Journal Of Parasitic Diseases[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Exploring the potential of Taq Man quantitative PCR for the simulated diagnosis of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in clinical samples in Iran.
Roozbehani M, Tasbihi M, Keyvani H … +3 more , Mousavizadeh L, Hasanpour H, Askari Z
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230269 · Full text
Leishmaniasis is a major neglected tropical disease that can lead to fatalities among infected individuals. Clinical identification was based on microscopic examination and parasitological culture performed by trained te...
Leishmaniasis is a major neglected tropical disease that can lead to fatalities among infected individuals. Clinical identification was based on microscopic examination and parasitological culture performed by trained technicians. The limited accuracy and inconvenience associated with the microscopic analysis may lead to the misdiagnosis and recurrence of leishmaniasis. Consequently, an in-house TaqMan quantitative PCR (qPCR) method using the kinetoplast minicircle DNA (mkDNA) gene was developed simultaneously diagnose cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in clinical specimens. A total of 77 skin lesion samples, 10 canine blood samples, aspirates and 65 samples as control were confirmed by microscopy, in vitro cultured promastigotes, and rK39 rapid diagnostic tests. The mkDNA gene was analyzed by qPCR to determine the detection limit, sensitivity, and specificity of the test. These results demonstrated a sensitivity of 96.3% (95 CI 81.03-99.91%), specificity of 100.00% (95 CI 94.04-100.00%), and accuracy of 98.85% (95 CI 93.76-99.97%). The test efficiency ranged from 70 to 97%, with an R value of 0.988. The qPCR assay established in this study is a valuable tool for diagnosing cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. It is easier to perform than parasitological exanimation because it saves time and reduces the risk of contamination for clinical surveillance and determination of the incidence of leishmaniasis in Iran, an endemic region. This has paved the way for other researchers to explore commercial TaqMan real-time PCR diagnostic kits in Iran.
Overcoming the challenges of histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 deletions in malaria diagnosis and control.
Enyi EO, Nnanna JC
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230268 · Full text
Malaria is a major public health concern responsible for significant mortality and morbidity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective malaria control and elimination strategies. Rece...
Malaria is a major public health concern responsible for significant mortality and morbidity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective malaria control and elimination strategies. Recent studies have confirmed the existence of histidine-rich protein 2 and 3 () deficient malaria parasites, which pose significant challenges to malaria diagnosis and control. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the existing literature on deletions and their implications on malaria diagnosis and control. A literature search was conducted using a combination of keywords ( deletions, malaria diagnosis, malaria control, rapid diagnostic tests) and medical subject headings (MeSH) terms (Malaria/diagnosis, Malaria/parasitology, /genetics) in ScienceDirect, Springer, Google Scholar, and PubMed. Studies published in English between 2018 and 2024 were included, and a total of 83 studies were selected for inclusion in the review based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. This review highlights the significant challenges posed by deletions to malaria diagnosis and control and identifies potential solutions, including alternative diagnostic approaches and novel RDTs targeting multiple antigens.
Molecular docking, design, synthesis and in vitro analysis identify [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b]pyridazine derivatives as inhibitors of sterol methyltransferase.
Sakyi PO, Kwofie SK, Gwira TM … +6 more , Moore C, Amisigo C, Broni E, Miller WA, Wilson MD, Amewu RK
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230267 · Full text
UNLABELLED: The current therapeutic agents for the treatments of visceral leishmaniasis are ineffective, and cytotoxic. Therefore, there is the urgent need for new chemotypes for the treatment of the disease with novel m...
UNLABELLED: The current therapeutic agents for the treatments of visceral leishmaniasis are ineffective, and cytotoxic. Therefore, there is the urgent need for new chemotypes for the treatment of the disease with novel mechanisms of action. In our previous investigation, we identified the triazolopyridazine, STOCK6S-84928 as a potential inhibitor of sterol methyltransferase (SMT) with IC value of 118.3 µM. To improve the biological activity of the initial hit compound, we hereby describe the results of structural-activity relationship studies on STOCK6S-84928 via chemical modifications on the scaffold and virtually screening of 250 compounds obtained against the Modeller generated SMT structure. A total of 21 compounds were found to have binding energies ranging from - 7.0 to - 9.2 kcal/mol lower or comparable to the 22,26-azasterol (- 7.6 kcal/mol), the known inhibitor of the target. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed Ile272 and Tyr275 to be pivotal for ligand binding. The compounds were predicted to possess leishmanicidal activities with good drug-like properties. Significantly, the compounds , , , and were predicted to possess antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, analgesics, protein and MAP kinase inhibitory activities with probability of activity (Pa) > 0.2 and probability of inactivity (Pi) < 0.16. Through the applications of cyclization, amination, Williamson's ether synthesis, and Suzuki cross-coupling reactions, the selected analogues of STOCK6S-84928 were synthesised in moderate to high yields and characterized by FTIR, LC-MS, and NMR spectroscopy methods. In vitro antileishmanial evaluation of the synthesized compounds identified as the most potent, exhibiting promastigotes inhibitory activities with IC value of (1.9 ± 0.1) µM. The -difluoropheneyl group as well as the triazolopyridine moieties were suspected to be responsible for the observed activity. Similarly, the compounds and required (0.8 ± 0.1) µM and (0.6 ± 0.0) µM, respectively to eliminate 50% of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12639-025-01849-5.
