International Journal for ParasitologyThis is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the latest items in this publication.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

387 records returned

A comparative proteomic study of the undeveloped and developed Schistosoma mansoni egg and its contents: The miracidium, hatch fluid and secretions.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The schistosome egg is the key agent responsible both for transmission of the parasite from human to molluscan host, and as the primary cause of pathogenesis in schistosomiasis. Characterisation of its proteome is a crucial step in understanding the egg's interactions with the mammalian host. We devised a scheme to isolate undeveloped eggs from mature schistosome eggs by Percoll gradient and then fractionate the mature egg into miracidial, hatch fluid and secreted protein preparations. The soluble proteins contained within the five preparations were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis and their spot patterns c...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - November 13, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Mathieson W, Wilson RA Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Activation of several key components of the epidermal differentiation pathway in cattle following infestation with the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, and the diseases it transmits pose a persistent threat to tropical beef production. Genetic selection of host resistance has become the method of choice for non-chemical control of cattle tick. Previous studies have suggested that larval stages are most susceptible to host resistance mechanisms. To gain insights into the molecular basis of host resistance that occurs during R. microplus attachment, we assessed the abundance of proteins (by isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) and Western blot analyses) and mRNAs (by quantitative reverse transc...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - November 9, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Kongsuwan K, Josh P, Colgrave ML, Bagnall NH, Gough J, Burns B, Pearson R Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

RNA interference in a cestode reveals specific silencing of selected highly expressed gene transcripts.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Evolving RNA interference (RNAi) platforms are providing opportunities to probe gene function in parasitic helminths using reverse genetics. Although relatively robust methods for the application of RNAi in parasitic flatworms have been established, reports of successful RNAi are confined to three genera and there are no known reports of the application of RNAi to the class Cestoda. Here we report the successful application of RNAi to a cestode. Our target species was the common ruminant tapeworm, Moniezia expansa which can significantly impact the health/productivity of cattle, sheep and goats. Initial efforts aimed t...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - November 6, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Pierson L, Mousley A, Devine L, Marks NJ, Day TA, Maule AG Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Identification of Theileria uilenbergi immunodominant protein for development of an indirect ELISA for diagnosis of ovine theileriosis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Theileriosis of small ruminants in the northwest of China is a protozoan disease that restricts the development of the livestock industry. The disease is caused by infection with Theileria uilenbergi and Theilerialuwenshuni, both of which are transmitted by ixodid Heamaphysalis ticks. The development of serological tools as a means of integrated control of the disease is an urgent and important requirement. Here we describe the identification and partial recombinant expression of a T.uilenbergi immunodominant protein (TuIP), which was identified by immunoscreening of a merozoite cDNA library. Using the recombinant TuIP...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - November 6, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Liu Z, Wang Z, Yin H, Luo J, Zhang B, Kullmann B, Abdo J, Hassan D, Ahmed J, Seitzer U Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Disparate infection patterns of Ceratomyxa shasta (Myxozoa) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) correlate with internal transcribed spacer 1 sequence variation in the parasite.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined 46 C. shasta isolates from water samples and two fish hosts, from June 2007 field exposures at upper and lower Klamath River sites with similarly high parasite densities. We found 100% of non-native rainbow trout became infected and died at both locations. In contrast, mortality in native Chinook salmon was < 10% in the upper basin, compared with up to 40% in the lower basin. Parasite ssrRNA sequences were identical from all fish. However ITS-1 sequences contained multiple polymorphic loci and a trinucleotide repeat (ATC)(0-3) from which we defined four genotypes: 0, I, II and III. Non-native rainbow trout a...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - November 3, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Atkinson SD, Bartholomew JL Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Molecular characterisation of MEK1/2- and MKK3/6-like mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKK) from the fox tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKKs) are essential components of evolutionary conserved signalling modules that regulate a variety of fundamental cellular processes in response to environmental stimuli. To date, no MAPKK ortholog has been characterized in free-living or parasitic flatworm species. Here, we report the identification and molecular characterisation of two such molecules in the human parasitic cestode Echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis. Using degenerative PCR approaches as well as 3'- and 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), the cDNAs encoding tw...