Publications

humoral response to the anopheles gambiae salivary protein gsg6: a serological indicator of exposure to afrotropical malaria vectors.	salivary proteins injected by blood feeding arthropods into their hosts evoke a saliva-specific humoral response which can be useful to evaluate exposure to bites of disease vectors. however, saliva of hematophagous arthropods is a complex cocktail of bioactive factors and its use in immunoassays can be misleading because of potential cross-reactivity to other antigens. toward the development of a serological marker of exposure to afrotropical malaria vectors we expressed the anopheles gambiae g ...	2011	21437289
induction of antimalaria immunity by pyrimethamine prophylaxis during exposure to sporozoites is curtailed by parasite resistance.	each year, infections with the protozoan parasite plasmodium falciparum kill 1 million people, mostly children in africa. intermittent preventive treatment (ipt) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp) reduces the incidence of malaria and aims to prevent mortality in infants, children, and pregnant women. there is contradictory evidence as to whether this strategy may generate additional protection against reinfection beyond the limited duration of the intervention. previous work established that ab ...	2011	21444698
prodigiosin produced by serratia marcescens nmcc46 as a mosquito larvicidal agent against aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi.	microbial control agents offer alternatives to chemical pest control as they can be more selective than chemical insecticides. the present study evaluates the mosquito larvicidal potential of microbial pigment prodigiosin produced by serratia marcescens nmcc46 against aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi. the pigment of s. marcescens nmcc46 was extracted after 24 h from mannitol containing nutrient broth media. the effects of crude extracted pigment on the growth, survival, development, and oth ...	2011	21451991
larvicidal potential of silver nanoparticles synthesized using fungus cochliobolus lunatus against aedes aegypti (linnaeus, 1762) and anopheles stephensi liston (diptera; culicidae).	larvicides play a vital role in controlling mosquitoes in their breeding sites. the present study was carried out to establish the larvicidal activities of mycosynthesized silver nanoparticles (agnps) against vectors: aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi responsible for diseases of public health importance. the agnps synthesized by filamentous fungus cochliobolus lunatus, characterized by uv-vis spectrophotometry, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron mic ...	2011	21451993
plasmodium cysteine repeat modular proteins 3 and 4 are essential for malaria parasite transmission from the mosquito to the host.	the plasmodium cysteine repeat modular proteins (pcrmp) are a family of four conserved proteins of malaria parasites, that contain a number of motifs implicated in host-parasite interactions. analysis of mutants of the rodent parasite plasmodium berghei lacking expression of pcrmp1 or 2 showed that these proteins are essential for targeting of p. berghei sporozoites to the mosquito salivary gland and, hence, for transmission from the mosquito to the mouse.	2011	21453484
arm-specific dynamics of chromosome evolution in malaria mosquitoes.	abstract:	2011	21473772
frontiers in climate change-disease research.	the notion that climate change will generally increase human and wildlife diseases has garnered considerable public attention, but remains controversial and seems inconsistent with the expectation that climate change will also cause parasite extinctions. in this review, we highlight the frontiers in climate change-infectious disease research by reviewing knowledge gaps that make this controversy difficult to resolve. we suggest that forecasts of climate-change impacts on disease can be improved ...	2011	21481487
parasite killing in malaria non-vector mosquito anopheles culicifacies species b: implication of nitric oxide synthase upregulation.	anopheles culicifacies, the main vector of human malaria in rural india, is a complex of five sibling species. despite being phylogenetically related, a naturally selected subgroup species b of this sibling species complex is found to be a poor vector of malaria. we have attempted to understand the differences between vector and non-vector anopheles culicifacies mosquitoes in terms of transcriptionally activated nitric oxide synthase (acnos) physiologies to elucidate the mechanism of refractorin ...	2011	21483693
towards an in vitro model of plasmodium hypnozoites suitable for drug discovery.	amongst the plasmodium species in humans, only p. vivax and p. ovale produce latent hepatic stages called hypnozoites, which are responsible for malaria episodes long after a mosquito bite. relapses contribute to increased morbidity, and complicate malaria elimination programs. a single drug effective against hypnozoites, primaquine, is available, but its deployment is curtailed by its haemolytic potential in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient persons. novel compounds are thus urgently ...	2011	21483865
activation of the hypnozoite: a part of plasmodium vivax life cycle and survival.	abstract:	2011	21496287
a human phase i/iia malaria challenge trial of a polyprotein malaria vaccine.	we examined the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of a prime-boost vaccination regime involving two poxvirus malaria subunit vaccines, fp9-pp and mva-pp, expressing the same polyprotein consisting of six pre-erythrocytic antigens from plasmodium falciparum. following safety assessment of single doses, 15 volunteers received a heterologous prime-boost vaccination regime and underwent malaria sporozoite challenge. the vaccines were safe but interferon-γ elispot responses were low compared to oth ...	2011	21501642
identification and distribution of a gaba receptor mutation conferring dieldrin resistance in the malaria vector anopheles funestus in africa.	growing problems of pyrethroid resistance in anopheles funestus have intensified efforts to identify alternative insecticides. many agrochemicals target the gaba receptors, but cross-resistance from dieldrin resistance may preclude their introduction. dieldrin resistance was detected in an. funestus populations from west (burkina faso) and central (cameroon) africa, but populations from east (uganda) and southern africa (mozambique and malawi) were fully susceptible to this insecticide. partial ...	2011	21501685
engineered resistance to plasmodium falciparum development in transgenic anopheles stephensi.	transposon-mediated transformation was used to produce anopheles stephensi that express single-chain antibodies (scfvs) designed to target the human malaria parasite, plasmodium falciparum. the scfvs, m1c3, m4b7, and m2a10, are derived from mouse monoclonal antibodies that inhibit either ookinete invasion of the midgut or sporozoite invasion of salivary glands. the scfvs that target the parasite surface, m4b7 and m2a10, were fused to an anopheles gambiae antimicrobial peptide, cecropin a. previo ...	2011	21533066
