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Trypanosomiasis is a protozoan infection affecting both human and animals in almost all parts of the world. It can affect a very large range of domestic and wild hosts including camelids, equines, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs and other carnivores, deer, gazelles and elephants. This review paper was designed to address the effect of this economically important disease in countries on the Red Sea, especially in Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia during the period 2010 to 2020. The prevalence of trypanosomiasis is different between these countries due to different types of diagnostic methods (Giemsa-stained blood smears, Hematocrit centrifugation, Serological test, and molecular analysis PCR) used and differential distribution of vector (Tse tse) flies. In current review, retrospective studies of published literature on distribution and prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi infection in the Red Sea Countries was conducted [Google Scholar and PubMed were used to retrieve the published literature from 2000-2020. A total of 77 published articles met the eligibility criteria and were reviewed. A total of 16 reports have been reported on the prevalence and distribution of Trypnosoma evansi infection in the Red Sea Countries have been from 2010-2020]. According to the published literature, we can say that trypanosomiasis in camels are more prevalent in Sudan than in other countries, followed by 17% and 51.78% in both clinical and non-clinical cases. Hence, the reliable diagnostic tests should be used for rapid treatment or control of the disease as if not treated appropriately in early-stage, can lead to death of the camels. Resumo A tripanossomíase é uma infecção por protozoário que afeta humanos e animais em quase todas as partes do mundo. Pode afetar grande variedade de hospedeiros domésticos e selvagens, incluindo camelídeos, equinos, gado, búfalos, ovelhas, cabras, porcos, cães e outros carnívoros, veados, gazelas e elefantes. Este artigo de revisão foi elaborado para abordar o efeito dessa doença economicamente importante em países do mar Vermelho, especialmente Egito, Sudão, Somália e Arábia Saudita, durante o período de 2010 a 2020. A prevalência de tripanossomíase é diferente entre esses países devido a tipos distintos de métodos diagnósticos (esfregaços de sangue corados com Giemsa, centrifugação de hematócrito, teste sorológico e PCR de análise molecular) usados e distribuição diferencial de moscas vetoras (tsé-tsé). Na revisão atual, foram realizados estudos retrospectivos da literatura publicada sobre distribuição e prevalência da infecção por Trypanosoma evansi nos países do mar Vermelho [Google Scholar e PubMed foram usados para recuperar a literatura publicada de 2000 a 2020. Um total de 77 artigos publicados preencheu os critérios de elegibilidade e foi revisado. E há também 16 relatos sobre a prevalência e distribuição da infecção por Trypnosoma evansi nos países do mar Vermelho, de 2010 a 2020]. De acordo com a literatura publicada, podemos afirmar que a tripanossomíase em camelos é mais prevalente no Sudão do que em outros países, seguida por 17% e 51,78% em casos clínicos e não clínicos. Assim, os testes diagnósticos confiáveis devem ser utilizados para o tratamento rápido ou controle da doença, pois, se eles não forem tratados de forma adequada na fase inicial, isso pode levar à morte dos camelos.

Sleep is affected by multiple environmental factors, but specific industrial and biologic toxins produce changes in the sleep–wake functions of humans. Mercury poisoning, trypanosomiasis, and endotoxins are examples that can alter sleep. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine produces a parkinsonian syndrome with significant sleep effects. Alcohol also affects sleep, especially altering hypoxic and hypercapnic drive, and increasing upper airway resistance. Lastly, cannabis tends to induce sleep, but a cannabis withdrawal syndrome has been described in which sleep worsens.

Trypanosoma brucei brucei depends on mammalian host glucose for survival and establishment of infection. The interference with host glucose results in disturbance of pathways for glucose metabolism and their enzymes. Therefore, this study tried to examine the relationship between untreated Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection and the host hexokinase activity in selected organs that depend on glucose for their normal biological and biochemical functions. The mice for this study were grouped into two: control (uninfected) and infected group. Baseline values for PCV, serum glucose and protein; hexokinase activity and protein concentration in the liver, kidney, heart and brain were obtained for each group. The infected group was intraperitoneally inoculation by 1 104 parasites/mice and monitor for the presence of Trypanosoma brucei brucei from the second day post infection. The same parameters were collected again on days 4 and 11 before the death of the infected group. Protein was determined by colorimetric method using Bradford reagent. PCV was analysed using a sysmex haematology analyser while hexokinase activity was measured spectrophotometrically by a coupled reaction with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase at 340 nm. The result of this study showed that untreated Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection resulted in decrease in PCV, serum glucose, hexokinase activity in the liver, kidney, heart and brain but increase in serum protein. In conclusion, untreated Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection resulted in reduction in host liver, kidney, brain and heart hexokinase activity which probably deprived them of the needed energy and may be the cause of early death in untreated trypanosomiasis.

J.R. and G.A.B. thank GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for an industrial CASE studentship. MMA is supported by a studentship from the government of Libya, and MAU by a studentship from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Abuja, Nigeria. A selective mono-N-arylation strategy of amidines under Chan-Lam conditions is described. During the reaction optimization phase, the isolation of a mononuclear Cu(II) complex provided unique mechanistic insight into the operation of Chan-Lam mono-N-arylation. The scope of the process is demonstrated, and then applied to access the first mono-N-arylated analogues of pentamidine. Sub-micromolar activity against kinetoplastid parasites was observed for several analogues with no cross-resistance in pentamidine and diminazene-resistant trypanosome strains and against Leishmania mexicana. A fluorescent mono-N-arylated pentamidine analogue revealed rapid cellular uptake, accumulating in parasite nuclei and the kinetoplasts. The DNA binding capability of the mono-N-arylated pentamidine series was confirmed by UV-melt measurements using AT-rich DNA. This work highlights the potential to use Chan-Lam mono-N-arylation to develop therapeutic leads against diamidine-resistant trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis. Publisher PDF

Chagas disease is caused by the infection of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas, 1909). Mexico is estimated to be among the countries with the highest rates of human infections. The southernmost region of the Baja California peninsula is home to the endemic, highly aggressive, and largest Triatominae vector, thus far described: Dipetalogaster maxima (Uhler 1894). Previous single-year studies have attempted to estimate the natural infection rate of T. cruzi in this species, none encompassing a multiyear sampling design nor a species-specific diagnostic tool. We report the infection rate based on more than 717 individuals examined via a PCR species-specific diagnosis. The infection rate of T. cruzi was of 4.4% (n = 5/112), 0.9% (n = 4/411), and 4.6% (n = 9/194) for 2016, 2017, and 2018, respectively, resulting in an infection rate of 2% across all sites and years (n = 18/717).

