Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wandayi Emmanuel Amlabu, Cynthia Mmalebna Amisigo, Christine Achiaa Antwi, Gordon Akanzuwine Awandare, Theresa Manful Gwira
Summary: Leishmaniasis, closely associated with poverty, is a disease that requires new chemotherapeutic approaches. This study evaluated the antileishmanial potency of eighteen compounds and found that some of them exhibited cytotoxic effects on the parasites, affecting their biology. Further in vivo studies are recommended to validate the findings.
Article
Microbiology
Fernanda Fortes de Araujo, Ines Lakhal-Naouar, Nancy Koles, Sorana Raiciulescu, Rupal Mody, Naomi Aronson
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a chronic infection caused by Leishmania parasites. Most individuals are asymptomatic, but some progress to symptomatic VL. The host immune response plays a major role in determining the progression and severity of VL. New biomarkers are needed to identify asymptomatic individuals at risk of developing VL. In this study, chemokine/cytokine levels were measured in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMC) from AVL(+) individuals, and high levels of certain chemokines were detected compared to controls. Measurement of chemokine/cytokine levels can help identify cellular immune responses in asymptomatic VL individuals.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Lucy A. Parker, Lucrecia Acosta, Mariana Noel Gutierrez, Israel Cruz, Javier Nieto, Enrique Jorge Deschutter, Fernando Jorge Bornay-Llinares
Summary: The study utilized city land registry for random selection of domestic dog samples and compared with shelter dogs, showing a higher prevalence among shelter dogs. The seroprevalence among domestic dogs was significantly lower than among the abandoned dogs and the spatial distribution of infected dogs was fairly homogenous throughout the city.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Romulo Pessoa-e-Silva, Lays Adrianne Mendonca Trajano-Silva, Victor Vaitkevicius-Antao, Wagner Jose Tenorio dos Santos, Franklin Barbalho Magalhaes, Danielle Maria Nascimento Moura, Eiji Kevin Nakasone Nakasone, Virginia Maria Barros de Lorena, Milena de Paiva-Cavalcanti
Summary: The study evaluated the in vitro cellular immune response of dogs elicited by new recombinant proteins of Leishmania infantum. Results showed that Lci13 significantly increased IFN-gamma expression in uninfected animals, suggesting its potential for immunoprophylaxis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Karthik Ramalingam, Sonali Gangwar, Deep Chandra Balodi, Apeksha Anand, Shailendra Yadav, Subhasish Biswas, Anil Kumar Karunakaran Sasikala, Kailash Chand Gupta, Sanjay Batra, Neena Goyal
Summary: Chemotherapy is crucial for controlling visceral leishmaniasis, but current regimens have drawbacks. This study identified compound 3c as the lead candidate for treating VL, showing the best in vivo antileishmanial efficacy.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Joao Guilherme Lino da Silva, Ana Alice Maia Goncalves, Liliam Teixeira Oliveira, Giani Martins Garcia, Mauricio Azevedo Batista, Ludmila Zanandreis de Mendonca, Kelvinson Fernandes Viana, Rita de Cassia Oliveira Sant'Ana, Otoni Alves de Oliveira Melo Junior, Denise Silveira-Lemos, Walderez Ornelas Dutra, Olindo Assis Martins-Filho, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Sandra Aparecida Lima de Moura, Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Summary: Recent studies suggest that antigens in microparticles can enhance the immunogenicity of antiLeishmania vaccines. This study investigates the in situ effect of chitosan-coated poly(D,L-lactic) acid submicrometric particles (SMP) as adjuvants and analyzes their inflammatory profile and toxicity. The results show that SMPs promote cell recruitment without tissue damage and stimulate early innate immune responses. They also demonstrate reduced NK cell count and impaired T and B cell subsets in mice vaccinated with SMPs encapsulating Leishmania braziliensis antigen.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Liuxue Wang, Meng Hu, Xusheng Wu, Limin Ma, Haiping Yang
Summary: English is becoming increasingly important. According to statistics, learning Chinese can improve people's communicative ability and cultural literacy. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen Chinese learning and promotion.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Debashis Ghosh, Abdul Alim, M. Mamun Huda, Christine M. Halleux, Md Almahmud, Piero L. Olliaro, Greg Matlashewski, Axel Kroeger, Dinesh Mondal
