Transposable elements (TEs) are important components of parasite genomes, but their diversity and contribution to genome organization remain poorly characterized in many parasitic nematodes. Here, we characterized the mobilome of Angiostrongylus costaricensis, the causative agent of abdominal angiostrongyliasis, using a curated species-specific TE library. TEs accounted for 35.94
Opisthorchis viverrini is a major cause of cholangiocarcinoma in Southeast Asia. Microscopic diagnosis has low sensitivity in light-intensity infections, delaying early intervention. We developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay with a lateral-flow dipstick (LFD) DNA biosensor targeting the O. viverrini mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (nad5) gene, using a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled probe and biotinylated primers for visual readout. Temperature (59–65 °C), MgSO₄ and deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) concentrations were optimized. Optimal amplification was at 61 °C for 60 min, with visual detection on the dipstick within 5–10 min. The analytical detection limit under the tested conditions was 200 fg of O. viverrini DNA. No cross-reactivity was observed in a limited panel of six non-target intestinal parasite specimens (one per organism): echinostome, minute intestinal flukes, Taenia spp., Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, and Blastocystis sp. In a preliminary evaluation of 51 samples (30 positive, 21 negative by the formalin-ethyl acetate concentration technique, FECT), sensitivity was 100
Soil contamination with Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) eggs and infective larvae constitutes the most important risk factor for human parasitic infections. STHs remain a major public health concern in low-resource settings, particularly in areas with poor hygiene and inadequate environmental sanitation. This study assessed soil contamination rate with soil-transmitted helminths and associated hygiene and environmental sanitation conditions among model and non-model villages under the Health Extension Program in Jimma Zone, southwest Ethiopia. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among model and non-model villages. A total of 240 soil samples were collected from five sampling sites within six randomly selected model and six non-model rural villages during both dry and rainy seasons. The soil samples were examined using the Zinc sulfate flotation technique. A total of 120 households, consisting of 60 model and 60 non-model households, were selected for the household-level assessment. Household hygiene and environmental sanitation data were systematically collected using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and chi-square tests were applied to compare model and non-model villages. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. The overall soil contamination rate with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) was 12.5
The globally-distributed brown dog tick (BDT) is adapted to human-associated environments, transmits pathogens of veterinary and public health significance, and is very difficult to control. This paper reviews information on BDT control from field-based intervention studies, observational studies, reviews, and book chapters. The 55 included manuscripts reported on tick collars, dog-focused spot-on, oral, injectable, repellent-based, and pour-on treatments, environmental treatments, and integrated approaches. There was considerable variability in study settings and analytical approaches, particularly for community-based approaches. Tick collars and injectable fluralaner generally showed sustained effectiveness, with effectiveness varying by active ingredient. While spot-on, pour-on, and oral treatments also showed generally high initial efficacy, they often required consistent reapplication to maintain effectiveness. Despite that some acaricides applied to individual pet dogs could eliminate detectable BDTs on that pet for months, long-term or community-level impacts were rarely evaluated. Studies of environmental-only treatments were limited to historical or experimental products. Integrated interventions combining some or all of dog treatment, environmental acaricide application, dog management, and education ranged in scale from three infested homes in suburban northern California to tribal communities in eastern Arizona and peri-urban areas near Hermosillo, Sonora. They described moderate to high effectiveness in reducing tick infestations, although typically without isolating the principal drivers of efficacy. Control failures can be attributed to acaricide-resistant ticks, resurgence after initial knock-down of a local tick population, and reinfestation from roaming dogs, adjacent infested areas, and longer-distance introduction of ticks, typically on dogs. High quality epidemiological studies to refine effective intervention remain critically necessary.
Against a backdrop of global demographic change, optimizing early-life health has emerged as an urgent public health priority. Maternal infection with the neurotropic parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a recognized cause of congenital disease, whereas evidence concerning paternal infection and offspring neurodevelopment remains preliminary. This review synthesizes clinical and experimental evidence on associations between parental T. gondii infection and offspring neuropsychiatric vulnerability. We emphasize maternal immune activation during pregnancy, which may disrupt fetal neurodevelopment through inflammatory and neuroendocrine pathways, and emerging paternal infection-associated molecular findings, for which sperm-mediated transmission and stable germline inheritance have not been established. By integrating epidemiological associations with mechanistic studies, we frame congenital toxoplasmosis and related parental exposures as multifactorial developmental concerns rather than evidence of a single confirmed transgenerational pathway. Causal effects on lifelong neurocognitive health remain uncertain, underscoring the need for improved risk assessment, prospective studies, and appropriately targeted follow-up.