efficacy of advanced odomos repellent cream (n, n-diethyl-benzamide) against mosquito vectors.	background & objectives : repellents are commonly used personal protection measures to avoid mosquito bites. in the present study, advanced odomos cream (12% n, n-diethyl-benzamide) was tested for its efficacy against mosquitoes in comparison to deet (n,n-diethyl-3-methyl benzamide). methods: bioassays were conducted to assess the repellency of advanced odomos and deet creams against anopheles stephensi and aedes aegypti. their efficacy was tested on human volunteers applied with different conce ...	2011	21537097
plasmodium falciparum infection during suppressive prophylaxis with mefloquine does not induce an antibody response to merozoite surface protein-1(42).	abstract. a sensitive biomarker of malaria infection would obviate the need for placebo control arms in clinical trials of malaria prophylactic drugs. antibodies to the 42-kda fragment of merozoite surface protein-1 (msp1(42)) have been identified as a potential marker of malaria exposure in individuals receiving prophylaxis with mefloquine. we conducted an open-label trial to determine the sensitivity of seroconversion to msp1(42), defined as a fourfold rise in enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay ...	2011	21540397
a viral vectored prime-boost immunization regime targeting the malaria pfs25 antigen induces transmission-blocking activity.	the ookinete surface protein pfs25 is a macrogamete-to-ookinete/ookinete stage antigen of plasmodium falciparum, capable of exerting high-level anti-malarial transmission-blocking activity following immunization with recombinant protein-in-adjuvant formulations. here, this antigen was expressed in recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus 63 (chad63), human adenovirus serotype 5 (adhu5) and modified vaccinia virus ankara (mva) viral vectored vaccines. two immunizations were administered to mice in a het ...	2011	22216279
coffee husk waste for fermentation production of mosquitocidal bacteria.	coffee husk waste (chw) discarded as bio-organic waste, from coffee industries, is rich in carbohydrates. the current study emphasizes the management of solid waste from agro-industrial residues for the production of biopesticides (bacillus sphaericus, and b. thuringiensis subsp. israelensis), to control disease transmitting mosquito vectors. an experimental culture medium was prepared by extracting the filtrates from coffee husk. a conventional culture medium (nysm) also was prepared. the studi ...	2011	22299340
effects of the antimalarial drugs ferroquine and artesunate on plasmodium yoelii yoelii gametocytegenesis and vectorial transmission.	chemistry still has a role in the management of malaria, alongside the mosquito netting soaked in insecticide that is used increasingly, as we continue to await the long anticipated vaccine. during its cycle, the hematozoon parasite develops through three major periods. the first, malarial infection, corresponds to the intrahepatic development of infective forms from the mosquito vector; this period is not sensitive to treatment and is often asymptomatic. the period of erythrocytic schizogony is ...	2011	22294247
sexual transmission of a plant pathogenic bacterium, candidatus liberibacter asiaticus, between conspecific insect vectors during mating.	candidatus liberibacter asiaticus is a fastidious, phloem-inhabiting, gram-negative bacterium transmitted by asian citrus psyllid, diaphorina citri kuwayama (hemiptera: psyllidae). the bacterium is the presumed causal agent of huanglongbing (hlb), one of the most destructive and economically important diseases of citrus. we investigated whether las is transmitted between infected and uninfected d. citri adults during courtship. our results indicate that las was sexually transmitted from las-infe ...	2011	22216209
ovicidal and repellent activities of botanical extracts against culex quinquefasciatus, aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi (diptera: culicidae).	to determine the ovicidal and repellent activities of methanol leaf extract of ervatamia coronaria (e. coronaria) and caesalpinia pulcherrima (c. pulcherrima) against culex quinquefasciatus (cx. quinquefasciatus), aedes aegypti (ae. aegypti) and anopheles stephensi (an. stephensi).	2011	23569723
the yeast wickerhamomyces anomalus (pichia anomala) inhabits the midgut and reproductive system of the asian malaria vector anopheles stephensi.	while symbiosis between bacteria and insects has been thoroughly investigated in the last two decades, investments on the study of yeasts associated with insects have been limited. insect-associated yeasts are placed on different branches of the phylogenetic tree of fungi, indicating that these associations evolved independently on several occasions. isolation of yeasts is frequently reported from insect habitats, and in some cases yeasts have been detected in the insect gut and in other organs/ ...	2011	21208355
cd4+ t cells modulate expansion and survival but not functional properties of effector and memory cd8+ t cells induced by malaria sporozoites.	cd4(+) helper t cells are critical orchestrators of immune responses to infection and vaccination. during primary responses, naïve cd8(+) t cells may need "cd4 help" for optimal development of memory populations. the immunological factors attributed to cd4 help depend on the context of immunization and vary depending on the priming system. in response to immunization with radiation-attenuated plasmodium yoelii sporozoites, cd8(+) t cells in balb/c mice fail to generate large numbers of effector ...	2011	21245909
protocol for production of a genetic cross of the rodent malaria parasites.	variation in response to antimalarial drugs and in pathogenicity of malaria parasites is of biologic and medical importance. linkage mapping has led to successful identification of genes or loci underlying various traits in malaria parasites of rodents and humans. the malaria parasite plasmodium yoelii is one of many malaria species isolated from wild african rodents and has been adapted to grow in laboratories. this species reproduces many of the biologic characteristics of the human malaria pa ...	2011	21248692
design of anti-parasitic and anti-fungal hydroxy-naphthoquinones that are less susceptible to drug resistance.	atovaquone is a hydroxy-naphthoquinone that is used to treat parasitic and fungal infections including plasmodium falciparum (malaria), pneumocystis jivorecii (pneumonia) and toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis). it blocks mitochondrial oxidation of ubiquinol in these organisms by binding to the ubiquinol oxidation site of the cytochrome bc(1) complex. failure of atovaquone treatment has been linked to the appearance of mutations in the mitochondrially encoded gene for cytochrome b. in order to det ...	2011	21251932
plasmodium falciparum liver stage antigen-1 is cross-linked by tissue transglutaminase.	plasmodium falciparum sporozoites injected by mosquitoes into the blood rapidly enter liver hepatocytes and undergo pre-erythrocytic developmental schizogony forming tens of thousands of merozoites per hepatocyte. shortly after hepatocyte invasion, the parasite starts to produce liver stage antigen-1 (lsa-1), which accumulates within the parasitophorous vacuole surrounding the mass of developing merozoites. the lsa-1 protein has been described as a flocculent mass, but its role in parasite devel ...	2011	21255444