Made available in DSpace on 2022-05-01T06:02:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-08-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Although co-infections of Trypanosoma vivax, Anaplasma spp., and Babesia spp. have been reported, knowledge gaps remain that need to be addressed. The present study evaluated the efficacy of enrofloxacin (7.5 mg/kg) against A. marginale in naturally infected cattle and cattle experimentally co-infected with T. vivax by observation of the variation in A. marginale parasitemia and packed cell volume (PCV) for 39 days. Bovines were distributed into two groups, each with six calves: T01 = animals immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and with latent anaplasmosis; T02 = animals immunosuppressed with dexamethasone, with latent anaplasmosis and experimentally co-infected with T. vivax on day 0 (D0). Animals of both groups were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and received enrofloxacin (7.5 mg/kg) whenever mean values of parasitemia for A. marginale were ≥ 5% per group. Cattle of group T02 were also treated with isometamidium chloride (0.5 mg/kg) on D25. On D17 and D22 to D28 of the study, there was a higher (P ≤ 0.05) A. marginale parasitemia in animals of T02 than in those of T01. Animals of T01 required one enrofloxacin treatment to decrease A. marginale parasitemia, while those from T02 needed five treatments. From D5 to D37 of study, the mean values of PCV for calves from T02 were lower (P ≤ 0.05) than that for calves from T01. In conclusion, bovines co-infected T. vivax needed four more treatments with enrofloxacin to reduce A. marginale parasitemia and keep PCV values within reference standards. Escola de Veterinária E Zootecnia Universidade Federal de Goiás Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva Escola de Veterinária Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Universidade Brasil Departamento de ClínicaCirurgia E Reprodução Animal Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária Universidade Estadual Paulista - Unesp Departamento de Biociências E Tecnologia Instituto de Patologia Tropical E Saúde Pública Universidade Federal de Goiás Departamento de ClínicaCirurgia E Reprodução Animal Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária Universidade Estadual Paulista - Unesp CAPES: 001

Handling and transportation of tsetse flies are fundamental for mortality assessment during fly collections. Previous works have indicated that tsetse fly mortalities increase with the rise in ambient temperatures. A seasonal mortality assessment of Glossina palpalis palpalis population collected from Ijah-Gwari field station was carried out based on the record as kept in the insectary of the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, during the period between 2011- 2018; in order to determined fly mortality rates associated with handling and transportation of flies. Results indicated that whereas high percentage mortalities were recorded between 2016 (44%) and 2017 (57%); moderate mortalities were recorded in 2011 (36%), 2014 (29%), 2015 (19%) and 2018 (30%); while low mortalities of 10% were recorded in 2012 and 2013. Hot months of May (51%) and July (25%) gross mortalities contributed significantly to the increase in mortalities recorded in these years. The findings of this study show that extreme temperatures and relative humidity might be contributing factor of fly mortality. The handling and transport conditions might have sustained the high temperatures and humidity during transportation. Mean percentage mortality was observed to be higher in male (44%) than the female (33%) flies from Ijah-Gwari. The implication of this study as pertains salivary gland hypertrophy virus transmission is discussed.

Given the high importance of animal uses for human beings, avoidance of contact with animals is far from straightforward, even if there is a risk of zoonotic diseases. Animal products or byproducts are essential sources of food for humans. Also, there are large numbers of companion animals worldwide which are important for the soundness of mental health for the owners. Understanding of the disease in animals is of paramount importance to control and prevent transmission to humans. Zoonotic protozoan parasites, including malaria, babesiosis, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis, can cause severe infections to humans, and some of them can drastically affect both economy and society. Impacts of such infections are aggravated when asymptomatic animals being in contact with susceptible individuals, including infants, pregnant women or immunocompromised people. Malaria, babesiosis and trypanosomiasis are vector-borne diseases that cause hemolytic anemia and high fever. Toxoplasmosis is a congenitally transmitted infection characterized by abortion and congenital abnormalities in infected persons and animals. Cryptosporidiosis is a highly contagious disease affecting humans and various animal species, and diarrhea is the main clinical form. These infections are globally distributed and affect various demographics. However, awareness of these often neglected diseases in almost all countries and communities is required to protect animals, owners, and customers. Thus, this review is aimed to provide the recent and current knowledge on transmission, epidemiology and control of some protozoan diseases of zoonotic importance.

African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) or nagana in animals, is caused by the blood-borne parasitic protozoa called trypanosomes, and is potentially fatal. It is estimated that Africa loses $4‒5 billion annually due to the death of livestock to nagana in the tsetse belt. Although The Gambia lies within this belt, there is scanty data regarding the epizootiology of nagana in The Gambia. Here, records of reported cases of nagana for the period 2010–2019 at the International Trypanotolerance Centre (ITC) in The Gambia were analyzed retrospectively. For insights into the current prevalence of AAT, blood samples of 384 cattle, 42 goats, and 59 sheep from the Central River Region (CRR) and Lower River Region (LRR) were analyzed microscopically for parasite identification. Furthermore, trypanosomes were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a panel of primers that identify trypanosomes to the level of the species and subspecies by targeting a portion of the internally transcribed spacer-one (ITS-1) of the ribosomal RNA. The retrospective study indicates that Trypanosoma vivax (66%) and T. congolense (33.4%) were the predominant species. Based on the archive records of ITC, the villages Touba, Misera, and Sambel Kunda all in the CRR of the Gambia are the most burdened with AAT. Microscopic examination of blood samples from cattle showed a prevalence of 1.56%, whereas the PCR-based analysis gave a higher prevalence of 12.5%. The molecular analysis revealed the presence of T. vivax (3.65%), T. congolense kilifi (2.6%), T. b. brucei (1.3%), T. congolense savannah/forest (0.52%), T. b. gambiense (0.52%). Interestingly, 4.43% of mixed infections i.e. multiple trypanosome species in individual animals were recorded. In 18% of the mixed infection cases, T. godfreyi, T. simiae were coinfecting cattle alongside T. congolense. The molecular identification including the phylogenetic analysis implicated T. congolense as the most predominant trypanosome species infecting animals in The Gambia. The incidence of nagana in The Gambia is documented and the prevalent trypanosomes identified to be T. vivax, different types of T. congolense, and T. brucei including the gambiense subspecie. Finally, nagana is less profound in sheep and goats compared to cattle, with seasonal and regional variations playing a significant role in the disease dynamics.

Hepatic injury induced by trypanosomiasis is one of the major health problems not only to human but also to wild and domestic animals. This study aimed to evaluate the hepatoprotective role of Allium sativum extract (ASE) against Trypanosoma evansi infection in mice. Animals were divided into 4 groups. Group I received only saline while group II received ASE (20 mg/Kg). Animals of group III and group IV were infected with T. evansi. The latter group was treated with ASE. The infrared spectroscopic analysis of A. sativum extract exhibited bands between 3700 cm−1 and 599 cm−1. On day 4 post T. evansi infection, ASE decreased the parasitemia by about 15 fold. Also, ASE regulated the number of erythrocytes and leucocytes and the hemoglobin content. In addition, the histopathological damage was reduced after treatment with ASE. Moreover, the oxidant and the antioxidant markers (glutathione, malondialdehyde and catalase) were regulated in the infected-treated animals. Collectively, the results proved the protective role of ASE against T. evansi infection in mice.

African Animal Trypanosomosis (AAT) is a major factor limiting livestock productivity in large areas of humid and subhumid Africa. Astudy was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Trypanosomiasisin sheep and goats from Laduga, Kachia grazing reserve area of Kaduna State. Blood samples (5 ml) were randomly collected by venepuncture of the jugular vein, from 21 goats and 21 sheep of both sexes. The 42 blood samples were first screened by wet mount and samples were later analyzed by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using generic primers that amplified the internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) gene region of the 16S rRNAgene. Microscopic examination revealed only 2.4% prevalence for T. vivax and 0% for T. brucei, whereas the DNA-based technique revealed 19.0% and 2.4% prevalence for T. vivax and T. brucei infections respectively, with the overall prevalence being 21.4%. Samples from goats revealed 13.6% and 5.0% prevalence of T. vivax in male and female respectively, while 4.5% and 0% prevalence of T. brucei was observed in male and female respectively. Similarly, samples from sheep revealed 9.1% and 10.0% prevalence of T. vivax in males and females respectively. Generally, the findings showed that tryponosomosis is more associated with males than females, there was however no significant different (P > 0.05). Furthermore, 23.8% and 19.0% prevalence was revealed by PCR in goats and sheep respectively. This shows that trypanosomiasis still exist and may worsen if not addressed properly in Kachia grazing reserve area of Kaduna State, and the use of microscopic evaluation alone might greatly underscore the prevalence rate. Keywords: Trypanosomosis, molecular diagnosis, prevalence, sheep and goats, Nigeria

