Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

All Outputs (131)

New insights into the mechanical properties of Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts as revealed by phonon microscopy (2019)
Journal Article
Pérez-Cota, F., Smith, R. J., Elsheikha, H. M., & Clark, M. (2019). New insights into the mechanical properties of Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts as revealed by phonon microscopy. Biomedical Optics Express, 10(5), 2399-2408. https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.10.002399

The single cell eukaryotic protozoan Acanthamoeba castellanii exhibits a remarkable ability to switch from a vegetative trophozoite stage to a cystic form, in response to stressors. This phenotypic switch involves changes in gene expression and synth... Read More about New insights into the mechanical properties of Acanthamoeba castellanii cysts as revealed by phonon microscopy.

Label-free characterization of biochemical changes within human cells under parasite attack using synchrotron based micro-FTIR (2019)
Journal Article
Elsheikha, H. M., Elsaied, N. A., Chan, K. L. A., Brignell, C., Harun, M. S. R., Wehbe, K., & Cinquee, G. (2019). Label-free characterization of biochemical changes within human cells under parasite attack using synchrotron based micro-FTIR. Analytical Methods, 11(19), 2518-2530. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ay02777c

© 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for severe, potentially life-threatening, infection in immunocompromised individuals and when acquired during pregnancy. In the meantime, there is no available vacc... Read More about Label-free characterization of biochemical changes within human cells under parasite attack using synchrotron based micro-FTIR.

Prevalence of feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in England (2019)
Journal Article
Elsheikha, H. M., Wright, I., Wang, B., & Schaper, R. (2019). Prevalence of feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in England. Veterinary parasitology (Amsterdam), 16, 100271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2019.100271

Infection of cats with lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus has recentlbeen documented in the UK. Here, we aimed to study the prevalence of A. abstrusus in fecal samples from cats across England. A total of 950 fecal samples were collected from cats t... Read More about Prevalence of feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in England.

Advances in the Development of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Vaccines: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives (2019)
Journal Article
Wang, J.-L., Zhang, N.-Z., Li, T.-T., He, J.-J., Elsheikha, H. M., & Zhu, X.-Q. (2019). Advances in the Development of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Vaccines: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives. Trends in Parasitology, 35(3), 239-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2019.01.005

Important progress has been made in understanding how immunity is elicited against Toxoplasma gondii - a complex pathogen with multiple mechanisms of immune evasion. Many vaccine candidates have been tested using various strategies in animal models.... Read More about Advances in the Development of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Vaccines: Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives.

Haemoproteus minutus is highly virulent for Australasian and South American parrots (2019)
Journal Article
Ortiz-Catedral, L., Brunton, D., Stidworthy, M. F., Elsheikha, H. M., Pennycott, T., Schulze, C., …Olias, P. (2019). Haemoproteus minutus is highly virulent for Australasian and South American parrots. Parasites and Vectors, 12(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-3255-0

Background: Haemoproteus and Plasmodium species are widespread avian blood parasites. Several Plasmodium species are known for their high virulence and have caused significant declines in naïve bird populations. The impact of closely related Haemopro... Read More about Haemoproteus minutus is highly virulent for Australasian and South American parrots.

Transcriptomic insights into the early host-pathogen interaction of cat intestine with Toxoplasma gondii (2018)
Journal Article
Wang, M., Zhang, F., Elsheikha, H. M., Zhang, N., He, J., Luo, J., & Zhu, X. (2018). Transcriptomic insights into the early host-pathogen interaction of cat intestine with Toxoplasma gondii. Parasites and Vectors, 11(1), Article 592. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-3179-8

Background: Although sexual reproduction of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii exclusively occurs in the cat intestine, knowledge about the alteration of gene expression in the intestine of cats infected with T. gondii is still limited. Here, we investig... Read More about Transcriptomic insights into the early host-pathogen interaction of cat intestine with Toxoplasma gondii.

