Article
Microbiology
Cheng-Hung Lai, Yu-Sin Lin, Chao-Min Wang, Poa-Chun Chang, Wei-Yau Shia
Summary: This study identified Capnocytophaga strains in the oral cavity of dogs using 16S rRNA and phylogenetic analysis. A novel 16S rRNA PCR-RFLP method was designed to accurately distinguish C. cynodegmi from C. canimorsus, improving detection accuracy. This method is important for the epidemiological study of Capnocytophaga and the rapid diagnosis of human C. canimorsus infections following exposure to small animals.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Luz Helena Patino, Nathalia Ballesteros, Marina Munoz, Jesus Jaimes, Adriana C. Castillo-Castaneda, Roy Madigan, Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi, Juan David Ramirez
Summary: The study introduced a new 771 bp HSP70-Long marker based on the 70-kDa heat shock protein gene for accurate identification of diverse Leishmania species and coinfection events in clinical samples. Both the HSP70-Long and HSP70-Short markers demonstrated strong discriminatory capabilities in distinguishing different Leishmania species and detecting instances of coinfection.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Rachel Lau, Avinash N. Mukkala, Ruwandi Kariyawasam, Shareese Clarke, Braulio M. Valencia, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas, Andrea K. Boggild
Summary: This study demonstrated the utility of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) as a diagnostic tool for species identification and differentiation between mixed and hybrid infections in the Leishmania Viannia subgenus. In contrast, standard RFLP-SS required multi-target composite analysis for species identification in Leishmania infections.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sarah Kymberly Santos de Lima, Jessica Adriana Jesus, Cristiano Raminelli, Marcia Dalastra Laurenti, Luiz Felipe Domingues Passero
Summary: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the leishmanicidal activity of 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that 8-HQ eliminated promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of all species studied, and it was more selective than miltefosine. Treatment with 8-HQ significantly reduced tissue parasite numbers in infected animals and led to a reduction in inflammatory reaction in the skin. Therefore, 8-HQ is a promising alternative for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Adriana Castillo-Castaneda, Luz H. Patino, Marina Munoz, Martha S. Ayala, Maryi Segura, Jessica Bautista, Maryia Shaban, Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi, Juan David Ramirez
Summary: This study used amplicon-based next-generation sequencing to identify visceral leishmaniasis (VL) aetiologic species in clinical samples. The results revealed co-infections of different Leishmania species in VL patients, highlighting the importance of understanding the biological, clinical, and epidemiological implications. The methodology used in this study demonstrates its potential usefulness in detecting trypanosomatid coinfections.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Betim Xhekaj, Ina Hoxha, Katharina Platzgummer, Edwin Kniha, Julia Walochnik, Kurtesh Sherifi, Agim Rexhepi, Behlul Behluli, Vit Dvorak, Hans-Peter Fuehrer, Adelheid G. Obwaller, Wolfgang Poeppl, Jovana Stefanovska, Aleksandar Cvetkovikj
Summary: This study conducted an extensive survey of sand flies in all districts of Kosovo and reported the first detection of Leishmania infantum DNA in sand flies, indicating local transmission of the pathogen.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Maria Fernanda Alves-Martin, Thaina Valente Bertozzo, Isabella Neves Aires, Suzane Manzini, Mirian dos Santos Paixao-Marques, Livia Maisa Guiraldi, Wesley Jose dos Santos, Gabriela Pacheco Sanchez, Vera Claudia Lorenzetti Magalhaes Curci, Virginia Bodelao Richini-Pereira, Simone Baldini Lucheis
Summary: In this study, conjunctival swabs were used for molecular analysis to detect Leishmania infection in cats. PCR was used as a screening technique, followed by confirmation through HRM and genetic sequencing. Conjunctival swabs proved to be a non-invasive, practical, and easy-to-perform technique for diagnosing Feline leishmaniasis.
