Use of Deep Amplicon Sequencing Based on the Cytochrome Oxidase I Gene to Quantify the Relative Percentages of spp. Oocysts in Poultry Litter.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a deep amplicon sequencing approach for estimating the relative abundances of different spp. oocysts in litter from commercial broiler farms that may or may not be experiencing necrotic enteritis (NE) infections. Oligonucleotide primers directed to the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene, a sequence that is conserved among all chicken spp.

Chromosomal scale assembly and functional annotation of the apicomplexan parasite Eimeria acervulina.

Apicomplexan parasites are single-celled obligate intracellular eukaryotic organisms that cause significant animal and human disease and pose a substantial health and socioeconomic burden worldwide. Eimeria acervulina is one such parasite of chickens, representative of several Eimeria species causing coccidiosis disease. A complete assembly of the E.

Zero-Valent Iron and Sand Filtration Reduces Levels of Surrogates, and , in Water.

Recurring outbreaks of cyclosporiasis linked to fresh produce demonstrate the need to develop interventions to reduce in irrigation water. is resistant to commonly used irrigation water treatments, such as chemical sanitizers, making removal of oocysts by filtration the most suitable intervention. This study evaluated the reduction of and , as surrogates for , in water using filters packed with sand alone or mixtures of sand and zero-valent iron (ZVI).

Comparative genomics of Giardia duodenalis sub-assemblage AI beaver (Be-2) and human (WB-C6) strains show remarkable homozygosity, sequence similarity, and conservation of VSP genes.

Giardia duodenalis, a major cause of waterborne infection, infects a wide range of mammalian hosts and is subdivided into eight genetically well-defined assemblages named A through H. However, fragmented genomes and a lack of comparative analysis within and between the assemblages render unclear the molecular mechanisms controlling host specificity and differential disease outcomes. To address this, we generated a near-complete de novo genome of AI assemblage using the Oxford Nanopore platform by sequencing the Be-2 genome.

Hastening Progress in Requires Studying Surrogates.

is an enigmatic human parasite that sickens thousands of people worldwide. The scarcity of research material and lack of any animal model or cell culture system slows research, denying the produce industry, epidemiologists, and regulatory agencies of tools that might aid diagnosis, risk assessment, and risk abatement. Fortunately, related species offer a strong foundation when used as surrogates to study parasites of this type.

Dynamically expressed genes provide candidate viability biomarkers in a model coccidian.

Eimeria parasites cause enteric disease in livestock and the closely related Cyclospora cayetanensis causes human disease. Oocysts of these coccidian parasites undergo maturation (sporulation) before becoming infectious. Here, we assessed transcription in maturing oocysts of Eimeria acervulina, a widespread chicken parasite, predicted gene functions, and determined which of these genes also occur in C.

Fitness of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.

Objectives: Drug resistance confers a fitness advantage to parasites exposed to frequent drug pressure, yet these mutations also may incur a fitness cost. We assessed fitness advantages and costs of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in vitro to understand how drug resistance will spread and evolve in a competitive environment.

Methods: Genotyping of SNPs, drug susceptibility assays and copy number determination were used to assess the impact of artemisinin resistance on parasite fitness.

Determination and quantification of Schistosoma mansoni cercarial emergence from Biomphalaria glabrata snails.

Living and fixed samples of Schistosoma mansoni -infected Biomphalaria glabrata snails were used to determine the relative contributions of different snail tissues to cercarial emergence (shedding). Three methods of observations were employed: (1) direct microscopical observations of shedding snails; (2) microscopic analysis of 5 μm serial sections (H&E stained) of actively shedding snails; and (3) scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations of snails that were fixed while actively shedding. For this investigation, there were advantages and disadvantages to using each method.

Schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is the second most important parasitic disease in the world in terms of public health impact. Globally, it is estimated that the disease affects over 200 million people and is responsible for 200,000 deaths each year. The three major schistosomes infecting humans are Schistosoma mansoni, S.

Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of in vitro-selected artemisinin-resistant progeny of Plasmodium falciparum.

Emergence of artemisinin resistance in Cambodia highlights the importance of characterizing resistance to this class of drugs. Previously, intermediate levels of resistance in Plasmodium falciparum were generated in vitro for artelinic acid (AL) and artemisinin (QHS). Here we expanded on earlier selection efforts to produce levels of clinically relevant concentrations, and the resulting lines were characterized genotypically and phenotypically.

Surveillance for enteric parasites among U.S. military personnel and civilian staff on Joint Task Force Base-Bravo in Soto Cano, Honduras and the local population in Comayagua and La Paz, Honduras.

A study was conducted in Honduras to address whether military personnel assigned to Joint Task Force-Bravo in Soto Cano, Honduras, routinely acquire parasite infections, and the results were compared with those collected from civilian base workers and the general local population in the nearby towns of Comayagua and La Paz. Results from this study report 21 species of enteric parasites among Hondurans living in Comayagua and La Paz, 13 species among local Hondurans working as base civilian personnel, and 3 species among U.S.