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Puchner KP, Bottazzi ME, Periago V, Grobusch M, Maizels R, McCarthy J, Lee B, Gaspari E, Diemert D, Hotez P. Vaccine value profile for Hookworm. Vaccine 2024; 42:S25-S41. [PMID: 37863671 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Hookworm, a parasitic infection, retains a considerable burden of disease, affecting the most underprivileged segments of the general population in endemic countries and remains one of the leading causes of mild to severe anemia in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs), particularly in pregnancy and children under 5. Despite repeated large scale Preventive Chemotherapy (PC) interventions since more than 3 decades, there is broad consensus among scholars that elimination targets set in the newly launched NTD roadmap will require additional tools and interventions. Development of a vaccine could constitute a promising expansion of the existing arsenal against hookworm. Therefore, we have evaluated the biological and implementation feasibility of the vaccine development as well as the added value of such a novel tool. Based on pipeline landscaping and the current knowledge on key biological aspects of the pathogen and its interactions with the host, we found biological feasibility of development of a hookworm vaccine to be moderate. Also, our analysis on manufacturing and regulatory issues as well as potential uptake yielded moderate implementation feasibility. Modelling studies suggest a that introduction of a vaccine in parallel with ongoing integrated interventions (PC, WASH, shoe campaigns), could substantially reduce burden of disease in a cost - saving mode. Finally a set of actions are recommended that might impact positively the likelihood of timely development and introduction of a hookworm vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor, TX, USA
| | | | - Martin Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Location AMC, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rick Maizels
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - James McCarthy
- The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bruce Lee
- Public Health Informatics, Computational, and Operations Research, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erika Gaspari
- European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), The Hague, The Netherlands
| | - David Diemert
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Peter Hotez
- National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Baylor, TX, USA
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Ng'etich AI, Amoah ID, Bux F, Kumari S. Anthelmintic resistance in soil-transmitted helminths: One-Health considerations. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:62. [PMID: 38114766 PMCID: PMC10730643 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08088-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The One-Health approach recognizes the intricate connection between human, animal, and environmental health, and that cooperative effort from various professionals provides comprehensive awareness and potential solutions for issues relating to the health of people, animals, and the environment. This approach has increasingly gained appeal as the standard strategy for tackling emerging infectious diseases, most of which are zoonoses. Treatment with anthelmintics (AHs) without a doubt minimizes the severe consequences of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs); however, evidence of anthelmintic resistance (AR) development to different helminths of practically every animal species and the distinct groups of AHs is overwhelming globally. In this regard, the correlation between the application of anthelmintic drugs in both human and animal populations and the consequent development of anthelmintic resistance in STHs within the context of a One-Health framework is explored. This review provides an overview of the major human and animal STHs, treatment of the STHs, AR development and drug-related factors contributing towards AR, One-Health and STHs, and an outline of some One-Health strategies that may be used in combating AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Imali Ng'etich
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology (DUT), Durban, South Africa
| | - Isaac Dennis Amoah
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology (DUT), Durban, South Africa
- Department of Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Faizal Bux
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology (DUT), Durban, South Africa
| | - Sheena Kumari
- Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology (DUT), Durban, South Africa.
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Farias MMB, Barreto NMPV, Araújo WAC, Oliveira CDEL, Gonçalves NLS, Campagnollo KSS, Teixeira MCA, Galvão-Castro B, Soares NM, Souza JNDE. Anthelmintic treatment follow up in a rural community in Camamu, Bahia, Brazil. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2023; 95:e20230323. [PMID: 37909545 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202320230323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Enteroparasites are an important public health problem and the treatment seeks to cure and reduce transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of anthelmintic treatment in individuals living in a rural community area in Camamu, Bahia, Brazil. The parasitological diagnosis was performed by spontaneous sedimentation, Baermann-Moraes and Agar Plate Culture methods. A total of 212 individuals were evaluated. The most frequent helminth was Trichuris trichiura, 24.5% (52/212), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides, 21.2% (45/212), hookworms, 16.5% (35/212), and S. stercoralis, 4.7% (10/212). In the anthelmintic treatment follow up, T. trichiura infection presented the lowest parasitological cure rate, only 60.6% (20/33). Hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides and Strongyloides stercoralis infections demonstrated cure rates of 70.5 (12/17), 78.1 (25/32) and 100% (5/5), respectively. Individuals who remained infected underwent a new drug therapy. The second parasitological cure rate for T. trichiura was 38.5% (5/13), and 66.7% (2/3) and 75% (3/4) for hookworms and Ascaris lumbricoides, respectively. Trichuris trichiura infection presented the lowest parasitological cure rate at this second evaluation. This reinforces the need to perform a follow-up of all treated individuals. The possibility of drug resistance denotes the necessity for studies to clarify the mechanisms and to evaluate new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina M B Farias
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Nilo Manoel P V Barreto
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Weslei A C Araújo
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Cíntia DE Lima Oliveira
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Noilson Lázaro S Gonçalves
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz (Fiocruz), Laboratório de Saúde Pública/LASP, Rua Waldemar Falcão, 121, Candeal, 40296-710 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Kamila S S Campagnollo
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Márcia Cristina A Teixeira
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Galvão-Castro
- Centro Integrativo e Multidisciplinar de Atendimento ao Portador de HTLV, Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública (CHTLV/EBMSP), Av. Dom João VI, 275, Brotas, 40290-000 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Neci M Soares
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Joelma N DE Souza
- Universidade Federal da Bahia/UFBA, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Rua Barão de Jeremoabo, 147, Ondina, 40170-115 Salvador, BA, Brazil
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Sumboh JG, Agyenkwa-Mawuli K, Schwinger E, Donkor IO, Akorli JEB, Dwomoh D, Ashong Y, Osabutey D, Ababio FO, Koram KA, Humphries D, Cappello M, Kwofie SK, Wilson MD. Investigating Environmental Determinants of Soil-Transmitted Helminths Transmission using GPS Tracking and Metagenomics Technologies. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.07.17.23292808. [PMID: 37503260 PMCID: PMC10371187 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.17.23292808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Background The Global Health community aims to eliminate soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections by 2030. Current preventive methods such as Mass Drug Administration, WASH practices, and health education needs to be complimented to halt transmission. We tracked the movement of hookworm-infected and non-infected persons and investigated soil factors in the places they frequented within an endemic community to further understand the role of human movement and sources of infections. Methods 59 positive and negative participants wore GPS tracking devices for 10 consecutive days and their movement data captured in real time. The data was overlaid on the community map to determine where each group differentially spent most of their time. Soil samples were collected from these identified sites and other communal places. Physical and chemical properties were determined for each sample using standard methods and helminth eggs cultured into larvae using the Baermann technique. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine associations between larvae counts and soil factors. Helminth species were identified with metagenomic sequencing and their distributions mapped to sampling sites in the community. Results The study found that there was no significant difference in the average larvae counts in soil between sites assessed by infected and non-infected participants (P=0.59). However, soil factors, such as pH, carbon and sandy-loamy texture were associated with high larvae counts (P<0.001) while nitrogen and clay content were associated with low counts(P<0.001). The dominant helminth species identified were Panagrolaimus superbus (an anhydrobiotic helminth), Parastrongyloides trichosuri (a parasite of small mammals), Trichuris trichuria (whipworm), and Ancylostoma caninum (dog hookworm). Notably, no Necator americanus was identified in any soil sample. Conclusion This study provides important insights into the association between soil factors and soil-transmitted helminths. These findings contribute to our understanding of STH epidemiology and support evidence-based decision-making for elimination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Gabriel Sumboh
