28/10/2022 Shannan Summers

A study led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine reviews the recent significant advances in understanding the molecular basis of praziquantel action and drug resistance in Schistosoma mansoni. The recent WHO treatment guidelines aim to extend and scale up mass drug administration of praziquantel in schistosomiasis endemic countries. The WHO NTD roadmap aims to achieve the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem by 2030. The scale up of mass drug administration programs may heighten the drug selection pressures on Schistosoma parasites, which could lead to the emergence of drug resistance. Until recently, drug resistance studies on field Schistosoma populations have been hindered by the lack of molecular markers associated with praziquantel resistance. The review discusses praziquantel resistance in the context of alternative factors that may decrease efficacy within endemic field settings, and the most recent treatment guidelines recommended by the WHO.

21/10/2022 Krisztian Magori

In this blog post, Krisztian Magori summarizes how Australia faces another summer of La Nina conditions, and a potential continuation of the Japanese Encephalitis outbreak from last summer

14/10/2022 Hilary Hurd

Analysis of genomes of plague bacterium from ancient burial sites are shedding light on the origins of Old-World plague pandemics.

07/10/2022 Srimathy Sriskantharajah

Many congratulations to Filipe Dantas Torres, Editor-in-Chief of Parasites & Vectors, on winning the 2022 World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) One Health Award.