Parasitology Commons^™

Historical Chaos Among Tetrabothriideans (Eucestoda) Of Odontocetes (Artiodactyla)—Revising Generic Taxonomy And Species Diversity For Cestodes Among Oceanic Dolphins, Eric P. Hoberg, Kaylen Marie Soudachanh, Robert L. Rausch

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Explorations over the past 150 years that have defined the diversity and structure of the tetrabothriidean cestode fauna among Odontocete cetaceans (Artiodactyla) are summarized and reviewed. Persistent errors in interpretation of comparative morphological characters, inconsistent taxonomic decisions, and an understanding of generic-level and species diversity are addressed. We outline a revision of the Tetrabothriidea, which now encompasses 8 genera. Prosthecocotyle is resurrected from synonymy with Tetrabothrius, and Cetaceobothridius n. gen is proposed. A clear basis is outlined for differentiation of generic and species diversity among Cetaceobothridius, Priapocephalus, Prosthecocotyle, Strobilocephalus, Tetrabothrius, and Trigonocotyle that constitute the tetrabothriidean fauna of odontocetes; species …

Ion Channels As Targets For Parasiticides: A Brief Review Of Past, Present, And Future Directions, Josette V. Ricker, Mallory Mendenhall

Georgia Journal of Science

Scientists and healthcare providers have tried for decades to find parasite treatments that balance patient safety with efficacy in eliminating the pathogen. One approach is to target specifically the parasite’s important bodily functions while sparing the host. This brief review examines the historically significant antiparasitics - pyrethrins, picrotoxin, piperazine, and avermectins – all which specifically target parasite ion channels. We discuss the history of their discovery and use, which subsequently led to the development of new generations of parasiticides, and continues to inspire the search for safe and effective treatments.

Epidemiology And Ultrasonographic Observations Of Urogenital Schistosomiasis Related Urinary Tract Morbidity In Itilima District, Simiyu Region, Tanzania, Coletha Yohana, Bruno A. Nyundo, Jared S. Bakuza, Peter F. Rambau, Safari M. Kinung’Hi

Tanzania Journal of Science

Chronic infection of urogenital schistosomiasis in humans is a major cause of urinary tract morbidity in endemic areas. However, information on the prevalence of schistosomiasisrelated urinary tract morbidity is lacking in most endemic countries including Tanzania. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis-related urinary tract morbidity in schoolchildren and adults in Itilima District. Urine samples from 682 residents were examined for Schistosoma haematobium infection using urine filtration technique. Urinary tract morbidity was examined by ultrasound. The prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 16.4% (112/682) and varied significantly between villages (range 3.2% to 29.5%, χ2 = 48.467, p < 0.001). There was no significant variation of S. haematobium infection between male and female (8.3 % vs 8.1%, χ2 = 0.679, p = 0.410). Majority (93.8%) had light infections (

Increased Neural Activity In The Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis Of Uninfected Canaries After Observation Of Infected Conspecifics, Madeleine Chang, Sophia Santangelo, Devon Comito, Bennett Hardy, Patricia C. Lopes

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Recent evidence suggests that the immune system may be upregulated in anticipation of pathogen exposure, yet the neural mechanisms that respond to and signal impending infection risk remain poorly understood. We investigated neural responses to infection risk in uninfected hosts observing infected conspecifics, using the canary (Serinus canaria domestica)—Mycoplasma gallisepticum host–parasite system. We focused on five brain regions of interest, comprising three nodes of the social decision-making network—preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and hippocampus—a stress modulatory region (paraventricular nucleus) and a visual processing region (nucleus rotundus). After 1 h of observing infected canaries, …

An Investigation Of Entamoeba Histolytica Chitin Synthases And Other Encystation Factors In Early Encystation, John N. Talledo

All Theses

Entamoeba histolytica is a food-and-water-borne human protozoan pathogen that relies on a two-stage life cycle for successful proliferation outside of the host. E. histolytica exists in its dormant cyst form while outside of its host and converts to the motile trophozoite (amoeba) form in the small intestine. The trophozoites colonize the large intestine to cause symptomatic disease in ~10% of infections, resulting in ~100 million cases of amoebic dysentery each year. Trophozoites can convert back to the cyst form, which is shed in feces to continue the infection cycle.

