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New Microbes New Infect 2018 Jul 29;24:17-20. Epub 2018 Mar 29.

Université Chadli Bendjedid, département des sciences vétérinaires, El Tarf, Algeria.

Using molecular assays, the agent of a spotted fever group rickettsiosis resulting in scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite, was assessed in 92 spleens recovered from 117 wild boars hunted in the far northeast of Algeria. was detected in 5.4% of tested wild boar spleens. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2018 Aug;24(7):1377-1379

We report a case of rat-bite fever in a 94-year-old woman with Streptobacillus notomytis infection. We established an epidemiologic link between exposure to rats and human infection by performing nested PCRs that detected S. notomytis in the intraoral swab specimens obtained from rats captured in the patient's house. Read More

Cutis 2018 May;101(5):328-330

Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, USA.

ticks are important vectors in the transmission of human disease. In endemic areas, infection with multiple tick-borne diseases may occur. In part 3 of this review, identification and management of coinfection with multiple pathogens is discussed. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018 06 7;12(6):e0006521. Epub 2018 Jun 7.

University of Florida, IFAS, Department of Entomology and Nematology, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Vero Beach, FL, United States of America.

Chikungunya virus is a vector-borne alphavirus transmitted by the bites of infected female Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Read More

Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2018 May 25;6(5):843-847. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

Department of Human Pathology of the Adult and the Developmental Age "G. Barresi", Unit of Infectious Diseases, University of Messina, Italy.

Background: Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease affecting both animals and humans, acquired with the bite of sand flies or, in Injection Drug Users (IDUs), with contaminated needles, still hypoendemic in Sicily and the Mediterranean basin. Even though it is responsible for 20,000 to 40,000 deaths per year, this parasitic infection is still considered a neglected tropical disease. People Living with HIV (PLWH) are considered at high-risk of developing Leishmaniasis and, despite the introduction of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART), mortality rate and relapses prevalence are still high in coinfected people. Read More

Front Public Health 2018 18;6:111. Epub 2018 May 18.

National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL), Department of Microbiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.

Background: Dengue is one of the most geographically significant mosquito-borne viral diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. During blood feeding, mosquitoes deposit salivary proteins that induce antibody responses. These can be related to the intensity of exposure to bites. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018 8;8:140. Epub 2018 May 8.

Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Diseases Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands.

Tularemia is an emerging zoonosis caused by the Gram-negative bacterium , which is able to infect a range of animal species and humans. Human infections occur through contact with animals, ingestion of food, insect bites or exposure to aerosols or water, and may lead to serious disease. may persist in aquatic reservoirs. Read More

Trop Med Health 2018 23;46:16. Epub 2018 May 23.

1Department of Tropical Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Background: Vector-borne infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms transmitted mainly by blood-sucking arthropod vectors. In laboratories, the handling of insects carrying human pathogens requires extra caution because of safety concerns over their escape risk. Based on standard insect containment practices, there have been cases where costly enhancements were required to definitely protect laboratory workers and neighbors from potential infection through mosquito bites. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 May 18;18(1):227. Epub 2018 May 18.

Department of Immunopathology of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, 3C Pawińskiego Street, 02-106, Warsaw, Poland.

Background: The studies on the occurrence and diversity of tick-borne infections in HIV-infected individuals have been few, and the subject has been relatively neglected when compared with other common infections associated with HIV. In HIV-positive patients in whom a serological diagnostics is complicated due to reduced positive predictive value, a method where the microorganism is detected directly is of great value. Therefore, we performed a molecular study to ascertain the prevalence and incidence of tick-borne infections in HIV-infected persons in Poland, an endemic area for Ixodes ricinus ticks. Read More

Healthcare (Basel) 2018 May 17;6(2). Epub 2018 May 17.

International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD 20827, USA.

Human babesiosis caused by is an emerging infectious disease in Canada. This malaria-like illness is brought about by a protozoan parasite infecting red blood cells. Currently, controversy surrounds which tick species are vectors of Since the availability of a serological or molecular test in Canada for has been limited, we conducted a seven-year surveillance study (2011⁻2017) to ascertain the occurrence and geographic distribution of infection country-wide. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2018 26;9:419. Epub 2018 Apr 26.

