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Zhao S, Zhang Q, Wang X, Li W, Juma S, Berquist R, Zhang J, Yang K. Development and performance of recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) assay for detecting Schistosoma haematobium DNA in urine samples. Heliyon 2023; 9:e23031. [PMID: 38144328 PMCID: PMC10746445 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium requires an accurate and timely assay, especially for low-intensity S. haematobium infection cases and in non-endemic areas. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase 1 (cox1) gene fragment of S. haematobium was selected as detection target as this short fragment, which can be rapidly sequenced and yet possess good diagnostic resolution. A pair of primers and a fluorescent probe were designed according to the principle of recombinase-aided amplification (RAA), which was subsequently optimized and applied as an S. haematobium-specific RAA assay. Its diagnostic performance was validated for sensitivity and specificity in comparison to microscopy-based egg counting after urine filtration. The RAA assay could detect as little as 10 copies/μL of S. haematobium recombinant plasmid, and no cross-reactions were observed with S. mansoni, S. japonicum, Ancylostoma duodenale, Clonorchis sinensis, Echinococcus granulosus, or Ascaris lumbricoides. This test can be conducted at 39 °C and the whole RAA reaction can be completed within 20 min. The validation of the RAA assay showed that it had 100 % consistency with urine-egg microscopy, as it does not require an elaborate reading tool, is simple to use, and should be useful for field diagnostics and point-of-care applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Zhao
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory on Technology for Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on the Molecular Biology of Parasites, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Zhang
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory on Technology for Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on the Molecular Biology of Parasites, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The 904th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214044, China
| | - Xinyao Wang
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory on Technology for Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on the Molecular Biology of Parasites, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wei Li
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory on Technology for Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on the Molecular Biology of Parasites, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Saleh Juma
- Ministry of Health of Zanzibar, P.O. Box 236, Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Robert Berquist
- Ingerod, Brastad, Sweden (formerly with the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jianfeng Zhang
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory on Technology for Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on the Molecular Biology of Parasites, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kun Yang
- Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory on Technology for Parasitic Disease Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on the Molecular Biology of Parasites, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
- Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
- Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
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Makia CM, Fesuh NB, Amabo EN, Gamba VA, Oluwole AS, Stothard R. Urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS) and female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) in Cameroon: an observational assessment of key reproductive health determinants of girls and women in the Matta Health Area. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e063392. [PMID: 36787976 PMCID: PMC9930553 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES AND SETTING Across sub-Saharan Africa, urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS), in particular female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), is a significant waterborne parasitic disease, with its direct burden on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of sufferers infrequently measured. UGS has an established control plan, which in most endemic regions as in Cameroon, still excludes FGS considerations. Highlighting existent associations between UGS and FGS could increase the management of FGS within UGS interventions. This study seeks to identify current associations among FGS and UGS with some reproductive health indicators, to provide formative information for better integrated control. PARTICIPANTS 304 females aged 5-69 years were all examined for UGS by urine filtration and microscopy. Among these, 193 women and girls were eligible for clinical FGS assessment based on age (>13). After selective questioning for FGS symptoms, a subgroup of 67 women and girls consented for clinical examination for FGS using portable colposcopy, with observed sequelae classified according to the WHO FGS pocket atlas. OUTCOME Overall UGS and FGS prevalence was measured, with FGS-related/UGS-related reproductive health symptoms recorded. Associations between FGS and UGS were investigated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Overall UGS prevalence was 63.8% (194/304), where FGS prevalence (subgroup) was 50.7% (34/67). FGS manifestation increased significantly with increasing age, while a significant decrease with ascending age was observed for UGS. Lower abdominal pain (LAP) vaginal itches (VI) and coital pain (CP) were identified as the main significant shared symptoms of both FGS and UGS, while LAP with menstrual irregularity (MI) appeared a strong symptomatic indicator for FGS. CONCLUSION LAP, MI, CP and VI are the potential SRH indicators that could be exploited in future for targeting of praziquantel provision to FGS sufferers within primary care, complementary with existing praziquantel distribution for UGS sufferers in Schistosoma haematobium endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Masong Makia
- Social Sciences and Management, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaounde, Centre, Cameroon
| | - Nono Betrand Fesuh
- Department of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, National Advanced School of Engineering, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Centre, Cameroon
| | | | - Victoria A Gamba
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Akinola Stephen Oluwole
- Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Abeokuta, Ogun, Nigeria
| | - Russell Stothard
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
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Stroehlein AJ, Korhonen PK, Lee VV, Ralph SA, Mentink-Kane M, You H, McManus DP, Tchuenté LAT, Stothard JR, Kaur P, Dudchenko O, Aiden EL, Yang B, Yang H, Emery AM, Webster BL, Brindley PJ, Rollinson D, Chang BCH, Gasser RB, Young ND. Chromosome-level genome of Schistosoma haematobium underpins genome-wide explorations of molecular variation. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010288. [PMID: 35167626 PMCID: PMC8846543 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Urogenital schistosomiasis is caused by the blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium and is one of the most neglected tropical diseases worldwide, afflicting > 100 million people. It is characterised by granulomata, fibrosis and calcification in urogenital tissues, and can lead to increased susceptibility to HIV/AIDS and squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. To complement available treatment programs and break the transmission of disease, sound knowledge and understanding of the biology and ecology of S. haematobium is required. Hybridisation/introgression events and molecular variation among members of the S. haematobium-group might effect important biological and/or disease traits as well as the morbidity of disease and the effectiveness of control programs including mass drug administration. Here we report the first chromosome-contiguous genome for a well-defined laboratory line of this blood fluke. An exploration of this genome using transcriptomic data for all key developmental stages allowed us to refine gene models (including non-coding elements) and annotations, discover 'new' genes and transcription profiles for these stages, likely linked to development and/or pathogenesis. Molecular variation within S. haematobium among some geographical locations in Africa revealed unique genomic 'signatures' that matched species other than S. haematobium, indicating the occurrence of introgression events. The present reference genome (designated Shae.V3) and the findings from this study solidly underpin future functional genomic and molecular investigations of S. haematobium and accelerate systematic, large-scale population genomics investigations, with a focus on improved and sustained control of urogenital schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas J. Stroehlein
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pasi K. Korhonen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - V. Vern Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Stuart A. Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Margaret Mentink-Kane
- NIH-NIAID Schistosomiasis Resource Center, Biomedical Research Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Hong You
- Immunology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P. McManus
- Immunology Department, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuenté
- Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - J. Russell Stothard
- Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Parwinder Kaur
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Olga Dudchenko
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- UWA School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech, Pudong, China
- Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Bicheng Yang
- BGI Australia, Oceania, BGI Group, CBCRB Building, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Huanming Yang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aidan M. Emery