Summary: This pilot study compared the effects of different vector control tools on sandfly densities and mortality, and found varying effectiveness and acceptability of existing interventions at different time points. The results will guide the National Kala-azar Elimination Program in selecting appropriate control tools during the elimination process.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Daniel Silva Dias, Juliana Martins Machado, Patricia Aparecida Fernandes Ribeiro, Amanda Sanchez Machado, Fernanda Fonseca Ramos, Lais Moreira Nogueira, Ana Alice Maia Goncalves, Luana de Sousa Ramos, Isadora Braga Gandra, Flaviane Silva Coutinho, Michelli dos Santos, Jonatas Oliveira da Silva, Miguel Angel Chavez-Fumagalli, Rafael Goncalves Teixeira-Neto, Ana Thereza Chaves, Mariana Campos-da-Paz, Amanda A. Souza, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti, Sonia Maria Freitas, Sandra Lyon, Danielle Ferreira de Magalhaes-Soares, Julia Angelica Goncalves Silveira, Eduardo Sergio Silva, Eduardo Antonio Ferraz Coelho, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino
Summary: Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a critical public health problem in over ninety countries, and control measures in Brazil have been insufficient. A chimeric protein called rMELEISH was developed for the accurate diagnosis of VL in dogs and humans. In trials, rMELEISH showed 100% sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing VL cases from other diseases and healthy samples. These preliminary results suggest that rMELEISH has potential for future diagnostic studies in the field.
Article
Microbiology
Joao Carlos Franca-Silva, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti, Reysla Maria da Silveira Mariano, George Luiz Lins Machado-Coelho, Luciana de Almeida Silva Teixeira, Ricardo Andrade Barata, Erika Monteiro Michalsky, Marilia Fonseca Rocha, Consuelo Latorre Fortes-Dias, Edelberto Santos Dias
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of canine euthanasia on the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in humans and canines. The findings showed that screening and culling measures for canines can reduce the incidence of the disease in both humans and canines.
Article
Microbiology
Anirban Bhattacharyya, Mohd Kamran, Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi, Sonali Das, Nicky Didwania, Rahul Bhattacharjee, Mehebubar Rahaman, Rama Prosad Goswami, Krishna Pandey, Vidya Nand Ravi Das, Pradeep Das, Saswati Gayen, Nahid Ali
Summary: This study explored the role of RDK2 as a potential diagnostic marker for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). In silico analysis predicted that RDK2 is conserved among Leishmania species. The experimental results demonstrated that RDK2 could be a candidate biomarker for the diagnosis of VL using serum and urine samples.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Huseyin Istanbullu, Gulsah Bayraktar, Gulsah Karakaya, Hasan Akbaba, Nami Ege Perk, Ibrahim Cavus, Crtomir Podlipnik, Kor Yereli, Ahmet Ozbilgin, Bilge Debelec Butuner, Vildan Alptuzun
Summary: A series of thiazolopyrimidine derivatives were synthesized as novel anti-leishmanial agents. Three promising compounds showed significant in vivo efficacy against cutaneous leishmaniasis and visceral leishmaniasis. These findings provide an important lead structure for the development of anti-leishmanial drugs.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Anurag Kumar Kushwaha, Breanna M. Scorza, Om Prakash Singh, Edgar Rowton, Phillip Lawyer, Shyam Sundar, Christine A. Petersen
Summary: Leishmania donovani is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis on the Indian subcontinent, transmitted by sand flies which have been shown to feed on domestic animals in addition to humans. Understanding the role of non-human reservoirs in transmission is critical for sustainable elimination goals. Efforts towards VL elimination in the region may be hindered by the presence of animal reservoirs.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi, Sneha Ghosh, Samiran Saha, Somsubhra Thakur Choudhury, Anirban Bhattacharyya, Mitali Chatterjee, Krishna Pandey, V. N. R. Das, Pradeep Das, Mehebubar Rahaman, Rama Prosad Goswami, Keshav Rai, Basudha Khanal, Narayan Raj Bhattarai, Bhagya Deepachandi, Yamuna Deepani Siriwardana, Nadira D. Karunaweera, Maria Edileuza Felinto deBrito, Yara de Miranda Gomes, Mineo Nakazawa, Carlos Henrique Nery Costa, Emebet Adem, Arega Yeshanew, Roma Melkamu, Helina Fikre, Zewdu Hurissa, Ermias Diro, Eugenia Carrillo, Javier Moreno, Nahid Ali
