Tag Archives: parasite

Parasite control – breaking the worm cycle

Gastrointestinal parasites are a major health challenge for all grazing animals, whether they are located on paddocks and rangelands (such as horses, sheep cattle or goats) or in zoos (such as giraffe and zebra). In a previous

Heparan sulphate; inspiration for new leishmaniasis drugs

Heparan sulphate. AoS

Leishmaniasis is a group of tropical parasitic diseases caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Leishmania and is endemic in 98 countries, with approximately 2 million new cases annually. Infection occurs when someone is bitten by an

New way to control parasites in grazing animals

Gastrointestinal nematodes are parasitic worms that pose a major threat to the health and productivity of grass-eating animals such as horses, sheep, cattle and goats. They live in the animals’ digestive system and suck their blood. Young

A powerful tool for the study of CD4 T cells in malaria

Although aimed at controlling invading pathogens, immune responses can sometimes be harmful to the host. Responses against the blood stage of malaria are an example of this: while B cells are activated and produce useful antibodies that

Deciphering plant immunity against parasites

A research group at University Bonn uncovers how plants detect and defeat parasitic worms. Nematodes are a huge threat to agriculture since they parasitize important crops such as wheat, soybean, and banana; but plants can defend themselves.

How do mistletoes use water in leafless hosts?

Mistletoes are parasitic plants that penetrate the bark of the hosts’ branches through a modified root, connecting to their host sap (xylem) from which they access all the water and nutrients they need to survive. The mechanism

Advancing medicine and agriculture using proteins that control energy and sugar production

Except for bacteria , most living organisms contain specialized cellular compartments termed mitochondria , that are responsible for breaking down sugars to produce energy for the cell. Plant cells possess a second compartment called chloroplasts , which