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potential of sugarcane bagasse (agro-industrial waste) for the production of bacillus thuringiensis israelensis.sugarcane bagasse is a renewable resource that can be used to produce biopesticide for the control of mosquito vectors. in the present study, we demonstrated that cane processed bagasse could be used to produce bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis (bti) for control of mosquito vectors viz: culex quinquefasciatus, anopheles stephensi and aedes aegypti. biochemical studies indicated that the bti spore/crystal toxins produced from the test culture medium (bagasse, bg + soybean, sb) are higher ...201324189680
larvicidal efficacy of catharanthus roseus linn. (family: apocynaceae) leaf extract and bacterial insecticide bacillus thuringiensis against anopheles stephensi liston.to explore the larvicidal activity of catharanthus roseus (c. roseus) leaf extract and bacillus thuringiensis (b. thuringiensis) against the malarial vector anopheles stephensi (an. stephensi), when being used alone or together.201324083578
alteration in bacillus thuringiensis toxicity by curing gut flora: novel approach for mosquito resistance management.mosquitoes are known for acquiring resistance against insecticides in many ways, namely target side mutation, enzyme modification, sequestration, quick elimination, etc. but, the role of microflora present in abundance in the larval midgut is less explored with respect to their role in insecticide resistance. during the course of their development, mosquitoes are continuously exposed to microbes and have naturally acquired midgut microbial flora. this midgut flora can modulate the mosquito's sus ...201323820604
purification of a serine protease and evidence for a protein c activator from the saliva of the tick, ixodes scapularis.the saliva of ticks is critical to their survival as parasites and hematophagous animals. in this study, we have purified an enzyme with trypsin-like activity from the saliva of the tick vector of lyme disease, ixodes scapularis. this enzyme, named as ixosp (i. scapularis salivary serine protease), is a 29.9 kda molecule with n-terminus fpxmvxlrikxr. a blast search identified ixosp as a secreted serine protease (aay66740) with a conserved catalytic triad his, asp, and ser. in vitro studies demon ...201324184517
molecular characterization of mosquitocidal bacillus sphaericus isolated from tamil nadu, india.forty-two bacillus sphaericus strains were isolated from soil around tamil nadu, india. the phylogenetic relationship among the b. sphaericus isolates was analysed by rep-pcr and multiplex pcr was performed for the detection of mosquito larvicidal genes bina, binb, mtx1, mtx2 and mtx3 in b. sphaericus isolates. according to the rep-pcr band pattern, b. sphaericus isolates were divided into group a comprising i-xi clusters and group b comprising cluster xii. three of the isolates bstn01, 23 and 2 ...201323648218
mosquito larvicidal and pupicidal activity of euphorbia hirta linn. (family: euphorbiaceae) and bacillus sphaericus against anopheles stephensi liston. (diptera: culicidae).to explore the larvicidal and pupicidal activity of euphorbia hirta (e. hirta) leaf extract and bacillus sphaericus (b. sphaericus) against the malarial vector, anopheles stephensi (an. stephensi).201323339910
wolbachia invades anopheles stephensi populations and induces refractoriness to plasmodium infection.wolbachia is a maternally transmitted symbiotic bacterium of insects that has been proposed as a potential agent for the control of insect-transmitted diseases. one of the major limitations preventing the development of wolbachia for malaria control has been the inability to establish inherited infections of wolbachia in anopheline mosquitoes. here, we report the establishment of a stable wolbachia infection in an important malaria vector, anopheles stephensi. in a. stephensi, wolbachia strain w ...201323661760
comparative susceptibilities of species t and u of the anopheles fluviatilis complex to plasmodium vinckei petteri sporogony.anopheles fluviatilis james is an important malaria vector in indian subcontinent. an. fluviatilis exists as a complex of three sibling species, of which two species, t and u, have been colonized so far. attempts were made to study the comparative susceptibility of species t and u of the an. fluviatilis complex to rodent malaria parasite plasmodium vinckei petteri by using anopheles stephensi liston as calibrator for variable infectivity in different isolates. an. stephensi, which was used as co ...201323802454
genotyping plasmodium vivax isolates infecting anopheles stephensi, an asian main malaria vector.malaria is a serious vector-borne infectious disease in iran and anopheles stephensi has long been suspected as a main malaria vector. however, opinions about its vectorial capacity in supporting plasmodium species and strains are not clear. this study investigates the susceptibility of an asian main malaria vector, an. stephensi, to plasmodium vivax isolates, collected from tropical region of iran. p. vivax gametocytes which used in ex vivo assay to an. stephensi infection were genotyped by usi ...201323384706
reduction of malaria transmission by transgenic mosquitoes expressing an antisporozoite antibody in their salivary glands.we have previously developed a robust salivary gland-specific expression system in transgenic anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. to establish transgenic mosquito lines refractory to plasmodium falciparum using this system, we generated a transgenic mosquito harbouring the gene encoding an anti-p. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (pfcsp) single-chain antibody (scfv) fused to dsred in a secretory form (mdsred-2a10 scfv). fluorescence microscopy showed that the mdsred-2a10 scfv was localized in the ...201323176559
identification of wild collected mosquito vectors of diseases using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in jazan province, saudi arabia.thirty-three species of mosquitoes have been reported from the kingdom of saudi arabia. several of these mosquitoes, anopheles gambiae giles s.l., anopheles stephensi liston, culex pipiens linnaeus, culex quinquefasciatus say, culex tritaeniorhynchus giles, stegomyia aegypti (linnaeus) and aedimorphus vexans arabiensis (patton) are known vectors of human and animal diseases. in this study, the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of eight mosquito species using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry wer ...201324259205
pesticide susceptibility status of anopheles mosquitoes in four flood-affected districts of south punjab, pakistan.recent floods drastically increased the burden of disease, in particular the incidence of malaria, in the southern districts of the punjab province in pakistan. control of malaria vector mosquitoes in these districts requires the adoption of an appropriate evidence-based policy on the use of pesticides, and having the latest information on the insecticide resistance status of malaria vector mosquitoes is essential for designing effective disease prevention policy. using world health organization ...201323199276
insecticide susceptibility status in three medically important species of mosquitoes, anopheles stephensi, aedes aegypti and culex quinquefasciatus, from bruhat bengaluru mahanagara palike, karnataka, india.development of resistance among mosquito vectors of diseases is of growing concern in many countries of the subtropics, including much of india. the distributions of susceptibility/resistance to insecticides are scarcely recorded and are unknown in many parts of india. this manuscript reports the susceptibility status among strains of anopheles stephensi, aedes aegypti and culex quinquefasciatus collected from different geographical areas of bruhat bengaluru mahanagara palike (bbmp), karnataka, ...201322926921
