Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaomin Shang, Shijun Shen, Jianxia Tang, Xiaoqin He, Yuemeng Zhao, Changhong Wang, Xiaohui He, Gangqiang Guo, Meng Liu, Liping Wang, Qianshu Zhu, Guang Yang, Cizhong Jiang, Meihua Zhang, Xinyu Yu, Jiping Han, Richard Culleton, Lubin Jiang, Jun Cao, Liang Gu, Qingfeng Zhang
Summary: The process of gametocytogenesis in malaria parasites is complex and largely unknown. However, a new study has identified a key transcription factor, PfAP2-G5, which is essential for this process. PfAP2-G5 suppresses the transcriptional activity of the pfap2-g gene, preventing sexual commitment and influencing gametocyte maturation.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Gloria Matambisso, Nanna Brokhattingen, Sonia Maculuve, Pau Cistero, Henriques Mbeve, Anna Escoda, Judice Miguel, Elena Buetas, Ianthe de Jong, Boaventura Cuna, Cardoso Melembe, Nelo Ndimande, Gemma Porras, Haily Chen, Kevin K. A. Tetteh, Chris Drakeley, Benoit Gamain, Chetan Chitnis, Virander Chauhan, Llorenc Quinto, Beatriz Galatas, Eusebio Macete, Alfredo Mayor
Summary: During a period of declining malaria transmission in southern Mozambique, primigravid women in high-to-moderate transmission settings have the highest detectable and clinically relevant infection rates, which decrease with declining malaria. In contrast, secundigravidae experience increased parasite densities and reduced antibody levels as malaria trends decline. Factors other than acquired immunity may play a role in producing less detectable infections among primigravidae during marked declines in malaria transmission.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Alice Kamau, Robert S. Paton, Samuel Akech, Arthur Mpimbaza, Cynthia Khazenzi, Morris Ogero, Eda Mumo, Victor A. Alegana, Ambrose Agweyu, Neema Mturi, Shebe Mohammed, Godfrey Bigogo, Allan Audi, James Kapisi, Asadu Sserwanga, Jane F. Namuganga, Simon Kariuki, Nancy A. Otieno, Bryan O. Nyawanda, Ally Olotu, Nahya Salim, Thabit Athuman, Salim Abdulla, Amina F. Mohamed, George Mtove, Hugh Reyburn, Sunetra Gupta, Jose Lourenco, Philip Bejon, Robert W. Snow
Summary: This study explores the relationship between age patterns of malaria hospitalization and malaria transmission intensity. The results indicate that the majority of malaria admissions occur in children under 5 years old, and in areas with higher transmission intensity, the average age of malaria hospitalization is younger. In moderate and high transmission settings, chemoprevention and vaccines can target a significant proportion of the children in the target age range.
Review
Immunology
Aroosa Younis Nadeem, Adeeb Shehzad, Salman Ul Islam, Ebtesam A. Al-Suhaimi, Young Sup Lee
Summary: Malaria, caused by Plasmodium falciparum parasite, is a major health threat worldwide, with recent advancements in diagnostic tools and prevention strategies. The RTS, S vaccine has shown promising results in clinical trials, providing protection against severe malaria. The vaccine can be effectively delivered through routine immunization programs, but its economic cost needs to be considered.
Article
Microbiology
Clare K. Cimperman, Mirna Pena, Sohret M. Gokcek, Brandon P. Theall, Meha V. Patel, Anisha Sharma, ChenFeng Qi, Daniel Sturdevant, Louis H. Miller, Patrick L. Collins, Susan K. Pierce, Munir Akkaya
Summary: Hundreds of thousands of lives are lost each year due to brain damage caused by malaria. The majority of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan African children. Host genetic background plays a crucial role in determining the course and outcome of the disease.
Article
Microbiology
Danielle Stanisic, Mei-Fong Ho, Reshma Nevagi, Emily Cooper, Maddison Walton, Md Tanjir Islam, Waleed M. Hussein, Mariusz Skwarczynski, Istvan Toth, Michael F. Good
Summary: Malaria vaccine research has shifted towards whole-parasite vaccines, which present a broad repertoire of antigens to the immune system to limit antigenic polymorphism. This study developed an enhanced liposomal vaccine that induced protective immune responses in mice and strong cellular immune responses, making significant progress towards evaluating the vaccine in clinical trials.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel A. Rodrigues, Gabriel M. F. Felix, Mauro Pichorim, Patricia A. Moreira, Erika M. Braga
Summary: The study investigated avian haemosporidian parasites in a protected area in northeastern Brazil, showing that migration and temperature may predict parasite prevalence. Individual-level traits and other species-specific factors were not related to infection probability.
