Review
Microbiology
Rodney D. Adam
Summary: Giardia duodenalis, initially observed by Leeuwenhoek in 1681, gained attention as a human pathogen in the 1960s. Advances in technology have provided insights into its biology and immunology, revealing the importance of a balanced host immune response and the role of the Th17 response. Infection with Giardia can result in a wide range of symptoms, highlighting the complexity of host-parasite interactions.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Tanja E. Peters, Benno Kreuels, Marylyn M. Addo, Egbert Tannich, Camilla Rothe
Summary: This study analyzed 339 cases of returning travellers with confirmed giardiasis between 2007 and 2016 in Hamburg, Germany, finding a significantly higher risk of treatment failure with metronidazole for patients returning from South Asia. Second-line treatment regimens showed inconsistency and unsatisfactory results, suggesting a need for reevaluation of treatment strategies for giardiasis. Prospective trials are urgently needed to assess new first-line treatment options and improve second-line treatment strategies.
TRAVEL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Suthinee Sangkanu, Alok K. K. Paul, Julalak Chuprom, Watcharapong Mitsuwan, Rachasak Boonhok, Maria de Lourdes Pereira, Sonia Marlene Rodrigues Oliveira, Polrat Wilairatana, Mohammed Rahmatullah, Christophe Wiart, Muhammad Nawaz, Chea Sin, Sunil Kayesth, Veeranoot Nissapatorn
Summary: Giardia infection can cause diarrhea and is the third most common cause of diarrhea and death in children under five. Antimicrobial drugs are commonly used to treat giardiasis, but vaccination may be a potential means of control and protection against this parasitic disease outbreak.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Farzad Mahdavi, Alireza Sadrebazzaz, Amir Modarresi Chahardehi, Roya Badali, Mostafa Omidian, Soheil Hassanipour, Ali Asghari
Summary: By conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis, this study estimated the prevalence of G. duodenalis infection in cancer patients globally and found a prevalence rate of 6.9%. However, the association between G. duodenalis infection and cancer patients was not statistically significant.
INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Min Sun, Zhiteng Zhao, Ying Li, Lili Cao, Jianhua Li, Xichen Zhang, Xin Li, Nan Zhang, Shuqin Cheng, Xiaocen Wang, Pengtao Gong
Summary: Giardia intestinalis parasite evades host immune responses through surface proteins called VSPs. This study found that VSPAS7 protein in Giardia inhibits activation of signaling pathways and pyroptosis in host macrophages, allowing Giardia to evade host immune responses.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Chunyan Xu, Haixin Tuo, Wen Wang, Zhenjie Zhang, Fuchang Yu, Liwen Chuai, Meng Qi, Bo Jing
Summary: This study found that donkeys in Xinjiang, China are commonly infected with Giardia, and there is genetic diversity and host adaptability among the isolates. The infection rate is higher in donkeys from large-scale farms, and younger donkeys have a higher infection rate.
Article
Microbiology
Ulises Omar Garcia-Lepe, Sara Espinoza-Corona, Maria Luisa Bazan-Tejeda, Fabiola Margarita Nunez-Jurado, Rosa Maria Bermudez-Cruz
Summary: This study investigates the homologous recombination mechanism in Giardia duodenalis, a parasitic organism with limited DNA-repair elements. The researchers analyze different recombinable plasmid systems and use a chemical inhibitor to study the recombination processes involved. The results demonstrate the multiple recombination pathways utilized by G. duodenalis and the presence of single-strand annealing recombination.