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 31, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Gelmedin V, Spiliotis M, Brehm K Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Collagen processing and cuticle formation is catalysed by the astacin metalloprotease DPY-31 in free-living and parasitic nematodes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, orthologues of this essential gene have been identified in the phylogenetically diverse parasitic nematodes Haemonchus contortus and Brugia malayi. The DPY-31 protein is expressed in the gut and secretory system of C. elegans, a location also confirmed when a B. malayi transcriptional dpy-31 promoter reporter gene fusion was expressed in C. elegans. Functional conservation between the nematode enzymes was supported by the fact that heterologous expression of the H. contortusdpy-31 orthologue in a C. elegansdpy-31 mutant resulted in the full rescue of the mutant body form. This interspecies conservation was f...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 30, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Stepek G, McCormack G, Page AP Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Localization of three host-protective oncospheral antigens of Taenia ovis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Immunohistochemistry, confocal immunofluorescence and immunogold labelling were used to determine the localization of the host-protective antigens To16, To18 and To45W in Taenia ovis oncospheres. During maturation of the adult tapeworm the antigens were initially seen as diffuse staining in the developing oncospheres but in mature oncospheres four distinct cells stained positively for the antigens. Confocal fluorescence microscopy using different fluorophores revealed that each of the antigens co-localizes within the same cells in the oncosphere. No surface localization was seen in non-activated or recently activated p...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 30, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Jabbar A, Kyngdon CT, Gauci CG, Walduck AK, McCowan C, Jones MK, Beveridge I, Lightowlers MW Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

The paraflagellar rod of kinetoplastid parasites: From structure to components and function.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The role of the eukaryotic flagellum in cell motility is well established but its importance in many other aspects of cell biology, from cell signaling to developmental regulation, is becoming increasingly apparent. In addition to this diversity of function the core structure of the flagellum, which has been inherited from the earliest ancestor of all eukaryotes, is embellished with a range of extra-axonemal structures in many organisms. One of the best studied of these structures is the paraflagellar rod of kinetoplastid protozoa in which the morphological characteristics have been well defined and some of the major p...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 29, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Portman N, Gull K Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Inactivation of the complement anaphylatoxin C5a by secreted products of parasitic nematodes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Given the importance of the complement anaphylatoxins in cellular recruitment during infection, the ability of secreted products from larval stages of Brugia malayi and Trichinella spiralis to influence C5a-mediated chemotaxis of human peripheral blood granulocytes in vitro was examined. Secreted products from B. malayi microfilariae almost completely abolished chemotaxis. This inhibition was blocked by phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, indicating the presence of a serine protease, which was subsequently shown to cleave C5a. In contrast, secreted products from T. spiralis infective larvae showed modest inhibition of C5a-...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 26, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Rees-Roberts D, Mullen L, Gounaris K, Selkirk ME Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Multiscale determinants of parasite abundance: A quantitative hierarchical approach for coral reef fishes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study aims to both introduce and illustrate the use of multivariate regression trees in order to investigate the determinants of parasite abundance in a multi-scale quantitative context. To do this, we used new field epidemiological data from 1,489 coral reef fishes collected around two islands in French Polynesia. We evaluated the relative effect and interactions of several host traits and environmental factors on the abundance of metazoan parasite assemblage at several scales and assessed the impact of major factors on each parasite taxon. Our results suggest that the islands sampled, the host species and host size ...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 24, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Vignon M, Sasal P Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Phylogenetic relationships of haemosporidian parasites in New World Columbiformes, with emphasis on the endemic Galapagos dove.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
DNA sequence analyses of avian haemosporidan parasites, primarily of passerine birds, have described the phylogenetic relationships of major groups of these parasites, which are in general agreement with morphological taxonomy. However, less attention has been paid to haemosporidian parasites of non-passerine birds despite morphological and DNA-sequence evidence for unique clades of parasites in these birds. Detection of haemosporidian parasites in the Galapagos archipelago has raised conservation concerns and prompted us to characterize the origins and diversity of these parasites in the Galapagos dove (Zenaida galapa...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 22, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Santiago-Alarcon D, Outlaw DC, Ricklefs RE, Parker PG Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Exposed proteins of the Schistosoma japonicum tegument.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The ability of the mammalian blood fluke Schistosoma japonicum to survive in the inhospitable environment of the mammalian bloodstream can be attributed, at least in part, to its host-exposed outer surface, called the tegument. The tegument is a dynamic organ and is involved in nutrition, immune evasion and modulation, excretion, osmoregulation and signal transduction. Given its importance for parasite survival, proteins exposed to the host at the surface of the tegument are ideal targets for the development of vaccines and drugs. By biotinylating live adult worms and using a combination of OFFGEL electrophoresis and t...