Pathogens最新文献

Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) pose a significant threat to canine health in Nigeria. Despite this, there is little data on the molecular identification of ticks and TBPs of dogs in Nigeria. This study assessed the prevalence of ticks and TBPs in Nigerian dogs, along with associated risk factors. A total of 259 dogs were enrolled in the study, from which 112 adult ticks were collected. Of these, 40 were characterized by molecular barcoding confirming Rhipicephalus sanguineus (R. sanguineus, 35/40) and Haemphysalis leachi (H. leachi, 5/40) infestations. Nucleotide sequences showed high percentage similarity to R. sanguineus tropical lineage and H. leachi sequences from Chad. Point-of-care (POC) testing of 259 dogs detected antibodies to TBPs in 40.9% of blood samples, with Ehrlichia (29.7%), Anaplasma (10.8%), and Dirofilaria (0.4%) species identified. PCR assays revealed a prevalence of 58.7% for TBPs, including Ehrlichia (40.5%) and Babesia (17.4%), with 7.3% co-infected. Risk factor analysis showed that adult dogs and those infested with ticks had a higher likelihood of TBP seropositivity. Exotic breeds and dogs examined during the rainy season were more likely to test positive for TBPs via PCR. Overall, this study demonstrates the high prevalence of diverse TBPs in Nigerian dogs and suggests that dog breed may play a role in susceptibility to diseases.

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an emerging and underreported arbovirus with dengue-like symptoms confounding diagnosis. OROV is also neuroinvasive, with a small number of cases presenting severe neurological symptoms. There have been recently reported deaths from confirmed cases of OROV and reported instances of vertical transmission from mother to foetus, with confirmed cases in Brazil and a congenital anomaly, reportedly as a consequence of OROV infection in Cuba, with further cases under investigation. Whilst cases of OROV infection occur mainly in South America, many cases have been imported elsewhere, including the United States and Europe. Despite the emerging threat to public health, animal modelling to study OROV pathogenicity and immunity and to evaluate therapeutic candidates remains limited. For this review, we carried out a literature search through major research databases (PubMed and Scopus) up to September 2025 to capture the extent of in vivo model development for this pathogen. We identified only 17 relevant primary research articles within these criteria which detailed hamster, mouse and non-human primate (NHP) models. Here, we discuss the extent of in vivo model development for OROV. In summary, small and large animal models need to be assessed with recent clinical isolates and reassortants, asymptomatic disease presentation in the NHP model requires further study and the hamster model shows potential for use in pathogenicity and vaccine or antiviral efficacy studies. We also compile relevant metadata and discuss the need for an animal model that more closely resembles human disease.

Equine bacterial abortion presents substantial economic and One Health challenges; however, comprehensive epidemiological data from China are limited. This study sought to ascertain the overall prevalence of key pathogens-namely, Chlamydia spp., Coxiella burnetii, Salmonella abortus equi, and Brucella spp.-in equine populations in northwestern China. In this study, we aimed to further elucidate the characteristics of co-infections, profile antimicrobial resistance genes, and identify associated risk factors. Conducted as a cross-sectional analysis across four provinces, we collected 508 blood samples and 24 abortion tissue samples from 15 farms. Pathogen detection was performed using ELISA and real-time PCR, complemented by a targeted PCR panel screening for 29 AMR genes. The highest prevalence was observed for S. abortus equi (serology: 35.03%; molecular: 23.03%), followed by C. burnetii (28.94%; 15.35%) and Chlamydia spp. (18.90%; 14.17%). No PCR-confirmed cases of Brucella spp. were detected, despite low-level seropositivity. Notably, donkeys and horses aged 5-10 years exhibited higher positivity rates, and co-infections were common, particularly S. abortus equi + C. burnetii (n = 44). Among the 196 PCR-positive samples, extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes were predominant, with CTX-M (n = 158) and TEM-1 (n = 106) being the most prevalent. Additionally, we identified a high prevalence of genes conferring resistance to fluoroquinolones (qnrA/B), tetracyclines (tetM), macrolides (ermA/B/C), and sulfonamides (sul1), along with sporadic occurrences of carbapenemase genes. This study presents the inaugural comprehensive analysis of pathogen prevalence and associated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene carriage in equine abortion cases in northwest China. The findings highlight the imperative for integrated serological and molecular surveillance, revealing a significant discrepancy between empirical therapeutic approaches and the prevalent resistance genotypes. Consequently, this research lays the groundwork for evidence-based biosecurity measures and antimicrobial stewardship within a One Health framework.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a highly prevalent sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cervical and other anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. Despite available vaccines, vaccination coverage remains low in Bulgaria. This study aimes to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Medical University students in HPV prevention.

