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Journal of Family Medicine and Primary... Nov 2023In developing nations, one of the most common reasons for death and illness is due to infections that are brought on by intestinal parasites. People who have HIV are...
INTRODUCTION
In developing nations, one of the most common reasons for death and illness is due to infections that are brought on by intestinal parasites. People who have HIV are more likely to contract parasites that are either well-established intestinal pathogens, like and or an opportunistic pathogen like Cryptosporidium, Isospora, Cyclospora and Microsporidia. Higher prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections occurs in patients with low CD4+ cell counts. Hence, this study had been performed to know the correlation of intestinal parasitic infection in HIV/AIDS patients with reference to CD4+ cell count.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study comprised 1477 HIV-positive patients who were treated at ART Centre of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi. All participants provided verbal informed consent before specimens were collected. Blood and stool sample were used for the identification of parasite and CD4+ T-Cell count.
RESULTS
In patients living with HIV, the prevalence of intestinal parasite infection was 12.59 per cent. In a manner parallel, the prevalence of parasitic infections was found to be 10.29% among male HIV-positive patients and 2.31% among female HIV-positive patients.
CONCLUSIONS
This study has shed light that low CD4+ T-cell count appears to be a factor for intestinal parasitic infections and development of diarrhoea. Regular screening and treatment of intestinal parasitic infections is very important in overall improvement in quality of life of HIV/AIDS patients. Nevertheless, sanitary hygiene practices and deworming are needed to enhance the control of infection in the affected areas.
PubMed: 38186830
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_806_23 -
Microbiology Spectrum Feb 2024Microsporidia cause disease in many beneficial insects, including honey bees, yet few pathogen control tools are available for protecting these important organisms...
Microsporidia cause disease in many beneficial insects, including honey bees, yet few pathogen control tools are available for protecting these important organisms against infection. Some evidence suggests that microsporidia possess a reduced number of genes encoding DNA repair proteins. We hypothesized that microsporidia would thus be susceptible to treatment with DNA-damaging agents and tested this hypothesis using a novel, rapid method for achieving robust and homogenous experimental infection of large numbers of newly emerged honey bees with one of its microsporidia pathogens, () . In carrying out these experiments, we found this novel inoculation method to have similar efficacy as other traditional methods. We show that the DNA-damaging agent bleomycin reduces levels, with minimal but measurable effects on honey bee survival and increased expression of midgut cellular stress genes, including those encoding SHSP. Increased expression of suggests the occurrence of epithelial regeneration, which may contribute to host resistance to bleomycin treatment. While bleomycin does reduce infection levels, host toxicity issues may preclude its use in the field. However, with further work, bleomycin may provide a useful tool in the research setting as a potential selection agent for genetic modification of microsporidia.IMPORTANCEMicrosporidia cause disease in many beneficial insects, yet there are few tools available for control in the field or laboratory. Based on the reported paucity of DNA repair enzymes found in microsporidia genomes, we hypothesized that these obligate intracellular parasites would be sensitive to DNA damage. In support of this, we observed that the well-characterized DNA damage agent bleomycin can reduce levels of the microsporidia () in experimental infections in honey bees. Observation of slightly reduced honey bee survival and evidence of sublethal toxicity likely preclude the use of bleomycin in the field. However, this work identifies bleomycin as a compound that merits further exploration for use in research laboratories as a potential selection agent for generating genetically modified microsporidia.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Nosema; DNA; Microsporidia
PubMed: 38179918
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03349-23 -
BMC Genomics Jan 2024Microsporidia are a large taxon of intracellular pathogens characterized by extraordinarily streamlined genomes with unusually high sequence divergence and many...
BACKGROUND
Microsporidia are a large taxon of intracellular pathogens characterized by extraordinarily streamlined genomes with unusually high sequence divergence and many species-specific adaptations. These unique factors pose challenges for traditional genome annotation methods based on sequence similarity. As a result, many of the microsporidian genomes sequenced to date contain numerous genes of unknown function. Recent innovations in rapid and accurate structure prediction and comparison, together with the growing amount of data in structural databases, provide new opportunities to assist in the functional annotation of newly sequenced genomes.