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 21, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Mulvenna J, Moertel L, Jones MK, Nawaratna S, Lovas EM, Gobert GN, Colgrave M, Jones A, Loukas A, McManus DP Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Phylogenetic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA reveals a complex of cryptic species in Crassicutis cichlasomae (Digenea: Apocreadiidae), a parasite of Middle-American cichlids.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We obtained nuclear ITS-1 and mitochondrial cox1 sequences from 225 Crassicutis cichlasomae adults collected in 12 species of cichlids from 32 localities to prospect for the presence of cryptic species. This trematode is commonly found in species of cichlids over a wide geographic range in Middle-America. Population-level phylogenetic analyses of ITS-1 and cox1, assessments of genetic and haplotype diversity, and morphological observations revealed that C. cichlasomae represents a complex of seven cryptic species for which no morphological diagnostic characters have been discovered thus far. Bayesian and Maximum Likeli...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 21, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Razo-Mendivil U, Vázquez-Domínguez E, Rosas-Valdez R, León GP, Nadler SA Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Developmental inflexibility of larval tapeworms in response to resource variation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The timing of habitat switching in organisms with complex life cycles is an important life history characteristic that is often influenced by the larval growth environment. Under starvation, longer developmental times are frequently observed, probably as a consequence of developmental thresholds, but prolonged ontogeny sometimes also occurs under good conditions, as organisms may take advantage of the large potential gains in body size. I investigated whether variation in growth conditions affects the larval development time of a complex life cycle tapeworm (Schistocephalus solidus) in its copepod first host. Moreover,...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 21, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Benesh DP Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Tick-susceptible Bos taurus cattle display an increased cellular response at the site of larval Rhipicephalus (Boophilus)microplus attachment, compared with tick-resistant Bos indicus cattle.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cattle demonstrate divergent and heritable phenotypes of resistance and susceptibility to infestation with the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Bos indicus cattle are generally more resistant to tick infestation than Bos taurus breeds although large variations in resistance can occur within subspecies and within breed. Increased tick resistance has been previously associated with an intense hypersensitivity response in B. taurus breeds; however, the mechanism by which highly resistant B. indicus cattle acquire and sustain high levels of tick resistance remains to be elucidated. Using the commercially av...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 20, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Piper EK, Jackson LA, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Gondro C, Lew-Tabor AE, Jonsson NN Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Meiotic chromosome pairing and bouquet formation during Eimeria tenella sporulation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study tracks the general behaviour of telomeres, attachment plaques and synaptonemal complexes in the nucleus of the meiotic oocyst of E. tenella. Fluorescence microscopy methods, in combination with immunoelectron microscopy techniques, were applied to obtain a series of time-lapse images during oocyst sporulation. Antibodies to Structural Maintenance of Chromosome proteins SMC1 and SMC3, and lamin were labelled with either fluorescence or colloidal gold to visualize the telomeres, central elements of the synaptonemal complex (SC) and nuclear periphery, respectively, at both the structural and ultrastructural levels....
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 14, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Cacho ED, Pagés M, Gallego M, Barbero JL, Monteagudo L, Sánchez-Acedo C Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Expression of genes in gastrointestinal and lymphatic tissues during parasite infection in sheep genetically resistant or susceptible to Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Haemonchus contortus.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Resistance to an acute gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection is dependent on the ability of the host to recognize the parasite and mount a protective Th2 response. It is hypothesized that lambs which are genetically susceptible to GIN will differentially up-regulate Th1-type genes and therefore remain susceptible to chronic parasitism compared with genetically resistant lambs which will differentially up-regulate Th2-type genes and clear the parasite infection. Two selection flocks, in which lines of Merino sheep produced lambs genetically resistant or susceptible to GIN, were acutely challenged once or thrice with...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - October 9, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Andronicos N, Hunt P, Windon R Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Genetic polymorphisms of Echinococcus tapeworms in China as determined by mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The genetic polymorphisms of Echinococcus spp. in the eastern Tibetan Plateau and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region were evaluated by DNA sequencing analyses of genes for mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and nuclear elongation factor-1 alpha (ef1a). We collected 68 isolates of Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) from Xinjiang and 113 isolates of E. granulosus s. s., 49 isolates of Echinococcus multilocularis and 34 isolates of Echinococcus shiquicus from the Tibetan Plateau. The results of molecular identification by mitochondrial and nuclear markers were identical, suggesting the infreq...