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malaria in south asia: prevalence and control.the "malaria evolution in south asia" (mesa) program project is an international center of excellence for malaria research (icemr) sponsored by the us national institutes of health. this us-india collaborative program will study the origin of genetic diversity of malaria parasites and their selection on the indian subcontinent. this knowledge should contribute to a better understanding of unexpected disease outbreaks and unpredictable disease presentations from plasmodium falciparum and plasmodi ...201222248528
mosquito larvicidal activity of aloe vera (family: liliaceae) leaf extract and bacillus sphaericus, against chikungunya vector, aedes aegypti.the bio-efficacy of aloe vera leaf extract and bacterial insecticide, bacillus sphaericus larvicidal activity was assessed against the first to fourth instars larvae of aedes aegypti, under the laboratory conditions. the plant material was shade dried at room temperature and powdered coarsely. a. vera and b. sphaericus show varied degrees of larvicidal activity against various instars larvae of a. aegypti. the lc50 of a. vera against the first to fourth instars larvae were 162.74, 201.43, 253.30 ...201223961212
oxidative stress in malaria.malaria is a significant public health problem in more than 100 countries and causes an estimated 200 million new infections every year. despite the significant effort to eradicate this dangerous disease, lack of complete knowledge of its physiopathology compromises the success in this enterprise. in this paper we review oxidative stress mechanisms involved in the disease and discuss the potential benefits of antioxidant supplementation as an adjuvant antimalarial strategy.201223208374
assessment of anopheles salivary antigens as individual exposure biomarkers to species-specific malaria vector bites.malaria transmission occurs during the blood feeding of infected anopheline mosquitoes concomitant with a saliva injection into the vertebrate host. in sub-saharan africa, most malaria transmission is due to anopheles funestus s.s and to anopheles gambiae s.l. (mainly anopheles gambiae s.s. and anopheles arabiensis). several studies have demonstrated that the immune response against salivary antigens could be used to evaluate individual exposure to mosquito bites. the aim of this study was to as ...201223276246
igg responses to the gsg6-p1 salivary peptide for evaluating human exposure to anopheles bites in urban areas of dakar region, sénégal.urban malaria can be a serious public health problem in africa. human-landing catches of mosquitoes, a standard entomological method to assess human exposure to malaria vector bites, can lack sensitivity in areas where exposure is low. a simple and highly sensitive tool could be a complementary indicator for evaluating malaria exposure in such epidemiological contexts. the human antibody response to the specific anopheles gsg6-p1 salivary peptide have been described as an adequate tool biomarker ...201222424570
mermithid nematodes found in adult anopheles from southeastern senegal.over two dozen mermithid nematodes have been described parasitizing mosquitoes worldwide, however, only two species were found in africa. mermithid nematodes kill their mosquito host upon emergence, which suggests that they could be developed as biological control agents of mosquitoes. both romanomermis culicivorax and romanomermis iyengari have been reared for mass release to control numerous anopheles species vector populations, and in one instance this may have led to reduced malaria prevalen ...201222741946
a review of african horse sickness and its implications for ireland.african horse sickness is an economically highly important non-contagious but infectious orbivirus disease that is transmitted by various species of culicoides midges. the equids most severely affected by the virus are horses, ponies, and european donkeys; mules are somewhat less susceptible, and african donkeys and zebra are refractory to the devastating consequences of infection. in recent years, bluetongue virus, an orbivirus similar to african horse sickness, which also utilises culicoides s ...201222553991
immune gene discovery by expressed sequence tag (est) analysis of hemocytes in the ridgetail white prawn exopalaemon carinicauda.the ridgetail white prawn exopalaemon carinicauda is one of the most important commercial species in eastern china. however, little information of immune genes in e. carinicauda has been reported. to identify distinctive genes associated with immunity, an expressed sequence tag (est) library was constructed from hemocytes of e. carinicauda. a total of 3411 clones were sequenced, yielding 2853 ests and the average sequence length is 436 bp. the cluster and assembly analysis yielded 1053 unique se ...201223092732
salivary gland transcriptomes and proteomes of phlebotomus tobbi and phlebotomus sergenti, vectors of leishmaniasis.phlebotomus tobbi is a vector of leishmania infantum, and p. sergenti is a vector of leishmania tropica. le. infantum and le. tropica typically cause visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis, respectively, but le. infantum strains transmitted by p. tobbi can cause cutaneous disease. to better understand the components and possible implications of sand fly saliva in leishmaniasis, the transcriptomes of the salivary glands (sgs) of these two sand fly species were sequenced, characterized and compared.201222629480