Department of Nursing, Shu-Zen Junior College of Medicine and Management, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.

Parasit Vectors 2018 05 11;11(1):296. Epub 2018 May 11.

Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé/Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, BP 545, Burkina Faso.

Background: Urbanization is a main trend in developing countries and leads to health transition. Although non-communicable diseases are increasing in cities of low-income countries, vector-borne diseases such as malaria, are still present. In the case of malaria, transmission is lower than in rural areas, but is uneven and not well documented. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 May 8;8(1):7147. Epub 2018 May 8.

Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7BE, UK.

YouTube videos of dog bites present an unexplored opportunity to observe dog bites directly. We recorded the context of bites, bite severity, victim and dog characteristics for 143 videos and for 56 videos we coded human and dog behaviour before the bite. Perceived bite severity was derived from visual aspects of the bite. Read More

Infect Dis Poverty 2018 May 7;7(1):45. Epub 2018 May 7.

State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, 20 Dong-Da Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China.

Background: A wide variety of pathogens could be maintained and transmitted by Haemaphysalis longicornis. The aim of this study is to systematically examine the variety of pathogens carried by Haemaphysalis longicornis, an importnatn vector, in tick-borne diseases epidemic area, and to estimate the risk of human infection imposed by tick bites.

Methods: Adult questing ticks were collected in Xinyang, central China. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 May 4;2018. Epub 2018 May 4.

Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.

The clinically important human infections are mostly caused by the three species (eg, ) of out of the many progressively increasing identified species. transmitted by the arthropod vector, fleas, after cat bite is responsible for the rare multisystem cat scratch disease in humans. We present an extremely rare case of contracted presumably through a red ant bite. Read More

An Bras Dermatol 2018 Mar;93(2):251-255

Clínica Dermatológica Ubatuba, Ubatuba, SP, Brazil.

Ticks are blood-sucking arthropods that attach to human skin through oral devices causing diverse initial cutaneous manifestations, and may also transmit serious infectious diseases. In certain situations, the Health Teams (and especially dermatologists) may face difficulties in identifying the lesions and associating them to the parasites. To assist them in clinical diagnosis, we suggest a classification of the skin manifestations in primary lesions, which occur by the attachment the tick to the host (for toxicity and the anticoagulant substances in the saliva and/or marked inflammation by the penetration and permanence of the mouthparts) and secondary lesions that are manifestations of infections caused by rickettsia, bacteria, protozoa and fungi inoculated by the ticks. Read More

PLoS One 2018 3;13(5):e0196893. Epub 2018 May 3.

Trauma, Health & Hazards Center, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States of America.

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is a vector-borne bacterial infection that is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. If not treated with antibiotics during the early stages of infection, disseminated infection can spread to the central nervous system (CNS). In non-human primates (NHPs) it has been demonstrated that the leptomeninges are among the tissues colonized by B. Read More

J Virol 2018 May 2. Epub 2018 May 2.

Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Today's gold standard in HIV therapy is the combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). It requires strict adherence by patients and life-long medication, which can lower the viral load below detection limits and prevent HIV-associated immunodeficiency, but cannot cure patients. The bispecific T cell engaging (BiTE®) antibody technology has demonstrated long-term relapse-free outcomes in patients with relapsed and refractory acute lymphocytic leukemia. Read More

Cutis 2018 Mar;101(3):187-190

Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.

The tick is an important arthropod vector in the transmission of human disease. This 3-part review highlights the biology of the tick and manifestations of related diseases. Part 1 addresses the tick biology and life cycle; local reactions; and Lyme disease, the most prevalent of associated diseases. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018 Jun 26;98(6):1705-1708. Epub 2018 Apr 26.

Department of Pediatrics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Controlled Human Malaria Infection (CHMI) has become an increasingly important tool for the evaluation of drugs and vaccines. Controlled Human Malaria Infection has been demonstrated to be a reproducible model; however, there is some variability in time to onset of parasitemia between volunteers and studies. At our center, mosquitoes infected with by membrane feeding have variable and high salivary gland sporozoite load (mean 78,415; range 26,500-160,500). Read More

Prog Retin Eye Res 2018 Apr 24. Epub 2018 Apr 24.