The pervasive effects of recombinant Fasciola gigantica Ras-related protein Rab10 on the functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (2018)
Journal Article
Tian, A.-L., Lu, M., Zhang, F.-K., Calderón-Mantilla, G., Petsalaki, E., Tian, X., …Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). The pervasive effects of recombinant Fasciola gigantica Ras-related protein Rab10 on the functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Parasites and Vectors, 11, Article 579. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-3148-2

Background: Fasciola gigantica-induced immunomodulation is a major hurdle faced by the host for controlling infection. Here, we elucidated the role of F. gigantica Ras-related protein Rab10 (FgRab10) in the modulation of key functions of peripheral b... Read More about The pervasive effects of recombinant Fasciola gigantica Ras-related protein Rab10 on the functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Survey-based pilot study into the chosen therapy and prophylaxis used by UK primary care veterinary surgeons against canine angiostrongylosis (2018)
Journal Article
Shuttleworth, A., Dunning, M., Wright, I., & Elsheikha, H. M. (2018). Survey-based pilot study into the chosen therapy and prophylaxis used by UK primary care veterinary surgeons against canine angiostrongylosis. Veterinary parasitology (Amsterdam), 14, 144-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.10.010

Canine Angiostrongylosis (CA), a gastropod-borne parasitic infection caused by the metastrongyloid nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum, is an important cause of significant morbidity to domestic dogs across the UK as well as in other European countries.... Read More about Survey-based pilot study into the chosen therapy and prophylaxis used by UK primary care veterinary surgeons against canine angiostrongylosis.

Metallome of cerebrovascular endothelial cells infected with Toxoplasma gondii using μ-XRF imaging and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (2018)
Journal Article
Al-sandaqchi, A. T., Brignell, C., Collingwood, J. F., Geraki, K., Mirkes, E. M., Kong, K., …Elsheikha, H. M. (2018). Metallome of cerebrovascular endothelial cells infected with Toxoplasma gondii using μ-XRF imaging and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Metallomics, 1401-1414. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8MT00136G

In this study, we measured the levels of elements in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) infected with T. gondii. ECs were infected with tachyzoites of the RH strain, and at 6, 24, and 48 hours post infection (hpi), the intracellular co... Read More about Metallome of cerebrovascular endothelial cells infected with Toxoplasma gondii using μ-XRF imaging and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in pets and their owners in Shandong province, Eastern China (2018)
Journal Article
Cong, W., Elsheikha, H. M., Zhou, N., Peng, P., Qin, S.-Y., Meng, Q.-F., & Qian, A.-D. (2018). Prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in pets and their owners in Shandong province, Eastern China. BMC Infectious Diseases, 18(1), Article 430. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-018-3307-2

Background: Pet ownership in China has been steadily increasing over recent years. However, the risk of pet-associated zoonotic infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii remains poorly defined. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, we... Read More about Prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in pets and their owners in Shandong province, Eastern China.

Functional characterization of dense granule proteins in Toxoplasma gondii RH strain using CRISPR-Cas9 system (2018)
Journal Article
Bai, M.-J., Wang, J.-L., Elsheikha, H. M., Liang, Q.-L., Chen, K., Nie, L.-B., & Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). Functional characterization of dense granule proteins in Toxoplasma gondii RH strain using CRISPR-Cas9 system. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 8, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2018.00300

Infection with the apicomplexan protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is an ongoing public health problem. The parasite's ability to invade and replicate within the host cell is dependent on many effectors, such as dense granule proteins (GRAs) releas... Read More about Functional characterization of dense granule proteins in Toxoplasma gondii RH strain using CRISPR-Cas9 system.

Immunization with plasmid DNA expressing Heat Shock Protein 40 confers prophylactic protection against chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection in Kunming mice (2018)
Journal Article
Li, Z.-Y., Lu, J., Zhang, N.-Z., Elsheikha, H. M., Hou, J.-L., Guo, H.-T., & Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). Immunization with plasmid DNA expressing Heat Shock Protein 40 confers prophylactic protection against chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection in Kunming mice. Parasite, 25, Article 37. https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2018040

Toxoplasma gondii causes one of the most common protozoal diseases of humans and animals worldwide. With the aim of designing an effective vaccine against T. gondii infection, we examined the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine expressing heat shock prot... Read More about Immunization with plasmid DNA expressing Heat Shock Protein 40 confers prophylactic protection against chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection in Kunming mice.

Immunization with a DNA vaccine cocktail encoding TgPF, TgROP16, TgROP18, TgMIC6, and TgCDPK3 genes protects mice against chronic toxoplasmosis (2018)
Journal Article
Zhang, N.-Z., Gao, Q., Wang, M., Elsheikha, H. M., Wang, B., Wang, J.-L., …Zhu, X.-Q. (in press). Immunization with a DNA vaccine cocktail encoding TgPF, TgROP16, TgROP18, TgMIC6, and TgCDPK3 genes protects mice against chronic toxoplasmosis. Frontiers in Immunology, 9, https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01505

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii; and a major source of infection in humans is via ingestion of T. gondii tissue cysts. Ultimately, the goal of anti-toxoplasmosis vaccines is to elicit a sust... Read More about Immunization with a DNA vaccine cocktail encoding TgPF, TgROP16, TgROP18, TgMIC6, and TgCDPK3 genes protects mice against chronic toxoplasmosis.