- Parasites and Vectors Division, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR), London, United Kingdom
| | - Bonnie L. Webster
- Parasites and Vectors Division, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR), London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul J. Brindley
- School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, George Washington University, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - David Rollinson
- Parasites and Vectors Division, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
- London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR), London, United Kingdom
| | - Bill C. H. Chang
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Neil D. Young
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Joof E, Sanyang AM, Camara Y, Sey AP, Baldeh I, Jah SL, Ceesay SJ, Sambou SM, Sanyang S, Wade CM, Sanneh B. Prevalence and risk factors of schistosomiasis among primary school children in four selected regions of The Gambia. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009380. [PMID: 33974623 PMCID: PMC8139473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Gambia initiated a control programme for schistosomiasis in 2015. In light of this, recent and comprehensive data on schistosomiasis is required to effectively guide the control programme. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated risk factors of schistosomiasis among primary school children in The Gambia. METHODS We utilised data from a previous study conducted in 2015 in 4 regions of The Gambia: North Bank Region (NBR), Lower River Region (LRR), Central River Region (CRR) and Upper River Region (URR). In the parent study, ten schools were selected randomly from each region. Urine and stool samples collected from 25 boys and 25 girls (7-14 years) in each school were examined for urinary schistosomiasis (Schistosoma haematobium infection) and intestinal schistosomiasis (Schistosoma mansoni infection) using urine filtration, dipstick and Kato-Katz methods. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Urinary schistosomiasis had an overall prevalence of 10.2% while intestinal schistosomiasis had a prevalence of 0.3% among the sampled school children. Prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was significantly different among regions (χ 2 = 279.958, df = 3, p < 0.001), with CRR (27.6%) being the most endemic region, followed by URR (12.0%), then LRR (0.6%), and NBR (0.0%). Prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was also significantly variable among regions, with 4 of the 5 positive cases detected in CRR and 1 case in URR. Every school sampled in CRR had at least one student infected with S. haematobium, 50% of schools in URR had S. haematobium infection, and just one school in LRR had S. haematobium infection. While S. haematobium infection was significantly higher in boys (χ 2 = 4.440, df = 1, p = 0.035), no significant difference in infection rate was observed among age groups (χ 2 = 0.882, df = 2, p = 0.643). Two of the 5 students infected with S. mansoni were boys and 3 were girls. Four of these 5 students were in the 10-12 years age group and 1 was in the 7-9 years age group. Macrohaematuria and microhaematuria were found to be statistically associated with presence of S. haematobium eggs in urine. Being a male was a risk factor of S. haematobium infection. Bathing, playing and swimming in water bodies were found to pose less risk for S. haematobium infection, indicating that the true water contact behaviour of children was possibly underrepresented. CONCLUSION The findings of this study provide invaluable information on the prevalence of schistosomiasis in The Gambia. This was useful for the schistosomiasis control efforts of the country, as it guided mass drug administration campaigns in eligible districts in the study area. More studies on S. mansoni and its intermediate snail hosts are required to establish its true status in The Gambia. As children sometimes tend to provide responses that potentially please the research or their teacher, data collection frameworks and approaches that ensure true responses in studies involving children should be devised and used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrima Joof
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Abdoulie M. Sanyang
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Yaya Camara
- Epidemiology and Disease Control Department, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Alhagie Papa Sey
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Ignatius Baldeh
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | | | | | - Sana M. Sambou
- Epidemiology and Disease Control Department, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
| | - Saikou Sanyang
- Faculty of Business and Management, Arden University, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher M. Wade
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Bakary Sanneh
- National Public Health Laboratories, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Banjul, The Gambia
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5
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Santos LL, Santos J, Gouveia MJ, Bernardo C, Lopes C, Rinaldi G, Brindley PJ, da Costa JMC. Urogenital Schistosomiasis-History, Pathogenesis, and Bladder Cancer. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10020205. [PMID: 33429985 PMCID: PMC7826813 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10020205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is the most important helminthiasis worldwide in terms of morbidity and mortality. Most of the infections occurs in Africa, which about two thirds are caused by Schistosoma haematobium. The infection with S. haematobium is considered carcinogenic leading to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Additionally, it is responsible for female genital schistosomiasis leading to infertility and higher risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Remarkably, a recent outbreak in Corsica (France) drew attention to its potential re-mergence in Southern Europe. Thus far, little is known related to host-parasite interactions that trigger carcinogenesis. However, recent studies have opened new avenues to understand mechanisms on how the parasite infection can lead cancer and other associated pathologies. Here, we present a historical perspective of schistosomiasis, and review the infection-associated pathologies and studies on host-parasite interactions that unveil tentative mechanisms underlying schistosomiasis-associated carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lúcio Lara Santos
- Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics, Research Centre, Portuguese Oncology Institute—Porto (IPO-Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; (L.L.S.); (C.L.)
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Portuguese Oncology Institute—Porto (IPO-Porto), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
- Urology Department, Hospital Américo Boavida, Luanda 00200, Angola;
| | - Júlio Santos
- Urology Department, Hospital Américo Boavida, Luanda 00200, Angola;
| | - Maria João Gouveia
- Center for the Study in Animal Science (CECA/ICETA), University of Porto, Rua de D. Manuel II, Apt 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal;
- Centre for Parasite Biology and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal
| | - Carina Bernardo
- Hormones and Cancer Lab, Institute of Biomedicine, iBiMED, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Carlos Lopes
- Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics, Research Centre, Portuguese Oncology Institute—Porto (IPO-Porto), 4200-072 Porto, Portugal; (L.L.S.); (C.L.)
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Portuguese Oncology Institute—Porto (IPO-Porto), Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - Gabriel Rinaldi
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SA, UK;
| | - Paul J. Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA;
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - José M. Correia da Costa
- Center for the Study in Animal Science (CECA/ICETA), University of Porto, Rua de D. Manuel II, Apt 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal;
- Centre for Parasite Biology and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Analytical and Clinical Assessment of a Portable, Isothermal Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) Assay for the Molecular Diagnosis of Urogenital Schistosomiasis. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25184175. [PMID: 32933094 PMCID: PMC7570534 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis is crucial for disease surveillance and control. Routine diagnostic methods, however, lack sensitivity when assessing patients with low levels of infection still able to maintain pathogen transmission. Therefore, there is a need for highly sensitive diagnostic tools that can be used at the point-of-care in endemic areas. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a rapid and sensitive diagnostic tool that has been used to diagnose several pathogens at the point-of-care. Here, the analytical performance of a previously developed RPA assay (RT-ShDra1-RPA) targeting the Schistosoma haematobium Dra1 genomic region was assessed using commercially synthesised S. haematobium Dra1 copies and laboratory-prepared samples spiked with S. haematobium eggs. Clinical performance was also assessed by comparing diagnostic outcomes with that of a reference diagnostic standard, urine-egg microscopy. The RT-ShDra1-RPA was able to detect 1 × 101 copies of commercially synthesised Dra1 DNA as well as one S. haematobium egg within laboratory-spiked ddH2O samples. When compared with urine-egg microscopy, the overall sensitivity and specificity of the RT-ShDra1-RPA assay was 93.7% (±88.7–96.9) and 100% (±69.1–100), respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 100% (±97.5–100) and 50% (±27.2–72.8), respectively. The RT-ShDra1-RPA therefore shows promise as a rapid and highly sensitive diagnostic tool able to diagnose urogenital schistosomiasis at the point-of-care.