RESULTS
In this study, we established a workflow that combines sequence and structure-based functional gene annotation approaches employing a ChimeraX plugin named ANNOTEX (Annotation Extension for ChimeraX), allowing for visual inspection and manual curation. We employed this workflow on a high-quality telomere-to-telomere sequenced tetraploid genome of Vairimorpha necatrix. First, the 3080 predicted protein-coding DNA sequences, of which 89% were confirmed with RNA sequencing data, were used as input. Next, ColabFold was used to create protein structure predictions, followed by a Foldseek search for structural matching to the PDB and AlphaFold databases. The subsequent manual curation, using sequence and structure-based hits, increased the accuracy and quality of the functional genome annotation compared to results using only traditional annotation tools. Our workflow resulted in a comprehensive description of the V. necatrix genome, along with a structural summary of the most prevalent protein groups, such as the ricin B lectin family. In addition, and to test our tool, we identified the functions of several previously uncharacterized Encephalitozoon cuniculi genes.
CONCLUSION
We provide a new functional annotation tool for divergent organisms and employ it on a newly sequenced, high-quality microsporidian genome to shed light on this uncharacterized intracellular pathogen of Lepidoptera. The addition of a structure-based annotation approach can serve as a valuable template for studying other microsporidian or similarly divergent species.
Topics: Genome; Molecular Sequence Annotation; Genomics
PubMed: 38166563
DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09924-y -
Microbiology Spectrum Feb 2024Microsporidia are intracellular fungus-like pathogens and the infection symptoms include recurrent diarrhea and systematic inflammations. The major infection route of...
Microsporidia are intracellular fungus-like pathogens and the infection symptoms include recurrent diarrhea and systematic inflammations. The major infection route of microsporidia is the digestive tract. Since microsporidia are hard to fully eliminate, the interactions and persistence of the pathogen within epithelium may modulate host susceptibility to digestive disorders. In this study, both and infection models were applied. The alterations of epithelial barrier integrity, permeability, and tight junction proteins after microsporidia infection were assessed on MDCK/Caco-2 monolayers. The fecal intestinal microbiota and tissue alterations after microsporidia infection were assessed on C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, the susceptibility to develop dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) was also analyzed by the murine infection model. The results demonstrated that microsporidia infection increased epithelium permeability, weakened wound healing capability, and destructed tight junction protein zonula occludens-1. Microsporidia infection also dysregulates intestinal microbiota. These impairing effects of microsporidia increased host vulnerability to develop enteritis as shown by the murine model of DSS-induced IBD. Our study is the first to elucidate molecular mechanisms of the damaging effects of microsporidia on host epithelium and pointed out the cryptic threats of latent microsporidia infection to public health as reflected by the increased chances of developing more severe diseases.IMPORTANCEMicrosporidia are widely present in nature and usually cause latent and persistent infections in hosts. Given the fact that the digestive tract is the major infection route, it is of great importance to explore the consequences of microsporidia infection on the intestinal epithelial barrier and the risks to the host. In this study, we demonstrated the destructing effects of microsporidium infection on epithelial barriers manifested as increased epithelial permeability, weakened wound healing ability, and disrupted tight junctions. Moreover, microsporidia made the host more susceptible to dextran sulfate sodium-induced inflammatory bowel disease. These findings provide new evidence for us to better understand and develop novel strategies for microsporidia prevention and disease control.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mice; Colitis; Caco-2 Cells; Microsporidia; Dextran Sulfate; Intestinal Mucosa; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Microsporidiosis; Disease Models, Animal
PubMed: 38149855
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03610-23 -
Insects Dec 2023Lepidoptera is one of the most speciose insect orders, causing enormous damage to agricultural and forest crops. Although genome editing has been achieved in a few...
