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Yan H, Bu F, Wu X, Zhang H, Sun S, Bai W, Wu X, Yuan S, Fu H. Host selection and influencing factors of parasitic fleas on the body surface of desert rodents, Inner Mongolia, China. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2024; 25:100993. [PMID: 39385811 PMCID: PMC11462374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2024.100993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2024] [Revised: 09/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/15/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Fleas frequently parasitize rodents and serve as major vectors for many zoonotic diseases. The Alxa Desert in Inner Mongolia, China, is a typical arid region in Asia, which is suitable for the coexistence of a variety of rodents in this environment. Understanding the host selection of fleas among these rodents and the factors influencing this selection is crucial for comprehending rodent-borne diseases and the vector roles of fleas. This study utilized live-trap methods to capture rodents coexisting in the Alxa Desert from April to October 2022. Body surface fleas were collected and analyzed for abundance across different hosts, sexes, and reproductive statuses. The results indicated that: (1) there were significant differences in the species and abundance of parasitic fleas on different rodent species, with Ophthalmopsylla kiritschenkoi and Mesopsylla hebes preferring the Dipus sagitta and Orientallactaga sibirica as their hosts, and Xenopsylla conformis preferring Meriones meridianus as its host. (2) Fleas exhibited sex-preferential host selection, showing a greater preference for male hosts. (3) Among rodents of different reproductive states, most fleas prefer to parasitize individuals in non-reproductive periods. (4) The mean abundance of fleas varied significantly between seasons (P < 0.05), with spring and autumn being the peak periods for flea parasitism. (5) Factors influencing the mean abundance of fleas included host species, sex, reproductive status, and season, with host species having the greatest impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiwen Yan
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Fan Bu
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Haoting Zhang
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Shanshan Sun
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Wenke Bai
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, China
| | - Xiaodong Wu
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Shuai Yuan
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
| | - Heping Fu
- College of Grassland and Resource Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Rodent Ecology and Rodent Pest Control, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
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Horak IG, Boomker J, Grabovsky VI, Khokhlova IS, Junker K, Sanchez JP, Fernanda López Berrizbeitia M, Krasnov BR. Searching for common patterns in parasite ecology: species and host contributions to beta-diversity in helminths of South African ungulates and fleas of South American rodents. Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:429-439. [PMID: 38604547 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
We searched for common patterns in parasite ecology by investigating species and host contributions to the beta-diversity of infracommunities (=assemblages of parasites harboured by a host individual) in helminths of three species of South African ungulates and fleas of 11 species of South American rodents, assuming that a comparison of patterns in distinctly different parasites and hosts would allow us to judge the generality or, at least, commonness of these patterns. We used data on species' composition and numbers of parasites and asked whether (i) parasite species' attributes (life cycle, transmission mode, and host specificity in helminths; possession of sclerotized combs, microhabitat preference, and host specificity in fleas) or their population structure (mean abundance and/or prevalence) and (ii) host characteristics (sex and age) affect parasite and host species' contributions to parasite beta-diversity (SCBD and HCBD, respectively). We found that parasite species' morphological and ecological attributes were mostly not associated with their SCBD. In contrast, parasite SCBD, in both ungulates and rodents, significantly increased with either parasite mean abundance or prevalence or both. The effect of host characteristics on HCBD was detected in a few hosts only. In general, parasite infracommunities' beta-diversity appeared to be driven by variation in parasite species rather than the uniqueness of the assemblages harboured by individual hosts. We conclude that some ecological patterns (such as the relationships between SCBD and parasite abundance/prevalence) appear to be common and do not differ between different host-parasite associations in different geographic regions, whereas other patterns (the relationships between SCBD and parasite species' attributes) are contingent and depend on parasite and host identities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan G Horak
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Joop Boomker
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Vasily I Grabovsky
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 8499000, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Irina S Khokhlova
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 8499000, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Kerstin Junker
- National Collection of Animal Helminths, Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors Programme, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Juliana P Sanchez
- Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires- CITNOBA (UNNOBA- UNSAdA- CONICET), Pergamino, Argentina
| | - M Fernanda López Berrizbeitia
- Programa de Conservación de los Murciélagos de Argentina (PCMA) and Instituto de Investigaciones de Biodiversidad Argentina (PIDBA)-CCT CONICET Noa Sur (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e IML, UNT, and Fundación Miguel Lillo, Miguel Lillo 251, San Miguel de Tucumán CP 4000, Argentina
| | - Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 8499000, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
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Votýpka J, Stříbrná E, Modrý D, Bryja J, Bryjová A, Lukeš J. Unexpectedly high diversity of trypanosomes in small sub-saharan mammals. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:647-658. [PMID: 35882298 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The extremely species-rich genus Trypanosoma has recently been divided into 16 subgenera, most of which show fairly high host specificity, including the subgenus Herpetosoma parasitizing mainly rodents. Although most Herpetosoma spp. are highly host-specific, the best-known representative, Trypanosoma lewisi, has a cosmopolitan distribution and low host specificity. The present study investigates the general diversity of small mammal trypanosomes in East and Central Africa and the penetration of invasive T. lewisi into communities of native rodents. An extensive study of blood and tissue samples from Afrotropical micromammals (1,528 rodents, 135 shrews, and five sengis belonging to 37 genera and 133 species) captured in the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia revealed 187 (11.2%) trypanosome-positive individuals. The prevalence of trypanosomes in host genera ranged from 2.1% in Aethomys to 37.1% in Lemniscomys. The only previously known trypanosome detected in our dataset was T. lewisi, newly found in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania in a wide range of native rodent hosts. Besides T. lewisi, 18S rRNA sequencing revealed 48 additional unique Herpetosoma genotypes representing at least 15 putative new species, which doubles the known sequence-based diversity of this subgenus, and approaches the true species richness in the study area. The other two genotypes represent two new species belonging to the subgenera Ornithotrypanum and Squamatrypanum. The trypanosomes of white-toothed shrews (Crocidura spp.) form a new phylogroup of Herpetosoma, unrelated to flagellates previously detected in insectivores. With 13 documented species, Ethiopia was the richest region for trypanosome diversity, which corresponds to the very diverse environments and generally high biodiversity of this country. We conclude that besides T. lewisi, the subgenus Herpetosoma is highly host-specific (e.g., species parasitizing the rodent genera Acomys and Gerbilliscus). Furthermore, several newly detected trypanosome species are specific to their endemic hosts, such as brush-furred mice (Lophuromys), dormice (Graphiurus), and white-toothed shrews (Crocidura).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Votýpka
- Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Eva Stříbrná
- Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - David Modrý
- Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Josef Bryja
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Bryjová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic.
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Freitas LDC, Maldonado Júnior A, Mendonça RFBD, Ramos DGDS, Rossi RV, Pacheco RDC, Gentile R. Helminth community structure of Didelphis marsupialis (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae) in a transition area between the Brazilian Amazon and the Cerrado. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2022; 31:e002922. [PMID: 35674531 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612022031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although the common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis (Didelphimorphia: Didelphidae) is a species widely distributed in South America, knowledge about their helminth parasites and helminth community structure is scarce. The aims of this study were to describe the species composition and analyze the structure of the helminth community of the common opossum in an area of the Amazonian Arc in northern Mato Grosso. The helminths were recovered, counted, and identified in 32 individuals. Overall, 10,198 specimens were categorized into 9 helminths taxa (seven nematodes, one cestode, and one acanthocephalan). The most abundant species were Aspidodera raillieti, Viannaia hamata, and Travassostrongylus orloffi. No statistically significant differences in helminth abundance and prevalence were observed between host sexes. However, young hosts had higher abundance and prevalence of Didelphonema longispiculata, whereas Oligacanthorhynchus microcephalus had higher abundance and prevalence in adult hosts. This was the first study to analyze the helminth fauna and helminth community structure of D. marsupialis in the Amazonian Arc. This is the first report of the presence of A. raillieti, D. longispiculata, T. orloffi, T. minuta, V. hamata, and O. microcephalus in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leodil da Costa Freitas
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Veterinária e Doenças Parasitárias dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária - FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
| | - Arnaldo Maldonado Júnior
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | | | - Dirceu Guilherme de Souza Ramos
- Laboratório de Patologia e Parasitologia Veterinária, Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal de Jataí - UFJ, Jataí, GO, Brasil
| | - Rogério Vieira Rossi