larvicidal activity and gc-ms analysis of flavonoids of vitex negundo and andrographis paniculata against two vector mosquitoes anopheles stephensi and aedes aegypti.development of insect resistance to synthetic pesticides, high operational cost and environmental pollution have created the need for developing alternative approaches to control vector-borne diseases. in the present study, larvicidal activity of flavonoid extracts of different parts of vitex negundo (linnaeus) and andrographis paniculata (nees) have been studied against the late iii or early iv instar larvae of aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi (liston).201324220075
green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using sida acuta (malvaceae) leaf extract against culex quinquefasciatus, anopheles stephensi, and aedes aegypti (diptera: culicidae).mosquitoes act as a vector for most of the life-threatening diseases like malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya fever, filariasis, encephalitis, west nile virus infection, etc. under the integrated mosquito management, emphasis was given on the application of alternative strategies in mosquito control. the continuous application of synthetic insecticides causes development of resistance in vector species, biological magnification of toxic substances through the food chain, and adverse ...201324005479
bioengineering of a cellulosic fabric for insecticide delivery via grafted cyclodextrin.beta-cyclodextrin (beta-cd) can be easily grafted onto cellulosic textiles through covalent bonds. in such a way beta-cd empty cavities provide an efficient tool for entrapping different kinds of hydrophobic molecules on the surface of the fabric and releasing them slowly in time. the capability of cyclodextrins to include hydrophobic molecules such as fragrances, antimicrobial agents, and other chemicals can be then exploited to produce new grafted textiles with peculiar and useful performances ...201316321057
relative efficacy of five synthetic pyrethroids against four vector mosquitoes, anopheles culicifacies, anopheles stephensi, culex quinquefasciatus and aedes aegypti. 201314686108
dedicated olfactory neurons mediating attraction behavior to ammonia and amines in drosophila.animals across various phyla exhibit odor-evoked innate attraction behavior that is developmentally programmed. the mechanism underlying such behavior remains unclear because the odorants that elicit robust attraction responses and the neuronal circuits that mediate this behavior have not been identified. here, we describe a functionally segregated population of olfactory sensory neurons (osns) and projection neurons (pns) in drosophila melanogaster that are highly specific to ammonia and amines ...201323509267
plasmodium yoelii inhibitor of cysteine proteases is exported to exomembrane structures and interacts with yoelipain-2 during asexual blood-stage development.plasmodium falciparum (pf) blood stages express falstatin, an inhibitor of cysteine proteases (icp), which is implicated in regulating proteolysis during red blood cell infection. recent data using the plasmodium berghei rodent malaria model suggested an additional role for icp in the infection of hepatocytes by sporozoites and during liver-stage development. here we further characterize the role of icp in vivo during infection with plasmodium yoelii (py) and pf. we found that py-icp was refract ...201323421981
next-generation site-directed transgenesis in the malaria vector mosquito anopheles gambiae: self-docking strains expressing germline-specific phic31 integrase.diseases transmitted by mosquitoes have a devastating impact on global health and the situation is complicated due to difficulties with both existing control measures and the impact of climate change. genetically modified mosquitoes that are refractory to disease transmission are seen as having great potential in the delivery of novel control strategies. the streptomyces phage phic31 integrase system has been successfully adapted for site-directed transgene integration in a range of insects, thu ...201323516619
homologs of vertebrate opn3 potentially serve as a light sensor in nonphotoreceptive tissue.most opsins selectively bind 11-cis retinal as a chromophore to form a photosensitive pigment, which underlies various physiological functions, such as vision and circadian photoentrainment. recently, opsin 3 (opn3), originally called encephalopsin or panopsin, and its homologs were identified in various tissues including brain, eye, and liver in both vertebrates and invertebrates, including human. because opn3s are mainly expressed in tissues that are not considered to contain sufficient amount ...201323479626
effects of fluctuating daily temperatures at critical thermal extremes on aedes aegypti life-history traits.the effect of temperature on insect biology is well understood under constant temperature conditions, but less so under more natural, fluctuating conditions. a fluctuating temperature profile around a mean of 26°c can alter aedes aegypti vector competence for dengue viruses as well as numerous life-history traits, however, the effect of fluctuations on mosquitoes at critical thermal limits is unknown.201323520534
qualification of standard membrane-feeding assay with plasmodium falciparum malaria and potential improvements for future assays.vaccines that interrupt malaria transmission are of increasing interest and a robust functional assay to measure this activity would promote their development by providing a biologically relevant means of evaluating potential vaccine candidates. therefore, we aimed to qualify the standard membrane-feeding assay (smfa). the assay measures the transmission-blocking activity of antibodies by feeding cultured p. falciparum gametocytes to anopheles mosquitoes in the presence of the test antibodies an ...201323483940
characterizing microclimate in urban malaria transmission settings: a case study from chennai, india.environmental temperature is an important driver of malaria transmission dynamics. both the parasite and vector are sensitive to mean ambient temperatures and daily temperature variation. to understand transmission ecology, therefore, it is important to determine the range of microclimatic temperatures experienced by malaria vectors in the field.201323452620
the plasmodium berghei ca(2+)/h(+) exchanger, pbcax, is essential for tolerance to environmental ca(2+) during sexual development.ca(2+) contributes to a myriad of important cellular processes in all organisms, including the apicomplexans, plasmodium and toxoplasma. due to its varied and essential roles, free ca(2+) is tightly regulated by complex mechanisms. these mechanisms are therefore of interest as putative drug targets. one pathway in ca(2+) homeostatic control in apicomplexans uses a ca(2+)/h(+) exchanger (a member of the cation exchanger family, cax). the p. falciparum cax (pfcax) has recently been characterised i ...201323468629
perturbations of plasmodium puf2 expression and rna-seq of puf2-deficient sporozoites reveal a critical role in maintaining rna homeostasis and parasite transmissibility.malaria's cycle of infection requires parasite transmission between a mosquito vector and a mammalian host. we here demonstrate that the plasmodium yoelii pumilio-fbf family member puf2 allows the sporozoite to remain infectious in the mosquito salivary glands while awaiting transmission. puf2 mediates this solely through its rna-binding domain (rbd) likely by stabilizing or hastening the degradation of specific mrnas. puf2 traffics to sporozoite cytosolic granules, which are negative for severa ...201323356439
