Articles tagged with Helminth Parasites
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine engineered a hookworm to produce and deliver an antibody neutralizing tetrodotoxin. The parasites successfully produced the antitoxin and secreted it into the bloodstream, demonstrating a potential platform for long-term drug delivery.
Researchers found deer keds, biting flies that live as parasites, shed wings and reduce visual sensitivity to conserve energy. After finding a host, these flies prioritize digestion and reproduction over vision.
A new study found that Roman soldiers at Vindolanda fort near Hadrian's Wall were infected with intestinal parasites, including roundworms, whipworms, and Giardia duodenalis. This suggests inadequate sanitation and hygiene practices, potentially leading to malnutrition and chronic infections.
An ethnobotanist from the Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãi Indigenous Land in Brazil has revived ancestral healing knowledge to treat diseases like parasitic worms, diabetes, and hypertension. He discovered 43 medicinal plants used for these diseases, with 79% consistent with recent scientific literature.
A parasitic worm has evolved to suppress neurons in the skin to evade detection, reducing its own survival. Researchers discovered that the worm produces molecules blocking TRPV1+ activity, essential for pain sensation and immune responses, allowing it to infect the skin undetected.
A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases has shown that combining country-level information with individual-level variables can improve the identification of soil-transmitted helminth infections among migrant populations. Researchers found that country-level indicators are stronger predictors than individual-level variable...
Researchers discovered a new pathway to boost immunity against parasitic infections, suggesting that NSAIDs like ibuprofen could be repurposed as anti-parasitic treatments. Gasdermin C plays a crucial role in this process, targeting and penetrating Rab7-positive vesicles to reduce prostaglandin d2 levels.
Researchers investigate how sex-specific immune responses affect disease outcomes in obesity and helminth infections, aiming to develop new treatments for metabolic disorders and parasitic infections. The study focuses on macrophage-eosinophil interactions and the role of RELMalpha protein.
A new tablet combining albendazole and ivermectin is safe and more effective than albendazole alone in treating Trichuris trichiura and other soil-transmitted helminths. The ALIVE clinical trial showed higher cure rates for T. trichiura, hookworms, and improved egg reduction rates compared to albendazole alone.
Researchers found that composting aquatic vegetation simultaneously eradicates habitat for disease-carrying snails while improving agricultural output and increasing incomes in northern Senegal. The finding has the potential to aid rural residents caught in a vicious cycle of poverty and disease.
Researchers have identified a molecular strategy employed by worm parasites to evade host immune defenses, offering promising solutions for addressing major infectious diseases, allergies, and asthma. By analyzing the unique immune-regulatory properties of helminths, scientists pinpointed key features essential to their activity.
Researchers from the American Museum of Natural History and Fordham University published footage of Madagascar Chtonobdella leeches jumping, contradicting previous reports. The study provides conclusive evidence that at least one species of terrestrial leech can jump with visible energy expenditure.
A potentially fatal parasite has been discovered in the Colorado River in California, affecting dogs and causing liver and intestinal illness. Researchers confirm the presence of Heterobilharzia americana, a flatworm that can be transmitted through snails and water, highlighting the need for awareness and precautions among dog owners.
Researchers from Osaka University have developed a system to coat nematodes with hydrogel sheaths that can carry functional cargo. The study found that the sheaths protect the worms from UV light and hydrogen peroxide while allowing them to deliver anti-cancer agents to kill cancer cells in vitro.
A study led by Washington University in St. Louis found that nonlethal parasitic infections reduce herbivory rates and trigger trophic cascades impacting plant communities. The research used a mathematical model and global meta-analysis to highlight the ecological consequences of common parasitic infections in wild animals.
Research shows that grey squirrels carrying a parasitic helminth negatively impact native red squirrel behavior, reducing their activity and altering relationships with native parasites. This study highlights the effects of parasite-mediated competition on red squirrels' personality and foraging efficiency in invaded habitats.