Article
Zoology
Livia M. Guiraldi, Wesley J. Dos Santos, Suzane Manzini, Nur el H. A. Taha, Isabella N. Aires, Emilly Ribeiro, Marcos Tokuda, Maria Izabel M. de Medeiros, Virginia B. Richini-Pereira, Simone B. Lucheis
Summary: This study identified natural infection of L. infantum and L. braziliensis in nonhuman primates living in a city where leishmaniasis is endemic. The findings contribute to the surveillance and control of leishmaniasis and the protection of endangered species.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Joseneide Viana de Almeida, Cristian Ferreira de Souza, Andressa Alencastre Fuzari, Christie A. Joya, Hugo O. Valdivia, Daniella Castanheira Bartholomeu, Reginaldo Pecanha Brazil
Summary: This study conducted in the State of Roraima, Brazil, provides insights into the diversity of Leishmania species circulating in the region, identifying nine different species. The findings pave the way for further research on leishmaniasis transmission, vector and reservoir surveillance, and intensified investigation and control activities against CL in the northernmost Brazilian State.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Zhi-Chao Yan, Hai-Qing Hua, Guang-Yuan Qi, Yuan-Xi Li
Summary: We developed a method to detect and identify Trichogramma larvae in their host eggs and successfully differentiated eight Trichogramma species using a PCR-RFLP assay. This study provides a promising approach for conveniently identifying Trichogramma in insectaries and accurately evaluating parasitism rates in the field.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andrea Magalhaes, Lucas P. Carvalho, Rubia Costa, Monica S. Pita, Thiago Marconi Cardoso, Paulo R. L. Machado, Edgar M. Carvalho, Sergio Arruda, Augusto M. Carvalho
Summary: This study showed that high levels of anti-Leishmania IgG and IgG2 are characteristic of disseminated leishmaniasis (DL), with IgG correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and IgG2 directly correlated with the number of lesions in DL.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Prakash Ghosh, Rajashree Chowdhury, Shomik Maruf, Albert Picado, Faria Hossain, Sophie Owen, Rupen Nath, James Baker, Md Golam Hasnain, Mohammad Sohel Shomik, Debashis Ghosh, Masud Rashid, Md Utba Rashid, Soumik Kha Sagar, Md Abu Rahat, Ariful Basher, Proggananda Nath, Thomas Edwards, Jason R. Andrews, Malcolm S. Duthie, Dziedzom K. de Souza, Emily R. Adams, Joseph Ndungu, Israel Cruz, Dinesh Mondal
Summary: This study evaluated a design-locked loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for diagnosing post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). The LAMP assay showed high sensitivity and specificity compared to other methods.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Nara Santos dos Santos, Flaviane Alves de Pinho, Nicole Regina Capacchi Hlavac, Talyta Lins Nunes, Nadia Rossi Almeida, Manuela Silva Solca, Bruno Milen Varjao, Ricardo Wagner Portela, Jeronimo Nunes Rugani, Felipe Dutra Rego, Stella Maria Barrouin-Melo, Rodrigo Pedro Soares
Summary: Zoonotic leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum is a disease of One Health concern. This study detected and characterized L. infantum infection in domestic cats from areas with human and canine leishmaniasis cases. Results showed 7.8% of cats were infected, suggesting cats can be potential hosts in endemic areas. Monitoring, differential diagnosis, and clinical care for cats are recommended.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Martin Lycka, Vratislav Peska, Martin Demko, Ioannis Spyroglou, Agata Kilar, Jiri Fajkus, Miloslava Fojtova
Summary: This study introduces a new online toolset called WALTER for the rapid, reproducible, and user-friendly analysis of telomere length data and statistical evaluation, representing a major upgrade in TRF scan image processing.
BMC BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Philipp Schwabl, Mariana C. Boite, Giovanni Bussotti, Arne Jacobs, Bjorn Andersson, Otacilio Moreira, Anita L. Freitas-Mesquita, Jose Roberto Meyer-Fernandes, Erich L. Telleria, Yara Traub-Cseko, Slavica Vaselek, Tereza Lestinova, Petr Volf, Fernanda N. Morgado, Renato Porrozzi, Martin Llewellyn, Gerald F. Spath, Elisa Cupolillo
Summary: This study revealed a multi-kilobase deletion in Brazilian Leishmania infantum genomes, which reduces susceptibility to the anti-leishmanial drug miltefosine. The research also showed that hybridization with non-deletion strains can restore the deleted locus and associated enzymatic activity, indicating common genetic exchange among closely related parasites. The findings suggest that genetic exchange and demographic scenarios play key roles in shaping the complex population structure of L. infantum in Brazil.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Estefania Munoz, German Poveda, M. Patricia Arbelaez, Ivan D. Velez
Summary: The study reveals a strong association between dengue cases in Colombia and ENSO indices and local climate variables, with El Nino/La Nina affecting national and regional dengue dynamics. The influence of ENSO varies over time, with a reduction in dengue cases since 2005 and differences in local climate variables preventing extrapolation of results from one region to another. The Pacific and Andes regions control the relationship between dengue and ENSO at national scale.
Article
Parasitology
Maria Angelica Contreras Gutierrez, Richard Onalbi Hoyos Lopez, Ana Teresa Ramos, Ivan D. Velez, Rafael Vivero Gomez, Jazzmin Arrivillaga-Henriquez, Sandra Uribe
Summary: This study analyzed the genetic variation of Lutzomyia longipalpis, revealing at least 8 lineages that may represent distinct species. Further morphological and molecular analysis is needed to determine the precise boundaries of these complex species.