Summary: An updated version of the paper has been published and can be accessed through a link at the top of the paper.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Larissa Ferreira de Araujo Paz, Adalucia da Silva, Hemilly Rayanne Ferreira da Silva, Milena Paiva Cavalcanti, Valeria Marcal Felix de Lima, Maria Rosario Oliveira da Cunha Beltrao, Maria Beatriz Araujo Silva, Osvaldo Pompilio de Melo Neto, Zulma Maria Medeiros, Wagner Jose Tenorio dos Santos
Summary: Dogs are the main reservoir for human visceral leishmaniasis and the diagnosis of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is crucial for disease control. The current serological tests for CVL have variable sensitivity and specificity. Research on novel recombinant proteins, such as Q5, may improve the diagnosis of CVL. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of Q5 in an ELISA assay using a large number of CVL-suspected sera.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Parasitology
Jose C. Solana, Javier Moreno, Salvador Iborra, Manuel Soto, Jose M. Requena
Summary: Control of diseases caused by protozoan parasites is an important sustainable development goal. Efforts have been made to develop new live attenuated vaccines (LAVs) against malaria, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. However, challenges related to biosafety, production, and distribution have slowed down further development. Progress has been made in overcoming the drawbacks of LAVs, but the persistence of LAVs and standardized clinical evaluation procedures for vaccine candidates need further clarification and development.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Jose Carlos Solana, Lorena Bernardo, Javier Moreno, Begona Aguado, Jose M. Requena
Summary: Leishmania parasites face abrupt environmental changes during transmission and require rapid reconfiguration of gene expression to adapt. Chaperones, particularly HSP40 proteins, play a central role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and have potential as drug targets for leishmaniasis treatment. Understanding the structural features and functional roles of HSP40 proteins could provide valuable insights for drug discovery.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Hanae Pouillevet, Isabelle Langlois, Benjamin Lamglait, Christopher Fernandez-Prada, Shannon T. Ferrell, Emilie L. Couture
Summary: This case series aimed to describe and document the clinical presentations of Synhimantus nasuta infection in a flock of lorikeets. Clinical investigations were conducted on 11 lorikeets suspected of being infected with Synhimantus. Various parameters were documented and a total score was calculated to evaluate the severity of the infection. Four lorikeets were confirmed to have Synhimantus infection through fecal examination. High total scores were associated with clinical anemia, and both suspected and confirmed cases showed fecal occult blood.
JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Noelie Douanne, George Dong, Atia Amin, Lorena Bernardo, Mathieu Blanchette, David Langlais, Martin Olivier, Christopher Fernandez-Prada
Summary: This study investigates the DNA content of Leishmania extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their role in DNA transfer. It is found that drug-resistant EVs carry amplicons associated with drug-resistance genes. Transfer experiments demonstrate that the transferred DNA significantly impacts the phenotype of recipient parasites, enhancing their growth and ability to withstand oxidative stress. These findings provide evidence for the important role of eukaryotic EVs in horizontal gene transfer and adaptation to stressful environments.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Estefania Calvo Alvarez, Sarah D'Alessandro, Daniela Proverbio, Eva Spada, Roberta Perego, Donatella Taramelli, Nicoletta Basilico, Silvia Parapini
Summary: Leishmaniases are widespread vector-borne diseases with diverse clinical manifestations. The current treatments have limitations, making it crucial to find safer and more effective alternatives. This study demonstrates the potential of ionophores as anti-Leishmania agents, while also challenging the assumption that the same compounds would be equally effective against human and canine leishmaniases.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Estela Melcon-Fernandez, Giulio Galli, Carlos Garcia-Estrada, Rafael Balana-Fouce, Rosa M. Reguera, Yolanda Perez-Pertejo