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kwasi Agyenkwa-Mawuli
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Eyram Schwinger
- Department of Mathematics, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Irene Owusu Donkor
- Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Jewelna E. B. Akorli
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Duah Dwomoh
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yvonne Ashong
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Dickson Osabutey
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Felix Owusu Ababio
- Soil Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kwadwo Ansah Koram
- Department of Epidemiology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Debbie Humphries
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, United States of America
| | - Michael Cappello
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, United States of America
| | - Samuel K. Kwofie
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Michael D. Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. Legon, Accra, Ghana
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5
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Mitra I, Bhattacharya A, Paul J, Anisuzzaman. Present status with impacts and roles of miRNA on Soil Transmitted Helminthiosis control: A review. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHARMACOLOGY AND DRUG DISCOVERY 2023; 5:100162. [PMID: 37520661 PMCID: PMC10371793 DOI: 10.1016/j.crphar.2023.100162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) is one of the most widespread Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), and almost 1.5 billion of the global population is affected, mostly in the indigent, countryside sectors of tropics/subtropics. STH, commonly caused by various nematodes, adversely affects the hosts' growth, cognatic development, and immunity. Albendazole is most commonly used against STH (Soil-Transmitted Helminths) but resistance has already been reported in different countries. To date, no effective vaccine is present against STH. miRNAs are a unique class of small non-coding RNA, regulating various biological activities indulging host immune responses in host-pathogen interaction of STH. Dysregulation of miRNAs are being considered as one of the most important aspect of host-parasite interactions. Thus, it is the prime importance to identify and characterize parasite-specific as well as host-derived miRNAs to understand the STH infection at the molecular level. Systematic bibliometric analysis reveals a huge knowledge gap in understanding the disease by using both host and parasitic miRNAs as a potential biomarker. In this study, we addressed the present status of the STH prevalence, and therapy under the light of miRNAs. This would further help in designing new inhibitors and therapeutic strategies to control STH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imon Mitra
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
| | - Arijit Bhattacharya
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
| | - Joydeep Paul
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, India
| | - Anisuzzaman
- Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, 2202, Bangladesh
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Marsh AE, Lakritz J. Reflecting on the past and fast forwarding to present day anthelmintic resistant Ancylostoma caninum-A critical issue we neglected to forecast. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 22:36-43. [PMID: 37229949 PMCID: PMC10229760 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Reports of anthelmintic resistance in Ancylostoma caninum are increasing in frequency in the United States of America (USA). In the last few years in vitro and in vivo studies characterized individual isolates, demonstrating multiple anthelmintic drug resistance (MADR). In 2021, the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists initiated a hookworm task force to address this issue. The first report of drug resistant A. caninum occurred in 1987 in Australian racing Greyhounds. In the last five years multiple case reports and investigations show drug resistant A. caninum is becoming a much greater problem in the USA and now extends beyond racing Greyhounds into the general companion animal dog population. The literature, regarding drug resistance in livestock and equine nematodes, provides helpful guidance along with diagnostic methods to better understand the evolution and selection of canine MADR hookworms; however, there are limitations and caveats due to A. caninum's unique biology and zoonotic potential. Mass drug administration (MDA) of anthelminthic drugs to humans to reduce morbidity associated with human hookworms (Necator americanus) should consider the factors that contributed to the development of MADR A. caninum. Finally, as Greyhound racing undergoes termination in some regions and the retired dogs undergo subsequent rehoming, drug resistant parasites, if present, are carried with them. Drug resistant A. caninum requires greater recognition by the veterinary community, and small animal practitioners need to be aware of the spread into current pet dog populations. The current understanding of anthelmintic resistance, available treatments, and environmental mitigation for these drug resistant A. caninum isolates must be monitored for horizontal spread. A major goal in this emerging problem is to prevent continued dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeffrey Lakritz
- Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Ohio State University, USA
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Venkatesan A, Jimenez Castro PD, Morosetti A, Horvath H, Chen R, Redman E, Dunn K, Collins JB, Fraser JS, Andersen EC, Kaplan RM, Gilleard JS. Molecular evidence of widespread benzimidazole drug resistance in Ancylostoma caninum from domestic dogs throughout the USA and discovery of a novel β-tubulin benzimidazole resistance mutation. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011146. [PMID: 36862759 PMCID: PMC10013918 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Ancylostoma caninum is an important zoonotic gastrointestinal nematode of dogs worldwide and a close relative of human hookworms. We recently reported that racing greyhound dogs in the USA are infected with A. caninum that are commonly resistant to multiple anthelmintics. Benzimidazole resistance in A. caninum in greyhounds was associated with a high frequency of the canonical F167Y(TTC>TAC) isotype-1 β-tubulin mutation. In this work, we show that benzimidazole resistance is remarkably widespread in A. caninum from domestic dogs across the USA. First, we identified and showed the functional significance of a novel benzimidazole isotype-1 β-tubulin resistance mutation, Q134H(CAA>CAT). Several benzimidazole resistant A. caninum isolates from greyhounds with a low frequency of the F167Y(TTC>TAC) mutation had a high frequency of a Q134H(CAA>CAT) mutation not previously reported from any eukaryotic pathogen in the field. Structural modeling predicted that the Q134 residue is directly involved in benzimidazole drug binding and that the 134H substitution would significantly reduce binding affinity. Introduction of the Q134H substitution into the C. elegans β-tubulin gene ben-1, by CRISPR-Cas9 editing, conferred similar levels of resistance as a ben-1 null allele. Deep amplicon sequencing on A. caninum eggs from 685 hookworm positive pet dog fecal samples revealed that both mutations were widespread across the USA, with prevalences of 49.7% (overall mean frequency 54.0%) and 31.1% (overall mean frequency 16.4%) for F167Y(TTC>TAC) and Q134H(CAA>CAT), respectively. Canonical codon 198 and 200 benzimidazole resistance mutations were absent. The F167Y(TTC>TAC) mutation had a significantly higher prevalence and frequency in Western USA than in other regions, which we hypothesize is due to differences in refugia. This work has important implications for companion animal parasite control and the potential emergence of drug resistance in human hookworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinaya Venkatesan
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions Program, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Pablo D. Jimenez Castro
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Zoetis, Parsippany, New Jersey, United States of America
- Grupo de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia
| | - Arianna Morosetti
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions Program, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hannah Horvath