the role of leishmania proteophosphoglycans in sand fly transmission and infection of the mammalian host.leishmania are transmitted by the bite of their sand fly vector and this has a significant influence on the virulence of the resulting infection. from our studies into the interaction between parasite, vector, and host we have uncovered an important missing ingredient during leishmania transmission. leishmania actively adapt their sand fly hosts into efficient vectors by secreting promastigote secretory gel (psg), a proteophosphoglycan (ppg)-rich, mucin-like gel which accumulates in sand fly gut ...201222754550
a new chromosomal phylogeny supports the repeated origin of vectorial capacity in malaria mosquitoes of the anopheles gambiae complex.understanding phylogenetic relationships within species complexes of disease vectors is crucial for identifying genomic changes associated with the evolution of epidemiologically important traits. however, the high degree of genetic similarity among sibling species confounds the ability to determine phylogenetic relationships using molecular markers. the goal of this study was to infer the ancestral-descendant relationships among malaria vectors and nonvectors of the anopheles gambiae species co ...201223055932
a community-wide study of malaria reduction: evaluating efficacy and user-acceptance of a low-cost repellent in northern ghana.no mas (nm) mosquito repellent was evaluated in two farming villages (4 km apart) in the kassena nankana district of northern ghana. we determined its efficacy against local malaria vectors, degree of user acceptance, and its effect on malaria prevalence in households using insecticide-treated bed nets. the average protective efficacy of nm against anopheles mosquitoes over 9 hours was 89.6%. controls averaged 86 bites/person/night versus 9 bites/person/night with the use of nm. use of repellent ...201223249683
analysis of salivary gland transcripts of the sand fly lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of andean-type cutaneous leishmaniasis.the saliva of blood sucking insects contains potent pharmacologically active components that assist them in counteracting the host hemostatic and inflammatory systems during blood feeding. in addition, sand fly salivary proteins affect host immunity and have the potential to be a vaccine against leishmania infection. in the present study, the salivary gland transcripts of lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis in ecuadorian and peruvian andes, were analyzed by sequencing ran ...201223000112
urban health challenges in europe.this article synthesizes diverse official reports, statistics, and scientific papers that present demographic, economic, environmental, and social trends impacting on the health and quality of life of citizens living in european cities. a literature review led to the identification of some key challenges including an aging society, migration flows, inequalities in health, global change, and risk behaviors that should be addressed in order to promote urban health. other challenges, such as food p ...201222971931
fighting malaria with engineered symbiotic bacteria from vector mosquitoes.the most vulnerable stages of plasmodium development occur in the lumen of the mosquito midgut, a compartment shared with symbiotic bacteria. here, we describe a strategy that uses symbiotic bacteria to deliver antimalaria effector molecules to the midgut lumen, thus rendering host mosquitoes refractory to malaria infection. the escherichia coli hemolysin a secretion system was used to promote the secretion of a variety of anti-plasmodium effector proteins by pantoea agglomerans, a common mosqui ...201222802646
the roles of serpins in mosquito immunology and physiology.in vector-borne diseases, the complex interplay between pathogen and its vector's immune system determines the outcome of infection and therefore disease transmission. serpins have been shown in many animals to be key regulators of innate immune reactions. their control over regulatory proteolytic cascades ultimately decides whether the recognition of a pathogen will lead to an appropriate immune response. in mosquitoes, serpins (srpns) regulate the activation of prophenoloxidase and thus melani ...201222960307
global climate change and its potential impact on disease transmission by salinity-tolerant mosquito vectors in coastal zones.global climate change can potentially increase the transmission of mosquito vector-borne diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and dengue in many parts of the world. these predictions are based on the effects of changing temperature, rainfall, and humidity on mosquito breeding and survival, the more rapid development of ingested pathogens in mosquitoes and the more frequent blood feeds at moderately higher ambient temperatures. an expansion of saline and brackish water bodies (water wi ...201222723781
neuroimmunological blood brain barrier opening in experimental cerebral malaria.plasmodium falciparum malaria is responsible for nearly one million annual deaths worldwide. because of the difficulty in monitoring the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria in humans, we conducted a study in various mouse models to better understand disease progression in experimental cerebral malaria (ecm). we compared the effect on the integrity of the blood brain barrier (bbb) and the histopathology of the brain of p. berghei anka, a known ecm model, p. berghei nk65, generally thought not to ind ...201223133375