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites, which is prevalent in East Africa, Asia, South America, and the Mediterranean Basin. The current pharmacological control of the disease is limited by the availability of old, poorly adherent drugs with adverse effects and low oral bioavailability. Resistance to first-line drugs has emerged due to misuse. However, recent research has identified nifuratel, a drug used for vaginal infections, as a promising candidate for repurposing due to its efficacy against leishmaniasis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Esther Camacho, Sandra de la Fuente, Jose Carlos Solana, Laura Tabera, Fernando Carrasco-Ramiro, Begona Aguado, Jose M. Requena
Summary: The transcriptome of Leishmania infantum was annotated using a combination of short and long RNA-seq reads. The results showed that transcript boundaries in Leishmania are relatively slippery and the use of long-read sequencing technology can uncover complex transcription patterns.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlos Garcia-Estrada, Yolanda Perez-Pertejo, Barbara Dominguez-Asenjo, Vanderlan Nogueira Holanda, Sankaranarayanan Murugesan, Maria Martinez-Valladares, Rafael Balana-Fouce, Rosa M. Reguera
Summary: Due to the lack of specific vaccines, neglected tropical diseases caused by trypanosomatids, such as sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, rely solely on pharmacological treatments. The current drugs have drawbacks including adverse effects, parenteral administration, chemical instability, and high costs. However, the discovery of new drugs for these diseases is rare due to the lack of interest from big pharmaceutical companies. Nitroheterocyclic compounds, such as benznidazole and nifurtimox, have provided potent effects against Chagas disease, and fexinidazole has been developed as a new drug against African trypanosomiasis. Despite being initially discarded due to their mutagenic potential, nitroheterocycles now show promise as a source of inspiration for developing oral drugs to replace existing ones.
Article
Microbiology
Javier Merino Goyenechea, Veronica Castilla Gomez de Agueero, Jesus Palacios Alberti, Rafael Balana Fouce, Maria Martinez Valladares
Summary: Canine leishmaniasis is a major protozoan disease in dogs, caused by Leishmania infantum, which leads to severe health deterioration. The disease is highly prevalent in Spain, especially in coastal regions, but its presence has been spreading to other areas and cases have been reported in wildlife. This study documents the presence of wolves infected with leishmaniasis in the Sierra de la Culebra in northwestern Spain using PCR amplification of L. infantum DNA from various non-invasive samples. The positivity rate was found to be 46.1% regardless of the origin of the samples.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Josephine Geertsen Keller, Kamilla Vandso Petersen, Karol Mizielinski, Celine Thiesen, Lotte Bjergbaek, Rosa M. Reguera, Yolanda Perez-Pertejo, Rafael Balana-Fouce, Angela Trejo, Carme Masdeu, Concepcion Alonso, Birgitta R. Knudsen, Cinzia Tesauro
Summary: With the increasing demand for effective compounds against cancer and pathogen-borne diseases, new tools for investigating the enzymatic activity of biomarkers are necessary. A rolling circle amplification-based method has been developed for fast and easy screening of compounds against type 1 topoisomerases. These tools have proven to be sensitive and directly quantitative, opening up possibilities for new diagnostic and drug screening protocols in research and clinical settings.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Veronica Castilla Gomez de Aguero, Elora Valderas-Garcia, Laura Gonzalez del Palacio, F. Javier Giraldez, Rafael Balana-Fouce, Maria Martinez-Valladares
Summary: The goal of this study was to characterize IgA levels in naturally infected sheep of different breeds and explore their association with infection risk, age, and breed. Results showed that age was the determinant factor for infection risk, while breed had no impact. In addition, nasal secretions exhibited high sensitivity in detecting infection, especially in young animals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anh Minh Thao Nguyen, Moran Shalev-Benami, Chloe Rosa-Teijeiro, Ana Victoria Ibarra-Meneses, Ada Yonath, Anat Bashan, Charles L. Jaffe, Martin Olivier, Christopher Fernandez-Prada, William D. Lubell
Summary: A strategy for preparing potent anisomycin derivatives with reduced host toxicity has been revealed by assessing structure-activity relationships for anti-protozoan activity. Different modifications of the alcohol, amine, and aromatic functional groups have been studied, and it was found that introducing substituents at the para-phenol moiety of anisomycin can maintain the anti-protozoan potency without significant loss of activity against the host.
