Blood-borne transmission of infectious prions during the symptomatic and asymptomatic stages of disease occurs for both human and animal transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). The geographical distribution of the cervid TSE, chronic wasting disease (CWD), continues to spread across North America and the prospective number of individuals harboring an asymptomatic infection of human va...

Although the importance of rodents as reservoirs for a number of tick-borne infections is well established, comparatively little is known about the potential role of shrews, despite them occupying similar habitats. To address this, blood and tick samples were collected from common shrews (Sorex araneus) and field voles (Microtus agrestis), a known reservoir of various tick-borne infections, fro...

Introduction: Dental students are at high risk for occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens (including HBV, HCV and AIDS) via sharps and needle stick injuries (NSIs). The aim of this study was to evaluate sharps and needle stick injuries among dental students and students' practice regarding protective strategies against blood borne pathogens. Methods: This cross-sectional study was perfo...

Strategies implemented to prevent transmission of infections by blood transfusion have been very successful. Despite this, the risk of infectious donations entering the blood supply and transmitting infection to the recipients of blood components and blood products is continually under scrutiny. In order to assess the risks and consequences of transfusion transmitted infections the characterist...

Transmission of malaria, a mosquito-borne protozoan disease, naturally acquired by exposure to bites of infective female Anopheles spp has also been documented to be through blood and organ transplant from infected persons, and accidental infection of drug users or medical personnel was reported1. This report implicates a probable mean of transmission of malaria associated with inappropriate di...

Molecular determinants and mechanisms of arthropod-borne flavivirus transmission to the vertebrate host are poorly understood. In this study, we show for the first time that a cell line from medically important arthropods, such as ticks, secretes extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes that mediate transmission of flavivirus RNA and proteins to the human cells. Our study shows that tick...

To summarize the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) in mainland China, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis based on available literature. Data show that differences in HHV-8 prevalence vary considerably among different ethnic groups and geographic regions. Blood-borne transmission could be a potential route for HHV-8 infection in China.

Arthropod-borne apicomplexan pathogens that cause asymptomatic persistent infections present a significant challenge due to their life-long transmission potential. Although anti-microbials have been used to ameliorate acute disease in animals and humans, chemotherapeutic efficacy for apicomplexan pathogen elimination from a persistently infected host and removal of transmission risk is largely ...

Infection control practices which increase the risk of blood-borne virus transmission with associated dental practice in one South African province were studied. All 24 state dental clinics were observed for adequate provision to carry out good infection prevention and control (IPC) practice, 75 staff including dentists, nurses and dental assistants were interviewed to assess IPC knowledge and ...

BACKGROUND With the global distribution, morbidity, and mortality associated with tick and louse-borne relapsing fever spirochetes, it is important to understand the dynamics of vector colonization by the bacteria and transmission to the host. Tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes are blood-borne pathogens transmitted through the saliva of soft ticks, yet little is known about the transmission...