Professional mononuclear phagocytes such as polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), monocytes, and macrophages are considered as the first line of defence against invasive pathogens. The formation of extracellular traps (ETs) by activated mononuclear phagocytes is meanwhile well accepted as an effector mechanism of the early host innate immune response acting against microbial infections. Recent i...

The phylum of Apicomplexa groups a large variety of obligate intracellular protozoan parasites that exhibit complicated life cycles, involving transmission and differentiation within and between different hosts. Little is known about the level of regulation and the nature of the factors controlling gene expression throughout their life stages. Unravelling the mechanisms that govern gene regulat...

Intracellular protozoan parasites are causative agents of infectious diseases that constitute major health problems for developing countries. Leishmania sp., Trypanosoma cruzi or Toxoplasma gondii are all obligate intracellular protozoan parasites that reside and multiply within the host cells of mammals, including humans. Following up intracellular parasite proliferation is therefore an essent...

A combined and updated checklist of helminth and protozoan parasites of birds in New Zealand is provided. This checklist, which is divided into two parts, includes a total of 203 parasites (68 nematodes, 40 cestodes, 44 trematodes, 11 acanthocephalans and 40 protozoans) from 116 hosts.

The identification of parasites in tissue sections is often difficult and fresh specimens are always required for accurate taxonomical classification. However, histological sections are in many cases the only material available and the identification of parasites in sections the subject of the recent histopathology workshop held in Dublin. The group reviewed the characteristics of representativ...

monkeys are important experimental models for investigating human diseases. the aim of this study was to survey the alimentary tract parasites among imported vervet monkeys (cercopithecus aethiops) to iran. fecal samples were collected from 40 vervets imported from tanzania to razi vaccine and serum research institute of iran. fecal samples were assessed by direct smear and telman sedimentation...

Protozoan parasites cause some of the world's most important diseases. Genome sequencing information is rapidly being acquired and combined with new developments in functional genome analysis to transform our understanding of parasites, and to enable new approaches to combating the diseases they cause.