Therapeutic outcome of bone marrow stem cells and ginger in chronic murine toxoplasmosis.
Hassan ZR, Shaaban YM, Mahmoud EM … +17 more , Ali AMM, Al-Shahed FAN, Salama DEA, Elsokary ANI, Abdelgalil RM, Alanany MA, Koullah MT, Seliem N, Amin DR, Mohamed SA, Etewa MAM, Mahmoud Mousa SN, Amin MM, Hamouda MMM, Atta SA, Gadallah RA, Nasr SM
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230266 · Full text
Toxoplasmosis is a common protozoal disease that can cause serious complications. Hence the available drug therapies possess limited activity against chronic forms of the disease; thus, it is urgent to find more effectiv...
Toxoplasmosis is a common protozoal disease that can cause serious complications. Hence the available drug therapies possess limited activity against chronic forms of the disease; thus, it is urgent to find more effective agents. The current study highlighted the therapeutic activity of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and ginger combined with spiramycin against chronic experimental toxoplasmosis. A total of 48 male mice were distributed into 8 groups: non-infected non-treated, infected non-treated, infected treated by spiramycin, infected treated by BMSCs, infected treated by ginger, infected treated by combined BMSCs and spiramycin, infected treated by combined BMSCs and ginger, and infected treated by combined BMSCs, ginger, and spiramycin. The evaluation was performed through parasitological counting of brain cyst burden, histopathological examination, immunohistochemical cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) staining assessment, serum IL-10 measurement, and apoptotic gene markers assay. The results revealed that combined BMSCs, ginger, and spiramycin displayed significantly reduced parasitic cyst burden, restored histopathological changes, decreased COX2 expression, and downregulated caspases gene expression. It can be concluded that adding BMSCs and ginger to spiramycin provides a potent therapeutic agent against chronic toxoplasmosis.
Molecular diagnosis of leishmaniasis: current updates and future prospectives.
Hamarsheh O, Matouk I, Azmi K … +1 more , Amro A
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230265 · Full text
Leishmaniasis is considered a neglected tropical disease of different clinical manifestations; cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. It is caused by parasites and transmitted with correspondent sand fly v...
Leishmaniasis is considered a neglected tropical disease of different clinical manifestations; cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. It is caused by parasites and transmitted with correspondent sand fly vector. Diagnosis and detection of the parasites using microscopic examination is the gold standard method, however ecological, biochemical and molecular diagnostic approaches are available with variable specificity and sensitivity. Molecular based diagnostic methods have been used extensively due to their high sensitivity and specificity. Different PCR methods depending on different DNA targets and kinetoplast DNA of parasite, are considered very sensitive. Further research should be conducted to develop a routine molecular test with high specificity and sensitivity with a standard approach for DNA extraction and quantification. Molecular diagnosis of leishmaniasis have great influence on therapeutic decisions and response to treatment especially in patients with -HIV coinfection. Quantitatively, the parasite loads measurement has important consequences on assessing host health, immunocompetency, and disease prognosis.
Phytochemical Screening and anthelmintic efficacy of peels and leaves against .
Senapati M, Dehuri M, Mohanty B … +1 more , Sahoo G
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230264 · Full text
The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-helmintic efficacy of two commonly used plants and and analyse its phytoconstituents. Methanolic extract of the plants in five concentration ranging from 5 to 2...
