrophage interactions, the following previously unseen results were obtained: (1) the aflagellar epimastigote form of T. caninum infects macrophages, and (2) T. caninum epimastigotes transformed into amastigotes inside macrophages. Aflagellar epimastigotes were seen adhering to and entering macrophages and differentiating to the amastigote form; amastigotes proliferated within the parasitophorous vacuole in macrophages after 15 min. At the final time point (48 h), there were few macrophages arranged on the coverslips, but interacting with free amastigotes of T. caninum, while some of the parasites changed to the flagellar epimastigote form. Considering the lack of information on T. caninum and its importance in public health, this study provides new insights into the biological cycle of T. caninum and parasite-host relationships.

Foodborne diseases, particularly those caused by parasitic infections, pose significant public health challenges globally, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as children. In this study, we investigated the parasitic contamination in 773 samples of fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens from Ecuador's Chimborazo Province. Utilizing a cross-sectional, observational approach, samples were collected from the capital of the Guano canton, Chimborazo Province. The analysis revealed an alarming overall contamination frequency of 74.5%, with leafy greens exhibiting the highest contamination (238/275 [86.5%]), followed by vegetables (130/188 [69.1%]) and fruits (208/310 [67.1%]) (X ² = 32.793; p < 0.0001). Protozoa (71.8%) were four times more prevalent than helminths (16.9%) (X ² = 471.106; p < 0.0001), showing a higher frequency in leafy greens (228/275 [82.9%]) compared to fruits (205/310 [66.1%]) and vegetables (122/188 [64.9%]) (X ² = 26.113; p < 0.0001). In contrast, helminths were more frequently found in vegetables (54/188 [28.7%]) than in leafy greens (49/275 [17.8%]) and fruits (28/310 [9%]) (X ² = 32.469; p < 0.0001). Notably, Blastocystis sp. was the most frequently identified parasite in all types of produce, particularly in fruits (43.5%) and leafy greens (40.7%). These findings underscore the critical need to improve food safety protocols and sanitation practices in agricultural settings to mitigate health risks associated with parasitic infections, especially among children in socioeconomically disadvantaged rural communities.

Background: Malaria is a deadly vector-borne parasitic disease spread by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito. In routine malaria diagnosis, microscopic examination is generally regarded as the gold standard. Our study sought to evaluate the diagnostic precision of two commercially accessible quantitative PCR (qPCR) kits, in contrast to light microscopy and nested multiplex PCR (NM-PCR). Methods: This cross-sectional study in southwest Saudi Arabia included 92 febrile patients meeting the inclusion criteria. Detection of Plasmodium species used light microscopy, NM-PCR, and qPCR kits (RealStar and Viasure). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v25, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Light microscopy detected 92.4% of cases, NM-PCR detected 73.9%, and RealStar and Viasure detected 92.4% and 95.7%, respectively. Viasure showed the highest sensitivity (97.6%) and NPV (50%), while NM-PCR had superior specificity (71.4%). For species identification, Plasmodium falciparum detection was highest with RealStar (85%). Mixed infections were better identified by Viasure (34.6%). RealStar excelled in Plasmodium vivax detection (area under the curve [AUC] = 90%). qPCR detected low parasitemia levels missed by microscopy. Conclusions: The qPCR kits, particularly Viasure, demonstrated superior sensitivity for detecting Plasmodium species and identifying mixed infections compared to light microscopy and NM-PCR. While light microscopy showed higher specificity and PPV, qPCR effectively detected low parasitemia levels missed by microscopy, highlighting its value in improving malaria diagnostics.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a neglected parasitic infection with a particular impact in humans and livestock. The current investigation was undertaken to design and evaluate a DNA vaccine encoding Echinococcus granulosus Eg95-1 to EG95-6, P29, and GST against hydatid cyst infection in BALB/c mice. Initially, B-cell, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte, and helper T-lymphocyte epitopes were forecasted using B-cell epitope prediction server (BCPREDS) and Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) server, respectively, and a vaccine construct incorporating multiple epitopes was rationally designed and comprehensively analyzed through in silico modeling and simulation studies. Next, Escherichia coli TOP10 was transformed by the recombinant pcDNA 3.1 plasmid and mass production, followed by plasmid extraction, was done. The BALB/c mouse immunization was done with 50 and 100 μg concentrations of plasmid combined with IL-12 adjuvant or alone. Mouse sera and splenic lymphocytes were used for the measurement of specific humoral and cellular responses. The candidate vaccine model weighed 37.49 kDa with 338 residues antigenic, while nonallergenic, soluble, stable, highly thermotolerant, and hydrophilic in nature. Expression in HEK-293 cells was successfully achieved, as evidenced by the detection of a 37 kDa protein band in the western blot analysis. Vaccine doses, especially the 100 μg concentration, alone or in combination with an adjuvant, induced a T-helper 1 (Th1)-type immune response. This was evidenced by higher levels of IgG2a antibody and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) along with lower levels of interleukin 4 (IL-4). Although the groups that received the 50-μg dose of vaccine alone or with adjuvant showed a lower immune response, overall, the vaccinated groups showed statistically significant differences compared to the control groups (phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and pcDNA). The promising results of this vaccine candidate can be further examined using challenges with various parasite genotypes.