Parasites

If we really want to cut down on the hundreds of millions of malaria cases they cause every year, we need more effective weapons. Now, researchers have used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tool to engineered mosquitoes that are highly resistant to the malaria parasite, by deleting one specific gene.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) isn't good for anyone to have, but it's particularly hard on children – it can cause reduced absorption of nutrients, which can in turn stunt a child's growth. That's why scientists are looking at a better way of treating it … using tapeworms.

A parasite is an organism that attaches itself to a host, often leeching food and nutrients at the expense of its host. Parasitic architecture emulates that relationship with structures sitting on top of, underneath, or alongside existing structures, relying on its host for support and resources.

It’s one of nature’s most disturbing horror stories: a fungus takes control of a living ant to spread spores through the colony. But now a study led by Penn State University has found that the fungus makes these “zombie ants” without directly infecting the brains of its hosts.

If you've ever used tick medicine on your dog, then you're probably aware of how toxic the stuff is. Well, it's used on cows too. Fortunately, however, scientists have developed a new type of tick treatment for cattle that is reportedly much less toxic than what's currently used.

An international team of scientists has sequenced the genetic code of Toxocara canis, also known as dog roundworm, opening the door for new drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests applicable to a wide range of roundworms to be developed.

Entomologist and wildlife photographer Piotr Naskrecki is not squeamish. He recently allowed two human bot fly larvae to grow to maturity under his skin and documented the process in a short film.

A clinical trial of a permanent vaccine developed by the US-based Sabin Vaccine Institute for hookworm has been completed in Brazil, giving hope for a permanent end to a problem that affects 600 million people worldwide.

A new discovery by scientists from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) holds promise for the development of a Malaria vaccine. The result of five years research, the breakthrough is based on the ability to block the invasion of red blood cells by the deadly parasite.

NanoMal, an EU consortium, is developing a hand-held blood analyzer to diagnose and optimize treatments for malaria in the field.

University of Illinois researchers have tested a modified osteoporosis drug that kills malarial parasites in mice.

An international team of scientists has successfully sequenced the body louse, in hopes of understanding and controlling it.