Articles

Monthly biological larviciding associated with a tenfold decrease in larval density in fish farming ponds and reduced community-wide malaria incidence in northwestern Brazil

Larvicides are typically applied to fixed and findable mosquito breeding sites, such as fish farming ponds used in commercial aquaculture, to kill immature forms and thereby reduce the size of adult malaria ve...

Authors: Pablo S. Fontoura, Marcos F. Silva, Anderson S. da Costa, Francismar S. Ribeiro, Marcílio S. Ferreira, Simone Ladeia-Andrade, Juliana Tonini, Priscila T. Rodrigues, Marcia C. Castro and Marcelo U. Ferreira

Virucidal and antiviral activities of pomegranate (Punica granatum) extract against the mosquito-borne Mayaro virus

The arthropod-borne Mayaro virus (MAYV) causes “Mayaro fever,” a disease of medical significance, primarily affecting individuals in permanent contact with forested areas in tropical South America. Recently, M...

Authors: Tiago Souza Salles, Marcelo Damião Ferreira Meneses, Lucio Ayres Caldas, Thayane Encarnação Sá-Guimarães, Danielle M. de Oliveira, José A. Ventura, Renata Campos Azevedo, Ricardo M. Kuster, Márcia Regina Soares and Davis Fernandes Ferreira

Identification of anti-horn fly vaccine antigen candidates using a reverse vaccinology approach

The horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans, causes significant production losses to the cattle industry. Horn fly control relies on insecticides; however, alternative control methods such as vaccines are needed d...

Authors: Luísa N. Domingues, Kylie G. Bendele, Lénaïg Halos, Yovany Moreno, Christian Epe, Monica Figueiredo, Martin Liebstein and Felix D. Guerrero

Parasites & Vectors: 13 years devoted to parasitology and tropical medicine

Authors: Filipe Dantas-Torres

Retrospective study of canine endoparasites diagnosed by fecal flotation methods analyzed across veterinary parasitology diagnostic laboratories, United States, 2018

Companion animal endoparasites play a substantial role in both veterinary medicine and public health. Updated epidemiological studies are necessary to identify trends in occurrence and distribution of these pa...

Authors: Caroline Sobotyk, Kaitlyn E. Upton, Manigandan Lejeune, Thomas J. Nolan, Antoinette E. Marsh, Brian H. Herrin, Mindy M. Borst, Julie Piccione, Anne M. Zajac, Lauren E. Camp, Cassan N. Pulaski, Lindsay A. Starkey, Cristiano von Simson and Guilherme G. Verocai

Three different mutations in the DNA topoisomerase 1B in Leishmania infantum contribute to resistance to antitumor drug topotecan

The evolution of drug resistance is one of the biggest challenges in leishmaniasis and has prompted the need for new antileishmanial drugs. Repurposing of approved drugs is a faster and very attractive strateg...

Authors: Chloé Rosa-Teijeiro, Victoria Wagner, Audrey Corbeil, Ilda d’Annessa, Philippe Leprohon, Rubens L. do Monte-Neto and Christopher Fernandez-Prada

Improved vector control of Triatoma infestans limited by emerging pyrethroid resistance across an urban-to-rural gradient in the Argentine Chaco

The sustainable elimination of Triatoma infestans in the Gran Chaco region represents an enduring challenge. Following the limited effects of a routine pyrethroid insecticide spraying campaign conducted over 2011...

Authors: María Sol Gaspe, Marta Victoria Cardinal, María del Pilar Fernández, Claudia Viviana Vassena, Pablo Luis Santo-Orihuela, Gustavo Fabián Enriquez, Alejandra Alvedro, Mariano Alberto Laiño, Julieta Nattero, Julián Antonio Alvarado-Otegui, Natalia Paula Macchiaverna, María Carla Cecere, Héctor Freilij and Ricardo Esteban Gürtler

The parasite Schistocephalus solidus secretes proteins with putative host manipulation functions

Manipulative parasites are thought to liberate molecules in their external environment, acting as manipulation factors with biological functions implicated in their host’s physiological and behavioural alterat...