Vision Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Brazilian Institute of Fight Against Blindness, Assis and Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus mainly transmitted to humans by mosquitoes from Aedes genus. Other ways of transmission include the perinatal and sexual routes, blood transfusion, and laboratory exposure. Although the first human cases were registered in 1952 in African countries, outbreaks were only reported since 2007, when entire Pacific islands were affected. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018 3;8:96. Epub 2018 Apr 3.

School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States.

Vector-borne diseases, including arboviruses, pose a serious threat to public health worldwide. Arboviruses of the flavivirus genus, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus, yellow fever virus (YFV), and West Nile virus (WNV), are transmitted to humans from insect vectors and can cause serious disease. In 2017, over 2,000 reported cases of WNV virus infection occurred in the United States, with two-thirds of cases classified as neuroinvasive. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 04 16;11(1):247. Epub 2018 Apr 16.

Boehringer Ingelheim, 3239 Satellite Blvd., Duluth, GA, 30096, USA.

Background: Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of Leishmania infantum, the agent of canine and human visceral leishmaniosis in the Americas. Considering that the dog is the main domestic host of the parasite, repellent treatment is a measure that might contribute to the prevention of canine visceral leishmaniosis. The repellent efficacy of a single treatment of a new spot-on topical combination of fipronil and permethrin (Frontline Tri-Act®, Merial, now part of Boehringer-Ingelheim) to repel Lu. Read More

Nat Microbiol 2018 May 9;3(5):556-562. Epub 2018 Apr 9.

Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is the most medically significant tick-borne disease, being widespread in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and parts of Europe . Increasing case numbers, westerly movement and broadly ranging case fatality rates substantiate the concern of CCHF as a public health threat. Ixodid ticks of the genus Hyalomma are the vector for CCHF virus (CCHFV), an arbovirus in the genus Orthonairovirus of the family Nairoviridae. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 04 10;11(1):218. Epub 2018 Apr 10.

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA.

Background: Temperate urban landscapes support persistent and growing populations of Culex and Aedes mosquito vectors. Large urban mosquito populations can represent a significant risk for transmission of emergent arboviral infection. However, even large mosquito populations are only a risk to the animals they bite. Read More

J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2018 Mar 22. Epub 2018 Mar 22.

Researcher, University of West Florida, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Pensacola, FL, USA, Shark Behaviorist, Shark Research Institute, Global Shark Attack File, Princeton, NJ, USA.

The mouth of a shark is a breeding ground for a large variety of bacteria which can easily get transferred onto a human body in the event of a shark bite. Here, we review infections originating from shark oral bacterial flora, which originate from the microbiome of its prey, as well as from the surroundings where an incident takes place. We use the example of an incident which occurred in an aquarium involving a sandtiger shark, Carcharias taurus. Read More

J Infect Dis 2018 Jun;218(1):144-151

Unité d'épidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

Background: A spillover of simian foamy virus (SFV) to humans, following bites from infected nonhuman primates (NHPs), is ongoing in exposed populations. These retroviruses establish persistent infections of unknown physiological consequences to the human host.

Methods: We performed a case-control study to compare 24 Cameroonian hunters infected with gorilla SFV and 24 controls matched for age and ethnicity. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 14;9:524. Epub 2018 Mar 14.

Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, United States.

The invention of liver-humanized mouse models has made it possible to directly study the preerythrocytic stages of . In contrast, the current models to directly study blood stage infection are extremely limited. Humanization of the mouse blood stream is achievable by frequent injections of human red blood cells (hRBCs) and is currently the only system with which to study human malaria blood stage infections in a small animal model. Read More

Pediatr Dermatol 2018 May 25;35(3):366-369. Epub 2018 Mar 25.

Department of Dermatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Background: Leishmaniasis is a protozoan zoonotic parasitic infection with cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral manifestations. Israel is endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis, which is a self-limited disease but is associated with scarring, which is often a source of psychological and social burden for patients. Scars can be especially devastating for children and teenagers. Read More

Am J Case Rep 2018 Mar 23;19:335-341. Epub 2018 Mar 23.

