Article
Microbiology
Anna Stanicka, Lukasz Migdalski, Katarzyna Szopieray, Anna Cichy, Lukasz Jermacz, Paola Lombardo, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: The research explores the potential of alien species as diluents for bird schistosome cercariae, highlighting the positive impact of increased biodiversity in reducing parasitic infections in aquatic environments. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of determining the most effective diluent to enhance protection measures against swimmer's itch in bathing areas.
Article
Microbiology
Nathaniel J. Anderson, Curtis L. Blankespoor, Randall J. DeJong
Summary: A new type of schistosome called avian schistosomatid sp. C (ASC) was found to cause milder swimmer's itch symptoms compared to Trichobilharzia stagnicolae. ASC showed lower penetration frequency into human skin compared to T. stagnicolae. Limited experiments showed that ASC exhibited penetration behavior when placed on the esophageal tissue of its known host, Canada goose.
Article
Microbiology
Nikolaus Helmer, Hubert Blatterer, Christoph Hoerweg, usanne Reier, Helmut Sattmann, Julia Schindelar, Nikolaus U. Szucsich, Elisabeth Haring
Summary: Several species of avian schistosomes can cause dermatitis in humans globally, with Trichobilharzia species being predominant in Europe. In Austria, although there is abundant data on cercarial dermatitis and the occurrence of Trichobilharzia, species identification is often uncertain due to morphological challenges. The discovery of a previously unknown species, Trichobilharzia physellae, in freshwater snails in Austria suggests a possible recent introduction of this parasite into Europe, with a close genetic relationship to North American specimens.
Article
Parasitology
Norman E. Davis, David Blair, Sara V. Brant
Summary: This study investigated human cercarial dermatitis (HCD) outbreaks in Lake Wanaka, New Zealand and identified four Trichobilharzia species. Cercaria longicauda was found to be the major causative agent of HCD in Lake Wanaka, while a new Trichobilharzia species and an unidentified species were also discovered.
Article
Microbiology
Sharmin Shahid Labony, Md Shahadat Hossain, Takeshi Hatta, Anita Rani Dey, Uday Kumar Mohanta, Ausraful Islam, Md Shahiduzzaman, Muhammad Mehedi Hasan, Md Abdul Alim, Naotoshi Tsuji, Anisuzzaman
Summary: This study identified multiple species of schistosomatids by isolating schistosomatid cercariae from naturally infected snails and reported human cercarial dermatitis for the first time in Bangladesh. The research found that Lymnaea snails are the main vector for schistosoma species prevalent in Bangladesh.
Article
Parasitology
Keyhan Ashrafi, Meysam Sharifdini, Abbas Darjani, Sara V. Brant
Summary: The study found that cercarial dermatitis occurs frequently in aquaculture areas in Iran. Domestic mallards serve as reservoir hosts for nasal schistosomes and T. franki. Genetic results indicate that populations of T. franki in Iran are similar to those in Europe, suggesting a gene flow between migratory duck hosts across these regions.
Article
Parasitology
Sydney P. Rudko, Brooke A. McPhail, Ronald L. Reimink, Kelsey Froelich, Alyssa Turnbull, Patrick C. Hanington
Summary: To control swimmer's itch in northern Michigan inland lakes, the relocation of common mergansers has been attempted since 2015. However, this study suggests that targeting a single species of parasite and removing the common merganser is not an effective control strategy, likely due to parasite contributions from non-resident birds.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Eric S. Loker, Randall J. DeJong, Sara Brant
Summary: Although primarily infecting birds or non-human mammals, many species of schistosomes can cause swimmer's itch in humans. Research into the diversity and biology of schistosomes provides insights into disease transmission and the impact of environmental changes.
Article
Microbiology
Pablo Oyarzun-Ruiz, Richard Thomas, Adriana Santodomingo, Gonzalo Collado, Pamela Munoz, Lucila Moreno
Summary: This study identified the furcocercariae of avian schistosomes from Southern Chile using an integrative approach. Two different lineages were described and characterized, and the important intermediate host for avian schistosomes in South America was identified. The study highlights the need for further research on these neglected parasites.
Article
Parasitology
A. Al-Jubury, Y. Duan, P. W. Kania, E. S. Tracz, A. Bygum, L. V. G. Jorgensen, P. Horak, K. Buchmann
Summary: A nationwide survey in Denmark found a widespread occurrence of infected intermediate host snails, possibly due to climate changes. Infections were primarily determined by biotic factors like the presence of final host birds and water temperature as an important abiotic parameter.
JOURNAL OF HELMINTHOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lai-San Wong, Yu-Ta Yen, Chih-Hung Lee
Summary: Atopic dermatitis is a prototypic inflammatory disease characterized by intense itching, with multifactorial pathophysiology involving environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, skin barrier function, and immune responses. Recent research has shown that pruritogens not only trigger itch but also interact with immune cells and act as inflammatory mediators, worsening the severity of atopic dermatitis. Targeted therapies for atopic dermatitis focus on the interaction between pruritogens and inflammatory molecules.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Anna Stanicka, Lukasz Migdalski, Kamila Stefania Zajac, Anna Cichy, Dorota Lachowska-Cierlik, Elzbieta Zbikowska
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of bird schistosome species, particularly genus Bilharziella, in Lake Drawsko in Poland. The findings show that Bilharziella sp., Trichobilharzia szidati, and Trichobilharzia sp. are the main bird schistosomes present in the lake, with Bilharziella potentially being a new species. This research highlights the importance of monitoring the occurrence of bird schistosomes in intermediate hosts for public health protection.
KNOWLEDGE AND MANAGEMENT OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Review
Allergy
Andrew W. Liu, Jacob E. Gillis, Tina L. Sumpter, Daniel H. Kaplan
Summary: The skin is populated by various immune cells and sensory neurons, and the interaction between the nervous and immune systems plays a crucial role in inflammatory skin diseases. Neurotransmitters secreted by nerve terminals mediate immune cell function, while immune factors derived from immune cells interact with neurons to induce itching. This review explores the effector functions of neurons on skin immune cells in mouse models of atopic and contact dermatitis, and discusses the contribution of specific neuronal subsets and immune factors to itch induction and inflammation. The findings also shed light on treatment strategies and the relationship between scratching and dermatitis.
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Kjell Lussmann, Kerry Montgomery, Andrew Thompson, Uwe Gieler, Christoph Zick, Joerg Kupfer, Christina Schut
Summary: Itch intensity is positively correlated with itch catastrophizing, while mindfulness is negatively correlated with itch catastrophizing. Increasing acting with awareness may buffer itch catastrophizing and lead to lower itch intensity in patients with AD.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Brian S. Kirri
Summary: This article introduces the importance of itch sensation for survival and its value in the field of medicine, highlighting how research in itch biology has led to important discoveries and breakthroughs in treatment.