Authors: Chloé Suzanne Berger, Jérôme Laroche, Halim Maaroufi, Hélène Martin, Kyung-Mee Moon, Christian R. Landry, Leonard J. Foster and Nadia Aubin-Horth

Risk of dementia in patients with toxoplasmosis: a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Taiwan

Approximately 25–30% of individuals worldwide are infected with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), which is difficult to detect in its latent state. We aimed to evaluate the association between toxoplasmosis, the ris...

Authors: Hung-Yi Yang, Wu-Chien Chien, Chi-Hsiang Chung, Ruei-Yu Su, Chung-Yu Lai, Chuan-Chi Yang and Nian-Sheng Tzeng

Quantitative PCR assay for the detection of Aedes vigilax in mosquito trap collections containing large numbers of morphologically similar species and phylogenetic analysis of specimens collected in Victoria, Australia

Aedes vigilax is one of the most significant arbovirus vector and pest species in Australia’s coastal regions. Occurring in multiple countries, this mosquito species occurs as a species complex which has been sep...

Authors: Peter T. Mee, Shani Wong, Karen Brown and Stacey E. Lynch

Diversity of midgut bacteria in larvae and females of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus from Gampaha District, Sri Lanka

The midgut microbiota of mosquitoes maintain basal immune activity and immune priming. In recent years, scientists have focused on the use of microbial communities for vector control interventions. In the pres...

Authors: Koshila Ranasinghe, Nayana Gunathilaka, Deepika Amarasinghe, Wasana Rodrigo and Lahiru Udayanga

Isolation of Tibet Orbivirus from Culicoides jacobsoni (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) in China

Tibet Orbivirus (TIBOV) is a recently discovered Orbivirus known to infect cattle, Asian buffalo and goats in south-western China. It was first isolated from mosquitoes and subsequently from biting midges (Culico...

Authors: Ying Liang Duan, Zhen Xing Yang, Glenn Bellis and Le Li

A novel protist parasite, Salmoxcellia vastator n. gen., n. sp. (Xcelliidae, Perkinsozoa), infecting farmed salmonids in Norway

In Norway, x-cell parasites associated with disease in farmed salmonids have been known as a rare phenomenon for two decades. These parasites cause systemic infections in farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss

Authors: Egil Karlsbakk, Cecilie Flatnes Nystøyl, Heidrun Plarre and Are Nylund

Occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks from Wester Ross, Northwest Scotland

Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases emerge from increased interactions between humans, other animals, and infected ticks. The risk of acquiring a tick-borne infection varies across space and time, s...

Authors: Fanny Olsthoorn, Hein Sprong, Manoj Fonville, Mara Rocchi, Jolyon Medlock, Lucy Gilbert and Jaboury Ghazoul

Molecular detection and risk factors for Anaplasma platys infection in dogs from Egypt

Anaplasma platys is a tick-borne bacterium which infects blood platelets of dogs, causing canine cyclic thrombocytopenia. The disease is distributed worldwide, particularly in the tropics and subtropics, but info...

Authors: Abdelfattah Selim, Hamdan Almohammed, Abdelhamed Abdelhady, Abdulaziz Alouffi and Fahdah Ayed Alshammari

Wolbachia prevalence in the vector species Culex pipiens and Culex torrentium in a Sindbis virus-endemic region of Sweden

Wolbachia pipientis are endosymbiotic bacteria present in a large proportion of terrestrial arthropods. The species is known to sometimes affect the ability of its host to transmit vector-borne pathogens. Central...

Authors: Alexander Bergman and Jenny C. Hesson

Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in mosquitoes from Corsica Island, France

Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are the main causative agents of heartworm disease and subcutaneous dirofilariasis in domestic and wild canids, respectively. Both pathogens have zoonotic potential and ...