Currently, there is a lack of understanding of the exact molecular …

Analyzing Antibody Immune Response In Α1,3galt-Ko Mice After Intranasal Vaccination Of Α-Gal Virus-Like Particle, Faith Brown

Honors Theses

In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity of intranasal immunization with α-Gal-conjugated virus-like particles (VLPs) in an α1,3-galactosyltransferase-knockout (α1,3GalT-KO) mouse model that mimics the human immune response to the α-Gal epitope. The carbohydrate epitope galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) is expressed on the cell surface of several pathogens, including Leishmania species. This molecule is absent in humans and has emerged as a promising immunogenic vaccine target. α1,3GalT-KO mice were intranasally immunized with 10 μg either Qβ-α-Gal or Qβ per nostril and boosted twice prior to sample collection. Blood and lung lavage samples were used to evaluate the antibody response. The Qβ-α-Gal group developed …

Contribution To The Chemotherapy Of Human Trypanosomiasis: Design, Synthesis, And Biological Evaluation Of Dimeric 2-Nitroimidazoles Against Trypanosoma Cruzi Amastigotes And Bloodstream Trypanosoma Brucei, Afonso Santine M.M. Velez, Otavio Augusto Chaves, Carlos Serpa, Fatma M. Salem, Bibo Li Ph.D., Bin Su Ph.D., Celio Geraldo Freire-De-Lima, Debra Decote-Ricardo, Marco Edilson Freire De Lima

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Effective and safe treatments for neglected tropical diseases caused by parasites, such as Chagas disease and sleeping sickness, remain lacking, posing a significant challenge for researchers worldwide. The rational design of dimeric compounds inspired solely by the pharmacophoric core of benznidazole (2-nitroimidazole) has proven to be a promising strategy for antiparasitic development. Thus, in the present work, it was increased the linker between the active units (2-nitroimidazole) to improve the interaction with TcNTR, facilitating the bioactivation of the longest dimers. Biological assays confirmed this, demonstrating that all compounds were active against replicative intracellular amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tulahuen C2C4-LacZ). Notably, …

Bayesian Multivariate Modelling Of Lone Star (Amblyomma Americanum) Tick Life Stage Abundance And Temporal Trends To Inform Public Health Risk In Virginia, Thabo Lephoto, Henry Mwambi, Oliver Bodhlyera, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The increasing abundance of ticks poses a growing public health concern due to heightened human exposure to tick bites. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum: Ixodida: Ixodidae), a common human-biting species in the United States, has expanded its range in recent years. However, how its different life stages vary across time, habitats, and locations remains insufficiently understood. We analyzed tick abundance data collected in southeastern Virginia between 2009 and 2018, focusing on larval, nymphal, and adult life stages. A Bayesian multivariate modelling framework was used to examine seasonal patterns, habitat effects, spatial variation, and biological links between life stages. Two …

Repurposing Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors For The Discovery Of Novel Antiplasmodial Compounds, Ritam Bhowmik

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Malaria remains a major global health burden with over 282 million cases annually and rising resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies. Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal malaria parasite species in humans, relies on tightly regulated cell cycle progression during replication within red blood cells. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are central regulators of eukaryotic cell division and transcription, and several CDK-like enzymes in P. falciparum, including Pfmrk and PfPK6, are essential for parasite growth and structurally distinct from human kinases. This study evaluated whether commercially available human CDK inhibitors (CDKIs) targeting cancer pathways could be repurposed as novel antimalarial compounds. A library of …

Effects Of Desiccation On Invasive Faucet Snail (Bithynia Tentaculata) And Trematode Survival, Elise Marie Jordahl

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Parasitism is one of the most common and diverse life history strategies, yet relatively little is known about the role of parasites as invasive species. Invasive species, which present one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, often need to overcome adverse environmental conditions as they establish and spread in new habitats. Invasive parasites are subject to these same conditions, though the effects may be mediated through their hosts. Here, I use an invasive snail and its trematode parasites to quantify the effects of desiccation on survival to better understand how processes of invasion play out in host-parasite systems. The faucet …

Prevalence Of Dengue Infection In Bangladesh: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Md. Estiar Rahman, Abdullah Al-Taiar, May Salama, Michele A. Kekeh, Ahmed N. Albatineh

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective: 

To estimate the pooled prevalence of dengue infection in Bangladesh.

Methods:

Literature search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, and Hinari between December 2024 and April 2025, supplemented by references searching. The Joanna Briggs Institute checklist was used for evaluating study quality. A random effects meta-analysis of proportion, including subgroup analyses, was performed with R software (version 4.5.1).

