Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) based on histidine-rich protein (HRP) are widely used for malaria diagnosis. However, false-negative results from these RDTs, due to deletions in the Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) Pfhrp2/3 genes, are an obstacle to malaria control. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence of deletions in the Pfhrp2/3 genes in P. falciparum isolates from Mossendjo. Blood samples were collected from patients with signs of uncomplicated malaria at the Integrated Health Center and the Base Hospital in Mossendjo, from January to December 2022. P. falciparum positive samples were selected based on msp1/2 genotyping. These positive samples were used for the screening of Pfhrp2/3 deletions by nested PCR, and negative samples were subsequently run by real-time PCR to confirm deletions in the Pfhrp2/3 genes. Of the 660 P. falciparum positive samples, 600 (90.9%) were positive for Pfhrp2 and Pfhrp3 genes, and 60 (9.1%) remained negative by nested PCR. Following real-time PCR, deletions in the Pfhrp3 gene were confirmed in 12 negative samples. No deletions were observed in the Pfhrp2 gene. Among the 12 Pfhrp3 deleted samples, 83.3% came from adults and 16.7% from children, and 66.7% from women compared to 33.3% from men. This study revealed a low prevalence of deletions in the Pfhrp3 gene and no deletions in the Pfhrp2 gene. Thus, HRP2-based RDTs can still be used reliably in Mossendjo. However, evaluation of their performance and regular monitoring of these genes remain necessary, as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Schistosoma mansoni is a human-infecting blood fluke responsible for schistosomiasis, the world’s most significant waterborne parasitic disease and a leading cause of morbidity in marginalized communities. Despite mass drug administration campaigns using praziquantel, reinfection rates remain high and long-term control is hampered by limited chemotherapeutic options. The urgent need for an effective vaccine has driven focused research on S. mansoni. This review synthesizes past and present advances in S. mansoni vaccine development, highlighting key biological insights, challenges and emerging vaccine strategies. We discuss the parasite’s complex lifecycle, contemporary vaccine candidates and outline future directions for vaccine research that may ultimately contribute to global schistosomiasis control.

Entamoeba bovis is a common intestinal amoeba of ruminants, yet molecularly confirmed data from Europe remain limited. We investigated the occurrence, morphology and genetic variability of E. bovis in Italian domestic and wild ruminants and developed a rapid species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Faecal samples from calves (n = 45), goats (n = 26), sheep (n = 11) and Italian red deer Cervus elaphus italicus (n = 25) were examined by sediment microscopy and iodine staining. Amoebic stages were detected in 57% of bovine, 61.5% of caprine, 100% of ovine and 56% of red deer samples. Across hosts, cysts were consistently uninucleate and displayed typical E. bovis morphology, including frequent chromatoid bodies and an iodophilic glycogen mass. Representative positives were sequenced at the 18S rRNA locus (∼800 bp), confirming E. bovis (98.6–99.8% identity; 100% query coverage). Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis placed all Italian isolates within the E. bovis clade and indicated a shared lineage across domestic ruminants and red deer, with no segregation by host or ecological setting. A newly designed E. bovis-specific PCR (375 bp) consistently yielded a single amplicon in all sequenced positives, supporting its use for rapid screening without sequencing.

The genus Kalicephalus Molin, 1861 comprises hookworms parasitizing the gastrointestinal tract of reptiles, particularly snakes, and currently includes 34 recognized species worldwide. Despite their diversity, the taxonomy of the genus remains poorly resolved because most species have been described primarily from morphology and molecular data remain limited. During a helminthological survey of monocled cobras (Naja kaouthia) from central Thailand, large hookworms were recovered from the oesophagus that corresponded morphologically to the group traditionally assigned to Occipitodontus but differed from previously described species. Using an integrative taxonomic approach combining light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, morphometric analyses and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences, Kalicephalus colossus sp. nov. is described herein. The new species is distinguished by its exceptionally large body size, posteriorly projecting buccal capsule, equal alate spicules, lobate copulatory bursa and oesophageal localization. Multivariate analyses revealed clear sexual dimorphism without evidence of discrete morphotypes. Phylogenetic analyses recovered K. colossus sp. nov. as a distinct lineage within Kalicephalus, with genetic divergences of 1.1–1.4% for 18S rRNA and 12–13% for COI relative to congeners. The parasite was detected in 18% of examined hosts, with infection intensities ranging from 1 to 48 individuals per cobra, and was recorded only from suburban localities surrounding Bangkok. No obvious gross pathological lesions were observed during necropsy. The discovery of K. colossus sp. nov. expands current knowledge of reptile hookworm diversity in Southeast Asia and highlights the importance of integrative taxonomy for resolving parasite biodiversity.