The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-helmintic efficacy of two commonly used plants and and analyse its phytoconstituents. Methanolic extract of the plants in five concentration ranging from 5 to 200 mg/ml was prepared and tested for their adulticidal and ovicidal activity through in vitro Adult Motility Test (AMT) and Egg Hatch Test (EHT). The Phytochemical analysis was carried out by HPTLC.The results of AIT indicated that there was complete cessation of motility for all the worms tested after 6 h and 7 h of exposure for methanolic extract of . . respectively. At highest concentration, the time taken for mortality in case of pomegranate peel extract was 195.3 ± 6.38 min while for Moringa leaves extract was 242.3 ± 6.36 min. The ovicidal activity as determined by egg hatch test demonstrated a 100 and 98.3% inhibition of egg hatching at highest concentration that was comparable to the reference drug for methanolic extract of . . respectively. The ovicidal action was also revealed by log probit analysis and IC 50 values of 33.92 mg/ml was recorded for . leaves while the IC 50 value for pomegranate peel extract was calculated to be 21.33 mg/ml. The Phytochemical screening for methanolic extracts through HPTLC revealed . peel extract contained 0.084 mg/ml of rutin, 0.83 mg/ml of gallic acid and 0.328 mg/ml of quercetin. . leaf extract contained 0.058 mg/ml of rutin, 0.218 mg/ml gallic acid and 0.592 mg/ml quercetin. While both the plant extracts showed anthelmintic activity, peel fared better over leaves owing to its higher inhibition of egg hatching, lesser time for mortality and lower IC 50 values. However, for further validation and formulation of novel herbal anthelmintic, in vivo and toxicity studies are essential.
Advances and prospective in diagnosis of hydatidosis in farm animals.
Abo-Aziza FAM
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230263 · Full text
Hydatidosis (Echinococcosis) is one of serious and pervasive parasitic disease in farm animals and humans. It is caused by the tapeworm cysts containing the larval stages of the (, family: ), which is found in the small...
Hydatidosis (Echinococcosis) is one of serious and pervasive parasitic disease in farm animals and humans. It is caused by the tapeworm cysts containing the larval stages of the (, family: ), which is found in the small intestine of canids. Metacestode parasite can infect several organs in intermediate hosts (farm animals and humans), leading to hydatid cysts (HC). The diagnosis and identification of infection in animals are required for surveillance, epidemiological studies, and control of hydatidosis in endemic, emerging, or re-emerging transmission zones. There are various types of diagnostic assays of hydatidosis as antigen testing, ELISA, indirect hemagglutination, and complement fixation tests. Various types of diagnostic imaging examinations are used for HC. Since HC has a rather low diagnostic sensitivity, particularly in early infections, the diagnosis in livestock still mostly relies on post-mortem inspection because serodiagnostics are inadequate for accurate pre-mortem diagnosis. The genetic identification of the species and genotypes responsible for hydatidosis is crucial for confirming diagnostics, to understand the vectors of parasite transmission, and for the implementation of focused control measures. Efforts will be required to improve the production of particular antigens and antibodies for serological diagnostics of hydatidosis. Therefore, the present review shows the advanced approaches of radiology, serodiagnosis, molecular assay, genotypes and proteomic analysis for diagnosing infection in farm animals, offering conclusions, and suggests recommendations for further prospective improving specific antigen and antibody production for serological diagnosis.
AI-powered medicine repurposed to identify new leishmaniasis treatments.
Daungsupawong H, Wiwanitkit V
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230262 · Full text
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT, an AI-based language model, in aiding healthcare professionals with selecting suitable medications for the treating of leishmaniasis. A panel of medical experts an...
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT, an AI-based language model, in aiding healthcare professionals with selecting suitable medications for the treating of leishmaniasis. A panel of medical experts and specialists in tropical diseases assessed the recommendations provided by ChatGPT for 10 hypothetical clinical scenarios related to leishmaniasis. The main objective was to determine the utility of ChatGPT in facilitating informed decision-making regarding drug choices for managing leishmaniasis. ChatGPT consistently provided valuable suggestions for potential drug repurposing in the treatment of leishmaniasis across all scenarios, aligning with current medical research. Despite the lack of specific treatment guidelines, ChatGPT's suggestions proved beneficial, presenting potential avenues for medication repurposing. These findings suggest that ChatGPT shows promise as a useful tool for drug repurposing in leishmaniasis therapy, assisting in the identification of potential pharmaceutical options. However, it is important to acknowledge certain limitations, such as the requirement for additional clinical data and the inability to adjust therapy.
Comparative efficacy of trypanocide brands against experimental infections in mice.
Okpala MI, Obi CF, Aneru GE … +6 more , Uzondu OO, Iheagwam CN, Oyiga CT, Ezeh IO, Ezeokonkwo RC, Onah DN
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230261 · Full text
African animal trypanosomosis is a major constraint to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. Chemotherapy remains the primary control strategy, but the efficacy of various trypanocide brands in circulation in Afric...
