Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (600 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Infections or infestations with parasites. They are often contracted through contact with an intermediate vector, but may occur as the result of direct exposure.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Disease, Parasitic; Diseases, Parasitic; Parasitic Disease; Parasitic Infections; Infection, Parasitic; Infections, Parasitic; Parasitic Infection; Parasite Infections.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Infections
- Narrower topics
- Central Nervous System Parasitic Infections; Eye Infections, Parasitic; Helminthiasis; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Liver Diseases, Parasitic; Lung Diseases, Parasitic; Mesomycetozoea Infections; Parasitemia; Parasitic Diseases, Animal; Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic; Protozoan Infections; Skin Diseases, Parasitic
Related concepts
- Parasites
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 389,742 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Parasitic Diseases” (counts retrieved 2026-10-29). 56,896 of them (14.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 173,101 records.
Reviews account for 34,321 records (8.8%) and meta-analyses for 1,770. Randomized controlled trials number 5,564 (1.4%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 173,101 |
| 2000-2009 | 68,084 |
| 2010-2019 | 91,661 |
| 2020 onward | 56,896 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 34,321 | 8.8% |
| Meta-analyses | 1,770 | 0.5% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 5,564 | 1.4% |
Method: PubMed query "Parasitic Diseases"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-29.
Reading the evidence in infectious diseases
Infectious disease evidence combines microbiology, epidemiology and clinical trials. Laboratory studies identify pathogens and how they cause harm; surveillance and outbreak investigations describe who is affected and how infection spreads; trials establish whether treatments and vaccines work. Results depend on place and time, because pathogens evolve and resistance patterns and population immunity change. Check when and where the data were collected, how cases were defined and how up to date the evidence is.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dual plasmepsin IX and X inhibitors are refractory to development of resistance | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 42709875 · DOI · PMC13568514 |
| Exploring heterogeneity in mosquito exposure and attraction and its implications for malaria transmission | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42709905 · DOI · PMC13577544 |
| Modelling anti-Ov16 seroprevalence for the control and elimination of onchocerciasis | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42749698 · DOI · PMC13582928 |
Dual plasmepsin IX and X inhibitors are refractory to development of resistance [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) remain the cornerstone of malaria treatment, but emerging resistance threatens their efficacy.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings demonstrate that dual PMIX/X inhibitors present a substantially higher barrier to resistance than PMX-selective inhibitors, informing antimalarial drug development strategies and highlighting dual-target inhibition as a promising approach to mitigate resistance risks.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (224 words)
Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) remain the cornerstone of malaria treatment, but emerging resistance threatens their efficacy. The potential for the development of drug resistance against plasmepsin X (PMX)-selective inhibitors and dual plasmepsin IX/X (PMIX/X) inhibitors was investigated in Plasmodium falciparum. A series of PMX-selective (WM4, WM76, WM92) and PMIX/X dual inhibitors (WM382, WM09, WM42) were characterised for potency against parasite growth and enzyme inhibition. In vitro selection experiments showed that all compounds had a high barrier to resistance, although parasites with reduced sensitivity to PMX‑selective inhibitors could still be selected. Resistance mechanisms involved pmx gene amplification and point mutations (D245N, S315P, S359P, I363L) that alter inhibitor binding. Recombinant expression and Michaelis-Menten kinetics demonstrated that these mutations impair drug binding whilst preserving PMX catalytic function. Reverse genetics confirmed that introducing these mutations into the pmx gene resulted in decreased potency of the inhibitors. In this study, resistance to the PMIX/X dual inhibitors evaluated here could not be selected, despite prolonged selection pressure. Antimalarial Resistome Barcoding (AReBar) assays confirmed the absence of pre-existing resistance to either inhibitor class. Critically, PMIX/X dual inhibitors maintained efficacy against parasites with decreased sensitivity to PMX-selective compounds. These findings demonstrate that dual PMIX/X inhibitors present a substantially higher barrier to resistance than PMX-selective inhibitors, informing antimalarial drug development strategies and highlighting dual-target inhibition as a promising approach to mitigate resistance risks.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42709875 · DOI · PMC13568514
Exploring heterogeneity in mosquito exposure and attraction and its implications for malaria transmission [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundMalaria transmission exhibits significant heterogeneity within communities, with small proportions of individuals experiencing disproportionate mosquito exposure.
