Antiparasitic activity of Cerastes cerastes venom on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice‏.

This study investigates whether Cerastes cerastes venom (CCV) administrated at different doses (3 and 6μg/mouse) and times (a week pre-infection, the first week post-infection, and the fifth week post-infection) possesses antischistosomal activity on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. The results showed that treatment with half lethal dose (6 μg/mouse) of CCV, at various time schedules, led to a significant decrease in the total worm burden. However, quarter lethal dose (3μg/mouse) of CCV showed a significant decrease in the total worm burden only when administered a week pre-infection.

Brief report: Chronic murine schistosomiasis causes aberrant hemostasis.

Schistosomiasis afflicts >250 million people worldwide, leading to an annual loss of >3 million disability-adjusted life years. Schistosoma mansoni causes intestinal schistosomiasis with parasite eggs either transversing intestinal tissue or lodging within the liver and other organs, causing intestinal hemorrhage and liver pathology. Large (∼1 cm) adult worms survive for years within blood vessels, but we lack a clear understanding of their impact on hemostasis.

Potential anti-schistosomal effect of Daflon, a repurposed drug targeting different stages of Schistosome maturity.

Despite the long history of experimental trials to combat schistosomiasis, it remains a significant burden due to drug resistance and the effectiveness of the standard treatment only against the mature stage, while skipping other early developmental stages thus leading to severe permanent pathological sequelae. Therefore, repurposing a commonly used well-known safe drug would be a wise alternative. We investigated the potential anti-schistosomal drug activity of Daflon® (DAF) against different schistosomal developmental stages.

IRF4 regulates myeloid-derived suppressor cells expansion and function in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice.

Background: Interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) is a crucial member of the IRF family of transcription factors and is pivotal in orchestrating the body's defense against tumors and infections by modulating the differentiation and functionality of immune cells. The role of IRF4 in mice during Schistosoma japonicum infection, as well as the effects of IRF4 deficiency on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), remains inadequately understood.

Methods: Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate the pathological damage in different organs of mice following infection with S.

Schistosome esophageal gland factor MEG-8.2 drives host cell lysis and interacts with host immune proteins.

Schistosomes are blood flukes that ingest large amounts of host blood during their intra-mammalian stage. The ingested blood contains leukocytes that can be harmful, yet the parasites survive inside the host for decades, reflecting superb immune evasion mechanisms that remain poorly understood. Our previous work discovered that FoxA, a forkhead transcription factor, drives the production of the esophageal gland, an anterior digestive organ essential for degrading the ingested leukocytes and for survival.

Evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrating mass drug administration for helminth control with seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Ghanaian children: Protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrating seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) with mass drug administration for helminth control among school-aged children living in communities where the burden of malaria and helminths is high in Ghana, West Africa.

Methods: This cluster randomised controlled trial will enrol 1200 children aged 5-10 years. Eligible children randomised to intervention clusters will receive SMC drugs (sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine plus amodiaquine) and anthelminthic drugs for soil-transmitted helminths-(albendazole), and for schistosomiasis (praziquantel), while children randomised to control clusters will receive SMC drugs alone.

Intestinal Parasites and Hematological Parameters in Children Living in Ambatoboeny District, Madagascar.

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country's extreme weather conditions, poor sanitation, and weak economy facilitate the spread of parasitic diseases. Infections with intestinal parasites are particularly dangerous for children because they can cause malnutrition and anemia, which, in turn, have a negative effect on children's cognitive functions and physical development.

Efficacy of Praziquantel in Treating Infection Among Ethiopian Children.

: Praziquantel is a cornerstone of schistosomiasis control and elimination efforts. Continued surveillance of praziquantel efficacy is needed to monitor for the development of resistance, as well as to help public health officials gauge the effect of mass praziquantel administration on schistosomiasis control in communities, since it is the only drug used in schistosomiasis control programs. The objective of this study was to assess the praziquantel cure rate and egg reduction rate against urogenital schistosomiasis.