lethal effects of aspergillus niger against mosquitoes vector of filaria, malaria, and dengue: a liquid mycoadulticide.aspergillus niger is a fungus of the genus aspergillus. it has caused a disease called black mold on certain fruits and vegetables. the culture filtrates released from the a. niger atcc 66566 were grown in czapek dox broth (cdb) then filtered with flash chromatograph and were used for the bioassay after a growth of thirty days. the result demonstrated these mortalities with lc(50), lc(90), and lc(99) values of culex quinquefasciatus 0.76, 3.06, and 4.75, anopheles stephensi 1.43, 3.2, and 3.86, ...201222629156
evaluation of 15 local plant species as larvicidal agents against an indian strain of dengue fever mosquito, aedes aegypti l. (diptera: culicidae).the adverse effects of chemical insecticides-based intervention measures for the control of mosquito vectors have received wide public apprehension because of several problems like insecticide resistance, resurgence of pest species, environmental pollution, toxic hazards to humans, and non-target organisms. these problems have necessitated the need to explore and develop alternative strategies using eco-friendly, environmentally safe, bio-degradable plant products which are non-toxic to non-targ ...201222536188
the effects of urbanization on global plasmodium vivax malaria transmission.many recent studies have examined the impact of urbanization on plasmodium falciparum malaria endemicity and found a general trend of reduced transmission in urban areas. however, none has examined the effect of urbanization on plasmodium vivax malaria, which is the most widely distributed malaria species and can also cause severe clinical syndromes in humans. in this study, a set of 10,003 community-based p. vivax parasite rate (pvpr) surveys are used to explore the relationships between pvpr i ...201223217010
the polymorphism and the geographical distribution of the knockdown resistance (kdr) of anopheles sinensis in the republic of korea.in the republic of korea (rok), six sibling species of the anopheles sinensis complex are considered the vector species of malaria, but data on their susceptibilities to malaria and vector capacities have been controversial. the intensive use of insecticides has contributed to the rapid development and spread of insecticide resistance in the an. sinensis complex. knockdown resistance (kdr) to pyrethroids and ddt in the an. sinensis complex is associated with a mutation in codon 1014 of the volta ...201222554130
rethinking vector immunology: the role of environmental temperature in shaping resistance.recent ecological research has revealed that environmental factors can strongly affect insect immunity and influence the outcome of host-parasite interactions. to date, however, most studies examining immune function in mosquitoes have ignored environmental variability. we argue that one such environmental variable, temperature, influences both vector immunity and the parasite itself. as temperatures in the field can vary greatly from the ambient temperature in the laboratory, it will be essenti ...201223147703
insect micrornas: biogenesis, expression profiling and biological functions.micrornas (mirna) are a class of endogenous regulatory rna molecules 21-24 nucleotides in length that modulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level via base pairing to target sites within messenger rnas (mrna). typically, the mirna "seed sequence" (nucleotides 2-8 at the 5' end) binds complementary seed match sites within the 3' untranslated region of mrnas, resulting in either translational inhibition or mrna degradation. micrornas were first discovered in caenorhabditis elegans an ...201223165178
breakpoint distribution in male-linked translocations in anopheles stephensi liston.a series of translocations involving the male chromosome and chromosome 3 was analyzed in anopheles stephensi. using three genetic markers in 3r, namely sp, dp, and bl, the recombination distance between the breakpoint and each of the three markers was assessed. on the basis of control recombination it was possible to assign the breakpoint to the chromosome relative to the three markers. it was shown that the majority of breakpoints were located in the vicinity of dp-bl and translocations were i ...20123559165
pyrosequencing-based analysis of the microbiome associated with the horn fly, haematobia irritans.the horn fly, haematobia irritans, is one of the most economically important pests of cattle. insecticides have been a major element of horn fly management programs. growing concerns with insecticide resistance, insecticide residues on farm products, and non-availability of new generation insecticides, are serious issues for the livestock industry. alternative horn fly control methods offer the promise to decrease the use of insecticides and reduce the amount of insecticide residues on livestock ...201223028533
identification of bacterial microflora in the midgut of the larvae and adult of wild caught anopheles stephensi: a step toward finding suitable paratransgenesis candidates.to describe the midgut microbial diversity and to find the candidate bacteria for the genetic manipulation for the generation of paratransgenic anopheline mosquitoes refractory to transmission of malaria, the microbiota of wild larvae and adult anopheles stephensi mosquito midgut from southern iran was studied using a conventional cell-free culture technique and analysis of a 16s ribosomal rna (rrna) gene sequence library. forty species in 12 genera including seven gram-negative myroides, chryse ...201222074685