expression profile of the plasmodium falciparum intra-erythrocytic stage protein, pf3d7_1363700.efforts to control malaria are demanding due to drug-resistant parasites, insecticide-resistant mosquitoes and poor health infrastructure in malaria-endemic countries. therefore, the research and development of additional malaria control methods are crucial. for host-parasite interactions, surface antigens and secreted proteins are likely to be involved in infectivity and invasion of host tissues and therefore can be effective targets for control by vaccines, drug therapy, or novel mosquito cont ...201323418676
the role of reactive oxygen species in anopheles aquasalis response to plasmodium vivax infection.malaria affects millions of people worldwide and hundreds of thousands of people each year in brazil. the mosquito anopheles aquasalis is an important vector of plasmodium vivax, the main human malaria parasite in the americas. reactive oxygen species (ros) have been shown to have a role in insect innate immune responses as a potent pathogen-killing agent. we investigated the mechanisms of free radicals modulation after a. aquasalis infection with p. vivax. ros metabolism was evaluated in the ve ...201323441231
a cell-based screening platform identifies novel mosquitocidal toxins.pesticides currently in widespread use often lack species specificity and also become less effective as resistance emerges. consequently, there is a pressing need to develop novel agents that are narrowly targeted and safe to humans. a cell-based screening platform was designed to discover compounds that are lethal to mosquito (anopheles and aedes) cells but show little or no activity against other insect (drosophila) or human cell lines. mosquito-specific, aqueous-stable cytotoxins were recover ...201323407365
costs of crowding for the transmission of malaria parasites.the utility of using evolutionary and ecological frameworks to understand the dynamics of infectious diseases is gaining increasing recognition. however, integrating evolutionary ecology and infectious disease epidemiology is challenging because within-host dynamics can have counterintuitive consequences for between-host transmission, especially for vector-borne parasites. a major obstacle to linking within- and between-host processes is that the drivers of the relationships between the density, ...201323789029
features of autophagic cell death in plasmodium liver-stage parasites.analyzing molecular determinants of plasmodium parasite cell death is a promising approach for exploring new avenues in the fight against malaria. three major forms of cell death (apoptosis, necrosis and autophagic cell death) have been described in multicellular organisms but which cell death processes exist in protozoa is still a matter of debate. here we suggest that all three types of cell death occur in plasmodium liver-stage parasites. whereas typical molecular markers for apoptosis and ne ...201323388496
the impact of low erythrocyte density in human blood on the fitness and energetic reserves of the african malaria vector anopheles gambiae.anaemia is a common health problem in the developing world. this condition is characterized by a reduction in erythrocyte density, primarily from malnutrition and/or infectious diseases such as malaria. as red blood cells are the primary source of protein for haematophagous mosquitoes, any reduction could impede the ability of mosquito vectors to transmit malaria by influencing their fitness or that of the parasites they transmit. the aim of this study was to determine the impact of differences ...201323374331
temperature-dependent pre-bloodmeal period and temperature-driven asynchrony between parasite development and mosquito biting rate reduce malaria transmission intensity.a mosquito needs to bite at least twice for malaria transmission to occur: once to acquire parasites and, after these parasites complete their development in their mosquito host, once to transmit the parasites to the next vertebrate host. here we investigate the relationship between temperature, parasite development, and biting frequency in a mosquito-rodent malaria model system. we show that the pre-bloodmeal period (the time lag between mosquito emergence and first bloodmeal) increases at lowe ...201323383280
expression of cytosolic peroxiredoxins in plasmodium berghei ookinetes is regulated by environmental factors in the mosquito bloodmeal.the plasmodium ookinete develops over several hours in the bloodmeal of its mosquito vector where it is exposed to exogenous stresses, including cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ros). how the parasite adapts to these challenging conditions is not well understood. we have systematically investigated the expression of three cytosolic antioxidant proteins, thioredoxin-1 (trx-1), peroxiredoxin-1 (tpx-1), and 1-cys peroxiredoxin (1-cys prx), in developing ookinetes of the rodent parasite plasmodium ...201323382676
immunogenicity, protective efficacy and safety of a recombinant dna vaccine encoding truncated plasmodium yoelii sporozoite asparagine-rich protein 1 (pysap1).although great efforts have been undertaken for the development of malaria vaccines, no completely effective malaria vaccines are available yet. despite being clinically silent, the pre-erythrocytic stage is considered an ideal target for the development of malaria vaccines. sporozoite asparagine-rich protein 1 (sap1) is a sporozoite-localized protein that regulates the expression of uis (upregulated in infectious sporozoites) genes, which are essential for the infectivity of sporozoites. in thi ...201323357857
transgenic fluorescent plasmodium cynomolgi liver stages enable live imaging and purification of malaria hypnozoite-forms.a major challenge for strategies to combat the human malaria parasite plasmodium vivax is the presence of hypnozoites in the liver. these dormant forms can cause renewed clinical disease after reactivation through unknown mechanisms. the closely related non-human primate malaria p. cynomolgi is a frequently used model for studying hypnozoite-induced relapses. here we report the generation of the first transgenic p. cynomolgi parasites that stably express fluorescent markers in liver stages by tr ...201323359816
novel type ii fatty acid biosynthesis (fas ii) inhibitors as multistage antimalarial agents.malaria is a potentially fatal disease caused by plasmodium parasites and poses a major medical risk in large parts of the world. the development of new, affordable antimalarial drugs is of vital importance as there are increasing reports of resistance to the currently available therapeutics. in addition, most of the current drugs used for chemoprophylaxis merely act on parasites already replicating in the blood. at this point, a patient might already be suffering from the symptoms associated wi ...201323341167
total and putative surface proteomics of malaria parasite salivary gland sporozoites.malaria infections of mammals are initiated by the transmission of plasmodium salivary gland sporozoites during an anopheles mosquito vector bite. sporozoites make their way through the skin and eventually to the liver, where they infect hepatocytes. blocking this initial stage of infection is a promising malaria vaccine strategy. therefore, comprehensively elucidating the protein composition of sporozoites will be invaluable in identifying novel targets for blocking infection. previous efforts ...201323325771
