Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases
University of Georgia
Plasmodium remodels the host liver cell as an obligatory step in malaria infection. Although several host proteins are recruited to the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) after invasion, the mechanisms underlying this acquisition remain unknown. Here, we validated the upregulation and recruitment of the host protein CGA during liver stage Plasmodium berghei infection. We then depleted a panel …
Fresh, ready-to-eat vegetables are susceptible to contamination by several bacterial pathogens. This study evaluated the behavior of inoculated Escherichia coli and Salmonella Enteritidis (7 Log10 CFU/g) through viable cell counts on eosin methylene blue (EMB) and brilliant green agar (BGA) in soil, seeds, and cilantro plants. Samples were analyzed at 2 h, 3, 7, 15, and 60 days (d) …
New vaccines to reduce disease and mortality caused by Plasmodium falciparum malaria are urgently needed. Most vaccines target a single life-cycle stage and confer modest protection. Kirtley et al. test whether multistage immunity can improve protection and provide some of the first evidence that ‘multistage’ vaccines should be pursued. Chester J Joyner, Amadis R Vivas, …
Microgastroid parasitoids lay eggs in other insects and harbor bracoviruses (BVs), which evolved from a nudivirus. BV genomes are endogenized in the wasp germline and consist of nudivirus-like genes plus proviral segments with virulence genes. Nudivirus genes produce virions in the ovary calyx cells, which wasps use to transfer virulence genes to hosts. Here, we …
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has demonstrated efficacy in cancer treatment, with recent advancements concentrating on photosensitizers that generate high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon light irradiation while exhibiting minimal dark toxicity. In this study, we explored the photophysical properties of ommatins, specifically xanthommatin (Xa), decarboxylated xanthommatin (Dc-Xa), and protected uncyclized xanthommatin (Uc-Xa), and assessed …
Dr. Ynes Ortega’s laboratory is focused on parasites that have been associated with food- and waterborne outbreaks. Because of current practices in the production and processing of food products, there is a need for studies aimed at the dynamics of disease transmission. Ortega was part of the team that first identified Cylospora as a human …
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, remains an important neglected infection due to underdiagnosis, global spread resulting from increased migration of people infected with T. cruzi and concomitant organ transplantation and blood transfusion, and limited availability of chemotherapy. The parasite’s surface is covered by a dense glycocalyx enriched in GPI-anchored mucins, trans-sialidases, and glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs), …
Although people living in malaria-endemic areas experience repeated infections with Plasmodium, the role of regulatory T (Treg) cells in recurrent malaria remains poorly understood. During a primary infection with Plasmodium, Treg cells suppress protective immunity by inhibiting germinal center (GC) reactions, thereby impeding the control of parasitemia. In contrast, memory Treg (mTreg) cells remaining after the clearance of initial Plasmodium infection …
The global sauce market continues to expand, driven by increased consumption, international trade, and development of new formulations. As a result, ensuring the microbiological safety of sauces has become increasingly important. Although sauces are often considered as low-risk products due to factors such as the presence of preservatives, high acidity, low water activity, and high …
Plasmodium falciparum, an obligate intracellular Apicomplexan parasite and the causative agent of malaria, must reside and replicate within a host cell during the intraerythrocytic stage. At the end of its replicative cycle, the parasite breaks down two biological membranes using a proteolytic cascade to release invasive daughter cells known as merozoites to continue its asexual …