Amoebiasis remains a significant cause of intestinal disease and complications worldwide and in Iraq. Metronidazole remains the primary treatment for Entamoeba histolytica infection; however, concern regarding emerging drug resistance and treatment related-adverse effects highlights the need for safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives with novel mechanisms of action. A total of 150 stool samples were collected from 100 symptomatic children with abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea as well as 50 healthy children aged between 1 month and 15 years. Ethical approval and written informed consent was received from parents or legal guardians. Microscopy and PCR-based screening of samples targeting the SSU rRNA gene identified 48 confirmed positive for Entamoeba histolytica, which were then used for parasite isolation and experimental studies. Molecular docking against EhTrxR (PDB: 4CCR) was performed for five metronidazole derivatives (E1, E2, E4, E7 and E10), which were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, ^1H NMR and MS; as well as their in vitro activity against trophozoites. Further statistical comparisons were done using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey HSD post hoc test. 48/150 (32
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used in various fields due to their biomedical applications, molluscicidal and antimicrobial activities. The hepatopancreatic of Oncomelania hupensis snails were compared and analyzed by SEM and transcriptomics differential expression genes under different concentrations of 20 nm spherical AgNPs after three consecutive days’s exposure. Genes set refers to the gene list obtained according to certain screening conditions. Hundreds of genes in AgNPs-exposed cells were differentially expressed according to the transcriptome analysis based on RNAseq, including genes implicated in rRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, immunity, neurological and mitochondrial functions. In particular, in this investigation there are mark down regulation in genes of snails exposed to AgNPs that related to immunity processes like OAS1A, OAS1A-M with up regulation in genes related to fast signal transmission between cell like ACHB3 and genes responsible for anticancer, Ag conjugates, transcriptome regulation and gluconeogenesis (Like MRP1 and POLS). Furthermore, there are mark down regulation in genes related to collagens, calcium releasing, lipoprotein, mitochondrial and spermatogenesis processes. Our transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that exposure to 20 nm AgNPs induces significant alterations in multiple cellular and metabolic pathways, indicating pronounced toxic effects at the molecular level. These molecular disturbances were further supported by the observed structural damage in the hepatopancreas, whose surfaces appeared dull and highly fragile after exposure. Collectively, these findings provide important mechanistic insights into the molluscicidal action of AgNPs and highlight their potential application in the development of nanoparticle-based strategies for snail control and related biomedical or environmental toxicology studies.
Schistosomiasis is a disease of poverty that is highly prevalent in Sub-Saharan African countries. Cross-reacting proteins in Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) and S. haematobium (Sh) have been reported to pose diagnostic challenges. Proteins from these two parasites may help overcome diagnostic limitations caused by cross-reactivity and poor species discrimination in serological assays. The study aims to identify cross-reacting protein markers from S. mansoni and S. haematobium for possible concurrent diagnosis of the two parasites. High-quality protein extracts were prepared from the eggs (soluble egg antigen, SEA) and adult worms (Schistosoma worm antigens preparation, SWAP) of S. haematobium and S. mansoni. The diagnostic performance of the proteins was evaluated using a quantitative ELISA method with sera obtained from S. mansoni-infected mice. The immunoreactive proteins in the helminths were identified by conventional Western blot analyses and the specific protein markers for concurrent diagnosis of the two parasites were confirmed by double-binding Western blot analyses. SmSEA gave the best diagnostic performance (Sensitivity (SS) = 1.00, Specificity (SP) = 0.96, AUC = 0.96). ShSEA performed slightly better in diagnosing S. mansoni infection (SS = 0.96, SP = 0.87, AUC = 0.95) compared to SmSWAP (SS = 0.91, SP = 0.95, AUC = 0.93). Diagnostic protein markers of size 100 kDa in ShSWAP, > 250 kDa (ShSEA), and 25–37 kDa (SmSWAP) were specific for the two parasites. Shared antigenic markers support potential dual-species diagnosis, but validation using sera from S. haematobium-infected hosts is still required.
