Aim:Despite a reduction in the overall incidence and prevalence in the last two decades, trypanosomiasis continues to be a public health concern in Africa. This study was designed to comprehensively evaluate current trends in trypanosomiasis research using bibliometric approaches to uncover emerging topics and knowledge gaps, thereby guiding future investigations, particularly in Africa. Methods:Relevant articles were systematically selected from the Scopus-retrieved dataset and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, VOSviewer, and the Bibliometrix software. A total of 4036 documents were analyzed. Results:The results revealed the involvement of 8849 authors, 696 sources, and an annual growth rate of 3.52%. A period of rapid increase in trypanosomiasis research was observed after 1973. Kenya and Nigeria were the leading countries in African trypanosomiasis research. The most relevant affiliation was Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, whereas the most relevant and impactful sources were the Acta Tropica and PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, respectively. Similarly, Buscher, P. emerged as the most relevant and impactful author in the field. Some notable keywords observed are trypanocidal agents, prevalence, parasitemia, and polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, themes such as antitrypanosomal and molecular docking represented the recent research interests. Conclusion:This study provides a comprehensive overview of research output and evolution on trypanosomiasis in Africa and highlights critical ways forward in combating the disease, such as the One Health approach, strengthening health systems and capacities, and improving diagnostic and surveillance tools across African nations in addressing African trypanosomiasis. These findings are crucial for directing future research on African trypanosomiasis.
Arthropods such as insects and crustaceans, which together form the monophyletic group Pancrustacea, possess a rigid chitinous exoskeleton that must be periodically shed through molting to allow growth and morphological change. Although molting is a deeply conserved developmental process across Arthropoda, our understanding of its molecular mechanisms is still largely derived from insect model species. Lineage-specific innovations and losses of molting-related genes raise fundamental questions about the extent of its conservation outside noninsect arthropods. Here, we investigate the evolutionary conservation of molting gene expression across five representative pancrustacean species using publicly available transcriptomic datasets. Changes in gene expression during molting are characterized by both deeply conserved and lineage-specific gene modules. Temporal gene expression analyses reveal that these lineage-specific signatures are not uniformly distributed across the molting process: the middle transitional phase is more lineage-specific, thereby exhibiting an inverse hourglass pattern. This is likely due to life-history-specific processes, development of the cuticle, and specialized structures of the exoskeleton. Overall, this study provides evidence for both the evolutionary conservation and divergence of this key postembryonic developmental process and highlights the modular architecture of the molting program.
ABSTRACT Plant diseases severely constrain agricultural productivity, exacerbating food insecurity, economic instability, and environmental degradation. Global trade and climate change further intensify pathogen spread, emergence, and host shifts. While traditional diagnostics and targeted assays, such as polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, improve specificity, they depend on prior knowledge and are limited in detecting novel or mixed infections. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) has emerged as a transformative, unbiased platform that allows comprehensive detection of known and unknown pathogens through metagenomics and transcriptomics. By generating large-scale genomic data, HTS supports pathogen discovery, epidemiological surveillance, quarantine systems, and genome-informed disease management. It underpins advanced strategies, including Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins editing and RNA interference, and accelerates the breeding of resistance. Despite challenges – such as bioinformatics standardization, cost, and data interpretation – HTS, when integrated with classical diagnostics and biological validation, represents a foundational technology for sustainable, proactive plant health management and global phytosanitary resilience.
Coffea, a plant species of significant agricultural value used in coffee production, is a key commodity that supports the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. However, coffee cultivation faces substantial threats from various pathogens, including Pseudomonas coronafaciens pv. garcae (Pcg), the causative agent of bacterial blight. This pathogen compromises coffee plant health, leading to reduced yields and plant death and impacting farmers and large-scale producers. Understanding the mechanisms underlying resistance to Pcg in the leaves of the resistant IAC 2211-6 Coffea arabica accession is crucial for developing effective control strategies. This study aimed to identify candidate biomarkers of resistance by comparing the leaf metabolome of (i) the resistant IAC 2211-6 and the susceptible IAC 125 RN Coffea arabica accessions and (ii) Pcg-infected and uninfected leaves. Untargeted metabolomics revealed distinct metabolic profiles between accessions. Flavonoids were more abundant in susceptible leaves. In contrast, resistant leaves showed increased levels of pipecolic acid ethyl ester, a structural derivative of a key systemic acquired resistance signal, and spiropreussione B, a compound associated with fungal endophytes. These findings highlight candidates potentially linked to resistance and suggest that systemic signaling and beneficial microbial interactions may contribute to resilience.
Blackleg, caused by Clostridium chauvoei, is a severe infectious disease of cattle typically characterized by an acute or peracute course with rapid progression to death within 48 h after the onset of clinical signs. However, well-described reports of chronic or prolonged clinical evolution are rare. This study aimed to describe an outbreak with an atypical, prolonged course and to report the therapeutic management of affected animals. In March 2023, an outbreak occurred in an unvaccinated Nelore herd, with seven cattle showing clinical signs and one dying before veterinary intervention. Due to disease severity, four animals were referred to the Veterinary Hospital (HOVET) of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo (FZEA-USP), while others were managed on-farm. Clinical management included fluid therapy, systemic antimicrobial treatment, surgical debridement of necrotic tissues, drainage, and intensive wound care. Despite treatment, three animals died during hospitalization. One severely affected animal underwent partial amputation of a hind limb and survived, and it was discharged after 116 days of treatment. Diagnosis was confirmed by PCR, clinical examination, and necropsy findings. Overall, the clinical course observed differed from the typical acute presentation, with two animals surviving, suggesting that intensive medical and surgical management may improve outcomes in selected cases. Cardiac lesions were identified in necropsied animals, with exclusive involvement of the left ventricle, a finding that may warrant further investigation. This report highlights atypical manifestations of blackleg and contributes to the limited literature on prolonged cases.
