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Parasitology Dec 2022Finfish aquaculture in freshwater and marine environments is continuously expanding globally, and the potential for a substantial further increase is well documented.... (Review)
Review
Finfish aquaculture in freshwater and marine environments is continuously expanding globally, and the potential for a substantial further increase is well documented. The industry is supplying fish products for human consumption to the same extent as capture fisheries, and new fish species for domestication are still being selected by the industry. The challenge faced by all aquacultured species, classical and novel, is the range of pathogens associated with each new fish type. A fish host in its natural environment carries a series of more or less specific parasites (specialists and generalists). Some of these show a marked ability to propagate in aquaculture settings. They may then elicit disease when infection intensities in the confined aquaculture environment reach high levels. In addition, the risk of transmission of parasites from aquaculture enterprises to wild fish stocks adds to the parasitic challenge. Control programmes of various kinds are needed and these may include chemotherapeutants and medicines as the farmer's first and convenient choice, but mechanical, biological, immunological and genetic control methods are available solutions. New methods are still to be developed by scrutinizing the life cycle of each particular parasite species and pin-pointing the vulnerable stage to be targeted. As parasites exhibit a huge potential for adaptation to environmental changes, one must realize that only one approach rarely is sufficient. The present work therefore elaborates on and advocates for implementation of integrated control strategies for diseases caused by protozoan and metazoan parasites.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Fish Diseases; Aquaculture; Fisheries; Fishes; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases
PubMed: 35950444
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182022001093 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2021Schistosome infection is a major cause of global morbidity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is no effective vaccine for this major neglected tropical... (Review)
Review
Schistosome infection is a major cause of global morbidity, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is no effective vaccine for this major neglected tropical disease, and re-infection routinely occurs after chemotherapeutic treatment. Following invasion through the skin, larval schistosomula enter the circulatory system and migrate through the lung before maturing to adulthood in the mesenteric or urogenital vasculature. Eggs released from adult worms can become trapped in various tissues, with resultant inflammatory responses leading to hepato-splenic, intestinal, or urogenital disease - processes that have been extensively studied in recent years. In contrast, although lung pathology can occur in both the acute and chronic phases of schistosomiasis, the mechanisms underlying pulmonary disease are particularly poorly understood. In chronic infection, egg-mediated fibrosis and vascular destruction can lead to the formation of portosystemic shunts through which eggs can embolise to the lungs, where they can trigger granulomatous disease. Acute schistosomiasis, or Katayama syndrome, which is primarily evident in non-endemic individuals, occurs during pulmonary larval migration, maturation, and initial egg-production, often involving fever and a cough with an accompanying immune cell infiltrate into the lung. Importantly, lung migrating larvae are not just a cause of inflammation and pathology but are a key target for future vaccine design. However, vaccine efforts are hindered by a limited understanding of what constitutes a protective immune response to larvae. In this review, we explore the current understanding of pulmonary immune responses and inflammatory pathology in schistosomiasis, highlighting important unanswered questions and areas for future research.
Topics: Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Immune Evasion; Lung; Lung Diseases, Parasitic; Mice; Protozoan Vaccines; Schistosoma; Schistosomiasis; Schistosomicides
PubMed: 33953712
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.635513 -
Clinical Pharmacokinetics Jul 2020About one-sixth of the world's population is affected by a neglected tropical disease as defined by the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control.... (Review)
Review
About one-sixth of the world's population is affected by a neglected tropical disease as defined by the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control. Parasitic diseases comprise most of the neglected tropical disease list and they are causing enormous amounts of disability, morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs worldwide. The burden of disease of the top five parasitic diseases has been estimated to amount to a total 23 million disability-adjusted life-years. Despite the massive health and economic impact, most drugs currently used for the treatment of parasitic diseases have been developed decades ago and insufficient novel drugs are being developed. The current review provides a compilation of the systemic and target-site pharmacokinetics of established antiparasitic drugs. Knowledge of the pharmacokinetic profile of drugs allows for the examination and possibly optimization of existing dosing schemes. Many symptoms of parasitic diseases are caused by parasites residing in different host tissues. Penetration of the antiparasitic drug into these tissues, the target site of infection, is a prerequisite for a successful treatment of the disease. Therefore, for the examination and improvement of established dosing regimens, not only the plasma but also the tissue pharmacokinetics of the drug have to be considered. For the current paper, almost 7000 scientific articles were identified and screened from which 429 were reviewed in detail and 100 were included in this paper. Systemic pharmacokinetics are available for most antiparasitic drugs but in many cases, not for all the relevant patient populations and only for single- or multiple-dose administration. Systemic pharmacokinetic data in patients with organ impairment and target-site pharmacokinetic data for relevant tissues and body fluids are mostly lacking. To improve the treatment of patients with parasitic diseases, research in these areas is urgently needed.