plasmodium berghei mapk1 displays differential and dynamic subcellular localizations during liver stage development.mitogen-activated protein kinases (mapks) regulate key signaling events in eukaryotic cells. in the genomes of protozoan plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, two genes encoding kinases with significant homology to other eukaryotic mapks have been identified (mapk1, mapk2). in this work, we show that both genes are transcribed during plasmodium berghei liver stage development, and analyze expression and subcellular localization of the pbmapk1 protein in liver stage parasites. li ...201323544094
co-occurrence of point mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel of pyrethroid-resistant aedes aegypti populations in myanmar.single amino acid substitutions in the voltage-gated sodium channel associated with pyrethroid resistance constitute one of the main causative factors of knockdown resistance in insects. the kdr gene has been observed in several mosquito species; however, point mutations in the para gene of aedes aegypti populations in myanmar have not been fully characterized. the aim of the present study was to determine the types and frequencies of mutations in the para gene of aedes aegypti collected from us ...201425077956
antigen export during liver infection of the malaria parasite augments protective immunity.protective immunity against preerythrocytic malaria parasite infection is difficult to achieve. intracellular plasmodium parasites likely minimize antigen presentation by surface-expressed major histocompatibility complex class i (mhc-i) molecules on infected cells, yet they actively remodel their host cells by export of parasite factors. whether exported liver-stage proteins constitute better candidates for mhc-i antigen presentation to cd8(+) t lymphocytes remains unknown. here, we systematica ...201425073641
abc transporters are involved in defense against permethrin insecticide in the malaria vector anopheles stephensi.proteins from the abc family (atp-binding cassette) represent the largest known group of efflux pumps, responsible for transporting specific molecules across lipid membranes in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. in arthropods they have been shown to play a role in insecticide defense/resistance. the presence of abc transporters and their possible association with insecticide transport have not yet been investigated in the mosquito anopheles stephensi, the major vector of human malaria in ...201425073980
measurement of parasitological data by quantitative real-time pcr from controlled human malaria infection trials at the walter reed army institute of research.the use of quantitative real-time pcr (qpcr) has allowed for precise quantification of parasites in the prepatent period and greatly improved the reproducibility and statistical power of controlled human malaria infection (chmi) trials. parasitological data presented here are from non-immunized, control-challenged subjects who participated in two chmi trials conducted at the walter reed army institute of research (wrair).201425066459
wolbachia strain walbb confers both fitness costs and benefit on anopheles stephensi.wolbachia is a maternally transmitted intracellular bacterium that is estimated to infect up to 65% of insect species, but it is not naturally present in anopheles malaria vectors. wolbachia-based strategies for malaria vector control can be developed either through population replacement to reduce vectorial capacity or through population suppression to reduce the mosquito population. we have previously generated an. stephensi mosquitoes carrying a stable walbb wolbachia infection and have demon ...201425041943
resistance mechanisms of anopheles stephensi (diptera: culicidae) to temephos.anopheles stephensi is a sub-tropical species and has been considered as one of the most important vector of human malaria throughout the middle east and south asian region including the malarious areas of southern iran. current reports confirmed an. stephensi resistance to temephos in oman and india. however, there is no comprehensive research on mechanisms of temephos resistance in an. stephensi in the literature. this study was designed in order to clarify the enzymatic and molecular mechanis ...201426114145
biological activities and composition of ferulago carduchorum essential oil.ferulago carduchorum boiss and hausskn belongs to the apiaceae family. this plant grows in west part of iran that local people added it to dairy and oil ghee to delay expiration date and give them a pleasant taste. the aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, acetyl cholinesterase inhibition, cytotoxic, larvicidal activities and composition of essential oil of f. carduchorum.201426114148
ace for all - a molecular perspective.angiotensin-i converting enzyme (ace, ec 3.4.15.1) is a zinc dependent dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase with an essential role in mammalian blood pressure regulation as part of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (raas). as such, it has long been targeted in the treatment of hypertension through the use of ace inhibitors. although ace has been studied since the 1950s, only recently have the full range of functions of this enzyme begun to truly be appreciated. ace homologues have been found in a ...201425027949
interferons and interferon regulatory factors in malaria.malaria is one of the most serious infectious diseases in humans and responsible for approximately 500 million clinical cases and 500 thousand deaths annually. acquired adaptive immune responses control parasite replication and infection-induced pathologies. most infections are clinically silent which reflects on the ability of adaptive immune mechanisms to prevent the disease. however, a minority of these can become severe and life-threatening, manifesting a range of overlapping syndromes of co ...201425157202
circumsporozoite protein-specific k(d)-restricted cd8+ t cells mediate protective antimalaria immunity in sporozoite-immunized mhc-i-k(d) transgenic mice.although the roles of cd8+ t cells and a major preerythrocytic antigen, the circumsporozoite (cs) protein, in contributing protective antimalaria immunity induced by radiation-attenuated sporozoites, have been shown by a number of studies, the extent to which these players contribute to antimalaria immunity is still unknown. to address this question, we have generated c57bl/6 (b6) transgenic (tg) mice, expressing k(d) molecules under the mhc-i promoter, called mhc-i-k(d)-tg mice. in this study, ...201425132735
mass spectrometry based proteomic analysis of salivary glands of urban malaria vector anopheles stephensi.salivary gland proteins of anopheles mosquitoes offer attractive targets to understand interactions with sporozoites, blood feeding behavior, homeostasis, and immunological evaluation of malaria vectors and parasite interactions. to date limited studies have been carried out to elucidate salivary proteins of an. stephensi salivary glands. the aim of the present study was to provide detailed analytical attributives of functional salivary gland proteins of urban malaria vector an. stephensi. a pro ...201425126571
plasmodium yoelii vitamin b5 pantothenate transporter candidate is essential for parasite transmission to the mosquito.in nearly all non-photosynthetic cells, pantothenate (vitamin b5) transport and utilization are prerequisites for the synthesis of the universal essential cofactor coenzyme a (coa). early studies showed that human malaria parasites rely on the uptake of pantothenate across the parasite plasma membrane for survival within erythrocytes. recently, a p. falciparum candidate pantothenate transporter (pat) was characterized by functional complementation in yeast. these studies revealed that pfpat medi ...201425012929
