Articles tagged with Parasites
Competition among malaria parasite strains in human hosts can influence the spread of drug resistance, according to a new study. The research found that when hosts are co-infected with drug-resistant and drug-sensitive strains, both strains are competitively suppressed, potentially leading to the emergence of resistant strains.
Researchers discovered that schistosome stem cells are responsible for constantly renewing the worm's outer layer of skin, a unique tissue called the tegument. This process allows the flatworm to survive in the bloodstream for decades, evading its host's immune defenses.
The study reveals that Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, has a limited genetic diversity compared to its chimpanzee and gorilla cousins. The team found an expansion of a multi-gene family in Laverania parasites that helps them evade host immune cells and clear the spleen, contributing to severe malaria pathology.
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute scientists discovered that the insertion of just two DNA bases into a gene helps the parasite overcome antimonial drug treatment. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed that the genetic landscape of L. donovani offers new insights into its evolutionary history and ability to develop drug resistance.
A two-drug preventive treatment reduces the severity of malaria during pregnancy, providing a reliable alternative to standard treatment. The study found that the treatment reduced the risk of adverse birth outcomes and placental malaria.
A study found that infected brine shrimp were more resistant to arsenic toxicity, with increased fat-containing droplets and changes in oxidative stress markers. The researchers suggest that parasite infection may protect the shrimp against pollutants through a mechanism known as 'survival of the fattest',
A new study found that doses of deltamethrin can interfere with the development of malaria parasites in mosquitoes, reducing transmission. Insecticide-treated nets remain a vital tool in preventing malaria, even in areas with resistant mosquito populations.
A recent study published in PLOS Pathogens found that nitric oxide plays a protective role in the blood-brain barrier, reducing parasite invasion and inflammation. The researchers discovered that NO inhibits inflammatory molecules, such as TNF and MMP-9, which can lead to BBB damage.
Scientists have created the first 3D 'map' of a critical protein used by Plasmodium vivax to infect human red blood cells. This discovery could lead to a vaccine targeting both the most prevalent and deadly malaria parasites. Understanding how the parasite enters red blood cells is essential for developing strategies to prevent malaria.
The study reveals that Schistosoma mansoni, a blood fluke infecting over 250 million people worldwide, originated in East Africa and was transported by slave traders to the Caribbean. Genomic comparison with a closely related species identifies key genetic variations enabling the parasite to infect humans.
Scientists have developed a new drug targeting the malaria parasite's proteasome, which could combat the growing resistance to first-defence treatments. The innovative approach has shown promising results in killing resistant parasites and may complement existing artemisinin drugs.
Researchers estimate that up to 25% of white-tailed deer along the East Coast of the United States are infected with Plasmodium odocoilei, a previously unknown malaria parasite. The discovery fundamentally changes our understanding of malaria distribution and evolutionary history in mammals.
A UTSA researcher has received a $670,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop novel liver-stage antimalarial treatments. The goal is to stop the malaria parasite before it causes disease, which would protect people living in areas with high malaria burden.
GW University's Paul Brindley and MIT's Kevin Esvelt are working on a gene drive project to eliminate schistosomiasis using CRISPR technology. The goal is to 'supercharge' evolution, sterilizing and eliminating the disease-causing parasites.
Researchers demonstrate Meselson effect for first time in any organism at genome-wide level, studying a parasite called T.b. gambiense. The study reveals that the parasite's inability to recombine with each other prevents genes from being exchanged between strains.
Researchers used data from a national survey to model areas of high risk of Mansonella perstans infection and examine its overlap with other parasitic infections. The study found that forested areas and high densities of cattle are associated with increased levels of M. perstans infection.
African trypanosomes use nanotubes to sense their environment and respond to it, as well as release extracellular vesicles that can cause anemia in humans. The discovery could lead to improved therapies for sleeping sickness, a disease fatal if left untreated and threatening millions of people annually.
Researchers at OIST have reconstructed the 3D structure of Plasmodium falciparum protein PfEMP1, which deceives IgM antibodies and facilitates rosette formation. This understanding can aid in designing anti-malaria treatments that target these clusters.
A recent study found that dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine treatment has failed in certain provinces of Cambodia due to parasite resistance. The WHO has reinstated artesunate plus mefloquine as the first-line treatment in these areas. New surveillance and clinical trials are needed to track the spread of piperaquine resistance.
