Trends in parasitology最新文献

Plasmodium spp. have an ancient history with humans, having been described in ancient texts dating back 3500 years ago, which has led to an evolutionary arms race between Plasmodium and humans with Plasmodium successfully subverting durable, sterilizing host immunity. Mechanisms of immune evasion include polymorphism and antigenic variation, as well as dysregulated immune responses, each facilitating transmission and Plasmodium parasite persistence. Notably, metabolite signaling cues in the host and parasite have more recently been appreciated as key drivers for disease progression. Here, we highlight the metabolic interplay between the host and Plasmodium parasites during malaria. We discuss how immunometabolism studies may be leveraged to elucidate this complex relationship and offer opportunities to augment either vaccine- or infection-induced protective immunity.

Liver fluke infection is a major risk for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). It has been established that the Asian liver flukes, Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini secrete growth factors, digestive enzymes, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) which contribute to abnormal cell development in the bile ducts where the worms reside. These secretions - combined with aberrant inflammation and repeated cycles of chronic wounding at the site of parasite attachment and grazing on the epithelium - promote biliary hyperplasia and fibrosis and ultimately malignant transformation. Application of post-genomic and gene-editing tools to the study of liver fluke immunobiology and pathogenesis has accelerated the discovery of essential virulence factors to which targeted therapies and diagnostics can be directed.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods include whole-genome sequencing, metagenomic analysis, and amplicon-based NGS, all of which are gaining territory in parasitology. A modality of particular interest within the field of gut protozoology is exhaustive metabarcoding of ribosomal genes in a complex matrix such as faeces, by which method, amplicon-based NGS enables the detection and differentiation of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms, circumventing Sanger sequencing-based limitations and representing a one-fits-most approach. Apart from being a tool to break the code of intracellular genetic variation and tell mixed species infections apart, metabarcoding can produce data that can serve to augment our understanding of the interplay between the organisms within the gut.

Sec14 domain proteins are broadly conserved in eukaryotes and play essential roles in numerous cellular processes. Limited data on Sec14 proteins of apicomplexan parasites suggest that they could be important for their survival. The development of fungi-specific Sec14 inhibitors raises the tantalizing possibility that their apicomplexan counterparts might also be targeted.

Bats are increasingly in the focus of disease surveillance studies as they harbor pathogens that can cause severe human disease. In other host groups, ectoparasitic arthropods play an important role in transmitting pathogens to humans. Nevertheless, we currently know little about the role of bat-associated ectoparasites in pathogen transmission, not only between bats but also to humans and other species, even though some of these parasites occasionally feed on humans and harbor potentially zoonotic organisms. In this work, we summarize current knowledge on the zoonotic risks linked to bat-associated ectoparasites and provide novel risk assessment guidelines to improve targeted surveillance efforts. Additionally, we suggest research directions to help adjust surveillance strategies and to better understand the eco-epidemiological role of these parasites.

The development of malaria-induced neurocognitive and behavioral sequelae is not entirely understood. We hypothesize that liver dysfunction caused by Plasmodium infection is responsible for malaria-induced neurocognitive and behavioral sequelae. Our metabolic hypothesis not only explains neurocognitive sequelae after cerebral malaria (CM) but also after other severe, non-severe, and asymptomatic malaria infections.

CRISPR genome editing is actively used for schistosomes and other flukes. The ability to genetically manipulate these flatworms enables deeper investigation of their (patho)biological nature. CRISPR gene knockout (KO) demonstrated that a liver fluke growth mediator contributes to disease progression. Genome safe harbor sites have been predicted in Schistosoma mansoni and targeted for transgene insertion. CRISPR-based diagnosis has been demonstrated for infection with schistosomes and Opisthorchis viverrini. This review charts the progress, and the state of play, and posits salient questions for the field to address. Derivation of heritably transgenic loss-of-function or gain-of-function lines is the next milestone.

The growth of scientific knowledge is often likened to the evolution and diversification of life: new disciplines branch off older ones, and subsequently prosper or decline in a manner reminiscent of the expansion or extinction of diverse lineages of organisms. Based on a parallel between evolutionary diversification and knowledge growth, I examine the expansion of subdisciplines within 'ecological and evolutionary parasitology'. Bibliometric data are used to map the rise and fall of subdisciplines over time, capturing historical trends over the past several decades. This historical overview is followed by a critical consideration of its practical applications for decision-making, ranging from rational funding allocation among subdisciplines to whether the collective planning of future research directions is a desirable option.