Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Manon Alkema, X. Zen Yap, Gerdie M. de Jong, Isaie J. Reuling, Quirijn de Mast, Reinout van Crevel, Christian F. Ockenhouse, Katharine A. Collins, Teun Bousema, Matthew B. B. McCall, Robert W. Sauerwein
Summary: Malaria infection caused by Plasmodium falciparum through mosquito bites induces stronger inflammation response in healthy volunteers compared to intravenous administration of infected red blood cells.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Christabel N. Hikaambo, Natalia Shakela, John G. Woodland, Kathryn J. Wicht, Kelly Chibale
Summary: Zoonotic and related infections pose a significant health threat to Africa, the world's second-most populous continent. Despite the challenges faced by drug discovery scientists, recent progress in identifying potential medicines across diverse disease areas brings optimism and indicates African-led scientific initiatives are making progress.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Damian Madan, Rafael Rivera, Corrie Ortega, Justin C. Touchon, Corinna Kimball, Geert-Jan Van Gemert, Wouter Graumans, Stephanie Matsuura, Sean S. Parghi, David Bell, Teun Bousema, Chris Drakeley, Katharine A. Collins, Thomas R. Burkot
Summary: This study demonstrates that measuring spermatozoa quantity in female Anopheles mosquitoes is an effective approach to assess mosquito age, which can improve vector control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Manon Alkema, Isaie J. Reuling, Gerdie M. de Jong, Kjerstin Lanke, Luc E. Coffeng, Geert-Jan van Gemert, Marga van de Vegte-Bolmer, Quirijn de Mast, Reinout van Crevel, Karen Ivinson, Christian F. Ockenhouse, James S. McCarthy, Robert Sauerwein, Katharine A. Collins, Teun Bousema
Summary: The study found that the method of infection through mosquito bites or induced blood-stage malaria has a significant impact on gametocyte production, despite similar asexual parasite densities. The findings suggest that induced blood-stage malaria may be more conducive to gametocyte production compared to mosquito bites.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luz Garcia-Longoria, Dag Ahren, Arnaud Berthomieu, Victor Kalbskopf, Ana Rivero, Olof Hellgren
Summary: This study presents the first transcriptomic analysis of the immune response of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus to Plasmodium relictum infection. The results reveal the important roles of Toll and Imd pathways during the critical period of parasite development. Unexpected differences in immune RNA expression patterns were also observed in infected mosquitoes compared to uninfected mosquitoes. The study expands our understanding of immune pathways and the selective pressures exerted by Plasmodium parasites on their vectors.
Editorial Material
Parasitology
Alyssa E. Barry
Summary: Researchers have developed innovative methods for single-cell sequencing of P. vivax infections, providing new insights into the intrahost diversity and evolution of the parasite.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Gunjan Arora, Andaleeb Sajid, Yu-Min Chuang, Yuemei Dong, Akash Gupta, Kristen Gambardella, Kathleen DePonte, Lionel Almeras, George Dimopolous, Erol Fikrig
Summary: Malaria is a vector-borne disease caused by Plasmodium sporozoites, and mosquito saliva proteins can influence pathogen transmission and early infection. Anopheles gambiae Sporozoite-Associated Protein (AgSAP) interacts directly with Plasmodium sporozoites, inhibits inflammatory responses, and plays a role in early infection modulation. Individuals in endemic malaria regions generate antibodies against AgSAP, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for disease prevalence and epidemiological analysis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Victoria A. Balta, Deborah Stiffler, Abeer Sayeed, Abhai K. Tripathi, Rubayet Elahi, Godfree Mlambo, Rahul P. Bakshi, Amanda G. Dziedzic, Anne E. Jedlicka, Elizabeth Nenortas, Keyla Romero-Rodriguez, Matthew A. Canonizado, Alexis Mann, Andrew Owen, David J. Sullivan, Sean T. Prigge, Photini Sinnis, Theresa A. Shapiro
Summary: Atovaquone-resistant parasites show multiple defects in mosquitoes, reducing the likelihood of transmission in the field.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Emily M. Stucke, Antoine Dara, Ankit Dwivedi, Theresa K. Hodges, Sandra Ott, Drissa Coulibaly, Abdoulaye K. Kone, Karim Traore, Boureima Guindo, Bourama M. Tangara, Amadou Niangaly, Modibo Daou, Issa Diarra, Youssouf Tolo, Mody Sissoko, Luke J. Tallon, Lisa Sadzewicz, Albert E. Zhou, Matthew B. Laurens, Amed Ouattara, Bourema Kouriba, Ogobara K. Doumbo, Shannon Takala-Harrison, David Serre, Christopher Plowe, Mahamadou A. Thera, Mark A. Travassos, Joana C. Silva
