Herminthology: promoting gender equity in science and parasitology.

Gender inequity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medicine (STEM) fields, including parasitology, continues to limit the participation of women in scientific leadership and development. Here we highlight the aims and activities of Herminthology, an initiative promoting the work of women in parasitology, alongside the current status quo of men and women scientists in the discipline.

Amplification and sequencing of entire tick mitochondrial genomes for a phylogenomic analysis.

The mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) has proven to be important for the taxonomy, systematics, and population genetics of ticks. However, current methods to generate mitogenomes can be cost-prohibitive at scale. To address this issue, we developed a cost-effective approach to amplify and sequence the whole mitogenome of individual tick specimens.

Acaricide resistance in livestock ticks infesting cattle in Africa: Current status and potential mitigation strategies.

In many African countries, tick control has recently been the responsibility of resource-poor farmers rather than central government veterinary departments. This has led to an increase in acaricide resistance, threatening the welfare of livestock farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. Resistance has evolved to the three classes of acaricides used most extensively in the continent, namely fourth-generation synthetic pyrethroids (SP), organophosphates (OP) and amidines (AM), in virtually all countries in which they have been deployed across the globe.

Detection of Antibodies to spp. in Dromedary Camels and Co-Grazing Sheep in Northern Kenya Using an Polyclonal Competitive ELISA.

A disease with clinical and post-mortem presentation similar to those seen in heartwater, a tick-borne disease of domestic and wild ruminants caused by the intracellular bacterium Ehrlichia ruminantium, was first reported in dromedary camels in Kenya in 2016; investigations carried out at the time to determine the cause were inconclusive. In the present study, we screened sera from Kenyan camels collected before (2015) and after (2020) the 2016 disease outbreak for antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. using an E.

Molecular survey of Babesia parasites in Kenya: first detailed report on occurrence of Babesia bovis in cattle.

Background: Among protozoan parasites in the genus Babesia, Babesia bigemina is endemic and widespread in the East African region while the status of the more pathogenic Babesia bovis remains unclear despite the presence of the tick vector, Rhipicephalus microplus, which transmits both species. Recent studies have confirmed the occurrence of R. microplus in coastal Kenya, and although B.

Molecular survey of cattle ticks in Burundi: First report on the presence of the invasive Rhipicephalus microplus tick.

A recent research study on prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Burundi reported high prevalence and endemicity of Theileria parva, Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina infections in cattle. Detailed information about tick species infesting animals, their distribution and genetic diversity in Burundi is outdated and limited. This study therefore assessed the prevalence and genetic diversity of tick species infesting cattle across agroecological zones (AEZs) in Burundi.

Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens Associated with Dromedary Camels () in Northern Kenya.

Ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are major constraints to camel health and production, yet epidemiological data on their diversity and impact on dromedary camels remain limited. We surveyed the diversity of ticks and TBPs associated with camels and co-grazing sheep at 12 sites in Marsabit County, northern Kenya. We screened blood and ticks (858 pools) from 296 camels and 77 sheep for bacterial and protozoan TBPs by high-resolution melting analysis and sequencing of PCR products.

Prevalence of tick-transmitted pathogens in cattle reveals that Theileria parva, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale are endemic in Burundi.

Background: Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) constitute a major constraint for livestock development in sub-Saharan Africa, with East Coast fever (ECF) being the most devastating TBD of cattle. However, in Burundi, detailed information is lacking on the current prevalence of TBDs and on the associated economic losses from mortality and morbidity in cattle as well as the costs associated with TBD control and treatment. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the prevalence and spatial distribution of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in cattle across the major agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Burundi.

Molecular prevalence of emerging Anaplasma and Ehrlichia pathogens in apparently healthy dairy cattle in peri-urban Nairobi, Kenya.

Background: Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species are tick-borne pathogens of both veterinary and public health importance. The current status of these pathogens, including emerging species such as Ehrlichia minasensis and Anaplasma platys, infecting cattle in Kenya, remain unclear, mainly because of limitation in the diagnostic techniques. Therefore, we investigated the Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species infecting dairy cattle in Nairobi, Kenya using molecular methods.