The study assessed livestock for human and animal infective trypanosomes in seven remote communities of Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria. Blood samples collected at random from 330 cattle and 20 sheep were examined using the buffy coat technique and Leishman stained thin film. Packed cell volume and differential leukocyte counts were determined and interviews conducted. Animals examined showed clinical symptoms; emaciation (2%), rough hair coat (0.57%), body weakness (3.14%), ocular discharge (1.43%), dermatophylosis (0.57%) and ticks (0.57%). Leishman stained thin blood films indicated 34 cattle (9.71%) infected with Trypanosoma congolense, 0% infection in sheep and 100% slides positive for Anaplasma and Babesia parasites with no Trypanosoma brucei species. Anaemia was recorded in male cattle between 1year and 10 years old and was statistically significant (p

Trypanosoma brucei are protozoan parasites that cause the lethal human disease African sleeping sickness and the economically devastating disease of cattle, Nagana. African sleeping sickness, also known as Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), threatens 65 million people and animal trypanosomiasis makes large areas of farmland unusable. There is no vaccine and licensed therapies against the most severe, late-stage disease are toxic, impractical and ineffective. Trypanosomes are transmitted by tsetse flies, and HAT is therefore predominantly confined to the tsetse fly belt in sub-Saharan Africa. They are exclusively extracellular and they differentiate between at least seven developmental forms that are highly adapted to host and vector niches. In the mammalian (human) host they inhabit the blood, cerebrospinal fluid (late-stage disease), skin, and adipose fat. In the tsetse fly vector they travel from the tsetse midgut to the salivary glands via the ectoperitrophic space and proventriculus. Trypanosomes are evolutionarily divergent compared with most branches of eukaryotic life. Perhaps most famous for their extraordinary mechanisms of monoallelic gene expression and antigenic variation, they have also been investigated because much of their biology is either highly unconventional or extreme. Moreover, in addition to their importance as pathogens, many researchers have been attracted to the field because trypanosomes have some of the most advanced molecular genetic tools and database resources of any model system. The following will cover just some aspects of trypanosome biology and how its divergent biochemistry has been leveraged to develop drugs to treat African sleeping sickness. This is by no means intended to be a comprehensive survey of trypanosome features. Rather, I hope to present trypanosomes as one of the most fascinating and tractable systems to do discovery biology.

Since the old times, the camels are considered as an influential animal used in different purposes, like transportation and the production of a wool, milk, and meat. They can live and settle in different desert conditions all around the world. Blood parasitic infection of one-humped camels Camelus dromedarius, like Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Theileriosis, Trypanosomiasis and Mycoplasmosis, is more common as an infectious diseases transmitted mostly via arthropod ticks and some other ectoparasites. Increase body temperature, progressive haemolytic anaemia, digestive disorders, generalized weakness, and emaciation which might terminate by death are the main characteristics of those diseases, However, An epidemiological studies must always conducted to investigate the occurrence, incidence and the prevalence of those diseases around the world. It could be concluded that, The common blood parasitic infection of camels, could associated with loss of productivity among the affected individuals and might be a zoonotic risk for camel breeders, Clearly, it is of utmost importance to undergo periodical studies to track its prevalence in camels and contact people, The role of veterinary services is also important to advise farmers about the importance of those diseases and to maintain their animals free from ectoparasites by keeping the animals under hygienic conditions. Moreover, Further future programmed control measures will the best and final choice to eliminate these pathologies.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are embedded within complex socio-ecological systems. While research has traditionally focused on the direct effects of VBDs on human morbidity and mortality, it is increasingly clear that their impacts are much more pervasive. VBDs are dynamically linked to feedbacks between environmental conditions, vector ecology, disease burden, and societal responses that drive transmission. As a result, VBDs have had profound influence on human history. Mechanisms include: (1) killing or debilitating large numbers of people, with demographic and population-level impacts; (2) differentially affecting populations based on prior history of disease exposure, immunity, and resistance; (3) being weaponized to promote or justify hierarchies of power, colonialism, racism, classism, and sexism; (4) catalyzing changes in ideas, institutions, infrastructure, technologies, and social practices in efforts to control disease outbreaks; and (5) changing human relationships with the land and environment. We use historical and archaeological evidence interpreted through an ecological lens to illustrate how VBDs have shaped society and culture, focusing on case studies from four pertinent VBDs: plague, malaria, yellow fever, and trypanosomiasis. By comparing across diseases, time periods, and geographies, we highlight the enormous scope and variety of mechanisms by which VBDs have influenced human history.

Suramin has been a primary early-stage treatment for African trypanosomiasis for nearly 100 yr. Recent studies revealed that trypanosome strains that express the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) VSGsur possess heightened resistance to suramin. Here, we show that VSGsur binds tightly to suramin but other VSGs do not. By solving high-resolution crystal structures of VSGsur and VSG13, we also demonstrate that these VSGs define a structurally divergent subgroup of the coat proteins. The co-crystal structure of VSGsur with suramin reveals that the chemically symmetric drug binds within a large cavity in the VSG homodimer asymmetrically, primarily through contacts of its central benzene rings. Structure-based, loss-of-contact mutations in VSGsur significantly decrease the affinity to suramin and lead to a loss of the resistance phenotype. Altogether, these data show that the resistance phenotype is dependent on the binding of suramin to VSGsur, establishing that the VSG proteins can possess functionality beyond their role in antigenic variation. The co-crystal structure of VSGsur with the trypanocidal compound suramin directly links the binding of the drug to the resistance phenotype displayed by strains of Trypanosoma brucei expressing VSGsur. Therefore, VSGs can have a function beyond that of antigenic variation.

The effect of trypanosome infection on serum protein and electrolyte levels was studied in Red Sokoto goats inoculated with Trypanosoma vivax and treated, during the course of the infection, with Berenial ( dimmazene aceturate), Samorin (isometamidium chloride) and Novidium (homidium chloride). During the infection total protein, albumin and albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio decreased significantly (P

Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi are parasites belonging to the Trypanosomatidae family and the causative agents for two very important neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), namely leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis, respectively. Together, they affect millions of people worldwide and the number of cases is constantly rising; thus, further effort on identifying and developing non-toxic, affordable and effective new drug is urgently needed to overcome this alarming situation. Exploring natural products from fungal and bacterial origin remains hitherto a valuable approach to find new hits and candidates for the development of new drugs against these protozoal human infections. Endophytes, which are microorganisms (fungal and bacterial) inhabiting plant tissues, represent a promising source, as they hold potential to produce a high number of distinct chemical scaffolds. These structurally diverse natural products have previously been successfully tested against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms. The present review provides an update of endophytic compounds exerting anti-trypanosomal and anti-leishmanial effects and their predicted pharmacokinetic properties.

Ten Albino rats were each infected intraperitoneally with 0.5 million Trypanosoma strain 8/18 organisms. Cerebral lesions were absent in all rats and mice injected with brain tissue and choroid plexus homogenates from group A rats were aparasitaemic over anobservation period of 30 days. However, infected rats developed intermittent (parasitaemia, lost weight progressively and became anaemic with death intervening in one case. We conclude that T. bricci strain 8/18 infection in rats produces moderate to severe disease which may lead to death; but the organism is is not pushed across the blood-brainbarrier by berenil treatment in the acute stage.

