Article
Immunology
Colleen M. Leonard, Ashenafi Assefa, Heven Sime, Hussein Mohammed, Amha Kebede, Hiwot Solomon, Chris Drakeley, Matt Murphy, Jimee Hwang, Eric Rogier
Summary: Assessing the spatial distribution of malaria exposure using multiple metrics can improve understanding of malaria transmission dynamics in a region. In low-transmission areas, antibody data provide a useful marker to assess malaria exposure. This study conducted blood sample assessments in three regions in Ethiopia, showing low prevalence of malaria infection.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Anna Maria van Eijk, Kasia Stepniewska, Jenny Hill, Steve M. Taylor, Stephen J. Rogerson, Gilles Cottrell, R. Matthew Chico, Julie R. Gutman, Halidou Tinto, Holger W. Unger, Stephanie K. Yanow, Steven R. Meshnick, Feiko O. ter Kuile, Alfredo Mayor, Subpatent Malaria Pregnancy Grp
Summary: This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of submicroscopic malaria infections in pregnant women in Asia, the Americas, and Africa. It found that submicroscopic infections were more common than microscopic infections during pregnancy, and were associated with fever in Africa. Therefore, malaria control in pregnancy should target both microscopic and submicroscopic infections.
LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Parasitology
Elisabet Tinto-Font, Alfred Cortes
Summary: Recent evidence has confirmed that malaria parasites can adapt to changes in their environment through transcriptional responses, specifically in metabolic conditions and febrile temperature. The protective response of Plasmodium falciparum to thermal stress is similar to other organisms but is regulated by a unique transcription factor. Only a subset of genes that change expression during heat shock contribute to the parasite's survival.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jessica R. Loughland, Tonia Woodberry, Damian Oyong, Kim A. Piera, Fiona H. Amante, Bridget E. Barber, Matthew J. Grigg, Timothy William, Christian R. Engwerda, Nicholas M. Anstey, James S. McCarthy, Michelle J. Boyle, Gabriela Minigo
Summary: In adults, submicroscopic Plasmodium infection does not change plasma Flt3L levels, but does reduce circulating DCs. Plasma Flt3L levels increase in acute malaria, but this increase is not enough to restore or expand circulating DC subsets. Haematopoietic factors other than Flt3L may be impacted by malaria and submicroscopic infections in sensing/maintenance of circulating DC. Zoonotic P. knowlesi compromises DC in adult malaria, similar to other Plasmodium species.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Fetulhak Abdurahman, Kinde Anlay Fante, Mohammed Aliy
Summary: The study proposes a new method for automatically detecting malaria parasites by adjusting the parameters of object detection algorithms and adding more detection layers to improve accuracy; experimental results show that the method performs excellently in malaria diagnosis and is particularly suitable for low-resource settings.
BMC BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Juliana Attoh, Enoch Aninagyei, Godwin Kwakye-Nuako, Mavis Dakorah Puopelle, Isaac Tukwarlba, Justice Afrifa, Desmond Omane Acheampong
Summary: Blood transfusion can transmit infectious diseases, including malaria. This study aimed to determine the potential of transfusion-transmitted malaria (TTM) by detecting malaria antigens and parasites in recipients of infected blood. The results showed that the prevalence of blood recipient parasitemia, after receiving infected donor blood, was 3.2%.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Fetulhak Abdurahman Shewajo, Kinde Anlay Fante
Summary: In this study, a tile-based image processing method is proposed to enhance the performance of existing malaria parasites detection models. The method improves the performance of object detection models by using tiles generated from high-resolution images. The proposed method outperforms existing approaches evaluated on similar datasets using different machine learning techniques.
BMC MEDICAL IMAGING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tobias N. Apinjoh, Vincent T. Ntui, Hanesh F. M. Chi, Marcel N. Moyeh, Cabrel N. Toussi, Joel K. Mayaba, Livinus Tangi, Pilate Kwi, Judith A. Anchang-Kimbi, Jodie Dionne-Odom, Alan T. N. Tita, Eric Achidi, Alfred Amambua-Ngwa, Vincent P. K. Titanji
Summary: A study in Mutengene, Cameroon, revealed a large proportion of pregnant women with very low density parasitemia even during the low transmission season. The research indicated that primigravidae and non-usage of IPTp-SP were independent risk factors for submicroscopic P. falciparum infection.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tobias O. Apinjoh, Vincent N. Ntui, Hanesh F. Chi, Marcel N. Moyeh, Cabrel T. Toussi, Joel M. Mayaba, Livinus N. Tangi, Pilate N. Kwi, Judith K. Anchang-Kimbi, Jodie Dionne-Odom, Alan T. N. Tita, Eric A. Achidi, Alfred Amambua-Ngwa, Vincent P. K. Titanji
Summary: The current guidelines for malaria prevention and control during pregnancy in Africa rely on IPTp, ITNs, and effective case management. This study found a large proportion of pregnant women with low-density malaria infections in a semi-urban area in Cameroon even during the dry season. IPTp-SP appears to be relevant in controlling submicroscopic P. falciparum infections in pregnant women.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Irene Ule Ngole Sumbele, Rene Ning Teh, Gillian Asoba Nkeudem, Sorelle Mekachie Sandie, Marcel Nyuylam Moyeh, Robert Adamu Shey, Cabirou Mounchili Shintouo, Stephen Mbigha Ghogomu, Gaber El-Saber Batiha, Luay Alkazmi, Helen Kuokuo Kimbi
Summary: The study in the Mount Cameroon region found high prevalence of asymptomatic and sub-microscopic Plasmodium infection among children, with the highest risk in the 5-9 and 10-14 age groups. These infections have significant effects on haematological parameters and increase the risk of anaemia.