- Laboratório de Mastozoologia, Instituto de Biociências - IB, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade - PPG/ECB, Instituto de Biociências - IB, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
| | - Richard de Campos Pacheco
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Veterinária e Doenças Parasitárias dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária - FAVET, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
| | - Rosana Gentile
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestres Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Krasnov BR, Korallo-Vinarskaya N, Vinarski MV, Khokhlova IS. Temporal variation of metacommunity structure in arthropod ectoparasites harboured by small mammals: the effects of scale and climatic fluctuations. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:537-549. [PMID: 35076775 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07416-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We applied the elements of metacommunity structure (EMS) approach and studied the temporal dynamics of metacommunity structure in arthropod ectoparasites (fleas, gamasid mites and ixodid ticks) harboured by six small mammalian hosts sampled for three decades in the same locality in Western Siberia at three hierarchical scales (inframetacommunities, component metacommunities and a compound metacommunity). All metacommunities were positively coherent. Inframetacommunity structures varied across sampling periods in all host species. The main structural pattern in an inframetacommunity of the same host varied across sampling times but was mostly characterized by clumped species distributions (Clementsian, Gleasonian and their quasi-versions). Component metacommunities in five of the six host species were characterized by either a Clementsian or a quasi-Clementsian distribution. In four of the six host species, this pattern was driven by mite distribution. The temporal structure of compound metacommunity was characterized by a Clementsian pattern. In contrast to the majority of component metacommunities, this pattern was driven by fleas, whereas the temporal structure of gamasid mite compound metacommunities demonstrated a Gleasonian distribution. The temporal gradient in infracommunity composition was not associated with temporal changes in either air temperature or precipitation, whereas the precipitation gradient was positively correlated with the structure of component (in five host species) and compound metacommunities. In conclusion, the best-fit metacommunity structure of ectoparasites varies temporally due to temporal changes in distribution patterns that can be associated with year-to-year climatic variation, affecting both hosts and parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, 8499000, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
| | - Natalia Korallo-Vinarskaya
- Laboratory of Arthropod-Borne Viral Infections, Omsk Research Institute of Natural Foci Infections, Mira str. 7, 644080, Omsk, Russia.,Omsk State Pedagogical University, Tukhachevskogo Emb. 14, 644099, Omsk, Russia
| | - Maxim V Vinarski
- Laboratory of Macroecology and Biogeography of Invertebrates, Saint-Petersburg State University, University Emb. 7/9, 199034, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.,Omsk State University, Neftezavodskaya Str. 11, 644053, Omsk, Russia
| | - Irina S Khokhlova
- Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Fantozzi MC, Sanchez JP, Lareschi M, Beldomenico PM. Effects of host factors on the dynamics of fleas (Siphonaptera) in Sigmodontinae rodents (Cricetidae) from El Espinal Ecoregion, Argentina. Acta Trop 2022; 225:106177. [PMID: 34627759 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the patterns of flea infestation in wild populations of eight Sigmodontinae rodent species: Akodon azarae, Calomys callidus, Calomys venustus, Holochilus chacarius, Necromys lasiurus, Oligoryzomys flavescens, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Oxymycterus rufus. Rodents were captured in systematic trapping sessions carried out along 2 years at two localities from El Espinal Ecoregion, Argentina. Mean flea intensity, occurrence (presence/absence) of flea infestation, richness and diversity were compared for different ages, body condition, sex and rodent tribes (Akodontini, Oryzomyini and Phyllotini). A total of 376 fleas of the following species and subspecies were collected: Craneopsylla minerva wolffhuegeli, Polygenis (Neopolygenis) pradoi, Polygenis (Polygenis) axius axius, and Polygenis (Polygenis) byturus. The most important factor driving flea infestation was the rodent tribe, with Phyllotini showing the highest values of occurrence, abundance and species richness. Only C. m. wolffhuegeli was affected by the sex of the host. Age and body condition of the hosts did not affect flea infestation. Our results contribute to knowledge of the ecology of fleas on rodent hosts in El Espinal Ecoregion. The relevance of host taxonomy as driver of flea dynamics highlight the importance of considering host community structures at the time of studying the ecology of parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cecilia Fantozzi
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET LITORAL), Universidad Nacional del Litoral- CONICET, Argentina.
| | - Juliana P Sanchez
- Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-CITNOBA (CONICET-UNNOBA), Ruta Provincial 32Km3,5, 2700 Pergamino, Argentina.
| | - Marcela Lareschi
- Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores, CEPAVE (CCT CONICET La Plata-UNLP), Bv. 120 s/n e/ 60 y 61, 1900 La Plata, Argentina.
| | - Pablo M Beldomenico
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades, Instituto de Ciencias Veterinarias del Litoral (ICIVET LITORAL), Universidad Nacional del Litoral- CONICET, Argentina.
