Publications by authors named "Janet Olivas"

Article Synopsis
  • The intestinal microbiota aids the hatching of whipworm eggs in mice by promoting structural changes in the eggs, crucial for the lifecycle of the parasite Trichuris muris.
  • Advanced microscopy techniques revealed that bacteria trigger the breakdown of polar plugs on the egg shells, allowing larvae to exit, and this process is optimized with high bacterial density.
  • The research highlights a unique relationship where both bacteria and larval enzymes work together to facilitate hatching, showcasing the evolutionary adaptation of the parasite to thrive in the mammalian gut environment.
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Article Synopsis
  • * Using advanced microscopy techniques, the research visualized the structural changes in the egg and larva during the hatching process, highlighting the role of bacteria in altering the egg's polar plugs.
  • * The findings suggest that whipworm larvae release chitinase to help degrade the plugs from inside the egg, indicating an evolutionary adaptation to thrive in the bacteria-rich environment of the mammalian gut.
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American tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) caused by is characterized by a spectrum of clinical presentations, ranging from localized cutaneous ulcers (CL), mucosal (ML), or disseminated (DL) disease, to a subclinical (SC) asymptomatic form. Current diagnosis based on parasite culture and/or microscopy lacks sensitivity and specificity. Previous studies showed that patients with CL and ML have very high levels of -specific anti-α-Gal antibodies.

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Article Synopsis
  • Parasites need to move through protein-rich barriers to infect mosquitoes and their vertebrate hosts, and they use human plasminogen to aid in this process.
  • The study finds that blocking the activation of plasminogen stops parasite development early in their life cycle, which occurs before a critical stage known as ookinete formation.
  • Increased levels of fibrinogen in the blood actually reduce the parasites' ability to infect mosquitoes, and the presence of plasmin on the surface of parasites enhances their movement, suggesting that targeting the fibrinolytic system could be a strategy to prevent transmission.
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Mosquito physiology and immunity are integral determinants of malaria vector competence. This includes the principal role of hormonal signaling in Anopheles gambiae initiated shortly after blood-feeding, which stimulates immune induction and promotes vitellogenesis through the function of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Previous studies demonstrated that manipulating 20E signaling through the direct injection of 20E or the application of a 20E agonist can significantly impact Plasmodium infection outcomes, reducing oocyst numbers and the potential for malaria transmission.

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Chagas disease (ChD), caused by the hemoflagellate parasite , affects six to seven million people in Latin America. Lately, it has become an emerging public health concern in nonendemic regions such as North America and Europe. There is no prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine as yet, and current chemotherapy is rather toxic and has limited efficacy in the chronic phase of the disease.

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Chagas disease (ChD), caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people worldwide. Chemotherapy is restricted to two drugs, which are partially effective and may cause severe side effects, leading to cessation of treatment in a significant number of patients. Currently, there are no biomarkers to assess therapeutic efficacy of these drugs in the chronic stage.

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