Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates
13:55

Sexual Transmission of American Trypanosomes from Males and Females to Naive Mates

Published on: January 27, 2019

Increased CXCL-13 levels in human African trypanosomiasis meningo-encephalitis

Bertrand Courtioux1, Lynda Pervieux, Gedeao Vatunga

  • 1Institut de Neurologie Tropicale, Université de Limoges, Limoges, France. bertrand.courtioux@unilim.fr

Tropical Medicine & International Health : TM & IH
|March 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Levels of CXCL-13 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) increased with the progression of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) meningoencephalitis. This chemokine may aid in diagnosing HAT and monitoring disease severity.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Biomarker Discovery

Background:

  • Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) meningoencephalitis presents diagnostic challenges.
  • The B-cell attracting chemokine CXCL-13 is implicated in B-cell trafficking and immunoglobulin M (IgM) production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of CXCL-13 in diagnosing HAT meningoencephalitis.
  • To assess CXCL-13 as a potential marker for disease staging and severity.

Main Methods:

  • CXCL-13 levels were measured using ELISA in paired serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 26 HAT patients and 16 controls.
  • Results were correlated with established stage determination markers and indicators of intrathecal IgM synthesis.

Main Results:

  • Elevated serum CXCL-13 levels correlated with the presence of trypanosomes in CSF.
  • Significantly increased CXCL-13 levels were observed in CSF, correlating with all standard stage markers and intrathecal IgM synthesis.

Conclusions:

  • CSF CXCL-13 levels show a significant increase during HAT progression.
  • CXCL-13 warrants further investigation as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HAT meningoencephalitis in larger cohort studies.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model08:20

Superior Auto-Identification of Trypanosome Parasites by Using a Hybrid Deep-Learning Model

Published on: October 27, 2023

Bioluminescence Imaging to Detect Late Stage Infection of African Trypanosomiasis07:59

Bioluminescence Imaging to Detect Late Stage Infection of African Trypanosomiasis

Published on: May 18, 2016

Related Concept Videos

American Trypanosomiasis01:22

American Trypanosomiasis

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...
Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

Arboviral Encephalitis

Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

Encephalitis l: Introduction

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology01:26

Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...