Summary: Genes encoding the highly diverse Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 (PfEMP1) antigens play a critical role in immune evasion and infected erythrocyte sequestration. Enriching for parasite RNA in clinical samples using a custom capture array allowed for the identification and annotation of var-like transcripts, particularly in samples with low parasitemia. This method has broad applicability to other highly diverse antigens from different parasites and pathogens.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adina Heinberg, Inbar Amit-Avraham, Vera Mitesser, Karina Simantov, Manish Goyal, Yuval Nevo, Sofia Kandelis-Shalev, Emilie Thompson, Ron Dzikowski
Summary: This study reveals that the deadliest form of human malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum, is able to evade the human immune response by selectively expressing a single variant of a surface antigen. The researchers found that a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcribed from an intron of an active gene is implicated in the choice of the single active variant. They also identified a protein called PfTPx-1, which interacts with the lncRNA and is involved in gene activation. Furthermore, they show that PfTPx-1 plays a role in providing a redox-controlled nuclear microenvironment ideal for active transcription.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alvaro Molina-Cruz, Gaspar E. Canepa, Ankit Dwivedi, Weimin Liu, Nadia Raytselis, Christophe Antonio-Nkondjio, Beatrice H. Hahn, Joana C. Silva, Carolina Barillas-Mury
Summary: Plasmodium falciparum malaria originated from gorilla malaria parasites transmitted by African mosquitoes and adapted to humans. The Pfs47 protein on the parasite surface helps it evade the mosquito immune system, and genetic analysis shows that ancestral P. falciparum readily adapted to Asian vectors. Furthermore, experimental infections demonstrate that P. falciparum parasites with Pfs47 orthologs of P. praefalciparum or P. reichenowi are better at evading the immune system of the Asian malaria vector.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
T. E. Lee, S. Bonhoeffer, M. A. Penny
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a complex health problem, and we have developed a new model to study the dynamics and competition of resistance.
RESULTS IN PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Sneha Bhandari, Sri Krishna, Priyanka P. Patel, Mrigendra P. Singh, Neeru Singh, Anjana Sharma, Praveen K. Bharti
Summary: The study identified specific characteristics of the var gene family that were closely associated with malaria severity, demonstrating prognostic features and specific sequence tags for cerebral malaria. High-quality IgG responses were observed for all peptides in the DBL alpha region.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Melissa C. Kapulu, Patricia Njuguna, Mainga Hamaluba, Domtila Kimani, Joyce M. Ngoi, Janet Musembi, Omar Ngoto, Edward Otieno, Peter F. Billingsley
Summary: The study showed that past exposure to malaria in some Kenyan adults can completely suppress the in vivo growth of a parasite strain originating from outside Kenya.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Colleen M. Leonard, Hussein Mohammed, Mekonnen Tadesse, Jessica N. McCaffery, Doug Nace, Eric S. Halsey, Samuel Girma, Ashenafi Assefa, Jimee Hwang, Eric Rogier
Summary: This study investigated whether mixed infections were missed by microscopy in a therapeutic efficacy study in Ethiopia. The results showed that even with multiple trained readers, microscopy can miss P. falciparum/P. vivax mixed infections.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Daniel Junker, Matthias Becker, Teresa R. Wagner, Philipp D. Kaiser, Sandra Maier, Tanja M. Grimm, Johanna Griesbaum, Patrick Marsall, Jens Gruber, Bjoern Traenkle, Constanze Heinzel, Yudi T. Pinilla, Jana Held, Rolf Fendel, Andrea Kreidenweiss, Annika Nelde, Yacine Maringer, Sarah Schroeder, Juliane S. Walz, Karina Althaus, Gunalp Uzun, Marco Mikus, Tamam Bakchoul, Katja Schenke-Layland, Stefanie Bunk, Helene Haeberle, Siri Goepel, Michael Bitzer, Hanna Renk, Jonathan Remppis, Corinna Engel, Axel R. Franz, Manuela Harries, Barbora Kessel, Berit Lange, Monika Strengert, Gerard Krause, Anne Zeck, Ulrich Rothbauer, Alex Dulovic, Nicole Schneiderhan-Marra
Summary: Using a large diverse cohort, this study found that the Omicron variant can bind to ACE2 more efficiently than inhibitory antibodies. Antibodies elicited by infection or immunization showed reduced binding capacities and ACE2 binding inhibition compared to wild type. Both Omicron variants are able to evade control by preexisting antibodies.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jabar Babatunde Pacome Achimi Agbo Abdul, Bayode Romeo Adegbite, Micheska Epola Dibamba Ndanga, Jean Ronald Edoa, Rhett Chester Mevyann, Guy Rogue Arnault Ibinda Mfoumbi, Tshisekedi Jean de Dieu, Jocelyn Mahoumbou, Christopher Mebiame Biyogho, Sankarganesh Jeyaraj, Stefan Niemann, Bertrand Lell, Peter Gottfried Kremsner, Abraham Sunday Alabi, Ayola Akim Adegnika, Martin Peter Grobusch
Summary: The increasing incidence of MDR-TB infection in Gabon is alarming, especially among individuals aged 25-35. There is a need for improvement in case finding and contact tracing strategies for treatment-naive MDR-TB patients.