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 29, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Nakao M, Li T, Han X, Ma X, Xiao N, Qiu J, Wang H, Yanagida T, Mamuti W, Wen H, Moro PL, Giraudoux P, Craig PS, Ito A Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Structural and functional characterization of the fork head transcription factor-encoding gene, Hc-daf-16, from the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus (Strongylida).Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Despite their phylogenetic diversity, parasitic nematodes share attributes of longevity and developmental arrest (= hypobiosis) with free-living nematodes at key points in their life cycles, particularly in larval stages responsible for establishing infection in the host. Insulin-like signalling plays crucial roles in the regulation of life span and arrest (= dauer formation) in the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. Insulin-like signalling in C. elegans negatively regulates the fork head box (FoxO) transcription factor encoded by daf-16, which is linked to initiating a dauer-specific pattern of gene express...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 27, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Hu M, Lok JB, Ranjit N, Massey HC, Sternberg PW, Gasser RB Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Estimating the sensitivity and specificity of Kato-Katz stool examination technique for detection of hookworms, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura infections in humans in the absence of a 'gold standard'Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The accuracy of the Kato-Katz technique in identifying individuals with soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections is limited by day-to-day variation in helminth egg excretion, confusion with other parasites and the laboratory technicians' experience. We aimed to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the Kato-Katz technique to detect infection with Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworm and Trichuris trichiura using a Bayesian approach in the absence of a 'gold standard'. Data were obtained from a longitudinal study conducted between January 2004 and December 2005 in Samar Province, the Philippines. Each participant prov...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 18, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Tarafder MR, Carabin H, Joseph L, Balolong Jr E, Olveda R, McGarvey ST Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Whole cell imaging reveals novel modular features of the exomembrane system of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
During its intra-erythrocytic development Plasmodium falciparum establishes a membrane network beyond its own limiting membrane in the cytoplasm of its host. These membrane structures play an important role in the trafficking of virulence proteins to the erythrocyte surface, however their ultrastructure is only partly defined and there is on-going debate regarding their origin, organization and connectivity. We have used two whole cell imaging modalities to explore the topography of parasitized erythrocytes. Three-dimensional structured illumination microscopy provides resolution beyond the optical diffraction limit an...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 16, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Hanssen E, Carlton P, Deed S, Klonis N, Sedat J, Derisi J, Tilley L Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Phylogeographical, ecological and biological patterns shown by nuclear (ssrRNA and gGAPDH) and mitochondrial (Cyt b) genes of trypanosomes of the subgenus Schizotrypanum parasitic in Brazilian bats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The genetic diversity and phylogeographical patterns of Trypanosoma species that infect Brazilian bats were evaluated by examining 1,043 bats from 63 species of seven families captured in Amazonia, the Pantanal, Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest biomes of Brazil. The prevalence of trypanosome-infected bats, as estimated by haemoculture, was 12.9%, resulting in 77 cultures of isolates, most morphologically identified as Trypanosoma cf. cruzi, classified by barcoding using partial sequences from ssrRNA gene into the subgenus Schizotrypanum and identified as T. cruzi (15), T. cruzi marinkellei (37) or T. cf. dionisii (25). ...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 16, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Cavazzana M, Marcili A, Lima L, da Silva FM, Junqueira AC, Veludo HH, Viola LB, Campaner M, Nunes VL, Paiva F, Coura JR, Camargo EP, Teixeira MM Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Hyperparasitism has wide-ranging implications for studies on the invertebrate phase of myxosporean (Myxozoa) life cycles.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
All of the actinospore releasing oligochaetes collected in an environmental sample were found to be infected with the microsporidian Neoflabelliforma aurantiae n. gen., n. sp. Ultrastructural and phylogenetic studies on this microsporidian indicated similarities with Flabelliforma magnivora but not with the type species Flabelliforma montana, necessitating the formation of a new genus Neoflabelliforma and reassignment of F. magnivora as Neoflabelliforma magnivora n. comb. The development of N. aurantiae is described both parasitising the oligochaete worm and hyperparasitising the concurrent myxosporean infection. The e...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 14, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Morris DJ, Freeman MA Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Potential epigenetic regulatory proteins localise to distinct nuclear sub-compartments in Plasmodium falciparum.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The life cycle of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum involves dramatic morphological and molecular changes required for infection of insect and mammalian hosts. Stage-specific gene expression is crucial, yet few nuclear factors, including potential epigenetic regulators, have been identified. Epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in the switched expression of members of species-specific gene families, which encode proteins exported into the cytoplasm and onto the surface of infected erythrocytes. This includes the large virulence-associated var gene family, in which monoallelic transcription of a single ...