gravid females of the mosquito aedes aegypti avoid oviposition on m-cresol in the presence of the deterrent isomer p-cresol.p-cresol (4-methylphenol) and its isomer m-cresol (3-methylphenol) have been shown to activate the same sensilla in aedes aegypti (linnaeus) mosquitoes. whereas p-cresol has been suggested to play a role in oviposition site choice, the behavioral significance of m-cresol is unknown.201425008201
effect of ingested human antibodies induced by rts, s/as01 malaria vaccination in children on plasmodium falciparum oocyst formation and sporogony in mosquitoes.the circumsporozoite protein (cs protein) on the malaria parasites in mosquitoes plays an important role in sporogony in mosquitoes. the rts,s/as01 malaria vaccine candidate, which has shown significant efficacy against clinical malaria in a large phase 3 trial, targets the plasmodium falciparum cs protein, but the ability of serum from vaccinated individuals to inhibit sporogony in mosquitoes has not been evaluated.201425007730
the cry toxin operon of clostridium bifermentans subsp. malaysia is highly toxic to aedes larval mosquitoes.the management and control of mosquito vectors of human disease currently rely primarily on chemical insecticides. however, larvicidal treatments can be effective, and if based on biological insecticides, they can also ameliorate the risk posed to human health by chemical insecticides. the aerobic bacteria bacillus thuringiensis and lysinibacillus sphaericus have been used for vector control for a number of decades. but a more cost-effective use would be an anaerobic bacterium because of the eas ...201425002432
kaf156 is an antimalarial clinical candidate with potential for use in prophylaxis, treatment, and prevention of disease transmission.renewed global efforts toward malaria eradication have highlighted the need for novel antimalarial agents with activity against multiple stages of the parasite life cycle. we have previously reported the discovery of a novel class of antimalarial compounds in the imidazolopiperazine series that have activity in the prevention and treatment of blood stage infection in a mouse model of malaria. consistent with the previously reported activity profile of this series, the clinical candidate kaf156 s ...201424913172
a cysteine protease inhibitor of plasmodium berghei is essential for exo-erythrocytic development.plasmodium parasites express a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases (icp) throughout their life cycle. to analyze the role of icp in different life cycle stages, we generated a stage-specific knockout of the plasmodium berghei icp (pbicp). excision of the pbicb gene occurred in infective sporozoites and resulted in impaired sporozoite invasion of hepatocytes, despite residual pbicp protein being detectable in sporozoites. the vast majority of these parasites invading a cultured hepatocyte cell ...201425166051
host pi(3,5)p2 activity is required for plasmodium berghei growth during liver stage infection.malaria parasites go through an obligatory liver stage before they infect erythrocytes and cause disease symptoms. in the host hepatocytes, the parasite is enclosed by a parasitophorous vacuole membrane (pvm). here, we dissected the interaction between the plasmodium parasite and the host cell late endocytic pathway and show that parasite growth is dependent on the phosphoinositide 5-kinase (pikfyve) that converts phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate [pi(3)p] into phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphospha ...201424992508
4-1bbl enhances cd8+ t cell responses induced by vectored vaccines in mice but fails to improve immunogenicity in rhesus macaques.t cells play a central role in the immune response to many of the world's major infectious diseases. in this study we investigated the tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily costimulatory molecule, 4-1bbl (cd137l, tnfsf9), for its ability to increase t cell immunogenicity induced by a variety of recombinant vectored vaccines. to efficiently test this hypothesis, we assessed a number of promoters and developed a stable bi-cistronic vector expressing both the antigen and adjuvant. co-expressi ...201425140889
a novel plant-produced pfs25 fusion subunit vaccine induces long-lasting transmission blocking antibody responses.malaria transmission blocking vaccines (tbv) directed against proteins expressed on sexual stages of plasmodium falciparum in the mosquito midgut are considered an effective means to reduce malaria transmission. antibodies induced by tbv block sporogonic development in the mosquito, and thus transmission to the next human host. the pfs25 protein, expressed on the surface of gametes, zygotes and ookinetes, is one of the primary targets for tbv development. using a plant virus-based transient expr ...201425483525
native microbiome impedes vertical transmission of wolbachia in anopheles mosquitoes.over evolutionary time, wolbachia has been repeatedly transferred between host species contributing to the widespread distribution of the symbiont in arthropods. for novel infections to be maintained, wolbachia must infect the female germ line after being acquired by horizontal transfer. although mechanistic examples of horizontal transfer exist, there is a poor understanding of factors that lead to successful vertical maintenance of the acquired infection. using anopheles mosquitoes (which are ...201425114252
vectored antibody gene delivery protects against plasmodium falciparum sporozoite challenge in mice.malaria caused by plasmodium falciparum kills nearly one million children each year and imposes crippling economic burdens on families and nations worldwide. no licensed vaccine exists, but infection can be prevented by antibodies against the circumsporozoite protein (csp), the major surface protein of sporozoites, the form of the parasite injected by mosquitoes. we have used vectored immunoprophylaxis (vip), an adeno-associated virus-based technology, to introduce preformed antibody genes encod ...201425114213
chemical interrogation of the malaria kinome.malaria, an infectious disease caused by eukaryotic parasites of the genus plasmodium, afflicts hundreds of millions of people every year. both the parasite and its host utilize protein kinases to regulate essential cellular processes. bioinformatic analyses of parasite genomes predict at least 65 protein kinases, but their biological functions and therapeutic potential are largely unknown. we profiled 1358 small-molecule kinase inhibitors to evaluate the role of both the human and the malaria k ...201425111632
plasmodium falciparum evades mosquito immunity by disrupting jnk-mediated apoptosis of invaded midgut cells.the malaria parasite, plasmodium, must survive and develop in the mosquito vector to be successfully transmitted to a new host. the plasmodium falciparum pfs47 gene is critical for malaria transmission. parasites that express pfs47 (nf54 wt) evade mosquito immunity and survive, whereas pfs47 knockouts (ko) are efficiently eliminated by the complement-like system. two alternative approaches were used to investigate the mechanism of action of pfs47 on immune evasion. first, we examined whether pfs ...201425552553