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Drew LB, Tang JH, Norris A, Reese PC, Mwale M, Mataya R, Wilkinson JP. Schistosomiasis among obstetric fistula patients in Lilongwe, Malawi. Malawi Med J 2019; 30:225-229. [PMID: 31798799 PMCID: PMC6863410 DOI: 10.4314/mmj.v30i4.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Schistosoma haematobium infection has been documented as an uncommon cause of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and can result in impaired wound healing of urogenital tissues. For these reasons, it could potentially be linked to an increased rate of obstetric fistula among women who experience obstructed labor and/or in a higher failure rate of fistula repair. Therefore, the primary objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of S. haematobium infection among women undergoing obstetric VVF repair in Lilongwe, Malawi. Our secondary objectives were to assess if S. haematobium infection could be a risk factor for obstetric fistula development or unsuccessful VVF repair in our patient population. Methods From July to October 2013, we conducted S. haematobium testing via urine microscopy on 96 patients undergoing obstetric VVF repair surgery at the Fistula Care Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi. Results The prevalence of S. haematobium infection among women undergoing obstetric VVF repair was 2% (n=2). Both women with S. haematobium had successful VVF repairs. Conclusions Although S. haematobium has the potential to be a risk factor for obstetric VVF formation or unsuccessful VVF repair, it was uncommon among the women in our clinic with obstetric VVF.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer H Tang
- UNC Project-Malawi.,UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
| | | | | | | | - Ronald Mataya
- Loma Linda University School of Public Health.,Malawi College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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Tumwebaze I, Clewing C, Dusabe MC, Tumusiime J, Kagoro-Rugunda G, Hammoud C, Albrecht C. Molecular identification of Bulinus spp. intermediate host snails of Schistosoma spp. in crater lakes of western Uganda with implications for the transmission of the Schistosoma haematobium group parasites. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:565. [PMID: 31775865 PMCID: PMC6882369 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3811-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human schistosomiasis is the second most important tropical disease and occurs in two forms in Africa (intestinal and urogenital) caused by the digenetic trematodes Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium, respectively. A proposed recent shift of schistosomiasis above a previously established altitudinal threshold of 1400 m above sea level in western Ugandan crater lakes has triggered more research interest there. Methods Based on extensive field sampling in western Uganda and beyond and employing an approach using sequences of the mitochondrial barcoding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) this study aims were: (i) identification and establishment of the phylogenetic affinities of Bulinus species as potential hosts for Schistosoma spp.; (ii) determining diversity, frequency and distribution patterns of Bulinus spp.; and (iii) establishing genetic variability and phylogeographical patterns using Bayesian inference and parsimony network analyses. Results Out of the 58 crater lakes surveyed, three species of Bulinus snails were found in 34 crater lakes. Bulinus tropicus was dominating, Bulinus forskalii was found in two lakes and Bulinus truncatus in one. The latter two species are unconfirmed potential hosts for S. haematobium in this region. However, Bulinus tropicus is an important species for schistosomiasis transmission in ruminants. Bulinus tropicus comprised 31 haplotypes while both B. forskalii and B. truncatus exhibited only a single haplotype in the crater lakes. All species clustered with most of the haplotypes from surrounding lake systems forming source regions for the colonization of the crater lakes. Conclusions This first detailed malacological study of the crater lakes systems in western Uganda revealed presence of Bulinus species that are either not known or not regionally known to be hosts for S. haematobium, the causing agent of human urogenital schistosomiasis. Though this disease risk is almost negligible, the observed dominance of B. tropicus in the crater lakes shows that there is a likelihood of a high risk of infections with Schistosoma bovis. Thus, extra attention should be accorded to safeguard wild and domestic ruminants in this region as the population benefits from these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Immaculate Tumwebaze
- Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Catharina Clewing
- Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Julius Tumusiime
- Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Grace Kagoro-Rugunda
- Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - Cyril Hammoud
- Department of Biology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080, Tervuren, Belgium.,Limnology Research Unit, Ghent University, K. L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christian Albrecht
- Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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No barrier breakdown between human and cattle schistosome species in the Senegal River Basin in the face of hybridisation. Int J Parasitol 2019; 49:1039-1048. [PMID: 31734338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is widely distributed along the Senegal River Basin (SRB), affecting both the human population and their livestock. Damming of the Senegal River for irrigation purposes in the 1980s induced ecological changes that resulted in a large outbreak of Schistosoma mansoni, followed a few years later by an increase and spread of Schistosoma haematobium infections. The presence of hybrid crosses between the human and cattle schistosomes, S. haematobium and Schistosoma bovis, respectively, is adding complexity to the disease epidemiology in this area, and questions the strength of the species boundary between these two species. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of S. haematobium, S. bovis and their hybrids along the Senegal River basin using both microsatellite genetic markers and analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers. Human schistosome populations with a S. haematobium cox1 mtDNA profile and those with a S. bovis cox1 mtDNA profile (the so-called hybrids) appear to belong to a single randomly mating population, strongly differentiated from the pure S. bovis found in cattle. These results suggest that, in northern Senegal, a strong species boundary persists between human and cattle schistosome species and there is no prolific admixing of the populations. In addition, we found that in the SRB S. haematobium was spatially more differentiated in comparison to S. mansoni. This may be related either to the presence and susceptibility of the intermediate snail hosts, or to the colonisation history of the parasite.
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Alexander CL, Cottom L, Smith K, Perrow K, Coyne M, Jones BL. Schistosomiasis in Scottish travellers: public health importance of laboratory testing and the need for enhanced surveillance. J Public Health (Oxf) 2019; 40:138-145. [PMID: 28335010 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdx024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Imported schistosomiasis is of significant public health importance and is likely to be underestimated since infection is often asymptomatic. We describe data from travellers residing in Scotland which includes a subset of group travellers from one of the largest Health Boards in Scotland. Methods Clotted bloods were obtained during the period 2001-15 from a total of 8163 Scottish travellers. This included seven groups comprising of 182 travellers. Sera were examined for the presence of Schistosome species antibody at the Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL). Results Of all, 25% (n = 1623) tested positive with 40% (n = 651) of those patients aged between 20 and 24 years. Although 62% (n = 1006) of those who tested positive reported travel to Africa, important information on the specific region visited was lacking in almost one-third of samples received. Overall, 62 (34%) of group travellers tested positive and 95% (n = 59) reporting travel to Africa. Conclusions Globalization, affordable air travel and improved awareness, are likely to contribute towards the increasing number of imported schistosomiasis cases. Therefore, enhanced surveillance capturing detailed travel history and fresh water exposures will improve risk stratification, pre-travel advice and optimize testing and treatment regimes for this increasingly important parasitic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L Alexander
- Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL), Glasgow, UK
| | - Laura Cottom
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kitty Smith
- Travel Medicine Team, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kali Perrow
- Travel Medicine Team, Health Protection Scotland, Glasgow, UK
| | - Michael Coyne
- Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL), Glasgow, UK
| | - Brian L Jones
- Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL), Glasgow, UK
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11
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Hotez PJ, Harrison W, Fenwick A, Bustinduy AL, Ducker C, Sabina Mbabazi P, Engels D, Floerecke Kjetland E. Female genital schistosomiasis and HIV/AIDS: Reversing the neglect of girls and women. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007025. [PMID: 30946746 PMCID: PMC6448816 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Hotez
- Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, National School of Tropical Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Wendy Harrison
- Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Fenwick
- Schistosomiasis Control Initiative, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Amaya L. Bustinduy
- Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Pamela Sabina Mbabazi
- Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dirk Engels
- Uniting to Combat NTDs, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eyrun Floerecke Kjetland
- Regional Advisory Unit for Imported and Tropical Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Ullevaal, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Discipline of Public Health Medicine, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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12
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Abstract
Schistosomiasis affects millions globally. There is no vaccine, and treatment depends entirely on praziquantel (PZQ). Field isolates exhibit reduced susceptibility to PZQ, and resistance has been experimentally induced, suggesting that reliance on a single treatment is particularly dangerous. The present study investigated the value of cinnarizine and griseofulvin against Schistosoma mansoni through their in vitro effects on adult worms and oviposition as well as in vivo evaluation in early and late infection, compared to PZQ, in a preliminary experimental model. In vitro, both cinnarizine and griseofulvin showed uncoupling, sluggish worm movement and complete absence of ova at 100 μg/ml. In early infection, cinnarizine showed a significant reduction in the number of porto-mesenteric couples compared to the griseofulvin and control groups, a finding similar to PZQ. Remarkably, cinnarizine significantly exceeded PZQ and griseofulvin in reducing the total worm burden. In late infection, cinnarizine and griseofulvin showed results similar to PZQ by significantly reducing the numbers of hepatic and porto-mesenteric couples and total worm burden compared to controls. Cinnarizine performed better than griseofulvin by reducing hepatic and intestinal ovum counts, and it led to complete disappearance of the first two immature stages. The current work suggests the possibility of using cinnarizine and griseofulvin, mainly in late S. mansoni infection, especially cinnarizine, which showed similar results to PZQ and surpassed it in early infection. Further studies are required to elucidate their exact mechanisms of action and particularly their synergistic effect with PZQ.