Results:

Out of 2 087 records, 28 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of confirmed dengue infection among clinically suspected patients was 49.3% (95% Cl 36.1-62.6), with a significant high heterogeneity (I²=99.2%, τ²=1.81, P< 0.001). Stratified analysis showed a pooled prevalence of 47.9% (95% Cl 34.0-62.2, I2=99.1%, …

Larval Crowding In Culex Pipiens Generates Cumulative Cascading Effects Under Changing Environmental Conditions, Sengul Talay, Zafer Sakaci, Michele C. Weigle, Bugrahan Regaip Kilinc, Jenah Parman, Holly Gaff, Deniz Sirin, Bulent Alten, Dennis Bente, Sirri Kar

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Density-dependent population regulation is a fundamental driver in the population dynamics of living systems, ensuring a balanced and sustainable maintenance in nature. It has been suggested that the adverse developmental and morphological effect of high larval density in container mosquitoes represents a significant limiting factor for population density, and the need to investigate this possible importance within the framework of field-based principles has been emphasized. This semi-field study, conducted under the natural thermal regime and using a natural population in Turkish Thrace, aimed to examine the effects of non-food-limiting larval density (crowding effect) in the mosquito species, Culex pipiens ( …

Tick Lipocalin Triggers Mammalian Igfbp-3-Mediated Apoptosis In Macrophages And Keratinocytes, Krittika Nandy, P. P. Mahesh, Lichao Liu, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Hameeda Sultana, Girish Neelakanta

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ticks secrete several molecules, including lipocalins, in their saliva during blood feeding on a vertebrate host. In this study, we provide novel evidence on the role of Ornithodoros turicata americanus tick lipocalin (Otlip) in modulating cytokine expression and in triggering apoptosis in mammalian macrophages and keratinocytes. The cytokine array analysis revealed significantly increased secretion of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) from murine macrophage cell line upon treatment with recombinant Otlip protein (rGST-Otlip) when compared to the secretion noted from cells treated with a control protein (rGST). Similar observation with cytokine protein array analysis was noted when murine macrophages were …

An Assessment Of Disease Risks, Population Genetics, And Spatial Ecology Of Appalachian Cottontails (Sylvilagus Obscurus) And Snowshoe Hares (Lepus Americanus) In West Virginia, Usa, Madison Leigh Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) occupy a large range across the United States and Canada. While snowshoe hare populations are generally considered stable in the interior of their range, populations along range edges are experiencing declines, possibly driven by climate-related factors such as seasonal coat color mismatch. West Virginia represents one of the southernmost extents of the species’ range, yet little is known about the population genetic status or population sizes of snowshoe hares in the state. Appalachian cottontails (Sylvilagus obscurus) are another lagomorph species found in West Virginia. This species experienced a historical decline and currently …

Early Intervention In Helminth Infections: Investigating Albendazole’S Effects On C. Elegans Egg Hatch Rate And Health, Giselle Domingo Diaz

Student Scholar Symposium

Over 1.5 billion of the poorest people are infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH) such as whipworm, hookworm, and Ascaris which have devastating effects on human growth, nutrition, and cognition, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. The World Health Organization only approves four anthelmintic drugs to treat STH for mass drug administration (MDA), with Albendazole being the drug of choice. Due to these drugs only having two mechanisms of action, resistance to these drugs has been reported over the years. We aim to better understand STH susceptibility to drugs at multiple points in their life stage. Previously, the effects of Albendazole and …

Mapping Climatic And Environmental Determinants Of Parasitic Helminth Prevalence In Southeast Asia, Angelica Avisado

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Climate change is reshaping environmental conditions across Southeast Asia (SEA) through rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increased droughts. These changes alter transmission dynamics of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by shifting spatial distribution, increasing larval development rates, faster pathogen growth development, and increasing transmission rates. NTDs are a group of preventable and treatable infections that disproportionately affect more than 1 billion people globally, specifically in tropical and subtropical regions. A subgroup of NTDs, parasitic helminth infections (PHIs) - particularly schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, and lymphatic filariasis remains a public health concern in the Southeast Asian region. PHIs and their ecological responses …

Advancing Trypanosoma Cruzi N-Myristoyltransferase As A Drug Target For Chagas Disease Through In Silico Discovery And Biochemical Evaluation, Diana Citlali González García