African Schistosomiasis: A Framework of Indicators Assessing the Transmission Risk and Intervention Effectiveness.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease with a complex transmission mechanism, requiring a snail intermediate host, is influenced by biology, the environment, human behavior and the prevailing socioeconomic situation. This study aimed to systematically investigate the importance and feasibility of indicators related to the factors influencing transmission and intervention measures for and . Based on a literature review and group discussions according to the Delphi method, a framework questionnaire was designed.

Factors Associated with the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Primary Healthcare Workers Regarding Neglected Tropical Diseases with Skin Manifestations in the Dakar Region, Senegal, 2022.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) with skin manifestations present a significant health and societal problems challenge worldwide. This study aimed to analyzed factors associated with the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of primary healthcare workers (HCW) concerning NTDs with skin manifestations in the Dakar region of Senegal. We conducted a cross-sectional study utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire which was administered to eligible HCW (general practitioners, nurses and midwives) working at the 24 health centers located in the Dakar region.

Community Mobilisation for Human Sample Collection in Sensitive Communities: Experiences from Granular Mapping of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Ekiti State, South West, Nigeria.

Community mobilisation is a vital process for raising awareness and increasing participation in healthcare interventions, research, and programmes that require human sample collection and mass management. In this report, we present the community mobilisation approach undertaken for the implementation of the operational mapping and assessment of granular schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The mobilisation was conducted in 177 communities/wards of the 16 local government areas.

Single-Cell Analysis Reveals the Cellular and Molecular Changes of Liver Injury and Fibrosis in Mice During the Progression of Infection.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that poses a serious threat to human health. However, the pathogenic mechanism during the progression of infection remains unclear. In order to elucidate this mechanism, we used single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate the transcriptome characteristics of the cellular (single-cell) landscape in the livers of mice infected with , which were divided into three groups: uninfected mice (0 week (w)), infected mice at 6 w post-infection (the acute phase), and infected mice at 10 w post-infection (the chronic phase).

Snail vectors of Schistosoma mansoni in Alagoas, Northeast Brazil: spatial distribution in the hydrographic grid of the state.

Schistosomiasis mansoni is a parasitic infectious disease of significant epidemiological importance caused by Schistosoma mansoni. The intermediate hosts are snails of the genus Biomphalaria spp. As gastropods are crucial for the spread of the disease, this study aimed to assess the influence of water bodies on the distribution of snails responsible for transmitting S.

ICOSL deficiency promotes M1 polarization to alleviate liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis mice.

The expression of inducible co-stimulator ligand (ICOSL) on macrophage (Mφ) implies their ability to interact with inducible co-stimulator (ICOS)-expressing T cells, thereby modulating immune responses within the liver microenvironment. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism underlying ICOS/ICOSL signaling in the regulation of Mφ polarization during Schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis. To investigate this, ICOSL-knock out (KO) and wildtype (WT) C57BL/6 mice were infected with Schistosoma japonicum (S.

Schistosoma mansoni and soil-transmitted helminthic infections and associated factors among pregnant women in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia.

Background: Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections occurring during pregnancy may pose adverse health consequences to the mother and the developing baby. This study aims to determine the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni and STHs, and their association with adverse birth outcomes among pregnant women in Jimma Town.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 314 pregnant women was conducted in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia.

Ivermectin induces oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage in Haemonchus contortus.

Haemonchus contortus poses a severe threat to livestock, leading to substantial economic losses. The extensive use of ivermectin (IVM), an effective anthelmintic drug, has resulted in the development of resistant strains, reducing the drug's effectiveness and making disease management more challenging. Hence, understanding the underlying mechanisms of IVM resistance is crucial.

Co-expression gene module analysis in response to attenuated cercaria vaccine reveals a critical role for NK cells in protection against Schistosoma mansoni.

Background: Despite decades of research, an effective schistosomiasis vaccine remains elusive. The radiation-attenuated (RA) cercarial vaccine remains the best model for eliciting high levels of protection. We have recently explored this model in mice to identify potentially protective pathways by examining gene expression patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).