Background Malaria and neglected communicable protozoa parasitic diseases, such as leishmaniasis, and trypanosomiasis, are among the otherwise called diseases for neglected communities, which are habitual in underprivileged populations in developing tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Some of the currently available therapeutic drugs have some limitations such as toxicity and questionable efficacy and long treatment period, which have encouraged resistance. These have prompted many researchers to focus on finding new drugs that are safe, effective, and affordable from marine environments. The aim of this review was to show the diversity, structural scaffolds, in-vitro or in-vivo efficacy, and recent progress made in the discovery/isolation of marine natural products (MNPs) with potent bioactivity against malaria, leishmaniasis, and trypanosomiasis. Main text We searched PubMed and Google scholar using Boolean Operators (AND, OR, and NOT) and the combination of related terms for articles on marine natural products (MNPs) discovery published only in English language from January 2016 to June 2020. Twenty nine articles reported the isolation, identification and antiparasitic activity of the isolated compounds from marine environment. A total of 125 compounds were reported to have been isolated, out of which 45 were newly isolated compounds. These compounds were all isolated from bacteria, a fungus, sponges, algae, a bryozoan, cnidarians and soft corals. In recent years, great progress is being made on anti-malarial drug discovery from marine organisms with the isolation of these potent compounds. Comparably, some of these promising antikinetoplastid MNPs have potency better or similar to conventional drugs and could be developed as both antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal drugs. However, very few of these MNPs have a pharmaceutical destiny due to lack of the following: sustainable production of the bioactive compounds, standard efficient screening methods, knowledge of the mechanism of action, partnerships between researchers and pharmaceutical industries. Conclusions It is crystal clear that marine organisms are a rich source of antiparasitic compounds, such as alkaloids, terpenoids, peptides, polyketides, terpene, coumarins, steroids, fatty acid derivatives, and lactones. The current and future technological innovation in natural products drug discovery will bolster the drug armamentarium for malaria and neglected tropical diseases.

Background In the 1980s and 1990s, great strides were taken towards the elimination of tsetse and animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT) in Zimbabwe. However, advances in recent years have been limited. Previously freed areas have been at risk of reinvasion, and the disease in tsetse-infested areas remains a constraint to food security. As part of ongoing control activities, monitoring of tsetse and AAT is performed regularly in the main areas at risk. However, a centralized digital archive is missing. To fill this gap, a spatially explicit, national-level database of tsetse and AAT (i.e. atlas) was established through systematic data collation, harmonization and geo-referencing for the period 2000–2019. Methods The atlas covers an area of approximately 70,000 km2, located mostly in the at-risk areas in the north of the country. In the tsetse component, a total of 33,872 entomological records were assembled for 4894 distinct trap locations. For the AAT component, 82,051 samples (mainly dry blood smears from clinically suspicious animals) were collected at 280 diptanks and examined for trypanosomal infection by microscopy. Results Glossina pallidipes (82.7% of the total catches) and Glossina morsitans morsitans (17.3%) were the two tsetse species recorded in the north and northwest parts of the country. No fly was captured in the northeast. The distribution of AAT follows broadly that of tsetse, although sporadic AAT cases were also reported from the northeast, apparently because of transboundary animal movement. Three trypanosome species were reported, namely Trypanosoma brucei (61.7% of recorded infections), Trypanosoma congolense (28.1%) and Trypanosoma vivax (10.2%). The respective prevalences, as estimated in sentinel herds by random sampling, were 2.22, 0.43 and 0.30%, respectively. Discussion The patterns of tsetse and AAT distributions in Zimbabwe are shaped by a combination of bioclimatic factors, historical events such as the rinderpest epizootic at the turn of the twentieth century and extensive and sustained tsetse control that is aimed at progressively eliminating tsetse and trypanosomiasis from the entire country. The comprehensive dataset assembled in the atlas will improve the spatial targeting of surveillance and control activities. It will also represent a valuable tool for research, by enabling large-scale geo-spatial analyses. Graphical Abstract

Background and Aim: Sulawesi is an Indonesian island located within the Wallacea region that contains a distinctive mix of Asian and Australasian species. This distinctiveness extends to parasites, including Trypanosoma evansi, the cause of surra. Surra has non-specific clinical signs such as anemia, anorexia, weight loss, drop in milk production, and reproductive disorders which cause economic losses. Due to the trade of livestock, surra has spread in Indonesia from one island to another. The aim of this study was to investigate the trypanosomes infecting cattle in South Sulawesi, using internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequencing. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 whole blood samples were collected from cattle in Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. All samples were tested using conventional parasitological methods (CPT), namely, thin blood smear, buffy coat smears, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Positive PCR results were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. Results: Only one of the 100 samples was found to be positive with microscopic observation; however, PCR analysis revealed that 3% (3/100) of samples were positive. Sequencing identified the positive samples as T. evansi, China isolate (KU552344), with a homology of 99%. Two out of three sequences showed variations in ITS2 region. Conclusion: Based on CPT and molecular analysis, T. evansi isolates from infected cattle in South Sulawesi demonstrate genetic diversity of ITS2 sequences.

This report aims to discuss the occurrence of protozoan infestation in a Girolanda cattle herd in the state of Bahia / BA. Bovine trypanosomiasis is a severe disease that is harmful to cattle, inducing large productive and economic losses. The animals are affected by protozoa of the genus Trypanosoma spp., giving rise to infestations in the vast majority of them in a silent and lasting way. In the Bahian rural property described, 156 adult cows died and the rest of the animals showed clinical signs of anemia, drop in milk production, low body score, apathy, among others. Among the information obtained through the farm manager, who helped in the diagnosis and in ordering tests for the respective disease were: purchase of cattle from the region of the state of Minas Gerais and dubious management of oxytocin for improvements in milk production (suspected shared needles). Faced with the suspicion and in conjunction with the information obtained, laboratory tests and molecular tests were carried out to confirm the suspicion. After the examinations, it was found that the animals were affected by protozoa of the genus Trypanossoma cruzi and theileri. The animals were treated with volume replenishers and drugs such as isometamidium chloride in a single dose calculated according to the body weight.

Dourine, caused by infection with Trypanosoma equiperdum, is one of the trypanosomiasis in equids. The clinical course of dourine is long-term, ranging from 1-2 months to several years. Since the pathogenesis of dourine has not yet been elucidated, experimental studies using mouse infection models are needed. Although mice are not susceptible to most T. equiperdum strains, some strains can infect mice. Even in such strains, infected mice develop rapidly transient parasitemia and die within 2-8 days. Therefore, mice experimentally infected with these T. equiperdum strains are not suitable for mouse infection models to analysis the pathogenesis of dourine. A sequential method of isolating parasites from dourine-affected horses and adapting them to in vitro cultures using soft agarose media was recently developed. Various T. equiperdum strains adapted to in vitro conditions have been established using this technique. We used one of these strains, the T. equiperdum IVM-t2 strain. In the present study, T. equiperdum IVM-t2 strain inoculated mice developed periodic parasitemia during the experimental period of 60 days. Histopathologically, vaginitis and dermatitis were observed. These findings were comparable to those of dourine-affected horses. Therefore, mice infected with T. equiperdum IVM-t2 strain may be a valuable tool for pathological, immunological, and parasitological in vivo research, and will contribute to investigations on the mechanisms underlying the disease process and the host-parasite relationship.

