Emerging Trends in Veterinary Piroplasmosis: Pathogenesis and Prevention

Piroplasmosis is a group of tick-borne diseases caused by hemoprotozoan parasites of the Babesia and Theileria genera. It remains a significant challenge for global animal health, productivity, and welfare. These pathogens infect a broad spectrum of hosts, including livestock such as cattle, sheep, and horses, as well as pets like dogs and cats. This leads to substantial economic losses and affects animal well-being. Despite many years of research, controlling piroplasmosis effectively remains challenging due to its complex epidemiology and the changing behaviour of the parasites.Recently, piroplasm research has experienced a major transformation due to advances in high-throughput methods and molecular biology. The use of “omics” techniques have greatly improved our knowledge of parasite biology, how hosts adapt, and the complex molecular interactions between host and parasite. These approaches are providing new insights into immune evasion, antigenic variation, and pathogenicity, identifying potential targets for treatment. At the same time, traditional diagnostic and control methods are becoming more limited. The rise of drug-resistant parasites, the spread of ticks due to climate change, and the limited effectiveness of standard vaccines highlight the critical need for new approaches. Researchers are now investigating advanced diagnostic tools, next-generation vaccines, and targeted treatments to better tackle these issues.This Research Topic aims to offer a comprehensive platform to showcase the latest developments in veterinary piroplasmosis. By connecting basic research with translational applications, we intend to highlight how advanced molecular techniques and interdisciplinary methods are influencing the future of disease diagnosis, prevention, and control. We welcome original research articles, reviews, and case reports that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:• Innovative Diagnostics: Development, optimisation, and field validation of advanced molecular and serological tools, including LAMP assays, CRISPR-based detection systems, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) approaches for rapid and sensitive diagnosis.• Pathogenesis and Parasite Biology: Novel insights into parasite life cycles, host cell invasion mechanisms, and molecular determinants of virulence and disease progression in diverse host species.• Host–Parasite Interactions: Investigations into immune evasion strategies, host immune modulation, and unique phenomena such as host cell transformation by Theileria spp.• Vaccines and Control Strategies: Advances in recombinant and subunit vaccines, live-attenuated approaches, and identification of new drug targets or anti-parasitic compounds.• Genomics and Phylogenetics: Application of whole-genome and population-level analyses to understand parasite diversity, evolutionary dynamics, and the emergence of virulence or drug resistance.• Epidemiology and One Health Perspectives: Studies exploring the distribution and transmission dynamics of piroplasms and their tick vectors, particularly in the context of climate change, animal movement, and zoonotic potential. Topic editors: Vikrant Sudan, Shawky Mohamed Aboelhadid, Muxiao Li Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85611/emerging-trends-in-veterinary-piroplasmosis-pathogenesis-and-prevention