Researchers identify LMIT1, a mitochondrial iron transporter in Leishmania parasites, as crucial for parasite virulence. Inhibiting LMIT1 function can abolish parasite virulence and reduce disease severity.
Scientists reveal that inflammatory molecules driving the immune response in clinical and severe malaria also prevent protective antibodies from developing against the parasite. This discovery could lead to new approaches for boosting key immune cells needed for long-lasting immunity.
A team of NUS researchers discovered over 120 protein targets of artemisinin in Plasmodium falciparum, the most pathogenic malaria parasite. The study found that haem is the main activator of artemisinin, which targets essential biological processes in the parasite.
A US$200,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will support the development of a one-shot vaccine for tapeworms, reducing deaths from neurocysticercosis in developing countries. The vaccine aims to break the lifecycle of the parasite, causing brain cysts and seizures.
Researchers discovered how a common parasite, Toxoplasma, hijacks host cells to store food for decades, altering host behavior. The findings could lead to vaccines and drugs to protect against the parasite's serious risks, including miscarriage and birth defects.
Researchers have discovered a way to manipulate the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness, making it easier for the host immune system to eliminate. By inhibiting specific proteins, they can 'trick' the parasite into a different stage of its lifecycle.
Researchers have found a way to manipulate trypanosomes in the mammalian bloodstream to acquire fly stage characteristics, making them easier for the host immune system to eliminate. Inhibiting specific proteins that interact with chromatin can 'trick' the parasite into differentiating to a different stage of its lifecycle.
The study reveals how malaria parasites infect liver cells, a critical step in their lifecycle. The discovery provides new insights into the molecular details of malaria infection and has significant implications for developing new drugs and vaccines.
A team of researchers developed a model to predict the effects of parasite refugia on disease prevalence and drug resistance. The model suggests that introducing drug-susceptible parasites into a population can reduce overall drug resistance.
Research by UCSB anthropologists found that parasitic intestinal worms can impact the timing of pregnancies among Tsimane women, with hookworm infection increasing intervals between births and roundworm infection shortening them. This study suggests helminth infections may affect demographic patterns in developing populations.
A new study suggests parasitic worms can impact human reproduction rates, with roundworms increasing childbearing by up to two more children than uninfected women, while hookworms decrease it by up to three fewer children.
Researchers identify unique expansions of gene families related to chemoreception and feeding in Rhodnius prolixus, the kissing bug that transmits Chagas disease. These findings may lead to novel approaches for controlling or eliminating the disease by targeting specific genes or processes.
Researchers from University of Nottingham uncover cyclin's crucial role in malaria parasite development within mosquitoes and mammal hosts. The study identifies three types of cyclin, shedding light on the disease's complex life cycle.
Researchers analyze Cryptosporidium parvum protein involved in energy metabolism, identifying it as a potential target for developing therapeutics. The study found that lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors can inhibit parasite growth and ATP production.
Scientists have identified the poly(A) tail as a crucial component in LINE-1 retrotransposition, a process that can cause genetic mutations and diseases. Without the tail, the parasite's jumping ability is significantly impaired, offering new strategies for inhibiting its movement.
A computer simulation study suggests that treating malaria with a combination of more effective and less effective drugs can slow the spread of drug-resistant parasites. The non-artemisinin therapy, even when only 85% effective, works best in this approach.
A new study reveals that relapsed malaria infections are a significant obstacle to malaria eradication in the Asia-Pacific region. Most childhood infections in Papua New Guinea are caused by relapsed P. vivax infections, which can hide in the liver and re-emerge after treatment.
Lesly Temesvari will research the cellular biology and life cycle of Entamoeba histolytica to develop drug therapies or a vaccine. Improving sanitation is also crucial in preventing the spread of amoebic dysentery.
Researchers at the University of Cincinnati uncovered ancient parasites on marine animals, including snails and worm-like creatures. The parasitic interactions between crinoids and these organisms reveal complex adaptations and co-evolutionary relationships over hundreds of millions of years.
Researchers explored the use of ivermectin in mass drug administration campaigns to reduce malaria infections in Africa and slow down drug resistance in Asia. Preliminary results showed a 16% reduction in childhood malaria episodes in Burkina Faso, where most population members received regular ivermectin doses.
Researchers found developing resistance to miltefosine in patients with post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, leading to higher relapse rates. The study suggests a pressing need for new therapies to combat drug-resistant strains of the disease.