Article
Parasitology
S. P. Piragauta, J. L. Higuita-Castro, N. Arbelaez, A. M. Restrepo, R. Archbold, W. Quinones, F. Torres, F. Echeverri, G. Escobar, I. D. Velez, A. Montoya, S. M. Robledo
Summary: This study found that the use of ointment containing 2% TC2 and 2% SS is an effective and safe treatment for canine cutaneous leishmaniasis. It can serve as a first-line therapy to limit the spread of the disease from dogs to humans.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jorge Higuita-Castro, Ivan D. Velez, Diana M. Escobar, Javier Murillo, Tatiana Pineda, Victoria Ospina, Sara M. Robledo
Summary: Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by parasites, with only four drugs currently available for treatment, all of which have high toxicity. A new drug combination has been discovered to have high antileishmanial activity and showed promising results in experimental treatment.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Pediatrics
Ivan D. Velez, Tran T. Hien, Justin A. Green, Ana Martin, Hema Sharma, Victoria M. Rousell, John J. Breton, Terry B. Ernest, Katie Rolfe, Maxine Taylor, Khadeeja Mohamed, Sion W. Jones, Nguyen Hoang Chau, Nhu Thi Hoa, Stephan Duparc, Lionel K. Tan, Navin Goyal
Summary: This open-label study aimed to determine the appropriate dosing regimens and evaluate the efficacy and safety of tafenoquine in children with P vivax malaria. The results showed that single-dose tafenoquine, including a dispersible formulation, had similar exposure, safety, and efficacy as observed in adolescents and adults.
LANCET CHILD & ADOLESCENT HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Liliana Lopez, Fiorela Alvarez, Ana Pilar Ramos, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas, Juan Echevarria, Ivan Velez, Marina Boni, Joelle Rode, Juliana Quintero, Alejandra Jimenez, Yulied Tabares, Claudia Mendez, Byron Arana
Summary: The combination of thermotherapy (TT) plus a short course of miltefosine (MLT) has shown to be significantly better than TT alone for the treatment of uncomplicated cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World, with higher cure rates and improved efficacy.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sergei S. Biryukov, Christopher K. Cote, Christopher P. Klimko, Jennifer L. Dankmeyer, Nathaniel O. Rill, Jennifer L. Shoe, Melissa Hunter, Zain Shamsuddin, Ivan Velez, Zander M. Hedrick, Raysa Rosario-Acevedo, Yuli Talyansky, Lindsey K. Schmidt, Caitlyn E. Orne, David P. Fetterer, Mary N. Burtnick, Paul J. Brett, Susan L. Welkos, David DeShazer
Summary: Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei are important pathogens causing melioidosis and glanders, and effective vaccines are urgently needed. The study found that a capsule conjugate + Hcp1 subunit vaccine and a live B. pseudomallei 668 Delta ilvI strain showed significant protective efficacy as experimental candidate vaccines.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sara M. Robledo, Javier Murillo, Natalia Arbelaez, Andres Montoya, Victoria Ospina, Franziska M. Juergens, Ivan D. Velez, Thomas J. Schmidt
Summary: Arnica montana flower preparations have potential therapeutic effects against Leishmaniasis, with high in vitro activity against two common Leishmania species and no cytotoxicity for human cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jeffrey Lazarus, Diana Romero, Christopher J. Kopka, Salim Abdool Karim, Laith J. Abu-Raddad, Gisele Almeida, Ricardo Baptista-Leite, Joshua A. Barocas, Mauricio L. Barreto, Yaneer Bar-Yam, Quique Bassat, Carolina Batista, Morgan Bazilian, Shu-Ti Chiou, Carlos del Rio, Gregory J. Dore, George F. Gao, Lawrence O. Gostin, Margaret Hellard, Jose L. Jimenez, Gagandeep Kang, Nancy Lee, Mojca Maticic, Martin McKee, Sabin Nsanzimana, Miquel Oliu-Barton, Bary Pradelski, Oksana Pyzik, Kenneth Rabin, Sunil Raina, Sabina Faiz Rashid, Magdalena Rathe, Rocio Saenz, Sudhvir Singh, Malene Trock-Hempler, Sonia Villapol, Peiling Yap, Agnes Binagwaho, Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Ayman El-Mohandes
Summary: Despite scientific and medical advances, political, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors continue to undermine the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Delphi study involving a diverse panel of experts from 112 countries and territories developed a set of recommendations across various domains to address this global threat to public health.
