All Parasites articles
-
CareersFinding my way to Parasitology
Read about Sadiya’s journey from Uppsala to Uganda, and into One Health research in Parasitology.
-
NewsNew bacterium discovered in the Amazon is closely related to Andean species that causes human bartonellosis
A new species of bacteria of the genus Bartonella has been found in the Amazon National Park in the state of Pará, Brazil, in phlebotomine insects, also known as sand flies. Its DNA is similar to that of two other Andean species of bacteria.
-
NewsKiss goodbye to deadly disease – new research finds ‘Pac-Man’ antibodies for killer parasite
Researchers have successfully produced antibodies that kill the parasite carried by the ‘kissing bug’ that causes the potentially deadly Chagas disease. The research is a vital step towards the development of the first effective vaccine.
-
NewsScientists discover how cells use a secret weapon to fight off some pathogens
New research shows that mitochondria detect invading pathogen Toxoplasma gondii and ramp up competition for vitamin B9, depriving it of the nourishment it needs to grow. A researcher noticed that the amount of mitochondrial DNA in a mitochondrion increased during infection.
-
NewsMalaria vaccine mimics natural immunity with high precision
A detailed analysis reveals one of the reasons why the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine works so well: the antibodies generated following vaccination are indistinguishable from those found in people who have been infected by the parasites.
-
NewsChemical trick could turn losing malaria drug into a winner
A new generation of malaria drugs failed clinical trials, in part because they were hard to swallow. Chemists have remodeled their structures to make them more soluble, while maintaining their effectiveness against drug-resistant parasites.
-
NewsKenya achieves elimination of human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Kenya as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness as a public health problem, making it the tenth country to reach this important milestone.
-
NewsNew network to address malaria among school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa
A new network aims to improve malaria prevention among school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa. The new partnership will unite researchers, policymakers, healthcare practitioners and other stakeholders across multiple countries to better understand and address the burden of malaria in children.
-
NewsRevealed: New vaccine target to block malaria transmission
Researchers have visualised a key protein complex in malaria parasites for the first time, uncovering a new target for next-generation vaccines that could help stop the disease from spreading.
-
NewsKākāpō decline reveals threat of parasite coextinction
Researchers have discovered that more than 80 per cent of parasites detected in kākāpō poo prior to the 1990s are no longer present in contemporary populations. They used ancient DNA and microscopic techniques to sample faeces dating back more than 1500 years.
-
NewsRepurposing an abandoned drug may help treat a neglected parasitic infection
Researchers have mapped the human metabolic pathways that Cryptosporidium, an intestinal parasite, requires to survive. Shutting down these pathways may offer a new way to treat patients while avoiding the development of drug resistance.
-
NewsBird-to-human jump by trichomonas parasites illuminated in new study
A new study reveals how genetic changes in the parasite responsible for one of the world’s most common sexually transmitted infections may have helped it adapt to human hosts.
-
NewsStealth genetic switch in mosquitoes halts malaria spread
Biologists have created a CRISPR-based gene-editing system that changes a single molecule within mosquitoes, stopping the malaria-parasite transmission process. Genetically altered mosquitoes are still able to bite those with malaria, but the parasites can no longer be spread to other people.
-
NewsVaccination could mitigate climate-driven disruptions to malaria control
Tropical cyclones in Madagascar lead to sharp spikes in malaria infections – particularly in children – due to interruptions in control efforts, according to a new study. However, newly introduced long-lasting vaccines can help to mitigate these gaps.
-
NewsNew insights into malaria: Proteins in the blood can reveal the severity of the disease
Researchers have identified over 250 proteins that are strongly affected by malaria, which could help predict the severity of the disease and thus enable faster treatment for the most critical patients.
-
NewsSubstances isolated from marine sponges show potential for treating malária
In pre-clinical tests, compounds called batzelladins were found to be effective even against strains of Plasmodium that are resistant to conventional antimalarial drugs.
-
NewsNew strategy developed to engineer high-affinity receptor-containing antibodies against malaria
Researchers have introduced an innovative approach to developing high-affinity receptor-containing antibodies in vitro, offering a promising strategy to combat malaria.
-
NewsNew study suggests Florida has the potential for local Chagas disease transmission
Researchers in Florida have discovered local kissing bugs are harboring the parasite that can lead to Chagas disease, demonstrating that this rare, chronic disease has a secure foothold in the U.S. and warrants more preventative measures.
-
NewsPair of malaria parasite proteins could lead to targeted therapies
Scientists have made an advance in the basic understanding of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite responsible for the deadliest form of human malaria, that could make novel, highly targeted anti-malarial therapies possible.
-
NewsNew viruses discovered in bat kidneys in Yunnan province
The viruses, as well as new bacterial species and a new parasite, were discovered in bats inhabiting orchards near villages in southwestern China, raising concerns about transmission to livestock or humans.