Publications by authors named "Zhuowei Ma"

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a growing threat to companion animals, especially dogs, due to the increasing abundance of tick populations in Europe, driven by climate change, urbanization, and the mobility of humans and animals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in clinically ill dogs suspected of having developed TBDs during the autumn-winter season, as well as to detect pathogens in ticks collected during the same period in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in Poland. A total of 30 dogs with clinical symptoms of babesiosis and 45 ticks from dogs were acquired for this study.

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Article Synopsis
  • Current chemical drugs are ineffective for tick control and there are no effective vaccines, leading to the urgent need for new control strategies.
  • Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have potential to help control parasites, but their effectiveness is limited by challenges in getting them to the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC).
  • This study developed a delivery system using chitosan nanoparticles to successfully transfect siRNAs into parasites, which reduced target gene expression and inhibited parasite growth, opening new avenues for gene therapy and understanding host-parasite interactions.
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Dog owners are greatly concerned about tick infestations in their pets. The prevalence and dispersion of ticks and their disease-causing microorganisms have been limited from the viewpoint of dog owners in Vietnam. This study investigated the presence of tick infestation and the pathogens associated with it in canines that were brought to veterinary hospitals in Vietnam.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cats in Türkiye are significant hosts for various vector-borne haemopathogens, but there is limited research on these pathogens among companion animals.
  • A study analyzed 250 blood samples from cats, revealing that 16% were infected with haemopathogens, with low prevalence rates for piroplasm, Mycoplasma, and Bartonella species, while no Anaplasma/Ehrlichia or Rickettsia were found.
  • The findings contribute important data regarding zoonotic risks associated with these infections and highlight specific strains of pathogens present in Turkish feline populations.
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Questing ticks carry various tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) that are responsible for causing tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in humans and animals around the globe, especially in the tropics and sub-tropics. Information on the distribution of ticks and TBPs in a specific geography is crucial for the formulation of mitigation measures against TBDs. Therefore, this study aimed to survey the TBPs in the questing tick population in Bangladesh.

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Introduction: Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a major hindrance to livestock production in countries with limited resources. Effective prevention and management of TBDs require a thorough understanding of disease vectors and pathogens. However, there is limited information on studies of bovine tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) using molecular methods in Malawi.

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Molecular surveillance of canine tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) in Bangladesh has constantly been undervalued. Therefore, the emergence of new pathogens often remains undetected. This study aimed to screen tick-borne pathogens in stray dogs and ticks in the Dhaka metropolitan area (DMA).

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Vector-borne diseases indulge in severe economic losses in the livestock industry by adversely affecting cattle breeding in tropical and subtropical zone countries, including Turkey, encompassing a wide land area representing diverse climatic conditions. This study aimed to investigate significant bovine tick-borne piroplasm, rickettsia, and some other bacterial agents by genus- or species-specific PCR and nested PCR techniques in Turkey. A total of 210 cattle blood samples were collected from sixteen provinces in different geographical regions of Turkey.

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Ticks play a pivotal role in propagating a diverse spectrum of infectious agents that detrimentally affect the health of both humans and animals. In the present study, a molecular survey was executed of piroplasmids in ticks collected from small ruminants in four districts within Konya province, Turkey. Microscopic examination identified 1281 adult ticks, which were categorized into 357 pools based on their species, sexes, host animals, and collection site before DNA extraction.

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The emergence of Tick-borne Anaplasma spp. poses a significant threat to humans and animals worldwide. Traditional surveys based on examining blood smears overlook the existence of emerging pathogens.

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Malaria remains one of the most significant health issues worldwide, accounting for 2.6% of the total global disease burden, and efforts to eliminate this threat continue. The key focus is to develop an efficient and long-term immunity to this disease via vaccination or therapeutic approach, and innovative strategies would enable us to achieve this target.

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Babesia gibsoni is mainly transmitted by hard ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus (R. sanguineus) and Haemaphysalis (H. longicornis), and causes canine babesiosis.

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Piroplasmosis, caused by spp. and spp., poses significant constraints for livestock production and upgradation in Bangladesh.

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Babesia gibsoni is an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan parasite transmitted by Haemaphysalis longicornis and causes canine babesiosis. Within the tick, the Babesia parasite undergoes sexual conjugation and the sporogony process of its life cycle. To control B.

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Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major hindrance to livestock production in pastoral communities of Africa. Although information on tick-borne infections is necessary for setting up control measures, this information is limited in the pastoral communities of Tanzania. Therefore, this study aimed to provide an overview of the tick-borne infections in the indigenous cattle of Tanzania.

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The protozoon is a blood parasite transmitted by hard ticks and commonly parasitizes ruminants such as cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. Babesiosis, the disease caused by infection, has been considered a potential threat to ruminant production due to the grave and enormous impact it brings. About 125 million ruminants are at risk of babesiosis in Southeast Asia (SEA), a region composed of 11 countries.

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The present study aimed to evaluate the anti- effect of MMV390048, a drug that inhibits by targeting the phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase (PI4K). The half inhibitory concentration (IC) of MMV390048 against the growth of was 6.9 ± 0.

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Diseases caused by tick-transmitted pathogens including bacteria, viruses, and protozoa are of veterinary and medical importance, especially in tropical and subtropical regions including Turkey. Hence, molecular surveillance of tick-borne diseases will improve the understanding of their distribution towards effective control. This study aimed to investigate the presence and perform molecular characterization of Babesia sp.

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