Authors: Laidoudi Younes, Hélène Barré-Cardi, Samia Bedjaoui, Nazli Ayhan, Marie Varloud, Oleg Mediannikov, Domenico Otranto and Bernard Davoust

Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are globally distributed roundworms and causative agents of human toxocariasis, via ingestion of Toxocara eggs. Control of Toxocara infections is constrained by a lack of sensitiv...

Authors: Wojciech Jarosz, Jean-Francois Durant, Leonid Mwana Wa Bene Irenge, Renata Fogt-Wyrwas, Hanna Mizgajska-Wiktor and Jean-Luc Gala

Characterization of nit sheath protein functions and transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking in the human head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis

Head louse females secrete liquid glue during oviposition, which is solidified to form the nit sheath over the egg. Recently, two homologous proteins, named louse nit sheath protein (LNSP) 1 and LNSP 2, were i...

Authors: Ju Hyeon Kim, Do Eun Lee, SangYoun Park, John M. Clark and Si Hyeock Lee

Genetic diversity and population structure of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato across different regions of Colombia

There has been a long-standing debate over the taxonomic status of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. Different studies worldwide have reported the occurrence of different well-defined lineages, in addition to

Authors: Luisa Páez-Triana, Marina Muñoz, Giovanny Herrera, Darwin A. Moreno-Pérez, Gabriel A. Tafur-Gómez, Diego Montenegro, Manuel A. Patarroyo, Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi and Juan David Ramírez

Recreational behaviour, risk perceptions, and protective practices against ticks: a cross-sectional comparative study before and during the lockdown enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania

Gaining insight into the risk perceptions and the knowledge evolution of the public about emerging or changing health risks is vital for the improvement of health promotion activities. Currently, scientific ev...

Authors: Silvia-Diana Borșan, Sabina Ramona Trif and Andrei Daniel Mihalca

Characterizing parasitic nematode faunas in faeces and soil using DNA metabarcoding

Gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes can impact fecundity, development, behaviour, and survival in wild vertebrate populations. Conventional monitoring of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes in wild populatio...

Authors: Marie Louise Davey, Kjersti Selstad Utaaker and Frode Fossøy

Epidemiology and spatial distribution of Echinococcus granulosus in sheep and goats slaughtered in a hyperendemic European Mediterranean area

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a worldwide parasitic zoonosis caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato affecting livestock, particularly sheep and goats. However, often this parasitosis is ...

Authors: Antonio Bosco, Leucio Camara Alves, Paola Cociancic, Alessandra Amadesi, Paola Pepe, Maria Elena Morgoglione, Maria Paola Maurelli, Edyniesky Ferrer-Miranda, Kleber Régis Santoro, Rafael Antonio Nascimento Ramos, Laura Rinaldi and Giuseppe Cringoli

Predatory and competitive interaction in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato larval breeding habitats in selected villages of central Uganda

Malaria is often persistent in communities surrounded by mosquito breeding habitats. Anopheles gambiae sensu lato exploit a variety of aquatic habitats, but the biotic determinants of its preferences are poorly u...

Authors: Hudson Onen, Robinson Odong, Moses Chemurot, Frédéric Tripet and Jonathan K. Kayondo

Comparative analysis of the transcriptional responses of five Leishmania species to trivalent antimony

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by several species of Leishmania. The resistance phenotype of these parasites depends on the characteristics of each species, which contributes to increased th...

Authors: Julián Medina, Lissa Cruz-Saavedra, Luz Helena Patiño, Marina Muñoz and Juan David Ramírez

Burden of malaria in children under five and caregivers’ health-seeking behaviour for malaria-related symptoms in artisanal mining communities in Ghana

Artisanal mining creates enabling breeding ground for the vector of malaria parasites. There is paucity of data on the effects of artisanal mining on malaria. This study assessed burden of malaria and caregive...