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas disease remains one of the most persistent and neglected parasitic infections in the Americas, advancing silently through the intracellular replication of Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes and the invasive spread of trypomastigotes. The survival of the parasite is critically reliant on protein N-myristoylation, a lipid modification catalyzed by N-myristoyltransferase (NMT). This dissertation aims to advance beyond prior studies by systematically investigating NMT inhibition across multiple biological levels, spanning from the characterization of the purified enzyme, through cellular infection models, to the global proteomic remodeling induced within the parasite, thereby evaluating TcNMT as a potential therapeutic vulnerability in T.cruzi.Recombinant TcNMT was expressed, …

Flea News 96 (November 2025), R. L. Bossard

Flea News

Flea News is a twice-yearly newsletter about fleas (Siphonaptera). Before including in publications any of the citations given here, please review for accuracy and correct formatting. Many of our sources are abstracting journals and current literature sources, and editors have not necessarily checked citations.

Announcements

Obituary: Lane Douglas Foil (June 16, 1949 - June 22, 2025)

Siphonaptera Literature (2025): Taxonomy, Conservation, Hosts and Distributions, Physiology and Morphology, Evolution, Ecology, Pathology and Control, Microbial Symbionts

Host, Microbiome, And Parasite: How Apicomplexan Microorganisms Interact With Gut Microbiota, Senia Bu, Andrew T. Ozga

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

The gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of microorganisms residing in the human gastrointestinal tract, plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. It functions in immune system regulation, digestion, and protection against pathogens. Apicomplexan parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium spp., and Cryptosporidium spp., are major pathogens that can significantly disrupt the gut microbiota, leading to alterations in microbial composition and function. This review explores the bidirectional interactions between Apicomplexan parasites and the gut microbiome, focusing on how these parasites influence microbial diversity, immune responses, and host metabolism. It examines the mechanisms by which infection-induced inflammation, altered …

In Vitro Assessment Of The Antihistomonal Activity Of Methyl Jasmonate And Jasmonic Acid, Mckayla B. Williams

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Histomonas meleagridis is a protozoan parasite and the causative agent of histomonosis in gallinaceous birds. There are currently no approved prevention or treatment options available for histomonosis control in the United States. Mortality in affected turkey flocks can exceed 80% which highlights the urgent need for research investigating novel strategies to mitigate histomonosis in the field. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antihistomonal and antibacterial effects of of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and jasmonic acid (JA), two plant-derived compounds, in a xenic culture of H. meleagridis. Assays were conducted using cultured H. meleagridis (PHL strain) treated …

The Inside Scoop: Elucidating The Three-Way Relationship Between Schistosoma Mansoni, The Gut, And Vaccines, Mariam A. Mhanna

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects over 250 million people worldwide. This blood fluke infection burdens communities and areas with limited to no access to clean fresh water. When a host is exposed to cercariae, the infectious agent, in a body of water, it matures in the host’s circulation into adult female and male worms. Copulated adult worms migrate to the mesentery, in the case of Schistosoma mansoni, and produce eggs that can cross the intestinal barrier and get excreted in the feces to continue the lifecycle. The effects of S. mansoni infection on the host …

Ecoimmunology Of Dirty Physella Acuta Snails, Kevin Arthur Mcquirk

Biology ETDs

Research on Physella acuta, an invasive freshwater snail, reveals insights into its parasitology, fitness, and molecular biology. Morphological and molecular analyses revealed two distinct mitogenomic lineages, local (B) and invasive (A) strains of native P. acuta, both having comparable trematode infection rates, suggesting that the low infection rates observed from A in invaded regions result from "enemy release" rather than immune incompatibility. Fitness assessments showed that while lineages A and B performed similarly under laboratory conditions, rewilding experiments revealed significantly higher fitness in lineage A. Transcriptomic profiling supported these differences, with A snails showing greater immune-related gene expression and …

A New Species Of Viscachataenia (Cestoda: Anoplocephalidae) From The Southern Mountain Viscacha, Lagidium Viscacia (Hystricomorpha: Chinchillidae), In Bolivia, Terry R. Haverkost, Scott L. Gardner

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Anoplocephalid cestodes collected from the southern mountain viscacha, Lagidium viscacia, in Boliva in 1986 are here examined, and a new species of Viscachataenia is described. The new species has numerous body measurements that are larger than the existing species, V. quadrata, but the eggs and corresponding structures of the new species are all smaller than those of V. quadrata.