Materials: A cross-sectional anonymous survey was conducted at the Medical University-Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Results: A total of 1485 students, primarily women (60.1%) with a median age of 22.78 years, participated. Four hundred fifty-two (30.4%) reported having received the HPV vaccine. Of the unvaccinated, 800 (77.8%) expressed willingness to receive the vaccine. Vaccinated respondents were more likely to report having had five or more sexual partners (37.1%) compared to unvaccinated respondents (21.1%) (χ² = 77.136, p < 0.001). Approximately one-third (36.4%) mistakenly believe condoms provide complete protection and that antibiotics effectively treat HPV. Students who opposed the assertion that vaccinating minors suggests early sexual activity is permissible were 1.89 times more likely to be vaccinated.

Conclusions: Medical University students possess insufficient understanding of HPV transmission, health outcomes, and prevention. Their attitudes and practices require improvement. Enhancing the curriculum with comprehensive HPV information will better equip future healthcare providers and improve public health outcomes.

This scoping review of original literature published before 1 March 2025 examined the demographic and simple clinical and laboratory findings associated with the development of severe leptospirosis. The definition of severe leptospirosis varied in different studies, but for the purposes of this review it included death or patients with a more complicated clinical course. There were 35 articles that satisfied the review's inclusion criteria. Increasing age was associated with severe disease in 7 studies. Abnormal respiratory examination findings (18 studies), hypotension (11 studies), oliguria (8 studies), jaundice (7 studies) and altered mental status (4 studies) also helped identify high-risk patients. Abnormal laboratory tests-specifically the complete blood count (17 studies), measures of renal function (16 studies) and liver function (14 studies)-were also associated with severe disease. There was geographical heterogeneity in the clinical phenotype of severe disease, but the presence of hypotension, respiratory or renal involvement had prognostic utility in all regions. Simple bedside findings and basic laboratory tests can provide valuable clinical information in patients with leptospirosis. Integration of these indices into early risk stratification tools may facilitate recognition of the high-risk patient and expedite escalation of care in resource-limited settings where most cases of life-threatening leptospirosis are seen.

In this study, the insert length, location within the coat protein-encoding gene, and sequence orientation of the target fragment were optimized to construct an efficient virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system in melon using a Begomovirus solanumdelhiense vector. Existing systems are mostly RNA viruses, requiring in vitro synthesis of viral strands that are prone to degradation, although they exhibit high infectivity and stability in cucurbit hosts and ease of manipulation. This vector was selected for its more stable genome structure and these advantages. The melon phytoene desaturase (CmPDS), a key gene of carotenoid biosynthesis, was selected as a reporter gene to evaluate the effects of the VIGS system. Our results revealed that the melon leaves in all the VIGS treatments exhibited a typical photobleaching phenotype at 21 days post-inoculation. Moreover, reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR revealed a significant reduction in the mRNA levels of PDS in melon. The highest silencing efficiency (lowest PDS mRNA levels) was achieved by the VIGS vector harboring a 165 bp CmPDS fragment at the 3' end of the AV1. These findings not only establish a more efficient VIGS protocol for melon but also provide a foundation for developing novel virus-based silencing tools applicable to functional genomics and cucurbit crop improvement, particularly for traits requiring precise gene expression modulation such as disease resistance and fruit quality.

Leishmania RNA virus 1 (LRV-1) is a double-stranded RNA virus identified in several Leishmania spp. LRV-1 has been associated with increased disease severity and therapeutic failure in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Although LRV-1 has been reported in the Americas, its influence on parasite infectivity and host immune responses remains poorly characterized in Panamanian isolates. In this study, we investigate the in vitro infectivity and immunomodulatory effects of LRV-1-positive (LRV-1⁺) versus LRV-1-negative (LRV-1^-) isolates of Leishmania (Viannia), including clinical strains of L. (V.) panamensis and L. (V.) guyanensis. A total of 21 isolates (nine LRV-1⁺, nine LRV-1^-, and three reference strains) were used to infect human U937 macrophages. The infectivity index (II) was measured at 24, 48, and 72 h post-infection. Cytokine levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17 were quantified by flow cytometry, and IL-1β by ELISA at 24 and 48 h. LRV-1⁺ isolates exhibited significantly higher infectivity at 48 h (mean II = 1386.2) and 72 h (mean II = 1316.8) compared to LRV-1^- isolates (mean II = 714.4 and 571.0, respectively; p < 0.001). Two L. (V.) panamensis LRV-1⁺ isolates associated with complicated CL cases displayed the highest II values. Cytokine analysis revealed that LRV-1⁺ isolates induced elevated TNF-α (p < 0.01) and IL-1β (p < 0.001), along with reduced IFN-γ (p < 0.01), while no significant differences were observed for IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, or IL-17. These findings indicate that LRV-1 enhances parasite infectivity and promotes a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile, which may contribute to disease persistence and treatment failure.

