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Theriogenology Mar 2016The objective is to discuss sexually transmitted diseases caused by Tritrichomonas foetus (T foetus) and Campylobacter fetus (C fetus) subsp. venerealis, with a focus on... (Review)
Review
The objective is to discuss sexually transmitted diseases caused by Tritrichomonas foetus (T foetus) and Campylobacter fetus (C fetus) subsp. venerealis, with a focus on prevalence, pathogenesis, and diagnosis in cows and bulls. Diagnosis and control are problematic because these diseases cause severe reproductive losses in cows, but in bulls are clinically asymptomatic, which allows the disease to flourish, especially in the absence of legislated control programs. We review research regarding prophylactic systemic immunization of bulls and cows with antigens of T foetus and C fetus venerealis and their efficacy in preventing or clearing preexisting infections in the genital tract. Current diagnostic methods of C fetus venerealis and T foetus (microbial culture and PCR) should be improved. Review of the latest advances in bovine trichomoniasis and campylobacteriosis should promote knowledge and provide an impetus to pursue further efforts to control bovine sexually transmitted diseases.
Topics: Animals; Campylobacter Infections; Campylobacter fetus; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Female; Male; Mass Vaccination; Protozoan Infections, Animal; Reproduction; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Tritrichomonas foetus
PubMed: 26679515
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.10.037 -
International Reviews of Immunology 2024Chemokines belong to the group of small proteins within the cytokine family having strong chemo-attractant properties. In most cases, the strong immuno-modulatory role... (Review)
Review
Chemokines belong to the group of small proteins within the cytokine family having strong chemo-attractant properties. In most cases, the strong immuno-modulatory role of chemokines is crucial for generating the immune response against pathogens in various protozoan diseases. In this review, we have given a brief update on the classification, characterization, homeostasis, transcellular migration, and immuno-modulatory role of chemokines. Here we will evaluate the potential role of chemokines and their regulation in various protozoan diseases. There is a significant direct relationship between parasitic infection and the recruitment of effector cells of the immune response. Chemokines play an indispensable role in mediating several defense mechanisms against infection, such as leukocyte recruitment and the generation of innate and cell-mediated immunity that aids in controlling/eliminating the pathogen. This process is controlled by the chemotactic movement of chemokines induced as a primary host immune response. We have also addressed that chemokine expressions during infection are time-dependent and orchestrated in a systematic pattern that ultimately assists in generating a protective immune response. Taken together, this review provides a systematic understanding of the complexity of chemokines profiles during protozoan disease conditions and the rationale of targeting chemokines for the development of therapeutic strategies.
Topics: Humans; Chemokines; Animals; Protozoan Infections; Inflammation; Immunity, Innate; Immunity, Cellular
PubMed: 37980574
DOI: 10.1080/08830185.2023.2281566 -
ChemMedChem Aug 2017Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis belong to a group of infectious diseases known as neglected tropical diseases and are induced by... (Review)
Review
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis belong to a group of infectious diseases known as neglected tropical diseases and are induced by infection with protozoan parasites named trypanosomatids. Drugs in current use have several limitations, and therefore new candidate drugs are required. The majority of current therapeutic trypanosomatid targets are enzymes or cell-surface receptors. Among these, eukaryotic protein kinases are a major group of protein targets whose modulation may be beneficial for the treatment of neglected tropical protozoan diseases. This review summarizes the finding of new hit compounds for neglected tropical protozoan diseases, by repurposing known human kinase inhibitors on trypanosomatids. Kinase inhibitors are grouped by human kinase family and discussed according to the screening (target-based or phenotypic) reported for these compounds on trypanosomatids. This collection aims to provide insight into repurposed human kinase inhibitors and their importance in the development of new chemical entities with potential beneficial effects on the diseases caused by trypanosomatids.
