Experimental trials are underway exploring the use of parasitic helminthes to treat autoimmune diseases. As with any experimental therapy, such trials must adequately address safety concerns associated with the treatment protocol. In the treatment protocol employed by Autoimmune Therapies, patients are inoculated intradermally with the common nematode hookworm Necator Americanus. Beyond the pot...

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a class of renewable and biodegradable green polymers, have gained attraction as a potential substitute for the conventional plastics due to the increasing concern towards environmental pollution as well as the rapidly depleting petroleum reserve. Nevertheless, the high cost of downstream processing of PHA has been a bottleneck for the wide adoption of PHAs. Among ...

Hookworms are blood-feeding nematodes that parasitize the alimentary system of mammals. Despite their high pathogenic potential, little is known about their diversity and impact in wildlife populations. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on hookworm infections of wildlife and analyzed 218 studies qualitative and quantitatively. At least 68 hookworm species have been described in...

Human hookworm infection is a major cause of anemia and malnutrition of adults and children in the developing world. As part of on-going efforts to control hookworm infection, The Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative has identified candidate vaccine antigens from the infective L3 larval stages of the parasite, including a family of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins known as the Ancylostoma-secret...

Demethylation inhibitors (DMIs) have been an important tool in the management of grapevine powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe necator. Long-term, intensive use of DMIs has resulted in reduced sensitivity in field populations. To further characterize DMI resistance and understand resistance mechanisms in this pathogen, we investigated the cyp51 sequence of 24 single-spored isolates from Virginia ...

BACKGROUND Currently, information on species-specific hookworm infection is unavailable in Malaysia and is restricted worldwide due to limited application of molecular diagnostic tools. Given the importance of accurate identification of hookworms, this study was conducted as part of an ongoing molecular epidemiological investigation aimed at providing the first documented data on species-specif...

Infection by the human hookworm Necator americanus is a leading cause of anemia and disability in the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. In order to prevent childhood hookworm disease in resource poor settings, a recombinant vaccine is under development by the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, a Product Development Partner...