Transcriptomic analysis reveals Toxoplasma gondii strain-specific differences in host cell response to dense granule protein GRA15 (2018)
Journal Article
Liu, Q., Gao, W.-W., Elsheikha, H. M., He, J.-J., Li, F.-C., Yang, W.-B., & Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). Transcriptomic analysis reveals Toxoplasma gondii strain-specific differences in host cell response to dense granule protein GRA15. Parasitology Research, 117(9), 2785–2793. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5966-8

Growth and replication of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii within host cell entail the production of several effector proteins, which the parasite exploits for counteracting the host’s immune response. Despite considerable research to define... Read More about Transcriptomic analysis reveals Toxoplasma gondii strain-specific differences in host cell response to dense granule protein GRA15.

Toxocariasis: a silent threat with a progressive public health impact (2018)
Journal Article
Chen, J., Liu, Q., Liu, G., Zheng, W., Hong, S., Sugiyama, H., …Elsheikha, H. M. (2018). Toxocariasis: a silent threat with a progressive public health impact. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, 7(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-018-0437-0

Background: Toxocariasis is a neglected parasitic zoonosis that afflicts millions of the pediatric and adolescent populations worldwide, especially in impoverished communities. This disease is caused by infection with the larvae of Toxocara canis and... Read More about Toxocariasis: a silent threat with a progressive public health impact.

A novel recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for the rapid isothermal detection of Neospora caninum in aborted bovine fetuses (2018)
Journal Article
Tian, A., Elsheikha, H. M., Zhou, D.-H., Wu, Y.-D., Chen, M.-X., Wang, M., …Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). A novel recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for the rapid isothermal detection of Neospora caninum in aborted bovine fetuses. Veterinary Parasitology, 258, 24-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.06.004

The development of a method to rapidly diagnose Neospora caninum infection is highly desirable. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), combined with lateral flow (LF) strips, is a novel approach to rapidly amplify and visualize DNA. We have deve... Read More about A novel recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for the rapid isothermal detection of Neospora caninum in aborted bovine fetuses.

Hepatic metabolomics investigation in acute and chronic murine toxoplasmosis (2018)
Journal Article
Chen, X.-Q., Elsheikha, H. M., Hu, R.-S., Hu, G.-X., Guo, S.-L., Zhou, C.-X., & Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). Hepatic metabolomics investigation in acute and chronic murine toxoplasmosis. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 8, Article 189. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2018.00189

Toxoplasma gondii poses a great threat to human health, with no approved vaccine available for the treatment of T. gondii infection. T. gondii infections are not limited to the brain, and may also affect other organs especially the liver. Identificat... Read More about Hepatic metabolomics investigation in acute and chronic murine toxoplasmosis.

Live-attenuated Pru: Δcdpk2 strain of Toxoplasma gondii protects against acute, chronic and congenital toxoplasmosis (2018)
Journal Article
Wang, J.-L., Li, T.-T., Elsheikha, H. M., Chen, K., Cong, W., Yang, W.-B., …Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). Live-attenuated Pru: Δcdpk2 strain of Toxoplasma gondii protects against acute, chronic and congenital toxoplasmosis. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 218(5), 768–777. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiy211

Background: The threat of Toxoplasma gondii infection in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women necessitates the development of a safe and effective vaccine. Here, we examined the immune protection conferred by live-attenuated strain of T.... Read More about Live-attenuated Pru: Δcdpk2 strain of Toxoplasma gondii protects against acute, chronic and congenital toxoplasmosis.

A recombinant Fasciola gigantica 14-3-3 epsilon protein (rFg14-3-3e) modulates various functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (2018)
Journal Article
Tian, A.-L., Lu, M., Calderón-Mantilla, G., Petsalaki, E., Dottorini, T., Tian, X., …Zhu, X.-Q. (2018). A recombinant Fasciola gigantica 14-3-3 epsilon protein (rFg14-3-3e) modulates various functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Parasites and Vectors, 11(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-2745-4

Background The molecular structure of Fasciola gigantica 14-3-3 protein has been characterized. However, the involvement of this protein in parasite pathogenesis remains elusive and its effect on the functions of innate immune cells is unknown. We... Read More about A recombinant Fasciola gigantica 14-3-3 epsilon protein (rFg14-3-3e) modulates various functions of goat peripheral blood mononuclear cells.