Trends in Parasitology

Parasitoid wasps represent a group of parasitic insects with high species diversity that have played a pivotal role in biological control and evolutionary studies. Over the past 20 years, developments in genomics have greatly enhanced our understanding of the biology of these species. Technological leaps in sequencing have facilitated the improvement of genome quality and quantity, leading to the availability of hundreds of parasitoid wasp genomes. Here, we summarize recent progress in parasitoid wasp genomics, focusing on the evolution of genome size (GS) and the genomic basis of several key traits...

Leishmania make an abundant glycoprotein and proteophosphoglycan-rich gel, called the promastigote secretory gel, in the anterior midgut of their sand fly vector. This gel is a multi-faceted virulence factor which promotes the survival and transmission of the parasites between hosts. Here, we present the case that Leishmania parasites embedded in the promastigote secretory gel should be redefined as a biofilm as it shares striking similarities in biogenesis, form, and function with biofilms of other unicellular organisms...

The management of parasitic nematodes calls for a shift from conventional, indiscriminate, anthelmintic use to a more precise approach, directed by diagnostics. We should accept those parasite infection intensities that have minimal impact on production and welfare rather than attempt to eliminate them. The diagnostic toolbox for gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) faces challenges due to anthelmintic resistance (AR), which is species-specific, drug-class-specific, and varies by region. We discuss which traditional tools may become obsolete and which tools need development to gain widespread use...

Cyst nematode parasites disrupt beneficial associations of crops with rhizobia and mycorrhiza. Chen et al. discovered the mechanism and demonstrated that the soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines secretes a chitinase that destroys key symbiotic signals from the microbial symbionts. The authors further developed a chitinase inhibitor that alleviates symbiosis inhibition.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Leishmania is an intracellular protozoan transmitted by sand fly vectors; it causes cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral disease. Its growth and survival are impeded by type 1 T helper cell responses, which entail interferon (IFN)-γ-mediated macrophage activation. Leishmania partially escapes this host defense by triggering immune cell and cytokine responses that favor parasite replication rather than killing. Novel methods for in situ analyses have revealed that the pathways of immune control and microbial evasion are strongly influenced by the tissue context, the micro milieu factors, and the metabolism at the site of infection, which we collectively term the 'immunomicrotope'...

Toxoplasmosis is a common parasitic zoonosis that can be life-threatening in immunocompromised patients. About one-third of the human population is infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Primary infection triggers an innate immune response wherein IFN-γ-induced host cell GTPases, namely IRG and GBP proteins, serve as a vital component for host cell resistance. In the past decades, interest in elucidating the function of these GTPase families in controlling various intracellular pathogens has emerged. Numerous T...

P-glycoprotein (PGP) is a pivotal transmembrane transporter governing the cellular flux of diverse substances shielding mammals from toxics. It can thwart the effectiveness of medicines such as ivermectin (IVM) and other macrocyclic lactone (ML) anthelmintics, undermining therapeutic efforts. We analyze the role of PGPs in limiting the toxicity of these drugs in hosts, and their potential contribution to anthelmintic resistance in nematodes. Targeting nematode PGPs to increase drug sensitivity to MLs seems interesting, but is hampered by the lack of selective inhibitors...

Socially living animals can counteract disease through cooperative defences, leading to social immunity that collectively exceeds the sum of individual defences. In superorganismal colonies of social insects with permanent caste separation between reproductive queen(s) and nonreproducing workers, workers are obligate altruists and thus engage in unconditional social immunity, including highly specialised and self-sacrificial hygiene behaviours. Contrastingly, cooperation is facultative in cooperatively breeding families, where all members are reproductively totipotent but offspring transiently forgo reproduction to help their parents rear more siblings...

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are widely distributed and highly adaptable. To evade the invasion and infection of PPNs, plants initiate a series of defense responses. In turn, PPNs secrete effectors into the host tissues to suppress plant defense. In this ongoing battle between PPNs and plants, complex signal transduction processes are typically involved. This article aims to review the plant signaling network involved in host perception by the nematode, nematode perception, and downstream activation of plant defense signaling and how nematodes attempt to interfere with this network...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Although lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis have been targeted for global elimination, these helminth infections are still a major public health problem across the tropics and subtropics. Despite decades of research, treatment options remain limited and drugs that completely clear the infections, and can be used on a large scale, are still unavailable. In the present review we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of currently available treatments and new ones in development. Novel candidates (corallopyronin A, DNDi-6166, emodepside, and oxfendazole) are currently moving through (pre)clinical development, while the development of two candidates (AWZ1066S and ABBV-4083/flubentylosin) was recently halted...

The development of new drug modalities has been facilitated recently by the introduction of boron as a component of organic compounds, and specifically within a benzoxaborale scaffold. This has enabled exploration of new chemical space and the development of effective compounds targeting a broad range of morbidities, including infections by protozoa, fungi, worms, and bacteria. Most notable is the recent demonstration of a single oral dose cure using acoziborole against African trypanosomiasis. Common and species-/structure-specific interactions between benzoxaboroles and parasite species have emerged and provide vital insights into the mechanisms of cidality, as well as potential challenges in terms of resistance and/or side effects...

Blastocystis, once targeted as a harmful intestinal parasite, is now seen as potentially beneficial. Piperni et al. link its presence to improved gut health, higher microbial diversity, and favorable cardiometabolic outcomes, which suggests that Blastocystis might indicate a healthy diet and gut, possibly serving as a symbiont rather than a pathogen.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Anopheles stephensi is a highly competent urban malaria vector species, endemic in South Asia and the Persian Gulf, which has colonised eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) since 2013 and is now spreading uncontrollably. In urban areas of Africa, where malaria transmission has previously been low or non-existent, the invasion of An. stephensi represents a significant problem, particularly to immunologically naïve populations. Despite this rapidly advancing threat, there is a paucity of information regarding the bionomics of An...

In a tour de force, Hart and colleagues recently used a technique known as BASEHIT (bacterial selection to elucidate host-microbe interactions in high throughput) to screen a yeast display library containing 3324 curated human exoproteins with 82 pathogen samples, focusing on vector-borne pathogens, to identify 1303 putative interactions.

A welcome resurgence in African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) research has resulted in advances in capabilities, foundational datasets, and understanding. Additionally, there is the prospect of the first new trypanocide in >60 years. However, it is vital to ensure that advances translate to improved and sustainable control in the field. A recent meeting, the Symposium on African Livestock Trypanosomes - Tanzania, convened stakeholders from across the spectrum of AAT research and control to ask how this can be achieved...