Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted descending) Filter | PMID Filter |
|---|
| malaria transmission dynamics surrounding the first nationwide long-lasting insecticidal net distribution in papua new guinea. | the major malaria vectors of papua new guinea exhibit heterogeneities in distribution, biting behaviour and malaria infection levels. long-lasting, insecticide-treated nets (llins), distributed as part of the national malaria control programme, are the primary intervention targeting malaria transmission. this study evaluated the impact of llins on anopheline density, species composition, feeding behaviour, and malaria transmission. | 2016 | 26753618 |
| epidemiological and entomological studies of a malaria outbreak among french armed forces deployed at illegal gold mining sites reveal new aspects of the disease's transmission in french guiana. | in december 2010, a plasmodium vivax malaria outbreak occurred among french forces involved in a mission to control illegal gold mining in french guiana. the findings of epidemiological and entomological investigations conducted after this outbreak are presented here. | 2016 | 26801629 |
| plasmodium falciparum ookinete expression of plasmepsin vii and plasmepsin x. | plasmodium invasion of the mosquito midgut is a population bottleneck in the parasite lifecycle. interference with molecular mechanisms by which the ookinete invades the mosquito midgut is one potential approach to developing malaria transmission-blocking strategies. plasmodium aspartic proteases are one such class of potential targets: plasmepsin iv (known to be present in the asexual stage food vacuole) was previously shown to be involved in plasmodium gallinaceum infection of the mosquito mid ... | 2016 | 26911483 |
| plasmodium falciparum pfset7: enzymatic characterization and cellular localization of a novel protein methyltransferase in sporozoite, liver and erythrocytic stage parasites. | epigenetic control via reversible histone methylation regulates transcriptional activation throughout the malaria parasite genome, controls the repression of multi-copy virulence gene families and determines sexual stage commitment. plasmodium falciparum encodes ten predicted set domain-containing protein methyltransferases, six of which have been shown to be refractory to knock-out in blood stage parasites. we have expressed and purified the first recombinant malaria methyltransferase in suffic ... | 2016 | 26902486 |
| a vacuolar iron-transporter homologue acts as a detoxifier in plasmodium. | iron is an essential micronutrient but is also highly toxic. in yeast and plant cells, a key detoxifying mechanism involves iron sequestration into intracellular storage compartments, mediated by members of the vacuolar iron-transporter (vit) family of proteins. here we study the vit homologue from the malaria parasites plasmodium falciparum (pfvit) and plasmodium berghei (pbvit). pfvit-mediated iron transport in a yeast heterologous expression system is saturable (km ∼ 14.7 μm), and selective f ... | 2016 | 26786069 |
| corrigendum: artemisinin-resistant plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates can infect diverse mosquito vectors of southeast asia and africa. | 2016 | 26742574 | |
| ecology of urban malaria vectors in niamey, republic of niger. | urbanization in african cities has major impact on malaria risk. niamey, the capital of the republic of niger, is situated in the west african sahel zone. the short rainy season and human activities linked with the niger river influence mosquito abundance. this study aimed at deciphering the factors of distribution of urban malaria vectors in niamey. | 2016 | 27277707 |
| malaria in three epidemiological strata in mauritania. | malaria epidemiology in mauritania has been characterized on the basis of epidemiological strata, defined by climatic and geographic features, which divide the country into three zones: sahelian zone, sahelo-saharan transition zone, and saharan zone. the association between geographic stratification and malaria transmission was assessed through a series of parasitological and entomological surveys. | 2016 | 27068219 |
| malaria vector populations across ecological zones in guinea conakry and mali, west africa. | malaria remains a pervasive public health problem in sub-saharan west africa. here mosquito vector populations were explored across four sites in mali and the republic of guinea (guinea conakry). the study samples the major ecological zones of malaria-endemic regions in west africa within a relatively small distance. | 2016 | 27059057 |
| epidemiology of plasmodium vivax malaria in india. | historically, malaria in india was predominantly caused by plasmodium vivax, accounting for 53% of the estimated cases. after the spread of drug-resistant plasmodium falciparum in the 1990s, the prevalence of the two species remained equivalent at the national level for a decade. by 2014, the proportion of p. vivax has decreased to 34% nationally, but with high regional variation. in 2014, p. vivax accounted for around 380,000 malaria cases in india; almost a sixth of all p. vivax cases reported ... | 2016 | 27708188 |
| plasmodium vivax msp-3α polymorphisms: analysis in the indian subcontinent. | plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed human malaria parasite and accounts for approximately the same number of malaria cases as plasmodium falciparum in india. compared with p. falciparum, p. vivax is difficult to eradicate because of its tendency to cause relapses, which impacts treatment and control strategies. the genetic diversity of these parasites, particularly of the merozoite surface protein-3 alpha (msp-3α) gene, can be used to help develop a potential vaccine. the present stu ... | 2016 | 27663527 |
| plasmodium vivax malaria in cambodia. | the cambodian national strategic plan for elimination of malaria aims to move step by step toward elimination of malaria across cambodia with an initial focus on plasmodium falciparum malaria before achieving elimination of all forms of malaria, including plasmodium vivax in 2025. the emergence of artemisinin-resistant p. falciparum in western cambodia over the last decade has drawn global attention to support the ultimate goal of p. falciparum elimination, whereas the control of p. vivax lags m ... | 2016 | 27708187 |
| biology, distribution and control of anopheles (cellia) minimus in the context of malaria transmission in northeastern india. | among six dominant mosquito vector species involved in malaria transmission in india, anopheles minimus is a major species in northeast india and held responsible for focal disease outbreaks characterized by high-rise of plasmodium falciparum infections and attributable death cases. it has been now genetically characterized that among the three-member species of the minimus complex spread in asia, an. minimus (former species a) is prevalent in india including northeastern states and east-central ... | 2016 | 27846911 |
| asymptomatic plasmodium infections in 18 villages of southern savannakhet province, lao pdr (laos). | a large fraction of plasmodium infections do not cause clinical signs and symptoms of disease and persist at densities in blood that are not detectable by microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests. these infections may be critical as a transmission reservoir in areas of low malaria endemicity. understanding the epidemiology of these infections would be helpful for malaria elimination. | 2016 | 27234446 |
