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World NTD Day – Progress, Challenges, and the Path to Elimination

On 30th January, we celebrate World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day. This annual celebration highlights the hard work and achievements of the many researchers, medical workers, NGOs and other committed individuals in this field, and acts as a convenient forum to demand and sustain the necessary concerted actions to #BeatNTDs.…

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Invasions by parasites with complex life cycles

Biological invasions have significant impacts on biodiversity, community structure, and ecosystem processes, often leading to the emergence of diseases that could have significant economic, public health, and conservation implications. These invasions are usually driven by anthropogenic disturbances on ecosystems and the increased movement of goods and people on a global scale.

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Parasitic fauna of African large mammals

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is “Some gastrointestinal nematodes and ixodid ticks shared by several wildlife species in the Kruger National Park, South Africa“ With conservation of African mammalian species in mind, wildlife reserves and managed game parks continue to offer some protection to many species and associated natural habitats.…

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Toxoplasma gondii: one species with several genotypes; but do these induce differences in the host’s immune response?

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is “Early immune responses and parasite tissue distribution in mice experimentally infected with oocysts of either archetypal or non-archetypal genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii“ Toxoplasmosis is a well-known disease caused by the single celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which is found worldwide.…

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Who says aging is always disappointing?

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is “Eimeria bovis infections induce G1 cell cycle arrest and a senescence-like phenotype in endothelial host cells“ Eimeria bovis is a globally spread, host-specific parasite of cattle, causing severe bloody diarrhoea, especially in calves, and therefore high economic losses worldwide.…

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Granulocyte vs. oncosphere – who’s calling the shots?

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is Agranulocytosis leads to intestinal Echinococcus multilocularis oncosphere invasion and hepatic metacestode development in naturally resistant Wistar rats Let me introduce you to a tiny tapeworm that is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere: Echinococcus multilocularis.…

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What Lurked in the Intestines of Our Renaissance Ancestors?

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is A comparative study of parasites in three latrines from Medieval and Renaissance Brussels, Belgium (14th–17th centuries) In modern times intestinal parasites such as protozoa that cause dysentery and multicellular helminths (worms) are largely a problem for people in low-income countries in the tropics where sanitation and food safety are poor.…

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How does the translation machinery of Plasmodium falciparum handle multiple upstream open reading frames?

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is “Messenger RNAs with large numbers of upstream Open Reading Frames are translated via leaky scanning and reinitiation in the asexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum“ Malaria, an ancient disease, continues to infect millions of humans worldwide, with Plasmodium falciparum parasites being the causative agents of the majority of severe malaria cases and fatal outcomes.…

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How to easily apply computational methods to the identification of drugs against trypanosomatid-caused diseases

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is Computational approaches for drug discovery against trypanosomatid-caused diseases Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) caused by trypanosomatid parasites such as American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and leishmaniasis affect millions of people worldwide, mainly in developing countries, and consequently produce a significant health, social and economic impact.…

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The unexpected interplay among humans, elephants and worms

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is Strongylid infection varies with age, sex, movement and social factors in wild African elephants Thankfully new knowledge was gleaned from the instances when I army-crawled up to fresh dung in undrivable areas, or wrestled once again to neatly put the chronic diarrhea of R8.00 (more affectionately known as T.…

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It’s in the blood

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is The host-specificity of Theileria sp. (sable) and Theileria sp. (sable-like) in African Bovidae and detection of novel Theileria in antelope and giraffe Have you ever wondered whether the meat you eat contains parasites?…

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Prospects for better diagnosis of male genital schistosomiasis

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is How can schistosome circulating antigen assays be best applied for diagnosing male genital schistosomiasis (MGS): an appraisal using exemplar MGS cases from a longitudinal cohort study among fishermen on the south shoreline of Lake Malawi Our paper on diagnostics originates from my soon-to-be-completed PhD study that has focused on developing a better understanding of the interplay between schistosomiasis and HIV in Malawian fishermen.…

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Rosetting revisited: exploring the evidence for host red blood cell receptors in malaria parasite rosetting

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is Rosetting revisited: a critical look at the evidence for host erythrocyte receptors in Plasmodium falciparum rosetting Malaria claims the lives of almost half a million people worldwide every year, and millions more suffer the consequences of severe disease, including coma and severe anaemia.…

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Parasitic nematodes simultaneously suppress and benefit from coccidian coinfection in their natural mouse host

The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is ‘Parasitic nematodes simultaneously suppress and benefit from coccidian coinfection in their natural mouse host’ by Melanie Clerc, Andy Fenton, Simon A Babayan, Amy B Pedersen Infections with parasitic nematodes are a major threat to global health and affect millions of people across the globe.…

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Caenorhabditis elegans can survive on a diet of human red blood cells

The latest Paper of the Month from Parasitology is ‘Haematophagic Caenorhabditis elegans‘ by Veeren M Chauhan and David I Pritchard Necator americanus, also known as the “American Murderer,” is a parasitic hookworm that thrives in tropical and subtropical soil and is thought to infect more than 10% of the global population (> 700 million people worldwide).…

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