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions Program, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rebecca Chen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions Program, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Redman
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions Program, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kayla Dunn
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - James Bryant Collins
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - James S. Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Erik C. Andersen
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Ray M. Kaplan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- St. George’s University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Grenada, West Indies
| | - John S. Gilleard
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions Program, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Pilotte N, Manuel M, Walson JL, Ajjampur SSR. Community-wide mass drug administration for soil-transmitted helminths – risk of drug resistance and mitigation strategies. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.897155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mass drug administration programs for the control of soil-transmitted helminths (STH) in humans most commonly utilize a single class of drugs; the benzimidazoles. Most such programs focus on the treatment of pre-school and school aged children attending schools, although there is increasing interest in the potential utility of community-wide MDA to reduce infection intensity within communities and possibly to interrupt STH transmission. In animals, mass treatment with benzimidazoles leads to the rapid selection of parasites containing resistance-encoding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and the potential emergence of resistance in parasite species that infect humans is of major potential public health concern. As programs scale up delivery of anthelmintics and consider expanding treated populations, monitoring of drug efficacy and the potential emergence of anthelmintic resistance with sensitive diagnostic tools is critical to ensure the continued success of STH control programs. In particular, as programs consider the adoption of community-wide deworming, there is concern that such a strategy may increase the risk of drug resistance by limiting the number of untreated individuals which serve as a refugia of unexposed worm populations. We review the literature for evidence of drug resistance in human STH infections and explore risks and mitigation strategies for emergence of drug resistance in the context of community-wide deworming.
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Intestinal Helminth Infections in Ghanaian Children from the Ashanti Region between 2007 and 2008—A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Real-Time PCR-Based Assessment. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7110374. [DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7110374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In spite of ongoing eradication programs, helminth infections are still a medical issue in Ghana. For follow-up assessments on the decline of regional helminth infections, historic baseline prevalence values obtained with standardized diagnostic procedures can be helpful. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, real-time PCR targeting the nematodes Ancylostoma spp. (ITS2), Ascaris lumbricoides (ITS1), Enterobius vermicularis (ITS1), Necator americanus (ITS2), Strongyloides stercoralis (18S rRNA) and Trichuris trichiura (18S rRNA), the trematodes Schistosoma spp. (ITS2) as well as the cestodes Hymenolepis nana (ITS1), Taenia saginata (ITS1) and Taenia solium (ITS1) was applied with 2046 DNA eluates from stool samples of Ghanaian children from the Ashanti region collected between 2007 and 2008 in order to retrospectively define prevalence values. The overall prevalence was low with 3.8% (n = 77) and only 0.1% (n = 2) double infections with helminths were recorded. The three most frequently detected enteric helminth species comprised 2% S. stercoralis (n = 41), 0.8% H. nana (n = 16), and 0.7% N. americanus (n = 14), while only sporadic infection events were recorded for other helminth species comprising 0.1% E. vermicularis (n = 2), 0.1% Schistosoma spp. (n = 2), 0.1% T. saginata (n = 1) and 0.1% T. trichiura (n = 1). A. lumbricoides, Ancylostoma spp. and T. solium were not detected at all. In conclusion, the retrospective assessment suggests a low prevalence of enteric helminth infections in Ghanaian children from the Ashanti Region within the assessment period between 2007 and 2008.
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da Silva Medeiros C, de Almeida LR, Rabelo ÉML, Furtado LFV. Phenotypic characterization and multiple resistance analysis in an experimentally selected albendazole-resistant hookworm isolate. Exp Parasitol 2022; 242:108393. [PMID: 36179854 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
For some nematodes, alterations that leads to a resistance genotype may be accompanied by other modifications, causing changes in the biology of the parasite, although the exact mechanisms of this relationship are still not very clear. These alterations can have deleterious effects on their survival or even potentiate their pathogenicity. In this study a phenotypic characterization was carried out to compare two Ancylostoma ceylanicum isolates, a wild type one, kept in the laboratory and an albendazole selected resistant isolate (AceyBZR2). Differences in some analyzed parameters, between the two strains, were registered, as patency period, number and size of the recovered worms, including differences in the body structures. The AceyBZR2 isolate showed to be less adapted to the host, leading to a smaller number of recovered worms. However, no difference on the female egg content was observed between the two isolates. Concerning blood evaluation, no differences were found between the wild type and AceyBZR2 isolates, related to hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. However, animals in the group infected with the wild type isolate had lower serum iron concentrations than animals in the AceyBZR2 group. The possibility that the AceyBZR2 isolate might be resistant to other drugs was evaluated and it was demonstrated that it does not present cross-resistance to ivermectin and nitazoxanide. However, when animals infected with the AceyBZR2 were treated with another drug from the benzimidazoles group (mebendazole), the cross-resistance effect was observed. Morphometric analyses were performed comparing female and male adult worms from the two isolates. The results presented here allow a better understanding of the parasite-host relationship and may constitute a useful basis for establishing future control strategies for soil-transmitted helminths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celi da Silva Medeiros
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Lara Ribeiro de Almeida
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Élida Mara Leite Rabelo
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luis Fernando Viana Furtado
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Faculdade de Farmácia, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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11
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Genomic signatures of selection associated with benzimidazole drug treatments in Haemonchus contortus field populations. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:677-689. [PMID: 36113620 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide methods offer a powerful approach to detect signatures of drug selection. However, limited availability of suitable reference genomes and the difficulty of obtaining field populations with well-defined, distinct drug treatment histories mean there is little information on the signatures of selection in parasitic nematodes and on how best to detect them. This study addresses these knowledge gaps by using field populations of Haemonchus contortus with well-defined benzimidazole treatment histories, leveraging a recently completed chromosomal-scale reference genome assembly. We generated a panel of 49,393 genomic markers to genotype 20 individual adult worms from each of four H. contortus populations: two from closed sheep flocks with an approximate 20 year history of frequent benzimidazole treatment, and two populations with a history of little or no treatment. Sampling occurred in the same geographical region to limit genetic differentiation and maximise the detection sensitivity. A clear signature of selection was detected on chromosome I, centred on the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene. Two additional, but weaker, signatures of selection were detected; one near the middle of chromosome I spanning 3.75 Mbp and 259 annotated genes, and one on chromosome II spanning a region of 3.3 Mbp and 206 annotated genes, including the isotype-2 β-tubulin locus. We also assessed how sensitivity was impacted by sequencing depth, worm number, and pooled versus individual worm sequence data. This study provides the first known direct genome-wide evidence for any parasitic nematode, that the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene is quantitatively the single most important benzimidazole resistance locus. It also identified two additional genomic regions that likely contain benzimidazole resistance loci of secondary importance. This study provides an experimental framework to maximise the power of genome-wide approaches to detect signatures of selection driven by anthelmintic drug treatments in field populations of parasitic nematodes.