Malaria remains a significant public health concern, with diagnostic accuracy playing a crucial role in effective management. This study evaluates the prevalence of malaria across different age groups using microscopy and Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (Pfhrp 2) rapid diagnostic test (RDT). The highest malaria infection rate was observed in the 11–20 age group, with 67.50
Intestinal ascariasis remains a major health concern in endemic regions. While mechanical sub-obstructions are common, atypical infestations mimicking idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or systemic autoimmune disorders are exceptionally rare. These cases lead to severe diagnostic errors and dangerous, inappropriate therapeutic interventions. A 13-year-old male with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes (T1D) (HbA1c: 11.2
Malaria, a life-threatening illness is caused by a protozoan parasite, Plasmodium. A significant portion of its lifecycle involves human erythrocytes, and thus genetic factors like blood group could be associated with susceptibility to malaria. Thus, the present study was planned to study the association between uncomplicated malaria, and ABO blood group in Central, India. The hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out at the sickle cell clinic of the ICMR National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH) at Late Baliram Kashyap Medical College in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, between August, 2018 and November, 2019. Febrile patients consented to give blood samples for malaria diagnosis and blood grouping were included in the study. The blood sample was tested for malaria using RDT, microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smear, and PCR. Of the 1415 patients examined, 547 (38.7
The adverse effects and limitations associated with current antileishmanial therapies have highlighted the need for the development of novel agents with improved safety profiles. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro antileishmanial activity of Nigella sativa and Zingiber officinale essential oils against Leishmania infantum promastigotes using the microcapillary culture method, an advantageous technique for parasite isolation and growth assessment. In the present study, Nigella sativa and Zingiber officinale essential oils exhibited concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on L. infantum promastigotes after 72 h of incubation. Antileishmanial activity was observed at concentrations starting from 250 µg/mL for N. sativa and 500 µg/mL for Z. officinale, with calculated half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) values of 227.5 µg/mL and 735.3 µg/mL, respectively. These findings demonstrate that both essential oils possess inhibitory activity against L. infantum promastigotes under in vitro conditions. Considering the limitations associated with current leishmaniasis treatment options, the findings of this study suggest that N. sativa and Z. officinale essential oils may represent potential candidates for further investigation as plant-derived antileishmanial agents.
Leishmaniasis is a chronic disease caused by over 20 Leishmania species transmitted by sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus. This disease is a serious health problem and 98 countries worldwide are endemic areas for leishmaniasis, and there are 12 million cases worldwide. Available drugs against leishmaniasis include pentavalent antimonials, amphotericin B, and paromomycin. Low efficacy, the emergence of drug resistance, and side effects are considered the most important limitations of this category of drugs, and it is necessary to introduce new drugs in this field. Recently, computational methods have found a valuable place in pharmaceutical research to identify novel compounds, and leishmaniasis is not an exception to this rule. We review all studies that have used computational molecular docking and virtual screening tools to evaluate small compounds, including natural and chemical ligands, to search for potential drug candidates against Leishmania species. This study suggests that the essential identified drug target proteins are all associated with protein reductase, and kinase family. In this regard, the trypathione and pteridine reductase were the most abundant targets among the reviewed studies and could be valuable for in vitro and in vivo investigation in the future.
Hemoparasitic infections significantly affect goat health and productivity in tropical regions, often resulting in systemic and cardiovascular dysfunction. These infections, caused by tick-borne pathogens including Anaplasma, Theileria, Babesia, hemotropic Mycoplasma, and Trypanosoma species, remain a major veterinary concern. This cross-sectional study assessed demographic risk factors and cardiovascular manifestations in 102 goats presented to university veterinary hospitals in Thrissur, Kerala, during the non-monsoon transition period from November 2024 to May 2025. Clinical examinations focused on signs of cardiovascular dysfunction, and demographic variables were recorded for goats confirmed to be hemoparasite-positive by Polymerase Chain Reaction. Infection rates were higher in younger goats, females, particularly pregnant and lactating, and in breeds such as Malabari and crossbreds. The predominant clinical signs included pale mucous membrane, tachycardia, tachypnea, lethargy, and lymphadenopathy, while concurrent infections were associated with more severe cardiovascular compromise, including hypothermia and recumbency, together with clinical evidence suggestive of anemia. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed strong negative associations between Anaplasma spp. infection and body weight, body condition score, parity, and lactation, whereas Theileria spp. showed a positive correlation with parity. These findings highlight the influence of host factors on disease susceptibility and clinical severity, emphasizing the need for targeted monitoring and management strategies to mitigate cardiovascular dysfunction in hemoparasite-infected goats in tropical endemic regions. First hospital-based study correlating PCR-confirmed hemoparasite infections with clinical signs in goats of tropical India. Identifies young age, low body condition, and reproductive status (pregnancy/lactation) as key risk factors for severe infections. Findings support targeted monitoring and management strategies for hemoparasite-associated cardiovascular dysfunction in tropical endemic regions.