| economic evaluation of artesunate and three quinine regimens in the treatment of severe malaria in children at the ebolowa regional hospital-cameroon: a cost analysis. | severe malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in under-fives in sub-saharan africa. recently quinine has been replaced by artesunate as the first-line drug in the treatment of severe malaria in cameroon. artesunate has been shown to be cost-effective in african children, but whether these findings are transferable to cameroonian children remains to be explored. | 2016 | 27923381 |
| angiotensin receptors and β-catenin regulate brain endothelial integrity in malaria. | cerebral malaria is characterized by cytoadhesion of plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cells (pf-irbcs) to endothelial cells in the brain, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and cerebral microhemorrhages. no available antimalarial drugs specifically target the endothelial disruptions underlying this complication, which is responsible for the majority of malaria-associated deaths. here, we have demonstrated that ruptured pf-irbcs induce activation of β-catenin, leading to disruption of ... | 2016 | 27643439 |
| plasmodium vivax landscape in brazil: scenario and challenges. | brazil is the largest country of latin america, with a considerable portion of its territoritory within the malaria-endemic amazon region in the north. furthermore, a considerable portion of its territory is located within the amazon region in the north. as a result, brazil has reported half of the total malaria cases in the americas in the last four decades. recent progress in malaria control has been accompanied by an increasing proportion of plasmodium vivax, underscoring a need for a better ... | 2016 | 27708190 |
| eliminate now: seven critical actions required to accelerate elimination of plasmodium falciparum malaria in the greater mekong subregion. | the emergence in 2009 of plasmodium falciparum parasites resistant to the primary therapies currently in use (artemisinin-based combination therapy, act) in southeast asia threatens to set back decades of global progress in malaria control and elimination. progress to date through multiple sets of initiatives and partners to contain or eliminate these parasites has been hampered due to a wide range of organizational, financial, and health systems-level challenges. in this commentary, a set of se ... | 2016 | 27769285 |
| impact of interventions on malaria in internally displaced persons along the china-myanmar border: 2011-2014. | internally displaced persons (idp) represent vulnerable populations whose public health conditions merit special attention. in the china-myanmar border area, human movement and resettlements of idp can influence malaria transmission. comparison of disease incidence and vector densities between idp camps and surrounding local villages allows for better understanding of current epidemiology and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in the region. | 2016 | 27628040 |
| anopheles subpictus carry human malaria parasites in an urban area of western india and may facilitate perennial malaria transmission. | india contributes 1.5-2 million annual confirmed cases of malaria. since both parasites and vectors are evolving rapidly, updated information on parasite prevalence in mosquitoes is important for vector management and disease control. possible new vector-parasite interactions in goa, india were tested. | 2016 | 26919828 |
| a novel plasmodium falciparum rhoptry associated adhesin mediates erythrocyte invasion through the sialic-acid dependent pathway. | erythrocyte invasion by plasmodium falciparum merozoites is central to blood-stage infection and malaria pathogenesis. this intricate process is coordinated by multiple parasite adhesins that bind erythrocyte receptors and mediate invasion through several alternate pathways. p. falciparum expresses 2700 genes during the blood-stages, of which the identity and function of many remains unknown. here, we have identified and characterized a novel p. falciparum rhoptry associated adhesin (pfra) that ... | 2016 | 27383149 |
| spatial and space-time distribution of plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum malaria in china, 2005-2014. | despite the declining burden of malaria in china, the disease remains a significant public health problem with periodic outbreaks and spatial variation across the country. a better understanding of the spatial and temporal characteristics of malaria is essential for consolidating the disease control and elimination programme. this study aims to understand the spatial and spatiotemporal distribution of plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum malaria in china during 2005-2009. | 2016 | 27993171 |
| comparison of the performances of five primer sets for the detection and quantification of plasmodium in anopheline vectors by real-time pcr. | quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qrtpcr) has made a significant improvement for the detection of plasmodium in anopheline vectors. a wide variety of primers has been used in different assays, mostly adapted from molecular diagnosis of malaria in human. however, such an adaptation can impact the sensitivity of the pcr. therefore we compared the sensitivity of five primer sets with different molecular targets on blood stages, sporozoites and oocysts standards of plasmodium falcipa ... | 2016 | 27441839 |
| draft genomes of anopheles cracens and anopheles maculatus: comparison of simian malaria and human malaria vectors in peninsular malaysia. | anopheles cracens has been incriminated as the vector of human knowlesi malaria in peninsular malaysia. besides, it is a good laboratory vector of plasmodium falciparum and p. vivax. the distribution of an. cracens overlaps with that of an. maculatus, the human malaria vector in peninsular malaysia that seems to be refractory to p. knowlesi infection in natural settings. whole genome sequencing was performed on an. cracens and an. maculatus collected here. the draft genome of an. cracens was 395 ... | 2016 | 27347683 |
| malaria epidemiological research in the republic of congo. | reliable and comprehensive information on the burden of malaria is critical for guiding national and international efforts in malaria control. the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of published data and available information on malaria resulting from field studies/investigations conducted in the republic of congo (roc) from 1992 to 2015, as baseline for assisting public health authorities and researchers to define future research priorities as well as interventions. | 2016 | 28010728 |
| composition and genetics of malaria vector populations in the central african republic. | in many african countries malaria has declined sharply due to a synergy of actions marked by the introduction of vector control strategies, but the disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in central african republic (car). an entomological study was initiated with the aim to characterize the malaria vectors in bangui, the capital of car, and determine their vector competence. | 2016 | 27456078 |