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12
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Grau-Pujol B, Gandasegui J, Escola V, Marti-Soler H, Cambra-Pellejà M, Demontis M, Brienen EAT, Jamine JC, Muchisse O, Cossa A, Sacoor C, Cano J, Van Lieshout L, Martinez-Valladares M, Muñoz J. Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Beta-Tubulin Gene and Its Relationship with Treatment Response to Albendazole in Human Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Southern Mozambique. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:tpmd210948. [PMID: 35895348 PMCID: PMC9490645 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) cornerstone control strategy is mass drug administration (MDA) with benzimidazoles. However, MDA might contribute to selection pressure for anthelmintic resistance, as occurred in livestock. The aim of this study is to evaluate the treatment response to albendazole and the relationship with the presence of putative benzimidazole resistance single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the β-tubulin gene of STH in Southern Mozambique. After screening 819 participants, we conducted a cohort study with 184 participants infected with STH in Manhiça district, Southern Mozambique. A pretreatment and a posttreatment stool samples were collected and the STH infection was identified by duplicate Kato-Katz and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Cure rate and egg reduction rates were calculated. Putative benzimidazole resistance SNPs (F167Y, F200T, and E198A) in Trichuris trichiura and Necator americanus were assessed by pyrosequencing. Cure rates by duplicate Kato-Katz and by qPCR were 95.8% and 93.6% for Ascaris lumbricoides, 28% and 7.8% for T. trichiura, and 88.9% and 56.7% for N. americanus. Egg reduction rate by duplicate Kato-Katz was 85.4% for A. lumbricoides, 34.9% for T. trichiura, and 40.5% for N. americanus. Putative benzimidazole resistance SNPs in the β-tubulin gene were detected in T. trichiura (23%) and N. americanus (21%) infected participants at pretreatment. No statistical difference was observed between pretreatment and posttreatment frequencies for none of the SNPs. Although treatment response to albendazole was low, particularly in T. trichiura, the putative benzimidazole resistance SNPs were not higher after treatment in the population studied. New insights are needed for a better understanding and monitoring of human anthelmintic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berta Grau-Pujol
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic – University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- Mundo Sano Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Javier Gandasegui
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
| | - Valdemiro Escola
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Helena Marti-Soler
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic – University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Cambra-Pellejà
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
| | - Maria Demontis
- Department of Parasitology, Centre of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eric A. T. Brienen
- Department of Parasitology, Centre of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Osvaldo Muchisse
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Anelsio Cossa
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Charfudin Sacoor
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Jorge Cano
- Expanded Special Project for Elimination of NTDs, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, The Republic of the Congo
| | - Lisette Van Lieshout
- Department of Parasitology, Centre of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Martinez-Valladares
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
| | - Jose Muñoz
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic – University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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13
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George S, Suwondo P, Akorli J, Otchere J, Harrison LM, Bilguvar K, Knight JR, Humphries D, Wilson MD, Caccone A, Cappello M. Application of multiplex amplicon deep-sequencing (MAD-seq) to screen for putative drug resistance markers in the Necator americanus isotype-1 β-tubulin gene. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11459. [PMID: 35794459 PMCID: PMC9259660 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15718-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Global control of hookworm infections relies on periodic Mass Drug Administration of benzimidazole drugs to high-risk groups, regardless of infection status. Mutations in the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene have been identified in veterinary nematodes, resulting in structural changes and reduced drug-binding. In Ghana, previous studies have demonstrated significant variability in albendazole effectiveness among people infected with the hookworm Necator americanus, although the mechanisms underlying deworming response have not been defined. Using hookworm egg samples from a cross-sectional study in Ghana, we developed a multiplex amplicon deep sequencing (MAD-seq) method to screen genomic regions encapsulating putative drug-resistance markers in N. americanus isotype-1 β-tubulin gene. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) corresponding to resistance-associated mutations (F167Y, E198A, F200Y) within the coding region of the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene were characterized using MAD-seq in 30 matched pre- and post-treatment samples from individuals with persistent infection following therapy. Post-sequence analysis showed that the highest mean alternative nucleotide allele at each PCR amplicon was 0.034% (167amplicon) and 0.025% (198/200amplicon), suggesting minimal allelic variation. No samples contained the F167Y SNP, while one contained low-frequency reads associated with E198A (3.15%) and F200Y (3.13%). This MAD-seq method provides a highly sensitive tool to monitor the three putative benzimidazole resistance markers at individual and community levels. Further work is required to understand the association of these polymorphisms to treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santosh George
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
| | - Peter Suwondo
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Jewelna Akorli
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Joseph Otchere
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Lisa M Harrison
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
| | - Kaya Bilguvar
- Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - James R Knight
- Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Debbie Humphries
- Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Adalgisa Caccone
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael Cappello
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA
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14
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Pallotto LM, Dilks CM, Park YJ, Smit RB, Lu B, Gopalakrishnan C, Gilleard JS, Andersen EC, Mains PE. Interactions of C. elegans β-tubulins with the microtubule inhibitor and anthelmintic drug albendazole. Genetics 2022; 221:6613138. [PMID: 35731216 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes are major human and agricultural pests, and benzimidazoles are amongst the most important broad spectrum anthelmintic drug class used for their control. Benzimidazole resistance is now widespread in many species of parasitic nematodes in livestock globally and an emerging concern for the sustainable control of human soil transmitted helminths. β-tubulin is the major benzimidazole target, although other genes may influence resistance. Among the six C. elegans β-tubulin genes, loss of ben-1 causes resistance without other apparent defects. Here, we explored the genetics of C. elegans β-tubulin genes in relation to the response to the benzimidazole derivative albendazole. The most highly expressed β-tubulin isotypes, encoded by tbb-1 and tbb-2, were known to be redundant with each other for viability, and their products are predicted not to bind benzimidazoles. We found that tbb-2 mutants, and to a lesser extent tbb-1 mutants, were hypersensitive to albendazole. The double mutant tbb-2 ben-1 is uncoordinated and short, resembling the wild type exposed to albendazole, but the tbb-1 ben-1 double mutant did not show the same phenotypes. These results suggest that tbb-2 is a modifier of ABZ sensitivity. To better understand how BEN-1 mutates to cause benzimidazole resistance, we isolated mutants resistant to albendazole and found that 15 of 16 mutations occurred in the ben-1 coding region. Mutations ranged from likely nulls to hypomorphs, and several corresponded to residues that cause resistance in other organisms. Null alleles of ben-1 are albendazole-resistant and BEN-1 shows high sequence identity with tubulins from other organisms, suggesting that many amino acid changes could cause resistance. However, our results suggest that missense mutations conferring resistance are not evenly distributed across all possible conserved sites. Independent of their roles in benzimidazole resistance, tbb-1 and tbb-2 may have specialized functions as null mutants of tbb-1 or tbb-2 were cold or heat sensitive, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda M Pallotto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Clayton M Dilks
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Ye-Jean Park
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Ryan B Smit
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Brian Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | | | - John S Gilleard
- Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, Host-Parasite Interactions (HPI) Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1 Canada
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Paul E Mains
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
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15
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Jones BP, van Vliet AHM, LaCourse EJ, Betson M. In Silico Docking of Nematode β-Tubulins With Benzimidazoles Points to Gene Expression and Orthologue Variation as Factors in Anthelmintic Resistance. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.898814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of benzimidazole anthelmintics can vary depending on the target parasite, with Ascaris nematodes being highly responsive, and whipworms being less responsive. Anthelmintic resistance has become widespread, particularly in strongyle nematodes such as Haemonchus contortus in ruminants, and resistance has recently been detected in hookworms of humans and dogs. Past work has shown that there are multiple β-tubulin isotypes in helminths, yet only a few of these contribute to benzimidazole interactions and resistance. The β-tubulin isotypes of ascarids and soil-transmitted helminths were identified by mining available genome data, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the ascarids share a similar repertoire of seven β-tubulin isotypes. Strongyles also have a consistent pattern of four β-tubulin isotypes. In contrast, the whipworms only have two isotypes, with one of these clustering more basally and distinct from any other group. Key β-tubulin isotypes selected based on previous studies were the focus of in silico molecular docking simulations to look at the interactions with benzimidazoles. These showed that all β-tubulins had similar interactions with benzimidazoles and maintained the key bond with residue E198 in all species, indicating similar mechanisms of action. However, the interaction was stronger and more consistent in the strongyles and whipworms than it was in the ascarids. Alteration of β-tubulin isotypes with the common resistance-associated mutations originally identified in H. contortus resulted in similar interaction modeling for all species. In conclusion, ascarids, strongyles, and whipworms all have their own unique repertoire of β-tubulins, which could explain why benzimidazole resistance and susceptibility varies between these groups of parasites. These data complement recent work that has highlighted the roles of essential residues in benzimidazole drug binding and shows that there is a separation between strongyle parasites that frequently develop resistance and ascarid parasites, which have been much less prone to developing resistance.
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16
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Moving beyond the state of the art of understanding resistance mechanisms in hookworms: confirming old and suggesting new associated SNPs. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106533. [PMID: 35598651 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Hookworms represent a serious problem for human and animal health in different parts of the world. One of the suggested control strategies for parasitosis caused by members of the Ancylostomatidae family is mass drug aministration with benzimidazole compounds. This strategy has been proven to lead to the establishment of resistant strains in several nematodes related to SNPs at codons 167, 198 and 200 of the beta-tubulin isotype-1 gene. Through bioassay and in vivo analysis, we successfully isolated an albendazole-resistant A. ceylanicum strain by drug selective pressure. We observed a strong correlation between the presence of SNPs at codon 198 and drug resistance. We also described for the first time, in hookworms, the presence of SNP A200L, already described at low frequencies in ruminant nematodes. The results presented here are important for updating the current knowledge about anthelmintic resistance in hookworms. The answers and the new questions raised may provide a basis for the establishment of more effective control strategies.