Trypanosomiasis is one of the common parasitic diseases, which infects the dromedary camels and decreases the numbers of these animals in Iraq. To get the best knowledge of the changes of iron status in camels infected with trypanosomiasis, in an attempt to take advantage of these variables as markers for infection, we designed this study. The current study conducted in blood sample collection from155 dromedary camels, 33 were infected (21.29%), according to the status of infection with Trypanosoma evansi that depends on blood smear examination as a golden test. Results denote significant differences of infection ratio by sex and age, from total of 132 male tested, 29 (21.96%) infected, distributed into 12 (%41.37) of age ≤ 2 years and 17 (58.62) of ≥ 2 years. From 23 female tested, 4 (17.39%) were infected at age ≤ 2 years. Furthermore, the results of this study demonstrated significant (p˂0.05) decrease in total serum iron, transferrin saturation, ferritin, whereas increased in total iron binding capacity and unsaturated iron binding capacity in the infected male and female camels with different age. Analyzed data of iron status parameters denoted that the cutoff point test between sensitivity (97) and specificity (100) for serum iron is (≤67.26), for transferrin saturation is (≤17.23) between the sensitivity and specificity (100) and (≥378.66), for total iron binding capacity between the sensitivity and specificity (93.9 and 96.7) respectively. Also, the cutoff point test between the sensitivity (100) and specificity (96.7) for unsaturated iron binding capacity is (≥301.27) and ferritin concentration has a cutoff point is (≤ 249.88) for the sensitivity (100) and specificity (99.2). It could be concluded from what was stated in the results of the current study, that the measurement of the concentration of serum ferritin could be considered as a good marker for the T. evansi infection

Resumen Objetivo: Describir la evolución temporal de la Enfermedad de Chagas y los índices de infestación con triatominos en Chiquimula, Guatemala, en el periodo 2000-2018. Material y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo, con datos de los registros entomológicos y serológicos del Área de Salud de Chiquimula que cumplieron con las definiciones de caso de los protocolos nacionales. Se calcularon tasas de incidencia y prevalencia de la enfermedad e índices entomológicos. Resultados: La mediana de edad de la población estudiada fue de 40 años (rango 0-96). Se estimó una prevalencia de casos para el 2018 de 0.22% (IC 0.00 11- 0.2984); la tasa de incidencia por 10,000 habitantes fue de 1.0 (IC 1.2680755 - 8.5915) para el año 2004 y 3.0 (IC 0.2976 - 3.7077) para el 2018. La positividad fue de 45.81%(525/1,146). El índice de infestación basal (2000) fue de 21.13% y posterior a las intervenciones de control en 2007 disminuyó a 2%. Discusión: La incidencia de casos de Enfermedad de Chagas aumentó a lo largo del periodo de estudio a pesar que los índices de infestación con triatominos disminuyeron; es recomendable realizar estudios de seroprevalencia de la enfermedad. Palabra clave: Enfermedad de Chagas, tripanosomiasis, triatominos, Índices de infestación

Malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis are arthropod-borne, parasitic diseases that constitute a major global health problem. They are generally found in developing countries, where lack of access to preventive tools and treatment hinders their management. Because these parasites share an increased demand on glucose consumption with most cancer cells, six compounds used in anti-tumoral research were selected to be tested as antiparasitic agents in in vitro models of Leishmania infantum, Trypanosoma brucei, T. cruzi, and Plasmodium falciparum: dichloroacetic acid (DCA), 3-bromopyruvic acid (3BP), 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), lonidamine (LND), metformin (MET), and sirolimus (SIR). No parasite-killing activity was found in L. infantum promastigotes, whereas DCA and 3BP reduced the burden of intra-macrophagic amastigotes. For T. brucei all selected compounds, but 2DG, decreased parasite survival. DCA, 2DG, LND and MET showed parasite-killing activity in T. cruzi. Finally, anti-plasmodial activity was found for DCA, 2DG, LND, MET and SIR. These results reinforce the hypothesis that drugs with proven efficacy in the treatment of cancer by interfering with ATP production, proliferation, and survival cell strategies might be useful in treating threatening parasitic diseases and provide new opportunities for their repurposing., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Parasitic diseases are prevalent among the poorest of the poor. • Some parasitic protists degrade glucose into CO2 even aerobically making this a target. • Degrading glucose into CO2 (Warburg effect) is also characteristic for cancer cells. • Repurposing cancer glycolysis blockers may provide cost-effective treatments for the poorest.

This manuscript aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Chagas's disease in the population of rural communities at Campinas do Piauí city, State of Piauí, Brazil.The techniques of the indirect immunofluorescence reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect reagent samples for Chagas disease and estimate its prevalence in the rural population. Blood samples were collected on filter paper through digital and venipuncture. Blood samples with reactive or indeterminate results were re-evaluated and subjected to the test by ELISA.In total, 763 blood samples were analysed from 161 residences of 18 rural communities, collected in residents aged between 2 and 92 years. In the indirect immunofluorescence reaction technique, 44 (5.8%) of the results were positive, being 40 (5.2%) confirmed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among the communities surveyed, we observed reactive cases in 15 of them, these cases being distributed, according to the age group, as follows: 1 case from 0 to 10 years; 13 cases from 11 to 60 years old; and 30 cases over 61 years.The results indicate that Chagas's disease remains with active transmission in the Campinas do Piaui city according to the occurrence of a case in a resident under 10 years of age. The region is endemic for Chagas's disease, as observed by the high prevalence of positive cases.Ce manuscrit visait à évaluer la séroprévalence de la maladie de Chagas dans la population des communautés rurales de la ville de Campinas do Piauí, état de Piauí, au Brésil. MÉTHODES: Les techniques de la réaction d'immunofluorescence indirecte et ELISA ont été utilisées pour détecter des échantillons réagissant pour la maladie de Chagas et estimer sa prévalence dans la population rurale. Des échantillons de sang ont été collectés sur papier filtre par ponction digitale et veineuse. Les échantillons de sang avec des résultats positifs ou indéterminés ont été réévalués et soumis au test ELISA. RÉSULTATS: Au total, 763 échantillons de sang ont été analysés dans 161 résidences de 18 communautés rurales, prélevés chez des résidents âgés de 2 à 92 ans. Dans la technique de la réaction d'immunofluorescence indirecte, 44 (5,8%) des résultats étaient positifs, dont 40 (5,2%) confirmés par le test ELISA. Parmi les communautés enquêtées, nous avons observé des cas réactifs dans 15 d'entre eux, ces cas se répartissant, selon la tranche d'âge, comme suit: 1 cas chez les 0 à 10 ans, 13 cas chez les 11 à 60 ans, 30 cas chez des plus de 61 ans.Les résultats indiquent que la maladie de Chagas maintient une transmission active dans la ville de Campinas do Piauí avec la survenue d'un cas chez un résident de moins de 10 ans. La région est endémique pour la maladie de Chagas, comme en témoigne la forte prévalence des cas positifs.

Trypanosomosis control in Ethiopia is largely rely on use of available trypanocidal drugs although there are other options such as vector control and use of trypanotolerant hosts. A cross-sectional survey aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practices of trypanocidal drug utilization and constraints of trypanosome infection conducted in tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia. The questionnaire based survey was conducted from November 2018 to May 2019. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the field data obtained from 184 cattle owners. Sixty (60) of the cattle owners were from suppression area and 124 from tsetse non-suppression area. Accordingly, draft oxen and milking cows respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas were classes of animals which were given priority in trypanocidal drug treatment. About 79.03% and 81.7% of cattle owners respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas witnessedthat they treat their sick animals by themselves; indicating that veterinarians and other animal health experts have very little role in medication of sick animals. Diminazine aceturate (DA) was the main trypanocidal drug preferred by cattle owners in tsetse suppression area while both DA and Isometamidium chloride (ISM) were used in non-suppression areas. About 83.1% of the respondents from tsetse suppression areas and 86.7% from non-suppression area reported treatment failures following the use of trypanocidal drugs. Moreover, about 79.61% and 86.53% of respondents respectively from tsetse suppression and non-suppression areas observed that drugs obtained from private drug stores were less effective compared to drugs obtained from governmental veterinary clinics. Furthermore, the respondents disclosed that DA was the most horrible trypanocidal drug in showing treatment failures despite high preference by cattle owners. It was also noted that treatment frequency was higherin tsetse suppression areas than non-suppression areas regardless of vector suppression campaign. In conclusion, higher dependency of cattle owners on trypanocidal drugs, limited trypanocidal drug availability in the veterinary pharmaceutical market, frequent trypanocidal drug usage and injection by unskilled herdsmen and owners report on trypanocidal drug treatment failures may point out the issue of trypanocidal drug resistance in the area. Therefore, awareness creation to livestock owners on the effect of misuse of trypanocidal drugs and safe trypanocidal drug usage policy should be put into effect to uphold the effectiveness of currently available trypanocidal drugs. Keywords: Trypanosomosis; Trypanocidal Drugs; Tsetse suppression; South Omo Zone; Ethiopia