increased akt signaling in the mosquito fat body increases adult survivorship.akt signaling regulates diverse physiologies in a wide range of organisms. we examine the impact of increased akt signaling in the fat body of 2 mosquito species, the asian malaria mosquito anopheles stephensi and the yellow fever mosquito aedes aegypti. overexpression of a myristoylated and active form of a. stephensi and ae. aegypti akt in the fat body of transgenic mosquitoes led to activation of the downstream signaling molecules forkhead box o (foxo) and p70 s6 kinase in a tissue and blood ...201425550465
neither the hiv protease inhibitor lopinavir-ritonavir nor the antimicrobial trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prevent malaria relapse in plasmodium cynomolgi-infected non-human primates.plasmodium vivax malaria causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, and only one drug is in clinical use that can kill the hypnozoites that cause p. vivax relapses. hiv and p. vivax malaria geographically overlap in many areas of the world, including south america and asia. despite the increasing body of knowledge regarding hiv protease inhibitors (hiv pis) on p. falciparum malaria, there are no data regarding the effects of these treatments on p. vivax's hypnozoite form and clinical ...201425541998
in vitro activity of waladin benzimidazoles against different life cycle stages of plasmodium parasites.waladin1 benzimidazoles are specific inhibitors of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase from wolbachia endobacteria of filarial nematodes. we report that waladin1 and two derivatives killed blood stage plasmodium falciparum in vitro (50% inhibitory concentrations, 39, 7.7, and 12.8 μm, respectively). one of these derivatives inhibited gliding motility of plasmodium berghei anka infectious sporozoites with nanomolar affinity and blocked invasion into hepatocytes but did not affect intrahepatocytic r ...201425313210
lead clinical and preclinical antimalarial drugs can significantly reduce sporozoite transmission to vertebrate populations.to achieve malarial elimination, we must employ interventions that reduce the exposure of human populations to infectious mosquitoes. to this end, numerous antimalarial drugs are under assessment in a variety of transmission-blocking assays which fail to measure the single crucial criteria of a successful intervention, namely impact on case incidence within a vertebrate population (reduction in reproductive number/effect size). consequently, any reduction in new infections due to drug treatment ...201425385107
a slot blot immunoassay for quantitative detection of plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein in mosquito midgut oocyst.there is still a need for sensitive and reproducible immunoassays for quantitative detection of malarial antigens in preclinical and clinical phases of vaccine development and in epidemiology and surveillance studies, particularly in the vector host. here we report the results of sensitivity and reproducibility studies for a research-grade, quantitative enhanced chemiluminescent-based slot blot assay (ecl-sb) for detection of both recombinant plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (rpfcs ...201425531543
small-molecule xenomycins inhibit all stages of the plasmodium life cycle.widespread resistance to most antimalaria drugs in use has prompted the search for novel candidate compounds with activity against plasmodium asexual blood stages to be developed for treatment. in addition, the current malaria eradication programs require the development of drugs that are effective against all stages of the parasite life cycle. we have analyzed the antimalarial properties of xenomycins, a novel subclass of small molecule compounds initially isolated for anticancer activity and s ...201425512429
assessment of therapeutic responses to gametocytocidal drugs in plasmodium falciparum malaria.indirect clinical measures assessing anti-malarial drug transmission-blocking activity in falciparum malaria include measurement of the duration of gametocytaemia, the rate of gametocyte clearance or the area under the gametocytaemia-time curve (auc). these may provide useful comparative information, but they underestimate dose-response relationships for transmission-blocking activity. following 8-aminoquinoline administration p. falciparum gametocytes are sterilized within hours, whereas cleara ...201425486998
maternal germline-specific genes in the asian malaria mosquito anopheles stephensi: characterization and application for disease control.anopheles stephensi is a principal vector of urban malaria on the indian subcontinent and an emerging model for molecular and genetic studies of mosquito biology. to enhance our understanding of female mosquito reproduction, and to develop new tools for basic research and for genetic strategies to control mosquito-borne infectious diseases, we identified 79 genes that displayed previtellogenic germline-specific expression based on rna-seq data generated from 11 life stage-specific and sex-specif ...201425480960
plasmodium alveolins possess distinct but structurally and functionally related multi-repeat domains.the invasive and motile life stages of malaria parasites (merozoite, ookinete and sporozoite) possess a distinctive cortical structure termed the pellicle. the pellicle is characterised by a double-layered 'inner membrane complex' (imc) located underneath the plasma membrane, which is supported by a cytoskeletal structure termed the subpellicular network (spn). the spn consists of intermediate filaments, whose major constituents include a family of proteins called alveolins. here, we re-appraise ...201425475193
experimental cerebral malaria pathogenesis--hemodynamics at the blood brain barrier.cerebral malaria claims the lives of over 600,000 african children every year. to better understand the pathogenesis of this devastating disease, we compared the cellular dynamics in the cortical microvasculature between two infection models, plasmodium berghei anka (pba) infected cba/caj mice, which develop experimental cerebral malaria (ecm), and p. yoelii 17xl (pyxl) infected mice, which succumb to malarial hyperparasitemia without neurological impairment. using a combination of intravital im ...201425474413
isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis is the essential metabolic role of the apicoplast during gametocytogenesis in plasmodium falciparum.the malaria parasite harbors a relict plastid called the apicoplast and its discovery opened a new avenue for drug discovery and development due to its unusual, nonmammalian metabolism. the apicoplast is essential during the asexual intraerythrocytic and hepatic stages of the parasite, and there is strong evidence supporting its essential metabolic role during the mosquito stages of the parasite. supply of the isoprenoid building blocks isopentenyl diphosphate (ipp) and dimethylallyl diphosphate ...201425446055
subtractive and differential hybridization molecular analyses of ceratitis capitata xx/xy versus xx embryos to search for male-specific early transcribed genes.the agricultural pest ceratitis capitata, also known as the mediterranean fruit fly or medfly, is a fruit crop pest of very high economic relevance in different continents. the strategy to separate ceratitis males from females (sexing) in mass rearing facilities is a useful step before the sterilization and release of male-only flies in sterile insect technique control programs (sit). the identification of genes having early embryonic male-specific expression, including y-linked genes, such as t ...201425472628