A recent NIH study found that artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites can infect diverse mosquito species in Africa, including Anopheles coluzzii. This discovery suggests a higher risk of drug-resistant malaria infections in Africa, posing challenges to efforts to prevent and eliminate the disease.
Researchers have identified a five amino acid segment of Plasmodium parasite protein with protective antigenic properties, which can be used to develop antibodies and prevent malaria transmission through mosquitoes. The finding has the potential to lead to the development of a powerful malaria vaccine.
A Griffith University PhD candidate has discovered that up to 40% of Indian Mynas in eastern Australia carry avian malaria parasites, posing a significant threat to native wildlife. The spread of these invasive birds could expose native birds such as parrots and magpies to new diseases.
Researchers at Queen's University Belfast have developed a technology using peptide mimics to combat parasitic nematodes, which infect crop plants and reduce yields by up to 50%. The project aims to protect crops like banana and plantain, grown by smallholders in developing countries.
Researchers have discovered that short segments of genes associated with severe malaria are shared across multiple species, including humans, apes, and chimps. This finding suggests an ancient genomic structure underlying human malaria virulence factors, which could aid in developing new treatments and vaccines.
Research found that carbohydrate-binding protein Gal-1 modified infection in heart muscle cells, highlighting its importance in response to parasite infection. Galectins, like Gal-1, play a role in regulating parasite interactions and may recognize glycans on the host cell surface used for invasion.
Researchers discovered that the parasite Brugia malayi releases microRNA-containing vesicles to infect human hosts. These vesicles activate a pro-inflammatory response in human macrophages, opening up new avenues for therapeutic targets and treatment strategies.
Researchers have found that parasites resistant to artemisinin-based therapies can also resist other antimalarial drugs, making combination therapies less effective. This new multi-drug resistance is a serious threat to malaria treatments in Southeast Asia.
A new study found that species extinction can lead to secondary extinctions of parasites, compromising ecosystem stability and biodiversity. Researchers identified key host species that contribute to the overall network structure of fish communities and are essential for maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
Research by Vladimir Dinets and Mark Hauber found that two invasive Eurasian cuckoo species are on the verge of invading North America, posing a threat to native bird populations. The cuckoos' sophisticated parasitic behavior, including egg mimicry, may evade defenses developed by Native American birds against cowbirds.
Researchers successfully silenced genes in human cells to induce immunity against the parasitic disease caused by E. histolytica, which affects 50 million people worldwide. The study identified key genes involved in managing potassium flow into and out of human cells, paving the way for new drug targets.
UK researchers find tissue cysts of Toxoplasma gondii are active, contradicting long-held notion of dormancy. This discovery has significant implications for understanding chronic toxoplasmosis in the brain and its connection to neurological diseases.
A study by University of Texas at El Paso researchers found that 61% of kissing bugs in west Texas are infected with the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, which causes Chagas disease. The disease can lead to life-threatening symptoms like heart rhythm abnormalities and difficult eating or passing stool.
Researchers discovered a way to create cell immunity to the E. histolytica parasite by silencing specific genes involved in potassium transport. This approach could lead to the development of new drugs targeting the parasite and preventing deadly diseases.
Researchers demonstrate how community ecology can provide new analytical tools for understanding diseases and their impacts on multiple hosts and vectors. The approach highlights the need for a broad contextual understanding of diseases and identifies strategies such as managing symbiotic microbial communities and preserving biodiversity.
Researchers identified a nanobody that stabilizes an enzyme essential for parasite invasion and reproduction. The discovery reveals a previously unappreciated feature of the enzyme's activation, making it a potential target for prevention and treatment of diseases like malaria.
Researchers found that injecting specific adult fat tissue cells early after Chagas Disease infection can modify the animal's response, reducing parasite presence and heart inflammation. The study aims to explore the use of these cells as a potential treatment for cardiac damage caused by the disease.
Researchers found four common bee parasites dispersed via flowers, causing diseases such as lethargy, dysentery, and colony collapse. The study suggests planting more flowers can provide bees with options, reducing parasite spread.
Scientists have uncovered a port of entry for malaria parasites in the liver, highlighting a potential new drug target. The discovery could help prevent the spread of disease and reduce malaria-related deaths worldwide.
Researchers at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have developed a new class of antimalarial drugs by targeting the critical malaria 'conductor' protein plasmepsin V. The discovery could effectively kill two species of malaria parasites, including the deadliest form Plasmodium falciparum, which causes most malaria-related deaths.