the malaria circumsporozoite protein has two functional domains, each with distinct roles as sporozoites journey from mosquito to mammalian host.	plasmodium sporozoites make a remarkable journey from the mosquito midgut to the mammalian liver. the sporozoite's major surface protein, circumsporozoite protein (csp), is a multifunctional protein required for sporozoite development and likely mediates several steps of this journey. in this study, we show that csp has two conformational states, an adhesive conformation in which the c-terminal cell-adhesive domain is exposed and a nonadhesive conformation in which the n terminus masks this doma ...	2011	21262960
adenovirus particles that display the plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein nanp repeat induce sporozoite-neutralizing antibodies in mice.	adenovirus particles can be engineered to display exogenous peptides on their surfaces by modification of viral capsid proteins, and particles that display pathogen-derived peptides can induce protective immunity. we constructed viable recombinant adenoviruses that display b-cell epitopes from the plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (pfcsp) in the major adenovirus capsid protein, hexon. recombinants induced high-titer antibodies against csp when injected intraperitoneally into mice. s ...	2011	21199707
strain-specific immunity induced by immunization with pre-erythrocytic stages of plasmodium chabaudi.	one of the most promising approaches in the efforts to produce a malaria vaccine involves the use of attenuated whole sporozoite immunizations. attenuation may be achieved by the use of genetic modification, irradiation, chemical attenuation, or by the contemporaneous administration of antimalarial drugs that target only the erythrocytic stages of the parasite. most research to date has focused on the efficacy of these approaches upon challenge with parasites homologous to those used for the ini ...	2011	21189655
drosophila melanogaster as a model for human intestinal infection and pathology.	recent findings concerning drosophila melanogaster intestinal pathology suggest that this model is well suited for the study of intestinal stem cell physiology during aging, stress and infection. despite the physiological divergence between vertebrates and insects, the modeling of human intestinal diseases is possible in drosophila because of the high degree of conservation between drosophila and mammals with respect to the signaling pathways that control intestinal development, regeneration and ...	2011	21183483
reactive oxygen species-dependent cell signaling regulates the mosquito immune response to plasmodium falciparum.	reactive oxygen species (ros) have been implicated in direct killing of pathogens, increased tissue damage, and regulation of immune signaling pathways in mammalian cells. available research suggests that analogous phenomena affect the establishment of plasmodium infection in anopheles mosquitoes. we have previously shown that provision of human insulin in a blood meal leads to increased ros levels in anopheles stephensi. here, we demonstrate that provision of human insulin significantly increas ...	2011	21126166
insight into the salivary transcriptome and proteome of dipetalogaster maxima.	dipetalogaster maxima is a blood-sucking hemiptera that inhabits sylvatic areas in mexico. it usually takes its blood meal from lizards, but following human population growth, it invaded suburban areas, feeding also on humans and domestic animals. hematophagous insect salivary glands produce potent pharmacologic compounds that counteract host hemostasis, including anticlotting, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory molecules. to obtain further insight into the salivary biochemical and pharmacologic com ...	2011	21058630
role of esterases in organophosphorus and carbamate-resistance in indian strain of anopheles stephensi liston.		2011	3833674
implication of haematophagous arthropod salivary proteins in host-vector interactions.	the saliva of haematophagous arthropods contains an array of anti-haemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory molecules that contribute to the success of the blood meal. the saliva of haematophagous arthropods is also involved in the transmission and the establishment of pathogens in the host and in allergic responses. this survey provides a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological activity and immunogenic properties of the main salivary proteins characterised in various haematophag ...	2011	21951834
dengue and soluble mediators of the innate immune system.	huge emphasis has been placed on the role of the adaptive immune system in dengue pathogenesis. yet there is increasing evidence for the importance of the innate immune system in regulating dengue infection and possibly influencing the disease. this review focuses on the interplay between the innate immune system and dengue and highlights the role of soluble immunological mediators. type i and type ii interferons of the innate immune system demonstrate non-overlapping roles in dengue infection. ...	2011	22500137
The mitogen-activated protein kinome from Anopheles gambiae: identification, phylogeny and functional characterization of the ERK, JNK and p38 MAP kinases.	ABSTRACT:	2011	22111877
Enhanced production of mosquitocidal cyclic lipopeptide from Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis.	A cyclic lipopeptide, surfactin produced by a strain of Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (VCRC B471) was found to exhibit activity against both the larval and pupal stages of mosquitoes. The present study was aimed at increasing the production of the mosquitocidal metabolite by modifying the conventional medium.	2011	22089610
Members of the salivary gland surface protein (SGS) family are major immunogenic components of mosquito saliva.	Mosquitoes transmit Plasmodium and certain arboviruses during blood feeding, when they are injected along with saliva. Mosquito saliva interferes with the host's hemostasis and inflammation response and influences the transmission success of some pathogens. One family of mosquito salivary gland proteins, named SGS, is composed of large bacterial-type proteins that in Aedes aegypti were implicated as receptors for Plasmodium on the basal salivary gland surface. Here, we characterize the biology o ...	2011	21965675
Critical Role for Heat Shock Protein 20 (HSP20) in Migration of Malarial Sporozoites.	Plasmodium sporozoites, single cell eukaryotic pathogens, employ their own actin/myosin-based motor machinery for life cycle progression, which includes forward locomotion, penetration of cellular barriers, and invasion of target cells. To display fast gliding motility the parasite employs a high turnover of actin polymerization and adhesion sites. Paradoxically, only few classic actin regulatory proteins appear to be encoded in the Plasmodium genome. Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) have been ...	2011	22139844