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13
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Barcoding hybrids: heterogeneous distribution of Schistosoma haematobium × Schistosoma bovis hybrids across the Senegal River Basin. Parasitology 2018; 145:634-645. [PMID: 29667570 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018000525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Hybridization events between Schistosoma species (Digenea, Platyhelminthes) are reported with increasing frequency, largely due to improved access to molecular tools. Nevertheless, little is known about the distribution and frequency of hybrid schistosomes in nature. Screening for hybrids on a large scale is complicated by the need for nuclear and mitochondrial sequence information, precluding a 'simple' barcoding approach. Here we aimed to determine and understand the spatiotemporal distribution of Schistosoma haematobium × Schistosoma bovis hybrids in the Senegal River Basin. From ten villages, distributed over the four main water basins, we genotyped a total of 1236 schistosome larvae collected from human urine samples using a partial mitochondrial cox1 fragment; a subset of 268 parasites was also genotyped using ITS rDNA. Hybrid schistosomes were unevenly distributed, with substantially higher numbers in villages bordering Lac de Guiers than in villages from the Lampsar River and the Middle Valley of the Senegal River. The frequency of hybrids per village was not linked with the prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis in that village. However, we did find a significant positive association between the frequency of hybrids per village and the prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni. We discuss the potential consequences of adopting a barcoding approach when studying hybrids in nature.
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Stroehlein AJ, Young ND, Gasser RB. Advances in kinome research of parasitic worms - implications for fundamental research and applied biotechnological outcomes. Biotechnol Adv 2018; 36:915-934. [PMID: 29477756 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinases are enzymes that play essential roles in the regulation of many cellular processes. Despite expansions in the fields of genomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics, there is limited information on the kinase complements (kinomes) of most eukaryotic organisms, including parasitic worms that cause serious diseases of humans and animals. The biological uniqueness of these worms and the draft status of their genomes pose challenges for the identification and classification of protein kinases using established tools. In this article, we provide an account of kinase biology, the roles of kinases in diseases and their importance as drug targets, and drug discovery efforts in key socioeconomically important parasitic worms. In this context, we summarise methods and resources commonly used for the curation, identification, classification and functional annotation of protein kinase sequences from draft genomes; review recent advances made in the characterisation of the worm kinomes; and discuss the implications of these advances for investigating kinase signalling and developing small-molecule inhibitors as new anti-parasitic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas J Stroehlein
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - Neil D Young
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Melbourne Veterinary School, Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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15
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Gouveia MJ, Brindley PJ, Gärtner F, Costa JMCD, Vale N. Drug Repurposing for Schistosomiasis: Combinations of Drugs or Biomolecules. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2018; 11:E15. [PMID: 29401734 PMCID: PMC5874711 DOI: 10.3390/ph11010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major neglected tropical disease. Control of schistosomiasis currently relies on a single drug, praziquantel, and despite its efficacy against the all schistosome species that parasitize humans, it displays some problematic drawbacks and alone is ineffective in counteracting adverse pathologies associated with infection. Moreover, due to the development of the potential emergence of PZQ-resistant strains, the search for additional or alternative antischistosomal drugs have become a public health priority. The current drug discovery for schistosomiasis has been slow and uninspiring. By contrast, repurposing of existing approved drugs may offer a safe, rapid and cost-effective alternative. Combined treatment with PZQ and other drugs with different mode of action, i.e., antimalarials, shows promise results. In addition, a combination of anthelminthic drugs with antioxidant might be advantageous for modulating oxidative processes associated with schistosomiasis. Herein, we review studies dealing with combination therapies that involve PZQ and other anthelminthic drugs and/or antioxidant agents in treatment of schistosomiasis. Whereas PZQ combined with antioxidant agents might or might not interfere with anthelminthic efficacy, combinations may nonetheless ameliorate tissue damage and infection-associated complications. In fact, alone or combine with other drugs, antioxidants might be a valuable adjuvant to reduce morbidity and mortality of schistosomiasis. Therefore, attempting new combinations of anthelmintic drugs with other biomolecules such as antioxidants provides new avenues for discovery of alternatives to PZQ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria João Gouveia
- UCBIO/REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, ICETA, University of Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, Apartado 55142, 4031-401 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Paul J Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
| | - Fátima Gärtner
- Department of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho, 45, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
- Institute of Investigation and Innovation in Health (i3s), Rua Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
| | - José M Correia da Costa
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, ICETA, University of Porto, Praça Gomes Teixeira, Apartado 55142, 4031-401 Porto, Portugal.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, INSA-National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Nuno Vale
- UCBIO/REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal.
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16
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Praziquantel for Schistosomiasis: Single-Drug Metabolism Revisited, Mode of Action, and Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017; 61:AAC.02582-16. [PMID: 28264841 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02582-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, a major neglected tropical disease, affects more than 250 million people worldwide. Treatment of schistosomiasis has relied on the anthelmintic drug praziquantel (PZQ) for more than a generation. PZQ is the drug of choice for the treatment of schistosomiasis; it is effective against all major forms of schistosomiasis, although it is less active against juvenile than mature parasites. A pyrazino-isoquinoline derivative, PZQ is not considered to be toxic and generally causes few or transient, mild side effects. Increasingly, mass drug administration targeting populations in sub-Saharan Africa where schistosomiasis is endemic has led to the appearance of reduced efficacy of PZQ, which portends the selection of drug-resistant forms of these pathogens. The synthesis of improved derivatives of PZQ is attracting attention, e.g., in the (i) synthesis of drug analogues, (ii) rational design of pharmacophores, and (iii) discovery of new compounds from large-scale screening programs. This article reviews reports from the 1970s to the present on the metabolism and mechanism of action of PZQ and its derivatives against schistosomes.
