Downregulation of IRF7-mediated type-I interferon response by LmCen parasites is necessary for protective immunity.

Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites and currently has no licensed vaccines. We developed a dermotropic Leishmania major centrin gene-deleted strain (LmCen) as a live attenuated vaccine. Recent studies have shown that type I interferons (IFNs) play important roles in immunity to parasitic and viral pathogens.

Plasmodium falciparum with pfhrp2 and pfhrp3 gene deletions in asymptomatic malaria infections in the Lake Victoria region, Kenya.

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) targeting the Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) are widely used to diagnose P. falciparum infection. However, reports of P.

Prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria among people with acid-fast positive presumptive tuberculosis in Mali.

Background: Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are environmental agents that can cause opportunistic pulmonary disease in humans and animals, often misdiagnosed as tuberculosis (TB). In this study, we describe the cases of NTM identified during the first national anti-TB drug resistance survey conducted in Mali and explore associated risk factors.

Methods: Sputum was collected from people presenting for pulmonary TB diagnosis from April to December 2019, regardless of age.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Lung and Abdominal Ultrasound for Tuberculosis in a German Multicenter Cohort of Patients With Presumed Tuberculosis Disease.

Background: There is limited evidence on point-of-care ultrasound for tuberculosis (TB), but studies suggest high sensitivity, especially for lung ultrasound (LUS). However, insufficient data are available on specificity of the examination and its generalizability to a broader patient population.

Aims: Our study aimed to establish accuracy for lung, chest, and abdominal ultrasound, individually and in combination, for TB diagnosis.

The complete mitochondrial genome of (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea: Streblidae) provides new insights into phylogenetic relationships of Hippoboscoidea.

The family Streblidae is a significant grouping of dipteran insects within the superfamily Hippoboscoidea, which parasitizes the body surface of bats. With the global spread of bat-related pathogens in recent years, Streblidae has gained increasing attention due to its potential for pathogen transmission. A sample of was sequenced on the were obtained, compared with available Streblidae mitogenomes, and the phylogeny of Hippoboscoidea was reconstructed.

Apicomplexan mitoribosome from highly fragmented rRNAs to a functional machine.

The phylum Apicomplexa comprises eukaryotic parasites that cause fatal diseases affecting millions of people and animals worldwide. Their mitochondrial genomes have been significantly reduced, leaving only three protein-coding genes and highly fragmented mitoribosomal rRNAs, raising challenging questions about mitoribosome composition, assembly and structure. Our study reveals how Toxoplasma gondii assembles over 40 mt-rRNA fragments using exclusively nuclear-encoded mitoribosomal proteins and three lineage-specific families of RNA-binding proteins.

Immune complexome analysis reveals an autoimmune signature predictive of COVID-19 severity.

Background: The factors contributing to the development of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remain unclear. Although the presence of immune complexes (ICs), formed between antibodies and their antigens, has been linked to COVID-19 severity, their role requires further investigation, and the antigens within these ICs are yet to be characterized.

Method: Here, a C1q enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay and immune complexome analysis were used to determine IC concentrations and characterize IC antigens, respectively, in the sera of 64 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, enrolled at seven participating centers in 2020.

Split-Cre-mediated GFP expression as a permanent marker for flagellar fusion of in its tsetse fly host.

Unlabelled: Trypanosomes have different ways of communicating with each other. While communication via quorum sensing, or by the release and uptake of extracellular vesicles, is widespread in nature, the phenomenon of flagellar fusion has only been observed in . We showed previously that a small proportion of procyclic culture forms (corresponding to insect midgut forms) can fuse their flagella and exchange cytosolic and membrane proteins.

Genetic surveillance shows spread of ACT resistance during period of malaria decline in Vietnam (2018-2020).

Introduction: Vietnam's goal to eliminate malaria by 2030 is challenged by the further spread of drug-resistant malaria to key antimalarials, particularly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHA-PPQ).

Methods: The custom targeted NGS amplicon sequencing assay, AmpliSeq Pf Vietnam v2, targeting drug resistance, population genetic- and other markers, was applied to detect genetic diversity and resistance profiles in samples from 8 provinces in Vietnam (n = 354), in a period of steep decline of incidence (2018-2020). Variants in 14 putative resistance genes, including and , were analyzed and within-country parasite diversity was evaluated.

Role of histone modification in chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression in protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis.

