Publications by authors named "Mu Xin Chen"

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) molecules on the surface of red blood cells play an important regulatory role in the invasion of merozoites of apicomplexan protozoa. Heparan sulfate, a type of GAG molecule, has been identified as an important receptor facilitating the invasion of red blood cells by these parasites. Proteins in the parasite that exhibit strong affinity for heparin may play a pivotal role in this invasion process.

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  • Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are prevalent worldwide, making it essential for governments to understanding their impact for effective healthcare planning and resource allocation.
  • An analysis of the GBD 2021 data showed a significant decline in various URI metrics (incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability) from 1990 to 2021, particularly affecting the elderly and young children.
  • Future projections indicate a rise in URI incidence and prevalence from 2022 to 2050, while mortality rates are expected to decline, highlighting ongoing public health challenges, especially related to factors like low birth weight.
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  • * Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, the research analyzed trends in incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for various forms of HIV-related TB from 1990 to 2021.
  • * In 2021, the rates showed that HIV-DS-TB had the highest incidence and mortality rates compared to HIV-MDR-TB and HIV-XDR-TB, with significant increases in the incidence and mortality of multi-drug resistant and extensively drug-resistant forms over the study
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  • Previous studies suggested a link between inflammatory cytokines and tuberculosis (TB), but this research aimed to clarify that relationship using Mendelian randomization analyses with data from genetic studies and TB cases.
  • The analysis found a positive causal relationship between interleukin-7 levels and TB risk, while negative associations were identified for several factors, including macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha and interleukins 2 and 2 receptor alpha.
  • This study enhances our understanding of TB mechanisms and may lead to new ways to identify potential treatments or interventions.
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Background: Blastocystis hominis (Bh) is zoonotic parasitic pathogen with a high prevalent globally, causing opportunistic infections and diarrhea disease. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection disrupts the immune system by depleting CD4 T lymphocyte (CD4 T) cell counts, thereby increasing Bh infection risk among persons living with HIV (PLWH). However, the precise association between Bh infection risk and HIV-related biological markers and treatment processes remains poorly understood.

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Introduction: is the dominant species responsible for human babesiosis, which is associated with severe hemolytic anemia and splenomegaly because it infects mammalian erythrocytes. The actual prevalence of is thought to have been substantially underestimated.

Methods: In this study, Bagg's albino/c (BALB/c) mice were intraperitoneally injected with -infected erythrocytes, and parasitemia was subsequently measured by calculating the proportion of infected erythrocytes.

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Background: There is a raising concern of a higher infectious Omicron BA.2 variant and the latest BA.4, BA.

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is a protozoan that infects red blood cells. Babesiosis is becoming a new global threat impacting human health. Rhoptry neck proteins (RONs) are proteins located at the neck of the rhoptry and studies indicate that these proteins play an important role in the process of red blood cell invasion.

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Fascioliasis has emerged as a significant public health problem among ruminants and humans. Human fascioliasis is a neglected food-borne parasitic disease, which has emerged or reemerged in more than 60 countries worldwide. In China, the first case of human fascioliasis was reported in 1921 in Fujian Province.

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The development of a method to rapidly diagnose Neospora caninum infection is highly desirable. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), combined with lateral flow (LF) strips, is a novel approach to rapidly amplify and visualize DNA. We have developed a prototype LF-RPA assay, using primers and a probe that targeted a specific sequence in the N.

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Background: Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is one of the most complex parasitic diseases known to humankind. It usually occurs in endemic areas in Africa, but is occasionally detected in returning travelers and migrants in non-endemic countries.

Case Presentation: In August 2017, a case of HAT was diagnosed in China in a traveler returning from the Masai Mara area in Kenya and the Serengeti area in Tanzania.

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Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a heterogeneous group of mainly chronic, debilitating and often stigmatizing diseases that largely affects low-income and politically marginalized populations, causing a large burden of public health, social and economies in the NTDs endemic countries. NTDs are caused by infections with a range of pathogen, including bacteria, parasites, protozoa and viruses. The accurate diagnosis of NTDs is important for reducing morbidity, preventing mortality and for monitoring of control programs.

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Background: Fasciolopsis buski is a zoonotic intestinal fluke infecting humans and pigs, but it has been seriously neglected. It is yet to know whether there is any genetic diversity among F. buski from different geographical locations, particularly in sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and mitochondrial (mt) DNA.