Article
Parasitology
Juan M. Balbin, Gary K. Heinemann, Lee M. Yeoh, Tim-Wolf Gilberger, Mark Armstrong, Michael F. Duffy, Paul R. Gilson, Danny W. Wilson
Summary: Plasmodium falciparum regulates gene expression throughout its lifecycle, with certain proteins playing a role during the invasion and establishment of infection in host red blood cells. This study focuses on two zinc finger proteins, PfCZIF1 and PfCZIF2, which are highly expressed during late schizogony. While PfCZIF1 and PfCZIF2 are not essential for blood stage growth, at least one of them is required for parasite growth in vitro. These proteins are peripherally associated with a membrane and may regulate the expression of proteins exported into the red blood cell cytosol after merozoite invasion.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek, Annika M. Binder, Paolo Mesen-Ramirez, Lilian Patrick Dorner, Soraya Safavi, Gwendolin Fuchs, Tobias L. Lenz, Anna Bachmann, Danny Wilson, Friedrich Frischknecht, Tim-Wolf Gilberger
Summary: The unique three-membrane pellicle is a key feature driving the transition between different life cycle stages of the malaria parasite. A novel subpellicular microtubule-associated protein, SPM3, was identified in the genus Plasmodium. Knockout of this protein resulted in malformed gametocytes and aberrant microtubules in Plasmodium falciparum, while in Plasmodium berghei, it caused perturbed microtubule architecture, aberrant sporozoite motility, and decreased transmission efficiency.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Merel J. Smit, Adam F. Sander, Maud B. P. A. Ariaans, Cyrielle Fougeroux, Constanze Heinzel, Rolf Fendel, Meral Esen, Peter G. Kremsner, Rob ter Heine, Heiman F. Wertheim, Manja Idorn, Alexander P. Underwood, Alekxander Binderup, Santseharay Ramirez, Jens Bukh, Max Soegaard, Sayit M. Erdogan, Tobias Gustavsson, Stine Clemmensen, Thor G. Theander, Lancet Microbe, Ali Salanti, Mette Hamborg, Willem A. de Jongh, Matthew B. B. McCall, Morten A. Nielsen, Benjamin G. Mordmuller
Summary: A clinical trial was conducted in the Netherlands to test a cVLP-based COVID-19 vaccine. The results showed that the vaccine exhibited high immunogenicity at antigen levels of 25-70 mu g and had high virus neutralization activity against major SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Article
Biology
Myriam D. Jeninga, Jingyi Tang, Shamista A. Selvarajah, Alexander G. Maier, Michael F. Duffy, Michaela Petter
Summary: The study investigated the epigenetic program underlying the differentiation of male and female gametocytes in Plasmodium falciparum. It identified sex-specific differences in chromatin organization and histone modifications, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms driving sexual differentiation in the parasite.
Article
Immunology
Miriam Rodi, Caspar Gross, Thaisa Lucas Sandri, Lilith Berner, Marina Marcet-Houben, Ersoy Kocak, Michaela Pogoda, Nicolas Casadei, Carsten Koehler, Andrea Kreidenweiss, Selidji Todagbe Agnandji, Toni Gabaldon, Stephan Ossowski, Jana Held
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between Mansonella perstans and a potential new species called Mansonella sp DEUX in Gabon. By screening individuals in the area and generating whole genome data, it was found that Mansonella sp DEUX is a new Mansonella species. The availability of whole genome data will facilitate further research on these species.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Pediatrics
Constanze Heinzel, Yudi T. Pinilla, Ayla Binder, Peter G. Kremsner, Jana Held, Rolf Fendel, Andrea Kreidenweiss
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marina Marinovic, Hrvoje Rimac, Lais Pessanha de Carvalho, C. Rola, S. Santana, Kristina Pavic, Jana Held, Miguel Prudencio, Zrinka Rajic
Summary: By building a quantitative structure-activity relationship model, researchers designed and synthesized a series of new antimalarial drugs. One of the new drugs, UT harmicine, exhibited high antiplasmodial activity and good selectivity towards Plasmodium.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Suffian Azizan, Shamista A. Selvarajah, Jingyi Tang, Myriam D. Jeninga, Danae Schulz, Kapil Pareek, Tamara Herr, Karen P. Day, Tania F. De Koning-Ward, Michaela Petter, Michael F. Duffy
Summary: The alternative histones Pf H2A.Z and Pf H2B.Z in Plasmodium falciparum are enriched in intergenic euchromatin and play critical roles in gene expression and chromatin structure. The acetylated forms of these histones are dynamically associated with gene expression at promoters and are antagonized by histone deacetylases at heterochromatin boundaries. These findings suggest that acetylated Pf H2A.Z and Pf H2B.Z contribute to the maintenance of chromatin structure and enable rapid adaptation to altered host environments.
