The study of parasites and parasitic diseases, including parasite biology, host-parasite interactions, epidemiology of parasitic infections, and the development of antiparasitic interventions
3 papersThis study uses live-cell imaging to show that during infection of plants by the potato famine pathogen *Phytophthora infestans*, chloroplasts accumulate at the infection site and alter their structure by forming tube-like extensions called stromules. This response is dependent on the plant's immune system and can be suppressed by the pathogen.
This study demonstrates that the transcription factor ATF4 activates a mitochondrial metabolic defense against the parasite *Toxoplasma gondii* by increasing mitochondrial one-carbon metabolism, which uses folate, an essential B vitamin. This increased folate use restricts the parasite's access to folate, which is crucial for its own growth. In a mouse model, ATF4 activation was linked to a host-protective response.
Leptospirosis is a significant public health problem in both urban and rural areas of Brazil, with an average of 3,810 cases reported annually. Urban clusters were found in densely populated coastal areas and flood-prone regions, while rural clusters were concentrated in areas with large-scale agriculture and animal farming. Exposure to places with signs of rodents was the most commonly reported exposure factor.