Topics: Antiparasitic Agents; Humans; Neglected Diseases; Parasitic Diseases; Tropical Medicine
PubMed: 32100246
DOI: 10.1007/s40262-020-00871-5 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Aug 2021Surveillance for soil-transmitted helminths, strongyloidiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis was conducted in Mississippi, USA. PCR performed on 224 fecal samples...
Surveillance for soil-transmitted helminths, strongyloidiasis, cryptosporidiosis, and giardiasis was conducted in Mississippi, USA. PCR performed on 224 fecal samples for all soil-transmitted helminths and on 370 samples for only Necator americanus and Strongyloides stercoralis identified 1 S. stercoralis infection. Seroprevalences were 8.8% for Toxocara, 27.4% for Cryptosporidium, 5.7% for Giardia, and 0.2% for Strongyloides parasites.
Topics: Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Feces; Giardiasis; Humans; Mississippi; Parasitic Diseases
PubMed: 34287125
DOI: 10.3201/eid2708.204318 -
European Review For Medical and... Jul 2020Vorinostat is a drug used to treat cutaneous T cell lymphoma whose action mechanism is based on Histone Deacetylase inhibition. Histone Deacetylases are a family of... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Vorinostat is a drug used to treat cutaneous T cell lymphoma whose action mechanism is based on Histone Deacetylase inhibition. Histone Deacetylases are a family of enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histone and non-histone proteins that control many crucial processes, such as gene regulation, cell cycle progression, differentiation, and apoptosis. Histone Deacetylase homologues are also expressed in parasites of the genus Plasmodium, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Schistosoma, Entamoeba, and others. In this way, antiparasitic properties of Vorinostat have been explored. The aim of this review is to report the current state knowledge of Vorinostat as antiparasitic drug against Plasmodium, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Schistosoma and Entamoeba in order to support future investigation in this field.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The authors revised the recent and relevant literature concerning the topic and discussed advances and limitations of studies on Vorinostat as potential drug to treat human parasitic diseases.
RESULTS
Vorinostat has been efficient in vitro and, in some cases, in vivo, against parasites that cause parasitic diseases, such as malaria, leishmaniasis, cryptosporidiosis, amoebiasis, and schistosomiasis.
CONCLUSIONS
In vitro and in vivo models have demonstrated the antiparasitic activity of Vorinostat, however, the challenge is to assay its activity in animal models and to evaluate if Vorinostat is safe for humans as new alternative to treat human parasitic infections.
Topics: Animals; Antiparasitic Agents; Drug Repositioning; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; Histone Deacetylases; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Parasites; Parasitic Diseases; Protozoan Proteins; Vorinostat
PubMed: 32706080
DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202007_21909 -
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. :... Jan 2022Maternal infection during pregnancy is known to alter the development and function of offspring's immune system, leading to inappropriate immune responses to common... (Review)
Review
Maternal infection during pregnancy is known to alter the development and function of offspring's immune system, leading to inappropriate immune responses to common childhood infections and immunizations. Although this is an expanding field, maternal parasitic infections remain understudied. Millions of women of reproductive age are currently at risk for parasitic infection, whereas many pregnant, chronically infected women are excluded from mass drug administration due partially to a lack of resources, as well as fear of unknown adverse fetal developmental outcomes. In areas endemic for multiple parasitic infections, such as sub-Saharan Africa, there are increased rates of morbidity and mortality for various infections during early childhood in comparison with nonendemic areas. Despite evidence supporting similar immunomodulatory effects between various parasite species, there is no clear mechanistic understanding of how maternal infection reprograms offspring immunity. This brief review will compare the effects of selected maternal parasitic infections on offspring immunity.
