All Parasites articles
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NewsMarine compound shows promise against deadly brain-eating amoeba
A compound isolated from a marine bacterium may offer a faster way to attack Naegleria fowleri, the amoeba responsible for one of the deadliest known brain infections. In laboratory tests, rutamycin B reached full potency within four hours and was far more toxic to the parasite than to human cells.
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NewsDistinct malaria parasites “hidden in plain sight” may contribute to human disease protection
A new study that investigates the genetics of people and malaria parasites has found that people with the sickle cell variant are almost exclusively infected by a distinct variety of malaria parasites, which might contribute to their lower rates of disease.
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NewsAntimalarial drugs can persist in mosquitoes, exposing malaria parasites, study finds
Antimalarial drugs are designed to protect people from malaria, but they may also affect the mosquitoes exposed to them during blood meals. A new study investigates the impact of these medications on mosquitoes, laying the groundwork for future research into how the drugs may influence the malaria parasites developing within them.
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NewsStudy finds promising signs of resistance to beech leaf disease
A new study has found evidence that the development of beech leaf disease symptoms is genetically controlled, providing the first indication that some American beech trees may have natural resistance to the disease.
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NewsItching for a solution: Addressing mosquito-borne disease as climate change bites
Prevention measures, including vector control, vaccine deployment and cutting greenhouse gas emissions to limit global warming are critical to counter the growing burden of mosquito-borne diseases in a changing climate, according to a new review.
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NewsWealth and health aren’t the only indicators of national happiness – there are also cats. And their parasites!
National happiness is influenced by complex relationships beyond basic economic factors, according to a study that finds that cats and their parasites are strongly correlated with both positive and negative happiness scores worldwide.
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NewsAnti-cancer molecules show promise in the fight against malaria
Molecules known for their anti-cancer activity have proven effective in combating Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria. Researchers also investigated how differences in the structure of these molecules affect their impact on the parasites.
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NewsResearchers identify new vaccine target in malaria parasite
Researchers identified a previously uncharacterized site on the parasite’s major surface protein that antibodies can target to block liver infection, potentially preventing the dormant forms responsible for malaria relapses.
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NewsResearchers reveal snapshots of a key molecular machine in tropical parasites
A study reveals, with near-atomic precision, the three-dimensional structure and function of a gigantic molecular machine essential to the survival of trypanosomatid parasites, which cause serious diseases in humans, animals and plants.
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NewsA shorter, better-tolerated treatment for chagas disease is possible
A 30-day course of benznidazole taken once a day could offer people with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection a safer and more practical option than the current standard treatment, taken twice a day for 60 days.
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NewsNew study uncovers how the malaria parasite boosts its transmission potential under stress conditions
Researchers reveal the molecular mechanism by which Plasmodium falciparum responds to stress by increasing the production of the sexual forms required for transmission.
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NewsNew study details the finding of the first known live kissing bug in Europe
Students taking a Medical Entomology class donned their detective hats and helped investigate what appears to be the first documented live kissing bug in Europe.
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NewsERC Starting Grant for Tom Beneke: Drug resistance in tropical parasites
Molecular biologist Dr Tom Beneke (35) from the Biozentrum at the University of Würzburg has been awarded a €1.5 million ERC grant to further advance his research on Leishmania and the disease they cause.
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NewsMethylation puts parasites in motion
Researchers identify a molecular mechanism that enables single-celled parasites to switch on the machinery they need to move and invade host cells.
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NewsClimate warming could reshape China’s snail populations and transmission risk of schistosomiasis
Researchers show how climate warming, body size, and land use shape snail populations linked to risk of schistosomiasis transmission in China.
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NewsResearchers use malaria strategy to target Chagas disease
Researchers have identified a new strategy to prevent the spread of Chagas disease, one which is already used in anti-malarial drugs.
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NewsGlacier retreat could promote the spread of diseases among bees
A new study shows that glacier retreat and the changing vegetation could influence the spread of certain pathogens between honeybees and wild bees.
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NewsPomegranate emerges as a promising natural phytobiotic for veterinary medicine
Researchers have identified a broad range of biological properties in pomegranate with potential for use in medical applications, including antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects.
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NewsHow the Chagas disease parasite ‘activates’ its form capable of infecting mammals
A new study helps determine how Trypanosoma cruzi manipulates its own RNA to alter protein production and invade the host, which could lead to new therapeutic approaches against Chagas disease.
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NewsResearchers identify rapidly spreading genetic variants that make parasites resistant to malaria treatment
New genetics study helps explain declining malaria drug susceptibility and highlights the urgent need to track mutations and improve current therapies.