RESEARCH IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Juri Kim, Eun-Ah Park, Mee Young Shin, Soon-Jung Park
Summary: This study confirms the transcriptional activation function of GlMyb2 during encystation in Giardia lamblia. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments and quantitative real-time PCR, several target genes of GlMyb2 were identified, with a detailed analysis on the promoter region of glcwp1 gene.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Yanchen Wu, Lan Yao, Hongshuang Chen, Weizhe Zhang, Yanyan Jiang, Fengkun Yang, Aiqin Liu, Yujuan Shen
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence and genetic characterization of Giardia duodenalis in patients with diarrhea and animals in northeastern China. The results showed a high prevalence of G. duodenalis in both human patients and animals, with genetic heterogeneity observed. Further research is needed to assess the epidemiological role of animals in the transmission of human giardiasis.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Xueping Zhang, Jiaming Dan, Liqin Wang, Haifeng Liu, Ziyao Zhou, Xiaoping Ma, Zhihua Ren, Hualin Fu, Yi Geng, Yan Luo, Yue Xie, Guangneng Peng, Zhijun Zhong
Summary: This study analyzed the genetic diversity and structure of G. duodenalis assemblage E in Chinese dairy cattle, revealing high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity. The results also showed low genetic differentiation and frequent genetic communication among populations, with genetic variation within populations higher than among populations. Overall, the findings suggest that the G. duodenalis assemblage E population in Chinese dairy cattle has experienced demographic expansion.
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Carlos Gaona-Lopez, Ana Veronica Martinez-Vazquez, Juan Carlos Villalobos-Rocha, Karina Janett Juarez-Rendon, Gildardo Rivera
Summary: This article mainly discusses the issue of diarrhea caused by Giardia lamblia and points out its harm to children and adults worldwide. Although giardiasis is considered a major disease in low-income and developing countries, current migratory flows have caused an increase in giardiasis cases in high-income countries. This article focuses on the nucleolus of G. lamblia, discusses possible therapeutic targets, and describes some drugs under research that could be effective against this parasite.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Brent R. Dixon
Summary: Giardia duodenalis is a protozoan parasite that infects the upper intestinal tract of humans and animals worldwide. Transmission occurs through the fecal-oral route and can lead to a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms. Diagnosis is typically made by detecting cysts in stool samples, and treatment aims to reduce symptoms, prevent complications, and minimize transmission.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Eun-Ah Park, Juri Kim, Mee Young Shin, Soon-Jung Park
Summary: The study reveals the role of GlPLK in Giardia cell division, especially during cytokinesis, and its involvement in flagella formation.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sunil Tulshiram Hajare, Yeinewub Chekol, Nitin Mahendra Chauhan
Summary: Giardiasis, a protozoan disease caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia, has a high global infection rate. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of G. lamblia infection among elementary school children in Loka Abaya town, Ethiopia. The study found that factors such as rural school location, age group of 6-9 years, consuming tap water, hand washing habits after defecation, and the use of soap and water for hand washing were associated with the parasite infection. Therefore, scaling up access to safe water, toilets, education, and health facilities is crucial in addressing this issue.
Article
Microbiology
Deiviane A. Calegar, Beatriz C. Nunes, Kerla J. L. Monteiro, Polyanna A. A. Bacelar, Brenda B. C. Evangelista, Mayron M. Almeida, Jurecir Silva, Jessica P. Santos, Marcio N. Boia, Lauren H. Jaeger, Filipe A. Carvalho-Costa
Summary: Subclinical giardiasis is endemic in Brazilian communities in different biogeographic regions, showing high genetic diversity and heterogeneous genotypic distribution.
Article
Ecology
Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano, Laura Tomassone, Manoj Fonville, Luigi Bertolotti, Dieter Heylen, Nannet D. Fabri, Jolyon M. Medlock, Ard M. Nijhof, Kayleigh M. Hansford, Hein Sprong, Aleksandra I. Krawczyk
Summary: Rickettsiella species are common symbionts in a variety of arthropod species, including Ixodes ricinus ticks, with genetic diversity and distribution impacted by geographic location and life stage. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four distinct clades of Rickettsiella, with close relations to other arthropods, and specific isolation patterns for Clades II and IV. Coinfections were observed, but significant associations with other tick-associated bacteria were not detected.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Smruti Mishra, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Anarv Mathur, Zhuo Ma, Kanpong Boonthaworn, Nicholas O'Donnell, Haixin Sui, Janice D. Pata, Kathleen A. McDonough, Pradeepa Jayachandran, Meenakshi Malik
Summary: In this study, the researchers successfully produced and characterized the seesaw effect in MRSA strain N315 using a unique bioreactor model. Although daptomycin resistance conferred enhanced susceptibility to oxacillin, oxacillin treatment of DAP-NS strains was accompanied by a lowered minimum inhibitory concentration for daptomycin. Additionally, there was a reduction in relative positive cell surface charge and cell wall thickness. However, the mutations acquired in our DAP-NS populations were not accompanied by additional genomic changes after treatment with oxacillin, implicating alternative mechanisms for the seesaw effect.