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17
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Walker M, Freitas LT, Halder JB, Brack M, Keiser J, King CH, Levecke B, Ai-Lian Lim Y, Pieri O, Sow D, Stothard JR, Webster JP, Zhou XN, Terry RF, Guérin PJ, Basáñez MG. Improving anthelmintic treatment for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases through sharing and reuse of individual participant data. Wellcome Open Res 2022; 7:5. [PMID: 35493199 PMCID: PMC9020536 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17468.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO, https://www.iddo.org) has launched a clinical data platform for the collation, curation, standardisation and reuse of individual participant data (IPD) on treatments for two of the most globally important neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiases (STHs). This initiative aims to harness the power of data-sharing by facilitating collaborative joint analyses of pooled datasets to generate robust evidence on the efficacy and safety of anthelminthic treatment regimens. A crucial component of this endeavour has been the development of a Research Agenda to promote engagement with the SCH and STH research and disease control communities by highlighting key questions that could be tackled using data shared through the IDDO platform. Here, we give a contextual overview of the priority research themes articulated in the Research Agenda-a 'living' document hosted on the IDDO website-and describe the three-stage consultation process behind its development. We also discuss the sustainability and future directions of the platform, emphasising throughout the power and promise of ethical and equitable sharing and reuse of clinical data to support the elimination of NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Walker
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, Hatfield, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Luzia T. Freitas
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, Hatfield, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Julia B. Halder
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, Hatfield, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Matthew Brack
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Charles H. King
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Translational Physiology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Yvonne Ai-Lian Lim
- Department of Parasitology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Otavio Pieri
- Laboratory of Health and Environment Education, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janiero, Brazil
| | - Doudou Sow
- Service de Parasitologie, Université Gaston Berger de Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Senegal
| | - J. Russell Stothard
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joanne P. Webster
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London, Hatfield, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Xiao-Nong Zhou
- National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China
| | - Robert F. Terry
- Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Maria-Gloria Basáñez
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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18
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Agyapong O, Miller WA, Wilson MD, Kwofie SK. Development of a proteochemometric-based support vector machine model for predicting bioactive molecules of tubulin receptors. Mol Divers 2021; 26:2231-2242. [PMID: 34626303 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-021-10329-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules are receiving enormous interest in drug discovery due to the important roles they play in cellular functions. Targeting tubulin polymerization presents an excellent opportunity for the development of anti-tubulin drugs. Drug resistance and high toxicity of currently used tubulin-binding agents have necessitated the pursuit of novel drug candidates with increased therapeutic potency. The design of novel drug candidates can be achieved using efficient computational techniques to support existing efforts. Proteochemometric (PCM) modeling is a computational technique that can be employed to elucidate the bioactivity relations between related targets and multiple ligands. We have developed a PCM-based Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach for predicting the bioactivity between tubulin receptors and small, drug-like molecules. The bioactivity datasets used for training the SVM algorithm were obtained from the Binding DB database. The SVM-based PCM model yielded a good overall predictive performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 87%, Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 72%, overall accuracy of 93%, and a classification error of 7%. The algorithm allows the prediction of the likelihood of new interactions based on confidence scores between the query datasets, comprising ligands in SMILES format and protein sequences of tubulin targets. The algorithm has been implemented as a web server known as TubPred, accessible via http://35.167.90.225:5000/ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Odame Agyapong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Whelton A Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 581, Legon, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Samuel K Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
- West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
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19
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Gandasegui J, Grau-Pujol B, Cambra-Pelleja M, Escola V, Demontis MA, Cossa A, Jamine JC, Balaña-Fouce R, van Lieshout L, Muñoz J, Martínez-Valladares M. Improving stool sample processing and pyrosequencing for quantifying benzimidazole resistance alleles in Trichuris trichiura and Necator americanus pooled eggs. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:490. [PMID: 34563247 PMCID: PMC8466976 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04941-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is an urgent need for an extensive evaluation of benzimidazole efficacy in humans. In veterinary science, benzimidazole resistance has been mainly associated with three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the isotype-1 β-tubulin gene. In this study, we optimized the stool sample processing methodology and resistance allele frequency assessment in Trichuris trichiura and Necator americanus anthelmintic-related SNPs by pyrosequencing, and standardized it for large-scale benzimidazole efficacy screening use. METHODS Three different protocols for stool sample processing were compared in 19 T. trichiura-positive samples: fresh stool, egg concentration using metallic sieves with decreasing pore size, and egg concentration followed by flotation with saturated salt solution. Yield of each protocol was assessed by estimating the load of parasite DNA by real-time PCR. Then, we sequenced a DNA fragment of the β-tubulin gene containing the putative benzimidazole resistance SNPs in T. trichiura and N. americanus. Afterwards, resistant and susceptible-type plasmids were produced and mixed at different proportions, simulating different resistance levels. These mixtures were used to compare previously described pyrosequencing assays with processes newly designed by our own group. Once the stool sample processing and the pyrosequencing methodology was defined, the utility of the protocols was assessed by measuring the frequencies of putative resistance SNPs in 15 T. trichiura- and 15 N. americanus-positive stool samples. RESULTS The highest DNA load was provided by egg concentration using metallic sieves with decreasing pore size. Sequencing information of the β-tubulin gene in Mozambican specimens was highly similar to the sequences previously reported, for T. trichiura and N. americanus, despite the origin of the sample. When we compared pyrosequencing assays using plasmids constructs, primers designed in this study provided the most accurate SNP frequencies. When pooled egg samples were analysed, none of resistant SNPs were observed in T. trichiura, whereas 17% of the resistant SNPs at codon 198 were found in one N. americanus sample. CONCLUSIONS We optimized the sample processing methodology and standardized pyrosequencing in soil-transmitted helminth (STH) pooled eggs. These protocols could be used in STH large-scale screenings or anthelmintic efficacy trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Gandasegui