Article
Microbiology
Jan Stephan Wichers-Misterek, Ralf Krumkamp, Jana Held, Heidrun von Thien, Irene Wittmann, Yannick Daniel Hoeppner, Julia M. Ruge, Kara Moser, Antoine Dara, Jan Strauss, Meral Esen, Rolf Fendel, Zita Sulyok, Myriam D. Jeninga, Peter G. Kremsner, B. Kim Lee Sim, Stephen L. Hoffman, Michael F. Duffy, Thomas D. Otto, Tim-Wolf Gilberger, Joana C. Silva, Benjamin Mordmueller, Michaela Petter, Anna Bachmann
Summary: Controlled human malaria infections (CHMI) provide valuable insights into parasite gene expression in vivo. This study focused on the virulence gene expression in malaria-naive European volunteers infected with the genetically distinct Pf 7G8 clone. The results showed broad activation of var genes at the onset of a 7G8 blood stage infection, similar to previous studies on the Pf NF54 isolate.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dorothea Ekoka Mbassi, Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma, Jana Held, Dearie Glory Okwu, Wilfrid Ndzebe-Ndoumba, Laura Charlotte Kalkman, Franck Aurelien Ekoka Mbassi, Lais Pessanha de Carvalho, Juliana Inoue, Malik Azeez Akinosho, Lia Betty Dimessa Mbadinga, Emmanuel Koffi Yovo, Benjamin Mordmueller, Peter Gottfried Kremsner, Ayola Akim Adegnika, Michael Ramharter, Rella Zoleko-Manego
Summary: This study assessed the tolerability and efficacy of ivermectin in Gabonese adults with P. falciparum infections. The results showed that ivermectin reduced the asexual parasites similarly to placebo, indicating its potential as a treatment for asymptomatic P. falciparum infections.
Letter
Pediatrics
Constanze Heinzel, Yudi T. Pinilla, Ayla Binder, Peter G. Kremsner, Jana Held, Rolf Fendel, Andrea Kreidenweiss
Summary: This cross-sectional study examines IgG antibody levels in children and adolescents in Germany after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Hamada S. Badr, Josh M. Colston, Nhat-Lan H. Nguyen, Yen Ting Chen, Eleanor Burnett, Syed Asad Ali, Ajit Rayamajhi, Syed M. Satter, Nguyen Van Trang, Daniel Eibach, Ralf Krumkamp, Juergen May, Ayola Akim Adegnika, Gedeon Prince Manouana, Peter Gottfried Kremsner, Roma Chilengi, Luiza Hatyoka, Amanda K. Debes, Jerome Ateudjieu, Abu S. G. Faruque, M. Jahangir Hossain, Suman Kanungo, Karen L. Kotloff, Inacio Mandomando, M. Imran Nisar, Richard Omore, Samba O. Sow, Anita K. M. Zaidi, Nathalie Lambrecht, Bright Adu, Nicola Page, James A. Platts-Mills, Cesar Mavacala Freitas, Tuula Pelkonen, Per Ashorn, Kenneth Maleta, Tahmeed Ahmed, Pascal Bessong, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Carl Mason, Estomih Mduma, Maribel P. Olortegui, Pablo Penataro Yori, Aldo A. M. Lima, Gagandeep Kang, Jean Humphrey, Robert Ntozini, Andrew J. Prendergast, Kazuhisa Okada, Warawan Wongboot, Nina Langeland, Sabrina J. Moyo, James Gaensbauer, Mario Melgar, Matthew Freeman, Anna N. Chard, Vonethalom Thongpaseuth, Eric Houpt, Benjamin F. Zaitchik, Margaret N. Kosek
Summary: This study aimed to model the spatiotemporal variation in paediatric Shigella infection and predict its prevalence across low-income and middle-income countries. The findings revealed the association between Shigella and climatological factors, with sub-Saharan Africa being a high-risk region for transmission. These findings can guide prioritization of populations for future vaccine trials and campaigns.
LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)