Trends in parasitology最新文献

Cryptosporidium spp. are an important cause of diarrheal disease worldwide. However, pathogenesis can vary between and within parasite species. Huang et al. identified CpMRP1 as a transporter of the microbial metabolite deoxycholic acid and virulence factor that determines infection outcome in susceptible mice.

Early-life parasitism can negatively impact the health of wild animal hosts. However, parasitism can also positively influence host physiology, behavior, and morphology during development, which might increase overall host fitness. Our overall goal was to review evidence to support the net positive effects of early-life parasitism on wild animal host fitness. We found that few studies have explored this idea; instead, studies primarily focus on the effects of parasitism during a particular life stage, the immediate, but not lasting, effects of parasitism, or the effect of the immune response on host fitness without considering the parasite. Indeed, several challenges prevent progress, including immune response specificity, dose-dependent immune responses, logistical feasibility, and incomplete datasets. Going forward, an integrative approach is needed to address the roadblocks that the field is currently facing.

Arthropod-borne diseases, caused by diverse pathogens, are global public health threats. Recent studies show that adiponectin receptor-like proteins in vectors such as Anopheles gambiae, Aedes aegypti, and Ixodes scapularis influence transmission of diseases such as malaria, Zika virus, and Lyme disease. These receptors could be novel targets for controlling vector-borne diseases.

Transboundary animal diseases (TADs) represent a persistent and growing threat to global animal health, food security, rural economies, and human health. The study of TADs has remained largely pathogen-specific, with limited synthesis across ecological and epidemiological contexts. This review addresses that gap by proposing a conceptual framework that characterizes TAD transmission from (i) managed animal environments (e.g., farms) in a source country, via (ii) transboundary movement, to (iii) managed animal environments in a recipient country. Transboundary movements include legal and unregulated trade, wildlife migration, nomadic herding, and non-nomadic human travel. For each movement pathway, we synthesize the literature on relevant TADs, illustrate our framework with examples, and highlight where interventions and policies can be applied to individual and collective TAD issues.

Mosquito saliva modulates host immunity, enhancing viral spread and disease. Suzuki et al. propose a previously uncharacterized, TLR2-driven mechanism of immunomodulation that is conserved across mosquito genera and independent of flavivirus type. This flavivirus-agnostic pathway may represent a promising target against mosquito-borne viral infections.

This article explores the cultural practices and diagnostic challenges surrounding schistosomiasis in Tanzania's Lake Zone. Mr Ezekiel's son endured years of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments until the correct identification and treatment of his chronic urinary schistosomiasis, highlighting the need for improved healthcare access and awareness in rural African communities.

Ectoparasites and opportunistic protists exhibit species-, toxicant-, and environment-specific responses to different pollutants. This review summarises the effects of organic, inorganic, and emerging pollutants on ectoparasites and opportunistic protists, and their applicability in environmental monitoring. From an indicator context, most studies have focused on endoparasites, largely because they fulfil key criteria used to assess the general suitability of parasites as indicators. Fewer studies have assessed effects of pollution on ectoparasites and protists despite being exposed for their entire life cycles. Their sensitivity to environmental changes, host-related factors, and macroenvironment interactions position them as promising tools for ecosystem assessment. However, the complexity of multi-stressor and species-specific dynamics necessitates novel approaches to their use as bioindicators.