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain.,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
| | - Berta Grau-Pujol
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigação Em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique.,Fundación Mundo Sano, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Cambra-Pelleja
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain.,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
| | - Valdemiro Escola
- Centro de Investigação Em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | | | - Anelsio Cossa
- Centro de Investigação Em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
| | | | | | - Lisette van Lieshout
- Departement of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - José Muñoz
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María Martínez-Valladares
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain. .,Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain.
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20
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O'Halloran DM. CRISPR-PN2: a flexible and genome-aware platform for diverse CRISPR experiments in parasitic nematodes. Biotechniques 2021; 71:495-498. [PMID: 34420406 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2021-0056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes represent a significant threat to human health, causing diseases of major socioeconomic importance worldwide. Central to controlling infections of parasitic nematodes is a more detailed molecular picture of host specificity, parasite activation and immune suppression. CRISPR technology holds huge potential for researchers in the field of parasitic nematology, as it provides a powerful genetic tool to dissect questions in parasite biology. To expedite the development of CRISPR technology in parasitic nematodes, software is required to facilitate the design of effective and specific sgRNA sequences. Here, the author introduces CRISPR-PN2, a comprehensive web-based platform that provides flexible use control over the automated design of specific gRNA sequences for CRISPR experiments in parasitic nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien M O'Halloran
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Science & Engineering Hall, Suite 6000, 800 22nd St. NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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21
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Evans KS, Wit J, Stevens L, Hahnel SR, Rodriguez B, Park G, Zamanian M, Brady SC, Chao E, Introcaso K, Tanny RE, Andersen EC. Two novel loci underlie natural differences in Caenorhabditis elegans abamectin responses. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009297. [PMID: 33720993 PMCID: PMC7993787 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic nematodes cause a massive worldwide burden on human health along with a loss of livestock and agriculture productivity. Anthelmintics have been widely successful in treating parasitic nematodes. However, resistance is increasing, and little is known about the molecular and genetic causes of resistance for most of these drugs. The free-living roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans provides a tractable model to identify genes that underlie resistance. Unlike parasitic nematodes, C. elegans is easy to maintain in the laboratory, has a complete and well annotated genome, and has many genetic tools. Using a combination of wild isolates and a panel of recombinant inbred lines constructed from crosses of two genetically and phenotypically divergent strains, we identified three genomic regions on chromosome V that underlie natural differences in response to the macrocyclic lactone (ML) abamectin. One locus was identified previously and encodes an alpha subunit of a glutamate-gated chloride channel (glc-1). Here, we validate and narrow two novel loci using near-isogenic lines. Additionally, we generate a list of prioritized candidate genes identified in C. elegans and in the parasite Haemonchus contortus by comparison of ML resistance loci. These genes could represent previously unidentified resistance genes shared across nematode species and should be evaluated in the future. Our work highlights the advantages of using C. elegans as a model to better understand ML resistance in parasitic nematodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn S. Evans
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Janneke Wit
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Lewis Stevens
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Steffen R. Hahnel
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Briana Rodriguez
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Grace Park
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Mostafa Zamanian
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Shannon C. Brady
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Ellen Chao
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Katherine Introcaso
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Robyn E. Tanny
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Erik C. Andersen
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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O'Halloran DM. Considerations for anthelmintic resistance emergence in hookworm at a single locus. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2021. [PMCID: PMC8906071 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2020.100006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Over 800 million people are infected with hookworms around the world. Hookworms of the genus Ancylostoma and Necator are examples of nematodes that harbor the ability to enter a host by penetrating the skin, and after entry the infective larvae migrate to the small intestine where they encounter host-specific signals that initiate developmental pathways and culminate in maturation to the adult stage. Currently no vaccine is available for the treatment of hookworm infection. The control strategy is limited to anthelmintic drugs, which run the risk of losing efficacy as resistance grows. Genetic resistance has developed against all classes of anthelmintic drugs against livestock parasites, and recently markers of anthelmintic resistance in human hookworm populations have been reported. As anthelmintic resistance develops in human populations of hookworm, new drugs and novel control methods like vaccines will be required in the future to control hookworm transmission. This review outlines how population genetics and anthelmintic resistance could interact at a single locus to influence current control strategies. This review outlines how population genetics and anthelmintic resistance may interact to influence current control strategies. Altering mutation rate modifies rate of emergence of anthelmintic resistance. Genotypic fitness changes the efficacy of anthelmintic administration.
