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The Cell Biology of Schistosomes: Implications for Diagnostics and Vaccines
- Publication Year:
- 2025
- Edition:
- 1st Ed.
- Author:
- R. Alan Wilson
- Publisher:
- CAB International
- ISBN:
- 978-1-80-062514-3
-
Description
-
Details
Description
This book discusses the cellular and molecular biology of schistosomes, one of the World Health Organisation's major Neglected Tropical Diseases, and consolidates decades of global research on their life cycle and host interactions.
It highlights advances from genomic and transcriptomic studies since 2003 that have revolutionised understanding of schistosome development, tissue organisation and gene expression. The text covers asexual multiplication in the snail host, larval infective stages, vascular migration, the structure and function of the nervous system, parasite-host interface products relevant to vaccine development, and reproductive and egg-associated processes driving transmission and pathology. Written by a leading authority, the book provides a comprehensive synthesis of schistosome cell biology and underscores the continuing challenges in achieving effective vaccination and sensitive diagnosis essential for eventual disease eradication.
Infection with schistosomes remains one of the most important Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) of humans on the World Health Organisation's list; eliminating schistosomiasis within the next decade is a key goal of the WHO.
These helminths are flatworms with a solid body plan differentiated into tissues and organs. This presents problems for studies of their basic cell biology, which initially relied on histology and ultrastructure. Keynote publications of transcriptome sequences in 2003, and the first genome assemblies in 2009, stimulated novel investigations of the underlying cellular processes. Tissue disaggregation methods allowed isolation of individual cells for transcriptome analysis and categorisation into discrete populations. Confocal microscopy then established sites of gene expression and protein localisation in the intact parasite.
The contents cover the:
Despite decades of research, an effective vaccine is not imminent. The diagnosis of single worm pair infections is also yet to be obtained. It is hoped that the information presented in this monograph will stimulate further work towards the goal of schistosome eradication.
It highlights advances from genomic and transcriptomic studies since 2003 that have revolutionised understanding of schistosome development, tissue organisation and gene expression. The text covers asexual multiplication in the snail host, larval infective stages, vascular migration, the structure and function of the nervous system, parasite-host interface products relevant to vaccine development, and reproductive and egg-associated processes driving transmission and pathology. Written by a leading authority, the book provides a comprehensive synthesis of schistosome cell biology and underscores the continuing challenges in achieving effective vaccination and sensitive diagnosis essential for eventual disease eradication.
Infection with schistosomes remains one of the most important Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) of humans on the World Health Organisation's list; eliminating schistosomiasis within the next decade is a key goal of the WHO.
These helminths are flatworms with a solid body plan differentiated into tissues and organs. This presents problems for studies of their basic cell biology, which initially relied on histology and ultrastructure. Keynote publications of transcriptome sequences in 2003, and the first genome assemblies in 2009, stimulated novel investigations of the underlying cellular processes. Tissue disaggregation methods allowed isolation of individual cells for transcriptome analysis and categorisation into discrete populations. Confocal microscopy then established sites of gene expression and protein localisation in the intact parasite.
The contents cover the:
- Complexities of asexual multiplication within the snail intermediate host.
- Infective processes of the miracidial and cercarial larvae.
- Intravascular migration to the sites of parasitisation in the vertebrate host.
- Intricacies of the nervous system in all life cycle stages.
- Definition of the parasite products that represent the parasite/host interface, from which vaccine candidates must derive.
- Reproductive processes, and the egg as the agent for transmission and pathology.
Despite decades of research, an effective vaccine is not imminent. The diagnosis of single worm pair infections is also yet to be obtained. It is hoped that the information presented in this monograph will stimulate further work towards the goal of schistosome eradication.
Details
- Platform:
- OvidSP
- Publisher:
- CAB International
- Product Type:
- Book
- Author:
- R. Alan Wilson
- ISBN:
- 978-1-80-062514-3
- Specialty:
-
- Cell Biology
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
- Pathology
- Language:
- English
- Edition:
- 1st Ed.
- Pages:
- 288
- Publication Year:
- 2025