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Transbound Emerg Dis 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l'Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Barcelona, Spain.

Leishmaniasis is a transmissible disease caused by Leishmania protozoa. Spain is endemic for both visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, the autochthonous aetiological agent being Leishmania infantum. Around the world, the L. Read More

PLoS One 2021 7;16(4):e0249628. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Experimental Parasitology Unit, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis affect a million people yearly, leading to skin lesions and potentially disfiguring mucosal disease. Current treatments can have severe side effects. Allylamine drugs, like terbinafine, are safe, including during pregnancy. Read More

J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 12613, Giza, Egypt.

Levan is an industrially important functional biopolymer with considerable applications in food and pharmaceutical fields owing to its safety and biocompatibility. Herein, levan type exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by ZMR7 was purified by cold ethanol precipitation and characterized using TLC, FTIR, H, and C NMR spectroscopy. The maximum production of levan (28. Read More

Bioorg Chem 2021 Mar 10;110:104816. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Electronic address:

Leishmaniasis being one of the six major tropical diseases that affects nearly 0.7-1.3 million people annually, has so far limited and high toxic therapeutic options. Read More

Curr Top Med Chem 2021 Apr 2. Epub 2021 Apr 2.

School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry & Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, 437100. China.

Cancers, a set of genetic diseases that can change the behavior and cell growth in body tissues, are the second leading cause of death accross the world. Several treatment approaches such as radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy can be applied to cure cancer, and among them, chemotherapy is one of the primary treatments for cancer, in which chemotherapeutic drugs are used. Great achievements have been made in the development of novel anticancer agents, but drug resistance is usually generated quickly, making overcoming drug resistance or developing more effective anticancer agents an imperative challenge. Read More

Zootaxa 2021 Mar 10;4941(4):zootaxa.4941.4.3. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Dept. of Life Sciences, the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.

The following new synonymies are established: Acrodactyla iliensis Sheng Bian 1996 = Acrodactyla lachryma Pham, Broad, Matsumoto Böhme 2012, syn. nov.; Euceros Gravenhorst 1829 = Lentocerus Dong Naito 1999, syn. Read More

J Parasit Dis 2021 Mar 24;45(1):191-196. Epub 2020 Oct 24.

Leishmaniasis Research Center, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a zoonotic disease with 1 to 1.5 million annual incidences. Microscopic examination of the Giemsa stained slides is the most common diagnostic method for CL. Read More

Lancet Glob Health 2021 04;9(4):e400-e401

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 Mar 19;15(3):e0009241. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Background: Recent circumstantial evidence suggests increasing number of Iranian patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) who are unresponsive to meglumine antimoniate (MA), the first line of treatment in Iran. Oral meltifosine was previously reported to be effective in visceral leishmaniasis as well CL. The current study is designed to determine efficacy and safety of oral miltefosine for the treatment of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) cases who were refractory to MA in Iran. Read More

Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 2019 Jun 19;71(3). Epub 2021 Mar 19.

State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, PR China.

One thermophilic bacterium, designated strain SYSU G02662, was isolated from hot spring sediment sampled in Tibet, PR China. Polyphasic taxonomic analyses and whole-genome sequencing were used to determine the taxonomy position of the strain. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain SYSU G02662 showed the highest sequence similarity to SCSIO 58843 (95. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Mar 16;11(1):6080. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Swiss German University, 15143, Tangerang, Indonesia.

Local Xylocarpus granatum leaves were extracted by ethyl acetate solvent and characterized by TLC fingerprinting and 2D H NMR spectroscopy to contain phenolic compounds as well as several organic and amino acids as metabolic byproducts, such as succinic acid and acetic acid. Traces of flavonoids and other non-categorized phenolic compounds exhibited intermediate antioxidant activity (antioxidant IC 84.93 ppm) as well as anticancer activity against HeLa, T47D, and HT-29 cell lines; which the latter being most effective against HT-29 with Fraction 5 contained the strongest activity (anticancer IC 23. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2021 Mar 15;14(1):155. Epub 2021 Mar 15.

Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Zoonoses Public Health 2021 Mar 14. Epub 2021 Mar 14.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

Leishmaniasis is a neglected zoonotic disease that poses significant veterinary and public health risks in developing countries. Dogs act as a reservoir host for leishmaniasis transmitted to humans. A total of 108 human cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) were identified in the Al-Houd Al-Marsoud Hospital in Cairo, Egypt, during 2018. Read More

Acta Trop 2021 Mar 11;218:105888. Epub 2021 Mar 11.

Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, 702 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic; Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia. Electronic address:

In this study, we characterized a collection of clinical samples obtained from Syrian and Turkish patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequences. All obtained sequences belonged to Leishmania tropica. Combining them with those available from GenBank allowed us performing a broad-scale analysis of genetic diversity for this species. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2021 Mar 8. Epub 2021 Mar 8.

Laboratory of Parasitology and Vector-Borne-Diseases, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Morocco.

In Morocco, leishmaniases are a major public health problem due to their genetic diversity and geographical distribution. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious disease caused by various species of Leishmania and transmitted typically by bite of phlebotomine sand flies. This study identifies sand fly fauna in Ibaraghen village, province of Azilal, which is a focus of CL, by combination of morphological and molecular methods (sequencing of COI gene, MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling). Read More

Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021 Mar 8. Epub 2021 Mar 8.

Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong SAR, China

We have designed, synthesized, and characterized a library of 38 novel flavonoid compounds linked with amines. Some of these amine-linked flavonoids have potent activity against parasites that cause cutaneous leishmaniasis, a tropical disease endemic in 80 countries worldwide. The most promising candidate, , was highly active with IC of 0. Read More

Trop Med Health 2021 Mar 6;49(1):20. Epub 2021 Mar 6.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Hiroshima University Hospital, 1-2-3 Minamiku Kasumi, Minamiku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan.

Background: Leishmaniasis is not endemic in Japan, and imported cases are rare. However, there are increasing concerns regarding imported cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis from endemic countries to Japan. This report describes a case of imported cutaneous leishmaniasis that was diagnosed and treated in Japan. Read More

Biomolecules 2021 Feb 12;11(2). Epub 2021 Feb 12.

Department of Pharmacy, University of Lahore, Islamabad Campus, Islamabad 54590, Pakistan.

Industrial hemp is a multiuse crop that has been widely cultivated to produce fibers and nutrients. The capability of the essential oil (EO) from inflorescences as antimicrobial agent has been reported. However, literature data are still lacking about the hemp EO antiprotozoal efficacy in vivo. Read More

Pathogens 2021 Feb 25;10(3). Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Parasitology-Mycology Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, 93009 Bobigny, France.

Leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases of public health concern in Algeria. To update the geographical distribution of spp. causing cutaneous affection, we examined a set of Giemsa-stained smears prepared from skin lesions of the patients suspected to have cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in various geographical areas in Algeria. Read More

Rep Biochem Mol Biol 2020 Oct;9(3):324-330

Proteomics Research Center, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: and are the etiological agents of cutaneous leishmaniosis. Leishmania species cause a board spectrum of phenotypes. A small number of genes are differentially expressed between them that have likely an important role in the disease phenotype. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2021 Feb 24;14(1):122. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Background: Epidemics of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) are occurring more frequently and spreading faster and farther than before in many areas of the world. The present study aimed to assess a long-lasting emerging epidemic (2005-2019) of 5532 cases with anthroponotic CL (ACL) in peri-urban areas of Kerman city in southeastern Iran.

Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out for 15 years in Kerman province, southeastern Iran. Read More

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2021 Apr 27;75:101617. Epub 2021 Jan 27.

Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an infectious disease that commonly caused by Leishmania (L.) major and L.tropica. Read More

Chembiochem 2021 Feb 11. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

Centre for Infectious Diseases, Parasitology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.