Trichomonas vaginalis is an extracellular flagellated protozoan responsible for trichomoniasis, one of the most prevalent nonviral sexually transmitted infections. To persist in its host, T. vaginalis employs sophisticated gene regulation mechanisms to adapt to hostile environmental conditions.

A complete classification of evolutionary games with environmental feedback.

A tragedy of the commons, in which rational behavior of individuals to maximize their own payoffs depletes common resources, is one of the most important research topics in game theory. To better understand the social dilemma problem, recent studies have developed a theoretical framework of feedback-evolving game where individual behavior affects an environmental (renewable) resource and the environmental resource changes individual payoffs. While previous studies assumed that the frequency of defectors increases (prisoner's dilemma [PD] game) when the environmental resource is abundant to investigate an oscillating tragedy of the commons, it is also possible for other types of game to produce the social dilemma.

Have you heard of Rift Valley fever? Findings from a multi-country study in East and Central Africa.

Introduction: Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has caused outbreaks in Africa, impacting human health and animal trade. Recently, sporadic detections among humans and animals in East Africa have replaced large-scale outbreaks. We assessed RVF knowledge levels in East and Central Africa across countries with different epidemiological profiles.

Ebola disease: bridging scientific discoveries and clinical application.

The west Africa Ebola disease epidemic (2014-16) marked a historic change of course for patient care during emerging infectious disease outbreaks. The epidemic response was a failure in many ways-a slow, cumbersome, and disjointed effort by a global architecture that was not fit for purpose for a rapidly spreading outbreak. In the most affected countries, health-care workers and other responders felt helpless-dealing with an overwhelming number of patients but with few, if any, tools at their disposal to provide high-quality care.

Measuring individual colony MICs is a more sensitive method to detect the effect of antimicrobials on antimicrobial susceptibility than the proportion of colonies resistant.

Unlabelled: The ResistAZM randomized controlled trial found that the receipt of ceftriaxone/azithromycin, compared to ceftriaxone was not associated with an increase in the proportion of oral commensal Neisseria spp. and streptococci with azithromycin resistance 14 days after treatment. We repeated the analyses by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of azithromycin and ceftriaxone for individual colonies of commensal Neisseria spp.

Pneumococcal vaccines for prevention of adult pneumonia.

Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcus, is one of most important bacterial pathogens in adult community-acquired pneumonia. Although it can cause a variety of illness including invasive diseases (IPD), pneumonia has a greater impact than IPD from the perspective of health economics. 23 valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and 13 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) have been recommended for people ≥65 years old until recently based on evidence in preventing IPD and pneumonia.

Discovery and Development of an Advanced Lead for the Treatment of African Trypanosomiasis.

African trypanosomiasis is a widespread disease of human and veterinary importance caused by various with a globally devastating impact and a need for novel treatment options. We here provide a comprehensive preclinical evaluation of nucleoside analogues, 6-thioether-modified tubercidins, with curative activity against African trypanosomiasis. Promising hits were identified following screening against the most relevant trypanosome species.

Abscesses due to Melioidosis: A case-based review.

Melioidosis is caused by percutaneous inoculation or inhalation of , predominantly among individuals with risk factors (diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, etc.) from endemic areas of South Asia, Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. While some patients present acutely with sepsis and multi-organ failure, others present with a subacute to chronic course characterised by abscess formation.

Emergency Obstetric Care Access Dynamics in Kampala City, Uganda: Analysis of Women's Self-Reported Care-Seeking Pathways.

Introduction: Timely access to emergency obstetric care (EmOC) remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, influenced by poor health care utilization and rapid urbanization. Studies show poor maternal health outcomes in African cities, reflecting weak health systems. Understanding care-seeking pathways is key to improving service delivery and health outcomes.

An in-depth Analysis of the Degree of Implementation of Integrated Care for Diabetes in Primary Health Care in Cambodia.

Introduction: With the rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), three care initiatives for T2D are being scaled-up in Cambodia to improve availability and accessibility of integrated care for T2D: (1) , (2) , and (3) . This case study aims to share learnings from an in-depth analysis of the level of integrated care implementation in these care initiatives for T2D in Cambodia.

Description: Twenty public health facilities in five operational districts were assessed on six integrated care components: (1) early detection and diagnosis, (2) treatment in primary care services, (3) health education, (4) self-management support, (5) structured collaboration, and (6) organisation of care.