Onchocerca volvulus

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The new release (WS241) of WormBase includes Onchocerca volvulus, a filiarial nematode of clade III.

Onchocerca volvulus is a gonochoristic filarial nematode parasite of humans causing Onchocerciasis. Onchocerciasis, or River Blindness, is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) which affects over 37 million people, mainly in Africa. It is a severely debilitating disease, which is transmitted to humans by the bite of Simulium blackflies that live and breed near fast-flowing streams and rivers.

As it has been added as core WormBase nematode, we would like to welcome feedback from the community to improve the curation and representation of this new member species.

Dirofilaria immitis

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The genome of the heartworm Dirofilaria immitis has been added to the upcoming WS240 release of WormBase. The data shown is based on the latest version of the genome and geneset provided by the Blaxter lab in Edinburgh.

D.immitis is an important parasite of dogs and transmitted by mosquitos in warmer climate zones (especially throughout southern Europe and the Americas) and is also commonly known as dog heart worm.

Panagrellus redivivus

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Panagrellus redivivus, a free-living nematode often used to study evolution of developmental and behavioural processes in C.elegans has been added to the WS240 release of WormBase.

While its main importance for WormBase is for evolutionary conservation of pathways,P.redivivus is also used as easy to breed microworm feed in aquaculture.

We would like to thank Marissa Macchietto for providing us the data which is also available at the INSDC and as published in Genetics.