Article
Biology
Abdirahman Abdi, Fiona Achcar, Lauriane Sollelis, Joao Luiz Silva-Filho, Kioko Mwikali, Michelle Muthui, Shaban Mwangi, Hannah W. Kimingi, Benedict Orindi, Cheryl Andisi Kivisi, Manon Alkema, Amrita Chandrasekar, Peter C. Bull, Philip Bejon, Katarzyna Modrzynska, Teun Bousema, Matthias Marti
Summary: The malaria parasite life cycle involves asexual replication in human blood and differentiation into gametocytes for transmission to mosquitoes. Host factors influence the commitment to differentiate into gametocytes, but the exact mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed data from 828 children in Kenya over 18 years to understand the relationship between host immunity, parasite growth, and transmission investment. We found that reduced plasma lysophosphatidylcholine levels, which are associated with inflammatory responses, are correlated with increased transmission investment and reduced asexual replication.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kelsey M. Sumner, Elizabeth Freedman, Lucy Abel, Andrew Obala, Brian W. Pence, Amy Wesolowski, Steven R. Meshnick, Wendy Prudhomme-O'Meara, Steve M. Taylor
Summary: The study conducted a longitudinal cohort study in a high transmission area in Western Kenya for 14 months, and found that asymptomatic malaria infections more than double the odds of transmission to a mosquito compared to symptomatic infections. Asymptomatic infections are the major contributor to mosquito infections in high transmission areas and could be targeted to reduce transmission.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chanon Kunasol, Arjen M. Dondorp, Elizabeth M. Batty, Vorthunju Nakhonsri, Puritat Sinjanakhom, Nicholas P. J. Day, Mallika Imwong
Summary: This study compared the Ion Torrent PGM and Illumina MiSeq sequencing platforms for the typing of antimalarial drug resistance genes. The results showed that both platforms could successfully sequence whole blood and Rapid Diagnostic Test samples, but Illumina MiSeq provided higher coverage.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alejandra Cruz, Carla Llinares, Ines Martin-Barrio, Gema Castillo-Garcia, Pilar Arana, Emili Garcia-Berthou, David H. Fletcher, David Almeida
Summary: Invasive fishes have significant impacts on freshwater ecosystems globally, and this study aimed to enhance our understanding of the invasion process through analyzing biological traits in non-native fishes. The study showed that colonising minnows possess specific profiles of morphological, parasitological, and genetic traits that contribute to their increased dispersal capacity and survival in harsher environmental conditions.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Josue Martinez-de la Puente, Rafael Gutierrez-Lopez, Alazne Diez-Fernandez, Ramon C. Soriguer, Isabel Moreno-Indias, Jordi Figuerola
Summary: The study found that mosquito microbiota significantly impact mosquito survival and the presence of parasite DNA in their saliva. Antibiotic treatment can significantly increase the survival rate of mosquitoes fed on infected birds, but does not affect the survival rate of mosquitoes fed on uninfected birds. The control group mosquitoes had a higher number of unique features in their microbiota and were enriched in biochemical pathways related to the immune system.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Angel Rosas-Aguirre, Marta Moreno, Diamantina Moreno-Gutierrez, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas, Marlon Saavedra, Juan Contreras-Mancilla, Jose Barboza, Freddy Alava, Kristhian Aguirre, Gabriel Carrasco, Catharine Prussing, Joseph Vinetz, Jan E. Conn, Niko Speybroeck, Dionicia Gamboa
Summary: The study provided an in-depth characterization of malaria transmission dynamics in remote riverine villages in the Peruvian Amazon, revealing high heterogeneity in malaria transmission both across and within villages. Factors such as housing structure and human behavior were found to be associated with malaria cases, with villages in the basin of the Mazan River being more susceptible to malaria transmission.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Tsubasa Nishi, Izumi Kaneko, Shiroh Iwanaga, Masao Yuda
Summary: This study reveals the crucial role of transcriptional activity in Plasmodium zygotes, especially the function of a novel transcription factor AP2-Z, in promoting ookinete development. The findings suggest the existence of a transcription factor cascade and provide potential target genes for understanding Plasmodium zygote/ookinete development and developing transmission blocking vaccines.
Article
Immunology
Jie Bai, Fei Liu, Fan Yang, Yan Zhao, Xitong Jia, Sataporn Thongpoon, Wanlapa Roobsoog, Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Li Zheng, Zeshi Cui, Wenqi Zheng, Liwang Cui, Yaming Cao
Summary: The potential of Pv22 as a transmission-blocking vaccine (TBV) candidate was evaluated by expressing it in transgenic Plasmodium berghei parasites. The study showed that Pv22 has weaker TB activity, suggesting it may not be a promising TBV candidate for Plasmodium vivax.