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23
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Wit J, Dilks CM, Andersen EC. Complementary Approaches with Free-living and Parasitic Nematodes to Understanding Anthelmintic Resistance. Trends Parasitol 2020; 37:240-250. [PMID: 33317926 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Anthelmintic drugs are the major line of defense against parasitic nematode infections, but the arsenal is limited and resistance threatens sustained efficacy of the available drugs. Discoveries of the modes of action of these drugs and mechanisms of resistance have predominantly come from studies of a related nonparasitic nematode species, Caenorhabditis elegans, and the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. Here, we discuss how our understanding of anthelmintic resistance and modes of action came from the interplay of results from each of these species. We argue that this 'cycle of discovery', where results from one species inform the design of experiments in the other, can use the complementary strengths of both to understand anthelmintic modes of action and mechanisms of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janneke Wit
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Clayton M Dilks
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
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24
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Furtado LFV, Dos Santos TR, de Oliveira VNGM, Rabelo ÉML. Genotypic profile of benzimidazole resistance associated with SNP F167Y in the beta-tubulin gene of Necator americanus helminths obtained from Brazilian populations. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 86:104594. [PMID: 33080381 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Necator americanus is a worm that parasites the small intestine of humans and is highly prevalent in regions with poor sanitary conditions. The main strategy to control this helminth is by mass benzimidazole administration, however, periodic use of these drugs can select strains of parasites resistant to treatment. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the beta-tubulin isotype 1 gene located at codons 167, 198 and 200 have been associated with benzimidazole resistance in some nematodes. Previously, our group detected the presence of some of these SNPs in populations of soil-transmitted helminths collected in different locations in Brazil. Here, we evaluated the SNP at codon 167, which has recently been shown to be associated with failure of benzimidazoles to treat N. americanus. Our ARMS-PCR analyses were performed using 524 single N. americanus eggs from 48 patients' feces collected in six Brazilian states; however, we did not detect any mutated samples at codon 167. This study builds on previous work, helping us monitor the presence of resistance-related genotypes in Brazilian helminth populations. The data presented here can assist in the implementation of future control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Viana Furtado
- Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Avenida Juca Stockler, 1130, CEP 37900-106, Nossa Sra. das Graças, Passos, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Talita Rodrigues Dos Santos
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Departamento de Parasitologia, L4 237, Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Valéria Nayara Gomes Mendes de Oliveira
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Departamento de Parasitologia, L4 237, Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Élida Mara Leite Rabelo
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos, 6627, Departamento de Parasitologia, L4 237, Laboratório de Parasitologia Molecular, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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25
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Boyko RH, Marie Harrison L, Humphries D, Galvani AP, Townsend JP, Otchere J, Wilson MD, Cappello M. Dogs and pigs are transport hosts of Necator americanus: Molecular evidence for a zoonotic mechanism of human hookworm transmission in Ghana. Zoonoses Public Health 2020; 67:474-483. [PMID: 32529782 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Hookworm infection (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma spp) causes significant morbidity in resource-limited countries. Dog and pig ownership is associated with human infection, although the mechanism through which animals increase risk remains unknown. We first confirmed this association in Kintampo North, Ghana, using a retrospective analysis and serology, followed by a prospective molecular study of animal faeces. As a proxy of exposure to dog faeces, we analysed immunoreactivity of human serum to the zoonotic nematode Toxocara canis. Anti-Toxocara antibodies were present in 62% of samples (n = 89), and reactivity was associated with dog ownership. A subsequent prospective study revealed that 43% of dog and 56% of pig faecal samples contained hookworm eggs by microscopy. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of N. americanus DNA in 47% of samples from dogs and 56% pig samples. Nematode larvae were successfully cultured from samples collected from 36 dogs and seven pigs. These results demonstrate that dogs and pigs have a likely role in the transmission of N. americanus in endemic communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Joseph Otchere
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
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26
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Partridge FA, Forman R, Bataille CJR, Wynne GM, Nick M, Russell AJ, Else KJ, Sattelle DB. Anthelmintic drug discovery: target identification, screening methods and the role of open science. Beilstein J Org Chem 2020; 16:1203-1224. [PMID: 32550933 PMCID: PMC7277699 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.16.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Helminths, including cestodes, nematodes and trematodes, are a huge global health burden, infecting hundreds of millions of people. In many cases, existing drugs such as benzimidazoles, diethylcarbamazine, ivermectin and praziquantel are insufficiently efficacious, contraindicated in some populations, or at risk of the development of resistance, thereby impeding progress towards World Health Organization goals to control or eliminate these neglected tropical diseases. However, there has been limited recent progress in developing new drugs for these diseases due to lack of commercial attractiveness, leading to the introduction of novel, more efficient models for drug innovation that attempt to reduce the cost of research and development. Open science aims to achieve this by encouraging collaboration and the sharing of data and resources between organisations. In this review we discuss how open science has been applied to anthelmintic drug discovery. Open resources, including genomic information from many parasites, are enabling the identification of targets for new antiparasitic agents. Phenotypic screening remains important, and there has been much progress in open-source systems for compound screening with parasites, including motility assays but also high content assays with more detailed investigation of helminth physiology. Distributed open science compound screening programs, such as the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box, have been successful at facilitating screening in diverse assays against many different parasite pathogens and models. Of the compounds identified so far in these screens, tolfenpyrad, a repurposed insecticide, shows significant promise and there has been much progress in creating more potent and selective derivatives. This work exemplifies how open science approaches can catalyse drug discovery against neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A Partridge
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Forman
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - Carole J R Bataille
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
| | - Graham M Wynne
