Detection of Leishmania infantum and Leishmania amazonensis in Bats From Endemic and Non-endemic Areas of São Paulo State, Brazil.

Aims: Leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in several regions of Brazil, a tropical country that presents specific environmental conditions that contribute to the development of phlebotomine vectors. This study aimed to detect Leishmania species in naturally infected bats from 17 municipalities in the São Paulo state.

Methods And Results: Spleen and liver samples from 203 bats were analysed by real-time PCR and confirmed by conventional PCR followed by gene sequencing.

in Bats (Chiroptera; Mammalia) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, São Paulo State.

The causative agent of Chagas disease is , which is widely distributed throughout the South American continent and extends into North America. Its occurrence in bats is poorly described and may impact the disease's maintenance and epidemiology. The aim of this study was to detect the agent by PCR assays targeting kDNA and nuclear DNA in the organs of 203 urban bats and rural vampire bats from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, São Paulo state, during the pandemic period from 2020 to 2022.

Balancing Act: Tubulin Glutamylation and Microtubule Dynamics in .

The success of the intracellular parasite in invading host cells relies on the apical complex, a specialized microtubule cytoskeleton structure associated with secretory organelles. The genome encodes three isoforms of both α- and β-tubulin, which undergo specific post-translational modifications (PTMs), altering the biochemical and biophysical proprieties of microtubules and modulating their interaction with associated proteins. Tubulin PTMs represent a powerful and evolutionarily conserved mechanism for generating tubulin diversity, forming a biochemical 'tubulin code' interpretable by microtubule-interacting factors.

Impact of Endemic Besnoitiosis on the Performance of a Dairy Cattle Herd.

This study aimed to assess the effect of infection on the reproductive and productive performance of a dairy cattle herd. A serological screening was performed by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) on every animal aged over one year ( = 262). Subsequently, 211 animals were clinically examined, with 96 of those being screened for detection of sclerocysts.

Characterization of a MOB1 Homolog in the Apicomplexan Parasite .

Monopolar spindle One Binder1 (MOB1) proteins are conserved components of the tumor-suppressing Hippo pathway, regulating cellular processes such as cytokinesis. Apicomplexan parasites present a life cycle that relies on the parasites' ability to differentiate between stages and regulate their proliferation; thus, Hippo signaling pathways could play an important role in the regulation of the apicomplexan life cycle. Here, we report the identification of one MOB1 protein in the apicomplexan .

Guidelines for the Detection of Rickettsia spp.

The genus Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) includes Gram-negative, small, obligate intracellular, nonmotile, pleomorphic coccobacilli bacteria transmitted by arthropods. Some of them cause human and probably also animal disease (life threatening in some patients). In these guidelines, we give clinical practice advices (microscopy, serology, molecular tools, and culture) for the microbiological study of these microorganisms in clinical samples.

Guidelines for the Detection of Babesia and Theileria Parasites.

The genera Babesia and Theileria (phylum Apicomplexa, order Piroplasmida) are mainly transmitted by Ixodid ticks in which the sexual part of their life cycle followed by sporogony takes place. They include protozoan parasites that infect erythrocytes of a variety of vertebrate hosts, including domestic and wild animals, with some Babesia spp. also infecting humans.

Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestations in cattle along Geba River basin in Guinea-Bissau.

Tick infestations are a major problem for animal production in tropical areas where prevention and control remain deficient. The present study sought to assess the awareness of traditional cattle producers towards the importance of ticks and aimed at the identification of tick species infesting bovines within the Geba River basin, Guinea-Bissau. Interviews with producers revealed that the majority directly correlates the presence of ticks with the occurrence of diseases in cattle.