Article
Immunology
Katharine A. Collins, Azrin N. Abd-Rahman, Louise Marquart, Emma Ballard, Nathalie Gobeau, Paul Griffin, Stephan Chalon, Joerg J. Moehrle, James S. McCarthy
Summary: This study evaluated the antimalarial activity of artefenomel, a new drug candidate, against P. vivax malaria. The results showed that artefenomel effectively cleared parasites after oral administration, but recrudescence occurred in some participants. The minimum inhibitory concentration and parasiticidal concentration were estimated, and a single 300-mg dose showed a high efficacy in clearing parasites. Gametocytemia was observed in all participants and cleared after dosing. Overall, the findings support further clinical development of artefenomel as a treatment for P. vivax malaria.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Karina P. De Sousa, Jeremy Potriquet, Jason Mulvenna, Javier Sotillo, Penny L. Groves, Alex Loukas, Simon H. Apte, Denise L. Doolan
Summary: This study identified the protein cargo of sEVs in the plasma of P. yoelii-infected mice. The identified proteins include vaccine candidates, potential targets of T cell immunoreactivity, and proteins involved in metabolic processes, regulation, homeostasis, and immunity. These findings enhance our understanding of the host-parasite interactions and provide potential targets for malaria vaccination.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Anna E. Coghill, Jianwen Fang, Zhiwei Liu, Chien-Jen Chen, Ruth F. Jarrett, Henrik Hjalgrim, Carla Proietti, Kelly J. Yu, Wan-Lun Hsu, Pei-Jen Lou, Chen-Ping Wang, Yingdong Zhao, Denise L. Doolan, Allan Hildesheim
Summary: This study examined the IgG antibody responses against 115 EBV peptide sequences in 316 cancer-free adults and identified eight EBV peptide sequences that appear to play a role in immunogenicity. This finding is important for understanding the role of EBV in B-cell immunity in humans.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Bram van de Straat, Boni Sebayang, Matthew J. Grigg, Kyran Staunton, Triwibowo Ambar Garjito, Indra Vythilingam, Tanya L. Russell, Thomas R. Burkot
Summary: Zoonotic Plasmodium infections in humans in Southeast Asia are increasing, with simian Plasmodium species being the main cause. The vectors mainly transmit the parasites through mosquito bites in forests and forest fringes. Human activities such as logging and agriculture contribute to the increase in exposure to zoonotic Plasmodium vectors. Further research is needed to understand the impact of land-use change on disease transmission and to control this significant disease in humans.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Steven Kho, Nicholas M. Anstey, Bridget E. Barber, Kim Piera, Timothy William, Enny Kenangalem, James S. McCarthy, Ihn Kyung Jang, Gonzalo J. Domingo, Sumudu Britton, Matthew J. Grigg
Summary: Commercial point-of-care tests are not accurate enough for detecting and differentiating multiple non-falciparum species in regions with low-level malaria infections. A 5-plex chemiluminescent assay shows excellent detection capability for Plasmodium falciparum, but performs suboptimal for other species, with significant cross-reactivity with Plasmodium knowlesi.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Aaron Chuah, Sean Li, Andrea Do, Matt Field, Dan Andrews
Summary: Missense mutations that affect protein stability are closely related to human genetic diseases. With the help of the AlphaFold2 prediction model, it is now possible to easily assess the stability effects of genetic variations on a genome-wide scale. This study presents a novel tool that prioritizes variants predicted to cause significant instability in essential proteins, leading to better discrimination between pathogenic mutations and population variations compared to other prediction methods.
Article
Plant Sciences
Casey A. Schmidt, Ira Cooke, David T. Wilson, David J. Miller, Steve Peigneur, Jan Tytgat, Matthew Field, Rozita Takjoo, Michael J. Smout, Alex Loukas, Norelle L. Daly
Summary: This study explores the structural diversity of peptides in stony corals and identifies new peptide sequences and structures. One of the peptides promotes cell proliferation in human cells and may be involved in coral regeneration. Additionally, other peptides with structural linkages to fascin and small cysteine-rich proteins are discovered. These findings provide initial insights into the diversity and potential functions of coral peptides.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Leo Leonardo, Enny Kenangalem, Jeanne R. Poespoprodjo, Rintis Noviyanti, Ric N. Price, Nicholas M. Anstey, Gabriela Minigo, Steven Kho
Summary: This study found that the number of circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) is significantly increased in patients with Plasmodium falciparum infection, which may suppress the development of effective immune responses.
