In a prospective study of 15 patients with liver alveolar echinococcosis who underwent curative surgery, a strategy to reduce the recommended 2-year postoperative albendazole (ABZ) regimen was evaluated. Guided by negative positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results at 1 year, ABZ was safely discontinued earlier (median...
As a globally significant disease vector, ticks harbor diverse pathogens, occupy various ecological niches, and attach to a wide range of animal hosts. However, their distribution patterns in Shandong province remain poorly characterized. This study systematically investigated tick species composition, spatial–temporal distribution patterns, and environmental influencing factors...
Cyclophilins (Cyps), a highly conserved family of immunophilins with peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) activity, play pivotal roles in protein folding, cell signaling, immune modulation, and host–pathogen interactions. In protozoan infections, parasite-encoded Cyps are essential for immune evasion, oxidative stress regulation, and pathogen survival. This review...
Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the sole cyclical vectors of African trypanosomosis, a parasitic disease affecting both animals and humans. The national atlas of African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) and its tsetse vectors in Zambia is an initiative by the Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Control Unit (TTCU) within the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock that aims to improve AAT...
Nematodes of the order Spirurida are of significant veterinary, medical, and economic importance. However, current knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships within the order is far from comprehensive. Moreover, the monophyly of the Physalopteroidea/Physalopteridae, and the phylogenetic relationships of its three component subfamilies, remain uncertain due to inadequate sequence...
Cerebral malaria (CM), a lethal neurological complication of Plasmodium falciparum, is characterized by blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Although astrocytes constitute essential components of the BBB neurovascular unit, their immunoregulatory functions during CM pathogenesis remain elusive. Clinical evidence of altered copper homeostasis in patients with CM, coupled with...
The expected lifetime (EL) of mosquitoes has been the subject of a large body of historical research, including by mark–recapture (MR) methods. Previous researchers have presented collections of information informally, and the results of a large systematic search are available; however, a formal synthesis of information has not been carried out. Mosquito studies were...
Generating parasite genomes is challenging when little of the DNA in infected host tissue is from the parasite. We used selective whole genome amplification (SWGA) to generate genomic data from wildlife samples of the avian haemosporidian Haemoproteus majoris (lineage PARUS1) and its host, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We used SWGA to amplify the parasite DNA in nine avian...
Jingmen tick virus (JMTV), a segmented orthoflavi-like virus, has been recognized in recent years as a potential human and animal pathogen, with confirmed detections across Asia, Europe, Africa and South America. Recent JMTV surveillance data from Guinea has enabled detailed population genetic analysis to better understand the epidemiology of the virus in West Africa. Here, we...
Current methods to determine exposure to malaria-infected mosquitoes via entomologic investigations are technically challenging and can be inaccurate in low transmission settings. Antibody responses to mosquito salivary antigens (MSA) such as gSG6-p1 have been used as biomarkers of exposure to Anopheles mosquito bites, while newer MSA that are specifically associated with...
The proliferation of malaria vectors from irrigated rice crop systems has long been known, though the relationship between rice cultivation and malaria transmission is historically complex. Despite this, contemporary research reveals an association between enhanced malaria vector densities, originating from rice fields, and intensified malaria transmission in rice-associated...
Tick-borne lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA) is a tick-borne disease transmitted by Dermacentor ticks and is usually caused by Rickettsia. In 2021, clinicians in northeastern France reported an increase in TIBOLA cases. This entomo-clinical, multicenter, retrospective, and observational study aimed to describe the evolution of the number of TIBOLA cases between 2016 and 2021 in...
Mosquito-borne diseases represent critical global public health threats. Insecticide-based prevention and interventions remain essential for disease and vector management. However, insecticide resistance in mosquitoes threatens the effectiveness of these management measures. This study investigated the susceptibility to pyrethroid insecticides and associated resistance mechanisms...
An expansion of recently described human pathogenic tick-borne viruses from Central Asia toward Europe has been documented. Located on important bird migration routes, Anatolia is an intercontinental crossing hub with various climactic zones and with an abundance of endemic tick species. We sought to investigate tick-borne viruses utilizing a One Health approach encompassing host...
Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are tiny, blood-sucking insects that are of significant public and veterinary health importance for their role in the transmission of Leishmania parasites, bacteria, and arboviruses. Although sand flies have been documented in most Southeast Asian countries, there are no published records confirming their presence in Singapore. Here...
Phlebotomine sand flies, the key vectors in the transmission of Leishmania parasites, pose a global health challenge. Although leishmaniasis has been reported in the indigenous Taiwanese population, the last sand fly survey, based on morphological features, was conducted over two decades ago. Thus, updated information on the phlebotomine sand fly fauna and disease transmission...
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) incorporating pyrethroids with piperonyl butoxide (PBO) have demonstrated enhanced effectiveness against malaria transmitted by pyrethroid-resistant vectors compared with standard pyrethroid-only ITNs. To sustain progress in malaria prevention, a broader portfolio of effective pyrethroid-PBO nets is required to promote market diversity and...
Holobionts – hosts together with their resident microorganisms – provide a framework for studying life as a network of interdependent partners. Within host–ectoparasite holobionts, the dialogue between the two microbiomes offers powerful clues to ecological balance, disease dynamics and evolution. Because each holobiont is structurally and functionally compartmentalised, microbes...
Malaria, which is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), remains a critical global public health problem. Vector control interventions, particularly insecticide-based strategies, are pivotal for malaria control and elimination, as the efficacy of these interventions is heavily dependent on the high susceptibility of Anopheles mosquitoes to insecticides. However...
Dogs in rural areas and hunting dogs in particular, are at higher risk of intestinal helminth infections compared with family dogs. Thus, certain management practices including faecal/coprological analysis, implementing regular deworming protocols, post-treatment evaluations and high-quality hygiene are required in hunting dogs to maintain their health and activity. The aim of...
Dengue fever, transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, remains one of the most pervasive mosquito-borne diseases worldwide. In China, the mosquito oviposition trap (MOT) - based Aedes monitoring system has become a cornerstone for dengue prevention and control. However, during outbreaks, this system faces operational challenges because of its labour-intensive...
The ongoing fight against mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya is increasingly challenged by Aedes aegypti resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. This resistance is primarily driven by knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (Vgsc) gene, which have been identified in different regions with significant variability in their...
Mosquitoes and sand flies are the most important vectors of several human diseases. A comprehensive analysis of the diversity and composition of the microbiome in mosquitoes and sandflies is important. It emphasises shared traits and distinctive differences between these vector species. Recent findings have demonstrated that physiological, environmental and ecological factors...
The work of collecting mosquitoes in the field is essential for improving knowledge about species of known and unknown vector status, their invasion dynamics, and further understanding their involvement in circulating pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Over the years, different techniques have been developed to capture mosquitoes for entomological, pathogen...