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17
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Vale N, Gouveia MJ, Rinaldi G, Santos J, Santos LL, Brindley PJ, da Costa JMC. The role of estradiol metabolism in urogenital schistosomiasis-induced bladder cancer. Tumour Biol 2017; 39:1010428317692247. [PMID: 28345469 DOI: 10.1177/1010428317692247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Urogenital schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that can lead to bladder cancer. How urogenital schistosomiasis induces carcinogenesis remains unclear, although there is evidence that the human blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium, the infectious agent of urogenital schistosomiasis, releases estradiol-like metabolites. These kind of compounds have been implicated in other cancers. Aiming for enhanced understanding of the pathogenesis of the urogenital schistosomiasis-induced bladder cancer, here we review, interpret, and discuss findings of estradiol-like metabolites detected in both the parasite and in the human urine during urogenital schistosomiasis. Moreover, we predict pathways and enzymes that are involved in the production of these metabolites emphasizing their potential effects on the dysregulation of the tumor suppressor gene p53 expression during urogenital schistosomiasis. Enhanced understanding of these potential carcinogens may not only shed light on urogenital schistosomiasis-induced neoplasia of the bladder, but would also facilitate development of interventions and biomarkers for this and other infection-associated cancers at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno Vale
- 1 UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria J Gouveia
- 1 UCIBIO/REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,2 Center for the Study of Animal Science, ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Gabriel Rinaldi
- 3 Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,4 The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Júlio Santos
- 5 Clínica da Sagrada Esperança, Luanda, Angola.,6 Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, Research Center of Instituto Português de Oncologia, Porto, Portugal
| | - Lúcio Lara Santos
- 6 Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, Research Center of Instituto Português de Oncologia, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paul J Brindley
- 3 Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - José M Correia da Costa
- 2 Center for the Study of Animal Science, ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,7 Department of Infectious Diseases, R&D Unit, National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Porto, Portugal
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18
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Detecting hybridization in African schistosome species: does egg morphology complement molecular species identification? Parasitology 2017; 144:954-964. [PMID: 28215207 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017000087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid parasites may have an increased transmission potential and higher virulence compared to their parental species. Consequently, hybrid detection is critical for disease control. Previous crossing experiments showed that hybrid schistosome eggs have distinct morphotypes. We therefore compared the performance of egg morphology with molecular markers with regard to detecting hybridization in schistosomes. We studied the morphology of 303 terminal-spined eggs, originating from 19 individuals inhabiting a hybrid zone with natural crosses between the human parasite Schistosoma haematobium and the livestock parasite Schistosoma bovis in Senegal. The egg sizes showed a high variability and ranged between 92·4 and 176·4 µm in length and between 35·7 and 93·0 µm in width. No distinct morphotypes were found and all eggs resembled, to varying extent, the typical S. haematobium egg type. However, molecular analyses on the same eggs clearly showed the presence of two distinct partial mitochondrial cox1 profiles, namely S. bovis and S. haematobium, and only a single nuclear ITS rDNA profile (S. haematobium). Therefore, in these particular crosses, egg morphology appears not a good indicator of hybrid ancestry. We conclude by discussing strengths and limitations of molecular methods to detect hybrids in the context of high-throughput screening of field samples.
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Abstract
The existence of a link between urinary schistosomiasis (US) and bladder carcinoma was first suspected by C. Goebel in 1905. In 1911, A.R Ferguson, who was a professor of Pathology and Microbiology at the Faculty of Medicine in Cairo, published a more detailed survey from 40 autopsies, and reported a likely association of bladder carcinoma with granulomas caused by US. Subsequently, published results from several studies reinforced Ferguson's hypothesis. Moreover, in most countries where US was endemic, association of high prevalence of bladder carcinoma with US had been pointed out. A further circumstantial evidence was a higher prevalence of bladder squamous cell carcinoma in areas endemic for SU, whereas urothelial carcinomas were more prevalent in areas which were free of SU. However, evidence of a positive correlation between SU and bladder carcinoma was delivered only many decades later, following the results from case-control studies which were adjusted on age, sex, type of dwelling and tobacco consumption. During SU, the mechanisms underlying the onset of bladder carcinoma are still poorly understood due to the lack of any convenient animal model. Classically, two processes are thought to be involved. Chronic inflammation inside bladder would be caused by granulomas centered by eggs, and would result in a neoplasmic evolution, after years. Moreover, alteration of the bladder dynamics would elicit urine stasis which in turn would cause repeated infection of bacterial or viral origin. Beside the high prevalence of squamous cell type, the natural history of bladder carcinomas caused by SU is similar to that of other malignant tumors of the bladder. Also the treatment and prognosis are identical. Albeit genital involvement is very frequent during SU, Schistosoma haematobium does not appear to be a cause of cancers of genital organs. Schistosoma mansoni and S. japonicum have been suspected to be associated with liver or colic carcinomas, but epidemiological studies have not yielded any firm evidence so far. The entire sequencing of S. haematobium genome, along with the recent availability of a more efficient mouse model, must provide a better understanding of the genesis of bladder carcinomas during SU. However, the key for a sharp decrease in both morbidity and mortality due to SU-linked carcinomas lies in a better control of haematobium schistosomiasis, such as observed in Egypt since 1970.
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Bladder outlet obstruction; a rare complication of the neglected schistosome, Schistosoma haematobium: two case reports and public health challenges. BMC Res Notes 2016; 9:493. [PMID: 27876076 PMCID: PMC5120452 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-016-2303-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a severe parasitic infestation with debilitating complications and is the third most devastating tropical disease in the world. It is one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) with a high disease-burden. We present two rare cases of bladder outlet obstruction: one which led to a chronic kidney disease and ultimately death and a second which recovered after treatment with praziquantel. CASE PRESENTATIONS A 72 year old male presented with lower urinary tract symptoms which culminated in an episode of acute urinary retention. The patient had never received preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel. After suprapubic aspiration, the cause of the obstructive uropathy was found to be several mature live worms of Schistosoma haematobium. Despite treatment with praziquantel and haemodialysis; we lost the patient due to sepsis from a urinary tract infection. In the second case, a 15 year old male presented with LUTS for a 1 year duration and was diagnosed to have schistosomiasis after eggs of Schistosoma haematobium were found in his urine. He was treated with praziquantel. CONCLUSION There are several gaps in the public health policies in place to control this NTD in Cameroon as annual distribution of preventive chemotherapy is inadequate due to inaccessibility of some high-endemic zones and is based on data obtained two decades ago. Population education is insufficient leading to poor health-seeking behaviour. These gaps in public health policies need to be addressed to aid in the overall achievement of the sustainable development goals.
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21
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Wijayawardena BK, Minchella DJ, DeWoody JA. The influence of trematode parasite burden on gene expression in a mammalian host. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:600. [PMID: 27514777 PMCID: PMC4982272 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2950-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Parasites can profoundly impact their hosts and are responsible for a plethora of debilitating diseases. To identify global changes in host gene expression related to parasite infection, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the liver transcriptomes of Balb/cj mice infected with the trematode parasite Schistosoma mansoni and compared the results to uninfected mice. We used two different methodologies (i.e. de novo and reference guided) to evaluate the influence of parasite sequences on host transcriptome assembly. Results Our results demonstrate that the choice of assembly methodology significantly impacted the proportion of parasitic reads detected from the host library, yet the presence of non-target (xenobiotic) sequences did not create significant structural errors in the assembly. After removing parasite sequences from the mouse transcriptomes, we analyzed host gene expression under different parasite infection levels and observed significant differences in the associated immunologic and metabolic responses based on infection level. In particular, genes associated with T–helper type 1 (Th–1) and T–helper type 2 (Th–2) were up-regulated in infected mice whereas genes related to amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism were down-regulated in infected mice. These changes in gene expression scale with infection status and likely impact the evolutionary fitness of hosts. Conclusions Overall, our data indicate that a) infected mice reduce the expression of key metabolic genes in direct proportion to their infection level; b) infected mice similarly increase the expression of key immune genes in response to infection; c) patterns of gene expression correspond to the pathological symptoms of schistosomiasis; and d) identifying and filtering out non-target sequences (xenobiotics) improves differential expression prediction. Our findings identify parasite targets for RNAi or other therapies and provide a better understanding of the pathology and host immune repertoire involved in response to S. mansoni infections. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-2950-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhagya K Wijayawardena
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA.