Authors: Francois Dao, Sampson Kafui Djonor, Christian Teye-Muno Ayin, George Asumah Adu, Bismark Sarfo, Pricillia Nortey, Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo and Anthony Danso-Appiah

Animal welfare and zoonosis risk: anti-Trichinella antibodies in breeding pigs farmed under controlled housing conditions

Domesticated pigs are the main source of Trichinella sp. infections for humans, particularly when reared in backyards or free-ranging. In temperate areas of southern Europe, most pigs are farmed under controlled ...

Authors: Edoardo Pozio, Mario Celli, Alessandra Ludovisi, Maria Interisano, Marco Amati and Maria Angeles Gómez-Morales

Vectra 3D (dinotefuran, pyriproxyfen and permethrin) prevents acquisition of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto by Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis ticks in an ex vivo feeding model

We evaluated the efficiency of an ex vivo feeding technique using a silicone membrane-based feeding chamber to (i) assess the anti-feeding and acaricidal efficacy of a spot-on combination of dinotefuran, pyrip...

Authors: Djamel Tahir, Btissam Asri, Leon Nicolaas Meyer, Alec Evans, Thomas Mather, Byron Blagburn, Reinhard K. Straubinger, Valérie Choumet, Frans Jongejan and Marie Varloud

Virome in adult Aedes albopictus captured during different seasons in Guangzhou City, China

The mosquito Aedes albopictus is an important vector for many pathogens. Understanding the virome in Ae. albopictus is critical for assessing the risk of disease transmission, implementation of vector control mea...

Authors: Wenqiao He, Yanxia Chen, Xiru Zhang, Mingji Peng, Da Xu, Huan He, Yuhan Gao, Junlin Chen, Jiarui Zhang, Zhiyu Li and Qing Chen

Molecular identification of Sarcocystis halieti in the muscles of two species of birds of prey from Spain

Members of the genus Sarcocystis are protozoan parasites characterized by a prey–predator two-host life-cycle. Sarcocysts are formed in the muscles or central nervous system of the intermediate host (IH), while s...

Authors: Petras Prakas, Antonio Bea, Evelina Juozaitytė-Ngugu, Iñaki Olano, Diego Villanúa, Saulius Švažas and Dalius Butkauskas

Evaluation of a mosquito home system for controlling Aedes aegypti

Dengue is a significant public health issue that is caused by Aedes spp. mosquitoes. The current vector control methods are unable to effectively reduce Aedes populations and thus fail to decrease dengue transmis...

Authors: Ahmad Mohiddin Mohd Ngesom, Anis Ahmad Razi, Nur Syahirah Azizan, Nazni Wasi Ahmad, Asmalia Md Lasim, Yanfeng Liang, David Greenhalgh, Jasmine Chia Siew Min, Mazrura Sahani, Rozita Hod and Hidayatulfathi Othman

Diagnostic accuracy of a novel enzyme-linked immunoassay for the detection of IgG and IgG4 against Strongyloides stercoralis based on the recombinant antigens NIE/SsIR

The diagnosis of strongyloidiasis is challenging. Serological tests are acknowledged to have high sensitivity, but issues due to cross-reactions with other parasites, native parasite antigen supply and intrins...

Authors: Francesca Tamarozzi, Silvia Stefania Longoni, Cristina Mazzi, Sofia Pettene, Antonio Montresor, Siddhartha Mahanty, Zeno Bisoffi and Dora Buonfrate

Detection of the Japanese encephalitis vector mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus in Australia using molecular diagnostics and morphology

Culex (Culex) tritaeniorhynchus is an important vector of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) affecting feral pigs, native mammals and humans. The mosquito species is widely distributed throughout Southeast Asia, A...

Authors: Bryan D. Lessard, Nina Kurucz, Juanita Rodriguez, Jane Carter and Christopher M. Hardy

Estimating the impact of Tiny Targets in reducing the incidence of Gambian sleeping sickness in the North-west Uganda focus

Riverine species of tsetse (Glossina) transmit Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, which causes Gambian human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT), a neglected tropical disease. Uganda aims to eliminate gHAT as a public heal...

