Echinococcus multilocularis delta/notch signalling components are expressed in post-mitotic cells.

Pluripotent somatic stem cells are the drivers of unlimited growth of Echinococcus multilocularis metacestode tissue within the organs of the intermediate host. To understand the dynamics of parasite proliferation within the host, it is therefore important to delineate basic mechanisms of Echinococcus stem cell maintenance and differentiation. We herein undertake the first step towards characterizing the role of an evolutionarily old metazoan cell-cell communication system, delta/notch signalling, in Echinococcus cell fate decisions.

Urogenital schistosomiasis among school children in northwestern Tanzania: Prevalence, intensity of infection, associated factors, and pattern of urinary tract morbidities.

Background: The planning and implementation of intervention measures against schistosomiasis, particularly mass administration, require knowledge of the current status of the infection. This is important for monitoring the impact of the intervention on disease indicators such as a decline in infection prevalence, intensity of infection, and urogenital morbidities. Following repeated rounds of mass treatment in northwestern Tanzania, the epidemiology of urogenital schistosomiasis has changed; thus, for the effective planning and allocation of resources, it is important to understand the current status of the disease in the targeted groups.

Functional outcome after interdisciplinary, acute rehabilitation in COVID-19 patients: a retrospective study.

Background: Survivors of severe COVID-19 often exhibit a variety of sequelae including loss of mobility and ADL (activities of daily living) capacity. Acute rehabilitation (AR) is an interdisciplinary rehabilitation intervention applied early while still in a hospital setting. The goal of AR is to improve functional limitations and to increase functional independence at discharge.

Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of larvae and germinative cell cultures reveals genes involved in parasite stem cell function.

The lethal zoonosis alveolar echinococcosis is caused by tumour-like growth of the metacestode stage of the tapeworm within host organs. We previously demonstrated that metacestode proliferation is exclusively driven by somatic stem cells (germinative cells), which are the only mitotically active parasite cells that give rise to all differentiated cell types. The gene repertoire required for germinative cell maintenance and differentiation has not been characterised so far.