African animal trypanosomosis is a major constraint to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. Chemotherapy remains the primary control strategy, but the efficacy of various trypanocide brands in circulation in Africa, especially in Nigeria, remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of selected, commonly used commercial brands of diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride against experimental infection in mice. A total of 35 adult male mice were randomly assigned to seven groups of five mice each. Group 1 served as the uninfected control, while groups 2-7 were intraperitoneally (i.p.) infected with 10⁶ trypanosomes. Group 2 was left untreated, while groups 3-5 were treated with diminazene aceturate brands (TrypanocideDA 1-3) respectively at a dose of 7.0 mg/kg on day 13 post-infection (p.i). Groups 6 and 7 received isometamidium chloride brands (TrypanocideISM 1 and 2) respectively at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg on day 13 p.i. Efficacy was assessed through clinical signs, parasitaemia, haematological parameters (PCV, Hb concentration, erythrocyte count, leucocyte counts), parasite clearance time, body weight, rectal temperature, and survival. Parasite clearance was fastest in group 3 (2.4 days post-treatment) compared to other treated groups (3 days post-treatment). Diminazene aceturate-treated groups exhibited shorter relapse times than isometamidium chloride-treated groups. Treatment reversed the reduction in haematological indices across all groups. The study concluded that isometamidium chloride brands demonstrated superior efficacy compared to diminazene aceturate brands in treating infections.
Hidden in plain sight: lessons on misdiagnosis of pulmonary paragonimiasis in a setting of high burden of pulmonary tuberculosis from Zamboanga Peninsula, the Philippines.
Guerrero JJG, Belizario VY
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230260 · Full text
Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a major public health concern in several regions of the Philippines and in many parts of Southeast Asia. Overlapping with it in terms of clinical manifestations is pulmonary paragonim...
Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a major public health concern in several regions of the Philippines and in many parts of Southeast Asia. Overlapping with it in terms of clinical manifestations is pulmonary paragonimiasis or lung fluke disease. Paragonimiasis, a foodborne trematode infection, may be hidden in plain sight in the setting of a high burden of PTB. This raises questions about how much reported data on PTB is paragonimiasis and how much coinfection exists with PTB and this food-borne trematode infection. This research draws lessons from Zamboanga Peninsula in the Philippines, a region with considerable data on both disease entities. In this paper, a review of available data from published literature and from the country's Department of Health registry was undertaken. Results show that TB remains to be a major public health concern in the region. Coincidentally, paragonimiasis also exists in many parts of the region alongside TB, with Paragonimiasis being more common than PTB in some areas. The approach from Zamboanga Peninsula may be used to generate evidence from other regions and become the basis for national policy formulation. The results support an integrated policy for surveillance, and control. Capacity building and active surveillance may be combined to enhance case finding, treatment, and generation of data for mapping and targeted interventions for integrated tuberculosis-paragonimiasis control. These learnings may be applicable to other parts of the Philippines and Southeast Asia where there may be known or likely co-endemicity of the two diseases.
Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of albendazole and nitazoxanide loaded chitosan nanoparticles against experimental echinococcosis.
Abd El-Latif NF, Elsayad MH, Abdulsalam DE … +4 more , El-Hadidy W, Khodear GAM, Kazem A, El-Hadad H
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230259 · Full text
Cystic echinococcosis is a neglected helminthic zoonosis caused by spp., mostly . Current chemotherapeutic treatment options are based on benzimidazoles; mainly albendazole (ABZ) which are of limited effectiveness. Ther...