| epidemiology and control of plasmodium vivax in afghanistan. | around half of the population of afghanistan resides in areas at risk of malaria transmission. two species of malaria (plasmodium vivax and plasmodium falciparum) account for a high burden of disease-in 2011, there were more than 300,000 confirmed cases. around 80-95% of malaria is p. vivax transmission is seasonal and focal, below 2,000 m in altitude, and in irrigated areas which allow breeding of anopheline mosquito vectors. malaria risk is stratified to improve targeting of interventions. six ... | 2016 | 27708189 |
| the changing malaria landscape in aseer region, kingdom of saudi arabia: 2000-2015. | in 2004, a revised action plan was developed, supported by the world health organization, to eliminate malaria from saudi arabia by preventing re-introduction of malaria into regions since declared malaria free, eliminating foci of transmission in the mecca and medina areas and a concerted effort of foci surveillance and control, to eliminate malaria from the regions of jazan and aseer. this paper provides the context, activities, progress, and possible contributions toward malaria elimination i ... | 2016 | 27821186 |
| neuropsychiatric profile in malaria: an overview. | malaria is the most important parasitic disease of humans causes clinical illness over 300-500 million people globally and over one million death every year globally. the involvement of the nervous system in malaria is studied in this paper, to help formulate a strategy for better malaria management. | 2016 | 27630883 |
| heterogeneous malaria transmission in long-term afghan refugee populations: a cross-sectional study in five refugee camps in northern pakistan. | afghan refugees in northern pakistan have been resident for over 30 years and current information on malaria in this population is sparse. understanding malaria risk and distribution in refugee camps is important for effective management both in camps and on return to afghanistan. | 2016 | 27121196 |
| entomological aspects and the role of human behaviour in malaria transmission in a highland region of the republic of yemen. | the republic of yemen has the highest incidence of malaria in the arabian peninsula, yet little is known of its vectors or transmission dynamics. | 2016 | 26932794 |
| plant-mediated effects on mosquito capacity to transmit human malaria. | the ecological context in which mosquitoes and malaria parasites interact has received little attention, compared to the genetic and molecular aspects of malaria transmission. plant nectar and fruits are important for the nutritional ecology of malaria vectors, but how the natural diversity of plant-derived sugar sources affects mosquito competence for malaria parasites is unclear. to test this, we infected anopheles coluzzi, an important african malaria vector, with sympatric field isolates of ... | 2016 | 27490374 |
| decline in frequency of the 2la chromosomal inversion in anopheles gambiae (s.s.) in western kenya: correlation with increase in ownership of insecticide-treated bed nets. | the 2la chromosomal inversion, a genetic polymorphism in an. gambiae (sensu stricto) (s.s.), is associated with adaptation to microclimatic differences in humidity and desiccation resistance and mosquito behaviors. ownership of insecticide-treated bed nets (itns) for malaria control has increased markedly in western kenya in the last 20 years. an increase in the frequency of itns indoors could select against house entering or indoor resting of anopheles mosquitoes. thus, the frequency of the 2la ... | 2016 | 27286834 |
| differential effects of azithromycin, doxycycline, and cotrimoxazole in ingested blood on the vectorial capacity of malaria mosquitoes. | background. the gut microbiota of malaria vector mosquitoes grows after a blood meal and limits plasmodium infection. we previously showed that penicillin and streptomycin in the ingested blood affect bacterial growth and positively impact mosquito survival and permissiveness to plasmodium. in this study, we examine the effects of doxycycline, azithromycin, and co-trimoxazole. all 3 antibiotics are used in mass drug administration programs and have antimicrobial activities against bacteria and ... | 2016 | 27419152 |
| malaria, helminths, co-infection and anaemia in a cohort of children from mutengene, south western cameroon. | malaria and helminthiases frequently co-infect the same individuals in endemic zones. plasmodium falciparum and helminth infections have long been recognized as major contributors to anaemia in endemic countries. several studies have explored the influence of helminth infections on the course of malaria in humans but how these parasites interact within co-infected individuals remains controversial. | 2016 | 26852392 |
| sustained efficacy of artesunate-sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine against plasmodium falciparum in yemen and a renewed call for an adjunct single dose primaquine to clear gametocytes. | in yemen, artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (as + sp) has been used as first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria, which accounts for about 99 % of malaria cases. there is evidence that resistance to sp is increasing, with potential negative impact on efficacy, and in particular on curbing transmission. this study aims: (a) to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of as + sp treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in yemen; (b) to investigate the frequency of mutations ... | 2016 | 27234587 |
| human-biting activities of anopheles species in south-central ethiopia. | indoor residual spraying (irs) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) are the key malaria vector control interventions in ethiopia. the success of these interventions rely on their efficacy to repel or kill indoor feeding and resting mosquitoes. this study was undertaken to monitor human-biting patterns of anopheles species in south-central ethiopia. | 2016 | 27716416 |
| is nigeria winning the battle against malaria? prevalence, risk factors and kap assessment among hausa communities in kano state. | malaria is one of the most severe global public health problems worldwide, particularly in africa, where nigeria has the greatest number of malaria cases. this community-based study was designed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of malaria and to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (kap) regarding malaria among rural hausa communities in kano state, nigeria. | 2016 | 27392040 |
| thrombin cleavage of plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 inhibits cytoadherence. | plasmodium falciparum malaria remains one of the most deadly infections worldwide. the pathogenesis of the infection results from the sequestration of infected erythrocytes (irbc) in vital organs, including the brain, with resulting impairment of blood flow, hypoxia, and lactic acidosis. sequestration occurs through the adhesion of irbc to host receptors on microvascular endothelium by plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (pfemp1), a large family of variant surface antigens, each ... | 2016 | 27624125 |