- Closing excerpt
- InterpretationOur findings highlight the importance of accounting for heterogeneous exposure when modelling malaria transmission, particularly in low-transmission and elimination settings where heterogeneity may be more pronounced.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (226 words)
BackgroundMalaria transmission exhibits significant heterogeneity within communities, with small proportions of individuals experiencing disproportionate mosquito exposure.MethodsThis study addresses critical knowledge gaps in characterising and modelling this heterogeneity. Parameterising Bayesian hierarchical models to field data from Burkina Faso, we compared gamma and lognormal distributions for describing heterogeneity in mosquito biting rates. We then implemented this heterogeneity in an individual-based stochastic modelling platform, OpenMalaria, to assess its impact on transmission dynamics.FindingsThe gamma distribution better described the observed field data than the lognormal. This choice has a natural mathematical justification: when individual biting rates follow a gamma distribution and bites occur as a Poisson process, the resulting bite counts follow a negative binomial distribution, which is well-supported empirically for overdispersed count data of this kind. Furthermore, the gamma distribution's lighter tail produces more moderate saturation and immunity effects compared to lognormal-based models, yielding more realistic transmission dynamics. When heterogeneity is introduced to malaria transmission simulations, both prevalence and incidence levels generally decrease across all age groups. Additionally, heterogeneity shifts disease burden towards younger age cohorts and alters the fundamental relationships between entomological inoculation rate and prevalence/incidence. The integration of appropriate heterogeneity distributions into transmission models substantially improved their ability to reproduce field-observed age-incidence curves.InterpretationOur findings highlight the importance of accounting for heterogeneous exposure when modelling malaria transmission, particularly in low-transmission and elimination settings where heterogeneity may be more pronounced.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42709905 · DOI · PMC13577544
Modelling anti-Ov16 seroprevalence for the control and elimination of onchocerciasis [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The World Health Organization aims to verify elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in 12 endemic countries by 2030.
- Closing excerpt
- Our findings support the use of mechanistic transmission models to refine serological thresholds for start- and stop-treatment, and aid interpretation of post-treatment and post-elimination surveillance serological signals.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (150 words)
The World Health Organization aims to verify elimination of onchocerciasis transmission in 12 endemic countries by 2030. Serological assays detecting IgG4 antibodies against the Onchocerca volvulus Ov16 antigen guide decision-making regarding start- and stop-mass ivermectin treatment, post-treatment and post-elimination surveillance. Transmission models are crucial for understanding anti-Ov16 IgG4 seroprevalence dynamics. Uncertainty associated with the parasite stage(s) stimulating seroconversion and duration of antibody persistence has hitherto hindered progress. We use the individual-based stochastic transmission model, EPIONCHO-IBM, to test hypotheses regarding the timing of seroconversion and seroreversion. We fit the model to data from (treatment-naïve) Gabon and validate it using data from Togo (four decades of control). The best-fit hypothesis is that seroconversion is elicited by near-patent/patent infection. The duration of antibody persistence remains uncertain. Our findings support the use of mechanistic transmission models to refine serological thresholds for start- and stop-treatment, and aid interpretation of post-treatment and post-elimination surveillance serological signals.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42749698 · DOI · PMC13582928
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Global prevalence of Ascaris infection in humans (2010-2021): a systematic review and meta-analysis [4]
- Research article Effect of primaquine dose on the risk of recurrence in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Effectiveness of health education interventions to improve malaria knowledge and insecticide-treated nets usage among populations of sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Diagnostic tests for human Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis [7]
- Research article Primaquine dose and the risk of haemolysis in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis [8]
- Research article Failure of scabies treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis [9]
References
- Favuzza P, Dans MG, Su W, Thompson JK, Hodder AN, Ngo A, et al.. Dual plasmepsin IX and X inhibitors are refractory to development of resistance. . 2026. PMID 42709875 · DOI · PMC13568514
- Kamber L, Cavelan A, Penny MA, Chitnis N, Fairbanks EL. Exploring heterogeneity in mosquito exposure and attraction and its implications for malaria transmission. . 2026. PMID 42709905 · DOI · PMC13577544
- Ramani A, Stapley JN, Dixon MA, Hamley JID, Amaral LJ, Basáñez MG, et al.. Modelling anti-Ov16 seroprevalence for the control and elimination of onchocerciasis. . 2026. PMID 42749698 · DOI · PMC13582928
- Holland C, Sepidarkish M, Deslyper G, Abdollahi A, Valizadeh S, Mollalo A, et al.. Global prevalence of Ascaris infection in humans (2010-2021): a systematic review and meta-analysis. Infect Dis Poverty. 2022. PMID 36401308 · DOI · PMC9673379
- Commons RJ, Rajasekhar M, Edler P, Abreha T, Awab GR, Baird JK, et al.. Effect of primaquine dose on the risk of recurrence in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024. PMID 37748496 · DOI · PMC7615564
- Onyinyechi OM, Mohd Nazan AIN, Ismail S. Effectiveness of health education interventions to improve malaria knowledge and insecticide-treated nets usage among populations of sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Public Health. 2023. PMID 37601202 · DOI · PMC10435857
- Vaillant MT, Philippy F, Neven A, Barré J, Bulaev D, Olliaro PL, et al.. Diagnostic tests for human Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Microbe. 2024. PMID 38467130 · DOI · PMC10990967
- Rajasekhar M, Simpson JA, Ley B, Edler P, Chu CS, Abreha T, et al.. Primaquine dose and the risk of haemolysis in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024. PMID 37748497 · DOI · PMC7615565
- Mbuagbaw L, Sadeghirad B, Morgan RL, Mertz D, Motaghi S, Ghadimi M, et al.. Failure of scabies treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Dermatol. 2024. PMID 37625798 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-29.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.