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Human babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne malaria-like illness caused by Babesia parasites following their development in erythrocytes. Here, we show that a mutation in the Babesia microti mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) that confers resistance to the antibabesial drug ELQ-502 decreases parasite fitness in the arthropod vector. Interestingly, whereas the mutant allele does not affect B. microti fitness during the mammalian blood phase of the parasite life cycle and is genetically stable as parasite burden increases, ELQ-502-resistant mutant parasites developing in the tick vector are genetically unstable with a high rate of the wild-type allele emerging during the nymphal stage. Furthermore, we show that B. microti parasites with this mutation are transmitted from the tick to the host, raising the possibility that the frequency of Cytb resistance mutations may be decreased by passage through the tick vector, but could persist in the environment if present when ticks feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human hookworm infection is caused mainly by Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. Among the zoonotic hookworm species, only Ancylostoma ceylanicum causes potent human infections where dogs and cats act as reservoir of infection. Hence, species differentiation is imperative because the eradication of both anthroponotic and zoonotic hookworm depends on the concurrent human and animal health programs, hygienic practices, and mass drug administration for humans and dogs. Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of hookworm infections. Materials and Methods: A total of 209 stool samples were collected and subjected to stool microscopy, Kato-Katz method to identify the intensity of the infection, coproculture for L3 larval identification and species differentiation and semi-nested PCR with sequencing. Results: The prevalence of hookworm was estimated as 7.6%. Highest hookworm prevalence was seen in 20-30 years of age group. Majority of the infections were mild intensity infections. Sensitivity of stool microscopy was found to be 81.2% and the specificity was 100%. Sensitivity of Kato-Katz method was 87.5% and specificity was 100%. True positivity by agar plate culture was 83.3% and false positivity rate was 16.6%. Conclusion: Stool microscopy is the major mode of detection, but it has a higher false negative rate. Coproculture is time-consuming and needs the expertise to differentiate the species. On the other hand, PCR is known to be a sensitive, specific, and a reliable investigative tool which can help in diagnosis as well as in species differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworms) is traditionally based on the demonstration of eggs in stool using microscopic techniques. While molecular techniques are more appropriate to speciate STH species they are seldom applied. In this study we speciated STH eggs from stool using molecular techniques to gain insights into the distribution of both human and animal STH species in the human host. Methods: We speciated 207 STH egg isolates from stool collected during the baseline survey of six drug efficacy trials conducted in Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Vietnam applying a PCR - restriction fragment length polymorphisms based approach. Results: DNA of Ascaris was detected in 71 (34.3%) samples, of which all were identified as the human roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. In 87 (42.0%) samples, DNA of Trichuris spp. was found and further speciation demonstrated the presence of the human Trichuris trichiura (100%) and the canine Trichuris vulpis (n=7; 8.0%; in Cameroon only). Hookworms were identified in 104 (50.2%) samples, with Necator americanus (n=73; 70.2%) being the predominant species followed by Ancylostoma duodenale (n=40; 38.5%). Conclusions: Our study indicates that STH infections in humans are predominantly caused by human STH species. They also suggest that zoonotic transmission occurs on a local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is generally assumed that hookworm infections in humans are caused by Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. However, previous studies have also reported the presence of the animal hookworm A. ceylanicum in human stools. Methods: We determined hookworm infections in children in a tribal community in Tamil Nadu, India, using a semi-nested PCR-RFLP approach. Results: The results indicate that human species account for a majority of the hookworm infections (N. americanus 39/41 [95%]; A. duodenale 6/41 [15%]), whereas the animal hookworm A. ceylanicum only accounts for a minority of the infections (5%; 2/41). Conclusions: The results emphasize the need to consider zoonotic ancylostomiasis while developing strategies to control hookworm infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection has, as of April 2021, affected >133 million people worldwide, causing >2.5 million deaths. Because the large majority of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic, major concerns have been raised about possible long-term consequences of the infection., Methods: Wedeveloped an antigen capture assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in urine samples from patients with COVID-19whose diagnosis was confirmed by positive PCR results from nasopharyngeal swabs (NP-PCR+) forSARS-CoV-2. We used a collection of 233 urine samples from 132 participants from Yale New Haven Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that were obtained during the pandemic (106 NP-PCR+ and 26 NP-PCR-), and a collection of 20 urine samples from 20 individuals collected before the pandemic., Results: Our analysis identified 23 out of 91 (25%) NP-PCR+ adult participants with SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 protein in urine (Ur-S+). Interestingly, although all NP-PCR+ children were Ur-S-, one child who was NP-PCR- was found to be positive for spike protein in their urine. Of the 23 adults who were Ur-S+, only one individual showed detectable viral RNA in urine. Our analysis further showed that 24% and 21% of adults who were NP-PCR+ had high levels of albumin and cystatin C, respectively, in their urine. Among individuals with albuminuria (>0.3 mg/mg of creatinine), statistical correlation could be found between albumin and spike protein in urine., Conclusions: Together, our data showed that one of four individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop renal abnormalities, such as albuminuria. Awareness about the long-term effect of these findings is warranted., Competing Interests: A.I. Ko reportsreceiving research funding from Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron, Serimmune, and Tata Medical and Diagnostics; and having consultancy agreements with Tata Medical and Diagnostics. D.G. Moledina reports receiving honoraria from the British Medical Journal, National Kidney Foundation, and Remedy Health Media; serving as an editorial board member for Kidney360; receiving research funding from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (grants K23DK117065, R01DK12681, UH3DK114866, and P30DK079310), outside the submitted work; and being a coinventor of the pending patent application “Methods and Systems for Diagnosis of Acute Interstitial Nephritis,” which is subject to an option for a license agreement with RenalytixAI Inc. A.R. John reports receiving research funding from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and National Institutes of Health (NIH); being a scientific advisor for, or member of, Pluton Biosciences; and having patents and inventions involving antimalarials and malaria and SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers. V. Rao reports patents and inventions with Corvidia Therapeutics, and having consultancy agreements with Translational Catalyst. J. Testani reports receiving research funding from Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, 3ive Labs, Merck, NIH, Otsuka, Sanofi, Sequana Medical, The Foundry, and the US Food and Drug Administration; having consultancy agreements with, and receiving honoraria from, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cardionomic, FIRE1, Lexicon, Magenta Med, Merck, Novartis, Regeneron, Reprieve, Sanofi, Sequana Medical, Windtree Therapeutics, and W.L. Gore; having patents and inventions with Corvidia, Reprieve Inc., and Yale University; and having ownership interest in Reprive Inc. All remaining authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Nephrology.)

Background: It is generally assumed that hookworm infections in humans are caused by Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale. However, previous studies have also reported the presence of the animal hookworm A. ceylanicum in human stools., Methods: We determined hookworm infections in children in a tribal community in Tamil Nadu, India, using a semi-nested PCR-RFLP approach., Results: The results indicate that human species account for a majority of the hookworm infections (N. americanus 39/41 [95%]; A. duodenale 6/41 [15%]), whereas the animal hookworm A. ceylanicum only accounts for a minority of the infections (5%; 2/41)., Conclusions: The results emphasize the need to consider zoonotic ancylostomiasis while developing strategies to control hookworm infections., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)