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Imaging African trypanosomes

MacLean, L; Myburgh, E; Rodgers, J; Price, H

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Authors

L MacLean

E Myburgh

J Rodgers



Abstract

Trypanosoma brucei are extracellular kinetoplastid parasites transmitted by the blood-sucking tsetse fly. They are responsible for the fatal disease human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness. In late-stage infection, trypanosomes cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and invade the central nervous system (CNS) invariably leading to coma and death if untreated. There is no available vaccine and current late-stage HAT chemotherapy consists of either melarsoprol, which is highly toxic causing up to 8% of deaths, or nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT), which is costly and difficult to administer. There is therefore an urgent need to identify new late-stage HAT drug candidates. Here, we review how current imaging tools, ranging from fluorescent confocal microscopy of live immobilized cells in culture to whole-animal imaging, are providing insight into T. brucei biology, parasite-host interplay, trypanosome CNS invasion and disease progression. We also consider how imaging tools can be used for candidate drug screening purposes that could lead to new chemotherapies.

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jun 18, 2013
Publication Date Sep 4, 2013
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Parasite Immunology
Print ISSN 1365-3024
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 35
Issue 9-10
Pages 283 -294
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/pim.12046
Keywords animal model, electron microscopy, in vivo imaging, RNA interference, tools and techniques, Trypanosoma spp
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/pim.12046

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