the repeat region of the circumsporozoite protein is critical for sporozoite formation and maturation in plasmodium.the circumsporozoite protein (csp) is the major surface protein of the sporozoite stage of malaria parasites and has multiple functions as the parasite develops and then migrates from the mosquito midgut to the mammalian liver. the overall structure of csp is conserved among plasmodium species, consisting of a species-specific central tandem repeat region flanked by two conserved domains: the nh2-terminus and the thrombospondin repeat (tsr) at the cooh-terminus. although the central repeat regio ...201425438048
immunization of mice with live-attenuated late liver stage-arresting plasmodium yoelii parasites generates protective antibody responses to preerythrocytic stages of malaria.understanding protective immunity to malaria is essential for the design of an effective vaccine to prevent the large number of infections and deaths caused by this parasitic disease. to date, whole-parasite immunization with attenuated parasites is the most effective method to confer sterile protection against malaria infection in clinical trials. mouse model studies have highlighted the essential role that cd8(+) t cells play in protection against preerythrocytic stages of malaria; however, th ...201425267837
micrornas of two medically important mosquito species: aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi.micrornas (mirnas) are endogenous, single-stranded small rnas that have important regulatory functions at the post-transcriptional level. in the present study, we characterize mirnas in two divergent mosquito species, aedes aegypti and anopheles stephensi, through deep sequencing of small rnas spanning all developmental stages. we discovered eight novel mirnas in ae. aegypti and 20 novel mirnas in an. stephensi, which enabled the first systematic analysis of mirna evolution in mosquitos. we trac ...201425420875
visualization of malaria parasites in the skin using the luciferase transgenic parasite, plasmodium berghei.we produced a transgenic rodent malaria parasite (plasmodium berghei) that contained the luciferase gene under a promoter region of elongation factor-1α. these transgenic (tg) parasites expressed luciferase in all stages of their life cycle, as previously reported. however, we were the first to succeed in observing sporozoites as a mass in mouse skin following their deposition by the probing of infective mosquitoes. our transgenic parasites may have emitted stronger bioluminescence than previous ...201425859153
safety and comparability of controlled human plasmodium falciparum infection by mosquito bite in malaria-naïve subjects at a new facility for sporozoite challenge.controlled human malaria infection (chmi) studies which recapitulate mosquito-borne infection are a critical tool to identify protective vaccine and drug candidates for advancement to field trials. in partnership with the walter reed army institute of research, the chmi model was established at the seattle biomedical research institute's malaria clinical trials center (mctc). activities and reagents at both centers were aligned to ensure comparability and continued safety of the model. to demons ...201425405724
malaria: prevention in travellers (non-drug interventions).malaria transmission occurs most frequently in environments with humidity greater than 60% and ambient temperature of 25°c to 30°c. risks increase with longer visits and depend on activity. infection can follow a single mosquito bite. incubation is usually 10 to 14 days but can be up to 18 months, depending on the strain of parasite.201425399869
sporozoite immunization of human volunteers under mefloquine prophylaxis is safe, immunogenic and protective: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial.immunization of healthy volunteers with chloroquine chemoprophylaxis and sporozoites (cps-cq) efficiently and reproducibly induces dose-dependent and long-lasting protection against homologous plasmodium falciparum challenge. here, we studied whether chloroquine can be replaced by mefloquine, which is the only other licensed anti-malarial chemoprophylactic drug that does not affect pre-erythrocytic stages, exposure to which is considered essential for induction of protection by cps immunization. ...201425396417
evolutionary roots of arginase expression and regulation.classical (m1), producing nitric oxide, no, and m2, in which arginase activity is primarily expressed. ornithine, the product of arginase, is a substrate for synthesis of polyamines and collagen, important for growth and ontogeny of animals. m2 macrophages, expressing high level of mitochondrial arginase, have been implicated in promoting cell division and deposition of collagen during ontogeny and wound repair. arginase expression is the default mode of tissue macrophages, but can also be ampli ...201425426114
ant colonies prefer infected over uninfected nest sites.during colony relocation, the selection of a new nest involves exploration and assessment of potential sites followed by colony movement on the basis of a collective decision making process. hygiene and pathogen load of the potential nest sites are factors worker scouts might evaluate, given the high risk of epidemics in group-living animals. choosing nest sites free of pathogens is hypothesized to be highly efficient in invasive ants as each of their introduced populations is often an open netw ...201425372856
malaria mosquitoes host-locate and feed upon caterpillars.adult female mosquitoes need blood to develop their eggs and both sexes use nectar and honeydew as carbohydrate resources for flight, survival and to enhance reproduction. however, there are also a few reports in the literature of mosquitoes feeding on haemolymph of soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars. the frequency and significance of this entomophagous behavior is not well understood, but is thought to be a vestige of ancestral feeding behavior or an opportunistic behavior that has evolve ...201425372720
a replicating adenovirus capsid display recombinant elicits antibodies against plasmodium falciparum sporozoites in aotus nancymaae monkeys.decades of success with live adenovirus vaccines suggest that replication-competent recombinant adenoviruses (rads) could serve as effective vectors for immunization against other pathogens. to explore the potential of a live rad vaccine against malaria, we prepared a viable adenovirus 5 (ad5) recombinant that displays a b-cell epitope from the circumsporozoite protein (csp) of plasmodium falciparum on the virion surface. the recombinant induced p. falciparum sporozoite-neutralizing antibodies i ...201425368113
genome-wide rip-chip analysis of translational repressor-bound mrnas in the plasmodium gametocyte.following fertilization, the early proteomes of metazoans are defined by the translation of stored but repressed transcripts; further embryonic development relies on de novo transcription of the zygotic genome. during sexual development of plasmodium berghei, a rodent model for human malaria species including p. falciparum, the stability of repressed mrnas requires the translational repressors dozi and cith. when these repressors are absent, plasmodium zygote development and transmission to the ...201425418785
ssp3 is a novel plasmodium yoelii sporozoite surface protein with a role in gliding motility.plasmodium sporozoites develop within oocysts in the mosquito midgut wall and then migrate to the salivary glands. after transmission, they embark on a complex journey to the mammalian liver, where they infect hepatocytes. proteins on the sporozoite surface likely mediate multiple steps of this journey, yet only a few sporozoite surface proteins have been described. here, we characterize a novel, conserved sporozoite surface protein (ssp3) in the rodent malaria parasite plasmodium yoelii. ssp3 i ...201425156733