Jatropha curcas is used as an old herbal therapy in the treatment of several vector-borne diseases in several parts of Africa. Considering the burden of trypanosoma infection and the cost of currently available drugs, the search for more drugs that are effective, affordable and accessible is warranted. To investigate the anti-trypanosoma and ameliorative effects of ethanol extracts of Jatropha curcas root (EEJCR) on organ malfunctions associated with trypanosoma infection in rats, and its phytoconstituents and acute toxicity profile. Thirty rats were divided into six groups of rats (n = 5): nonparasitized rats in group 1 served as normal control and parasitized (1.8 × 106 trypanosomes/ml of Trypanosoma brucei brucei–infected blood) rats in group 2 served as trypanosome control. Parasitized rats in group 3 were treated with reference drug (diminazene aceturate) while groups 4–6 were treated with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day b.w. p.o. of EEJCR, respectively for 7 days. The acute toxicity profile of EEJCR was established in mice using the standard method. In a dose-dependent fashion, EEJCR reduced trypanosoma parasitaemia; 400 mg/kg/day b.w. of EEJCR gave 82.96% chemosuppression compared with 100% by diminazene aceturate. EEJCR also ameliorated trypanosoma-modified haematological and biochemical dysfunctions in a dose-related manner. The presence of tannins, steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenols, glycosides and alkaloids was detected in EEJCR and it was tolerable up to 5000 mg/kg b.w. This study showed that EEJCR is safe, has anti-trypanosoma activity and reverses haematological and biochemical markers of organ malfunctions associated with trypanosoma infection. This observation justifies the old routine use of such herbal therapy in medicinal practices to treat trypanosomiasis.

African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT) affects the livestock of 12.3 million Somalis and constrains their development and wellbeing. There is missing data on AAT in the country after the civil war of the 1990s. Therefore, this study has aimed to assess the prevalence of Trypanosoma spp. in 614 blood samples from cattle (n = 202), goats (n = 206) and sheep (n = 206) in Afgoye and Jowhar districts, Somalia using parasitological and molecular methods. Twenty-one out of 614 (3.4%; 95% CI: 2.1–5.2%) and 101/614 (16.4%; 95% CI: 13.6–19.6%) ruminants were positive for Trypanosoma spp. by buffy coat technique (BCT) and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Using ITS1-PCR, the highest prevalence was observed in cattle (23.8%; 95% CI: 18.4–30.1%) followed by goats (17.5%; 95% CI: 12.9–23.3%) and sheep (8.3%; 95% CI: 5.1–12.9%). A total of 74/101 (73.3%; 95% CI: 63.5–81.6%) ruminants were shown coinfection with at least two Trypanosome species. The four T. brucei-positive samples have tested negative for T. b. rhodesiense, by the human-serum-resistance-associated-PCR. Trypanosoma evansi, T. godfreyi, T. vivax, T. brucei, T. simiae and T. congolense were the Trypanosoma species found in this study. This is the first study on the molecular detection of Trypanosoma sp. in ruminants in Somalia. Further investigations and control measures are needed to manage Trypanosomiasis spreading in the country. Studies should also focus on the detection of T. b. rhodesiense in the country.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the agent of Chagas disease, an infection that affects around 8 million people worldwide. The search for new anti-T. cruzi drugs are relevant, mainly because the treatment of this disease is limited to two drugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the trypanocidal and cytotoxic activity and elucidate the chemical profile of extracts from the roots of the Lonchocarpus cultratus. Roots from L. cultratus were submitted to successive extractions with hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol, resulting in LCH, LCD, and LCM extracts, respectively. Characterization of extracts was done using 1H-RMN, 13C-RMN, CC and TLC. Treatment of T. cruzi forms (epimastigotes, trypomastigotes, and amastigotes) with crescent concentrations of LCH, LCD, and LCM was done for 72, 48, and 48 h, respectively. After this, the percentage of inhibition and IC50/LC50 were calculated. Benznidazole was used as a positive control. Murine macrophages were treated with different concentrations of both extracts for 48 h, and after, the cellular viability was determined by the MTT method and CC50 was calculated. The chalcones derricin and lonchocarpine were identified in the hexane extract, and for the first time in the genus Lonchocarpus, the presence of a dihydrolonchocarpine derivative was observed. Other chalcones such as isocordoin and erioschalcone B were detected in the dichloromethane extract. The dichloromethane extract showed higher activity against all tested forms of T. cruzi than the other two extracts, with IC50 values of 10.98, 2.42, and 0.83 µg/mL, respectively; these values are very close to those of benznidazole. Although the dichloromethane extract presented a cytotoxic effect against mammalian cells, it showed selectivity against amastigotes. The methanolic extract showed the lowest anti-T. cruzi activity but was non-toxic to peritoneal murine macrophages. Thus, the genus Lonchocarpus had demonstrated in the past action against epimastigotes forms of T. cruzi but is the first time that the activity against infective forms is showed, which leading to further studies with in vivo tests.

Introduction: Human African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to the mammalian host through the bite of an infected tsetse fly of the genus Glossina species. The disease is caused by two species, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, disease outcome is dependent on the infective species. Currently, treatment of African trypanosomiasis is dependent on drugs that are highly toxic and drug resistance has been observed. Therefore, there is a need for development of new drugs and vaccines. The genome of T. brucei has been completely sequenced and analysis of the kinome has revealed 156 eukaryotic protein kinases. One such kinase is a homolog of the mammalian 3-phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK-1), a member of the AGC family of protein kinases which shares 35% similarity with the human PDK-1. Methods: In this study, RNA interference of 3-phosphoinositide dependent protein kinase-1 was carried out to investigate the effect of gene knock down on Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Results: Trypanosoma brucei 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 is important in T. brucei brucei cell proliferation. Further investigations using DAPI and fluorescence microscopy showed that gene knockdown had an impact on cell phenotype. Conclusion: RNA interference was effective in knocking down genes corresponding to Trypanosoma brucei 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1. Findings of the study demonstrate that TbPDK-1 is important in cell proliferation in blood stream form Trypanosoma brucei brucei. These results validate TbPDK-1 as a potential drug target for African trypanosomes.

SummaryEquine trypanosomosis comprises different parasitic diseases caused by protozoa of the subgenus Trypanozoon: Trypanosoma equiperdum (causative agent of dourine), Trypanosoma brucei (nagana) and Trypanosoma evansi (surra). Due to the absence of a vaccine and the lack of efficacy of the few available drugs, these diseases represent a major health and economic problem for international equine trade. Development of affordable, sensitive and specific diagnostic tests is therefore crucial to ensure the control of these diseases. Recently, it has been shown that a small RNA derived from the 7SL gene (7SL-sRNA) is produced in high concentrations in sera of cattle infected with Trypanosoma congolense, Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanosoma brucei. Our objective was to determine whether 7SL-sRNA could serve as a marker of active infection in equids experimentally infected with Trypanosoma equiperdum by analyzing the sensitivity, specificity and stability of the 7SL-sRNA. Using a two-step RT-qPCR, we were able to detect the presence of 7SL-sRNA between 2 and 7 days post-infection, whereas seroconversion was detected by complement fixation test between 5 and 14 days post-infection. There was a rapid loss of 7SL-sRNA signal from the blood of infected animals one day post-trypanocide treatment. The 7SL-sRNA RT-qPCR allowed an early detection of a treatment failure revealed by glucocorticoid-induced immunosuppression. In addition, the 7SL-sRNA remains detectable in positive sera after 7 days of storage at either 4 °C, room temperature or 30 °C, suggesting that there is no need to refrigerate serum samples before analysis. Our findings demonstrate continual detection of 7SL-sRNA over an extended period of experimental infection, with signals detected more than six weeks after inoculation. The detection of a strong and consistent 7SL-sRNA signal even during sub-patent parasitemia and the early detection of treatment failure highlight the very promising nature of this new diagnostic method.

