Review
Biology
Andrea J. Lund, Kristen J. Wade, Zachary L. Nikolakis, Kathleen N. Ivey, Blair W. Perry, Hamish N. C. Pike, Sara H. Paull, Yang Liu, Todd A. Castoe, David D. Pollock, Elizabeth J. Carlton
Summary: The global community has set ambitious goals to eliminate schistosomiasis, and new tools, such as whole-genome sequencing, can help tailor interventions and address questions about non-human hosts and the importance of local and imported infections in the elimination process.
Letter
Immunology
Camilla Rothe, Thorbjoern Zimmer, Mirjam Schunk, Claudia Wallrauch, Kerstin Helfrich, Fatih Gultekin, Gisela Bretzel, Jean-Francois Allienne, Jerome Boissier
Summary: A man from Germany who had never traveled outside Europe was diagnosed with urogenital schistosomiasis, likely acquired in Corsica, France. This case highlights the ongoing transmission of schistosomiasis in Corsica.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Adeola Onasanya, Michel Bengtson, Oladimeji Oladepo, Jo Van Engelen, Jan Carel Diehl
Summary: This paper highlights the challenges of using praziquantel-focused policy for schistosomiasis control and proposes new ways to shift from control to elimination. It suggests adopting a diversified approach and emphasizes the importance of co-creating strategies with affected communities to achieve the goals of schistosomiasis control and elimination.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Olivier Rey, Eve Toulza, Cristian Chaparro, Jean-Francois Allienne, Julien Kincaid-Smith, Eglantine Mathieu-Begne, Fiona Allan, David Rollinson, Bonnie L. Webster, Jerome Boissier
Summary: The study found that there is low genetic diversity within Schistosoma haematobium species, with most samples showing signs of past introgression with Schistosoma bovis. The results strongly suggest that the introgression occurred a long time ago and was unidirectional from S. bovis within S. haematobium.
Article
Immunology
Mark S. Pearson, Bemnet A. Tedla, Luke Becker, Rie Nakajima, Al Jasinskas, Takafira Mduluza, Francisca Mutapi, Claude Oeuvray, Beatrice Greco, Javier Sotillo, Philip L. Felgner, Alex Loukas
Summary: Despite the lack of a vaccine for schistosomiasis, a study found that praziquantel treatment can induce an immune response termed Drug-Induced Vaccination (DIV) in some patients, leading to immunologic resistance to reinfection. Antibody responses in DIV subjects were significantly elevated compared to chronically infected (CI) subjects, with one particular antigen, a cystatin cysteine protease inhibitor, standing out as a unique target of DIV IgG. Vaccination with recombinant cystatin significantly reduced egg burdens in a mouse model, showing promise for a drug-linked vaccination approach to controlling schistosomiasis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Joaquin Salas-Coronas, Maria Dolores Bargues, Ana Belen Lozano-Serrano, Patricio Artigas, Alberto Martinez-Orti, Santiago Mas-Coma, Sergio Merino-Salas, Jose Ignacio Abad Vivas-Perez
Summary: Evidence of autochthonous transmission of urogenital schistosomiasis was presented in Almeria, Spain in 2003, affecting 4 out of 5 farmers who bathed in an irrigation pool. DNA sequencing confirmed that the local vector species were identical to those found in Senegal. Although no new cases have been reported, there may have been unnoticed cases due to asymptomatic or mild symptoms.
