Complete genome sequence of an enterotoxigenic strain 2-078382-3 from an infant with diarrhea.

This study presents that strain 2-078382-3, isolated from an infant with diarrhea, has a 5.2 million base pair chromosome with a 43.2% GC content and a 5,600 base pairs plasmid pBFP53 with a 39.

Selenomethionine alleviates T-2 toxin-induced articular chondrocyte ferroptosis via the system Xc/GSH/GPX4 axis.

T-2 toxin can induce bone and cartilage development disorder, and oxidative stress plays an important role in it. It is well known that selenomethionine (Se-Met) has antioxidative stress properties and promotes the repair of cartilage lesion, but it remains unclear whether Se-Met can relieve damaged cartilage exposure to T-2 toxin. Here, the oxidative stress and ferroptosis of chondrocytes exposure to T-2 toxin were observed.

Comparative Evaluation of Microscopy, Rapid Diagnostic Tests, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Malaria Diagnosis in Nigerian Children.

Background  Malaria, a persistent public health issue in Nigeria, particularly among children, is often complicated by misdiagnosis, hindering effective treatment and control. The global adoption of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria has significantly improved management. This study, therefore, compares the diagnostic performance of microscopy, RDT, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Plasmodium falciparum detection in children in Kano state, Nigeria, providing crucial insights for effective control and elimination.

Seasonal fluctuation of insecticide resistance mutation frequencies in field populations of Anopheles and Culex species in Korea.

Members of the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group, Culex pipiens complex, and Culex tritaeniorhynchus are prevalent vector species in the Republic of Korea (ROK), transmitting Plasmodium vivax and various arboviruses. Extensive use of insecticides to control these mosquitoes has led to insecticide resistance. In this study, we monitored 3 target site mutations associated with insecticide resistance (kdr for pyrethroid resistance, ace1 for organophosphate resistance, and rdl for phenylpyrazole resistance) in these mosquito groups over four consecutive years to understand the seasonal dynamics of resistance in different areas with distinct ecological characteristics.

Clinical characteristics of toxoplasmosis patients in Korea: A retrospective study using health insurance review and assessment service data and electronic medical records.

This study aimed to elucidate the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with toxoplasmosis in Korea. We collected and analyzed the specific research data of 5,917 patients from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA; 2007-2020) and 533 electronic medical records (EMRs; 2003-2021) of Korean patients. The HIRA data showed that toxoplasmosis is an endemic disease that occurs constantly in Korea, with a large proportion of patients complaining of ocular symptoms.

Painful mycetoma: a study to understand the risk factors in patients visiting the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) in Khartoum, Sudan.

Background: Mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease endemic to Sudan, is traditionally characterized as a painless condition. However, recent studies reporting painful mycetoma lesions have challenged this assumption. With limited reports in the medical literature regarding pain in mycetoma, this study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for painful mycetoma lesions in patients visiting the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) in Khartoum, Sudan.

Innovative technologies to address neglected tropical diseases in African settings with persistent sociopolitical instability.

The health, economic, and social burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa remains substantial, with elimination efforts hindered by persistent sociopolitical instability, including ongoing conflicts among political and ethnic groups that lead to internal displacement and migration. Here, we explore how innovative technologies can support Africa in addressing NTDs amidst such instability, through analysis of WHO and UNHCR data and a systematic literature review. Countries in Africa facing sociopolitical instability also bear a high burden of NTDs, with the continent ranking second globally in NTD burden (33%, 578 million people) and first in internal displacement (50%, 31.

The neurotoxic effect of Naja nubiae (Serpentes: Elapidae) venom from Sudan.

Background: Neurotoxicity is a common feature of elapid snake envenomation. There are limited studies on the toxicity of Naja nubiae venom, the Nubian spitting cobra, from north-east Africa.

Methods: We used the chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation to demonstrate the neurotoxic effect of N.

Diversity, Distribution, and Resistance Profiles of Bacterial Bloodstream Infections in Three Tertiary Referral Hospitals in Rwanda Between 2020 and 2022.

: The burden of bacterial bloodstream infections (BSIs) is rapidly increasing in Africa including Rwanda. : This is a retrospective study that investigates the diversity, distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of BSI bacteria in three tertiary referral hospitals in Rwanda between 2020 and 2022. : A total of 1532 blood culture tests were performed for visiting patients.

Analysis of factors influencing prevalence and malignancy of thyroid nodules in various iodine uptake areas.

Background: The prevalence of thyroid nodules (TNs) has been increasing rapidly. However, little is known about the drivers of its high prevalence and tendency of malignancy. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing the prevalence and malignancy of TNs in the adult population.