Cystic echinococcosis is a neglected helminthic zoonosis caused by spp., mostly . Current chemotherapeutic treatment options are based on benzimidazoles; mainly albendazole (ABZ) which are of limited effectiveness. Therefore, new anti-echinococcosis treatment agents are needed. Nitazoxanide (NTZ) is a broad-spectrum drug against a wide variety of intestinal parasites. The current work aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ABZ, ABZ chitosan nanoparticles (ABZ/Cs NPs), NTZ and NTZ/Cs NPs in mice experimentally infected with . Swiss albino mice were inoculated intra-peritoneally with ~ 1000 protoscoleces harvested from hydatid cysts from slaughtered camels. Drugs were administered orally daily to mice subgroups as follows: ABZ (50 mg/kg/4 weeks), blank Cs NPs (30 mg/Kg/4 weeks), ABZ/Cs NPs (50 mg/kg/4 weeks), NTZ (200 mg /kg/ 14 days) NTZ/Cs NPs (200 mg/ kg /14 days) 16 weeks after infection. Drug efficacy was assessed by parasitological, morphological and histopathological studies on hydatid cysts collected from the studied groups. Results revealed that the studied treatments had variable efficacy. ABZ/Cs NPs showed higher anti-cystic activity relative to ABZ, NTZ, NTZ/ CSNPs. Survival time increased in subgroups treated with ABZ/Cs NPs and Cs NPs followed by NTZ/Cs NPs. Mice received ABZ and ABZ/Cs NPs showed the highest reduction of hydatid cysts in different organs. SEM revealed severe morphological changes mainly in subgroups receiving ABZ and ABZ/Cs NPs. It was concluded that chitosan nanoparticles could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of ABZ and NTZ in the treatment of cystic echinococcosis.
Immunoliposomes containing pc-LACK as a novel antigen delivery system with IL-12 gene in the murine model of infection.
Hezarjaribi HZ, Soosaraei M, Akhtari J … +4 more , Jorjani ON, Fakhar M, Rafiei A, Faridnia R
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230258 · Full text
The study focuses on the development of a first-generation liposomal-based vaccine for . This vaccine uses a cloned gene encoding the homologue of receptors for activated C-Kinase (LACK) along with interleukin 12 (IL-12...
The study focuses on the development of a first-generation liposomal-based vaccine for . This vaccine uses a cloned gene encoding the homologue of receptors for activated C-Kinase (LACK) along with interleukin 12 (IL-12). The research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a liposomal DNA vaccine that combines a recombinant plasmid with a cytokine adjuvant to protect against (. ). A cationic lipid formulation was developed using a blend of 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP), dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and cholesterol in a 2:1:1 ratio. These cationic liposomes, comprising DOTAP and DOPE, were paired with pc-LACK and pc-IL-12 adjuvants to explore their potential as a vaccine candidate aimed at stimulating the immune system. BALB/c mice received subcutaneous (SC) immunizations with various nanoliposomal and non-liposomal compounds, administered three times at three-week intervals. Following the final booster, the immunized mice were SC challenged with 1 × 10 stationary phase . promastigotes in a 50 µL solution. Post-challenge assessments included monitoring lesion development, evaluating splenic parasite loads, and analyzing cellular and humoral immune responses. This entailed measuring IL-4 and IFN-γ levels, culturing splenocytes, and quantifying total IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a antibodies in both the control and immunized groups. The study revealed that mice inoculated with liposomal plasmid LACK (Lip-pc-LACK) exhibited a significantly lower parasite load in their spleens when challenged with . ( < 0.001). The lowest parasite burden was found in the Lip-pc-LACK + Lip-pc-IL-12 group. Additionally, BALB/c mice immunized with Lip-pc-LACK, pc-LACK, and Lip-pc-LACK + Lip-pc-IL-12 demonstrated the highest levels of IFN-γ and IgG2a, along with elevated IgG1 and IL-4, compared to other groups ( < 0.001). The findings from immunization using liposomes with DOTAP and/or DOPE, combined with LACK, suggest that cationic liposomes could be an effective immune adjuvant for advancing a vaccine against . .
Pre-administration with , and methanolic extracts ameliorated haematological changes induced by challenge in broiler chickens.
Hambesha PT, Orakpoghenor O, Abdu PA … +2 more , Jatau ID, Aluwong T
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230257 · Full text
The role of complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of various diseases is gaining serious attention. This study evaluated the haematological changes induced by challenge in broiler chickens following...
The role of complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of various diseases is gaining serious attention. This study evaluated the haematological changes induced by challenge in broiler chickens following pre-administration with methanol extracts of , and . One hundred one-day-old Abor acre broiler chicks obtained from a commercial hatchery were randomly divided into 10 groups (A1, B1, C1, D1, A2, B2, C2, D2, E, and F) of 10 birds each. From 14 to 20 days of age (doa), A1 and A2 were administered (250 mg/kg); B1 and B2 (2000 mg/kg); C1 and C2 (250 mg/kg); D1 and D2 Amprolium (100 g/100 L drinking water); while E, and F were positive, and negative controls, respectively. At 21 doa, A2, B2, C2, D2 and E were challenged with 10 . sporulated oocysts orally. Blood was collected at 14, 21 and 28 doa, and processed for haematology. Results revealed no significant difference ( > 0.05) in the haematological parameters in all groups of broiler chickens at 14 and 21 doa. At 28 doa, packed cell volume (PCV), and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration were significantly ( < 0.05) lower while total red blood cells were non-significantly ( > 0.05) lower in group E than in A2, B2, C2 and D2. Total leukocyte and heterophil counts were significantly ( < 0.05) higher while lymphocyte count and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio were non-significantly ( > 0.05) higher in group E than in A2, B2, C2 and D2. The prophylactic administration of , leaf and stem bark methanolic extracts significantly ameliorated the changes in PCV, Hb concentration, total leukocyte and heterophil counts induced by challenge in the broiler chickens. Further studies that explore the mechanisms by which these extracts ameliorated the haematological changes via their prophylactic anticoccidial activities should be conducted.