Parasitic diseases like malaria tropica have been shaping human evolution and history since the beginning of mankind. After infection, the response of the human host ranges from asymptomatic to severe and may culminate in death. Therefore, proper examination of the parasite's biology is pivotal to deciphering unique molecular, biochemical and cell biological processes, which in turn ensure the identification of treatment strategies, such as potent drug targets and vaccine candidates. Read More

Life Sci 2021 Apr 2;270:119158. Epub 2021 Feb 2.

Institute for Lung Research, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Center Giessen and Marburg, Philipps-Universität Marburg, German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Marburg, Germany; German Center for Lung Research (DZL), German Center for infectious Disease Research (DZIF), Center for Synthetic Microbiology (Synmikro), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany. Electronic address:

Aims: Malaria is a serious health threat in tropical countries. The causative parasite of Malaria tropica, the severe form, is the protozoan Plasmodium falciparum. In humans, it infects red blood cells, compromising blood flow and tissue perfusion. Read More

Parasite Epidemiol Control 2021 Feb 10;12:e00201. Epub 2021 Jan 10.

Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Introduction: Treatment of leishmaniasis with conventional synthetic drugs is a major global challenge. This study was designed to explore the leishmanicidal activity and apoptotic profile of three leaf extracts on stages.

Methods: The plants of and were gathered from Anbarabbad county, in the southeastern part of Kerman province and extracted by maceration method using methanol alcohol. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 Jan 28;15(1):e0008988. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

Médecins Sans Frontières, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical skin disease, caused by Leishmania protozoa. In Pakistan, where CL caused by L. tropica is highly endemic, therapy with pentavalent antimonials is the standard of care, but has significant toxicity when used in systemic therapy, while are no evidence-based safer alternative treatment options for L. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021 Jan 28;15(1):e0009089. Epub 2021 Jan 28.

Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

Over the last years, there has been a remarkable increase in the number of unresponsive patients with anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) reported worldwide. The primary objective of this study was to explore the role of demographic, clinical and environmental risk related-factors in the development of treatment failure, relapse and chronic cases compared to responsive patients with ACL. Moreover, molecular, histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings between these forms were explored. Read More

Iran J Med Sci 2021 Jan;46(1):43-51

Proteomics Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by species () is one of the most important parasitic diseases in humans. To gain information on the metabolite variations and biochemical pathways between , we used the comparative metabolome of metacyclic promastigotes in the Iranian isolates of and by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-NMR).

Methods: and were collected from three areas of Iran, namely Gonbad, Mashhad, and Bam, between 2017 and 2018, and were cultured. Read More

PLoS One 2021 22;16(1):e0245756. Epub 2021 Jan 22.

Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, The University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.

The non-breeding period of pelagic seabirds, and particularly the moulting stage, is an important, but understudied part of their annual cycle as they are hardly accessible outside of the breeding period. Knowledge about the moulting ecology of seabirds is important to understand the challenges they face outside and within the breeding season. Here, we combined stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) signatures of rectrices grown during the non-breeding period of two pairs of storm-petrel species breeding in the northern (European storm-petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus, ESP; Leach's storm-petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous, LSP) and southern (black-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta tropica, BBSP; Wilson's storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus, WSP) hemispheres to determine differences in moulting ranges within and between species. Read More

Biomolecules 2021 Jan 5;11(1). Epub 2021 Jan 5.

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli 25, 20133 Milano, Italy.

The natural triterpene celastrol () is here used as lead compound for the design and synthesis of a panel of eleven carboxamides that were tested in vitro for their growth inhibitory activity against and parasites. Among them, in vitro screening identified four basic carboxamides endowed with nanomolar leishmanicidal activity, against both the promastigotes and the intramacrophage amastigotes forms. These compounds also showed low toxicity toward two human (HMEC-1 and THP-1) and one murine (BMDM) cell lines. Read More