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 14, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Volz J, Carvalho TG, Ralph SA, Gilson P, Thompson J, Tonkin CJ, Langer C, Crabb BS, Cowman AF Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Evolution of the trypanorhynch tapeworms: parasite phylogeny supports independent lineages of sharks and rays.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Trypanorhynch tapeworms (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda) are among the most diverse and abundant groups of metazoan parasites of elasmobranches and are a ubiquitous part of the marine food webs that include these apex predators. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of their phylogeny, character evolution and host associations based on 10 years of sampling effort, including representatives of 12 of 15 and 44 of 66 currently recognized trypanorhynch families and genera, respectively. Using a combination of ssrDNA and lsrDNA (Domains 1-3) for 79 and 80 taxa, respectively, we maintain one-to-one correspondence between molecu...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 13, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Olson PD, Caira JN, Jensen K, Overstreet RM, Palm HW, Beveridge I Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

The scaling of dose with host body mass and the determinants of success in experimental cercarial infections.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Experimental studies of parasite transmission can help to elucidate life cycles, measure the success of infective stages under different conditions, or test the efficacy of vaccination or other forms of protection against parasitic infection. By combining the results of experiments on a particular parasite taxon, one may also answer questions such as how experimental infection doses are chosen, or what determines infection success. Here, focusing on trematodes, analyses are conducted on data compiled from a total of 145 cercarial infection experiments (62 on non-schistosomes, 83 on schistosomes) obtained from 115 studi...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 11, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Poulin R Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Density and maturation of rodlet cells in brain tissue of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to trematode cercariae.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Evidence for the presumed linkage between the enigmatic rodlet cells of fish and exposure to helminths is anecdotal and indirect. We evaluated the proliferation and development of rodlet cells in the optic lobes of fathead minnows exposed to cercariae of Ornithodiplostomum ptychocheilus. Mean rodlet cell densities (ca. 10/mm(2)) in the optic lobes were similar between unexposed controls and minnows with 1- and 2- week old infections. Rodlet cell densities increased at 4 weeks p.i., reaching maxima (ca. 200/mm(2)) at 6 weeks p.i., followed by a decline at 9 weeks. This temporal pattern of proliferation and maturation pa...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 9, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Matisz CE, Goater CP, Bray D Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Lack of resistance against the tick Ixodes ricinus in two related passerine bird species.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Although many wild bird species may act as reservoir hosts for tick-transmitted diseases and/or support long distance dispersal of infected ticks, to date no research has been done on the extent to which songbirds may acquire resistance to ixodid ticks. Here we investigate whether two passerine species belonging to the family Paridae, the the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and the great tit (Parus major), are able to acquire resistance after repeated infestations with Ixodes ricinus nymphs. As blue tits are less frequently exposed to I. ricinus in the wild than great tits, we expected I. ricinus to be less adapted towa...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 7, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Heylen DJ, Madder M, Matthysen E Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Diversity and specificity in Diplostomum spp. metacercariae in freshwater fishes revealed by cytochrome c oxidase I and internal transcribed spacer sequences.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, sequences from the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) were used to distinguish Diplostomum spp. in a sample of 497 metacercariae collected from diverse fishes of the St. Lawrence River, Canada and findings were corroborated with internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA. Twelve species were detected based on sequences and metacercarial specificity for hosts and tissues. Although this is an unusually high diversity, additional species are likely to exist in the study area. Two species were indistinguishable with ITS data and there is evidence that they may be undergoing hybridization and/o...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 4, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Locke SA, McLaughlin JD, Dayanandan S, Marcogliese DJ Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Sensitive and rapid detection of Schistosoma japonicum DNA by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP).Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In the present study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was established to detect Schistosoma japonicum DNA in fecal and serum samples of rabbits, and serum samples of humans infected with S. japonicum. This LAMP assay was based on the sequence of highly repetitive retrotransposon SjR2, and was able to detect 0.08 fg S. japonicum DNA, which is 10(4) times more sensitive than conventional PCR. The LAMP assay was also highly specific for S. japonicum and able to detect S. japonicum DNA in rabbit sera at 1 week p.i. Following administration of praziquantel, detection of S. japonicum DNA in rabbit sera ...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 3, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Xu J, Rong R, Zhang HQ, Shi CJ, Zhu XQ, Xia CM Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

