MrgprA3 neurons drive cutaneous immunity against helminths through selective control of myeloid-derived IL-33.

Skin uses interdependent cellular networks for barrier integrity and host immunity, but most underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Herein, we demonstrate that the human parasitic helminth Schistosoma mansoni inhibited pruritus evoked by itch-sensing afferents bearing the Mas-related G-protein-coupled receptor A3 (MrgprA3) in mice. MrgprA3 neurons controlled interleukin (IL)-17 γδ T cell expansion, epidermal hyperplasia and host resistance against S.

Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor-1 as a potential target for host-directed therapy during chronic schistosomiasis in murine model.

Schistosomiasis remains the most devastating neglected tropical disease, affecting over 240 million people world-wide. The disease is caused by the eggs laid by mature female worms that are trapped in host's tissues, resulting in chronic Th2 driven fibrogranulmatous pathology. Although the disease can be treated with a relatively inexpensive drug, praziquantel (PZQ), re-infections remain a major problem in endemic areas.

Harnessing Schistosoma-associated metabolite changes in the human host to identify biomarkers of infection and morbidity: Where are we and what should we do next?

Schistosomiasis is the second most widespread parasitic disease affecting humans. A key component of today's infection control measures is the diagnosis and monitoring of infection, informing individual- and community-level treatment. However, newly acquired infections and/or low parasite burden are still difficult to diagnose reliably.

Immunoinformatics Studies and Design of a Potential Multi-Epitope Peptide Vaccine to Combat the Fatal Visceral Leishmaniasis.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic intracellular protozoa of the genus . The visceral form of this disease caused by continues to constitute a major public health crisis, especially in countries of endemicity. In some cases, it is asymptomatic and comes with acute and chronic clinical outcomes such as weight loss, pancytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and death if left untreated.

Type 2 immunity: a two-edged sword in schistosomiasis immunopathology.

Schistosomiasis is the second most debilitating neglected tropical disease globally after malaria, with no available therapy to control disease-driven immunopathology. Although schistosomiasis induces a markedly heterogenous immune response, type 2 immunity is the dominating immune response following oviposition. While type 2 immunity has a crucial role in granuloma formation and host survival during the acute stage of disease, its chronic activation can result in tissue scarring, fibrosis, and organ impairment.

The Practicality of the Use of Liquid Biopsy in Early Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring of Oral Cancer in Resource-Limited Settings.

An important driving force for precision and individualized medicine is the provision of tailor-made care for patients on an individual basis, in accordance with best evidence practice. Liquid biopsy(LB) has emerged as a critical tool for the early diagnosis of cancer and for treatment monitoring, but its clinical utility for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) requires more research and validation. Hence, in this review, we have discussed the current applications of LB and the practicality of its routine use in Africa; the potential advantages of LB over the conventional "gold-standard" of tissue biopsy; and finally, practical considerations were discussed in three parts: pre-analytic, analytic processing, and the statistical quality and postprocessing phases.

Schistosoma mansoni infection induces plasmablast and plasma cell death in the bone marrow and accelerates the decline of host vaccine responses.

Schistosomiasis is a potentially lethal parasitic disease that profoundly impacts systemic immune function in chronically infected hosts through mechanisms that remain unknown. Given the immunoregulatory dysregulation experienced in infected individuals, this study examined the impact of chronic schistosomiasis on the sustainability of vaccine-induced immunity in both children living in endemic areas and experimental infections in mice. Data show that chronic Schistosoma mansoni infection impaired the persistence of vaccine specific antibody responses in poliovirus-vaccinated humans and mice.

Praziquantel Treatment of Infected Mice Renders Them Less Susceptible to Reinfection.

Beyond transient control of the infection, additional benefits of mass drug administration of praziquantel in endemic communities have been suggested in communities but not mechanistically investigated experimentally. The present study sought to evaluate the additional and hitherto unreported benefits of repeated mass drug administration of praziquantel. We used a tractable mouse model of infection to assess the effects of repeated infection-treatment cycles on the host susceptibility to reinfection.

Influence of schistosomiasis on host vaccine responses.

Schistosomiasis is a debilitating helminthiasis which commonly establishes as a chronic infection in people from endemic areas. As a potent modulator of the host immune response, the Schistosoma parasite and its associated products can directly interfere with its host's ability to mount adequate immune responses to unrelated antigens. As a result, increased attention is gathering on studies assessing the influence of helminths, particularly the causal agent of schistosomiasis, on host responsiveness to vaccines.

In-depth investigation of turn-around time of full blood count tests requested from a clinical haematology outpatient department in Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: The performance of laboratories can be objectively assessed using the overall turn-around time (TAT). However, TAT is defined differently by the laboratory and clinicians; therefore, it is important to determine the contribution of all the different components making up the laboratory test cycle.

Objective: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the TAT of full blood count tests requested from the haematology outpatient department at Tygerberg Academic Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, with an aim to assess laboratory performance and to identify critical steps influencing TAT.