mathematical modelling and evaluation of the different routes of transmission of lumpy skin disease virus.abstract: lumpy skin disease (lsd) is a severe viral disease of cattle. circumstantial evidence suggests that the virus is transmitted mechanically by blood-feeding arthropods. we compared the importance of transmission via direct and indirect contact in field conditions by using mathematical tools. we analyzed a dataset collected during the lsd outbreak in 2006 in a large dairy herd, which included ten separated cattle groups. outbreak dynamics and risk factors for lsd were assessed by a transm ...201222236452
highly dynamic host actin reorganization around developing plasmodium inside hepatocytes.plasmodium sporozoites are transmitted by anopheles mosquitoes and infect hepatocytes, where a single sporozoite replicates into thousands of merozoites inside a parasitophorous vacuole. the nature of the plasmodium-host cell interface, as well as the interactions occurring between these two organisms, remains largely unknown. here we show that highly dynamic hepatocyte actin reorganization events occur around developing plasmodium berghei parasites inside human hepatoma cells. actin reorganizat ...201222238609
the impact of insecticide resistance on culex pipiens immunity.because of their role as vectors of diseases, the evolution of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes has been intensively investigated. insecticide resistance is associated to a wide range of pleiotropic effects on several key life-history traits of mosquitoes such as longevity and behavior. however, despite its potential implications in pathogen transmission, the effects of insecticide resistance on mosquito immunity have received little, if any, attention. here, we investigate the impact of ins ...201223745141
isolation and efficacy of entomopathogenic fungus (metarhizium anisopliae) for the control of aedes albopictus skuse larvae: suspected dengue vector in pakistan.to isolate the entomopathogenic fungus metarhizium anisopliae (m. anisopliae) in the local environment, and evaluate its efficacy against the suspected dengue vector aedes albopictus in pakistan.201223569917
battling malaria iceberg incorporating strategic reforms in achieving millennium development goals & malaria elimination in india.malaria control in india has occupied high priority in health sector consuming major resources of the central and state governments. several new initiatives were launched from time to time supported by foreign aids but malaria situation has remained static and worsened in years of good rainfall. at times malaria relented temporarily but returned with vengeance at the local, regional and national level, becoming more resilient by acquiring resistance in the vectors and the parasites. national dev ...201223391787
molecular detection of acinetobacter species in lice and keds of domestic animals in oromia regional state, ethiopia.this study was conducted to determine the presence of acinetobacter and rickettsia species dna in lice and melophagus ovinus (sheep ked) of animals from oromia regional state in ethiopia. from september through november 2011, a total of 207 cattle, 85 sheep, 47 dogs and 16 cats were examined for ectoparasites. results of morphological identification revealed several species of ectoparasites: linognathus vituli (l. vituli), bovicola bovis (b. bovis) and solenopotes capillatus (s. capillatus) on c ...201223285015
csp--a model for in vivo presentation of plasmodium berghei sporozoite antigens by hepatocytes.one target of protective immunity against the plasmodium liver stage in balb/c mice is represented by the circumsporozoite protein (csp), and mainly involves its recognition by ifn-γ producing specific cd8+t-cells. in a previous in vitro study we showed that primary hepatocytes from balb/c mice process plasmodium berghei (pb) csp (pbcsp) and present csp-derived peptides to specific h-2k(d) restricted cd8+t-cells with subsequent killing of the presenting cells. we now extend these observations to ...201223272182
visualizing non infectious and infectious anopheles gambiae blood feedings in naive and saliva-immunized mice.anopheles gambiae is a major vector of malaria and lymphatic filariasis. the arthropod-host interactions occurring at the skin interface are complex and dynamic. we used a global approach to describe the interaction between the mosquito (infected or uninfected) and the skin of mammals during blood feeding.201223272060
in vivo therapeutic efficacy of chloroquine alone or in combination with primaquine against vivax malaria in kolkata, west bengal, india, and polymorphism in pvmdr1 and pvcrt-o genes.plasmodium vivax malaria, though benign, has now become a matter of concern due to recent reports of life-threatening severity and development of parasite resistance to different antimalarial drugs. the magnitude of the problem is still undetermined. the present study was undertaken to determine the in vivo efficacy of chloroquine (cq) and chloroquine plus primaquine in p. vivax malaria in kolkata and polymorphisms in the pvmdr1 and pvcrt-o genes. a total of 250 patients with p. vivax monoinfect ...201223262997
pharmacological properties of datura stramonium l. as a potential medicinal tree: an overview.india has a great wealth of various naturally occurring plant drugs which have great potential pharmacological activities. datura stramonium (d. stramonium) is one of the widely well known folklore medicinal herbs. the troublesome weed, d. stramonium is a plant with both poisonous and medicinal properties and has been proven to have great pharmacological potential with a great utility and usage in folklore medicine. d. stromonium has been scientifically proven to contain alkaloids, tannins, carb ...201223593583