IL-10 plays a crucial role for the protection of experimental cerebral malaria by co-infection with non-lethal malaria parasites.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cerebral malaria is an infrequent but serious complication of Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans. Co-infection with different Plasmodium species is common in endemic areas and the existence of benign malaria parasites, such as Plasmodium vivax, during P. falciparum infection has been considered to reduce the risk of developing pathogenesis. However, it is still unknown how disease severity is reduced in the host during co-infection. In the present study, we investigated the influence of co-infection with non-lethal malaria parasites, Plasmodium berghei (Pb) XAT strain, on the outcome of Pb ANKA strain infection ...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 3, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Niikura M, Kamiya S, Nakane A, Kita K, Kobayashi F Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Purification and characterization of a P-selectin binding molecule from the salivary glands of Ornithodoros moubata that induces protective anti-tick immune responses in pigs.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Ornithodoros moubata is an argasid tick that lives in Africa in wild and synanthropic habitats. It feeds on warthogs, domestic swine and humans, and is able to transmit severe diseases such as human relapsing fever and African swine fever. The elimination of O. moubata from the synanthropic surroundings should improve control of the diseases it transmits. Previous attempts to develop a vaccine against O. moubata showed that a salivary gland extract (SGE) induced a protective response that inhibited the feeding of the ticks by up to 60%. Our aim in the present work was to isolate and characterize the salivary antigens r...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 3, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: García-Varas S, Manzano-Román R, Fernández-Soto P, Encinas-Grandes A, Oleaga A, Pérez-Sánchez R Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Redescription of Babesia capreoli (Enigk and Friedhoff 1962) from Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus): isolation, cultivation, host specificity, molecular characterization and differentiation from Babesia divergens.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The recent use of the sole molecular identification of Babesia infecting European cervids has led to confusion between the closely related Babesia divergens and Babesia capreoli, and to their grouping together as "B. divergens-like". In order to clarify this taxonomic confusion, Babesia from roe deer, cattle and human blood were isolated, cultured and their biological as well as molecular characteristics compared. On this basis, we conclude that: i) the parasites isolated from roe deer blood are B. capreoli; ii) there are no intraspecific variations in the 18S rDNA within B. capreoli and B. divergens spp.; iii) these t...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 2, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Malandrin L, Jouglin M, Sun Y, Brisseau N, Chauvin A Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Involvement of 14-3-3 protein post-translational modifications in Giardiaduodenalis encystation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
14-3-3s are a family of phosphoserine/phosphothreonine binding proteins directly affecting many protein functions by regulating enzyme activity, intracellular localization or mediating protein-protein interaction. The single 14-3-3 (g14-3-3) of the flagellated parasite Giardia duodenalis is phosphorylated at residue threonine 214 (T214) and polyglycylated at the extreme C-terminus in a stage-specific manner. To define the role of each post-translational modification, Giardia transgenic lines expressing a N-terminally FLAG-tagged g14-3-3, or the single point mutant T214A, or the E246A and the E247A mutants of the putati...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - September 1, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Lalle M, Bavassano C, Fratini F, Cecchetti S, Boisguerin P, Crescenzi M, Pozio E Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Modulation of malaria-induced immunopathology by concurrent gastrointestinal nematode infection in mice.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We investigated malaria-associated pathology in mice co-infected with Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Hp) and Plasmodium chabaudi AS (Pc). Despite higher peak parasitemia, co-infected wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice displayed similar body weight losses, malarial anemia, and tissue damage but less severe hypothermia and hypoglycemia, and earlier reticulocytosis than Pc-infected WT mice. Co-infected STAT6(-/-) mice, deficient in nematode-induced Th2 responses, experienced similar peak parasitemias and generally suffered malaria-associated pathology to a similar degree as co-infected WT mice. These data indicate a complex relation...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 25, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Segura M, Matte C, Thawani N, Su Z, Stevenson MM Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Variation in the small subunit ribosomal DNA confirms that Udonella (Monogenea: Udonellidae) is a species-rich group.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Numerous global reports of the species Udonella caligorum, currently thought to be a species complex, suggests that the group may be species-rich. Herein we describe Udonella fugu n. sp., previously described as U. caligorum, found on the parasitic copepod Pseudocaligus fugu infecting Takifugu spp. from Japan. Using morphological data U. fugu can be distinguished from the current valid species by at least one of the traditionally used characters in udonellid taxonomy, and phylogenetic analyses of ssrDNA sequence data for U. fugu and other udonellids confirm that U. fugu forms a distinct clade from other udonellids incl...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 24, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Freeman MA, Ogawa K Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