JOURNAL OF GLOBAL ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Amber M. Pichowicz, Steven R. Torres, Fernando J. Torres-Velez, Adina D. Longyear, Navjot Singh, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Magdia De Jesus
Summary: Depletion of the bacterial microbiota increases the severity of early-stage C. auris infection, particularly in the heart and lungs.
Article
Virology
G. Stephanie Feumba, Jennifer Laplante, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Kirsten St George
Summary: This study investigates the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on diagnostic methods and demonstrates that the current assays can detect all tested variants. It highlights the importance of monitoring new variants and maintaining the sensitivity of diagnostic methods.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
R. R. Clark, P. Lapierre, E. Lasek-Nesselquist, T. A. Gray, K. M. Derbyshire
Summary: The study reveals that horizontal gene transfer (HGT) through distributive conjugal transfer (DCT) is active and prevalent among natural isolates of Mycobacterium smegmatis. It identifies a single gene, Msmeg0070, that confers mating compatibility and maps within the esx1 secretion locus, suggesting a kin recognition system similar to other model organisms. The findings highlight the importance of cell-cell communication and kin identification in mycobacterial conjugation.
Article
Microbiology
Tal Azagi, Ron P. Dirks, Elena S. Yebra-Pimentel, Peter J. Schaap, Jasper J. Koehorst, Helen J. Esser, Hein Sprong
Summary: This study presents the complete genomes of Ca. Neoehrlichia mikurensis derived from wildlife reservoir host tissues using advanced sequencing technologies. This approach offers an alternative to obtaining material from clinical cases and expensive bacterial isolation methods, expanding the potential for laboratory diagnostics. It also has implications for other difficult-to-culture tick-borne pathogens.
Article
Biology
Mary E. Petrone, Jessica E. Rothman, Mallery Breban, Isabel M. Ott, Alexis Russell, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Hamada Badr, Kevin Kelly, Greg Omerza, Nicholas Renzette, Anne E. Watkins, Chaney C. Kalinich, Tara Alpert, Anderson F. Brito, Rebecca Earnest, Irina R. Tikhonova, Christopher Castaldi, John P. Kelly, Matthew Shudt, Jonathan Plitnick, Erasmus Schneider, Steven Murphy, Caleb Neal, Eva Laszlo, Ahmad Altajar, Claire Pearson, Anthony Muyombwe, Randy Downing, Jafar Razeq, Linda Niccolai, Madeline S. Wilson, Margaret L. Anderson, Jianhui Wang, Chen Liu, Pei Hui, Shrikant Mane, Bradford P. Taylor, William P. Hanage, Marie L. Landry, David R. Peaper, Kaya Bilguvar, Joseph R. Fauver, Chantal B. F. Vogels, Lauren M. Gardner, Virginia E. Pitzer, Kirsten St George, Mark D. Adams, Nathan D. Grubaugh
Summary: The Alpha and Iota SARS-CoV-2 variants exhibited significantly higher transmissibility compared to other variants in Connecticut. Monitoring and evaluating these variants is crucial for effective response to COVID-19.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Christopher Paight, Matthew D. Johnson, Erica Lasek-Nesselquist, Holly Moeller
Summary: A study on the metabolic integration of ciliate Mesodinium chamaeleon, which retains chloroplasts from different algae, reveals a prey-specific host transcriptional adjustment. The gene expression of the ciliates is influenced by the phylogenetic relationships of the prey rather than the physiological status, suggesting a varied integration of prey metabolic potential into many aspects of ciliate physiology.
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Aleksandra Krawczyk, Lisa Rottjers, Manoj Fonville, Katshuisa Takumi, Willem Takken, Karoline Faust, Hein Sprong
Summary: The microbiome of Ixodes ricinus ticks varies greatly and is influenced by geographical factors. Vertically transmitted symbionts show different infection rates at different sites, while geographically close sites exhibit similar proportions of these symbionts. This is in contrast to horizontally transmitted pathogens.