Harnessing antigenic proteins of for efficient diagnosis: a study of promising candidates.
Srivastava S, Gupta AK, Singh A … +2 more , Datta SK, Singh S
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230256 · Full text
is a widespread protozoan parasite that poses significant health risks globally. Current serological tests for diagnosing infections are hindered by high costs, cumbersomeness, and the necessity for skills and expertise...
is a widespread protozoan parasite that poses significant health risks globally. Current serological tests for diagnosing infections are hindered by high costs, cumbersomeness, and the necessity for skills and expertise. This study aimed to identify promising antigens for the development of an immunochromatographic rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Whole-cell antigens were isolated from the virulent RH strain of maintained in Swiss albino male mice. After infection, peritoneal fluid was harvested, and tachyzoites were processed to obtain whole cell lysates, which were subjected to SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Five novel antigenic protein bands reactive to anti-Toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies were identified on western blot. Subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis revealed 158 proteins. However, only 18 proteins were selected on the basis of high mascot score (> 40) and were investigated further. On BLAST search 10 of these proteins exhibited significant homology (> 90%) with closely related microorganisms hence these were excluded. Out of remaining 8, specific glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH1) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH1) were found to be reactive to both IgG and IgM on western blot, indicating their potential as reliable biomarkers for infection.
infestation in an Angora rabbit from Kashmir and its therapeutic management.
Mir AQ, Allaie IM, Mufeeda T … +7 more , Bhat RA, Wani ZA, Tramboo SR, Abdullah M, Bulbul KH, Insha AM, Shah SM
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230255 · Full text
Rabbits have become one of the most popular pets worldwide, prized for their social and friendly nature. However, they are susceptible to various parasitic diseases, including nematodosis, cestodiosis, coccidiosis, and e...
Rabbits have become one of the most popular pets worldwide, prized for their social and friendly nature. However, they are susceptible to various parasitic diseases, including nematodosis, cestodiosis, coccidiosis, and ectoparasitic infestations such as ticks and mites. This case report describes ear canker in a 1-year-old female Angora rabbit, presented with signs of inappetence, dullness, pruritus, head shaking, and dry, crusty lesions on the inner side of the pinnae. A thorough examination of the ear was carried out followed by debridement to remove the crusts using forceps. Skin scrapings from the active lesion margins were taken, placed in 10% KOH and examined microscopically, confirming the presence of infestation. It is for the first time, that the occurrence of infestation in an Angora rabbit has been reported from Kashmir. The rabbit was treated with subcutaneous ivermectin at a dose of 400 µg/kg body weight, followed by a second dose after 2 weeks. Additionally, chlorpheniramine maleate at 0.4 mg/kg body weight was administered intramuscularly for 3 days as an adjunct therapy to alleviate pruritus. Significant clinical improvement was observed within 1 week, and the lesions were completely resolved after 1 month of treatment. This case highlights the successful management of infestation in an Angora rabbit, with ivermectin proving effective in treating ear canker in this breed.
Visual and spectrophotometric nanobiosensor for detection based on kinetoplast DNA probe.
Radfar A, Sattarahmady N, Hatam G
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230254 · Full text
Leishmaniasis is one of zoonotic tropical diseases and includes cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral types. The agent of the visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Mediterranean region is , which may cause death if not dia...
