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Epidemiology, Immunology, and Control of Schistosomiasis

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A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 23172

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Antonio Muro

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Guest Editor

Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca-Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
Interests: immune response; vaccine development; molecular diagnosis using LAMP
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Schistosomiasis remains a major global health issue for over 200 million people in 78 countries and leads to 280,000 deaths each year. Although the complete elimination of schistosomiasis is plausible, it requires regular preventive treatment that consistently reaches over 75% of children, together with basic hygiene and sanitation improvements, which are currently met. In addition, changes in epidemiological patterns recently related to inter-species genetic hybridization or continuously increasing evidence proving connections between schistosomiasis and carcinogenesis have added several layers of complexity to this issue. Moreover, the availability of genomes of major species, increase knowledge of the immune response and improved molecular techniques should generate better-quality diagnostics and facilitate new drugs and vaccine development. This Special Issue covers different interesting aspects of schistosomiasis, including epidemiological approaches, immunological advances and molecular diagnosis, therapeutic targets, and vaccine development based on “omic” tools.

Prof. Dr. Antonio Muro
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Biology and inter-species genetic hybridization
Genomic/transcriptomic/proteomic
Epidemiological pattern
Immunopathology
Schistosomiasis and cancer
Molecular diagnosis
New target therapeutic
Vaccine development

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1594 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of a Genus-Specific LAMP Assay for Schistosome Species to Detect Schistosoma haematobium x Schistosoma bovis Hybrids

by Beatriz Crego-Vicente, Pedro Fernández-Soto, Begoña Febrer-Sendra, Juan García-Bernalt Diego, Jérôme Boissier, Etienne K. Angora, Ana Oleaga and Antonio Muro

J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(6), 1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10061308 - 22 Mar 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2739

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a disease of great medical and veterinary importance in tropical and subtropical regions caused by different species of parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. The emergence of natural hybrids of schistosomes indicate the risk of possible infection to humans and their zoonotic potential, specifically for Schistosoma haematobium and S. bovis. Hybrid schistosomes have the potential to replace existing species, generate new resistances, pathologies and extending host ranges. Hybrids may also confuse the serological, molecular and parasitological diagnosis. Currently, LAMP technology based on detection of nucleic acids is used for detection of many agents, including schistosomes. Here, we evaluate our previously developed species-specific LAMP assays for S. haematobium, S. mansoni, S. bovis and also the genus-specific LAMP for the simultaneous detection of several Schistosoma species against both DNA from pure and, for the first time, S. haematobium x S. bovis hybrids. Proper operation was evaluated with DNA from hybrid schistosomes and with human urine samples artificially contaminated with parasites’ DNA. LAMP was performed with and without prior DNA extraction. The genus-specific LAMP properly amplified pure Schistosoma species and different S. haematobium-S. bovis hybrids with different sensitivity. The Schistosoma spp.-LAMP method is potentially adaptable for field diagnosis and disease surveillance in schistosomiasis endemic areas where human infections by schistosome hybrids are increasingly common. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Immunology, and Control of Schistosomiasis)

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14 pages, 1072 KiB

Open AccessArticle

T Cell Peptides Derived from Invasive Stages of Schistosoma mansoni as Potential Schistosomiasis Vaccine

by Julio López-Abán, Belén Vicente, Elías Kabbas-Piñango, Juan Hernández-Goenaga, Javier Sánchez-Montejo, María Aguiriano, Esther del Olmo, Magnolia Vanegas, Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo and Antonio Muro

J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(3), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10030445 - 24 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2609

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affects 143 million people in endemic countries. This work analyzed overexpressed sequences from the cercaria phase to the early schistosomulum phase using bioinformatics tools to predict host interaction and selected proteins for predicting T cell epitopes. The final peptides were chemically synthesized, and their toxicity was evaluated in vitro. Peptides were formulated in the Adjuvant Adaptation (ADAD) vaccination system and injected into BALB/c mice that were challenged with S. mansoni cercariae to assess protection and immunogenicity. A total of 39 highly expressed S.mansoni proteins were identified as being of potential interest. Three T cell peptides predicted to bind MHC mouse and human class II were synthesized and formulated for vaccination. SmGSP and SmIKE reduced the number of eggs trapped in the liver by more than 50% in challenged BALB/c mice. The liver of mice vaccinated with either SmGSP or SmTNP had a significantly reduced affected liver surface. Transcriptome-based T cell peptides elicit partial protection and could be candidates for a multiantigen vaccine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Immunology, and Control of Schistosomiasis)