A carbamate-based approach to primaquine prodrugs: Antimalarial activity, chemical stability and enzymatic activation.	O-Alkyl and O-aryl carbamate derivatives of the antimalarial drug primaquine were synthesised as potential prodrugs that prevent oxidative deamination to the inactive metabolite carboxyprimaquine. Both O-alkyl and O-aryl carbamates undergo hydrolysis in alkaline and pH 7.4 phosphate buffers to the parent drug, with O-aryl carbamates being ca. 10(6)-10(10) more reactive than their O-alkyl counterparts. In human plasma O-alkyl carbamates were stable, whereas in contrast their O-aryl counterparts r ...	2011	22189276
inactivation of a plasmodium apicoplast protein attenuates formation of liver merozoites.	malaria parasites undergo a population expansion inside the host liver before disease onset. developmental arrest inside host hepatocytes elicits protective immune responses. therefore, elucidation of the molecular mechanisms leading to mature hepatic merozoites, which initiate the pathogenic blood phase, also informs anti-malaria vaccine strategies. using targeted gene deletion in the rodent model malaria parasite plasmodium berghei, we show that a plasmodium-specific apicoplast protein plays a ...	2011	21848587
Identification of the Midgut Microbiota of An. stephensi and An. maculipennis for Their Application as a Paratransgenic Tool against Malaria.	The midgut microbiota associated with Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles maculipennis (Diptera: Culicidae) was investigated for development of a paratransgenesis-based approach to control malaria transmission in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Here, we present the results of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and biochemical-based approaches to identify the female adult and larvae mosquitoe microbiota of these two major malaria vectors, originated from South Eastern and North of Iran. Plating ...	2011	22163022
antibodies against pfemp1, rifin, msp3 and glurp are acquired during controlled plasmodium falciparum malaria infections in naïve volunteers.	antibodies to polymorphic antigens expressed during the parasites erythrocytic stages are important mediators of protective immunity against p. falciparum malaria. therefore, polymorphic blood stage antigens like msp3, eba-175 and glurp and variant surface antigens pfemp1 and rifin are considered vaccine candidates. however, to what extent these antibodies to blood stage antigens are acquired during naive individuals' first infections has not been studied in depth. using plasma samples collected ...	2011	22174947
repellency effects of essential oils of myrtle (myrtus communis), marigold (calendula officinalis) compared with deet against anopheles stephensi on human volunteers.	malaria and leishmaniasis are two most significant parasitic diseases which are endemic in iran. over the past decades, interest in botanical repellents has increased as a result of safety to human. the comparative efficacy of essential oils of two native plants, myrtle (myrtus communis) and marigold (calendula officinalis) collected from natural habitats at southern iran was compared with deet as synthetic repellent against anopheles stephensi on human subjects under laboratory condition.	2011	22808414
disruption of the plasmodium falciparum liver stage antigen-1 locus causes a differentiation defect in late liver stage parasites.	the malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum infects humans and first targets the liver where liver stage parasites undergo preerythrocytic replication. liver stage antigen-1 (lsa-1) is currently the only identified p. falciparum protein for which expression is restricted to liver stages. yet, the importance of lsa-1 for liver stage parasite development remains unknown. here we deleted lsa-1 in the nf54 strain of p. falciparum and analyzed the lsa-1(-) parasites throughout their life cycle. lsa-1( ...	2011	21569184
the midgut transcriptome of phlebotomus (larroussius) perniciosus, a vector of leishmania infantum: comparison of sugar fed and blood fed sand flies.	abstract:	2011	21569254
host-mediated regulation of superinfection in malaria.	in regions of high rates of malaria transmission, mosquitoes repeatedly transmit liver-tropic plasmodium sporozoites to individuals who already have blood-stage parasitemia. this manifests itself in semi-immune children (who have been exposed since birth to plasmodium infection and as such show low levels of peripheral parasitemia but can still be infected) older than 5 years of age by concurrent carriage of different parasite genotypes at low asymptomatic parasitemias. superinfection presents a ...	2011	21572427
a new role for an old antimicrobial: lysozyme c-1 can function to protect malaria parasites in anopheles mosquitoes.	plasmodium requires an obligatory life stage in its mosquito host. the parasites encounter a number of insults while journeying through this host and have developed mechanisms to avoid host defenses. lysozymes are a family of important antimicrobial immune effectors produced by mosquitoes in response to microbial challenge.	2011	21573077
laboratory selection for an accelerated mosquito sexual development rate.	abstract: background: separating males and females at the early adult stage did not ensure the virginity of females of anopheles arabiensis (dongola laboratory strain), whereas two years earlier this method had been successful. in most mosquito species, newly emerged males and females are not able to mate successfully. for anopheline species, a period of 24 h post-emergence is generally required for the completion of sexual maturation, which in males includes a 180degrees rotation of the genital ...	2011	21595988
secretion of anti-plasmodium effector proteins from a natural isolate pantoea agglomerans using pelb and hlya secretion signals.	the insect-vectored disease malaria is a major world health problem. new control strategies are needed to supplement the current use of insecticides and medications. a genetic approach can be used to inhibit development of the malaria parasite (plasmodium sp.) in the mosquito host. we hypothesized that pantoea agglomerans, a bacterial symbiont of anopheles mosquitoes, could be engineered to express and secrete anti-plasmodium effector proteins, a strategy termed paratransgenesis. to this end, pl ...	2011	21602368
the dominant anopheles vectors of human malaria in the asia-pacific region: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic precis.	abstract: background: the final article in a series of three publications examining the global distribution of 41 dominant vector species (dvs) of malaria is presented here. the first publication examined the dvs from the americas, with the second covering those species present in africa, europe and the middle east. here we discuss the 19 dvs of the asian-pacific region. this region experiences a high diversity of vector species, many occurring sympatrically, which, combined with the occurrence ...	2011	21612587
transition of plasmodium sporozoites into liver stage-like forms is regulated by the rna binding protein pumilio.	many eukaryotic developmental and cell fate decisions that are effected post-transcriptionally involve rna binding proteins as regulators of translation of key mrnas. in malaria parasites (plasmodium spp.), the development of round, non-motile and replicating exo-erythrocytic liver stage forms from slender, motile and cell-cycle arrested sporozoites is believed to depend on environmental changes experienced during the transmission of the parasite from the mosquito vector to the vertebrate host. ...	2011	21625527