| | - Dennis J Minchella
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA
| | - J Andrew DeWoody
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA.,Departments of Biological Sciences, Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA
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22
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Hotez PJ, Strych U, Lustigman S, Bottazzi ME. Human anthelminthic vaccines: Rationale and challenges. Vaccine 2016; 34:3549-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.03.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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23
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Cai P, Gobert GN, You H, McManus DP. The Tao survivorship of schistosomes: implications for schistosomiasis control. Int J Parasitol 2016; 46:453-63. [PMID: 26873753 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, is a major public health problem which contributes substantially to the economic and financial burdens of many nations in the developing world. An array of survival strategies, such as the unique structure of the tegument which acts as a major host-parasite interface, immune modulation mechanisms, gene regulation, and apoptosis and self-renewal have been adopted by schistosome parasites over the course of long-term evolution with their mammalian definitive hosts. Recent generation of complete schistosome genomes together with numerous biological, immunological, high-throughput "-omics" and gene function studies have revealed the Tao or strategies that schistosomes employ not only to promote long-term survival, but also to ensure effective life cycle transmission. New scenarios for the future control of this important neglected tropical disease will present themselves as our understanding of these Tao increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Cai
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hong You
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, Australia.
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Botelho MC, Machado A, Carvalho A, Vilaça M, Conceição O, Rosa F, Alves H, Richter J, Bordalo AA. Schistosoma haematobium in Guinea-Bissau: unacknowledged morbidity due to a particularly neglected parasite in a particularly neglected country. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:1567-72. [PMID: 26755362 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4891-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is the major neglected tropical helminthic disease worldwide. Current knowledge on the epidemiology of schistosomiasis in Guinea-Bissau is scarce and regarding to the absence of Schistosoma haematobium (S.h.). Therefore, a pilot study was undertaken to assess the prevalence and morbidity due to S.h. infection in randomly selected 90 children and adolescents aged 6 to 15 years. Prevalence of S.h. infection was 20.00 % (18/90). Microhematuria was observed in 61.11 % (11/18) of S.h.-egg-excreting vs. 37.50 % (27/72) of non-S.h.-egg-excreting children p ≤ 0.01. Body mass index (BMI) was less than 15 kg/m(2) in 52/90 (57.78 %) of all children and adolescents, but this proportion increased to 66.67 % (12/18) in S.h.-infected children who were more frequently stunted and wasted than in non-infected children. The mean weight-for-age Z score (WAZ) was reduced in S.h. infected as compared to non-infected children (-1.48 ± 1.08 SD vs. -0.80 ± 1.11 SD; p ≤ 0.01). To our knowledge, this is the first epidemiologic report on S. haematobium infection in Guinea-Bissau since 22 years. Even in this relatively small study sample, it appears that S. haematobium, besides the well-known symptoms such as hematuria, leads to significant, albeit commonly unacknowledged morbidity such as stunting and wasting. These observations underscore the notion that this vulnerable but neglected population urgently needs to be targeted for implementation of measures for treatment and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica C Botelho
- INSA, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal.,IPATIMUP/I3S, Institute of Pathology and Molecular Immunology/Instituto de Investigação e Inovação, da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Machado
- Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Ecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - André Carvalho
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Hospital Santo Antonio-Centro Hospitalar do Porto (CHP), Porto, Portugal
| | | | | | - Fernanda Rosa
- IICT, Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helena Alves
- INSA, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joachim Richter
- Tropical Medicine Unit, Department for Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Adriano Agostinho Bordalo
- Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Ecology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Stroehlein AJ, Young ND, Jex AR, Sternberg PW, Tan P, Boag PR, Hofmann A, Gasser RB. Defining the Schistosoma haematobium kinome enables the prediction of essential kinases as anti-schistosome drug targets. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17759. [PMID: 26635209 PMCID: PMC4669435 DOI: 10.1038/srep17759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that affects more than 110 million people. Treating this disease by targeted or mass administration with a single chemical, praziquantel, carries the risk that drug resistance will develop in this pathogen. Therefore, there is an imperative to search for new drug targets in S. haematobium and other schistosomes. In this regard, protein kinases have potential, given their essential roles in biological processes and as targets for drugs already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in humans. In this context, we defined here the kinome of S. haematobium using a refined bioinformatic pipeline. We classified, curated and annotated predicted kinases, and assessed the developmental transcription profiles of kinase genes. Then, we prioritised a panel of kinases as potential drug targets and inferred chemicals that bind to them using an integrated bioinformatic pipeline. Most kinases of S. haematobium are very similar to those of its congener, S. mansoni, offering the prospect of designing chemicals that kill both species. Overall, this study provides a global insight into the kinome of S. haematobium and should assist the repurposing or discovery of drugs against schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas J. Stroehlein
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Neil D. Young
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Aaron R. Jex
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul W. Sternberg
- HHMI, Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Patrick Tan
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Republic of Singapore
- Cancer and Stem Cell Biology, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Republic of Singapore
| | - Peter R. Boag
- Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Structural Chemistry Program, Eskitis Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Robin B. Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Driguez P, McManus DP, Gobert GN. Clinical implications of recent findings in schistosome proteomics. Expert Rev Proteomics 2015; 13:19-33. [PMID: 26558506 DOI: 10.1586/14789450.2016.1116390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease of clinical significance that, despite years of research, still requires an effective vaccine and improved diagnostics for surveillance, control and potential elimination. Furthermore, the causes of host pathology during schistosomiasis are still not completely understood. The recent sequencing of the genomes of the three key schistosome species has enabled the discovery of many new possible vaccine and drug targets, as well as diagnostic biomarkers, using high-throughput and sensitive proteomics methods. This review focuses on the literature of the last 5 years that has reported on the use of proteomics to both better understand the biology of the schistosome parasites and the disease they cause in definitive mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Driguez
- a QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Disease Division , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia
| | - Donald P McManus
- a QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Disease Division , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia
| | - Geoffrey N Gobert
- a QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Infectious Disease Division , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia
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Botelho MC, Sousa M. New biomarkers to fight urogenital schistosomiasis: a major neglected tropical disease. Biomark Med 2015; 8:1061-3. [PMID: 25402576 DOI: 10.2217/bmm.14.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mónica C Botelho
- Department of Health Promotion & Chronic Diseases, INSA-National Institute of Health Dr Ricardo Jorge, Porto, Portugal
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The genomic proliferation of transposable elements in colonizing populations: Schistosoma mansoni in the new world. Genetica 2015; 143:287-98. [PMID: 25681233 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-015-9825-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genes with an inherent ability to move within and among genomes. Theory predicts that TEs proliferate extensively during physiological stress due to the breakdown of TE repression systems. We tested this hypothesis in Schistosoma mansoni, a widespread trematode parasite that causes the human disease schistosomiasis. According to phylogenetic analysis, S. mansoni invaded the new world during the last 500 years. We hypothesized that new world strains of S. mansoni would have more copies of TEs than old world strains due to the physiological stress associated with invasion of the new world. We quantified the copy number of six TEs (Saci-1, Saci-2 and Saci-3, Perere-1, Merlin-sm1, and SmTRC1) in the genome and the transcriptome of old world and new world strains of S. mansoni, using qPCR relative quantification. As predicted, the genomes of new world parasites contain significantly more copies of class I and class II TEs in both laboratory and field strains. However, such differences are not observed in the transcriptome suggesting that either TE silencing mechanisms have reactivated to control the expression of these elements or the presence of inactive truncated copies of TEs.
