Lethal Ladybirds

A third of the world’s population is infected with parasitic worms called helminths. Schistosomiasis is one of the many diseases they cause, resulting in 200,000 deaths a year. On a mission to find new drugs to treat helminth infections, researchers turn to insects, specifically the harlequin ladybird, which produces a range of potent anti-microbials including harmonine. They tested the effects of harmonine on Schistosoma mansoni, the helminth responsible for schistosomiasis. Growing S.mansoni adults in dishes with harmonine resulted in damage to several tissues needed for their survival, including outer protective layers, reproductive organs, and the gut. The guts of harmonine-treated helminths (pictured, right) were distended compared to untreated helminths (left), as revealed by confocal microscopy. Increasing the dose of harmonine resulted in further damage and the eventual death of S.mansoni adults. These results provide new avenues for research into novel compounds to combat the diseases caused by helminths.

Written by Lux Fatimathas

Lux Fatimathas

Writer

Having pursued science through a career in research, communications and publishing, she is currently a writer and editor for a healthcare marketing agency and also juggles freelance science writing.

• Image from work by Josina Kellershohn and colleagues
• Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
• Image originally published under a Creative Commons Licence (BY 4.0)
• Published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, March 2019