Article
Surgery
Shivshankar Thanigaimani, Vikram Iyer, John Bingley, Daniel Browne, James Phie, Denise Doolan, Jonathan Golledge
Summary: This study examined the association between serum microRNAs (miRNAs) and diagnosis and growth of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and tested their diagnostic and prognostic value. The expression levels of 800 miRNA tags were assessed in AAA patients, healthy controls, and patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The miRNAs let-7b-5p and miR-548n improved the ability to diagnose AAA, but none of the miRNAs had independent prognostic value in predicting AAA growth.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR AND ENDOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Respiratory System
Amy S. Bleakley, Steven Kho, Michael J. Binks, Susan Pizzutto, Anne B. Chang, Jemima Beissbarth, Gabriela Minigo, Robyn L. Marsh
Summary: ETs in paediatric bronchiectasis can be detected using light microscopy-based assessment of Romanowsky-stained bronchoalveolar lavage slides. Neutrophil, macrophage, eosinophil, and lymphocyte ETs were observed, along with indeterminate ETs. Further research is needed to understand the potential clinical applications and therapies related to ETs in bronchiectasis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Doris R. Pierce, Malcolm McDonald, Lea Merone, Luke Becker, Fintan Thompson, Chris Lewis, Rachael Y. M. Ryan, Sze Fui Hii, Patsy A. Zendejas-Heredia, Rebecca J. Traub, Matthew A. Field, Tony Rahman, John Croese, Alex Loukas, Robyn McDermott, Paul R. Giacomin
Summary: This study demonstrates that treatment with hookworms is safe and can improve metabolic health in people at risk of type 2 diabetes. The findings suggest a potential protective role for parasitic worms against metabolic disorders, although further research is needed.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biology
J. William O. Ballard, Matt A. Field, Richard J. Edwards, Laura A. B. Wilson, Loukas G. Koungoulos, Benjamin D. Rosen, Barry Chernoff, Olga Dudchenko, Arina Omer, Jens Keilwagen, Ksenia Skvortsova, Ozren Bogdanovic, Eva Chan, Robert Zammit, Vanessa Hayes, Erez Lieberman Aiden
Summary: We describe a female Alpine dingo named Cooinda, who has been identified as a representative specimen for future research on the evolutionary history, morphology, physiology, and ecology of dingoes. The study provides evidence that Cooinda exhibits genetic and morphological characteristics typical of the Alpine ecotype.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Chelsea L. Edwards, Susanna S. Ng, Fabian de Labastida Rivera, Dillon Corvino, Jessica A. Engel, Marcela Montes de Oca, Luzia Bukali, Teija C. M. Frame, Patrick T. Bunn, Shashi Bhushan Chauhan, Siddharth Sankar Singh, Yulin Wang, Jinrui Na, Fiona H. Amante, Jessica R. Loughland, Megan S. F. Soon, Nicola Waddell, Pamela Mukhopadhay, Lambros T. Koufariotis, Rebecca L. Johnston, Jason S. Lee, Rachel Kuns, Ping Zhang, Michelle J. Boyle, Geoffrey R. Hill, James S. McCarthy, Rajiv Kumar, Christian R. Engwerda
Summary: Control of malaria requires Th1 cells with IL-10 to mitigate inflammation, but IL-10+Tr1 cells can also promote parasite persistence or impair immunity. Molecular and phenotypic signatures distinguish IL-10-Th1 cells from IL-10+Tr1 cells in malaria-infected individuals and mice, and a conserved Tr1 cell signature is found in patients with malaria, dengue, and graft-versus-host disease.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Article
Hematology
Steven Kho, Nurjati C. Siregar, Labibah Qotrunnada, Aurelie Fricot, Abdoulaye Sissoko, Putu A. I. Shanti, Freis Candrawati, Noy N. Kambuaya, Hasrini Rini, Benediktus Andries, David Hardy, Nur I. Margyaningsih, Fauziyah Fadllan, Desandra A. Rahmayenti, Agatha M. Puspitasari, Leo Leonardo, Bagus T. G. Yayang, Dewi S. Margayani, Pak Prayoga, Leily Trianty, Enny Kenangalem, Ric N. Price, Tsin W. Yeo, Gabriela Minigo, Rintis Noviyanti, Jeanne R. Poespoprodjo, Nicholas M. Anstey, Pierre A. Buffet
Summary: Splenomegaly in malaria patients is associated with retention of uninfected red blood cells in the spleen, which is the major mechanism of anemia.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rhys Gillman, Matt A. Field, Ulf Schmitz, Rozemary Karamatic, Lionel Hebbard
Summary: Cancer, a heterogeneous disease with a strong genetic component, can benefit from precision medicine approaches to identify molecular drivers. Single-tumour methods based on gene interaction networks have limitations and require further research for evaluation.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)