About this Research Topic

Background

Virtually, protozoan parasite-borne infections constitute a substantial and serious clade of infectious diseases for almost all animal species including human. Some of these protozoan parasites are vector-borne diseases transmitted via arthropods as malaria, ticks as babesiosis and theileriosis, and flies as trypanosomosis and leishmaniasis. Such infections induce severe illness in infected animals, abnormal blood tests and may lead to death. Other protozoan diseases including toxoplasmosis and neosporosis possess great importance because of their capability for congenital transmission and inducing abortion, foetal resorption, mummification or delivery of foetus with congenital anomalies followed by death. While, other protozoa are causing highly contagious diseases in animals, and diarrhea is the main clinical form. These infections such as cryptosporidiosis, coccidiosis and amoebiasis are globally distributed and affect various animals including ruminants, equines and poultry.

Although the importance of protozoan infections regarding substantial economic losses and public health importance, most of these diseases are often neglected among communities in developing and developed countries. Up to date, the potent vaccines or drugs are not available for most of protozoan infections in different animals. Thus, this research topic is aimed to provide the recent and current knowledge on transmission, epidemiology and control of protozoan diseases of veterinary or zoonotic importance. Basic researches on unraveling the new clues of pathogenesis are critical for understanding the course of the infections and developing potent control strategies. Epidemiological studies also will contribute in the control of infection via estimating the prevalence, distribution and risk factors of infection. Development of vaccines or identifying new drugs is the first practical step to diseases control via prevention or treatment, respectively. All such knowledge will be sought in the current research topic to provide platform for increase of awareness in public audience and useful information for researchers and specialists.

The potential themes covered by this Research Topic, but not exclusively limited to, are:
- Epidemiology, pathogenesis, host-parasites interaction of protozoan parasites of veterinary importance in experimental, farm, pet, and wild animals.
- Pathobiological and epidemiological studies conducted on human or human resources or cells using protozoa of animal origin.
- Characterization of novel diagnostic antigens, virulence factors or parasite strains using gene-editing or recombinant protein or DNA approaches.
- Development of new vaccines or providing immunological insights to reduce the consequences of infection.
- Discovery of novel drugs, drug targets or insights to solve the emerging resistance to the anti-parasitic or acaricides compounds.

Keywords: otozoa, pathogenesis, vaccine, drug, epidemiology, diagnosis

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