Leishmaniasis is one of zoonotic tropical diseases and includes cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral types. The agent of the visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in the Mediterranean region is , which may cause death if not diagnosed and treated promptly. A DNA biosensor based on gold nanoparticles has been fabricated for detection of genome, based on Kinetoplast minicircle DNA with conserved sequence region. Initially, DNA samples were prepared from a number of patients and dogs with VL, as well as negative and positive controls. A thiolated 24-base oligonucleotide probe from kDNA was functionalized with AuNPs (AuNP-probe). AuNP-probe was then exposed to the solution containing target and non-target DNA for the hybridization. Dispersion or aggregation of the gold nanoparticles-probe conjugates in the presence or absence of a complementary DNA sequence, genomic DNA, and clinical samples resulted in an obvious and sensitive change in the UV-vis spectra and the solution color, after acid addition. A red color for the samples containing complementary DNA was observed, whereas in the samples without complementary DNA, AuNP-probe turned blue-purple. The results indicated that this method is an easy, reliable, direct, rapid and cost-effective method for visual detection of A larger clinical cohort will need to be evaluated using this nanobiosensor to confirm its reliability and practical application. After validation with future studies, this nanobiosensor has potential for evolution into a portable diagnostic tool.
Promising therapeutic effects of loaded iron oxide nanoparticles in infection in mice.
El-Wakil ES, Farid M, Kholy WAE
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Dec · PMID 41230253 · Full text
There are few treatment options available to treat toxoplasmosis. So, investigating possible antiparasitic agents from plants and nanoparticles that are widely available and reasonably priced might be a good substitute....
There are few treatment options available to treat toxoplasmosis. So, investigating possible antiparasitic agents from plants and nanoparticles that are widely available and reasonably priced might be a good substitute. This study aimed to examine the effect of () aqueous and methanolic extracts as a sole agent or loaded on iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) compared to spiramycin on a murine model of () ME49 strain. Forty-eight Swiss albino mice were put into eight groups: GI: uninfected negative control; GII: infected, untreated positive control; GIII, GIV, GV, GVI, GVII, and GVIII: infected, treated with spiramycin (200 mg/kg), FeONPs (2.5 mg/kg), aqueous extract (2.5 mg/kg), . methanolic extractt (2.5 mg/kg), aqueous extract loaded on FeONPs (2.5 mg/kg) and methanolic extract loaded on FeONPs (2.5 mg/kg) respectively. To evaluate the treatment effectiveness, parasitological counting for cysts and histopathological assessment for brain sections using H&E were used. Also, the immunohistochemical expression of the ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) was investigated. cysts number in the infected treated mice brains was significantly reduced, with GVIII having the best therapeutic efficacy with an efficiency percentage of 84% ( > 0.000). Also, this group had a remarkable improvement in the pathological changes induced by and the highest reduction of Iba-1 expression ( > 0.000). According to this study, loaded on FeONPs could be a potential therapeutic candidate for treating toxoplasmosis, and administering the medications as nanoparticles enhances their therapeutic effect.
Seroprevalence, clinical investigation, and risk factors associated with infection in dogs from Algeria.
Djerbouh A, Ouchene N, Djoudi M … +5 more , Beneldjouzi A, Aissi M, Zoubir Harrat, Salhi O, Khelifi Touhami NA
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Sep · PMID 40901437 · Full text
UNLABELLED: The Mediterranean region is recognized as one of the most impacted areas of which Algeria has been traditionally acknowledged as endemic for leishmaniasis. This study carried out in Algiers, north-central Alg...
UNLABELLED: The Mediterranean region is recognized as one of the most impacted areas of which Algeria has been traditionally acknowledged as endemic for leishmaniasis. This study carried out in Algiers, north-central Algeria, aimed to carry outa serological and clinical investigation of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) invarious dog breeds, outlining the risk factors associated with infection. Blood samples, along with clinical data and general information, were gathered and examined from 305 dogs, of which 210 were males and 95 were females. Numerous breeds made up this sample, including the local breed, German shepherd, pitbul, foxhound, among others. Anti- IgG antibodies were detected using IFAT and samples were scored as positive at a cut-off dilution of ≥ 1:80. Anti- antibodies were detected (95% CI 15.21-24.13%) of dogs of which 6.48% were clinically asymptomatic. Factors such as age, breed, and presence of clinical signs of leishmaniasis were found to significantly impact the prevalence of infection, while gender did not show a significant association. The highest rates of infection were found in dogs aged 4-6 years (33.33%) and over 6 years (34.62%) ( < 0.001). In relation to breed, local dogs showed a significantly lower infection rate compared to other breeds ( < 0.01). All dogs that were clinically diagnosed with leishmaniasis tested seropositive and the predominant clinical sign noted were adenopathy (81.40%), weight loss (67.44%) and skin ulcers (48.84%). Adenopathy was significantly more frequent (4.38-11.67 times) compared to the other symptoms ( < 0.001). The isoenzymatic characterization of30seropositive dogs revealed the presence of the zymodeme MON-1. The current study confirmed the endemic status of CanLin Algeriaand identified several factors that may influence the seropositivity in the study region. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12639-025-01801-7.