| efficacy and safety of azithromycin-chloroquine versus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for intermittent preventive treatment of plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in pregnant women in africa: an open-label, randomized trial. | the world health organization recommends intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (iptp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp) in african regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. however, growing resistance to sp threatens the effectiveness of iptp-sp, and alternative drugs are needed. this study tested the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of a fixed-dose combination azithromycin-chloroquine (azcq; 250 mg az/155 mg cq base) for iptp relative to iptp-sp. | 2016 | 27326859 |
| macrolides and associated antibiotics based on similar mechanism of action like lincosamides in malaria. | malaria, a parasite vector-borne disease, is one of the biggest health threats in tropical regions, despite the availability of malaria chemoprophylaxis. the emergence and rapid extension of plasmodium falciparum resistance to various anti-malarial drugs has gradually limited the potential malaria therapeutics available to clinicians. in this context, macrolides and associated antibiotics based on similar mechanism of action like lincosamides constitute an interesting alternative in the treatmen ... | 2016 | 26873741 |
| a sero-epidemiological approach to explore transmission of mycobacterium ulcerans. | the debilitating skin disease buruli ulcer (bu) is caused by infection with mycobacterium ulcerans. while various hypotheses on potential reservoirs and vectors of m. ulcerans exist, the mode of transmission has remained unclear. epidemiological studies have indicated that children below the age of four are less exposed to the pathogen and at lower risk of developing bu than older children. in the present study we compared the age at which children begin to develop antibody responses against m. ... | 2016 | 26808978 |
| ebola or not? evaluating the ill traveler from ebola-affected countries in west africa. | background. the 2014-2015 ebola epidemic in west africa had global impact beyond the primarily affected countries of guinea, liberia, and sierra leone. other countries, including the united states, encountered numerous patients who arrived from highly affected countries with fever or other signs or symptoms consistent with ebola virus disease (evd). methods. we describe our experience evaluating 25 travelers who met the us centers for disease control and prevention case definition for a person ... | 2016 | 26925428 |
| antibiotics in malaria therapy: which antibiotics except tetracyclines and macrolides may be used against malaria? | malaria, a parasite vector-borne disease, is one of the most significant health threats in tropical regions, despite the availability of individual chemoprophylaxis. malaria chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapy remain a major area of research, and new drug molecules are constantly being developed before drug-resistant parasites strains emerge. the use of anti-malarial drugs is challenged by contra-indications, the level of resistance of plasmodium falciparum in endemic areas, clinical tolerance and ... | 2016 | 27846898 |
| pattern recognition on read positioning in next generation sequencing. | the usefulness and the utility of the next generation sequencing (ngs) technology are based on the assumption that the dna or cdna cleavage required to generate short sequence reads is random. several previous reports suggest the existence of sequencing bias of ngs reads. to address this question in greater detail, we analyze ngs data from four organisms with different gc content, plasmodium falciparum (19.39%), arabidopsis thaliana (36.03%), homo sapiens (40.91%) and streptomyces coelicolor (72 ... | 2016 | 27299343 |
| molecular determinants of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance in plasmodium falciparum in nigeria and the regional emergence of dhps 431v. | there are few published reports of mutations in dihydropteroate synthetase (dhps) and dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) genes in p. falciparum populations in nigeria, but one previous study has recorded a novel dhps mutation at codon 431 among infections imported to the united kingdom from nigeria. to assess how widespread this mutation is among parasites in different parts of the country and consequently fill the gap in sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp) resistance data in nigeria, we retrospectively ... | 2016 | 27821281 |
| experience with splenic abscess from southern india. | splenic abscess is a rare entity with potentially life threatening complications. sparse recent published data are available documenting the aetiological profile and management of patients with splenic abscess from india. | 2016 | 27891372 |
| the structural basis for cd36 binding by the malaria parasite. | cd36 is a scavenger receptor involved in fatty acid metabolism, innate immunity and angiogenesis. it interacts with lipoprotein particles and facilitates uptake of long chain fatty acids. it is also the most common target of the pfemp1 proteins of the malaria parasite, plasmodium falciparum, tethering parasite-infected erythrocytes to endothelial receptors. this prevents their destruction by splenic clearance and allows increased parasitaemia. here we describe the structure of cd36 in complex wi ... | 2016 | 27667267 |
| structure of the 40s ribosomal subunit of plasmodium falciparum by homology and de novo modeling. | generation of three dimensional structures of macromolecules using in silico structural modeling technologies such as homology and de novo modeling has improved dramatically and increased the speed by which tertiary structures of organisms can be generated. this is especially the case if a homologous crystal structure is already available. high-resolution structures can be rapidly created using only their sequence information as input, a process that has the potential to increase the speed of sc ... | 2016 | 28119814 |
| use of blood smears and dried blood spots for polymerase chain reaction-based detection and quantification of bacterial infection and plasmodium falciparum in severely ill febrile african children. | molecular approaches offer a means of testing archived samples stored as dried blood spots in settings where standard blood cultures are not possible. peripheral blood films are one suggested source of material, although the sensitivity of this approach has not been well defined. thin blood smears and dried blood spots from a severe pediatric malaria study were assessed using specific polymerase chain reaction (pcr) primers to detect non-typhoidal salmonella (nts; misl gene), streptococcus pneum ... | 2016 | 26711525 |