Background Tsetse flies are the cyclical vectors of both human and animal diseases. Kenya’s commitment to eradicate tsetse and trypanosomiasis dates to the 1980s through various control approaches which were spearheaded by the African Union. The aggressive control programmes together with climatic, land-use, and socio-economic changes immensely contributed to the reduction of African trypanosomiasis. Since 2012, Kenya has not recorded a case of human trypanosomiasis. However, African animal trypanosomiasis remains a major challenge to livestock production in 38 out of 47 counties. We aimed to determine the prevalence of tsetse flies and trypanosome infection rate and to build the capacity of small-holder livestock producers in vector control activities in Busia county. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2018 and December 2018 in Busia county, a beneficiary of the previous African Union-led trypanosomiasis and tsetse control initiatives. Odour-baited biconical traps were deployed for 48 h in five sampling areas. Captured tsetse flies were analysed by microscopy for trypanosome infections. Additionally, training and field demonstrations were conducted as part of capacity building to enhance participation of small-holder livestock producers in tsetse control activities. Results A total of 94 tsetse flies mainly Glossina fuscipes fuscipes were captured from the five sampling areas. The apparent fly densities range from 0.08 to 1.55 tsetse per trap per day. Additionally, 75 biting flies mainly Stomoxys spp. were also trapped. An overall tsetse infection rate of 1.39% and 4.17% was observed for Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma vivax, respectively. Regarding capacity building, a total of 26 small-holder livestock producers were trained on tsetse and trypanosomiasis control activities. Out of which, five were selected as focal persons and were further trained on integrated vector management techniques and tsetse survey methods. Conclusions Our findings revealed the existence of trypanosome-infected tsetse flies which could potentially spread to other parts of the county. Training of small-holder livestock producers in tsetse and trypanosomiasis control activities should be supported and integrated in the county animal health and veterinary services. Given the observed low tsetse densities and trypanosome infection rates, the elimination of trypanosomiasis in Busia county is feasible.

In developed countries, it is said that "threats of infectious diseases are already thought as things of the past". However, as you can see in the case of Ebola hemorrhagic fever that occurred in West Africa, this is a big mistake. Among infectious diseases, only smallpox has been successfully eradicated worldwide. In addition to the three major infectious diseases of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, there is another group called emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. Recently, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have been listed as threats by the WHO, as have drug-resistant bacteria. The spread of these pathogens is increasing due to an increase in global travel. Malaria and more than half of the NTDs are parasitic diseases, such as trypanosomiasis and soil-borne helminthiasis. These are caused by parasites, with eukaryotes similar to their host mammals. In the case of these NTDs, protective immune responses induced by differences between a pathogen and host do not work well, and there is no vaccine against parasites. As for drugs developed to treat these diseases, because the properties of enzymes and target receptors are very similar, and effective drugs simultaneously show efficacy against both the disease and the host, severe side effects often occur. Therefore, the search for targets specifically present in parasites, and screening for drugs that inhibit their physiological functions, is extremely important. Here, as an example of the development of antiparasitic drugs, I will introduce a study on malaria.

Climate change has posed serious health threats on both man and animals. This ranges from effects of progressive temperature rises from global warming to extreme weather events and anthropogenic activities and this has affected insect-vector distributions worldwide. Tsetse fly species transmit Trypanosomes but relative significance depends largely on the strength of their interactions with susceptible hosts. Tsetse flies are the main vectors of Trypanosomiasis and their existence pose a threat to the survival of cattle, small ruminates and equines in The Gambia. It is known to be one of the most vital parasitic diseases affecting livestock productivity in The Gambia and equines are very susceptible. Central River Region is mainly infested with the tsetse fly Glossina morsitan submorsitan a major vector of Trypanosomiasis among animals in the country and it is mainly found in dry, canopied, savannah woodland. Glossina palpalis is also present, but are more limited to riverine vegetation in the area. This work seeks to show the havoc caused by trypanosomiasis and the urgency for more studies to investigate the patterns of transmission of this disease especially in the context of climate change in other for a better control program for this zoonosis in The Gambia.Keywords: Climate Change, Glossina, Trypanosome, Cattle, Equine.

Trypanosomiasis is numbered among the list of seventeen transmissible diseases and is associated with poor socio-economic status. Trypanosomiasis is referred to as a neglected tropical disease (NTDs) by the World Health Organization, due to its limited diagnostic and treatment development, with yet poor control measures. Three diseases of parasitic origin emanate due to genetically connected protozoa, trypanosomatid and kinetoplastida. They are the basis of many public health challenges in the less developed world and include American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), Human African Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis. This review emphasizes Trypanosomiasis in general, the lifecycle, biochemistry of parasite infection, disease treatment and management. Prevention options, the biochemistry of drug resistance and novel treatment of disease are among subjects considered.

Trypanosomiasis is one of the most important diseases affecting economic development for humans and livestock. The current research aimed to assess the in vitro antitrypanosomal effect of methanol extracts of Indigofera oblongifolia leaf (IME) and to examine the brain response after IME treatment of infected mice. In the in vitro method, IME (1.25 mg/ml) was able to kill all parasites after 30 min of exposure. The percentage of the parasite inhibition reached 100% after 180 min of the IME application. Swiss albino mice were infected with 103 Trypanosoma evansi then were daily treated with 100 mg/Kg IME for four days. IME was able to significantly decrease the number of trypanosomes in mice blood. In addition, IME improved the histopathological changes in mice brain induced by the infection. Furthermore, following treatment with IME, the level of epinephrine and nitric oxide in the mice brain homogenate decreased significantly. Taken together, I. Oblongifolia has antitrypanosomal activity and might enhance the brain response to T. evansi.

Trypanosomiasis is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma. It is one of the major causes of deaths in underprivileged, rural areas of Africa, America and Asia. Depending on the parasite species responsible for the disease, it can take two forms namely African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). The complete life-cycle stages of trypanosomes span between insect vector (tsetse fly, triatomine bug) and mammalian host (humans, animals). Only few drugs have been approved for the treatment of trypanosomiasis. Moreover, current trypanocidal therapy has major limitations of poor efficacy, serious side effects and drug resistance. Due to the lack of economic gains from tropical parasitic infection, it has always been neglected by the researchers and drug manufacturers. There is an immense need of more effective innovative strategies to decrease the deaths associated with this diseases. Nanotechnological approaches for delivery of existing drugs have shown significant improvement in efficacy with many-fold decrease in their dose. The review emphasizes on nanotechnological interventions in the treatment of trypanosomiasis in both humans and animals. Current trypanocidal therapy and their limitations have also been discussed briefly. Graphical abstract.

