Trypanosomes News and Research

RSS

Scientists discover new details about RNA editing in single-celled, disease-causing parasite

As molecular biologists at Boston University and as husband and wife, Ruslan Afasizhev and Inna Afasizheva, have worked together for decades. Together, they have published dozens of papers on the mechanics of mitochondrial DNA and RNA in a single-celled, disease-causing parasite called Trypanosoma brucei.

19 Jul 2023

Trial shows acoziborole drug clears body of African sleeping sickness parasites

Researchers evaluate the efficacy and safety of an oral antimicrobial drug acoziborole in patients with human African trypanosomiasis.

4 Dec 2022

Study shows the efficacy of new, single-dose, oral treatment for sleeping sickness

A new, single-dose, oral treatment for sleeping sickness is as effective as current treatments and could be a key factor in eliminating disease transmission by 2030, suggests a new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

30 Nov 2022

Researchers identify traditional Ghanaian medicines to eradicate neglected tropical diseases

The discovery of new drugs is vital to achieving the eradication of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa and around the world.

4 Jan 2021

Vitamin D could help suppress excessive T cell-mediated lung inflammation in severe COVID-19

As COVID-19 continues to spread over the world scientists continue to seek the reasons for the difference in disease severity from person to person.

22 Jul 2020

New chemical could potentially lead to a cure for neglected tropical diseases

Scientists say they are a step closer to developing a drug to kill the trypanosome parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis, otherwise known as sleeping sickness, paving the way for a potential cure.

13 Jul 2020

Yale researchers take important step toward curbing the threat posed by tsetse fly

When an infected tsetse fly bites humans or other mammals to feed on their blood, microscopic parasites (African trypanosomes) in the fly's saliva are transferred. The unfortunate recipient of the bite, once infected, often faces severe health consequences, even death.

3 Feb 2020

New leishmaniasis look-alike parasitic infection reported

A new study published online in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases describes the appearance of a new protozoan infection carried by insects which causes symptoms that mimic the disease called visceral leishmaniasis, caused by a different parasite.

2 Oct 2019

Detailed imaging of trypanosome paves way for new opportunities to combat sleeping sickness

The parasite trypanosome does not swim through a blood vessel as has always been assumed, it can simply be carried along with the flow.

25 Sep 2019

Discovery of protein that may be key to treating tropical diseases

Neglected tropical diseases form a group of infectious parasitic diseases that affect a large percentage of the world population, mostly in emerging nations. Sleeping sickness affects millions in sub-Saharan Africa and is caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly.

27 Aug 2019

Scientists join forces to identify a new approach to fight African sleeping sickness

Scientists working in a range of disciplines joined forces to identify a new approach to combat African sleeping sickness. Fundamental research undertaken under the supervision of Professor Ute Hellmich of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz has revealed a promising strategy to develop a suitable agent.

20 Feb 2019

Unusual molecular regulatory mechanism discovered in unicellular parasites

Researchers of the University of Bern have discovered a new molecular regulatory mechanism in unicellular parasites which has never before been observed.

10 Jan 2019

Sleeping sickness parasite exhibits metabolic flexibility and adaptability

Parasitic protozoa called trypanosomes synthesize sugars using an unexpected metabolic pathway called gluconeogenesis, according to a study published December 27 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by David Horn of the University of Dundee in the UK, and colleagues.

28 Dec 2018

Researchers aim to protect humans, mammals from deadly effects of African sleeping sickness

A team of Clemson University researchers wants to protect humans and other mammals from the debilitating and even deadly effects of African sleeping sickness.

21 Nov 2018

Temperature increases in Zambezi Valley may cause major declines in tsetse populations

A new study, based on 27 years of data from Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe, suggests that temperature increases over the last three decades have already caused major declines in local populations of tsetse flies.

24 Oct 2018

Impact of climate change on sleeping sickness vector population in Africa

LSTM's Dr Jennifer Lord is first author on a paper looking at the impact of climate change on the vectors of sleeping sickness in Africa.

23 Oct 2018

Gene sequencing reveals crucial molecular aspects of Trypanosoma brucei

Trypanosoma brucei, which causes sleeping sickness, evades the immune system by repeatedly altering the structure of its surface coat. Sequencing of its genome and studies of its 3D genome architecture have now revealed crucial molecular aspects of this strategy.

19 Oct 2018

Researchers discover new weakness in sleeping sickness parasites

Trypanosomes are single-celled parasites that cause diseases such as human African sleeping sickness and Nagana in animals. But they are also used in basic research as a model system to study fundamental biological questions.

21 Feb 2018

Elevated levels of suPAR protein combine with genetic mutation to trigger CKD in black people

Between 15 and 20 percent of black people carry a genetic mutation that puts them at risk for certain chronic kidney disease, but only about half of them develop the illness – a variance that long has puzzled researchers.

27 Jun 2017

Researchers discover unknown enzyme in pathogens responsible for African sleeping sickness

The life-threatening African trypanosomiasis, also called sleeping sickness, is caused by protozoa of the species Trypanosoma brucei. A team at the Biocentre of the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg in Bavaria, Germany, studies the pathogens and has now reported exciting news: The trypanosomes have a so far unknown enzyme which does not exist in humans and other vertebrates. This makes it a promising target for therapy.

22 Jun 2017