Antiplasmodial and immunomodulatory activities of dichloromethane extract of in infected mice.
Amaechi EC, Owolodun OA, Lambe KO
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Sep · PMID 40901436 · Full text
Increased resistance of malaria parasite to first line antimalarial drugs has led to the search for alternatives in the management of malaria. This study evaluated the anti-plasmodial and immunomodulatory effect of dichl...
Increased resistance of malaria parasite to first line antimalarial drugs has led to the search for alternatives in the management of malaria. This study evaluated the anti-plasmodial and immunomodulatory effect of dichloromethane plant extract of in infected mice. Chloroquine-resistant infected mice were separated into five treatment groups (200 mg/Kg, 400 mg/Kg, and 600 mg/Kg) with a negative control (given distilled water only) and a positive control (treated with Piperaquine-Dihydro-artemisinin), a standard drug. The plant extracts and the standard drugs were administered orally. Parasitological examinations and survival rates of the animals were monitored for 30 days, post infection. Phytochemical screening of the plant extract was performed using the standard method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out to ascertain the immunomodulatory potential of the plant extract. Leaf extract of revealed the presence of alkaloids only. The extract showed significant ( < 0.05) antiplasmodial effect on Day 11 post-infection and at 200 mg/kg dose mediated parasite clearance and improved survival throughout the study. The intense and sustained TGF-β level stimulated by at 200 mg/kg dose may have translated into the prolonged survival observed in the mice. modulated both pro and anti-inflammatory responses in early and late infections, thus preventing pathological outcomes associated with excessive expression of the pro-inflammatory (IFN-γ) and anti-inflammatory (TGF-β) cytokines. may therefore be explored as alternatives for development of novel antimalarial and immunomodulatory candidates.
Unravelling therapeutic potentials of fruits: antiplasmodial, hepatoprotective, and anti-oxidative stress activities, semi-purification, GC-MS, and in silico profiling.
Anagboso MO, Asanga EE, Ekeleme CM … +4 more , Okokon JE, Offor SJ, Udoh IE, Inyang AN
J Parasit Dis · 2025 Sep · PMID 40901435 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The high prevalence rate of malaria due to the proliferation of drug-resistant strains of could mitigate the realization of sustainable development goals in Nigeria, necessitating research on the discovery o...
BACKGROUND: The high prevalence rate of malaria due to the proliferation of drug-resistant strains of could mitigate the realization of sustainable development goals in Nigeria, necessitating research on the discovery of novel chemotherapies against resistant strains of the parasite. However, with ethnopharmacological claims could foster this breakthrough, prompting an investigation on the antiplasmodial and hepatoprotective activities of the plant's fruit, semi-purification and characterization of its constituents, as well as in silico studies on its compounds. METHODS: Standard protocols were employed for the semi-purification and characterization; evaluation of antiplasmodial and hepatoprotective assays; retrieval of target proteins from PDB, ADMET, and docking studies. Column and thin layer chromatography and GC-MS aided the semi-purification and characterization of compounds; PKCSM and ADMET Lab 2 enhanced the evaluation of pharmacokinetic properties; AutoDock Vina and PyRx for docking analysis; and Biovia Discovery Studio and PyMol software for the visualization of interactions. RESULTS: The n-hexane extract (20 g) (with the best antiplasmodial therapeutic index) undergone chromatographic analyses and yielded bulked column fractions (A-H); fraction A (1459 mg) was further semi-purified to column sub-fractions A3 (18 mg), A4 (27 mg), and A9 (14 mg); their GC-MS analyses revealed 5-cyano-3-methyoxymethylene cholestane; morphinan-6,10-diol; phthalic acid; protocatechic acid, etc. In silico studies revealed the above lead compounds with better binding affinities to chloroquine, non-inhibition of mono-oxygenases, ease of excretion, non-carcinogenicity, as well as non-violation of Lipinski's criteria. Moreover, the mice's treatment caused increases in SOD, CAT, GPx, and GSH but decreased in MDA, ALT, AST, and ALP, total and conjugated bilirubin levels, with little pathological changes in the liver's histological section that contrasted the evidence in the negative control group. CONCLUSION: The lead compounds were responsible for fruit's antiplasmodial, antioxidative stress, and hepatoprotective activities through the inhibition of DHFR, PfEMP-1, and plasmepsin X activities.
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