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Estrogen-like metabolites and DNA-adducts in urogenital schistosomiasis-associated bladder cancer. Cancer Lett 2015; 359:226-32. [PMID: 25615421 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2015.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 01/08/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
An estrogen-DNA adduct mediated pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of the squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder associated with infection with the blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium. Extracts from developmental stages of S. haematobium, including eggs, induce tumor-like phenotypes in cultured cells. In addition, estrogen-derived, reactive metabolites occur in this pathogen and in sera of infected persons. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was performed on urine from 40 Angolans diagnosed with urogenital schistosomiasis (UGS), half of who also presented UGS-associated squamous cell carcinoma and/or urothelial cell carcinoma. The analysis revealed numerous estrogen-like metabolites, including seven specifically identified in UGS cases, but not reported in the database of metabolites in urine of healthy humans. These schistosome infection-associated metabolites included catechol estrogen quinones (CEQ) and CEQ-DNA-adducts, two of which had been identified previously in S. haematobium. In addition, novel metabolites derived directly from 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) were identified in urine of all 40 cases of UGS. These metabolites can be expected to provide deeper insights into the carcinogenesis UGS-induced bladder cancer, and as biomarkers for diagnosis and/or prognosis of this neglected tropical disease-linked cancer.
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Correia da Costa JM, Vale N, Gouveia MJ, Botelho MC, Sripa B, Santos LL, Santos JH, Rinaldi G, Brindley PJ. Schistosome and liver fluke derived catechol-estrogens and helminth associated cancers. Front Genet 2014; 5:444. [PMID: 25566326 PMCID: PMC4274992 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with helminth parasites remains a persistent public health problem in developing countries. Three of these pathogens, the liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini and the blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium, are of particular concern due to their classification as Group 1 carcinogens: infection with these worms is carcinogenic. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approaches, we identified steroid hormone like (e.g., oxysterol-like, catechol estrogen quinone-like, etc.) metabolites and related DNA-adducts, apparently of parasite origin, in developmental stages including eggs of S. haematobium, in urine of people with urogenital schistosomiasis, and in the adult stage of O. viverrini. Since these kinds of sterol derivatives are metabolized to active quinones that can modify DNA, which in other contexts can lead to breast and other cancers, helminth parasite associated sterols might induce tumor-like phenotypes in the target cells susceptible to helminth parasite associated cancers, i.e., urothelial cells of the bladder in the case of urogenital schistosomiasis and the bile duct epithelia or cholangiocytes, in the case of O. viverrini and C. sinensis. Indeed we postulate that helminth induced cancers originate from parasite estrogen-host epithelial/urothelial cell chromosomal DNA adducts, and here we review recent findings that support this conjecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Correia da Costa
- Center for Parasite Biology and Immunology, National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge Porto, Portugal ; Center for the Study of Animal Science, Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologias Agrárias e Agroalimentares, University of Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Centro de Investigação em Química, University of Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria J Gouveia
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologias Agrárias e Agroalimentares, University of Porto Porto, Portugal ; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Centro de Investigação em Química, University of Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica C Botelho
- Department of Health Promotion and Chronic Diseases, National Health Institute Doutor Ricardo Jorge Porto, Portugal
| | - Banchob Sripa
- Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Liver Fluke and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Lúcio L Santos
- Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, Portuguese Institute for Oncology of Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Júlio H Santos
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, Instituto de Ciências e Tecnologias Agrárias e Agroalimentares, University of Porto Porto, Portugal ; Experimental Pathology and Therapeutics Group, Portuguese Institute for Oncology of Porto Porto, Portugal
| | - Gabriel Rinaldi
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
| | - Paul J Brindley
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
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Honeycutt J, Hammam O, Fu CL, Hsieh MH. Controversies and challenges in research on urogenital schistosomiasis-associated bladder cancer. Trends Parasitol 2014; 30:324-32. [PMID: 24913983 PMCID: PMC4085545 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2014.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2014] [Revised: 05/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Urogenital schistosomiasis, infection with Schistosoma haematobium, is linked to increased risk for the development of bladder cancer, but the importance of various mechanisms responsible for this association remains unclear, in part, owing to lack of sufficient and appropriate animal models. New advances in the study of this parasite, bladder regenerative processes, and human schistosomal bladder cancers may shed new light on the complex biological processes that connect S. haematobium infection to bladder carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared Honeycutt
- Stanford Immunology Program and Department of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Olfat Hammam
- Department of Pathology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Chi-Ling Fu
- Stanford Immunology Program and Department of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael H Hsieh
- Stanford Immunology Program and Department of Urology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Santos J, Gouveia MJ, Vale N, Delgado MDL, Gonçalves A, da Silva JMT, Oliveira C, Xavier P, Gomes P, Santos LL, Lopes C, Barros A, Rinaldi G, Brindley PJ, da Costa JMC, Sousa M, Botelho MC. Urinary estrogen metabolites and self-reported infertility in women infected with Schistosoma haematobium. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96774. [PMID: 24848950 PMCID: PMC4029575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease, endemic in 76 countries, that afflicts more than 240 million people. The impact of schistosomiasis on infertility may be underestimated according to recent literature. Extracts of Schistosoma haematobium include estrogen-like metabolites termed catechol-estrogens that down regulate estrogen receptors alpha and beta in estrogen responsive cells. In addition, schistosome derived catechol-estrogens induce genotoxicity that result in estrogen-DNA adducts. These catechol estrogens and the catechol-estrogen-DNA adducts can be isolated from sera of people infected with S. haematobium. The aim of this study was to study infertility in females infected with S. haematobium and its association with the presence of schistosome-derived catechol-estrogens. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A cross-sectional study was undertaken of female residents of a region in Bengo province, Angola, endemic for schistosomiasis haematobia. Ninety-three women and girls, aged from two (parents interviewed) to 94 years were interviewed on present and previous urinary, urogenital and gynecological symptoms and complaints. Urine was collected from the participants for egg-based parasitological assessment of schistosome infection, and for liquid chromatography diode array detection electron spray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/UV-DAD/ESI-MSn) to investigate estrogen metabolites in the urine. Novel estrogen-like metabolites, potentially of schistosome origin, were detected in the urine of participants who were positive for eggs of S. haematobium, but not detected in urines negative for S. haematobium eggs. The catechol-estrogens/ DNA adducts were significantly associated with schistosomiasis (OR 3.35; 95% CI 2.32-4.84; P≤0.001). In addition, presence of these metabolites was positively associated with infertility (OR 4.33; 95% CI 1.13-16.70; P≤0.05). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Estrogen metabolites occur widely in diverse metabolic pathways. In view of the statistically significant association between catechol-estrogens/ DNA adducts and self-reported infertility, we propose that an estrogen-DNA adduct mediated pathway in S. haematobium-induced ovarian hormonal deregulation could be involved. In addition, the catechol-estrogens/ DNA adducts described here represent potential biomarkers for schistosomiasis haematobia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria João Gouveia
- CIQUP, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- CIQUP, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Ana Gonçalves
- Centre for Reproductive Genetics Prof. Alberto Barros, Porto, Portugal
| | | | | | - Pedro Xavier
- Centre for Reproductive Genetics Prof. Alberto Barros, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- CIQUP, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Lúcio L. Santos
- Clínica da Sagrada Esperança, Luanda, Angola
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathology Research Group, Portuguese Institute of Oncology, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carlos Lopes
- Clínica da Sagrada Esperança, Luanda, Angola
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Alberto Barros
- Centre for Reproductive Genetics Prof. Alberto Barros, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Gabriel Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States of America
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Paul J. Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, and Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., United States of America
| | - José M. Correia da Costa
- INSA, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, CECA/ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mário Sousa
- Department of Microscopy, Laboratory of Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Multidisciplinary Unit for Biomedical Research-UMIB, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mónica C. Botelho
- INSA, National Institute of Health, Porto, Portugal
- Center for the Study of Animal Science, CECA/ICETA, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Abstract
Emerging evidence over the past decade has implicated helminth infections as important yet stealth causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes and impaired women's reproductive health. The two most important helminth infections affecting women living in poverty in Africa and elsewhere in the developing world are hookworm infection and schistosomiasis. In Africa alone, almost 40 million women of childbearing age are infected with hookworms, including almost 7 million pregnant women who are at greater risk of severe anemia, higher mortality, and experiencing poor neonatal outcome (reduced birth weight and increased infant mortality). Possibly, tens of millions of women in Africa also suffer from female genital schistosomiasis associated with genital itching and pain, stress incontinence, dyspareunia, and infertility and experience social stigma and depression. Female genital schistosomiasis also is linked to horizontal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and it may represent one of Africa's major cofactors in its AIDS epidemic. There is urgency to expand mass drug administration efforts for hookworm and schistosomiasis to include women of reproductive age and to shape new policies and advocacy initiatives for women's global health to include helminth control. In parallel is a requirement to better link global health programs for HIV and AIDS and malaria with helminth control and to simultaneously launch initiatives for research and development.
