Prevalence of helmintic infections in Brazilian Maxakali indigenous: a repeated cross-sectional design.

Background: The prevalence of intestinal parasites is known to be high among Amerindian populations; further, there are serious problems in the healthcare of these populations in Brazil. The Maxakali, located in the northeastern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is an indigenous group that still preserves many of its cultural aspects. This study aimed to compare the positivity rate of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in this ethnic group in epidemiological surveys conducted in 1972 and 2014.

Evaluation of isotype-based serology for diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infection in individuals living in endemic areas with low parasite burden.

Intestinal schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating disease that affects public health systems worldwide. Control interventions to reduce morbidity primarily involve the diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals. However, the recommended Kato-Katz (KK) parasitological method shows low sensitivity in individuals with low parasite loads and is not useful for monitoring elimination of parasite transmission at later stages.

Identification and characterization of microRNAs in Biomphalaria tenagophila and comparative analysis of their expression in Schistosoma mansoni-resistant and -susceptible snail populations.

Background: Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Schistosoma and affects over 240 million people worldwide. One of the most prominent causative agents is Schistosoma mansoni, which develops inside the intermediate host. Biomphalaria tenagophila is the second most important vector of schistosomiasis in Brazil and the Taim population is completely resistant to infection by S.

Accuracy of the urine point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen assay for diagnosing Schistosomiasis mansoni infection in Brazil: A multicenter study.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends a market-ready, urine-based point-of-care diagnostic test for circulating cathodic antigens (CCA) to determine the prevalence of S. mansoni. This study evaluated the performance of the URINE CCA (SCHISTO) ECO TESTE® (POC-ECO), which is currently available in Brazil.

Reliability of point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen assay for diagnosing schistosomiasis mansoni in urine samples from an endemic area of Brazil after one year of storage at -20 degrees Celsius.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends reliable point-of-care (POC) diagnostic testing to eliminate schistosomiasis. Lateral flow immunoassay that detects schistosome circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) in urine to establish prevalence thresholds for intervention in endemic areas is recommended. Stored urine may be useful if surveying at-risk populations is delayed or interrupted by unforeseen circumstances, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

A Real-Time PCR Assay for the Diagnosis of Intestinal Schistosomiasis and Cure Assessment After the Treatment of Individuals With Low Parasite Burden.

The laboratorial diagnosis of the intestinal schistosomiasis is always performed using Kato-Katz technique. However, this technique presents low sensitivity for diagnosis of individuals with low parasite burden, which constitutes the majority in low endemicity Brazilian locations for the disease. The objective of this study was developed and to validate a real-time PCR assay (qPCR) targeting 121 bp sequence to detect spp.

Low specificity of point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POCCCA) diagnostic test in a non-endemic area for schistosomiasis mansoni in Brazil.

A point-of-care test for detecting schistosome circulating cathodic antigen in urine (POCCCA) has been proposed for mapping infection and defining prevalence thresholds for mass drug administration (MDA). However, there is increasing evidence that POCCCA may yield false-positive results, which requires rigorous specificity evaluation in non-endemic areas. POCCCA was applied in an area known to be free from infection and devoid of any condition for schistosomiasis transmission as part of a multicentre study to evaluate the performance of POCCCA in Brazil's low or potentially endemic settings.

Interaction of Biomphalaria cells in primary cultures with Schistosoma mansoni sporocysts.

Introduction: Biomphalaria snails may display varying levels of susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni infection. We have been developing an in vitro model to study the interaction between the snail and the parasite, using tissue-derived cell cultures from Biomphalaria.

Methods: The digestive gland- and kidney-derived cells from primary cultures of resistant (B.

Deep sequencing of small RNAs reveals the repertoire of miRNAs and piRNAs in Biomphalaria glabrata.

Background: Biomphalaria glabrata snails are widely distributed in schistosomiasis endemic areas like America and Caribe, displaying high susceptibility to infection by Schistosoma mansoni. After the availability of B. glabrata genome and transcriptome data, studies focusing on genetic markers and small non-coding RNAs have become more relevant.

Accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect infected individuals from an endemic area with low parasite loads.

Due to the efforts to control schistosomiasis transmission in tropical countries, a large proportion of individuals from endemic areas present low parasite loads, which hinders diagnosis of intestinal schistosomiasis by the Kato-Katz (KK) method. Therefore, the development of more sensitive diagnostic methods is essential for efficient control measures. The aim was to evaluate the accuracy of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect Schistosoma mansoni DNA in fecal samples of individuals with low parasite loads.

Transmission control of schistosomiasis mansoni in a low endemicity area through a single intervention with rigorous prospection of infected cases treated with praziquantel: evaluation after 7 years of intervention.

A prospective cohort study with rigorous searching for schistosomiasis cases was conducted among residents of Pedra Preta, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, seven years after an intervention. Kato-Katz (KK), Saline Gradient, Miracidia Hatch and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were used as the diagnostic methods in 2008. In the period of 2013-2016, 175 patients remaining in the area were examined using the diagnostic methods Kato-Katz (24 slides, 1 g of feces) and Saline Gradient (2 procedures, 1 g of feces).