Division of Clinical Microbiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

BACKGROUND Babesiosis is an emerging, tick-borne zoonosis caused by intraerythrocytic protozoa of the genus Babesia. Babesia microti is the main pathogen causing human disease and is endemic in the northeastern and upper midwestern parts of the USA. Severity of infection ranges from mild, self-limited, febrile viral-like illness accompanied by nonspecific symptoms to life-threatening infection complicated by severe hemolytic anemia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and renal or/and hepatic failure. Read More

J Glob Infect Dis 2018 Jan-Mar;10(1):3-6

Neurologist and Psychiatrist, Expert for Lyme Disease, Ansbach, Germany.

Introduction: A bacterial infection by referred to as Lyme disease (LD) or borreliosis is transmitted mostly by a bite of the tick in the USA and in Europe. Various tests are used for the diagnosis of LD, but their results are often unreliable. We compiled a list of clinically visible and patient-reported symptoms that are associated with LD. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018 May 15;98(5):1343-1352. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Aix Marseille University, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IDR) (Dakar, Marseille, Papeete), AP-HM, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire-Méditerranée Infection, UMR Vecteurs-Infections Tropicales et Méditerranéennes (VITROME), Marseille, France.

The implementation of long-lasting insecticidal-treated bed nets (LLINs) has contributed to halving the mortality rate due to malaria since 2000 in sub-Saharan Africa. These tools are highly effective against indoor-feeding malaria vectors. Thus, to achieve the World Health Assembly's new target to reduce the burden of malaria over the next 15 years by 90%, it is necessary to understand how the spatiotemporal dynamics of malaria vectors and human exposure to bites is modified in the context of scaling up global efforts to control malaria transmission. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 03 20;11(1):130. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Italy.

Background: Borrelia miyamotoi is a spirochete transmitted by several ixodid tick species. It causes a relapsing fever in humans and is currently considered as an emerging pathogen. In Europe, B. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2018 Mar 10. Epub 2018 Mar 10.

State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Fengtai District, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

Background: Human babesiosis is an emerging health problem in China.

Methods: Babesia were identified in ticks, sheep, and humans in northeastern China using PCR followed by genetic sequencing. We enrolled residents of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces between 2015 and 2016 who reported a recent tick bite and experienced a viral like illness after recent tick bite or were healthy residents. Read More

J Emerg Med 2018 Jun 6;54(6):871-875. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

Emergency Department, San Antonio Hospital, San Daniele del Friuli, Udine, Italy.

Background: Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a bacterium of the normal oral flora of dogs and cats. Human infection is caused by animal bite but is rarely observed, mainly in immunocompromised patients. We present 2 cases of C. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2018 03 8;11(1):157. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Vector group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.

Background: High coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) is the cornerstone of the malaria control strategy of the national malaria control program (NMCP) in Cameroon, with a target of reducing malaria transmission to less than 10% by 2035. To this end, more than 20 million LLINs have been distributed to populations countrywide since 2011. The present study evaluated entomological indices and Anopheles susceptibility to pyrethroids in a rural forested area of south Cameroon with high coverage of LLINs. Read More

PLoS One 2018 6;13(3):e0193493. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Geografía, Quito, Ecuador.

Though malaria control initiatives have markedly reduced malaria prevalence in recent decades, global eradication is far from actuality. Recent studies show that environmental and social heterogeneities in low-transmission settings have an increased weight in shaping malaria micro-epidemiology. New integrated and more localized control strategies should be developed and tested. Read More

Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd 2018 Mar;160(3):185-188

Infektiologie und Spitalhygiene, Kantonsspital Baden.

Introduction: A female jogger was attacked by a common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and was scratched lightly at the back of the head. One week later she was taken ill with high fever and headache which was later diagnosed as ulcero-glandular tularemia in regional lymph nodes, caused by Francisella tularensis. Recovery was only achieved after several weeks of systemic antibiotic treatment (Gentamicin/ Ciprofloxacine). Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Mar 1;8(1):3896. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan.

With the increasing prevalence of artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites, a highly efficacious and durable vaccine for malaria is urgently required. We have developed an experimental virus-vectored vaccine platform based on an envelope-modified baculovirus dual-expression system (emBDES). Here, we show a conceptually new vaccine platform based on an adenovirus-prime/emBDES-boost heterologous immunization regimen expressing the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (PfCSP). Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Mar;97(9):e9854

Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection is a rare disease with high mortality. Most of CAEBV patients have been reported from Japan and are pediatric cases.The goal was to describe the clinical characteristics and the immunophenotypic features of peripheral lymphocytes in adult onset CAEBV patients. Read More

Elife 2018 Feb 27;7. Epub 2018 Feb 27.

Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.

Malaria elimination strategies require a thorough understanding of parasite transmission from human to mosquito. A clinical model to induce gametocytes to understand their dynamics and evaluate transmission-blocking interventions (TBI) is currently unavailable. Here, we explore the use of the well-established Controlled Human Malaria Infection model (CHMI) to induce gametocyte carriage with different antimalarial drug regimens. Read More

Parasitol Res 2018 Apr 24;117(4):1237-1244. Epub 2018 Feb 24.

Ecology and the Environment Laboratory L2E (URAC 32, CNRST ERACNERS 06), Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco.

In Morocco, visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease caused by the flagellated protozoan parasite Leishmania infantum. L. infantum is transmitted by the bite of female phlebotomine sandflies, and its main reservoir hosts are domestic dogs. Read More

Int J Parasitol 2018 Jun 21;48(7):531-542. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address:

African apes are endemically infected with numerous Plasmodium spp. including close relatives of human Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae. Although these ape parasites are not believed to pose a zoonotic threat, their ability to colonise humans has not been fully explored. Read More

Acta Trop 2018 Jun 21;182:149-157. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

To date, the Republic of Rwanda has not systematically reported on distribution, diversity and malaria infectivity rate of mosquito species throughout the country. Therefore, we assessed the spatial and temporal variation of mosquitoes in the domestic environment, as well as the nocturnal biting behavior and infection patterns of the main malaria vectors in Rwanda. For this purpose, mosquitoes were collected monthly from 2010 to 2013 by human landing catches (HLC) and pyrethrum spray collections (PSC) in seven sentinel sites. Read More

J Vector Borne Dis 2017 Oct-Dec;54(4):341-347

Vocational School of Health Services, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.

Background & Objectives: Q fever caused by Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic infection that spreads to human beings from animals. This study was aimed to demographically examine the C. burnetii seroprevalence in the people living in villages where Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is endemic, in terms of various risk factors such as tick bites, tick contact, and occupational groups. Read More

J Emerg Med 2018 04 10;54(4):537-539. Epub 2018 Feb 10.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.

Background: Human bites involving the genitalia rarely present to the emergency department (ED). They have the potential to cause life-threatening secondary infections as well as serious physical and functional damage.

Case Report: We report a case of an adult male who sustained a human bite to the scrotum, resulting in a ragged laceration on the anterior scrotum, with a devascularized flap and necrotic edges overlying the wound. Read More

J Transl Med 2018 Feb 8;16(1):26. Epub 2018 Feb 8.

Children's Cancer Research Institute, Zimmermannplatz 10, 1090, Vienna, Austria.

Background: During infection with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) several viral proteins occur on cell surfaces in high quantity. We thus pursue an HLA-independent approach for immunotherapy of HCMV using chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and bispecific BiTE antibody constructs. In this context, HCMV-encoded proteins that mediate viral immune evasion and bind human IgG might represent particularly attractive target antigens. Read More

PLoS One 2018 7;13(2):e0192031. Epub 2018 Feb 7.

Branch of Battelle Memorial Institute in Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Introduction: Anthrax is endemic in the country of Georgia. The most common cutaneous anthrax form accounts for 95% of anthrax cases and often is self-resolving. Humans are infected from processing contaminated animal products, contacting sick animals, or by insect bites. Read More

PLoS Biol 2018 Feb 6;16(2):e2003885. Epub 2018 Feb 6.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.

T. vaginalis, a human-infective parasite, causes the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide and contributes to adverse inflammatory disorders. The immune response to T. Read More

Microb Pathog 2018 Mar 3;116:289-295. Epub 2018 Feb 3.

Department of Pharmacology, Anesthesia and Analgesia, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a life-threatening tropical infection, mainly caused by mosquito bite. After a very long period of quietness, ZIKV infections have become a problematic issue again. Previously, the virus was limited to Africa and Asia only but later it emerged in Brazil, South America, and other parts of the world in 2015. Read More