Publications by authors named "Chelsea N Davis"
Article Synopsis
- Research on extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their role in cross-species communication has gained momentum, particularly with the influence of parasitic helminths on host immune responses.
- Helminth-derived EVs are recognized as key players in these interactions, but the study of these vesicles faces unique challenges not found in mammalian models.
- To address these challenges, the authors propose best practices and a set of guidelines for the helminth research community, aiming to complement existing frameworks like MISEV and enhance understanding in the field.
The application of precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies will underpin new strategies to support the control of livestock disease. However, PLF technology is underexploited within the sheep industry compared to other livestock sectors, and research is essential to identify opportunities for PLF applications. These opportunities include the control of endemic sheep disease such as parasitic gastroenteritis, caused by gastrointestinal nematode infections, which is estimated to cost the European sheep industry EUR 120 million annually.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFis a neglected gastro-intestinal tapeworm, commonly infecting horses worldwide. Molecular investigation of is hampered by a lack of tools to better understand the host-parasite interface. This interface is likely influenced by parasite derived immune modulators released in the secretome as free proteins or components of extracellular vesicles (EVs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) surveying has potential to become a powerful tool for sustainable parasite control. As trematode parasites require an intermediate snail host that is often aquatic or amphibious to fulfil their lifecycle, water-based eDNA analyses can be used to screen habitats for the presence of snail hosts and identify trematode infection risk areas. The aim of this study was to identify climatic and environmental factors associated with the detection of Galba truncatula eDNA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Fascioliasis, caused by the trematodes Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, is a significant zoonotic disease impacting the livestock industry, costing over €2.5 billion each year.
- Researchers developed a new loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to quickly identify the freshwater snail Galba truncatula, which acts as an intermediate host for the trematodes, helping to monitor infection risks in livestock.
- The LAMP assay was effective, providing results in 30 minutes with comparable accuracy to traditional PCR methods, indicating its potential as a reliable tool for monitoring trematode infections in water sources.
Article Synopsis
- Fascioliasis is a widespread zoonotic disease affecting humans and livestock, primarily treated with anthelminthic drugs like triclabendazole (TCBZ) due to the lack of vaccines.
- Research on the extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by the parasitic flatworm Fasciola hepatica demonstrates that these EVs maintain their structure when exposed to TCBZ, but the parasite shows changes in its surface.
- The study finds that TCBZ treatment significantly increases the production of EVs from F. hepatica, which contain TCBZ and its metabolites, suggesting that these vesicles may play a role in detoxifying harmful substances.
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates the effectiveness of two methods for isolating extracellular vesicles (EVs) from the helminth pathogen Fasciola hepatica, comparing differential centrifugation (DC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC).
- - Results showed that SEC produced EVs that were smaller, purer, and had less contamination from excretory-secretory proteins (ESPs) compared to those purified through DC, which retained more diverse proteins.
- - The findings indicate that SEC is a superior method for EV purification and suggest it should be the preferred choice for future studies involving EVs to avoid issues with contamination.
Background: Increasing trematode prevalence and disease occurrence in livestock is a major concern. With the global spread of anthelmintic resistant trematodes, future control strategies must incorporate approaches focusing on avoidance of infection. The reliance of trematodes on intermediate snail hosts to successfully complete their life-cycle means livestock infections are linked to the availability of respective snail populations.
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