| parasitological clearance rates and drug concentrations of a fixed dose combination of azithromycin-chloroquine in asymptomatic pregnant women with plasmodium falciparum parasitemia: an open-label, non-comparative study in sub-saharan africa. | malaria remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and their newborn babies in sub-saharan africa. intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (iptp) is recommended by the world health organization (who) to reduce the burden of disease and improve maternal and neonatal survival and general health. due to the growing resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp), the current who-recommended drug for iptp, identification of new and effective drugs is an ... | 2016 | 27861509 |
| exported epoxide hydrolases modulate erythrocyte vasoactive lipids during plasmodium falciparum infection. | erythrocytes are reservoirs of important epoxide-containing lipid signaling molecules, including epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (eets). eets function as vasodilators and anti-inflammatory modulators in the bloodstream. bioactive eets are hydrolyzed to less active diols (dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids) by epoxide hydrolases (ehs). the malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum infects host red blood cells (rbcs) and exports hundreds of proteins into the rbc compartment. in this study, we show that two para ... | 2016 | 27795395 |
| functional genomic analyses of enterobacter, anopheles and plasmodium reciprocal interactions that impact vector competence. | malaria exerts a tremendous socioeconomic impact worldwide despite current control efforts, and novel disease transmission-blocking strategies are urgently needed. the enterobacter bacterium esp_z, which is naturally harboured in the mosquito midgut, can inhibit the development of plasmodium parasites prior to their invasion of the midgut epithelium through a mechanism that involves oxidative stress. here, a multifaceted approach is used to study the tripartite interactions between the mosquito, ... | 2016 | 27549662 |
| strategies & recent development of transmission-blocking vaccines against plasmodium falciparum. | transmission blocking malaria vaccines are aimed to block the development and maturity of sexual stages of parasite within mosquitoes. the vaccine candidate antigens (pfs25, pfs48/45, pfs230) that have shown transmission blocking immunity in model systems are in different stages of development. these antigens are immunogenic with limited genetic diversity. pfs25 is a leading candidate and currently in phase i clinical trial. efforts are now focused on the cost-effective production of potent anti ... | 2016 | 27748294 |
| role of nf-kβ factor rel2 during plasmodium falciparum and bacterial infection in anopheles dirus. | anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria which is one of the world's most threatening diseases. anopheles dirus (sensu stricto) is among the main vectors of malaria in south east asia. the mosquito innate immune response is the first line of defence against malaria parasites during its development. the immune deficiency (imd) pathway, a conserved immune signaling pathway, influences anti-plasmodium falciparum activity in anopheles gambiae, an. stephensi and an. albimanus. the aim of the study was t ... | 2016 | 27688040 |
| assessment of pfs25 expressed from multiple soluble expression platforms for use as transmission-blocking vaccine candidates. | transmission-blocking vaccines (tbvs) have become a focus of strategies to control and eventually eliminate malaria as they target the entry of sexual stage into the anopheles stephensi mosquito thereby preventing transmission, an essential component of the parasite life cycle. such vaccines are envisioned as complements to vaccines that target human infection, such as rts,s as well as drug treatment, and vector control strategies. a number of conserved proteins, including pfs25, have been ident ... | 2016 | 27515826 |
| endogenously-expressed nh2-terminus of circumsporozoite protein interferes with sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary glands. | the circumsporozoite protein is the most abundant polypeptide expressed by sporozoites, the malaria parasite stage capable of infecting humans. sporozoite invasion of mosquito salivary glands prior to transmission is likely mediated by a receptor/ligand-like interaction of the parasites with the target tissues, and the amino (nh2)-terminal portion of csp is involved in this interaction but not the tsr region on the carboxyl (c)-terminus. peptides based on the nh2-terminal domain could compete wi ... | 2016 | 26964736 |
| the aetiologies and impact of fever in pregnant inpatients in vientiane, laos. | laos has the highest maternal mortality ratio in mainland southeast asia and a high incidence of infectious diseases. globally, malaria has been the pathogen most intensively investigated in relation to impact on pregnancy, but there has been relatively little research on the aetiology and impact of other diseases. we therefore aimed to determine the causes and impact of fever in pregnant women admitted to two central hospitals in vientiane city, lao pdr (laos). | 2016 | 27050192 |
| malaria diagnosis and mapping with m-health and geographic information systems (gis): evidence from uganda. | rural populations experience several barriers to accessing clinical facilities for malaria diagnosis. increasing penetration of ict and mobile-phones and subsequent m-health applications can contribute overcoming such obstacles. | 2016 | 27776516 |
| cow-baited tents are highly effective in sampling diverse anopheles malaria vectors in cambodia. | the accurate monitoring and evaluation of malaria vectors requires efficient sampling. the objective of this study was to compare methods for sampling outdoor-biting anopheles mosquitoes in cambodia. | 2016 | 27577697 |
| the use of mosquito repellents at three sites in india with declining malaria transmission: surveys in the community and clinic. | repellents such as coils, vaporizers, mats and creams can be used to reduce the risk of malaria and other infectious diseases. although evidence for their effectiveness is limited, they are advertised as providing an additional approach to mosquito control in combination with other strategies, e.g. insecticide-treated nets. we examined the use of repellents in india in an urban setting in chennai (mainly plasmodium vivax malaria), a peri-urban setting in nadiad (both p. vivax and p. falciparum m ... | 2016 | 27465199 |
| genetic diversity of plasmodium falciparum isolates from concurrent malaria and arbovirus co-infections in kedougou, southeastern senegal. | concurrent malaria and arbovirus infections are common and represent an important public health concern in regions where both diseases are endemic. the present study investigates the genetic diversity and complexity of plasmodium falciparum infection in concurrent malaria-arbovirus infections in kedougou region, southeastern senegal. | 2016 | 26969623 |
| production of full-length soluble plasmodium falciparum rh5 protein vaccine using a drosophila melanogaster schneider 2 stable cell line system. | the plasmodium falciparum reticulocyte-binding protein homolog 5 (pfrh5) has recently emerged as a leading candidate antigen against the blood-stage human malaria parasite. however it has proved challenging to identify a heterologous expression platform that can produce a soluble protein-based vaccine in a manner compliant with current good manufacturing practice (cgmp). here we report the production of full-length pfrh5 protein using a cgmp-compliant platform called expres(2), based on a drosop ... | 2016 | 27457156 |