TRAVEL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Gregorio Basile, Francesca Tamarozzi, Joaquin Salas-Coronas, Manuel Jesus Soriano-Perez, Pilar Luzon-Garcia, Lucia Moro, Spinello Antinori, Marta Arsuaga, Alessandro Bartoloni, Lina Rachele Tomasoni, Federico Giovanni Gobbi, Carsten Koehler, Fernando Salvador, Cristina Bocanegra, Lorenzo Zammarchi
Summary: This study investigated the clinical presentations and management strategies of complicated urogenital schistosomiasis. The study found an underdiagnosis of this condition, with hydronephrosis being the most frequently observed complication and most patients requiring surgical management. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of common protocols for early diagnosis and treatment.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Justin R. Kingery, Andrea Chalem, Crispin Mukerebe, Peter S. Shigella, Donald Miyaye, Ruth G. Magawa, Maureen Ward, Samuel E. Kalluvya, Jason McCormick, Jane K. Maganga, Soledad Colombe, Christine Aristide, Paul L. A. M. Corstjens, Myung Hee Lee, John M. Changalucha, Jennifer A. Downs
Summary: This study characterized immune cell populations in cervical brushings of women with and without Schistosoma mansoni infection. The results showed lower frequencies of natural killer T cells and higher frequencies of CD14(+) monocytes in infected women.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Cristin Alexis Fergus, Bono Ozunga, Noah Okumu, Melissa Parker, Solomon Kamurari, Tim Allen
Summary: The combination of participatory systems mapping and individual-based modeling is an effective strategy to integrate the perspectives of national and subnational policymakers and practitioners into the development of evidence for decision-making in global health.
Article
Infectious Diseases
H. Rafferty, A. S. Sturt, C. R. Phiri, E. L. Webb, M. Mudenda, J. Mapani, P. L. A. M. Corstjens, G. J. van Dam, A. Schaap, H. Ayles, R. J. Hayes, L. van Lieshout, I Hansingo, A. L. Bustinduy
Summary: Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a neglected tropical gynaecological disease caused by Schistosoma haematobium. This study identified an association between FGS and positive visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), suggesting a potential causal relationship that warrants further longitudinal studies.
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Nur Alia Johari, Dhekra Amin Annuzaili, Hani Farouk El-Talabawy, Maryam Ba-Break, Abdulsalam M. Al-Mekhlafi, Samira Al-Eryani, Abdulhakim Ali Alkohlani, Albis Francesco Gabrielli, Riadh Ben-Ismail, Sami Alhaidari, Adel Muaydh, Rasheed Alshami, Magid AL Gunaid, Alaa Hamed, Nehad Kamel, Karen Palacio, Fiona Fleming, Michael Duncan French
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive mapping of schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, and anemia in Yemen, revealing the significant public health burden caused by these diseases. The findings and recommendations of this study will inform national control and elimination programs for these neglected tropical diseases in Yemen.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Amy J. Davis, Marianne Gagnier, Ariane Masse, Kathleen M. Nelson, Jordona D. Kirby, Ryan Wallace, Xiaoyue Ma, Christine Fehlner-Gardiner, Richard B. Chipman, Amy T. Gilbert
Summary: This study examined the occurrence of rabies virus in wild carnivore populations in the northeastern USA and southeastern Quebec, Canada from 2008 to 2018. It found that the management of rabies through oral rabies vaccination (ORV) was the main driver in reducing the occurrence of rabies in the area.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Paul Ogongo, Ruth K. Nyakundi, Gerald K. Chege, Lucy Ochola
Summary: This article discusses the pivotal value of experimental animal models in the control and elimination of schistosomiasis. These models play a critical role in testing and validating control interventions, evaluating vaccine efficacy, and assessing diagnostic sensitivity.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mohammad H. Alharbi, Cynthia Iravoga, Sekeleghe A. Kayuni, Lucas Cunningham, E. James LaCourse, Peter Makaula, J. Russell Stothard
Summary: This study reveals the new diversity of Bulinus africanus group snails in Lake Malawi and provides insights into the recent changes in the epidemiology of urogenital schistosomiasis.
TROPICAL MEDICINE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Egie E. Enabulele, Roy N. Platt, Ehizogie Adeyemi, Esther Agbosua, Martin S. O. Aisien, Oluwaremilekun G. Ajakaye, Mahmud U. Ali, Ebube C. Amaechi, Tolulope E. Atalabi, Timothy Auta, Oluwaseun B. Awosolu, Adamu G. Dagona, Omoyemwen Edo-Taiwo, Chika E. P. Ejikeugwu, Christopher Igbeneghu, Victor S. Njom, Mary-Kate N. Orji, Funso O. P. Oyinloye, Habibat J. Ozemoka, Uchenna Ugah, Timothy J. C. Anderson
Summary: Despite the ongoing administration of praziquantel in Nigeria, urogenital schistosomiasis remains prevalent with heavy intensity of infection. Large-scale epidemiological monitoring is required to monitor the efficacy of schistosomiasis control in Nigeria.