High prevalence Giardiaduodenalis assemblage B and potentially zoonotic subtypes in sporadic human cases in Western Australia.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Giardia duodenalis is a widespread parasite of mammalian species, including humans. Fecal samples from sporadic human clinical cases of giardiasis in Western Australia were analysed at two loci; 18S rRNA and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh), and G. duodenalis assemblage B isolates were identified in 75% of isolates. Sequence analyses of 124 isolates at the 18S rRNA locus identified 93 isolates as assemblage B and 31 as assemblage A. Analyses of 109 isolates at the gdh locus identified 44 as B3, 38 as B4 and 27 were A2. Infection with Giardia was highest amongst children < 5 years of age, with > 56% of infections in ...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 20, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Yang R, Lee J, Ng J, Ryan U Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Identification and characterisation of an immunodiagnostic marker for cyathostomin developing stage larvae.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Parasitic nematodes of the group Cyathostominae are an important cause of disease in horses. This group consists of approximately 50 species, all of which have similar life cycles that involve encystment of larval stages in the large intestinal wall. Encysted larvae can persist for months to years and, occasionally, large numbers can accumulate and emerge synchronously to cause severe pathology, resulting in diarrhoea, weight loss, colic and/or oedema. This syndrome, known as larval cyathostominosis, can be fatal in up to 50% of cases, despite treatment. There is no diagnostic method that enables detection of the encys...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 20, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: McWilliam HE, Nisbet AJ, Dowdall SM, Hodgkinson JE, Matthews JB Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Anopheles dirus co-infection with human and monkey malaria parasites in Vietnam.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study also shows that the preservation of mosquito salivary glands on filter paper, and the down-stream extraction of parasite DNA and RNA from those, offers a powerful resource for molecular epidemiological studies on malaria. PMID: 19703460 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: International Journal for Parasitology)
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 20, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Nakazawa S, Marchand RP, Quang NT, Culleton R, Manh ND, Maeno Y Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Human helminth co-infection: no evidence of common genetic control of hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infection intensity in a Brazilian community.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study investigates the contribution of host genetics and domestic environment to hookworm and Schistosoma mansoni infection intensity and evaluates the role of genetic and non-genetic factors in co-variation of infection intensity. Detailed genealogical information allowed assignment of 1,303 individuals living in the Brazilian community of Americaninhas, Minas Gerais state, to 25 pedigrees (containing between two and 1,159 members) residing in 303 households. The prevalence of co-infection with both hookworms and schistosomes was high (38.5%), with significant correlation between Necator americanus and S. mansoni fae...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 18, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Pullan RL, Bethony JM, M Geiger S, Correa-Oliveira R, Brooker S, Quinnell RJ Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Atypical Toxoplasma gondii genotypes identified in oocysts shed by cats in Germany.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A total of 18,259 feline faecal samples from cats in Germany were collected and analysed for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts between June 2007 and December 2008. The proportion of T. gondii-positive samples collected between January and June was significantly lower than between July and December. The age of cats shedding T. gondii oocysts was not significantly different from the age of negative control cats. Forty-six T. gondii positive samples were genetically characterised using nine PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers which included newSAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 16, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Herrmann DC, Pantchev N, Vrhovec MG, Barutzki D, Wilking H, Fröhlich A, Lüder CG, Conraths FJ, Schares G Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Vaccination-induced IgG response to Galalpha1-3GalNAc glycan epitopes in lambs protected against Haemonchus contortus challenge infection.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Lambs vaccinated with Haemonchus contortus excretory/secretory (ES) glycoproteins in combination with the adjuvant Alhydrogel are protected against H. contortus challenge infection. Using glycan microarray analysis we showed that serum from such vaccinated lambs contains IgG antibodies that recognize the glycan antigen Galalpha1-3GalNAc-R and GalNAcbeta1-4(Fucalpha1-3)GlcNAc-R. Our studies revealed that H. contortus glycoproteins contain Galalpha1-3Gal-R as well as significant levels of Galalpha1-3GalNAc-R, which has not been previously reported. Extracts from H. contortus adult worms contain a galactosyltransferase ac...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 16, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Stijn CM, van Denbroek M, Vervelde L, Alvarez RA, Cummings RD, Tefsen B, Die IV Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Probing for primary functions of prohibitin in Trypanosoma brucei.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Prohibitin (PHB) 1 and 2 are small conserved proteins implicated in a number of functions in the mitochondrion, as well as in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. The current understanding of PHB functions comes from studies of model organisms such as yeast, worm and mouse, but considerable debate remains with regard to the primary functions of these ubiquitous proteins. We exploit the tractable reverse genetics of Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness, in order to specifically analyze the function of PHB in this highly divergent eukaryote. Using inducible RNA interference (RNAi) we show that...