| measuring haitian children's exposure to chikungunya, dengue and malaria. | to differentiate exposure to the newly introduced chikungunya virus from exposure to endemic dengue virus and other pathogens in haiti. | 2016 | 27821884 |
| immunogenicity of a chimeric plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein vaccine in aotus monkeys. | the production of properly folded, recombinant sub-unit plasmodium falciparum malaria vaccine candidates in sufficient quantities is often a challenge. success in vaccine immunogenicity studies in small animal models does not always predict immunogenicity in non-human primates and/or human subjects. the aim of this study was to assess the immunogenicity of a chimeric blood-stage malaria vaccine in aotus monkeys. this vaccine candidate includes the neutralizing b cell epitopes of p. falciparum me ... | 2016 | 26975721 |
| potent functional immunogenicity of plasmodium falciparum transmission-blocking antigen (pfs25) delivered with nanoemulsion and porous polymeric nanoparticles. | to evaluate functional immunogenicity of chrpfs25. a malaria transmission blocking vaccine antigen, using nanoemulsion and porous polymeric plga nanoparticles. | 2015 | 26113235 |
| application of a scalable plant transient gene expression platform for malaria vaccine development. | despite decades of intensive research efforts there is currently no vaccine that provides sustained sterile immunity against malaria. in this context, a large number of targets from the different stages of the plasmodium falciparum life cycle have been evaluated as vaccine candidates. none of these candidates has fulfilled expectations, and as long as we lack a single target that induces strain-transcending protective immune responses, combining key antigens from different life cycle stages seem ... | 2015 | 26779197 |
| basigin is a druggable target for host-oriented antimalarial interventions. | plasmodium falciparum is the parasite responsible for the most lethal form of malaria, an infectious disease that causes a large proportion of childhood deaths and poses a significant barrier to socioeconomic development in many countries. although antimalarial drugs exist, the repeated emergence and spread of drug-resistant parasites limit their useful lifespan. an alternative strategy that could limit the evolution of drug-resistant parasites is to target host factors that are essential and un ... | 2015 | 26195724 |
| circumsporozoite protein as a potential target for antimalarials. | since the discovery of circumsporozoite protein (csp), a major sporozoite surface antigen, by ruth nussenzweig and victor nussenzweig in the early 1980s, the role of csp in protection against malaria has been extensively investigated. several monoclonal antibodies against csp have been generated to date, with some of them mediating antimalarial protection upon passive transfer into animals. genetically engineered transgenic mosquitoes producing the anti-csp antibody have recently been generated ... | 2015 | 26081442 |
| squalestatin is an inhibitor of carotenoid biosynthesis in plasmodium falciparum. | the increasing resistance of malaria parasites to almost all available drugs calls for the characterization of novel targets and the identification of new compounds. carotenoids are polyisoprenoids from plants, algae, and some bacteria, and they are biosynthesized by plasmodium falciparum but not by mammalian cells. biochemical and reverse genetics approaches were applied to demonstrate that phytoene synthase (psy) is a key enzyme for carotenoid biosynthesis in p. falciparum and is essential for ... | 2015 | 25779575 |
| bla ctx-m-i group extended spectrum beta lactamase-producing salmonella typhi from hospitalized patients in lagos, nigeria. | the global spread of bla ctx-m-i extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (esbl)-producing salmonella spp. remains a major threat to treatment and control. evidence of emergence and spread of this marker are lacking in nigeria. this study investigated bla ctx-m-i esbl production among salmonella isolates from hospitalized patients. | 2015 | 25999745 |
| comparison of the specificity of antibodies to var2csa in cameroonian multigravidae with and without placental malaria: a retrospective case-control study. | antibodies (ab) to var2csa prevent plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes from sequestrating in the placenta, i.e., prevent placental malaria (pm). the specificity of ab to var2csa associated with absence of pm is unknown. accordingly, differences in the specificity of ab to var2csa were compared between multigravidae with and without pm who had ab to var2csa. | 2015 | 26626275 |
| human c1-inhibitor suppresses malaria parasite invasion and cytoadhesion via binding to parasite glycosylphosphatidylinositol and host cell receptors. | plasmodium falciparum-induced severe malaria remains a continuing problem in areas of endemicity, with elevated morbidity and mortality. drugs targeting mechanisms involved in severe malaria pathology, including cytoadhesion of infected red blood cells (rbcs) to host receptors and production of proinflammatory cytokines, are still necessary. human c1-inhibitor (c1inh) is a multifunctional protease inhibitor that regulates coagulation, vascular permeability, and inflammation, with beneficial effe ... | 2015 | 26347576 |
| the effect of daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis on natural development of antibody-mediated immunity against p. falciparum malaria infection in hiv-exposed uninfected malawian children. | co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, currently recommended in hiv-exposed, uninfected (heu) children as protection against opportunistic infections, also has some anti-malarial efficacy. we determined whether daily co-trimoxazole prophylaxis affects the natural development of antibody-mediated immunity to blood-stage plasmodium falciparum malaria infection. | 2015 | 25807475 |
| the march toward malaria vaccines. | in 2013 there were an estimated 584,000 deaths and 198 million clinical illnesses due to malaria, the majority in sub-saharan africa. vaccines would be the ideal addition to the existing armamentarium of anti-malaria tools. however, malaria is caused by parasites, and parasites are much more complex in terms of their biology than the viruses and bacteria for which we have vaccines, passing through multiple stages of development in the human host, each stage expressing hundreds of unique antigens ... | 2015 | 26590432 |
| profiling the host response to malaria vaccination and malaria challenge. | a vaccine for malaria is urgently required. the rts,s vaccine represents major progress, but is only partially effective. development of the next generation of highly effective vaccines requires elucidation of the protective immune response. immunity to malaria is known to be complex, and pattern-based approaches such as global gene expression profiling are ideal for understanding response to vaccination and protection against disease. the availability of experimental sporozoite challenge in hum ... | 2015 | 26256528 |
