About this Research Topic
Parasitic protozoa including Leishmania, Trypanosoma and Plasmodium species represent the causative agents of important human diseases. Alternating between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, these parasites exhibit complex developmental life cycles in terms of morphological, metabolic and genetic changes. Indeed, the intrinsic coevolution within their hosts has forced them to develop intricate strategies in order to adapt and survive to the changing microenvironments they encounter. In parallel, both hosts and vectors have equally evolved clever adaptations to counteract the subversion mechanisms elicited by these infectious agents. Beyond coevolution, human interventions (chemotherapy, vaccination, vector control and/or environmental changes), have further shaped the interactions between the parasites and their hosts, often resulting in an overall favorable biological equilibrium.
The study of host-parasite-vector interactions is essential to understand parasitic infection, local adaptation to the different environmental conditions, pathogenesis and parasite transmission. However, the reciprocal interaction between parasites, host and vectors is not fully understood. Importantly, unraveling the adaptations and counter-adaptations of both parasites and hosts might have the potential to develop new tools to cure or control parasitic infectious diseases. This Research Topic will attempt to reveal new aspects of the complex interface between the parasite and their hosts, while offering a unique insight into the fascinating strategies employed by all actors involved.
The current Topic welcomes Original Research articles, Reviews, Brief Research Reports, and Mini Reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Parasite differentiation, invasion strategies and persistence.
• Host and vector cell/tissue remodeling due to the infection.
• Molecular subversion mechanisms by parasites and/or parasite-derived molecules at organelle, cell or tissue level.
• Environmental sensing.
• Immune evasion strategies.
• Counter-adaptations of insect vectors and mammalian hosts to infection by protozoan parasites.
• Advanced system-level, ‘omics’ approaches for the study of host-parasite-vector interactomes.
• Impact of human interventions in host-parasite-vector interactions.
The study of host-parasite-vector interactions is essential to understand parasitic infection, local adaptation to the different environmental conditions, pathogenesis and parasite transmission. However, the reciprocal interaction between parasites, host and vectors is not fully understood. Importantly, unraveling the adaptations and counter-adaptations of both parasites and hosts might have the potential to develop new tools to cure or control parasitic infectious diseases. This Research Topic will attempt to reveal new aspects of the complex interface between the parasite and their hosts, while offering a unique insight into the fascinating strategies employed by all actors involved.
The current Topic welcomes Original Research articles, Reviews, Brief Research Reports, and Mini Reviews addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Parasite differentiation, invasion strategies and persistence.
• Host and vector cell/tissue remodeling due to the infection.
• Molecular subversion mechanisms by parasites and/or parasite-derived molecules at organelle, cell or tissue level.
• Environmental sensing.
• Immune evasion strategies.
• Counter-adaptations of insect vectors and mammalian hosts to infection by protozoan parasites.
• Advanced system-level, ‘omics’ approaches for the study of host-parasite-vector interactomes.
• Impact of human interventions in host-parasite-vector interactions.
Keywords: invasion, persistence, differentiation, immune evasion, omics, human interventions
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
