The <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> Hsp70-x chaperone assists the heat stress response of the malaria parasite (Publications)
is the most lethal of human-infective malaria parasites. A hallmark of P. falciparum malaria is extensive remodeling of host erythrocytes by the parasite, which facilitates the development of virulence [...] we show that PfHsp70-x also supports parasite growth under elevated temperature conditions that simulate febrile episodes, especially at the beginning of the parasite life cycle when most of host cell remodeling [...] endothelial lining of the microvasculature. Host remodeling is mediated by...
Vaccination with virosomally formulated recombinant CyRPA elicits protective antibodies against<em> Plasmodium falciparum</em> parasites in... (Publications)
capacity to elicit parasite binding and growth-inhibitory antibodies. The vaccine elicited in mice and rabbits high titers of PfCyRPA-specific antibodies that bound to the blood-stage parasites. At a concentration [...] falciparum merozoites, and antibodies against PfCyRPA can efficiently prevent the entry of the malaria parasites into red blood cells. The aim of the present study was to develop a humancompatible formulation [...] concentration of 10 mg/mL, purified total serum IgG from...
Nutritional status and intestinal parasites among young children from pastoralist communities of the Ethiopian Somali region (Publications)
in the Ethiopian Somali Regional State (ESRS) are at high risk for undernutrition and intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs). We assessed the nutritional status and its association with IPIs in 500 children
Influence of parasite density and sample storage time on the reliability of <em>Entamoeba histolytica</em>-specific PCR from formalin-fixed and... (Publications)
sections and in 5 samples without visible parasites in neighboring sections. PCR was negative in all specimens that were older than 3 decades. Low parasite counts and sample ages older than 20 years were [...] amebiasis. Specimens had been collected during the previous 4 decades. Association of sample age, parasite density, and reliability of PCR was analyzed. E. histolytica PCR was positive in 20 of 34 biopsies [...] paraffin-embedded tissue samples that are younger than 2 decades and that...
Sex: how malaria parasites get turned on (Publications)
The mechanisms underlying sexual stage switching in Plasmodium spp. have hitherto remained a mystery. However, two recent studies have revealed that an apicomplexan-specific DNA-binding protein is ess
Mapping and functional analysis of heterochromatin protein 1 phosphorylation in the malaria parasite <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> (Publications)
protein 1 (HP1) is important for dynamically regulating its various functions. However, in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum both the function of HP1 phosphorylation and the identity of the protein kinases [...] motif within the central hinge region of PfHP1. To study the role of PfHP1 phosphorylation in live parasites we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to generate a number of conditional PfHP1 phosphomutants [...] phosphorylation in this region is dispensable for the...
Challenges of DHS and MIS to capture the entire pattern of malaria parasite risk and intervention effects in countries with different ecological... (Publications)
peak transmission season. This study compares estimates of the geographical distribution of malaria parasite risk and of the effects of interventions obtained from the DHS and MIS survey data. METHODS: Bayesian [...] geostatistical models were applied on DHS and MIS data to obtain georeferenced estimates of the malaria parasite prevalence and to assess the effects of interventions. Climatic predictors were retrieved from satellite [...] climatic predictors and indicators of malaria...
Human migration and the spread of malaria parasites to the New World (Publications)
We examined the mitogenomes of a large global collection of human malaria parasites to explore how and when Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax entered the Americas. We found evidence of a significant [...] contribution of African and South Asian lineages to present-day New World malaria parasites with additional P. vivax lineages appearing to originate from Melanesia that were putatively carried by the [...] carriers of P. falciparum mitochondrial lineages into the Americas after the conquest,...
Screening of the 'Open Scaffolds' collection from<em> Compounds Australia</em> identifies a new chemical entity with anthelmintic activities against... (Publications)
of novel anthelmintic classes is essential to sustain the control of socioeconomically important parasitic worms of humans and animals. With the aim of offering novel, lead-like scaffolds for drug discovery [...] = 0.31-12.5 muM) and caused considerable cuticular damage to L4s in vitro. When tested on other parasitic nematodes in vitro, SN00797439 was shown to inhibit (IC50 = 3-50 muM) adults of Ancylostoma ceylanicum [...] Overall, these results show that SN00797439 acts against genetically...