Authors: Paul R. Bessell, Johan Esterhuizen, Michael J. Lehane, Joshua Longbottom, Albert Mugenyi, Richard Selby, Inaki Tirados, Steve J. Torr, Charles Waiswa, Charles Wamboga and Andrew Hope

Effect of wing length on the prevalence of trypanosomes in Glossina morsitans morsitans in eastern Zambia

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) transmit trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock). Several studies have indicated that age, sex, site of capture, starvation and microbiome symbion...

Authors: Cornelius Mweempwa, Kalinga Chilongo, Kyoko Hayashida and Boniface Namangala

Characterization and evaluation of a recombinant multiepitope peptide antigen MAG in the serological diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs

Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii is a serious disease threatening human and animal health. People can be infected with T. gondii by ingesting raw pork contaminated with cysts or oocysts. Serological test...

Authors: Yongle Song, Yongjuan Zhao, Ke Pan, Bang Shen, Rui Fang, Min Hu, Junlong Zhao and Yanqin Zhou

Evaluation of two Plasmodium vivax sexual stage antigens as transmission-blocking vaccine candidates

Plasmodium vivax transmission-blocking vaccines (TBVs) are receiving increasing attention. Based on excellent transmission-blocking activities of the PbPH (PBANKA_0417200) and PbSOP26 (PBANKA_1457700) antigens in...

Authors: Yongzhe Zhang, Fei Liu, Yan Zhao, Fan Yang, Jie Bai, Xitong Jia, Wanlapa Roobsoong, Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Liwang Cui, Yaming Cao, Enjie Luo and Meilian Wang

The pattern of kdr mutations correlated with the temperature in field populations of Aedes albopictus in China

Aedes albopictus is the primary vector of dengue fever in China. This mosquito species has a wide distribution range in China and can be found in the tropical climate zones of southern provinces through to temper...

Authors: Hanming Chen, Qiuming Zhou, Haowei Dong, Hao Yuan, Jie Bai, Jingpeng Gao, Feng Tao, Hui Ma, Xiangyu Li, Heng Peng and Yajun Ma

Effectiveness of integrated Aedes albopictus management in southern Switzerland

The exotic invasive tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, appeared in southern Switzerland in 2003. The spread of the mosquito has been surveyed constantly since then, and an integrated vector management (IVM) has be...

Authors: Damiana Ravasi, Diego Parrondo Monton, Matteo Tanadini and Eleonora Flacio

Equine attachment site preferences and seasonality of common North American ticks: Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor albipictus, and Ixodes scapularis

Ticks are common on horses, but recent publications characterizing equine tick infestations in North America are lacking.

Authors: Kellee D. Sundstrom, Megan W. Lineberry, Amber N. Grant, Kathryn T. Duncan, Michelle M. Ientile and Susan E. Little

Prevalence of arbovirus antibodies in young healthy adult population in Brazil

The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases are a cause for worldwide concern. The introduction of Zika and Chikungunya diseases in the Americas has exposed unforeseen medical and logistical challeng...

Authors: Bárbara Batista Salgado, Fábio Carmona de Jesus Maués, Renato Lemos Pereira, Jannifer Oliveira Chiang, Maria Nazaré de Oliveira Freitas, Milene Silveira Ferreira, Lívia Caricio Martins, Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, Christian Ganoza and Pritesh Lalwani

Emergence of Babesia conradae infection in coyote-hunting Greyhounds in Oklahoma, USA

Babesia species are intraerythrocytic Apicomplexan parasites that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. These pathogens are typically transmitted either by tick vectors or by direct blood-to-blood contact, and...

Authors: Erin Stayton, Megan Lineberry, Jennifer Thomas, Tina Bass, Kelly Allen, Ramaswamy Chandrashekar, Gene Yost, Mason Reichard and Craig Miller

Effectiveness of sarolaner in the clinical management of furuncular myiasis in dogs naturally infested with Dermatobia hominis (Diptera: Cuterebridae)

The human botfly, Dermatobia hominis, is a common cause of furuncular myiasis in dogs in Latin America. Lesions can be single or multiple, each harboring an individual larva, presented as an erythematous nodule t...