Bibliometric Analysis Of Congenital Toxoplasmosis: A Ten-Year (2013-2023) Review Of Research Publications, Festus Mulakoli, Horatius Musembi, Ann Kimani

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background:Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan, infects more than one-third of the global population and causes toxoplasmosis, which can lead to severe fetal complications in pregnant women. The global prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is 33.8%, with regional variations and risk factors, including the consumption of undercooked meat, exposure to cat feces, and consumption of contaminated water. Pregnant women lack sufficient awareness of these risk factors, necessitating enhanced education, regular screening, and counseling during antenatal care for early detection and management.

Aim: This study performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on congenital toxoplasmosis published between 2013 …

Spatially Resolved Transcriptomic Profiles Of Placental Cell Populations In Placental Malaria, Corina A. Mong

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Malaria remains a prevalent infectious disease that continues to cause disease-related morbidity and mortality. Despite preventative efforts, malarial pregnancies still cause birth complications, therefore emphasizing the necessity to study these adverse outcomes in malarial pregnancy. Malaria in pregnancy can lead to placental malaria (PM), which is the presence and accumulation of Plasmodium-infected red blood cells in the placental intervillous space (IVS). Even after treatment, past PM (presence of hemozoin crystals from the parasite in the placenta) can cause a chronic inflammatory response. We predicted that the activation states of the maternal monocytes and fetal macrophages differ within the placenta and …

Creation Of An Open Access Textbook, Sue Ann Gardner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Presentations

Slide presented during the PRCA Research Celebration, June 3, 2025, in the University Libraries, University of Nebraska-Lincoln titled Creation of an Open Access Textbook, about the development and publication of Concepts in Animal Parasitology, co-edited by Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner and published by Zea Books (Lincoln, Nebraska, USA) in 2024.

Individual, Social, And Environmental Factors Associated With Patterns Of Parasitic Infection In Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Imitator), Megan C. Henriquez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Parasites, and the infectious diseases they carry, are thought to have significantly impacted our evolutionary trajectory for millennia. Exploring how parasites are acquired and transmitted by their hosts in wild, natural populations is integral to understanding how similar processes may have shaped host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships over time. However, parasitological studies in humans and in non-human primates have produced inconsistent results, highlighting the dynamic, nuanced, and unique relationships individual parasites have with their hosts. These relationships are largely regulated by variation in factors at host, social, and environmental levels. Characteristics unique to the host (e.g., age and sex), factors pertaining to …

Analytical Approaches For Identification Of Essential Genomes Of Plasmodium Knowlesi And Babesia Divergens, Sida Ye

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Apicomplexa constitute a large phylum of single-celled, obligate intracellular protozoan parasites. Notably, Plasmodium spp. and Babesia spp. are apicomplexan parasites that infect red blood cells. Plasmodium species are the causative agent of malaria and are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, affecting large human populations, whereas Babesia spp., transmitted through the bite of Ixodes ticks cause babesiosis.

In this dissertation, we investigate the essential genome of these parasites using high-throughput transposon mutagenesis. Identifying the essential genome is key to finding new drug targets and understanding resistance mechanisms, a crucial pursuit given the rising resistance to frontline antimalarial drugs and the challenges …

Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Replication And Transcription Complexes Via Structural And Evolutionary Approaches, Amelie Ghirardo, Ben Shabatian, Avishai Aghelian, Kyle Tau, Eleonora Gianti

Undergraduate Research

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused around 700M cases and over 7M COVID-19-related deaths recorded worldwide (World Health Organization, March 2025). Aiming to effectively combat this and other disease-causing Coronaviruses (CoV), unprecedented research efforts led to the development of new vaccines and antiviral therapies. Due to emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) with increased transmissibility, immune evasion from vaccination, and potential to resist the available treatments, SARS-CoV-2 continues to represent a major threat to global health. Hence, there is a pressing need to discover new antivirals with broad-spectrum efficacy against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and related CoVs. This project …

Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting Candida Disrupt Biofilms And Inhibit Growth Across Global Clinical Isolates, Jonothan Rosario-Colon, Karen Eberle, Hong Xin

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Candida species are a major cause of severe fungal infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and hospitalized patients. Among these, Candida auris stands out as an emerging “superbug”, responsible for life-threatening bloodstream infections with mortality rates up to 60%. This multidrug-resistant, hospital-acquired pathogen has been declared a serious global health threat, complicating effective treatment and increasing mortality risks. Our research has identified universal monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting Candida albicans cell wall epitopes, which are highly homologous to those in other pathogenic Candida species, including C. auris. Passive transfer of mAbs—C3.1 (anti-β-1,2-mannotriose) and 9F2 (anti-phosphoglycerate kinase 1)—significantly extended survival and improved fungal …