Topics: Adult; Africa South of the Sahara; Animals; Female; Fetal Development; Helminthiasis; Helminths; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Malaria, Falciparum; Parasitic Diseases; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Soil
PubMed: 35017211
DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100708 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jan 2020January 30, 2020 is the first-ever World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (World NTD Day), a day when we celebrate the achievements made towards control of the world's...
January 30, 2020 is the first-ever World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day (World NTD Day), a day when we celebrate the achievements made towards control of the world's NTDs, yet recognize the daunting challenges we face in the control and elimination of these conditions.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Disease Eradication; Global Health; Neglected Diseases; Parasitic Diseases; Tropical Climate; Virus Diseases; World Health Organization
PubMed: 31995572
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007999 -
Trends in Parasitology Dec 2020Wildlife vaccination is of urgent interest to reduce disease-induced extinction and zoonotic spillover events. However, several challenges complicate its application to... (Review)
Review
Wildlife vaccination is of urgent interest to reduce disease-induced extinction and zoonotic spillover events. However, several challenges complicate its application to wildlife. For example, vaccines rarely provide perfect immunity. While some protection may seem better than none, imperfect vaccination can present epidemiological, ecological, and evolutionary challenges. While anti-infection and antitransmission vaccines reduce parasite transmission, antidisease vaccines may undermine herd immunity, select for increased virulence, or promote spillover. These imperfections interact with ecological and logistical constraints that are magnified in wildlife, such as poor control and substantial trait variation within and among species. Ultimately, we recommend approaches such as trait-based vaccination, modeling tools, and methods to assess community- and ecosystem-level vaccine safety to address these concerns and bolster wildlife vaccination campaigns.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Biological Evolution; Ecosystem; Parasitic Diseases, Animal; Vaccination; Vaccines
PubMed: 32952060
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.08.006 -
Pediatrics in Review Apr 2023
Topics: Humans; Chagas Disease; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
PubMed: 37002357
DOI: 10.1542/pir.2022-005857 -
International Journal of Infectious... Jul 2020Parasitic infections of the eye are a major cause of ocular-surface diseases globally. While most infections are treatable, parasites can cause varying levels of damage...
INTRODUCTION
Parasitic infections of the eye are a major cause of ocular-surface diseases globally. While most infections are treatable, parasites can cause varying levels of damage mostly due to late diagnosis or misdiagnosis as a result of doctors' unfamiliarity with their characteristics of latency and crypsis, as well as lack of awareness by the patients.
CASE REPORTS
In this study, we present three cases of phthiriasis palpebrarum, thelaziasis, and ophthalmomyiasis, respectively. Two of the cases were treated at the clinic and did not recur. One patient refused treatment and was lost to follow-up.
DISCUSSION
By evaluating the natural histories, morphology, symptoms, clinical findings, and treatment of these parasitic diseases, we systematically analyzed several distinct and unique parasite characteristics, especially latency and crypsis. Furthermore, we have proposed specific examination techniques and methods as well as prevention and treatment strategies from these specific perspectives, aiming to prompt timely diagnoses and early interventions for these diseases by health care workers and improve the public's awareness of parasitic infections.
CONCLUSION
Parasitosis on the ocular surface is a global infectious disease, and prevention strategies include maintaining personal and environmental hygiene and limiting contact with animals. We recommend that health care workers should enhance their ability to detect and diagnose these diseases while promoting the public's awareness of them in the context of our new perspectives.
Topics: Aged, 80 and over; Animals; Child; Delayed Diagnosis; Diagnostic Errors; Eye Infections, Parasitic; Eyelashes; Female; Humans; Lice Infestations; Male; Middle Aged; Myiasis; Phthirus; Recurrence; Spirurida Infections; Thelazioidea
PubMed: 32447120
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.05.061