studies on larvicidal and pupicidal activity of leucas aspera willd. (lamiaceae) and bacterial insecticide, bacillus sphaericus, against malarial vector, anopheles stephensi liston. (diptera: culicidae).	the efficacy of whole plant extracts of leucas aspera and bacillus sphaericus has been proven against larvicidal and pupicidal activities of the malarial vector, anopheles stephensi. the present study investigated the larvicidal and pupicidal activity against the first to fourth instar lavae and pupae of the laboratory-reared mosquitoes, a. stephensi. the medicinal plants were collected from the area around maruthamalai hills, coimbatore, tamil nadu, india. l. aspera whole plant was washed with ...	2011	21626422
efficacy of plant-mediated synthesized silver nanoparticles against hematophagous parasites.	the purpose of the present study was to investigate the acaricidal and larvicidal activity against the larvae of haemaphysalis bispinosa neumann (acarina: ixodidae) and larvae of hematophagous fly hippobosca maculata leach (diptera: hippoboscidae) and against the fourth-instar larvae of malaria vector, anopheles stephensi liston, japanese encephalitis vector, culex tritaeniorhynchus giles (diptera: culicidae) of synthesized silver nanoparticles (agnps) utilizing aqueous leaf extract from musa pa ...	2011	21638210
early transcriptional responses of hepg2-a16 liver cells to infection by plasmodium falciparum sporozoites.	invasion of hepatocytes by plasmodium sporozoites deposited by anopheles mosquitoes, and their subsequent transformation into infective merozoites is an obligatory step in the initiation of malaria. interactions between the sporozoites and hepatocytes lead to a distinct, complex and coordinated cellular and systemic host response. little is known about host liver cell response to sporozoite invasion, or whether it is primarily adaptive for the parasite, for the host, or for both. our present stu ...	2011	21652718
a role for heparan sulfate proteoglycans in plasmodium falciparum sporozoite invasion of anopheline mosquito salivary glands.	hs (heparan sulfate) has been shown to be an important mediator of plasmodium sporozoite homing and invasion of the liver, but the role of this glycosaminoglycan in mosquito vector host-sporozoite interactions is unknown. we have biochemically characterized the function of agoxt1 (anopheles gambiae peptide-o-xylosyltransferase 1) and confirmed that agoxt1 can modify peptides representing model hs and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in vitro. moreover, we also demonstrated that the mosquito sal ...	2011	21663594
the puf-family rna-binding protein puf2 controls sporozoite conversion to liver stages in the malaria parasite.	malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by unicellular, obligate intracellular parasites of the genus plasmodium. during host switch the malaria parasite employs specialized latent stages that colonize the new host environment. previous work has established that gametocytes, sexually differentiated stages that are taken up by the mosquito vector, control expression of genes required for mosquito colonization by translational repression. sexual parasite development is controlled by a ...	2011	21673790
reduction in host-finding behaviour in fungus-infected mosquitoes is correlated with reduction in olfactory receptor neuron responsiveness.	abstract: background: chemical insecticides against mosquitoes are a major component of malaria control worldwide. fungal entomopathogens formulated as biopesticides and applied as insecticide residual sprays could augment current control strategies and mitigate the evolution of resistance to chemical-based insecticides. methods: anopheles stephensi mosquitoes were exposed to beauveria bassiana or metarhizium acridum fungal spores and sub-lethal effects of exposure to fungal infection were studi ...	2011	21812944
bacillus amyloliquefaciens: a mosquitocidal bacterium from mangrove forests of andaman & nicobar islands, india.	samples collected from the mangrove forests of andaman & nicobar islands yielded a mosquitocidal bacterium, whose extracellular metabolite(s) exhibited mosquito larvicidal and pupicidal activity. the bacterium was isolated using standard microbiological methods and identified using classical biochemical tests and rpob gene sequences. the mosquitocidal bacterium was identified as bacillus amyloliquefaciens. mosquitocidal metabolite(s) was separated from the culture supernatant of the bacterium an ...	2011	21810402
design and evaluation of primaquine-artemisinin hybrids as a multistage anti-malarial strategy.	it is widely accepted that the struggle against malaria depends on the development of new strategies to fight infection. the "magic bullet" thought to be necessary to reach eradication should not only provide treatment for all plasmodium sp. that infect human red blood cells but also eliminate the replicative and dormant liver forms of the parasite. moreover, these goals should ideally be achieved by using different mechanisms of action to avoid the development of resistance. to that end, two hy ...	2011	21807973
identification of non-csp antigens bearing cd8 epitopes in mice immunized with irradiated sporozoites.	immunization of balb/c mice with irradiated sporozoites (irsp) of plasmodium yoelii can lead to sterile immunity. the circumsporozoite protein (csp) plays a dominant role in protection. nevertheless after hyper-immunization with irsp, complete protection is obtained in csp-transgenic balb/c mice that are t-cell tolerant to the csp and cannot produce antibodies [csp-tg/jht(-/-)]. this protection is mediated exclusively by cd8(+) t cells [1]. to identify the non-csp protective t cell antigens, we ...	2011	21807053
effect of anti-fat body antibodies on reproductive capacity of mosquito anopheles stephensi and transmission blocking of plasmodium vivax.	effect of anti-mosquito-fat body antibodies on the development of the malaria parasite, plasmodium vivax has been studied by feeding anopheles stephensi mosquitoes with infected blood supplemented with serum from immunized rabbits. immunogenic polypeptides were identified by western blot. mosquitoes that ingested anti-fat body antibodies along with infectious blood meal had significantly fewer oocysts than the mosquitoes in the control group. effect of anti-mosquito fat body antibodies on fecund ...	2011	21800498
wide cross-reactivity between anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus sg6 salivary proteins supports exploitation of gsg6 as a marker of human exposure to major malaria vectors in tropical africa.	abstract: background: the anopheles gambiae gsg6 is an anopheline-specific salivary protein which helps female mosquitoes to efficiently feed on blood. besides its role in haematophagy, gsg6 is immunogenic and elicits in exposed individuals an igg response, which may be used as indicator of exposure to the main african malaria vector a. gambiae. however, malaria transmission in tropical africa is sustained by three main vectors (a. gambiae, anopheles arabiensis and anopheles funestus) and a gene ...	2011	21794142