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Glenn TC, Lance SL, McKee AM, Webster BL, Emery AM, Zerlotini A, Oliveira G, Rollinson D, Faircloth BC. Significant variance in genetic diversity among populations of Schistosoma haematobium detected using microsatellite DNA loci from a genome-wide database. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:300. [PMID: 24499537 PMCID: PMC3874762 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urogenital schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobium is widely distributed across Africa and is increasingly being targeted for control. Genome sequences and population genetic parameters can give insight into the potential for population- or species-level drug resistance. Microsatellite DNA loci are genetic markers in wide use by Schistosoma researchers, but there are few primers available for S. haematobium. METHODS We sequenced 1,058,114 random DNA fragments from clonal cercariae collected from a snail infected with a single Schistosoma haematobium miracidium. We assembled and aligned the S. haematobium sequences to the genomes of S. mansoni and S. japonicum, identifying microsatellite DNA loci across all three species and designing primers to amplify the loci in S. haematobium. To validate our primers, we screened 32 randomly selected primer pairs with population samples of S. haematobium. RESULTS We designed >13,790 primer pairs to amplify unique microsatellite loci in S. haematobium, (available at http://www.cebio.org/projetos/schistosoma-haematobium-genome). The three Schistosoma genomes contained similar overall frequencies of microsatellites, but the frequency and length distributions of specific motifs differed among species. We identified 15 primer pairs that amplified consistently and were easily scored. We genotyped these 15 loci in S. haematobium individuals from six locations: Zanzibar had the highest levels of diversity; Malawi, Mauritius, Nigeria, and Senegal were nearly as diverse; but the sample from South Africa was much less diverse. CONCLUSIONS About half of the primers in the database of Schistosoma haematobium microsatellite DNA loci should yield amplifiable and easily scored polymorphic markers, thus providing thousands of potential markers. Sequence conservation among S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni is relatively high, thus it should now be possible to identify markers that are universal among Schistosoma species (i.e., using DNA sequences conserved among species), as well as other markers that are specific to species or species-groups (i.e., using DNA sequences that differ among species). Full genome-sequencing of additional species and specimens of S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni is desirable to better characterize differences within and among these species, to develop additional genetic markers, and to examine genes as well as conserved non-coding elements associated with drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis C Glenn
- Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens 30602 GA, USA
| | - Stacey L Lance
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Drawer E, Aiken 29802 SC, USA
| | - Anna M McKee
- Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens 30602 GA, USA
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens 30602 GA, USA
| | - Bonnie L Webster
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
- Present address; Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine (St Mary’s Campus), Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Aidan M Emery
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Adhemar Zerlotini
- Rene Rachou Research Center, National Institute of Science and Technology in Tropical Diseases, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, BarroPreto, Belo Horizonte CEP 30190-002 MG, Brazil
- Present address: Embrapa Agricultural Informatics, Av. Andre Tosello, 209, Campinas 13083-886 SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Oliveira
- Rene Rachou Research Center, National Institute of Science and Technology in Tropical Diseases, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, BarroPreto, Belo Horizonte CEP 30190-002 MG, Brazil
| | - David Rollinson
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Wolfson Wellcome Biomedical Laboratories, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Brant C Faircloth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095 CA, USA
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Improving the management of imported schistosomiasis haematobia in China: lessons from a case with multiple misdiagnoses. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:260. [PMID: 24020375 PMCID: PMC3848274 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human Schistosoma haematobium infection that causes urinary schistosomiasis occurs in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, and China is only endemic for S. japonicum. In this report, we reported an imported case with S. haematobium infection returning from Angola to Shaanxi Province, northwestern China, where S. japonicum is not endemic. Findings The case was misdiagnosed as ureteral calculus, invasive urothelial carcinoma and eosinophilic cystitis in several hospitals, and was finally diagnosed by means of serological assay followed by microscopic examination of the urine sediment. The patient was then treated with praziquantel, and a satisfactory outcome was obtained. Conclusions As S. haematobium is not indigenous to China, most Chinese doctors and medical technicians are unfamiliar with this introduced parasitic disease, therefore, they need to increase the awareness of its existence when they encounter persons who have visited or resided in endemic areas, and the techniques for detection of the parasite, so as to reduce the misdiagnosis. In addition, health education should be given to those who will go to the endemic areas to improve their knowledge and awareness on prevention and control of schistosomiasis haematobia, thereby reducing the risk of exposure to the infested freshwater.
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Cheng W, Curti E, Rezende WC, Kwityn C, Zhan B, Gillespie P, Plieskatt J, Joshi SB, Volkin DB, Hotez PJ, Middaugh CR, Bottazzi ME. Biophysical and formulation studies of the Schistosoma mansoni TSP-2 extracellular domain recombinant protein, a lead vaccine candidate antigen for intestinal schistosomiasis. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013; 9:2351-61. [PMID: 23880663 DOI: 10.4161/hv.25788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A candidate vaccine to prevent human schistosomiasis is under development. The vaccine is comprised of a recombinant 9 kDa antigen protein corresponding to the large extracellular domain of a tetraspanin surface antigen protein of Schistosoma mansoni, Sm-TSP-2. Here, we describe the biophysical profile of the purified, recombinant Sm-TSP-2 produced in the yeast PichiaPink, which in preclinical studies in mice was shown to be an effective vaccine against intestinal schistosomiasis. Biophysical techniques including circular dichroism, intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence and light scattering were employed to generate an empirical phase diagram, a color based map of the physical stability of the vaccine antigen over a wide range of temperatures and pH. From these studies a pH range of 6.0-8.0 was determined to be optimal for maintaining the stability and conformation of the protein at temperatures up to 25 °C. Sorbitol, sucrose and trehalose were selected as excipients that prevented physical degradation during storage. The studies described here provide guidance for maximizing the stability of soluble recombinant Sm-TSP-2 in preparation of its further development as a vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Cheng
- Macromolecule and Vaccine Stabilization Center; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; University of Kansas; Lawrence, KS USA
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