Development of a natural molluscicide prototype kit (MoluSchall) for the control of schistosomiasis mansoni transmission.

Introduction: In Brazil, Biomphalaria glabrata, B. tenagophila, and B. straminea are intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni, the etiological agent of schistosomiasis mansoni.

The alkylaminoalkanethiosulfuric acids exhibit in-vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis: a new perspective for use of these schistosomicidal agents.

Unlabelled: The alkylaminoalkanethiosulfuric acids (AAATs) are amphipathic compounds effective against experimental schistosomiasis, of low toxicity, elevated bioavailability after a single oral dose and prompt tissue absorption.

Objectives: To explore the in-vitro antileishmanial potential of AAATs using five compounds of this series against Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis.

Methods: Their effects on promastigotes and axenic amastigotes, and cytotoxicity to macrophages were tested by the MTT method, and on Leishmania-infected macrophages by Giemsa stain.

Differential responses of epithelial cells from urinary and biliary tract to eggs of Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni.

Chronic urogenital schistosomiasis can lead to squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies the infection with S. haematobium as a group 1 carcinogen, a definitive cause of cancer.

Genome-wide identification, characterisation and expression profiling of the ubiquitin-proteasome genes in Biomphalaria glabrata.

Background: Biomphalaria glabrata is the major species used for the study of schistosomiasis-related parasite-host relationships, and understanding its gene regulation may aid in this endeavor. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) performs post-translational regulation in order to maintain cellular protein homeostasis and is related to several mechanisms, including immune responses.

Objective: The aims of this work were to identify and characterise the putative genes and proteins involved in UPS using bioinformatic tools and also their expression on different tissues of B.

IgE antibodies from schistosomiasis patients to recognize epitopes in potato apyrase.

Introduction: High percentages of structural identity and cross-immunoreactivity have been reported between potato apyrase and Schistosoma mansoni ATP diphosphohydrolase (SmATPDases) isoforms, showing the existence of particular epitopes shared between these proteins.

Methods: Potato apyrase was employed using ELISA, western blot, and mouse immunization methods to verify IgE reactivity.

Results: Most of the schistosomiasis patient's (75%) serum was seropositive for potato apyrase and this protein was recognized using western blotting, suggesting that parasite and plant proteins share IgE-binding epitopes.

Development of a laboratorial platform for diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni by PCR-ELISA.

Objective: We developed a laboratorial platform to release a commercial platform used in the PCR-ELISA for the molecular diagnosis of schistosomiasis mansoni. On following, PCR-ELISA platform laboratorial was evaluated in 206 feces samples collected of individual living in a Brazilian low endemicity area.

Results: The PCR-ELISA laboratorial platform indicated a prevalence rate of 25.

Evaluation of diagnostic methods for the detection of intestinal schistosomiasis in endemic areas with low parasite loads: Saline gradient, Helmintex, Kato-Katz and rapid urine test.

Background: In some tropical countries, such as Brazil, schistosomiasis control programs have led to a significant reduction in the prevalence and parasite burden of endemic populations. In this setting, the Kato-Katz technique, as the standard diagnostic method for the diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni infections, which involves the analysis of two slides from one fecal sample, loses its sensitivity. As a result, a significant number of infected individuals are not detected.

Schistosomiasis in the Amazon region: is the current diagnostic strategy still appropriate?

Introduction: This study analyzed the performance of the Kato Katz technique in detecting intestinal schistosomiasis in the State of Pará.

Methods: Of three stool samples provided by each of 380 participants, a total of 16 Kato Katz slides were examined to define the reference value (RV) of positives for comparisons.

Results: The RV revealed 37 (9.

Differential expression of small RNA pathway genes associated with the Biomphalaria glabrata/Schistosoma mansoni interaction.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 240 million people in 78 countries require treatment for schistosomiasis, an endemic disease caused by trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. In Brazil, Schistosoma mansoni is the only species representative of the genus whose passage through an invertebrate host, snails of the genus Biomphalaria, is obligatory before infecting a mammalian host, including humans. The availability of the genome and transcriptome of B.

Comparative sequence analysis reveals regulation of genes in developing schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni exposed to host portal serum.

Once inside a vertebrate host after infection, individual schistosomula of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni find a new and complex environment, which requires quick adjustments for survival, such as those that allow it to avoid the innate immune response of the host. Thus, it is very important for the parasite to remain within the skin after entering the host for a period of about 3 days, at which time it can then reach the venous system, migrate to the lungs and, by the end of eighth day post-infection, it reach the portal venous system, while undergoing minimal changes in morphology. However, after just a few days in the portal blood system, the parasite experiences an extraordinary increase in biomass and significant morphological alterations.

Ivermectin efficacy against Biomphalaria, intermediate host snail vectors of Schistosomiasis.

The impact of ivermectin on adult snails of the genus Biomphalaria (B. glabrata, B. tenagophila and B.