malaria
Editor's Pick Commentary | Host-Microbe BiologyMalaria in Farmed Ungulates: an Exciting New System for Comparative ParasitologyA wide array of vertebrates can serve as the intermediate hosts to malaria parasites (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida), such as birds, lizards, and several groups of mammals, including primates, bats, rodents, and ungulates. The latter group of hosts has not been intensively studied since early descriptions of a small set of taxa were published, but new reports of these parasites in both expected and new hosts have recently been published....
Editor's Pick Research Article | Clinical Science and EpidemiologyNatural History of Plasmodium odocoilei Malaria Infection in Farmed White-Tailed DeerMalaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium are known to infect a variety of vertebrate hosts, including ungulates (hoofed mammals). A recent study found that up to a quarter of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in North America are infected with the parasite Plasmodium odocoilei. In addition to occupying an important ecological niche, white-tailed...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionTargeted Phenotypic Screening in Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii Reveals Novel Modes of Action of Medicines for Malaria Venture Malaria Box MoleculesThe phylum Apicomplexa includes many human and animal pathogens, such as Plasmodium falciparum (human malaria) and Toxoplasma gondii (human and animal toxoplasmosis). Widespread resistance to current antimalarials and the lack of a commercial vaccine necessitate novel pharmacological...
Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyEvidence that the Plasmodium falciparum Protein Sortilin Potentially Acts as an Escorter for the Trafficking of the Rhoptry-Associated Membrane Antigen to the RhoptriesThe malaria parasite is a massive burden in several parts of the world. Worryingly, the parasite has become resistant to several of the drugs commonly used to treat the disease, and at this time, there is no commercial vaccine. It is therefore critical to identify new targets for the development of antimalarials. To survive in the human body, the malaria parasite needs to invade red blood cells. For this, it uses a variety of effectors...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyThe Exported Chaperone PfHsp70x Is Dispensable for the Plasmodium falciparum Intraerythrocytic Life CycleHalf of the world’s population lives at risk for malaria. The intraerythrocytic life cycle of Plasmodium spp. is responsible for clinical manifestations of malaria; therefore, knowledge of the parasite’s ability to survive within the erythrocyte is needed to combat the deadliest agent of malaria, P. falciparum. An outstanding question in the field is how...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDeep Sequencing of RNA from Blood and Oral Swab Samples Reveals the Presence of Nucleic Acid from a Number of Pathogens in Patients with Acute Ebola Virus Disease and Is Consistent with Bacterial Translocation across the GutOur results highlight the identification of an array of pathogens in the blood of patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD). This has not been done before, and the data have important implications for the treatment of patients with EVD, particularly considering antibiotic stewardship. We show that EVD patients who were also infected with Plasmodium, particularly at higher loads, had more adverse outcomes than patients with lower...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyDifferential Spleen Remodeling Associated with Different Levels of Parasite Virulence Controls Disease Outcome in Malaria Parasite InfectionsThe spleen and its response to parasite infection are important in eliminating parasites in malaria. By comparing P. yoelii parasite lines with different disease outcomes in mice that had either intact spleens or had had their spleens removed, we showed that upon parasite infection, the spleen exhibits dramatic changes that can affect parasite clearance. The spleen...