Lepidoptera is one of the most speciose insect orders, causing enormous damage to agricultural and forest crops. Although genome editing has been achieved in a few Lepidoptera for insect controls, most techniques are still limited. Here, by injecting female pupae of the Lepidoptera model species, , gene editing was established using the Receptor-Mediated Ovary Transduction of Cargo (ReMOT) control technique. We identified a oocytes-targeting peptide ligand (BmOTP, a 29 aa of vitellogenin N-terminal of silkworms) with a highly conserved sequence in lepidopteran insects that could efficiently deliver mCherry into oocytes. When BmOTP was fused to CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) and the BmOTP-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex was injected into female pupae, heritable editing of the offspring was achieved in the silkworms. Compared with embryo microinjection, individual injection is more convenient and eliminates the challenge of injecting extremely small embryos. Our results will significantly facilitate the genetic manipulation of other lepidopteran insects, which is essential for advancing lepidopteran pest control.
PubMed: 38132605
DOI: 10.3390/insects14120932 -
Insects Nov 2023Recently, we found that the spongy moth L. is susceptible to infection by a Dendrolimus sibiricus cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (DsCPV-1). In the present study, we...
Recently, we found that the spongy moth L. is susceptible to infection by a Dendrolimus sibiricus cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (DsCPV-1). In the present study, we evaluated the pathogenicity of DsCPV-1 against larvae and its impact on surviving insects after the infection. Offspring of virally challenged insects were tested for susceptibility to a stress factor (starvation). In addition, we used light microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to test the ability of DsCPV-1 to be transmitted vertically. We found insect mortality of the parents following the infection was positively associated with DsCPV-1 dose. DsCPV-1 was lethal to second-instar larvae with a 50% lethal dose (LD) of 1687 occlusion bodies per larva. No vertical transmission of DsCPV-1 to offspring larvae was detected, while the majority of insect deaths among offspring larvae were caused by microsporidia (), which was harbored by the parents. The offspring of virally challenged parents exhibited a higher number of detected microsporidia compared to the control. Our findings suggest that the application of DsCPV-1 is effective in controlling pests in terms of transgenerational impact following virus exposure.
PubMed: 38132591
DOI: 10.3390/insects14120917 -
Insects Nov 2023Microsporidia are natural pathogens of arthropods and have been used as biological control against insect pests. In the United States, efforts to control the invasive...
Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of a Microsporidian Parasite in the Black Imported Fire Ant and Its Social Parasitic Ant (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: ) in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.
Microsporidia are natural pathogens of arthropods and have been used as biological control against insect pests. In the United States, efforts to control the invasive Red Imported Fire Ant, , and Black Imported Fire Ant, , have included the use of the microsporidium, . However, there is limited information about the genetic differences among the microsporidian variants found in and in . In this study, we assessed the prevalence and genetic diversity of in native populations of in Argentina (South America). Additionally, we examined the social parasitic ant, , which is found in some nests, for the presence of this microsporidium. The survey of 219 nests revealed infections in all five sites analyzed, with 28 colonies (12.8%) positive for the microsporidium. Among the 180 individuals collected, seven ants (3.9%) from three sites tested positive for . Phylogenetic analyses of the microsporidian variants present in and based on partial small subunit ribosomal gene sequences (SSU rRNA) showed that both ant species shared the same variant, which is different from the ones found in . Further studies are needed to determine the pathogenicity of genetically different variants among species.
PubMed: 38132575
DOI: 10.3390/insects14120901 -
Scientific Reports Dec 2023Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim are two commonly encountered digestive tract parasites of the honey bee that have been associated with colony losses in Canada, the...
Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim are two commonly encountered digestive tract parasites of the honey bee that have been associated with colony losses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Though honey bees can be co-infected with these parasites, we still lack basic information regarding how they impact bee health at the individual and colony level. Using locally-isolated parasite strains, we investigated the effect of single and co-infections of these parasites on individual honey bee survival, and their responsiveness to sucrose. Results showed that a single N. ceranae infection is more virulent than both single L. passim infections and co-infections. Honey bees singly infected with N. ceranae reached < 50% survival eight days earlier than those inoculated with L. passim alone, and four days earlier than those inoculated with both parasites. Honey bees infected with either one, or both, parasites had increased responsiveness to sucrose compared to uninfected bees, which could correspond to higher levels of hunger and increased energetic stress. Together, these findings suggest that N. ceranae and L. passim pose threats to bee health, and that the beekeeping industry should monitor for both parasites in an effort correlate pathogen status with changes in colony-level productivity and survival.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Parasites; Coinfection; Trypanosomatina; Nosema; Sucrose
PubMed: 38110440
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49189-9 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Apr 2024Corneal biopsy helps in diagnosing deep-seated or recalcitrant lesions of microbial keratitis (MK). We aim to analyze its role in managing these challenging cases.
PURPOSE
Corneal biopsy helps in diagnosing deep-seated or recalcitrant lesions of microbial keratitis (MK). We aim to analyze its role in managing these challenging cases.
METHODS
This is a retrospective review of 22 cases of corneal biopsy at our institute from January 2010 to December 2021. Data were retrospectively collected using the electronic medical record (EMR) system. Those cases of indolent, progressive MK or deep-seated lesions where cornea scraping was not possible were considered for corneal biopsy to establish the microbiological diagnosis. The primary aims of our study were to analyze the indications, success rates, and outcomes for biopsy patients in our series. Additional outcomes that were analyzed included the average time from presentation to biopsy, the type of causative organism isolated from the biopsy by either histopathological or microbiological method, and the frequency and outcome of surgical interventions performed. Descriptive statistics using mean (±standard deviation) and median (±range) were used to interpret the demographic data.
RESULTS
Overall, 15 of 22 patients (68%) had a positive corneal biopsy after microbiological or histopathological examinations. The most identified organism was microsporidia (n = 4,30.7%), followed by mycobacteria (n = 2,15.4%), gram-negative bacilli (n = 2,15.4%), acid-fast bacilli (n = 1,7.6%), fungus (n = 2,15.4%), gram-positive cocci (n = 1,7.6%), and mixed bacterial infection (n = 1,7.6%).
CONCLUSION
Corneal biopsy should be considered a diagnostic modality for patients with deep-seated or unresponsive MK. It can improve the treatment for MK, ensuring targeted therapy.
Topics: Humans; Retrospective Studies; Eye Infections, Bacterial; Keratitis; Cornea; Biopsy
PubMed: 38099368
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_1263_23 -
Biology Letters Dec 2023The phylum Rozellomycota has been proposed for a group of early-branching holomycotan lineages representing obligate parasites and hyperparasites of zoosporic fungi,...
The phylum Rozellomycota has been proposed for a group of early-branching holomycotan lineages representing obligate parasites and hyperparasites of zoosporic fungi, oomycotes or phytoplankton. Given their predominantly intracellular lifestyle, rozellids are typically known from environmental ribosomal DNA data, except for the well-studied species. To date, the phylogenetic relationship between rozellids and microsporidians (Microsporidia) is not fully understood and most reliable hypotheses are based on phylogenomic analyses that incorporate the only publicly available rozellid genome of . Here, we provide genomic data of three new rozellid lineages obtained by single-cell sequencing from environmental samples and show with a phylogenomic approach that rozellids form a monophyletic group that is sister to microsporidians, corroborating the previously proposed phylum Rozellomycota. Whereas no mitochondrial genes coding for the respiratory Complex I could be found, we discovered a gene coding for a nucleotide phosphate transporter in one of the three draft genomes. The scattered absence of Complex I genes and scattered presence of nucleotide transporter genes across diverse microsporidian and rozellid lineages suggest that these adaptations to a parasitic lifestyle, which reduce the parasite's capability to synthesize ATP but enables it to steal ATP from its host, evolved independently in microsporidians and rozellids.
Topics: Microsporidia; Phylogeny; Genome, Fungal; Genomics; Nucleotides; Adenosine Triphosphate
PubMed: 38087939
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0398