Topics: Drug Repositioning; Humans; Neglected Diseases; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; Protozoan Infections; Protozoan Vaccines
PubMed: 28590590
DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201700259 -
Journal of the American Veterinary... May 2018
Topics: Animals; Autopsy; Cecal Diseases; Chickens; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Poultry Diseases; Protozoan Infections
PubMed: 29701528
DOI: 10.2460/javma.252.10.1227 -
Future Microbiology Feb 2020Globalization has contributed to the emergence of specific parasitic diseases in novel geographical areas, and in these regions, these infections in travelers and... (Review)
Review
Globalization has contributed to the emergence of specific parasitic diseases in novel geographical areas, and in these regions, these infections in travelers and immigrants may cause a considerable burden of disease. Timely diagnosis and treatment of protozoan infections to decrease mortality and prevent associated complications are essential. In this respect, the increased availability of specific DNA-detection procedures has improved the diagnosis of many imported parasitic infections. Travelers and immigrants with associated comorbidities or immunosuppression may pose a special challenge regarding management. An updated review of the main protozoan infections in mobile populations (malaria, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, enteric protozoan infections) is provided, focusing on the changing epidemiology of these diseases, recent developments in diagnosis and management and the possibility of local transmission of imported infections.
Topics: Amebiasis; Antiprotozoal Agents; Communicable Diseases, Imported; Cryptosporidiosis; Cyclosporiasis; Emigrants and Immigrants; Giardiasis; Humans; Leishmaniasis; Malaria; Protozoan Infections; Travel
PubMed: 32065535
DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2019-0212 -
Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases... Jan 2017Vector-borne protists of the genus Hepatozoon belong to the apicomplexan suborder Adeleorina. The taxonomy of Hepatozoon is unsettled and different phylogenetic clades... (Review)
Review
Vector-borne protists of the genus Hepatozoon belong to the apicomplexan suborder Adeleorina. The taxonomy of Hepatozoon is unsettled and different phylogenetic clades probably represent evolutionary units deserving the status of separate genera. Throughout our review, we focus on the monophyletic assemblage of Hepatozoon spp. from carnivores, classified as Hepatozoon sensu stricto that includes important pathogens of domestic and free-ranging canine and feline hosts. We provide an overview of diagnostic methods and approaches from classical detection in biological materials, through serological tests to nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Critical review of used primers for the 18S rDNA is provided, together with information on individual primer pairs. Extension of used NAATs target to cover also mitochondrial genes is suggested as a key step in understanding the diversity and molecular epidemiology of Hepatozoon infections in mammals.
Topics: Animals; Arthropod Vectors; Carnivora; Eucoccidiida; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Protozoan Infections, Animal
PubMed: 28055571
DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2016.1963 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2018Helminths are ubiquitous and have chronically infected vertebrates throughout their evolution. As such helminths have likely exerted considerable selection pressure on... (Review)
Review
Helminths are ubiquitous and have chronically infected vertebrates throughout their evolution. As such helminths have likely exerted considerable selection pressure on our immune systems. The large size of multicellular helminths and their limited replicative capacity in the host necessarily elicits different host protective mechanisms than the immune response evoked by microbial pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and intracellular parasites. The cellular damage resulting from helminth migration through tissues is a major trigger of the type 2 and regulatory immune responses, which activates wound repair mechanisms that increases tissue tolerance to injury and resistance mechanisms that enhance resistance to further colonization with larval stages. While these wound healing and anti-inflammatory responses may be beneficial to the helminth infected host, they may also compromise the host's ability to mount protective immune responses to microbial pathogens. In this review we will first describe helminth-induced tolerance mechanisms that develop in specific organs including the lung and the intestine, and how adaptive immunity may contribute to these responses through differential activation of T cells in the secondary lymphoid organs. We will then integrate studies that have examined how the immune response is modulated in these specific tissues during coinfection of helminths with viruses, protozoa, and bacteria.
Topics: Animals; Bacterial Infections; Disease Susceptibility; Helminthiasis; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Lymphocyte Activation; Protozoan Infections; T-Lymphocytes; Virus Diseases
PubMed: 30386324
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02135 -
Preventive Veterinary Medicine May 2024Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus) is a protozoal pathogen that infects cats and constitutes a significant cause of chronic colitis and diarrhea. Perturbations in the gut...
Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus) is a protozoal pathogen that infects cats and constitutes a significant cause of chronic colitis and diarrhea. Perturbations in the gut microbiota (GM) are affected by Trichomonas infection. Furthermore, dysregulation of the host GM enhances Trichomonas pathogenicity. However, it remains unclear whether the occurrence of diarrhea is associated with a dysregulation in GM following T. foetus infection in cats. Hence, the primary objective of this investigation was to explore the correlation between T. foetus infection and dysregulation in GM by analyzing fecal samples obtained from pet cats in Henan Province, central China. We randomly collected 898 fecal samples from pet cats living in 11 prefectural cities within Henan Province, and T. foetus was screened with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification based on the 18 S rRNA gene. Subsequently, six T. foetus-positive and six T. foetus-negative samples underwent analysis through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing to evaluate the gut microbiota's composition. The overall prevalence of T. foetus infection among the collected samples was found to be 6.01% (54/898). Notably, a higher prevalence of infection was observed in young, undewormed, unimmunized, and diarrheic pet cats. T. foetus infection was found to significantly alter the composition of the pet cat fecal microbiota, leading to dysfunctions. Moreover, it resulted in a substantial increase in the abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Phascolarctobacterium spp., while decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) and the abundance of Actinobacteria, Clostridiaceae_Clostridium spp., Phascolarctobacterium spp., SMB53 spp., and Blautia spp. We constructed ROC curves to assess the diagnostic value of specific bacterial taxa in discriminating T. foetus infection. The analysis revealed that Proteobacteria and Clostridiaceae_Clostridium spp. were the most reliable single predictors for T. foetus infection. This finding suggests that alterations in the GM may be strongly associated with T. foetus infections.
Topics: Cats; Animals; Protozoan Infections, Animal; Tritrichomonas foetus; Prevalence; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Diarrhea; Feces; Risk Factors; Cat Diseases
PubMed: 38518658
DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106162 -
Veterinary Medicine and Science Sep 2021Avian malaria (Plasmodium) and related genera (Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) are diverse and widespread parasites. Despite the extent of knowledge on avian...
Avian malaria (Plasmodium) and related genera (Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) are diverse and widespread parasites. Despite the extent of knowledge on avian haemosporidian parasites, information about domestic and wild bird's blood parasites is overall insufficient in Iran. Prevalence of the haemosporidian parasites' and phylogenetic relationship of lineages are studied by using molecular and morphological results of 152 examined hosts belonging to 17 species. Molecular analysis for haemosporidian detections demonstrated overall prevalence 22.36%. Inspected hosts mostly belonging to Common Pigeons (Columba livia) parasitized by Haemoproteus spp., and Hooded Crows (Corvus cornix) and Carrion Crow (C. corone) were identified as hosting Plasmodium spp. Detected lineages COLIV03, COQUI05, LINN01, ROFI04 and SGS01 are identified as new reports from Iran. We detected no evidence of Leucocytozoon lineages, while the high prevalence of H. columbae was found in Common Pigeons. Such investigation on avian blood parasites contributes to providing new information on the prevalence, epidemiology and geographical distribution of haemosporidian parasites circulating in domestic, pets and wild birds.
Topics: Animals; Bird Diseases; Columbidae; Iran; Malaria, Avian; Phylogeny; Protozoan Infections, Animal
PubMed: 34240581
DOI: 10.1002/vms3.549 -
PLoS Pathogens Jul 2020Heme oxygenase (HO-1) mediates the enzymatic cleavage of heme, a molecule with proinflammatory and prooxidant properties. HO-1 activity deeply impacts host capacity to... (Review)
Review
Heme oxygenase (HO-1) mediates the enzymatic cleavage of heme, a molecule with proinflammatory and prooxidant properties. HO-1 activity deeply impacts host capacity to tolerate infection through reduction of tissue damage or affecting resistance, the ability of the host to control pathogen loads. In this Review, we will discuss the contribution of HO-1 in different and complex protozoan infections, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and toxoplasmosis. The complexity of these infections and the pleiotropic effects of HO-1 constitute an interesting area of study and an opportunity for drug development.
Topics: Animals; Heme Oxygenase-1; Humans; Immune Tolerance; Protozoan Infections
PubMed: 32692767
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008599