Identification of complex Plasmodium falciparum genetic backgrounds circulating in Africa: a multicountry genomic epidemiology analysis.

Background: The population structure of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum can reveal underlying adaptive evolutionary processes. Selective pressures to maintain complex genetic backgrounds can encourage inbreeding, producing distinct parasite clusters identifiable by population structure analyses.

Methods: We analysed population structure in 3783 P falciparum genomes from 21 countries across Africa, provided by the MalariaGEN Pf7 dataset.

The challenge of triple intestinal parasite infections in immigrants-A call for comprehensive differential diagnosis.

Key Clinical Message: Screening for parasitic infections among displaced populations including migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons is crucial to prevent long-term complications associated with untreated infections. Additionally, prompt treatment with appropriate medications like praziquantel and albendazole can lead to significant improvement and successful patient outcomes. This case highlights the necessity of heightened awareness, early detection, and effective management of parasitic infections to enhance public health efforts and minimize the spread of these diseases.

Fecal and Sputum Microbiota and Treatment Response in Patients with Mycobacterium abscessus Pulmonary Disease.

Background: The microbiota is a potential source of biomarkers for clinical outcomes in chronic respiratory conditions, but its role in Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary disease (PD) remains unexplored. We aimed to identify microbial signatures in fecal and sputum microbiotas associated with treatment response in patients with M. abscessus PD.

Co-adjuvanting Nod2-stimulating bacteria with a TLR7 agonist elicits potent protective immunity against respiratory virus infection.

Objectives: This study investigates the synergistic effect of combining the TLR7 agonist Imiquimod with either the Nod2 agonist (muramyl dipeptide; MDP) or commensal bacteria as nasal vaccine adjuvants to enhance immunity against respiratory viruses.

Methods: Mice assessed immune responses, including antibody and cytokine profiles, after intranasal immunization with antigen and adjuvant combinations. BMDCs were cultured with these components to measure cytokine production.

Mpox in East Africa: Learning from COVID-19 and Ebola to Strengthen Public Health Responses.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) in Africa. African public health systems have moved to mobilize a response against a backdrop of inherent significant challenges. With this commentary, we discuss how lessons from past public health emergencies, particularly COVID-19 and Ebola outbreaks, have prepared the region for improved disease surveillance, rapid response strategies, and effective public health communication and how these lessons can be applied to the mpox response, emphasizing the importance of strong healthcare infrastructure, effective data sharing, community engagement, targeted interventions, and robust contact tracing.

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate Apoptosis and Oxidative Stress of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Through Activation of Nrf2 Signaling Pathway.

To examine the potential protective effects of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (ASC-EVs) on ARPE-19 cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (HO) stress and to evaluate their ability to delay retinal degeneration in Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats. ARPE-19 cells were pre-treated with ASC-EVs for 24 h, followed by exposure to 200 μM HO for an additional 24 h. RCS rats received an intravitreal injection of phosphate-buffered saline in one eye and ASC-EVs in the other eye.

Protein folding dependence on selenoprotein M contributes to steady cartilage extracellular matrix repressing ferroptosis via PERK/ATF4/CHAC1 axis.

Objective: Initiation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is pivotal to the advancement of osteoarthritis (OA). We aimed to explore the function of ER-resident selenoprotein M (SELM) in cartilage-forming chondrocytes, investigating how SELM participates in cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism and ER stress modulation.

Methods: Articular cartilage samples with knee OA undergoing total knee arthroplasty were categorised into OA-smooth and OA-damaged groups, with primary chondrocytes extracted from smooth areas.

Discovery of a Small-Molecule Inhibitor Targeting the Biofilm Regulator BrpT in .

, an opportunistic human pathogen, employs biofilm formation as a key survival and virulence mechanism. BrpT, a transcriptional regulator, is essential for biofilm development by regulating the expression of biofilm-related genes. In this study, we aimed to identify a small molecule inhibitor of BrpT to combat biofilm formation.

Development of molecular diagnostic protocols for simultaneous identification of common bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) and tropical bed bugs (Cimex hemipterus).

Background: The resurgence of two bed bug species, the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius Linnaeus, 1758) and tropical bed bug (Cimex hemipterus Fabricius, 1803), in the same geographical regions has been frequently reported recently. Consequently, the rapid identification of these species is crucial for implementing targeted capture traps and tailored pyrethroid resistance diagnosis, due to differences in genetic and physiological traits.

Methods: To develop molecular diagnostic methods, distinct protocols were established for multiplex PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) using species-specific primers based on species-specific segments of internal transcribed spacer 2 sequences.