News

Guest Editors: S. Kayuni, J. Musaya, J. Ellis & J. R. Stothard

From 6th September 2024, Parasitology welcomes invited and open submissions for a Special Issue that brings together recent research exploring the biology of parasites within the genital tract of vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. The Special Issue will take a holistic approach across three themes of medical, veterinary and wildlife interests, establishing insightful comparisons.

Our Special Issue is inspired, in part, by the British Society for Parasitology Autumn Symposium as held on 4-5th September and entitled “Highlighting female and male genital schistosomiasis in Africa”. This meeting will shine new light onto the epidemiology and control of human schistosomes, with focus upon Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mattheei trematode blood flukes. The latter species can be considered an emerging zoonosis.

The full impact of parasitic disease within the human genital tract goes beyond that of infections with schistosomes alone and includes important protists such as Trichomonas vaginalis. Despite having the highest prevalence of any sexually transmitted infection globally, there is a dearth of epidemiological data describing its incidence, prevalence and response to medicines in women and men. Ectoparasites such as Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis can be specifically adapted to our human biology by exploiting our sexual activity and skin-to-skin contacts.   

Outside of medical interest, parasites that cause infection and disease in livestock and wildlife are numerous but often understudied. In livestock, Tritrichomonas foetus causes infertility and foetal death, negatively impacting on cattle production systems. In wildlife, certain nematodes and trematodes of birds may infect the oviduct from the cloaca by reverse peristalsis, with heavy infestations causing soft-shelled and shell-less eggs. Parasites of the reproductive tracts and systems of invertebrates such as marine molluscs can have fascinating yet harmful effects. 

Closing submission date: 31^st January 2025