Ebola virus (EBOV) infection constitutes a significant global public health threat, and no curative treatment is currently available for it. Rapid and accurate detection of EBOV nucleic acid is crucial for controlling the spread of Ebola virus disease (EVD). The gold standard for EBOV diagnosis is real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), which requires costly equipment and skilled personnel, potentially hindering its application for rapid detection, especially in resource-limited settings. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop a simple, accurate, and rapid diagnostic method for EVD. In this study, a real-time reverse transcription recombinase-aided amplification (RT-RAA) assay was developed for the specific visual detection of the conserved region of the EBOV nucleoprotein (NP) gene. The RT-RAA assay can be completed within 30 min at 42 °C, and results can be visualized using a portable blue light imager. The assay exhibited strong analytical specificity toward EBOV. No cross-reactivity was observed with any of the other public-health-relevant viruses tested. The visual RT-RAA assay demonstrated sensitivity comparable to RT-qPCR, detecting 52 copies per reaction at a 95% probability level, whereas RT-qPCR required 74 copies per reaction. The RAA method demonstrated excellent repeatability and stability, with intra-assay and inter-assay CVs less than 5% and 7%, respectively. These results clearly indicate that the visual RT-RAA method is specific, accurate, simple, rapid, and reliable for EBOV detection.

Cystic Echinococcosis (CE) is a rare but serious parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato, representing only 1-2% of all hydatid disease cases. Due to its nonspecific clinical presentation, its diagnosis and management pose significant challenges. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of intracranial CE cases reported globally over the past 35 years, focusing on demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnostic approaches, treatment modalities, and outcomes.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD 42024608624). Relevant studies published between 1990 and 2024 were identified from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.

Results: After screening and eligibility assessment, 392 studies involving 718 intracranial CE cases were included. The majority of patients were children (65%) and male (59.2%). The most frequent presenting symptoms were signs of increased intracranial pressure (79.4%), followed by motor deficits (37.9%) and visual disturbances (23.2%). Most cysts were located in the supratentorial region (88.9%), predominantly in the parietal lobe, and were solitary (88.4%). Surgical intervention was performed in 95.8% of cases, often combined with albendazole therapy. Complete recovery was observed in 85.5% of patients, while 8.7% died-primarily due to cyst rupture-related complications such as septicemia and anaphylaxis. Recurrence was reported in 26% of cases with follow-up.

Conclusions: This review presents one of the most extensive analyses of intracranial CE to date. Despite being a rare manifestation, intracranial CE should be considered in the differential diagnosis of space-occupying brain lesions in endemic areas, particularly in paediatric patients.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) has long been interpreted through the lens of genetic mutations and horizontal gene transfer. Yet, mounting evidence suggests that epigenetic regulation, including DNA and RNA methylation, histone-like proteins, and small non-coding RNAs, plays a similarly critical role in bacterial adaptability. These reversible modifications reshape gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, enabling transient resistance, phenotypic heterogeneity, and biofilm persistence under antimicrobial stress. Advances in single-molecule sequencing and methylome mapping have uncovered diverse DNA methyltransferase systems that coordinate virulence, efflux, and stress responses. Such epigenetic circuits allow pathogens to survive antibiotic exposure, then revert to susceptibility once pressure subsides, complicating clinical treatment. Parallel advances in CRISPR-based technologies now enable direct manipulation of these regulatory layers. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and catalytically inactive dCas9-fused methyltransferases can silence or reactivate genes in a programmable, non-mutational manner, offering a new route to reverse resistance or sensitize pathogens. Integrating methylomic data with transcriptomic and proteomic profiles further reveals how epigenetic plasticity sustains antimicrobial tolerance across environments. This review traces the continuum from natural bacterial methylomes to engineered CRISPR-mediated epigenetic editing, outlining how this emerging interface could redefine antibiotic stewardship. Understanding and targeting these reversible, heritable mechanisms opens the door to precision antimicrobial strategies that restore the effectiveness of existing drugs while curbing the evolution of resistance.