arrested oocyst maturation in plasmodium parasites lacking type ii nadh:ubiquinone dehydrogenase.	the plasmodium mitochondrial electron transport chain (mtetc) has received considerable attention as a potential target for new antimalarial drugs. atovaquone, a potent inhibitor of plasmodium cytochrome bc1, in combination with proguanil is recommended for chemoprophylaxis and treatment of malaria. the type ii nadh:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ndh2) is considered an attractive drug target, since its inhibition is thought to lead to the arrest of the mtetc and, as a consequence, pyrimidine biosynt ...	2011	21771793
demonstration of malaria situation analysis, stratification and planning in minab district, southern iran.	to demonstrate malaria situation analysis, stratification and planning for an endemic area in southern iran.	2011	21771420
false positive circumsporozoite protein elisa: a challenge for the estimation of the entomological inoculation rate of malaria and for vector incrimination.	abstract: background: the entomological inoculation rate (eir) is an important indicator in estimating malaria transmission and the impact of vector control. to assess the eir, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) to detect the circumsporozoite protein (csp) is increasingly used. however, several studies have reported false positive results in this elisa. the false positive results could lead to an overestimation of the eir. the aim of present study was to estimate the level of false po ...	2011	21767376
organic parasite control for poultry and rabbits in british columbia, canada.	abstract: plants used for treating endo- and ectoparasites of rabbits and poultry in british columbia included arctium lappa (burdock), artemisia sp. (wormwood), chenopodium album (lambsquarters) and c. ambrosioides (epazote), cirsium arvense (canada thistle), juniperus spp. (juniper), mentha piperita (peppermint), nicotiana sp. (tobacco), papaver somniferum (opium poppy), rubus spp. (blackberry and raspberry relatives), symphytum officinale (comfrey), taraxacum officinale (common dandelion), th ...	2011	21756341
caspase-1 activation of interleukin-1{beta} (il-1{beta}) and il-18 is dispensable for induction of experimental cerebral malaria.	malaria infection is initiated by sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes and asexual reproduction of liver stages, processes that are regarded to be "clinically and diagnostically silent." merozoites, which egress from hepatocytes, infect erythrocytes in periodic cycles and induce disease. how the host innate immune system contributes to disease outcomes and to the induction of effector cells during malaria remains unclear. likewise, how the initial liver stages may shape responses to blood-stage pa ...	2011	21708993
genome-wide scan reveals amplification of mdr1 as a common denominator of resistance to mefloquine, lumefantrine and artemisinin in p. chabaudi malaria parasites.	multidrug resistant plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites pose a threat to effective drug control, even to artemisinin-based combination therapies (acts). here we used linkage group selection and solexa whole genome resequencing to investigate the genetic basis of resistance to component drugs of acts. using the rodent malaria parasite p. chabaudi, we analysed the uncloned progeny of a genetic backcross between the mefloquine-, lumefantrine- and artemisinin-resistant mutant as-15mf and a genet ...	2011	21709099
toward a surrogate marker of malaria exposure: modeling longitudinal antibody measurements under outbreak conditions.	biomarkers of exposure to plasmodium falciparum would be a useful tool for the assessment of malaria burden and analysis of intervention and epidemiological studies. antibodies to pre-erythrocytic antigens represent potential surrogates of exposure.	2011	21818270
genome-wide profiling of diel and circadian gene expression in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae.	anopheles gambiae, the primary african vector of malaria parasites, exhibits numerous rhythmic behaviors including flight activity, swarming, mating, host seeking, egg laying, and sugar feeding. however, little work has been performed to elucidate the molecular basis for these daily rhythms. to study how gene expression is regulated globally by diel and circadian mechanisms, we have undertaken a dna microarray analysis of an. gambiae under light/dark cycle (ld) and constant dark (dd) conditions. ...	2011	21715657
apicoplast isoprenoid precursor synthesis and the molecular basis of fosmidomycin resistance in toxoplasma gondii.	apicomplexa are important pathogens that include the causative agents of malaria, toxoplasmosis, and cryptosporidiosis. apicomplexan parasites contain a relict chloroplast, the apicoplast. the apicoplast is indispensable and an attractive drug target. the apicoplast is home to a 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate (doxp) pathway for the synthesis of isoprenoid precursors. this pathway is believed to be the most conserved function of the apicoplast, and fosmidomycin, a specific inhibitor of the pathwa ...	2011	21690250
cd8+ t effector memory cells protect against liver-stage malaria.	identification of correlates of protection for infectious diseases including malaria is a major challenge and has become one of the main obstacles in developing effective vaccines. we investigated protection against liver-stage malaria conferred by vaccination with adenoviral (ad) and modified vaccinia ankara (mva) vectors expressing pre-erythrocytic malaria ags. by classifying cd8(+) t cells into effector, effector memory (t(em)), and central memory subsets using cd62l and cd127 markers, we fou ...	2011	21715686
a systematic analysis of the early transcribed membrane protein family throughout the life cycle of plasmodium yoelii.	the early transcribed membrane proteins (etramps) are a family of small, highly charged transmembrane proteins unique to malaria parasites. some members of the etramp family have been localized to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane that separates the intracellular parasite from the host cell and thus presumably have a role in host-parasite interactions. although it was previously shown that two etramps are critical for rodent malaria parasite liver-stage development, the importance of most etr ...	2011	21819513
linkage maps from multiple genetic crosses and loci linked to growth-related virulent phenotype in plasmodium yoelii.	plasmodium yoelii is an excellent model for studying malaria pathogenesis that is often intractable to investigate using human parasites; however, genetic studies of the parasite have been hindered by lack of genome-wide linkage resources. here, we performed 14 genetic crosses between three pairs of p. yoelii clones/subspecies, isolated 75 independent recombinant progeny from the crosses, and constructed a high-resolution linkage map for this parasite. microsatellite genotypes from the progeny f ...	2011	21690382