Trypanosoma evansi is a hazardous pathogenic parasite infecting a broad variety of livestock and affects wildlife worldwide. Trypanosoma evansi has gained resistance to most drugs used; therefore, it requires alternative medicines. The objective of this research was to investigate the impact of Indigofera oblongifolia leaf extract (IE) on T. evansi-induced hepatic injury.Mice were once infected with 1000 T. evansi. The treated group was gavaged with 100 mg/Kg IE after infection. Histological and biochemical changes in mice hepatic tissue were studied. Also, the oxidative damage in the liver was evaluated through determining the level of glutathione (GSH), Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and catalase (CAT) markers. IE was able to suppress the induced parasitemia due to infection. Also, IE improved the histological liver architecture. Furthermore, the liver enzymes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were improved after IE mice were treated. IE protects against hepatic damage caused by trypanosomiasis in mice. Further studies are needed to isolate the active compounds in IE and to monitor these compunds’ ameliorative function. Keywords: Trypanosoma, Mouse, Liver damage, Indigofera oblongifolia, Oxidative status

The present study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic value of inflammatory biomarkers on diseased camels via exploring the possible effects on oxidants and antioxidants status in addition to characterizing the profiles of acute phase proteins and inflammatory cytokines. Forty-eight adult male and female dromedary camels (Camelus dromedaries) were examined, according to general health conditions, clinical and laboratory diagnosis they were split into 3 groups. Group 1: Included 20 apparently healthy camels act as a control group, Group 2: Included 12 camels suffered from trypanosomiasis, Group 3: Included 16 camels suffered from mange. Our results revealed that the mean values of copper and zinc were significantly decreased with statistical elevation of MDA and statistical lowering of catalase and total antioxidant capacity in cases of trypanosomiasis and mange compared to apparently clinically healthy camels (P value

Human trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis are vector-borne neglected tropical diseases caused by infection with the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp., respectively. Once restricted to endemic areas, these diseases are now distributed worldwide due to human migration, climate change, and anthropogenic disturbance, causing significant health and economic burden globally. The current chemotherapy used to treat these diseases has limited efficacy, and drug resistance is spreading. Hence, new drugs are urgently needed. Phenotypic compound screenings have prevailed as the leading method to discover new drug candidates against these diseases. However, the publication of the complete genome sequences of multiple strains, advances in the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and in vivo bioluminescence-based imaging have set the stage for advancing target-based drug discovery. This review analyses the limitations of the narrow pool of available drugs presently used for treating these diseases. It describes the current drug-based clinical trials highlighting the most promising leads. Furthermore, the review presents a focused discussion on the most important biological and pharmacological challenges that target-based drug discovery programs must overcome to advance drug candidates. Finally, it examines the advantages and limitations of modern research tools designed to identify and validate essential genes as drug targets, including genomic editing applications and in vivo imaging.

The Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis, a disease that affects both humans and animals. Chemotherapy which forms the major means of control for the disease has several shortcomings such as limited efficacy and adverse side effects amongst others. Thus, motivating the search for better therapies. In this study, extracts of some tropical plants including the Acacia nilotica, Bombax buonopozense and Khaya senegalensis were evaluated for therapeutic and prophylactic potential in mouse model of experimental trypanosomiasis. Both diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride were included as reference drugs. Results showed that T. brucei caused an elevation in rat plasma indirect bilirubin and a reduction in rat plasma albumin and total protein which suggest mild hepatic dysfunction due to experimental infection. Data also revealed that the plant extracts significantly reduced the rat parasite burden both in the prophylaxis and therapeutic treatment groups when compared with the negative drug control. The infection and treatments had no adverse effect on the rat organ and body weights. The infection did not alter the activity of rat plasma ALT, AST and ALP compared with the administered extracts of A. nilotica and B. buonopozense. Further, the plant extracts ameliorated some trypanosomiasis-induced pathologies in treated rats compared with negative drug control. Taken together, findings do not only lend credence to the folkloric use of these plants for medicinal purposes but also suggest these plant extracts have potential to serve as alternative source of anti-parasitic agents particularly for the control of trypanosomiasis.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T01:08:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-04-01 Background and objectives: This study provides a longitudinal scientometric analysis of global trypanosomiasis research between 1988 and 2017 as indexed in Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science (WoS). Contributions by researchers from different countries and continents are outlined based on publication productivity, international collaborations, citation analysis, and keyword analysis. Methods: Bibliographic records of research publications indexed by WoS were downloaded based on a broad search of related terms. The authors compared the growth of literature by continent using 5-year increments, conducted a citation and co-authorship analysis by country, and a keyword analysis by publication using the scientometric visualization software VOSviewer. Results: The trypanosomiasis research literature has seen more than a fourfold annual increase in production over the study period. Contributions by authors affiliated with European and South American countries proportionately account for the most research literature. The United States and Brazil, however, occupy central roles for citations and as national contributors to the literature. The terms ‘trypanosomiasis cruzi’ and ‘chagas disease’ have become more prominent, reflecting the regional growth of research from South America. Interpretation and conclusion: Relative contributions from regions where the disease is prevalent show mixed developments. Contributions by African authors have declined proportionately to other areas of the world. However, South American contributions have increased during the study period. The contributing countries to the literature do not necessarily represent regions in which the diseases are prevalent. The same is true of the citation relationships, where European and North American contributions are more frequently cited. School of Information Studies University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413 Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP/Marilia), 737 Hygino Muzzi Filho Avenue Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP/Marilia), 737 Hygino Muzzi Filho Avenue

Surra is one of the fatal diseases of the horse caused by Trypanosoma evansi. The disease is characterized by fever, progressive emaciation, anemia, subcutaneous edema, nervous signs, and death. To know the epidemiological status of surra in horses, retrospective information was retrieved by scrutinizing the data bank of the Veterinary Clinical Complex, JAU, Junagadh for three years (2013-15) covering 633 equine cases. According to symptoms, the incidence of surra was 10.64% (28/263) among medicinal cases, of which 57.14% (16/28) had shown signs of hemoprotozoon disease and 50.00% (8/16) were confirmed to have Trypanosoma evansi on blood smear examinations. Overall the clinical prevalence of T. evansi was 2.52% of the total equine cases (16/633). The age-wise incidence was higher in adult horses (68.75%) followed by yearling (25.00%) and foal (6.25%). The breed-wise incidence of T. evansi was higher in Kathiawari breed (68.75%) followed in descending order in non-descript (18.75 %) and Marwari breed (12.50%). The incidence was higher in female (68.75%) than the male. The season-wise prevalence rate of T. evansi was higher in monsoon (July-October) (75.00%) than winter season (25.00%), while no case was observed in summer.

During three decades, only about 20 new drugs have been developed for malaria, tuberculosis and all neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This critical situation was reached because NTDs represent only 10% of health research investments; however, they comprise about 90% of the global disease burden. Computational simulations applied in virtual screening (VS) strategies are very efficient tools to identify pharmacologically active compounds or new indicationsfor drugs already administered for other diseases. One of the advantages of this approach is the low time-consuming and low-budget first stage, which filters for testing experimentally a group of candidate compounds with high chances of binding to the target and present trypanocidal activity. In this work, we review the most common VS strategies that have been used for the identification of new drugs with special emphasis on those applied to trypanosomiasis andleishmaniasis. Computational simulations based on the selected protein targets or their ligands are explained, including the method selection criteria, examples of successful VS campaigns applied to NTDs, a list of validated molecular targets for drug development and repositioned drugs for trypanosomatid-caused diseases. Thereby, here we present the state-of-the-art of VS and drug repurposing to conclude pointing out the future perspectives in the field. Fil: Pereira, Claudio Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina Fil: Martínez Sayé, Melisa Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina Fil: Reigada, Chantal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina Fil: Silber, Ariel Mariano. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas; Brasil Fil: Labadie, Guillermo Roberto. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Miranda, Mariana Reneé. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina Fil: Valera Vera, Edward Augusto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; Argentina