Article
Ecology
Nannet Doreen Fabri, Hein Sprong, Hans Heesterbeek, Frauke Ecke, Joris Petrus Gerardus Marinus Cromsigt, Tim Ragnvald Hofmeester
Summary: This study quantified the link between the ecotypes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, life stages of the tick Ixodes ricinus, and vertebrate host groups through a meta-analysis. The composition of vertebrate communities was shown to affect the relative abundance of different ecotypes of A. phagocytophilum in different life stages of I. ricinus. Changes in vertebrate communities, such as an increase in red deer abundance and shifts in small mammal population dynamics, could potentially increase the circulation of A. phagocytophilum and pose higher risks to public and veterinary health.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Karin Persson Waller, Kerstin Dahlgren, Giulio Grandi, Maya Louise Holding, Katarina Naslund, Anna Omazic, Hein Sprong, Karin Ullman, Mikael Leijon
Summary: A disease outbreak in a Swedish cattle herd may be caused by an unusual type of Mycoplasma in combination with immune suppression due to granulocytic anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The latter bacterium is widespread in the herd and also found in wild deer and ticks.
Article
Microbiology
Tryntsje Cuperus, Ankje de Vries, Ryanne I. I. Jaarsma, Hein Sprong, Miriam Maas
Summary: This study found the presence of multiple (tick-borne) zoonotic pathogens in European moles, including spotted fever Rickettsia, Leptospira spp., Bartonella spp., and Hantaviridae. However, no pathogens relevant to humans were found. Although the zoonotic risk from moles appears limited, our results indicate that these animals do play a role in multiple host-pathogen cycles.
Review
Parasitology
Clara Florentine Kohler, Maya Louise Holding, Hein Sprong, Patrick A. Jansen, Helen J. Esser
Summary: Biodiversity loss and the emergence of zoonotic diseases are major global challenges. Restoring ecosystems needs to take into account the risk of tick-borne diseases and the interaction between vertebrate diversity and pathogen transmission. Long-term surveillance of wildlife communities, ticks, and their pathogens is crucial to prevent tick-borne diseases from increasing during nature restoration.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Claude Saegerman, Marie-France Humblet, Marc Leandri, Gaelle Gonzalez, Paul Heyman, Hein Sprong, Monique L'Hostis, Sara Moutailler, Sarah I. Bonnet, Nadia Haddad, Nathalie Boulanger, Stephen Leib, Thierry Hoch, Etienne Thiry, Laure Bournez, Jana Kerlik, Aurelie Velay, Solveig Jore, Elsa Jourdain, Emmanuelle Gilot-Fromont, Katharina Brugger, Julia Geller, Marie Studahl, Natasa Knap, Tatjana Avsic-Zupanc, Daniel P. Ruzek, Tizza Zomer, Rene Bodker, Thomas F. H. Berger, Sandra Martin-Latil, Nick De Regge, Alice A. Raffetin, Sandrine Lacour, Matthias Klein, Tinne Lernout, Elsa Quillery, Zdenek Hubalek, Francisco Ruiz-Fons, Agustin Estrada-Pena, Philippe Fravalo, Pauline Kooh, Florence Etore, Celine M. Gossner, Bethan Purse
Summary: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is an endemic viral disease in Eurasia, primarily transmitted to humans through ticks and occasionally through unpasteurized milk products. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has reported an increase in TBE incidence over the years, as well as its emergence in new areas. Through expert knowledge elicitation, we identified nine key drivers for TBE emergence and increased incidence, including changes in human behavior, eating habits, landscape, humidity, difficulty in controlling reservoirs and vectors, temperature, wildlife compartments, increase in autochthonous wild mammals, and distribution of tick species vectors.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Aitor Garcia-Vozmediano, Daniele De Meneghi, Hein Sprong, Aranzazu Portillo, Jose A. Oteo, Laura Tomassone
Summary: We analyzed the surveillance systems in the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy to identify the ideal elements for monitoring and preventing tick-borne diseases (TBD). The Dutch initiative showed a high level of transdisciplinary collaboration, while Italy and Spain's surveillance systems were based on compulsory notification. The Dutch initiative yielded measurable outcomes, such as a reduction in tick bites and the discovery of new pathogens. However, the initiatives characterized by transdisciplinary collaboration may be more effective in surveillance and prevention of TBD.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)