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Background: Accurate detection of blood protozoa from clinical samples is important for diagnosis, treatment and control of related diseases. In this preliminary study, a novel DNA microarray system was assessed for the detection of Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia in humans, animals, and vectors, in comparison with microscopy and PCR data. Developing a rapid, simple, and convenient detection method for protozoan detection is an urgent need.

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Objective: To analyze sequence variation and construct phylogenetic tree based on 18S ribosomal DNA among five species of Plasmodium in Yunnan border between China and Myanmar and other areas.

Methods: Blood samples (or DNA samples)from malaria patients were collected from 2000 to 2015 in Yunnan border and Myanmar and other areas. DNA was extracted from blood samples, and the 18S rDNA fragment was amplified, sequenced and aligned with relevant sequences available in the GenBank.

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[Application of DNA Microarray Technology in Human Trypanosomiasis Research].

Zhongguo Ji Sheng Chong Xue Yu Ji Sheng Chong Bing Za Zhi

August 2016

With the rapid development of molecular biological techniques, DNA microarray has shown great advantage in biology and medicine as it allows high-throughput measurement of various biological parameters. Trypanosomiasis remains the focus among numerous human blood parasitic diseases. The DNA microarray is a useful technique for studying the trypanosome genome and parasite-host interaction, as well as for vaccine screening and drug development.

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Angiostrongyliasis is difficult to be diagnosed for the reason that no ideal method can be used. Serologic tests require specific equipment and are not always available in poverty-stricken zone and are time-consuming. A lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) may be useful for angiostrongyliasis control.

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Objective: To evaluate the effects of 3 kinds of ELISA reagents on the detection of human paragonimiasis.

Methods: A total of 45 serum samples from patients with paragonimiasis, 218 serum samples from patients with other parasitic diseases as well as 80 serum samples from healthy people were detected by GD-ELISA (IgG antigen ELISA detection reagent), ESELISA (using excretory/secretory (ES) products of ), and sAg-ELISA (using semi-purified antigen (sAg) of ), respectively. The effects of the 3 reagents were evaluated and compared.

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Fasciolopsis buski is a food-borne zoonotic parasite which is transmitted by aquatic plants, with pigs and humans as the definitive hosts. The objective of the present study was to characterize the microRNA (miRNA) profiles of this parasite by Solexa deep sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Approximately 12 million high-quality reads were obtained from adult F.

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Objective: To immunoscreen the gene encoding thioredoxin peroxidase (TPx) from a cDNA library made from adult Fasciola gigantica worms, clone and express the gene, and evaluate the immunodiagnostic value of TPx recombinant protein.

Methods: The A ZAP cDNA library was immunoscreened with pooled serum of fascioliasis gigantica patients. The obtained positive clones were sequenced and analyzed by multiple sequence alignment.

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Objective: To establish A1E3 and B1C4 monoclonal antibody-based ELISA for detecting circulating antigen of Schistosoma japonicum and explore its application value in the field.

Methods: The characteristics of A1E3 and B1C4 monoclonal antibodies were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The SEA-based ELISA was used to evaluate the titers of A1E3 and B1C4.

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Background: Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health problem in affected countries, and routine, highly sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic methods are lacking. We evaluated two immunodiagnostic techniques for the detection of Schistosoma japonicum infections: circulating antibody and circulating antigen assays.

Methods: A total of 1864 individuals (between 6 and 72 years old) residing in five administrative villages in Hubei province were screened by serum examination with an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA).

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Fascioliasis is a common parasitic disease in livestock in China. However, human fascioliasis is rarely reported in the country. Here we describe an outbreak of human fascioliasis in Yunnan province.

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Objective: To evaluate the effect of 3 ELISA kits on detection of human fasciolasis.

Methods: Twenty-six serum samples from patients with fasciolasis, 180 serum samples from patients with other parasitic diseases as well as 26 serum samples from healthy people were detected by ELISA kits which using soluble antigen of Fasciola gigantica, Fasciola hepatica (Fg-ELISA and Fh-ELISA) as well as IgG antigen ELISA detection kits made by DRG company in Germany. The effects of the 3 kits were evaluated.

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Objective: To establish the experimental animal model for the study of Babesia microti.

Methods: BALB/c mice, immunosuppressive BALB/c mice, SCID mice and NOD-SCID mice were inoculated with B. microti-infected red blood cells (RBC) by intraperitoneal injection respectively.

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