Siganid fishes are emerging candidates for aquaculture diversification in the Indo-Pacific region, and their domestication, including breeding programs, utilizes wild-collected fish stocks. The introduction of wild fish stocks carries the risk of introducing novel pathogens into new geographical territories. In the routine health monitoring of captive Java rabbitfish broodstock in fish tanks, recurrent mortalities (1–3 fish per week) accompanied by infected fish with pale gills, skin erosion, and heavy infestation with ectoparasites were observed. Microscopic examination revealed the severe infestation of gills with numerous gill flukes at different developmental stages. Morphological characterization of the gill flukes revealed the presence of 16–24 pairs of Microcotyle-type clamps, a single conical sclerotized copulatory organ, transversely arranged testes, with equally terminating caeca, assigning their taxonomic status to genus Polylabris spp. under Family Microcotylidae, Class Polyopisthocotyla. Molecular identification and BLASTn analysis confirmed their identity with 99.68
Coccidiosis caused by Eimeria tenella (E.tenella) continues to impose major economic losses in poultry production, and the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains underscores the need for alternative, non-antibiotic control strategies. Nano-structured materials, including silica-based composites, have shown promise in enhancing gut health and modulating pathogen interactions, yet their anticoccidial potential in vivo remains insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated two proprietary nano-silica composite formulations (NSC-1 and NSC-2) administered through feed or drinking water in broiler chickens challenged with E. tenella. Treatments included NSC-1 (500, 1000, and 2000 ppm) in feed and NSC-1 or NSC-2 (1000 and 4000 ppm) in water. Outcomes assessed were cecal lesion severity, oocyst shedding (OPG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Feed supplementation with NSC-1 significantly reduced lesion severity and oocyst output, with the 1000-ppm dose producing the greatest improvement (lesion score 1.1 vs. 2.5 in controls; p = 0.0186). All feed-based NSC-1 treatments significantly lowered OPG (p < 0.05). Water-based treatments produced consistent reductions in OPG across all NSC-1 and NSC-2 concentrations (all p = 0.0022), although lesion attenuation was not observed for NSC-1, and NSC-2 at 1000 ppm resulted in greater lesion severity than untreated controls (p = 0.0158). FCR trends favored the NSC-1 500-ppm feed group, though pen-level measurements limited statistical analysis. Nano-silica composites, particularly NSC-1 administered through feed at 1000 ppm, exhibit meaningful anticoccidial activity by reducing both intestinal pathology and parasite replication. While water-based formulations suppressed oocyst shedding, their effects on lesion development varied by formulation and dose. These findings highlight nano-silica composites as promising candidates for non-drug coccidiosis control and warrant further investigation integrating nanoparticle characterization, mechanistic analyses, and commercial-scale field evaluation.
The present study was carried out to assess the therapeutic effect of Ivermectin (IVM) and Ivermectin loaded Nano-metal organic frameworks (IVM loaded Nano-MOFs) on experimental Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum) infection. It was conducted on 30 male albino mice, laboratory bred in Theodore Bilharz Research Institute. The mice were divided into 5 main groups (6 mice in each), infected non treated group, infected treated with Nitazoxanide (NTZ), infected treated with IVM, infected treated with IVM loaded Nano-MOFs single dose and infected treated IVM loaded Nano-MOFs five doses. The percentage of reduction in number of oocysts per gram stool in NTZ treated group, IVM treated group, IVM loaded Nano-MOFs single dose treated group and IVM loaded Nano-MOFs five doses treated groups were 60.09
Visceral leishmaniasis, a life-threatening parasitic infection, remains a principal global health issue. Melatonin, an indoleamine neurohormone, possesses a wide range of biological activities, including antioxidant, antiparasitic, immunomodulatory, pro-apoptotic, antiproliferative, and anti-angiogenic activities. The synergistic action of melatonin on the survival of Leishmania promastigotes infecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells was examined in vitro. The HepG2 cells were divided into seven groups, six groups were infected with promastigote and treated with melatonin at different concentrations: G1 (31.25 µg/mL), G2 (62.5 µg/mL), G3 (125 µg/mL), G4 (250 µg/mL), G5 (500 µg/mL), and G6 (1000 µg/mL). The seventh group (G7) is considered the infected, untreated control. The incubation period for all groups was 24, 48, and 72 h. Cell viability of Leishmania promastigotes and HepG2 cells was measured using the MTT assay, and the IC50 for melatonin was determined based on its percentage inhibition using a dose–response curve. The total antioxidant capacity, reactive oxygen species, caspase-3, and BCL-2 expression were also measured. The viability of Leishmania promastigotes and survival of HepG2 cells were inhibited in a time- and dose-dependent manner. This was associated with increased caspase-3 activity, decreased levels of BCL-2, and increased levels of ROS, as well as increased levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), suggesting a disruption of cellular redox status and induction of apoptotic pathways. Collectively, these findings indicate that melatonin has antiparasitic and anticancer activity, highlighting its potential function as a novel drug candidate for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Twenty two coumarin-triazole compounds were examined via molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to find out the inhibitory impact on Type II fatty acid synthase pathway and predict their pharmacokinetic parameters. All compounds demonstrated binding