Research Publications (Food Safety)

Freshwater bodies receive waste, feces, and fecal microorganisms from agricultural, urban, and natural activities. In this study, the probable sources of fecal contamination were determined. Also, antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) were detected in the two main rivers of central Chile. Surface water samples were collected from 12 sampling sites in the Maipo (n = 8) and Maule Rivers (n = 4) every 3 months, from August 2017 until April 2019.

Background Giardia duodenalis, a single-celled intestinal parasite, is divided into eight assemblages (A-H), with differences in host specificity. Giardia duodenalis reproduces asexually and cycles between the binucleated trophozoite (4 N) and the infectious cyst with four nuclei (16 N). Interaction between the nuclei is limited.

by Muluneh Ademe, Tadesse Kebede, Solomon Teferra, Melkam Alemayehu, Friehiwot Girma, Tamrat Abebe Introduction Neurotropic pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) which result in chronic infections in the brain are associated with mental illnesses. In view of this, a growing body of literature has revealed the possible interaction of schizophrenia and T.

mBio, Ahead of Print. The intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii adapts to diverse host cell environments within a replicative compartment that is heavily decorated by secreted proteins. In an attempt to identify novel parasite secreted proteins that influence host cell activity, we identified and characterized a transmembrane dense granule protein dubbed GRA64 (TGME49_202620).

CFZ533 (iscalimab) is a nondepleting anti-CD40 antibody intended for inhibition of transplant organ rejection and treatment of autoimmune diseases. In a safety assessment in rhesus monkeys, CFZ533 was administered for 13 weeks up to 150 mg/kg/week subcutaneously. CFZ533 was shown previously to completely inhibit primary and secondary T-cell-dependent antibody responses.

by Lindsey A. Shallberg, Anthony T. Phan, David A. Christian, Joseph A. Perry, Breanne E. Haskins, Daniel P. Beiting, Tajie H. Harris, Anita A. Koshy, Christopher A. Hunter

Babesia microti is an obligate intraerythrocytic protozoan transmitted by an Ixodes tick. Infections caused by protozoa, including Plasmodium yoelii and Toxoplasma gondii, are shown to inhibit tumor development by activating immune responses. Th1 immune response and macrophages not only are essential key factors in Babesia infection control but also play an important role in regulating tumor development. In this study, we investigated the effects of B.

Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous and severe psychotic disorder. Epidemiological findings have suggested that the exposure to infectious agents such as Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia. On the other hand, there is evidence involving the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val105/158Met polymorphism in the aetiology of schizophrenia since it alters the dopamine metabolism.

Acute Toxoplasma gondii infections can influence the liver as well as other organs.

Cyclosporiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by the foodborne parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Annually reported cases have been increasing in the United States prompting development of genotyping tools to aid cluster detection. A recently developed Cyclospora genotyping system based on 8 genetic markers was applied to clinical samples collected during the cyclosporiasis peak period of 2020, facilitating assessment of its epidemiologic utility.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Ahead of Print. A phenotypic screen of the ReFRAME compound library was performed to identify cell-active inhibitors that could be developed as therapeutics for giardiasis. A primary screen against Giardia lamblia GS clone H7 identified 85 cell-active compounds at a hit rate of 0.72%. A cytotoxicity counterscreen against HEK293T cells was carried out to assess hit compound selectivity for further prioritization.

In 2010–2011, a waterborne outbreak of the parasite, Cryptosporidium hominis, affected approximately 27,000 inhabitants in the city of Östersund, Sweden. Previous research suggested that post-infectious symptoms, such as gastrointestinal symptoms and joint pain, could persist for up to 2 years after the initial infection. In this study, we investigated whether the parasite caused post-infectious sequelae for up to 5 years after the outbreak. Prospective cohort study.

The presence of Cryptosporidium species in faecal samples of 32 sheep (Aries bovis), 10 goats (Capra circus), 1 blunt nose viper (Macrovipera lebetina lebetina), 3 Kotschy’s geckos (Mediodactylus kotschyi) and 6 wild stellagamas (Stellagama stellio cypriaca) in Cyprus were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing.

Laboratory procedures performed in water treatment studies frequently require the characterization of (oo)cyst suspensions. Standard methods commonly used are laborious, expensive and time-consuming, besides requiring well-trained personnel to prepare samples with fluorescent staining and perform analysis under fluorescence microscopy.

To gain access to the intracellular cytoplasmic niche essential for their growth and replication, apicomplexan parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii rely on the timely secretion of two types of apical organelles named micronemes and rhoptries. Rhoptry proteins are key to host cell invasion and remodeling, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the tight control of rhoptry discharge are poorly understood. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of two novel T.

Background

This experimental study determined the in vitro, in vivo, and toxicity effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum methanolic extract (CZME) against Toxoplasma gondii infection.

Methods

Giardia duodenalis is a flagellated parasitic microorganism that parasitizes in the intestines of humans and animals. Although asymptomatic infections commonly exist in both humans and animals, some enteric symptoms have been reported in immunocompromised individuals, posing a threat to public health. Children could be infected with G. duodenalis through an environment contaminated by infective animals. Thus, the investigation of the prevalence and genotypes of G.

Infection and Immunity, Ahead of Print. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) is an enzyme required for the production of leukotrienes and lipoxins and interferes with parasitic infections. In vitro, Toxoplasma gondii inhibits leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production, and mice deficient in 5-LO are highly susceptible to infection.

In the age of big data an important question is how to ensure we make the most out of the resources we generate. In this review, we discuss the major methods used in Apicomplexan and Kinetoplastid research to produce big datasets and advance our understanding of Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, Trypanosoma and Leishmania biology.

mSphere, Ahead of Print. The pathogenesis of Toxoplasma gondii is mainly due to tissue damage caused by the repeating lytic cycles of the parasite. Many proteins localized to the pellicle of the parasite, particularly kinases, have been identified as critical regulators of the Toxoplasma lytic cycle. However, little is known about the associated protein phosphatases.

Parasite Immunology, Accepted Article. Until now, no completely effective parasite-specific drugs or vaccines have been approved for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis. Through the separation and identification of the sporozoite membrane protein of Cryptosporidium parvum (C. parvum), 20 related proteins were obtained.

Infection and Immunity, Ahead of Print. Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of moderate-to-severe diarrhea in children, which is one of the major causes of death in children under 5 years old. Nitazoxanide is the only FDA-approved treatment for cryptosporidiosis. However, it has limited efficacy in immunosuppressed patients and malnourished children. Therefore, it is urgent to develop novel therapies against this parasite.

The global distribution of breast cancer and the opportunistic nature of the parasite have resulted in many patients with breast cancer becoming infected with toxoplasmosis. However, very limited information is available about the potential effects of tamoxifen on chronic toxoplasmosis and its contribution to the reactivation of the latent infection. The present study investigated the potential effects of tamoxifen on chronic toxoplasmosis in animal models (Swiss albino mice).

Interpretation of IgM anti-Toxoplasma can be problematic given the phenomena of “natural” IgM. We analyzed 1.503 sera obtained during prenatal care program, and we established natural and false-positive results by doing follow-up. In 101 samples the concordance between ELISA assay and two semi-automatized systems (Elecsys and VIDAS) was calculated.

Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is an important cause of severe malabsorption, weight loss, physical and mental retardation especially in infants and children throughout the world. Metronidazole (MTZ) is the standard drug used for their treatment which possesses several drawbacks with low efficacy. Gold nanoparticles possess a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and could be considered as a future alternative to many microbial agents.