Benzalkonium Chloride Significantly Improves Environmental DNA Detection from Schistosomiasis Snail Vectors in Freshwater Samples.

Urogenital schistosomiasis, caused by and transmitted by snails, affects approximately 190 million individuals globally and remains a major public health concern. Effective surveillance of snail vectors is critical for disease control, but traditional identification methods are time-intensive and require specialized expertise. Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection using qPCR has emerged as a promising alternative for large-scale vector surveillance.

Impact of climate change on the spread of fascioliasis into the extreme south of South America.

The impact of global warming on the transmission of fascioliasis, a highly pathogenic zoonotic snail-borne disease, was already highlighted during the 2010's. However, since then, only a few studies have tried to relate the climatic change with the uprise of outbreaks in endemic areas of animal or human fascioliasis. This might be because assessing the consequences of a changing climate on the spread of fascioliasis is extremely challenging, as it presents the widest latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal distribution known for a snail-borne disease.

Imported Schistosomiasis in Southwestern Europe: Wide Variation of Pure and Hybrid Genotypes Infecting Sub-Saharan Migrants.

Mitochondrial 1 and nuclear ribosomal ITSs are commonly combined to distinguish species and identify hybrids in endemic countries but very rarely applied to patients diagnosed in Europe despite the increasing arrival of migrants in southwestern Europe. To assess whether those migrants are carriers of pure or hybrid schistosomes, a complete genetic characterization of entering Spain is performed. A total of 759 eggs (from urine + stools) from 58 patients from 8 African countries were individually processed to describe their mito-nuclear signature by 1 rapid diagnostic multiplex one-step polymerase chain reaction (RD-PCR) and ITS-2/18S sequencing and haplotype identification by means of the complete ITS1-5.

Infectious disease risk after the October 2024 flash flood in Valencia, Spain: Disaster evolution, strategic scenario analysis, and extrapolative baseline for a One Health assessment.

The flash flood caused by a cold front occurred beside Valencia city, Spain, on 29 October 2024, was of unprecedented devastation, catastrophic effects and health impact. A fast response initiative was launched to assess the risks of individual infections and infectious epidemics. This early release of results is meant to ease the diagnostic work by hospitals dealing with infected patients and helping to improving preventive infrastructures and action protocols.

Molecular identification of spp. in a pregnant patient: A case of misidentified Chagas disease vector in Spain.

Chagas disease is a significant public health concern in the Americas, transmitted primarily by vectors of the Triatominae subfamily. While Europe, particularly Spain, is free from endemic vectors, the potential for misidentification of non-hematophagous insects as Chagas vectors exists, leading to unnecessary alarm. We present the case of a 31-year-old pregnant Venezuelan woman residing in Spain, who sought medical attention after being bitten by an arthropod she identified as .

Schistosoma mansoni x S. haematobium hybrids frequently infecting sub-Saharan migrants in southeastern Europe: Egg DNA genotyping assessed by RD-PCR, sequencing and cloning.

Background: Globalization and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are increasingly closely linked. In recent years, Spain and Southern Europe are experiencing a considerable increase in the influx of migrants infected by NTDs, mainly from West African countries. This study focuses on imported schistosomiasis and the entry into Europe of hetero-specific hybrids between two human species, Schistosoma mansoni and S.

Potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae at very high altitude: Detection by multiplex qPCR in the Northern Altiplano fascioliasis hyperendemic area in Bolivia.

Free-living amoebae (FLA), which are frequently found in the environment, include opportunistic pathogenic genera/species such as spp., , and . These pathogenic FLA are causative agents of amoebic encephalitis and keratitis in the case of genus and .

Wide Variation of Genotypes First Introduced into Canary Islands Assessed by rDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer Region and mtDNA 1 Sequencing and Cloning.

, one of the most rapidly spreading invasive mosquito species, has expanded from Asia to establish populations on every continent except Antarctica, showcasing exceptional adaptability, particularly in island environments. This study provides the first molecular characterization of in the Canary Islands, Spain. Genotyping was conducted using rDNA 5.

Heterogeneous zonal impacts of climate change on a wide hyperendemic area of human and animal fascioliasis assessed within a One Health action for prevention and control.

The Northern Bolivian Altiplano is the fascioliasis endemic area where the highest prevalences and intensities in humans have been recorded. In this hyperendemic area of human fascioliasis, the disease is caused only by Fasciola hepatica and transmitted by Galba truncatula, the sole lymnaeid species present in the area. When analysing the link between global warning and the recently reported geographical spread of lymnaeid populations to out-border localities, a marked heterogeneous climatic change was found throughout the endemic area.

Global warming induced spread of the highest human fascioliasis hyperendemic area.

Background: Climate change is driving the occurrence of several infectious diseases. Within a One Health action to complement the ongoing preventive chemotherapy initiative against human fascioliasis in the Northern Bolivian Altiplano hyperendemic area, field surveys showed a geographical expansion of its lymnaeid snail vector. To assess whether climate change underlies this spread of the infection risk area, an in-depth analysis of the long-term evolution of climatic factors relevant for Fasciola hepatica development was imperative.

Impact of species hybridization on the clinical management of schistosomiasis: A prospective study.

Background: Species hybridization represents a real concern in terms of parasite transmission, epidemiology and morbidity of schistosomiasis. It is greatly important to better understand the impact of species hybridization for the clinical management.

Methods: A prospective observational study was carried out in sub-Saharan migrants who were diagnosed with confirmed genitourinary schistosomiasis.

Human fascioliasis emergence in southern Asia: Complete nuclear rDNA spacer and mtDNA gene sequences prove Indian patient infection related to fluke hybridization in northeastern India and Bangladesh.

