Editorial: Genetics of Apicomplexans and Apicomplexan-Related Parasitic Diseases

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Genetics of Apicomplexans and Apicomplexan-Related Parasitic DiseasesApicomplexa are a large phylum of parasitic organisms.They are mostly unicellular and sporeforming in nature.Majority are parasites of humans, livestock, wild and domesticated animals, birds, and aquatic organisms; responsible for some parasitic diseases of serious economic importance like babesiosiosis, cryptosporidiosis, cystoisosporiasis, malaria and toxoplasmosis.Although great efforts in epidemiology, vector control, and use of medicinal drugs have been very helpful in reducing disease burden of Apicomplexa-based disease: control, prevention, and elimination of these diseases is dependent on a better understanding of their genetics, mechanisms of infection, and immunity control methods (such as drugs/vaccines and vector control methods).Furthermore, knowledge of host-vector-parasite interactions is vital for stimulating new concepts and tools for control, management, and policy formulation.This issue puts together some current researches involving apicomplexan.The phylum Apicomplexa is entirely composed of obligate intracellular parasites, causing a plethora of severe diseases in humans, wild and domestic animals.Mitochondria are vital organelles of eukaryotic cells, participating in key metabolic pathways.The mitochondria in Apicomplexa is as a promising source of undiscovered drug targets, and it has been validated as the target of atovaquone, a drug currently used in the clinic to counter malaria, but highly diverse (Berná et al.).In this issue, Berná et al. extensively reviewed mitochondrial genomic and mechanistic features found in evolutionarily related alveolates, as well as common and distinct origins of the apicomplexan mitochondria peculiarities, with a focus on genomic insight gained from second and third generation sequencing technologies.Malaria accounts to be responsible for large morbidity and mortality, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where the greatest burden of the disease is borne.Chloroquine (CQ) and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) are core drugs used in malaria control.However, a core challenge is the emergence and spread of drug resistance.Roux et al. traced the spread of CQ and SP resistance in sub-Saharan Africa, catalogued different control strategies adopted to control the spread of resistant parasites.This review suggests that close monitoring is required to prevent establishment and spread of resistance and to detection strategies for tracking possible reintroduction of drug resistance to specific anti-malarial drugs, especially as the region works towards malaria elimination.In another contribution, Yang et al. focused on Plasmodium falciparum surface-related antigen (SRA) located on the surfaces of gametocyte and merozoite.The SRA possess structural and functional characteristics that make them

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