Editorial Material
Immunology
J. Russell Stothard, Bonnie L. Webster
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mateusz Konczal, Karolina J. Przesmycka, Ryan S. Mohammed, Christoph Hahn, Jo Cable, Jacek Radwan
Summary: Hybridization plays a significant role in the success of parasites, with hybrid vigor potentially diluted by subsequent generations. A 'frozen hybrid' genotype has invaded natural populations of Gyrodactylus turnbulli, with surprisingly high nucleotide diversity discrepancies between Trinidad and Tobago. The presence of highly heterozygous hybrids on Tobago is maintained by clonal reproduction, suggesting a selective advantage compared to native genotypes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Willow Smallbone, Amy Ellison, Simon Poulton, Cock van Oosterhout, Joanne Cable
Summary: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a crucial role in infectious disease resistance, with certain MHC alleles and supertypes associated with resistance to specific parasite species. Depletion of MHC diversity in farmed and domesticated fish leads to increased susceptibility to infections, where supertype delineation captures some, but not all, of the immune function variation among alleles.
Article
Parasitology
Mohamed Mohamed El-Naggar, Richard C. Tinsley, Jo Cable
Summary: Parasites undergo significant morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes in different life stages to adapt to changing habitats. This also applies to ectoparasites like monogeneans, with distinct variations in the timing of the switch from larvae to adult tegument. These findings demonstrate the complexity of morphological transitions in parasites within the Monogenea group.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Joanna James, John R. Thomas, Alberto Maceda-Veiga, Robbie Mitchell, Ian P. Vaughan, Jo Cable
Summary: Invasive species' interactions can be affected by environmental factors such as nitrate levels, which may influence their foraging efficiency and competitive behaviors. In this study, elevated nitrate levels had varying impacts on two invasive crayfish species, suggesting potential changes in interactions and dynamics in sympatric regions.
Article
Parasitology
Rhi Hunt, Jo Cable, Amy Ellison
Summary: Understanding and utilizing the behaviors of parasites, such as fish lice, could improve control strategies. The off-host behavior of Argulus foliaceus shows a diurnal pattern and a strong attraction to light, which could potentially be used to trap the parasites and reduce their activity in aquaculture settings.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nadia Marascio, Maria Teresa Loria, Angelo Giuseppe Lamberti, Grazia Pavia, Neill James Adams, Angela Quirino, Francesca Divenuto, Maria Mazzitelli, Giuseppe Greco, Enrico Maria Trecarichi, Francesca Perandin, Zeno Bisoffi, Bonnie L. Webster, Maria Carla Liberto, Carlo Torti, Giovanni Matera
Summary: This text discusses the discovery of atypical Schistosoma haematobium eggs in a bladder biopsy from an African migrant with severe Schistosomiasis, and the identification of a S. haematobium-Schistosoma bovis hybrid through mitochondrial and genomic DNA amplification. Phylogenetic analysis grouped this hybrid sequence with others from western Africa.
JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roy N. Platt, Winka Le Clec'h, Frederic D. Chevalier, Marina McDew-White, Philip T. LoVerde, Rafael Ramiro de Assis, Guilherme Oliveira, Safari Kinung'hi, Amadou Garba Djirmay, Michelle L. Steinauer, Anouk Gouvras, Muriel Rabone, Fiona Allan, Bonnie L. Webster, Joanne P. Webster, Aidan M. Emery, David Rollinson, Timothy J. C. Anderson
Summary: The blood fluke parasite, Schistosoma mansoni, was introduced into the Americas from Africa during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Research shows that the parasite successfully adapted to the snail intermediate host in South America, without facing significant population bottlenecks or barriers to colonization. Furthermore, genetic analysis indicates differences in gene selection between the Americas and Africa, suggesting adaptation during colonization.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Toby Landeryou, Muriel Rabone, Fiona L. Allan, Rosie Maddren, David M. Rollinson, Bonnie M. Webster, Louis-Albert Tchuem-Tchuente, Roy Anderson, Aidan Emery
Summary: Global anthropogenic changes have led to the geographical distribution of schistosomiasis, resulting in the formation of hybrid populations between S. guineensis and S. haematobium. This study explores the genomics behind hybrid viability and adaptation in Schistosoma hybrids through genome-wide analysis. The findings highlight adaptive loci that contribute to the increased fitness and viability of hybrid populations. Understanding the impact of hybridisation on disease dynamics is crucial for effective control interventions.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Andreas J. Stroehlein, Pasi K. Korhonen, V. Vern Lee, Stuart A. Ralph, Margaret Mentink-Kane, Hong You, Donald P. McManus, Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuente, J. Russell Stothard, Parwinder Kaur, Olga Dudchenko, Erez Lieberman Aiden, Bicheng Yang, Huanming Yang, Aidan M. Emery, Bonnie L. Webster, Paul J. Brindley, David Rollinson, Bill C. H. Chang, Robin B. Gasser, Neil D. Young
Summary: Urogenital schistosomiasis, caused by the blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium, affects over 100 million people globally. Research on the genome of S. haematobium reveals important biological and disease traits, which can contribute to improved control of the disease.
Article
Infectious Diseases
John Archer, Farhan K. Patwary, Amy S. Sturt, Emily L. Webb, Comfort Rutty Phiri, Tobias Mweene, Richard J. Hayes, Helen Ayles, Eric A. T. Brienen, Lisette van Lieshout, Bonnie L. Webster, Amaya L. Bustinduy
Summary: Female genital schistosomiasis is a neglected and disabling gynecological disease, and current diagnostic methods are costly and unreliable. This study evaluated a rapid and portable molecular diagnostic method with simplified sample preparation to diagnose this disease.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tom Pennance, Shaali Makame Ame, Amour Khamis Amour, Khamis Rashid Sulelman, Mtumweni Ali Muhsin, Fatma Kabole, Said Mohammed Ali, John Archer, Fiona Allan, Aidan Emery, Muriel Rabone, Stefanie Knopp, David Rollinson, Joanne Cable, Bonnie L. Webster
Summary: This study re-assesses the epidemiology of schistosomiasis on Pemba and Unguja islands and investigates the role and genetic diversity of Bulinus spp. snails involved in transmission. The findings show that B. nasutus could also play a role in the local transmission of S. haematobium and that the presence of S. bovis complicates the environmental surveillance of schistosome infections.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Tom Pennance, M. Ines Neves, Bonnie L. Webster, Charlotte M. Gower, Stefanie Knopp, Iddi Simba Khamis, Shaali M. Ame, Said M. Ali, Muriel Rabone, Aidan Emery, Fiona Allan, Mtumweni Ali Muhsin, Khamis Rashid Suleiman, Fatama Kabole, Martin Walker, David Rollinson, Joanne P. Webster
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of elimination interventions on the genetic composition of Schistosoma haematobium populations. The results showed little differential impact of different treatment arms on genetic diversity and inbreeding, but significant differences were observed between the islands and within each island in terms of infection intensity.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Bruno Senghor, Bonnie Webster, Tom Pennance, Mariama Sene, Souleymane Doucoure, Doudou Sow, Cheikh Sokhna
Summary: Bulinus senegalensis and Bulinus umbilicatus, two sympatric freshwater snails found in temporal ponds in Senegal, were collected and analyzed to determine their role in transmitting Schistosoma species. The results showed that B. senegalensis transmitted S. bovis and S. haematobium-S. bovis hybrids, while B. umbilicatus only transmitted S. haematobium. These findings highlight the importance of mapping, surveillance, and treatment of at-risk populations affected by multiple Bulinus species in Senegal.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)