| comparative assessment of transmission-blocking vaccine candidates against plasmodium falciparum. | malaria transmission-blocking vaccines (tbvs) target the development of plasmodium parasites within the mosquito, with the aim of preventing malaria transmission from one infected individual to another. different vaccine platforms, mainly protein-in-adjuvant formulations delivering the leading candidate antigens, have been developed independently and have reported varied transmission-blocking activities (tba). here, recombinant chimpanzee adenovirus 63, chad63, and modified vaccinia virus ankara ... | 2015 | 26063320 |
| malaria real-time pcr: correlation with clinical presentation. | among 112 patients infected only by plasmodium falciparum, who criteria of severity were compared with parasite load assessed by microscopy and quantitative pcr. clinical severity was significantly correlated with higher parasite load as determined by microscopy (p < 0.001) and by pcr (p < 0.001). hence, quantitative pcr might be useful to predict outcome. | 2015 | 25905022 |
| potential interaction of plasmodium falciparum hsp60 and calpain. | after invasion of red blood cells, malaria matures within the cell by degrading hemoglobin avidly. for enormous protein breakdown in trophozoite stage, many efficient and ordered proteolysis networks have been postulated and exploited. in this study, a potential interaction of a 60-kda plasmodium falciparum (pf)-heat shock protein (hsp60) and pf-calpain, a cysteine protease, was explored. pf-infected rbc was isolated and the endogenous pf-hsp60 and pf-calpain were determined by western blot anal ... | 2015 | 26797432 |
| circlator: automated circularization of genome assemblies using long sequencing reads. | the assembly of dna sequence data is undergoing a renaissance thanks to emerging technologies capable of producing reads tens of kilobases long. assembling complete bacterial and small eukaryotic genomes is now possible, but the final step of circularizing sequences remains unsolved. here we present circlator, the first tool to automate assembly circularization and produce accurate linear representations of circular sequences. using pacific biosciences and oxford nanopore data, circlator correct ... | 2015 | 26714481 |
| solution-state nmr structure of the putative morphogene protein bola (pfe0790c) from plasmodium falciparum. | protozoa of the genus plasmodium are responsible for malaria, which is perhaps the most important parasitic disease to infect mankind. the emergence of plasmodium strains resistant to current therapeutics and prophylactics makes the development of new treatment strategies urgent. among the potential targets for new antimalarial drugs is the bola-like protein pfe0790c from plasmodium falciparum (pf-bola). while the function of bola is unknown, it has been linked to cell morphology by regulating t ... | 2015 | 25945703 |
| biochemical and structural characterization of the apicoplast dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase of plasmodium falciparum. | pdc (pyruvate dehydrogenase complex) is a multi-enzyme complex comprising an e1 (pyruvate decarboxylase), an e2 (dihydrolipomide acetyltransferase) and an e3 (dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase). pdc catalyses the decarboxylation of pyruvate and forms acetyl-coa and nadh. in the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum, the single pdc is located exclusively in the apicoplast. plasmodium pdc is essential for parasite survival in the mosquito vector and for late liver stage development in the huma ... | 2015 | 25387830 |
| benzo[b]quinolizinium derivatives have a strong antimalarial activity and inhibit indoleamine dioxygenase. | the heme-containing enzymes indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (ido-1) and ido-2 catalyze the conversion of the essential amino acid tryptophan into kynurenine. metabolites of the kynurenine pathway and ido itself are involved in immunity and the pathology of several diseases, having either immunoregulatory or antimicrobial effects. ido-1 plays a central role in the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria, which is the most severe and often fatal neurological complication of infection with plasmodium falcip ... | 2015 | 26459907 |
| recent advances in recombinant protein-based malaria vaccines. | plasmodium parasites are the causative agent of human malaria, and the development of a highly effective vaccine against infection, disease and transmission remains a key priority. it is widely established that multiple stages of the parasite's complex lifecycle within the human host and mosquito vector are susceptible to vaccine-induced antibodies. the mainstay approach to antibody induction by subunit vaccination has been the delivery of protein antigen formulated in adjuvant. extensive effort ... | 2015 | 26458807 |
| a putative non-canonical ras-like gtpase from p. falciparum: chemical properties and characterization of the protein. | during its development the malaria parasite p. falciparum has to adapt to various different environmental contexts. key cellular mechanisms involving g-protein coupled signal transduction chains are assumed to act at these interfaces. heterotrimeric g-proteins are absent in plasmodium. we here describe the first cloning and expression of a putative, non-canonical ras-like g protein (acronym pfg) from plasmodium. pfg reveals an open reading frame of 2736 bp encoding a protein of 912 amino acids w ... | 2015 | 26540393 |
| large screen approaches to identify novel malaria vaccine candidates. | until recently, malaria vaccine development efforts have focused almost exclusively on a handful of well characterized plasmodium falciparum antigens. despite dedicated work by many researchers on different continents spanning more than half a century, a successful malaria vaccine remains elusive. sequencing of the p. falciparum genome has revealed more than five thousand genes, providing the foundation for systematic approaches to discover candidate vaccine antigens. we are taking advantage of ... | 2015 | 26428458 |
| active site coupling in plasmodium falciparum gmp synthetase is triggered by domain rotation. | gmp synthetase (gmps), a key enzyme in the purine biosynthetic pathway performs catalysis through a coordinated process across two catalytic pockets for which the mechanism remains unclear. crystal structures of plasmodium falciparum gmps in conjunction with mutational and enzyme kinetic studies reported here provide evidence that an 85° rotation of the gatase domain is required for ammonia channelling and thus for the catalytic activity of this two-domain enzyme. we suggest that conformational ... | 2015 | 26592566 |
| plasmodium apicoplast gln-trnagln biosynthesis utilizes a unique gatab amidotransferase essential for erythrocytic stage parasites. | the malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum apicoplast indirect aminoacylation pathway utilizes a non-discriminating glutamyl-trna synthetase to synthesize glu-trna(gln) and a glutaminyl-trna amidotransferase to convert glu-trna(gln) to gln-trna(gln). here, we show that plasmodium falciparum and other apicomplexans possess a unique heterodimeric glutamyl-trna amidotransferase consisting of gata and gatb subunits (gatab). we localized the p. falciparum gata and gatb subunits to the apicoplast in b ... | 2015 | 26318454 |