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 12, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Týč J, Faktorová D, Kriegová E, Jirků M, Vávrová Z, Maslov DA, Lukeš J Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Age-related infection and transmission patterns of human cysticercosis.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Neurocysticercosis is recognised as an important but neglected cause of epilepsy in developing countries where the parasite occurs. Data on the transmission dynamics of the parasite in endemic areas are scarce. Individuals living in these areas are likely to be highly exposed to the parasite, but relatively few of them develop active infections. The present study aimed to describe and gain insights into changes in antibody responses and infection patterns related to age and/or gender in a south Ecuadorian rural population by combining antibody and antigen serological data with demographic characteristics. In 25% of the...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 12, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Praet N, Speybroeck N, Rodriguez-Hidalgo R, Benitez-Ortiz W, Berkvens D, Brandt J, Saegerman C, P PD Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Similarity in parasite communities of the teleost fish Pinguipes brasilianus in the southwestern Atlantic: infracommunities as a tool to detect geographical patterns.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Patterns of distance decay in similarity among communities of the fish Pinguipes brasilianus (Teleostei: Pinguipedidae) from five areas in the southwestern Atlantic were investigated to determine whether the rate of decay varied depending on the community level or the parasite guild analyzed (ectoparasites, adult endoparasites and larval endoparasites). Similarities in species composition were computed at both the component community and infracommunity levels. Similarity indices were calculated between all possible pairs of assemblages from different zones. Infracommunity similarity values between and within host popul...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 10, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Timi JT, Lanfranchi AL, Luque JL Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

The effect of Plasmodium falciparum Sir2a histone deacetylase on clonal and longitudinal variation in expression of the var family of virulence genes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Plasmodium falciparum, the most important causative agent of human malaria, undergoes antigenic variation as a means of prolonging infection and ensuring transmission between hosts. Clonal variation is observed in the surface adhesins expressed on infected erythrocytes: primarily in the PfEMP1 adhesin encoded by the large var gene family. The sirtuin PfSIR2A was the first protein discovered to have a major influence on antigenic variation in P. falciparum. In the absence of PfSIR2A, normal silencing of the variantly-expressedvar gene family is partially deregulated. To thoroughly investigate the role of PfSIR2A in cont...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - August 6, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Merrick CJ, Dzikowski R, Imamura H, Chuang J, Deitsch K, Duraisingh MT Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for detection of Theileria parva infections targeting the PIM and p150 genes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We have developed two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for the detection of Theileria parva, the causative agent of East Coast fever (ECF), an economically important cattle disease in eastern, central and southern Africa. These assays target the polymorphic immunodominant molecule (PIM) and p150 LAMP genes. The primer set for each gene target consists of six primers, and each set recognizes eight distinct regions on the target gene to give highly specific detection of T. parva. The detection limit of each primer set is 1 fg, which is equivalent to one copy of the PIM and p150 T. parva genes. These P...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - July 31, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Thekisoe OM, Rambritch NE, Nakao R, Bazie RS, Mbati P, Namangala B, Malele I, Skilton RA, Jongejan F, Sugimoto C, Kawazu SI, Inoue N Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

The assembly of F(1)F(O) ATP synthase is disrupted upon interference of RNA editing in Trypanosoma brucei.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Throughout eukaryotes, the gene encoding subunit 6 (ATP6) of the F(1)F(0) ATP synthase (complex V) is maintained in mitochondrial (mt) genomes, presumably because of its high hydrophobicity due to its incorporation into the membrane-bound F(0) moiety. In Trypanosoma species, a mt transcript that undergoes extensive processing by RNA editing has a very low sequence similarity to ATP6 from other organisms. The notion that the putative ATP6 subunit is assembled into the F(0) sub-complex is ostensibly challenged by the existence of naturally occurring dyskinetoplastic (Dk) and akinetoplastid (Ak) trypanosomes, which are vi...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - July 31, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Hashimi H, Benkovičová V, Cermáková P, Lai DH, Horváth A, Lukeš J Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals

Initiation of Plasmodium sporozoite motility by albumin is associated with induction of intracellular signaling.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Malaria infection is initiated when a mosquito injects Plasmodium sporozoites into a mammalian host. Sporozoites exhibit gliding motility both in vitro and in vivo. This motility is associated with the secretion of at least two proteins, circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP). Both derive from micronemes, which are organelles that empty out of the apical end of the sporozoite. Sporozoite motility can be initiated in vitro by albumin added to the medium. To investigate how albumin functions in this process, we studied second messenger signaling within the sporozoite. Using pha...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology - July 31, 2009 Category: Parasitology Authors: Kebaier C, Vanderberg JP Tags: Int J Parasitol Source Type: journals