In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of nematode parasites within the genus Dictyocaulus (superfamily Trichostrongyloidea). Lungworms from cattle (Bos taurus), domestic sheep (Ovis aries), European fallow deer (Dama dama), moose (Alces alces), musk ox (Ovibos moschatus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) were obtained and the...

Basophil contribution to the IL-4 pool in filarial infections was assessed using PBMC from 20 patients with active filarial infections and from 9 uninfected subjects. Patient basophils released histamine in response to Brugia malayi Ag (BmAg). They also released IL-4 within 2 h after exposure to BmAg, as assessed by intracellular cytokine flow cytometry. This IL-4 induction was Ag specific, as ...

Filarial nematodes (superfamily Filarioidea) are responsible for an annual global health burden of 6.3 million disability-adjusted life-years, which represents the greatest single component of morbidity attributable to helminths affecting humans. No vaccine exists for the major filarial diseases, lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis; in part because research on protective immunity against fi...

The objective of this paper was to describe the current status of Mansonella ozzardi prevalence among the inhabitants of 12 communities along the Ituxi river, in Lábrea municipality, state of Amazonas. The prevalence of M. ozzardi was determined using thick blood smears obtained by digital punctures. M. ozzardi was found in 30.23% of the samples collected (39/129), with similar prevalence betwe...

BACKGROUND The prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti, which causes lymphatic filariasis (LF) in The Gambia was among the highest in Africa in the 1950s. However, surveys conducted in 1975 and 1976 revealed a dramatic decline in LF endemicity in the absence of mass drug administration (MDA). The decline in prevalence was partly attributed to a significant reduction in mosquito density through the w...

A PCR-based assay have been previously described to detect Wuchereria bancrofti in mosquitoes and in human blood samples. However, the efficiency of PCR amplification may vary between samples depending on the presence of PCR inhibitors, leading sometimes to false negative results. To overcome this drawback, an internal standard plasmid (pWB11) was constructed. It can be added to each PCR reacti...

A survey for Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaraemia using membrane filtration was carried out among the Hagahai, a recently contacted Papua New Guinea group of hunter-gatherer shifting horticulturists. Adult men had a significantly higher microfilaraemia rate than women. Children aged > 15 years had significantly fewer infections than adults and the microfilaraemia densities were considerably low...