susceptibility of anopheles stephensi to plasmodium gallinaceum: a trait of the mosquito, the parasite, and the environment.	vector susceptibility to plasmodium infection is treated primarily as a vector trait, although it is a composite trait expressing the joint occurrence of the parasite and the vector with genetic contributions of both. a comprehensive approach to assess the specific contribution of genetic and environmental variation on "vector susceptibility" is lacking. here we developed and implemented a simple scheme to assess the specific contributions of the vector, the parasite, and the environment to "vec ...	2011	21694762
synergistic activity of cyt1a from bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis with bacillus sphaericus b101 h5a5b against bacillus sphaericus b101 h5a5b-resistant strains of anopheles stephensi liston (diptera: culicidae).	integrated vector control is an effective and essential part of any successful vector control program. increasing insecticide resistance requires strategies to prolong the use of highly effective vector control compounds. synergistic activity between current effective pesticides is a powerful tool and is one such strategy. in the current study, cyt1a from bacillus thurigiensis subsp. israelensis and bacillus sphaericus b101h5ah5b bs were evaluated for the synergistic activity against b. sphaeric ...	2011	21732183
why is plasmodium vivax a neglected tropical disease?		2011	21738804
potential of a khaya ivorensis -alstonia boonei extract combination as antimalarial prophylactic remedy.	the decoction of the combined stem barks of khaya ivorensis a. chev. (meliaceae) and alstonia boonei de wild (apocynaceae) has a history of use in traditional medicine of central cameroon for malaria treatment but also for the prevention of the disease.	2011	21742022
the influence of mosquito resting behaviour and associated microclimate for malaria risk.	abstract:	2011	21736735
insulin-like peptides in the mosquito anopheles stephensi: identification and expression in response to diet and infection with plasmodium falciparum.	insulin-like peptides (ilps) regulate a multitude of biological processes, including metabolism and immunity to infection, and share similar structural motifs across widely divergent taxa. insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (iis) pathway elements are similarly conserved. we have shown that iis regulates reproduction, innate immunity, and lifespan in female anopheles stephensi, a major mosquito vector of human malaria. to further explore iis regulation of these processes, we identified ...	2011	21703270
n-terminal prodomain of pfs230 synthesized using a cell-free system is sufficient to induce complement-dependent malaria transmission-blocking activity.	the aim of a malaria transmission-blocking vaccine is to block the development of malaria parasites in the mosquito and thus prevent subsequent infection of the human host. previous studies have demonstrated that the gametocyte/gamete surface protein pfs230 can induce transmission-blocking immunity and have evaluated escherichia coli-produced pfs230 as a transmission-blocking vaccine candidate. in this study, we used the wheat germ cell-free expression system to produce n-terminal fragments of p ...	2011	21715579
a plant-produced pfs230 vaccine candidate blocks transmission of plasmodium falciparum.	plasmodium falciparum is transmitted to a new host after completing its sexual cycle within a mosquito. developing vaccines against the parasite sexual stages is a critical component in the fight against malaria. we are targeting multiple proteins of p. falciparum which are found only on the surfaces of the sexual forms of the parasite and where antibodies against these proteins have been shown to block the progression of the parasite's life cycle in the mosquito and thus block transmission to t ...	2011	21715576
the ifn-+¦-inducible gtpase, irga6, protects mice against toxoplasma gondii but not against plasmodium berghei and some other intracellular pathogens.	clearance of infection with intracellular pathogens in mice involves interferon-regulated gtpases of the irg protein family. experiments with mice genetically deficient in members of this family such as irgm1(lrg-47), irgm3(igtp), and irgd(irg-47) has revealed a critical role in microbial clearance, especially for toxoplasma gondii. the in vivo role of another member of this family, irga6 (iigp, iigp1) has been studied in less detail. we investigated the susceptibility of two independently gener ...	2011	21698150
insecticidal potency of bacterial species bacillus thuringiensis sv2 and serratia nematodiphila sv6 against larvae of mosquito species aedes aegypti, anopheles stephensi, and culex quinquefasciatus.	the tremendous worldwide efforts to isolate novel mosquito larvicidal bacteria with improved efficacy present significant promise to control vector-borne diseases of public health importance. in the present study, two native bacterial isolates, bacillus thuringiensis (bt sv2) and serratia species (sv6) were evaluated for mosquito larvicidal potential against the early fourth instar larvae of aedes aegypti, anopheles stephensi, and culex quinquefasciatus with reference to b. thuringiensis subsp. ...	2011	22065062
lethal and pre-lethal effects of a fungal biopesticide contribute to substantial and rapid control of malaria vectors.	rapidly emerging insecticide resistance is creating an urgent need for new active ingredients to control the adult mosquitoes that vector malaria. biopesticides based on the spores of entomopathogenic fungi have shown considerable promise by causing very substantial mortality within 7-14 days of exposure. this mortality will generate excellent malaria control if there is a high likelihood that mosquitoes contact fungi early in their adult lives. however, where contact rates are lower, as might r ...	2011	21897846
Larvicidal and pupicidal activity of spinosad against the malarial vector Anopheles stephensi.	To investigate the larvicidal and pupicidal activity of spinosad against Anopheles stephensi Listen.	2011	21914537
A scalable pipeline for highly effective genetic modification of a malaria parasite.	In malaria parasites, the systematic experimental validation of drug and vaccine targets by reverse genetics is constrained by the inefficiency of homologous recombination and by the difficulty of manipulating adenine and thymine (A+T)-rich DNA of most Plasmodium species in Escherichia coli. We overcame these roadblocks by creating a high-integrity library of Plasmodium berghei genomic DNA (>77% A+T content) in a bacteriophage N15-based vector that can be modified efficiently using the lambda Re ...	2011	22020067
biolarvicidal and pupicidal activity of acalypha alnifolia klein ex willd. (family: euphorbiaceae) leaf extract and microbial insecticide, metarhizium anisopliae (metsch.) against malaria fever mosquito, anopheles stephensi liston. (diptera: culicidae).	the present study was to establish of acalypha alnifolia leaf extract and microbial insecticide, metarizhium anisopliae on larvicidal and pupicidal properties of against the malaria fever mosquito, anopheles stephensi. the leaf extract showed larvicidal and pupicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; however, the highest larval and pupal mortality was found in the leaf extract of ethanol a. alnifolia against the 1st to 4th instar larvae and pupae of values lc(50) value of 1st instar was 5.388%, 2n ...	2011	22200954