Fascioliasis is a snail-borne zoonotic disease with impact on the development of human subjects and communities. It is caused by two liver-infecting fasciolid trematode species, the globally-distributed and the Africa/Asia-restricted but more pathogenic, larger . is the cause of endemicity in livestock throughout the warm lowlands from Pakistan to southeastern Asia since old times.

Wide variation of heterozygotic genotypes of recent fasciolid hybrids from livestock in Bangladesh assessed by rDNA internal transcribed spacer region sequencing and cloning.

Fascioliasis causes high economic losses in livestock and underlies public health problems in rural areas, mainly of low-income countries. The increasing animal infection rates in Bangladesh were assessed, by focusing on host species, different parts of the country, and rDNA sequences. Fasciolid flukes were collected from buffaloes, cattle, goats and sheep from many localities to assess prevalences and intensities of infection.

Molecular phylogeny of Psychodopygina (Diptera, Psychodidae) supporting morphological systematics of this group of vectors of New World tegumentary leishmaniasis.

New World sandflies are vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis, and some arboviruses. A classification based on 88 morphological characters was proposed 27 years ago when the New World phlebotomines were organized into two tribes Hertigiini and Phlebotomini. The latter was structured into four subtribes (Brumptomyiina, Sergentomyiina, Lutzomyiina, and Psychodopygina) and 20 genera.

Ecological Niche Modelling Approaches: Challenges and Applications in Vector-Borne Diseases.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose a major threat to human and animal health, with more than 80% of the global population being at risk of acquiring at least one major VBD. Being profoundly affected by the ongoing climate change and anthropogenic disturbances, modelling approaches become an essential tool to assess and compare multiple scenarios (past, present and future), and further the geographic risk of transmission of VBDs. Ecological niche modelling (ENM) is rapidly becoming the gold-standard method for this task.

Geographical Influence on Morphometric Variability of Genetically "Pure" Eggs from Sub-Saharan Migrants in Spain.

Schistosome eggs play a key role in schistosomiasis diagnosis and research. The aim of this work is to morphogenetically study the eggs of found in sub-Saharan migrants present in Spain, analyzing their morphometric variation in relation to the geographical origin of the parasite (Mali, Mauritania and Senegal). Only eggs considered "pure" by genetic characterization (rDNA ITS-2 and mtDNA 1) have been used.

Paleobiogeographical origins of and in light of new DNA sequence characteristics of from hippopotamus.

Fascioliasis is a highly pathogenic disease affecting humans and livestock worldwide. It is caused by the liver flukes transmitted by / lymnaeid snails in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, and transmitted by lymnaeids in Africa and Asia. An evident founder effect appears in genetic studies as the consequence of their spread by human-guided movements of domestic ruminants, equines and Old World camelids in the post-domestication period from the beginning of the Neolithic.

West Nile virus in Spain: Forecasting the geographical distribution of risky areas with an ecological niche modelling approach.

West Nile virus (WNV), a well-known emerging vector-borne arbovirus with a zoonotic life cycle, represents a threat to both public and animal health. Transmitted by ornithophilic mosquitoes, its transmission is difficult to predict and even more difficult to prevent. The massive and unprecedented number of human cases and equid outbreaks in Spain during 2020 interpellates for new approaches.

Very High Fascioliasis Intensities in Schoolchildren from Nile Delta Governorates, Egypt: The Old World Highest Burdens Found in Lowlands.

Quantitative coprological analyses of children were performed in Alexandria and Behera governorates, Egypt, to ascertain whether individual intensities in the Nile Delta lowlands reach high levels as those known in hyperendemic highland areas of Latin America. Analyses focused on subjects presenting intensities higher than 400 eggs per gram of faeces (epg), the high burden cut-off according to WHO classification. A total of 96 children were found to shed between 408 and 2304 epg, with arithmetic and geometric means of 699.

Fascioliasis in Llama, , in Andean Endemic Areas: Experimental Transmission Capacity by the High Altitude Snail Vector and Epidemiological Analysis of Its Reservoir Role.

South American camelids are definitive hosts of . However, their capacity to participate in the transmission and epidemiology of fascioliasis has never been appropriately studied. Therefore, an isolate from Argentine llama is for the first time analyzed using lymnaeids from Bolivia.

DNA Multi-Marker Genotyping and CIAS Morphometric Phenotyping of -Sized Flukes from Ecuador, with an Analysis of the Absence in the New World and the Evolutionary Lymnaeid Snail Vector Filter.

Fascioliasis is a disease caused by worldwide transmitted by lymnaeid snails mainly of the / group and restricted to parts of Africa and Asia and transmitted by lymnaeids. Concern has recently risen regarding the high pathogenicity and human infection capacity of . Abnormally big-sized fasciolids were found infecting sheep in Ecuador, the only South American country where has been reported.

Evidence of autochthonous transmission of urinary schistosomiasis in Almeria (southeast Spain): An outbreak analysis.

Background: Schistosomiasis is endemic in 78 countries belonging to tropical and subtropical areas. However, autochthonous transmission of urogenital schistosomiasis was reported in Corsica (France) in 2013. We present evidence of autochthonous transmission of urogenital schistosomiasis in Almería (Spain) in 2003.

First morphogenetic analysis of parasite eggs from Schistosomiasis haematobium infected sub-Saharan migrants in Spain and proposal for a new standardised study methodology.

Schistosomiasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease caused by trematode species of the genus Schistosoma. Both, autochthonous and imported cases of urogenital schistosomiasis have been described in Europe. The present study focuses on eggs, considered pure S.

Aedes albopictus diversity and relationships in south-western Europe and Brazil by rDNA/mtDNA and phenotypic analyses: ITS-2, a useful marker for spread studies.

Background: Aedes albopictus is a very invasive mosquito, which has recently colonized tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Of concern is its role in the spread of emerging or re-emerging mosquito-borne diseases. Ae.