evaluation of aqueous and ethanol extract of bioactive medicinal plant, cassia didymobotrya (fresenius) irwin & barneby against immature stages of filarial vector, culex quinquefasciatus say (diptera: culicidae).to evaluate aqueous and ethanol extract of cassia didymobotrya leaves against immature stages of culex quinquefasciatus.201223569999
repellent properties of cardiospermum halicacabum linn. (family: sapindaceae) plant leaf extracts against three important vector mosquitoes.to determine repellent activity of hexane, ethyl acetate, benzene, chloroform and methanol extract of cardiospermum halicacabum (c. halicacabum) against culex quinquefasciatus (cx. quinquefasciatus), aedes aegypti (ae. aegypti) and anopheles stephensi (an. stephensi).201223569979
mosquito vector management with botanicals-the most effective weapons in controlling mosquito-borne diseases. 201223569926
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 ...201122216279
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 ...201122299340
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 ...201122294247
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 ...201122216209
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).201123569723
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/ ...201121208355
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 ...201121245909
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 ...201121248692
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 ...201121251932
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 ...201121255444
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 ...201121262960
The mitogen-activated protein kinome from Anopheles gambiae: identification, phylogeny and functional characterization of the ERK, JNK and p38 MAP kinases.ABSTRACT:201122111877
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.201122089610
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 ...201121965675
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 ...201122139844
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 ...201122189276
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 ...201121848587
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 ...201122163022
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 ...201122174947
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 ...201121126166
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 ...201121183483
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 ...201121189655
role of esterases in organophosphorus and carbamate-resistance in indian strain of anopheles stephensi liston. 20113833674
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 ...201121199707
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 ...201121951834
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. ...201122500137
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( ...201121569184
the midgut transcriptome of phlebotomus (larroussius) perniciosus, a vector of leishmania infantum: comparison of sugar fed and blood fed sand flies.abstract:201121569254
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 ...201121572427
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.201121573077
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 ...201121595988
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 ...201121602368
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 ...201121612587
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. ...201121625527
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 ...201121626422
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 ...201121638210
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 ...201121652718
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 ...201121663594
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 ...201121673790
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 ...201121812944
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 ...201121810402
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 ...201121807973
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 ...201121807053
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 ...201121800498
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 ...201121794142
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 ...201121771793
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.201121771420
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 ...201121767376
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 ...201121756341
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 ...201121708993
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 ...201121709099
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.201121818270
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. ...201121715657
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 ...201121690250
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 ...201121715686
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 ...201121819513
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 ...201121690382
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 ...201121694762
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 ...201121732183
why is plasmodium vivax a neglected tropical disease? 201121738804
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