the heme biosynthesis pathway is essential for plasmodium falciparum development in mosquito stage but not in blood stages.heme is an essential cofactor for aerobic organisms. its redox chemistry is central to a variety of biological functions mediated by hemoproteins. in blood stages, malaria parasites consume most of the hemoglobin inside the infected erythrocytes, forming nontoxic hemozoin crystals from large quantities of heme released during digestion. at the same time, the parasites possess a heme de novo biosynthetic pathway. this pathway in the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum has been considered ...201425352601
evaluation of the efficacy of chad63-mva vectored vaccines expressing circumsporozoite protein and me-trap against controlled human malaria infection in malaria-naive individuals.circumsporozoite protein (cs) is the antigenic target for rts,s, the most advanced malaria vaccine to date. heterologous prime-boost with the viral vectors simian adenovirus 63 (chad63)-modified vaccinia virus ankara (mva) is the most potent inducer of t-cells in humans, demonstrating significant efficacy when expressing the preerythrocytic antigen insert multiple epitope-thrombospondin-related adhesion protein (me-trap). we hypothesized that chad63-mva containing cs may result in a significant ...201425336730
susceptibility to plasmodium yoelii preerythrocytic infection in balb/c substrains is determined at the point of hepatocyte invasion.after transmission by anopheles mosquitoes, plasmodium sporozoites travel to the liver, infect hepatocytes, and rapidly develop as intrahepatocytic liver stages (ls). rodent models of malaria exhibit large differences in the magnitude of liver infection, both between parasite species and between strains of mice. this has been mainly attributed to differences in innate immune responses and parasite infectivity. here, we report that balb/cbyj mice are more susceptible to plasmodium yoelii preeryth ...201425312960
aav8-mediated in vivo overexpression of mir-155 enhances the protective capacity of genetically attenuated malarial parasites.malaria, caused by protozoan plasmodium parasites, remains a prevalent infectious human disease due to the lack of an efficient and safe vaccine. this is directly related to the persisting gaps in our understanding of the parasite's interactions with the infected host, especially during the clinically silent yet essential liver stage of plasmodium development. previously, we and others showed that genetically attenuated parasites (gap) that arrest in the liver induce sterile immunity, but only u ...201425189739
in silico models for predicting vector control chemicals targeting aedes aegypti.human arboviral diseases have emerged or re-emerged in numerous countries worldwide due to a number of factors including the lack of progress in vaccine development, lack of drugs, insecticide resistance in mosquitoes, climate changes, societal behaviours, and economical constraints. thus, aedes aegypti is the main vector of the yellow fever and dengue fever flaviviruses and is also responsible for several recent outbreaks of the chikungunya alphavirus. as for the other mosquito species, the a. ...201425275884
baculovirus-vectored multistage plasmodium vivax vaccine induces both protective and transmission-blocking immunities against transgenic rodent malaria parasites.a multistage malaria vaccine targeting the pre-erythrocytic and sexual stages of plasmodium could effectively protect individuals against infection from mosquito bites and provide transmission-blocking (tb) activity against the sexual stages of the parasite, respectively. this strategy could help prevent malaria infections in individuals and, on a larger scale, prevent malaria transmission in communities of endemicity. here, we describe the development of a multistage plasmodium vivax vaccine wh ...201425092912
humanized hla-dr4.ragko.il2rγcko.nod (drag) mice sustain the complex vertebrate life cycle of plasmodium falciparum malaria.malaria is a deadly infectious disease affecting millions of people in tropical and sub-tropical countries. among the five species of plasmodium parasites that infect humans, plasmodium falciparum accounts for the highest morbidity and mortality associated with malaria. since humans are the only natural hosts for p. falciparum, the lack of convenient animal models has hindered the understanding of disease pathogenesis and prompted the need of testing anti-malarial drugs and vaccines directly in ...201425266106
zipco, a putative metal ion transporter, is crucial for plasmodium liver-stage development.the malaria parasite, plasmodium, requires iron for growth, but how it imports iron remains unknown. we characterize here a protein that belongs to the zip (zrt-, irt-like protein) family of metal ion transport proteins and have named zip domain-containing protein (zipco). inactivation of the zipco-encoding gene in plasmodium berghei, while not affecting the parasite's ability to multiply in mouse blood and to infect mosquitoes, greatly impairs its capacity to develop inside hepatocytes. iron/zi ...201425257508
genome analysis of a major urban malaria vector mosquito, anopheles stephensi.anopheles stephensi is the key vector of malaria throughout the indian subcontinent and middle east and an emerging model for molecular and genetic studies of mosquito-parasite interactions. the type form of the species is responsible for the majority of urban malaria transmission across its range.201425244985
wolbachia do not live by reproductive manipulation alone: infection polymorphism in drosophila suzukii and d. subpulchrella.drosophila suzukii recently invaded north america and europe. populations in hawaii, california, new york and nova scotia are polymorphic for wolbachia, typically with <20% infection frequency. the wolbachia in d. suzukii, denoted wsuz, is closely related to wri, the variant prevalent in continental populations of d. simulans. wsuz is also nearly identical to wolbachia found in d. subpulchrella, plausibly d. suzukii's sister species. this suggests vertical wolbachia transmission through cladogen ...201425156506
larvicidal, repellent, and irritant potential of the seed-derived essential oil of apium graveolens against dengue vector, aedes aegypti l. (diptera: culicidae).aedes aegypti l. is one of the primary disease vectors spreading various dreadful diseases throughout the world, specifically over tropics and subtropics. keeping in view the adverse effects of chemical insecticides-based intervention measures, the eco-friendly and bio-degradable essential oil extracted from the seeds of celery, apium graveolens were investigated for its efficacy against ae. aegypti. larvicidal bioassay carried out with the seed oil against early fourth instars of ae. aegypti ca ...201425279371
microscopic and molecular characterization of hepatozoon domerguei (apicomplexa) and foleyella furcata (nematoda) in wild endemic reptiles from madagascar.madagascar is one of the world's top twelve "megadiversity" hot spots hosting unique and threatened flora and fauna. parasites are a major component of biodiversity but remain largely uncharacterized in wildlife. in this study we combine microscopic and molecular assessment of hemoparasites in endemic reptile species from madagascar. we detected three distinct parasites: the apicomplexans hepatozoon and sarcocystis, and filarial nematodes. the prevalence and intensity of these apicomplexans were ...201425224723
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