Authors: Paula A. Andriotti, Clarissa P. Souza, Priscila C. Oliveira, Rodrigo C. Melo, Guilherme G. Verocai and Julio I. Fernandes

Requirement of Toxoplasma gondii metacaspases for IMC1 maturation, endodyogeny and virulence in mice

Metacaspases are multifunctional proteins found in plants, fungi and protozoa, and are involved in processes such as insoluble protein aggregate clearance and cell proliferation. Our previous study demonstrate...

Authors: Muzi Li, Jing Liu, Yayun Wu, Yihan Wu, Xiaodong Sun, Yong Fu, Xiao Zhang and Qun Liu

Blastocystis in the faeces of children from six distant countries: prevalence, quantity, subtypes and the relation to the gut bacteriome

Blastocystis is a human gut symbiont of yet undefined clinical significance. In a set of faecal samples collected from asymptomatic children of six distant populations, we first assessed the community profiles of...

Authors: Ondrej Cinek, Katerina Polackova, Rasha Odeh, Abeer Alassaf, Lenka Kramná, MaryAnn Ugochi Ibekwe, Edna Siima Majaliwa, Gunduz Ahmadov, Bashir Mukhtar Elwasila Elmahi, Hanan Mekki, Sami Oikarinen, Jan Lebl and Mohammed Ahmed Abdullah

Early detection and persistent positivity of anti-Leishmania antibodies using a recombinant protein-based ELISA in naturally infected dogs in Brazil

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease caused by Leishmania infantum, for which dogs constitute the main urban parasite reservoir. Control measures and the treatment of canine visceral leishmaniasis (C...

Authors: Matheus Silva de Jesus, João Victor Andrade Cruz, Lívia Brito Coelho, Lairton Souza Borja, Edmilson Domingos da Silva, Manuela da Silva Solcà, Claudia Ida Brodskyn and Deborah Bittencourt Mothé Fraga

Urine metabolites for the identification of Onchocerca volvulus infections in patients from Cameroon

The tropical disease onchocerciasis (river blindness), caused by Onchocerca volvulus filarial nematodes, is targeted for elimination by mass treatment with nematocidal and antimicrobial drugs. Diagnosis of O. vol...

Authors: Vera Wewer, Helga Peisker, Katharina Gutbrod, Mazen Al-Bahra, Dirk Menche, Ngongeh Glory Amambo, Fanny F. Fombad, Abdel Jelil Njouendou, Kenneth Pfarr, Samuel Wanji, Achim Hoerauf and Peter Dörmann

Proteomics informed by transcriptomics for a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the sialoproteome of adult Ornithodoros moubata ticks

The argasid tick Ornithodoros moubata is the main vector in mainland Africa of African swine fever virus and the spirochete Borrelia duttoni, which causes human relapsing fever. The elimination of populations of

Authors: Ana Oleaga, Angel Carnero-Morán, M. Luz Valero and Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez

Differential expression of calcium-dependent protein kinase 4, tubulin tyrosine ligase, and methyltransferase by xanthurenic acid-induced Babesia bovis sexual stages

Babesia bovis is one of the most significant tick-transmitted pathogens of cattle worldwide. Babesia bovis parasites have a complex lifecycle, including development within the mammalian host and tick vector. Each...

Authors: Hala E. Hussein, Wendell C. Johnson, Naomi S. Taus, Janaina Capelli-Peixoto, Carlos E. Suarez, Michelle R. Mousel and Massaro W. Ueti

First hemispheric report of invasive tick species Haemaphysalis punctata, first state report of Haemaphysalis longicornis, and range expansion of native tick species in Rhode Island, USA

Invasive arthropod vectors and the range expansions of native vectors can lead to public and veterinary health concerns, as these vectors may introduce novel pathogens or spread endemic pathogens to new locati...

Authors: Danielle M. Tufts and Maria A. Diuk-Wasser