Molecular evidence confirms occurrence of Rhipicephalus microplus Clade A in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: The tick vector Rhipicephalus microplus which transmits Babesia spp. and rickettsial pathogens has not been reported in Kenya since 1998. More recently, the pathogenic Babesia bovis has been detected in cattle blood DNA.

Mitochondrial and nuclear multilocus phylogeny of Rhipicephalus ticks from Kenya.

The morphological diversity of African ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus and subgenus Boophilus have been studied in detail. However, their taxonomy remains poorly resolved with limited molecular studies performed to improve inter-species discrimination. Herein, ribosomal cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), 12S ribosomal DNA (12S rDNA) and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcriber spacer 2 (ITS2) were analyzed in Rhipicephalus tick populations in Kenya.

Argasid and ixodid systematics: Implications for soft tick evolution and systematics, with a new argasid species list.

The systematics of the genera and subgenera within the soft tick family Argasidae is not adequately resolved. Different classification schemes, reflecting diverse schools of scientific thought that elevated or downgraded groups to genera or subgenera, have been proposed. In the most recent classification scheme, Argas and Ornithodoros are paraphyletic and the placement of various subgenera remains uncertain because molecular data are lacking.

Transcriptomics reveal potential vaccine antigens and a drastic increase of upregulated genes during Theileria parva development from arthropod to bovine infective stages.

Theileria parva is a protozoan parasite transmitted by the brown ear tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus that causes East Coast fever (ECF) in cattle, resulting in substantial economic losses in the regions of southern, eastern and central Africa. The schizont form of the parasite transforms the bovine host lymphocytes into actively proliferating cancer-like cells. However, how T.

Mitochondrial phylogeography and population structure of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus in the African Great Lakes region.

Background: The ixodid tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus is the main vector of Theileria parva, wich causes the highly fatal cattle disease East Coast fever (ECF) in sub-Saharan Africa. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus populations differ in their ecology, diapause behaviour and vector competence. Thus, their expansion in new areas may change the genetic structure and consequently affect the vector-pathogen system and disease outcomes.

Genotypic variations in field isolates of Theileria species infecting giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi and Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) in Kenya.

Recently, mortalities among giraffes, attributed to infection with unique species of piroplasms were reported in South Africa. Although haemoparasites are known to occur in giraffes of Kenya, the prevalence, genetic diversity and pathogenicity of these parasites have not been investigated. In this study, blood samples from 13 giraffes in Kenya were investigated microscopically and genomic DNA extracted.

Transcriptional profiling of inflammatory cytokine genes in African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer) infected with Theileria parva.

Theileria parva (T. parva) causes East Coast fever (ECF), which is of huge economic importance to Eastern and Southern African countries. In a previous bovine model, inflammatory cytokines were closely associated with disease progression in animals experimentally infected with T.

Molecular detection and characterization of potentially new Babesia and Theileria species/variants in wild felids from Kenya.

Piroplasms frequently infect domestic and wild carnivores. At present, there is limited information on the occurrence and molecular identity of these tick-borne parasites in wild felids in Kenya. In 2009, a pair of captive lions (Panthare leo) was diagnosed with suspected babesiosis and mineral deficiency at an animal orphanage on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya.

Phylogeography and demographic history of Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius) (Acari: Ixodidae), the tropical bont tick.

The genetic diversity of Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius) from four Caribbean islands and five African countries was compared by analyzing the sequences of three gene fragments, two mitochondrial (12SrDNA and D-Loop-DL), and one nuclear (intergenic transcribed spacer 2 [ITS2]). Genetic variability of the ITS2 DNA fragment consisted of only uninformative single nucleotide mutations, and therefore this gene was excluded from further analyses. Mitochondrial gene divergences among African populations and between Caribbean and African populations were very low.

Early bactericidal activity of a moxifloxacin and isoniazid combination in smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis.

Background: In vitro and animal studies have shown that moxifloxacin-containing combinations may improve the bactericidal efficacy of antituberculosis regimens.

Patients And Methods: We measured the decline in the sputum viable count of 13 patients who were given a combination of moxifloxacin 400 mg daily and isoniazid 300 mg daily.

Results: The time required to reduce the viable count by 50% (vt50) was 0.