| structural mapping of the clpb atpases of plasmodium falciparum: targeting protein folding and secretion for antimalarial drug design. | caseinolytic chaperones and proteases (clp) belong to the aaa+ protein superfamily and are part of the protein quality control machinery in cells. the eukaryotic parasite plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of malaria, has evolved an elaborate network of clp proteins including two distinct clpb atpases. clpb1 and clpb2 are involved in different aspects of parasitic proteostasis. clpb1 is present in the apicoplast, a parasite-specific and plastid-like organelle hosting various metabolic pa ... | 2015 | 26130467 |
| structural insights into a key carotenogenesis related enzyme phytoene synthase of p. falciparum: a novel drug target for malaria. | carotenoids represent a diverse group of pigments derived from the common isoprenoid precursors and fulfill a variety of critical functions in plants and animals. phytoene synthase (psy), a transferase enzyme that catalyzes the first specific step in carotenoid biosynthesis plays a central role in the regulation of a number of essential functions mediated via carotenoids. psys have been deeply investigated in plants, bacteria and algae however in apicomplexans it is poorly studied. in an effort ... | 2015 | 26702306 |
| triaminopyrimidine is a fast-killing and long-acting antimalarial clinical candidate. | the widespread emergence of plasmodium falciparum (pf) strains resistant to frontline agents has fuelled the search for fast-acting agents with novel mechanism of action. here, we report the discovery and optimization of novel antimalarial compounds, the triaminopyrimidines (taps), which emerged from a phenotypic screen against the blood stages of pf. the clinical candidate (compound 12) is efficacious in a mouse model of pf malaria with an ed99 <30 mg kg(-1) and displays good in vivo safety mar ... | 2015 | 25823686 |
| tetracyclines in malaria. | malaria, a parasite vector-borne disease, is one of the greatest health threats in tropical regions, despite the availability of malaria chemoprophylaxis. the emergence and rapid extension of plasmodium falciparum resistance to various anti-malarial drugs has gradually limited the number of potential malaria therapeutics available to clinicians. in this context, doxycycline, a synthetically derived tetracycline, constitutes an interesting alternative for malaria treatment and prophylaxis. doxycy ... | 2015 | 26555664 |
| multiple circulating infections can mimic the early stages of viral hemorrhagic fevers and possible human exposure to filoviruses in sierra leone prior to the 2014 outbreak. | lassa fever (lf) is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever caused by lassa virus (lasv). the lf program at the kenema government hospital (kgh) in eastern sierra leone currently provides diagnostic services and clinical care for more than 500 suspected lf cases per year. nearly two-thirds of suspected lf patients presenting to the lf ward test negative for either lasv antigen or anti-lasv immunoglobulin m (igm), and therefore are considered to have a non-lassa febrile illness (nlfi). the nlfi patients ... | 2015 | 25531344 |
| development and performance evaluation of a novel immunofluorescence chromatographic assay for histidine-rich protein 2 of plasmodium falciparum. | the low sensitivity and specificity of plasmodium falciparum diagnostic tests pose a serious health threat to people living in endemic areas. the objective of the study was to develop a rapid assay for the detection of histidine-rich protein 2 (hrp2) of p. falciparum in whole blood by immunofluorescence chromatographic technology. | 2015 | 26024887 |
| investigating the roles of the c-terminal domain of plasmodium falciparum gyra. | malaria remains as one of the most deadly diseases in developing countries. the plasmodium causative agents of human malaria such as plasmodium falciparum possess an organelle, the apicoplast, which is the result of secondary endosymbiosis and retains its own circular dna. a type ii topoisomerase, dna gyrase, is present in the apicoplast. in prokaryotes this enzyme is a proven, effective target for antibacterial agents, and its discovery in p. falciparum opens up the prospect of exploiting it as ... | 2015 | 26566222 |
| the plasmodium falciparum blood stages acquire factor h family proteins to evade destruction by human complement. | the acquisition of regulatory proteins is a means of blood-borne pathogens to avoid destruction by the human complement. we recently showed that the gametes of the human malaria parasite plasmodium falciparum bind factor h (fh) from the blood meal of the mosquito vector to assure successful sexual reproduction, which takes places in the mosquito midgut. while these findings provided a first glimpse of a complex mechanism used by plasmodium to control the host immune attack, it is hitherto not kn ... | 2015 | 26457721 |
| dna double-strand breaks and telomeres play important roles in trypanosoma brucei antigenic variation. | human-infecting microbial pathogens all face a serious problem of elimination by the host immune response. antigenic variation is an effective immune evasion mechanism where the pathogen regularly switches its major surface antigen. in many cases, the major surface antigen is encoded by genes from the same gene family, and its expression is strictly monoallelic. among pathogens that undergo antigenic variation, trypanosoma brucei (a kinetoplastid), which causes human african trypanosomiasis, pla ... | 2015 | 25576484 |
| comparison of hematological aspects among children with malaria and healthy children. | malaria is an acute and chronic illness characterized by paroxysms of fever, chills, sweating, fatigue, anemia, and splenomegaly. most malarial deaths occur in infants and young children.anemia in malaria has diverse pathophysiologic mechanisms such as direct invasion of red cells, in the following, we presented comparison of hematological aspects: children with malaria and healthy children. | 2015 | 26131347 |
| malaria impact of large dams in sub-saharan africa: maps, estimates and predictions. | while there is growing recognition of the malaria impacts of large dams in sub-saharan africa, the cumulative malaria impact of reservoirs associated with current and future dam developments has not been quantified. the objective of this study was to estimate the current and predict the future impact of large dams on malaria in different eco-epidemiological settings across sub-saharan africa. | 2015 | 26337834 |
| increasing prevalence of plasmodium vivax among febrile patients in nouakchott, mauritania. | the occurrence of plasmodium vivax malaria was reported in nouakchott, mauritania in the 1990s. several studies have suggested the frequent occurrence of p. vivax malaria among nouakchott residents, including those without recent travel history to the southern part of the country where malaria is known to be endemic. to further consolidate the evidence for p. vivax endemicity and the extent of malaria burden in one district in the city of nouakchott, febrile illnesses were monitored in 2012-2013 ... | 2015 | 25582695 |