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Review

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13 pages, 26562 KiB

Open AccessReview

Clinical Spectrum of Schistosomiasis: An Update

by Cristina Carbonell, Beatriz Rodríguez-Alonso, Amparo López-Bernús, Hugo Almeida, Inmaculada Galindo-Pérez, Virginia Velasco-Tirado, Miguel Marcos, Javier Pardo-Lledías and Moncef Belhassen-García

J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(23), 5521; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10235521 - 25 Nov 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5681

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a helminthic infection and one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). It is caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. It is an important public health problem, particularly in poverty-stricken areas, especially those within the tropics and subtropics. It is estimated that at least 236 million people worldwide are infected, 90% of them in sub-Saharan Africa, and that this disease causes approximately 300,000 deaths annually. The clinical manifestations are varied and affect practically all organs. There are substantial differences in the clinical presentation, depending on the phase and clinical form of schistosomiasis in which it occurs. Schistosomiasis can remain undiagnosed for a long period of time, with secondary clinical lesion. Here, we review the clinical profile of schistosomiasis. This information may aid in the development of more efficacious treatments and improved disease prognosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Immunology, and Control of Schistosomiasis)

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13 pages, 1231 KiB

Open AccessReview

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification in Schistosomiasis

by Juan García-Bernalt Diego, Pedro Fernández-Soto, Begoña Febrer-Sendra, Beatriz Crego-Vicente and Antonio Muro

J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(3), 511; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10030511 - 01 Feb 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3347

Abstract

Human schistosomiasis is one of the most important parasitic diseases, causing around 250 million cases (mostly in Africa) and 280,000–500,000 deaths every year. Due to the limited resources and the far-removed nature of many endemic areas, the implementation of new, sensitive and specific diagnostic tools has had little success. This is particularly true for PCR-based molecular methods that require expensive equipment and trained personnel to be executed. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) along with other isothermal techniques appeared in the early 21st century as an alternative to those methods, overcoming some of the aforementioned limitations and achieving a more inexpensive diagnostic. However, to this date, neither LAMP nor any other isothermal technique have signified a meaningful change in the way schistosomiasis diagnosis is routinely performed. Here, we present the recent developments in LAMP-based schistosomiasis diagnosis. We expose the main advantages and disadvantages of LAMP technology over PCR and other classical diagnostic methods focusing in various research approaches on intermediate hosts, animal models and patients. We also examine its potential clinical application in post-therapy monitoring, as well as its usefulness as a point-of-care test. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Immunology, and Control of Schistosomiasis)

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11 pages, 815 KiB

Open AccessReview

Urogenital Schistosomiasis—History, Pathogenesis, and Bladder Cancer

by Lúcio Lara Santos, Júlio Santos, Maria João Gouveia, Carina Bernardo, Carlos Lopes, Gabriel Rinaldi, Paul J. Brindley and José M. Correia da Costa

J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(2), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10020205 - 08 Jan 2021

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 8025

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is the most important helminthiasis worldwide in terms of morbidity and mortality. Most of the infections occurs in Africa, which about two thirds are caused by Schistosoma haematobium. The infection with S. haematobium is considered carcinogenic leading to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Additionally, it is responsible for female genital schistosomiasis leading to infertility and higher risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Remarkably, a recent outbreak in Corsica (France) drew attention to its potential re-mergence in Southern Europe. Thus far, little is known related to host-parasite interactions that trigger carcinogenesis. However, recent studies have opened new avenues to understand mechanisms on how the parasite infection can lead cancer and other associated pathologies. Here, we present a historical perspective of schistosomiasis, and review the infection-associated pathologies and studies on host–parasite interactions that unveil tentative mechanisms underlying schistosomiasis-associated carcinogenesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology, Immunology, and Control of Schistosomiasis)

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