affinity toward the binding pocket of the target enzyme (PDB ID: 4IGF). Among them, COU-11, 12, 15 COU-16 exhibited the strongest binding affinities (− 11.81, − 10.41, − 10.43 − 10.94 kcal/mol), significantly outperforming the standard antimalarial drug primaquine (− 7.31 kcal/mol). These compounds formed critical hydrogen bonds with key catalytic residues, including TRP26, GLY23, GLY25, TYR190, and LYS198, along with extensive hydrophobic interactions involving TYR180, TYR24, ALA225 and others. MD simulation of the COU-11–PfFAS-II complex over 100 ns further confirmed the stability of the interaction. Additionally, all molecules were evaluated for bioactivity similarity using Lipinski’s Rule of Five, veber’s rule and ADME profiling via the pKCSM server. Among all, COU-11 demonstrating favourable pharmacokinetic properties with good oral bioavailability. These findings suggest that COU-11 could serve as promising candidatefor future anti-malarial drug development efforts.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a zoonotic disease in which mammals serve as the natural vertebrate hosts of the parasite. It has persisted since ancient times, particularly in regions where the environmental and ecological conditions support its transmission. This report identifies the causative agent of leishmaniasis in Orzoieh County, Kerman, Iran, where this disease is endemic, to pave the way for informed interventions. This observational analytical study included 186 patients diagnosed with CL in Orzoieh County, southern Iran, between 2014 and 2019. Demographic and clinical data were systematically recorded using standardized questionnaires to analyze disease frequency by age, sex, occupation, and place of residence. A p-value less than 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. DNA was extracted from 50 randomly selected Giemsa-stained slides archived at the Orzoieh County Health Center and analyzed using Leishmania-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among 186 patients, 40.3
This study aimed to evaluate the anti-giardial potential of p-cymene (PC), administered as monotherapy and in combination with metronidazole, using a murine model of Giardia lamblia infection. The experimental design comprised seven treatment groups, including one non-infected control, one infected saline control, and five treatment groups receiving PC monotherapy (5 or 10 mg/kg), metronidazole monotherapy (15 mg/kg), or combination regimens (PC 5 or 10 mg/kg with metronidazole 7.5 mg/kg). Treatment efficacy was assessed by quantifying parasite burden, intestinal lipase activity, inflammatory gene expression, and body weight changes. PC at 5 mg/kg significantly reduced cyst count to 112.6 (p < 0.05) and cyst viability to 54.3
Public health is still affected by parasitic diseases. Fresh raw vegetables play a significant role in transmitting parasitic diseases. This study investigated the prevalence of parasitic contamination in raw edible vegetables available at local shops in Mashhad, a metropolitan city in northeast Iran. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the fall and winter of 2022 in Mashhad, Iran. A cluster sampling method with two stages was employed to collect 960 samples from 30 randomly selected stores. The flotation and ethyl-acetate-formalin methods were utilized to examine all samples, which were then analyzed under a microscope. Of the total samples, 131 (13.64
This study investigated the in vitro acaricidal potential of crude leaf extracts of Datura stramonium prepared using aqueous, ethanolic, and hydro-ethanolic solvents against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus. The objective was to assess their efficacy as potential botanical alternatives for tick control. Bioassays were performed using the Adult Immersion Test (AIT) on fully engorged female ticks at concentrations of 800, 400, 200, 100, and 50 mg/ml, and the Larval Packet Test (LPT) on unfed larvae at concentrations ranging from 3200 to 6.25 mg/ml. In adult ticks, the ethanolic and hydro-ethanolic extracts induced the highest adult tick mortality at 800 mg/ml, with calculated LC50 values of 388.8 and 347.9 mg/ml, respectively. The aqueous extract showed minimal adulticidal activity. In larval assays, the hydro-ethanolic extract resulted in 100
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite with significant public health implications, particularly in pregnancy where congenital transmission may result in severe fetal outcomes. Despite its importance, epidemiological data on toxoplasmosis among Ethiopian pregnant women remain scarce. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 2022 and 2024 among 554 pregnant women attending antenatal care in Northwest Ethiopia. Participants were selected using systematic random sampling. Data were collected via a semi-structured Amharic questionnaire. Venous blood samples (10 ml) were obtained, sera separated, and stored at − 20 °C. Serological detection of anti- T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies was performed using ELISA. Data were analyzed using SPSS, with binary logistic regression applied to identify associated risk factors. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. In this study, the overall seroprevalence of T. gondii among pregnant women was 54
Intestinal parasitic infections continue to pose significant public health challenges in low-income countries, particularly among school children. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of asymptomatic intestinal parasitic infections among primary school children in Zefine Town, Southern Ethiopia. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to March 2023, involving the collection and analysis of stool specimens from 422 students using direct wet mount and formol-ether concentration methods. Additionally, structured questionnaires were used to gather quantitative data on socio-demographic characteristics and potential risk factors. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. The findings revealed that 47.2