experimentally controlled downregulation of the histone chaperone fact in plasmodium berghei reveals that it is critical to male gamete fertility.	human fact (facilitates chromatin transcription) consists of the proteins spt16 and ssrp1 and acts as a histone chaperone in the (dis)assembly of nucleosome (and thereby chromatin) structure during transcription and dna replication. we identified a plasmodium berghei protein, termed fact-l, with homology to the spt16 subunit of fact. epitope tagging of fact-l showed nuclear localization with high expression in the nuclei of (activated) male gametocytes. the gene encoding fact-l could not be dele ...	2011	21899698
longevity and composition of cellular immune responses following experimental plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in humans.	cellular responses to plasmodium falciparum parasites, in particular interferon-gamma (ifnγ) production, play an important role in anti-malarial immunity. however, clinical immunity to malaria develops slowly amongst naturally exposed populations, the dynamics of cellular responses in relation to exposure are difficult to study and data about the persistence of such responses are controversial. here we assess the longevity and composition of cellular immune responses following experimental malar ...	2011	22144890
Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oil from Mentha spicata (Linn.) against three mosquito species.	Mosquitoes are blood-feeding insects and serve as the most important vectors for spreading human diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and filariasis. The continued use of synthetic insecticides has resulted in resistance in mosquitoes. Synthetic insecticides are toxic and affect the environment by contaminating soil, water, and air, and then natural products may be an alternative to synthetic insecticides because they are effective, biodegradable, eco-friendly, and safe to envir ...	2011	22139403
Emerging functions of transcription factors in malaria parasite.	Transcription is a process by which the genetic information stored in DNA is converted into mRNA by enzymes known as RNA polymerase. Bacteria use only one RNA polymerase to transcribe all of its genes while eukaryotes contain three RNA polymerases to transcribe the variety of eukaryotic genes. RNA polymerase also requires other factors/proteins to produce the transcript. These factors generally termed as transcription factors (TFs) are either associated directly with RNA polymerase or add in bui ...	2011	22131806
plasmodium protease rom1 is important for proper formation of the parasitophorous vacuole.	apicomplexans are obligate intracellular parasites that invade host cells by an active process leading to the formation of a non-fusogenic parasitophorous vacuole (pv) where the parasite replicates within the host cell. the rhomboid family of proteases cleaves substrates within their transmembrane domains and has been implicated in the invasion process. although its exact function is unknown, plasmodium rom1 is hypothesized to play a role during invasion based on its microneme localization and i ...	2011	21909259
the jak-stat pathway controls plasmodium vivax load in early stages of anopheles aquasalis infection.	malaria affects 300 million people worldwide every year and 450,000 in brazil. in coastal areas of brazil, the main malaria vector is anopheles aquasalis, and plasmodium vivax is responsible for the majority of malaria cases in the americas. insects possess a powerful immune system to combat infections. three pathways control the insect immune response: toll, imd, and jak-stat. here we analyze the immune role of the a. aquasalis jak-stat pathway after p. vivax infection. three genes, the transcr ...	2011	22069502
Adult mortality and blood feeding behavioral effects of a-amyrin acetate, a novel bioactive compound on in vivo exposed females of Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae).	The effect of a-amyrin acetate on mortality and blood feeding behavior in females of Anopheles stephensi was assessed by in vivo exposure on treated guinea pig skin. In vivo exposure to a-amyrin acetate caused mosquito knock down in the form of rapidly and normally reversible paralysis and the subsequent record at the end of a 24 h, revealed mortality rates of females increased from 0.0% (Control) to 76.9% at 1.6% a-amyrin acetate, the highest concentration which implies the contact toxicity of ...	2011	22167372
Mitochondrial NAD+-dependent malic enzyme from Anopheles stephensi: a possible novel target for malaria mosquito control.	ABSTRACT:	2011	22029897
Spinosad and neem seed kernel extract as bio-controlling agents for malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi and non-biting midge, Chironomus circumdatus.	Midge egg masses are reported to support non-pathogenic strains of the cholera pathogen, Vibrio cholera (V. cholera). Mosquito born diseases have been reported to cause millions of death worldwide. The present research reveals the toxicity effect of spinosad and neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) against different larval stages of Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi) and Chironomus circumdatus (Ch. circumdatus).	2011	21914538
critical role of the neutrophil-associated high-affinity receptor for ige in the pathogenesis of experimental cerebral malaria.	the role of the ige-fcεri complex in malaria severity in plasmodium falciparum-hosting patients is unknown. we demonstrate that mice genetically deficient for the high-affinity receptor for ige (fcεriα-ko) or for ige (ige-ko) are less susceptible to experimental cerebral malaria (ecm) after infection with plasmodium berghei (pbanka). mast cells and basophils, which are the classical ige-expressing effector cells, are not involved in disease as mast cell-deficient and basophil-depleted mice devel ...	2011	21967768
the contribution of plasmodium chabaudi to our understanding of malaria.	malaria kills close to a million people every year, mostly children under the age of five. in the drive towards the development of an effective vaccine and new chemotherapeutic targets for malaria, field-based studies on human malaria infection and laboratory-based studies using animal models of malaria offer complementary opportunities to further our understanding of the mechanisms behind malaria infection and pathology. we outline here the parallels between the plasmodium chabaudi mouse model ...	2011	22100995
hostile takeover by plasmodium: reorganization of parasite and host cell membranes during liver stage egress.	the protozoan parasite plasmodium is transmitted by female anopheles mosquitoes and undergoes obligatory development within a parasitophorous vacuole in hepatocytes before it is released into the bloodstream. the transition to the blood stage was previously shown to involve the packaging of exoerythrocytic merozoites into membrane-surrounded vesicles, called merosomes, which are delivered directly into liver sinusoids. however, it was unclear whether the membrane of these merosomes was derived f ...	2011	21909271