Article
Tropical Medicine
Rodrigo Ochoa, Alessa Alvarez, Jordan Freitas, Saptarshi Purkayastha, Ivan D. Velez
Summary: The use of technological resources to support processes in health systems has led to the development of a specialized medical record platform for neglected tropical diseases. This platform allows for the analysis of treatment progress and the generation of accurate clinical data. It is web-based and can be upgraded and improved by users, enabling interoperability with other platforms.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maria del Mar Castro, Joelle Rode, Paulo R. L. Machado, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas, Marcia Hueb, Glaucia Cota, Isis Valentina Rojas, Yenifer Orobio, Oscar Oviedo Sarmiento, Ernesto Rojas, Juliana Quintero, Maria Ines Fernandes Pimentel, Jaime Soto, Carvel Suprien, Fiorela Alvarez, Ana Pilar Ramos, Rayssa Basilio dos Santos Arantes, Rosiana Estefane da Silva, Claudia Marcela Arenas, Ivan Dario Velez, Marcelo Rosandiski Lyra, Nancy Gore Saravia, Byron Arana, Neal Alexander
Summary: This retrospective study analyzed the effectiveness and safety of antileishmanial treatments in children <= 10 and adults >= 60 years old with cutaneous leishmaniasis. The results showed that systemic antimonials were the most common treatment, but had limited effectiveness. The study highlights the need for more treatment options and follow-up strategies in these special populations.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Hidayat Trimarsanto, Roberto Amato, Richard D. Pearson, Edwin Sutanto, Rintis Noviyanti, Leily Trianty, Jutta Marfurt, Zuleima Pava, Diego F. Echeverry, Tatiana M. Lopera-Mesa, Lidia M. Montenegro, Alberto Tobon-Castano, Matthew J. Grigg, Bridget Barber, Timothy William, Nicholas M. Anstey, Sisay Getachew, Beyene Petros, Abraham Aseffa, Ashenafi Assefa, Awab G. Rahim, Nguyen H. Chau, Tran T. Hien, Mohammad S. Alam, Wasif A. Khan, Benedikt Ley, Kamala Thriemer, Sonam Wangchuck, Yaghoob Hamedi, Ishag Adam, Yaobao Liu, Qi Gao, Kanlaya Sriprawat, Marcelo U. Ferreira, Moses Laman, Alyssa Barry, Ivo Mueller, Marcus V. G. Lacerda, Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas, Srivicha Krudsood, Chanthap Lon, Rezika Mohammed, Daniel Yilma, Dhelio B. Pereira, Fe E. J. Espino, Cindy S. Chu, Ivan D. Velez, Chayadol Namaik-larp, Maria F. Villegas, Justin A. Green, Gavin Koh, Julian C. Rayner, Eleanor Drury, Sonia Goncalves, Victoria Simpson, Olivo Miotto, Alistair Miles, Nicholas J. White, Francois Nosten, Dominic P. Kwiatkowski, Ric N. Price, Sarah Auburn
Summary: Traditionally, patient travel history has been used to distinguish imported from autochthonous malaria cases. However, the presence of dormant liver stages of Plasmodium vivax complicates this approach. This study proposes molecular tools and machine learning methods to identify and map imported cases, offering an alternative approach to traditional methods.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Darlyn J. Garcia, Maritza Fernandez-Culma, Yulieth A. Upegui, Luz A. Rios-Vasquez, Wiston Quinones, Rogelio Ocampo-Cardona, Fernando Echeverri, Ivan D. Velez, Sara M. Robledo
Summary: In the past decade, the World Health Organization has focused on developing topical drugs for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a neglected tropical disease. The chemicals C6I, TC1, and TC2 show promise as antileishmanial drugs. This study aimed to develop a topical nanoformulation that enhances the stability and bioavailability of these drugs. Nanoemulsions of ethanol-oleic acid/Tween((R))-80 were prepared and showed good stability, high encapsulation efficiency, and increased leishmanicidal activity against Leishmania braziliensis.
ARCHIV DER PHARMAZIE
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Laura Posada-Lopez, Fredy Galvis-Ovallos, Andres Velez-Mira, Ivan D. Velez, Eunice A. B. Galati
Summary: This study analyzed the diversity and spatial-temporal distribution of sand flies in an endemic area of cutaneous leishmaniasis. It found that the sand fly community was dominated by the species Yuilli yuilli, and high densities of sand flies were recorded. Periodic monitoring and control activities are needed to reduce the risk of Leishmania transmission in this area.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Laura Posada-Lopez, Bruno Leite Rodrigues, Ivan Dario Velez, Sandra Uribe
Summary: This study assesses the usefulness of COI DNA barcoding for sand fly species identification, correct assignment of isomorphic females, and detection of cryptic diversity. By sequencing the COI gene of sand flies from different countries, cryptic diversity within species was detected, and isomorphic females were correctly associated with males identified by morphology. Nine sand fly species were DNA barcoded for the first time.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)