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
| | - Marina Nick
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Angela J Russell
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn J Else
- The Lydia Becker Institute for Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
| | - David B Sattelle
- Centre for Respiratory Biology, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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Role of DNA-detection-based tools for monitoring the soil-transmitted helminth treatment response in drug-efficacy trials. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007931. [PMID: 32027646 PMCID: PMC7004296 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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Schistosomiasis and hookworm infection in humans: Disease burden, pathobiology and anthelmintic vaccines. Parasitol Int 2020; 75:102051. [PMID: 31911156 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2020.102051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Helminth diseases are the ancient scourges of humans and their damages are 'silent and insidious'. Of the helminth infections, schistosomiasis and hookworm infection have a great impact. This review covers information regarding vaccine candidates against schistosomiasis and hookworms that reached at least up to the phase-1 trial and literatures regarding other vaccine candidates have been excluded. For clinical manifestations, all available literatures were included, and for epidemiology and global burden of the diseases (GBD), literatures only within 2000-2019 were included. Literatures were searched surfing various databases including PubMED, Google Scholar, and Science Direct and overall over 150 literatures were identified. Globally ~250 million people are suffering from schistosomiasis, resulting 1430 thousand DALY (disability adjusted life year) per year. On the other hand, about 1.3 billion people are infected with hookworm (HW), and according to WHO, ~878 million school-age children (SAC) are at risk. HW is estimated to cause 65,000 deaths annually, accounts for 845 thousand DALYs as well as to cause 6-35.3% loss in productivity. Despite tremendous efforts, very few anthelmintic vaccine candidates such as Na-GST-1, Na-APR-1 and Na-ASP-2 against HW, and Sm28GST/Sh28GST, Sm-p80, Sm14 and Sm-TSP-1/SmTSP-2 against schistosomiasis reached up to the clinical trials. More efforts are needed to achieve the WHO targets taken against the maladies.
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29
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Vlaminck J, Cools P, Albonico M, Ame S, Ayana M, Cringoli G, Dana D, Keiser J, Maurelli MP, Matoso LF, Montresor A, Mekonnen Z, Mirams G, Corrêa-Oliveira R, Pinto SA, Rinaldi L, Sayasone S, Thomas E, Vercruysse J, Verweij JJ, Levecke B. Therapeutic efficacy of albendazole against soil-transmitted helminthiasis in children measured by five diagnostic methods. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007471. [PMID: 31369562 PMCID: PMC6675043 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Preventive chemotherapy (PC) with benzimidazole drugs is the backbone of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) control programs. Over the past decade, drug coverage has increased and with it, the possibility of developing anthelmintic resistance. It is therefore of utmost importance to monitor drug efficacy. Currently, a variety of novel diagnostic methods are available, but it remains unclear whether they can be used to monitor drug efficacy. In this study, we compared the efficacy of albendazole (ALB) measured by different diagnostic methods in a head-to-head comparison to the recommended single Kato-Katz. Methods An ALB efficacy trial was performed in 3 different STH-endemic countries (Ethiopia, Lao PDR and Tanzania), each with a different PC-history. During these trials, stool samples were evaluated with Kato-Katz (single and duplicate), Mini-FLOTAC, FECPAKG2, and qPCR. The reduction rate in mean eggs per gram of stool (ERR) and mean genome equivalents / ml of DNA extract (GERR) were calculated to estimate drug efficacy. Principal findings and conclusions The results of the efficacy trials showed that none of the evaluated diagnostic methods could provide reduction rates that were equivalent to a single Kato-Katz for all STH. However, despite differences in clinical sensitivity and egg counts, they agreed in classifying efficacy according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. This demonstrates that diagnostic methods for assessing drug efficacy should be validated with their intended-use in mind and that other factors like user-friendliness and costs will likely be important factors in driving the choice of diagnostics. In addition, ALB efficacy against STH infections was lower in sites with a longer history of PC. Yet, further research is needed to identify factors that contribute to this finding and to verify whether reduced efficacy can be associated with mutations in the β-tubulin gene that have previously been linked to anthelmintic resistance. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03465488. During the last decade, the scale of deworming programs that aim to eliminate the morbidity caused by intestinal worms has increased to a level that is unprecedented in history. It is therefore of utmost importance to monitor any change in therapeutic efficacy that may arise from emerging drug resistance. Currently, a variety of novel methods have been described, but it remains unclear whether they can be used for monitoring drug efficacy. We applied different diagnostic methods to measure the efficacy of a commonly administered drug in deworming programs in 3 countries with different historical exposure to deworming programs. Compared to the standard diagnostic method, all diagnostic methods revealed good agreement in classifying the therapeutic efficacy according to World Health Organization guidelines, despite clear differences in diagnostic performance. We also noticed that the drug efficacy was lower in countries where drug pressure has been high. However, more research is necessary to identify factors that explain this variation in drug efficacy, including but not limited to the frequency in mutations in genes that are known to be linked with anthelmintic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny Vlaminck
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Piet Cools
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Marco Albonico
- Center for Tropical Diseases, Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Shaali Ame
- Laboratory Division, Public Health Laboratory-Ivo de Carneri, Chake Chake, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Mio Ayana
- Jimma University Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Giuseppe Cringoli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniel Dana
- Jimma University Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria P. Maurelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Leonardo F. Matoso
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Research Center René Rachou—FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Nursing school, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Antonio Montresor
- Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zeleke Mekonnen
- Jimma University Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | | | - Rodrigo Corrêa-Oliveira
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Research Center René Rachou—FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Simone A. Pinto
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Research Center René Rachou—FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Somphou Sayasone
- Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute, Ministry of Health, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic
| | | | - Jozef Vercruysse
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Jaco J. Verweij
- Laboratory for Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Bruno Levecke
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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