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Rubenina I, Kirjusina M, Ceirans A, Gravele E, Gavarane I, Pupins M, Krasnov BR. Environmental, anthropogenic, and spatial factors affecting species composition and species associations in helminth communities of water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex) in Latvia. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:3461-3474. [PMID: 34476585 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07303-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We investigated factors affecting species composition and patterns of species associations in parasite communities of water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex), applying the distance-based redundancy analysis for component communities (assemblages harboured by host populations) and Markov random fields modelling for infracommunities (assemblages harboured by individual hosts), respectively. We asked (a) What are the relative effects of variation in environmental, land use (i.e., anthropogenic), and spatial factors on the variation in the species composition of component communities (i.e., in a locality)? and (b) What is the dominant pattern of species associations in infracommunities (in a host individual), and how do these associations vary along environmental and/or anthropogenic gradients? In component communities, the greatest portion of variation in helminth species composition was explained by the combined effects of space, anthropogenic pressure, and NDVI, with the pure effect of the spatial predictor being much stronger than the effects of the remaining predictors. In infracommunities, the probability of occurrence of some, but not all, helminth species depended on the occurrence of another species, with the numbers of negative and positive co-occurrences being equal. The strength and/or sign of associations of some species pairs were spatially stable, whereas interactions between other species pairs varied along the gradient of the amount of green vegetation, from negative to positive and vice versa. We conclude that the processes in parasite infracommunities and component communities in frogs are intertwined, with both bottom-up and top-down effects acting at different hierarchical scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilze Rubenina
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Parades Street 1A, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia.
| | - Muza Kirjusina
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Parades Street 1A, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Andris Ceirans
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Parades Street 1A, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Evita Gravele
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Parades Street 1A, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Inese Gavarane
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Parades Street 1A, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Mihails Pupins
- Institute of Life Sciences and Technologies, Daugavpils University, Parades Street 1A, Daugavpils, 5401, Latvia
| | - Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Compositional turnover in ecto- and endoparasite assemblages of an African bat, Miniopterus natalensis (Chiroptera, Miniopteridae): effects of hierarchical scale and host sex. Parasitology 2020; 147:1728-1742. [PMID: 32867864 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182020001602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We studied the compositional turnover in infracommunities and component communities of ecto- and endoparasites infesting a bat, Miniopterus natalensis (Chiroptera, Miniopteridae), across seven sampling sites using the zeta diversity metric (measuring similarity between multiple communities) and calculating zeta decline and retention rate (both scales) and zeta decay (component communities). We asked whether the patterns of zeta diversity differ between (a) infracommunities and component communities; (b) ecto- and endoparasites and (c) subsets of communities infecting male and female bats. The pattern of compositional turnover differed between infracommunities and component communities in endoparasites only. The shape of zeta decline for infracommunities indicated that there were approximately equal probabilities of ecto- and endoparasitic species to occur on/in any bat individual within a site. The shape of zeta decline for component communities suggested the stochasticity of ectoparasite turnover, whereas the turnover of endoparasites was driven by niche-based processes. Compositional turnover in component communities of ectoparasites was more spatially dependent than that of endoparasites. Spatial independence of compositional turnover in endoparasites was due to subcommunities harboured by female bats. We conclude that the patterns of compositional turnover in infracommunities were similar in ecto- and endoparasites, whereas the patterns of turnover in component communities differed between these groups.
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Alonso R, Ruiz M, Lovera R, Montes De Oca D, Cavia R, Sánchez J. Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) ectoparasites in livestock production systems from central Argentina: Influencing factors on parasitism. Acta Trop 2020; 203:105299. [PMID: 31837978 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Haematophagous ectoparasites are worldwide vectors of many zoonotic bacterial diseases, both emerging and re-emerging, whose incidences are rising. Livestock development alters different environmental characteristics such as the microclimate of a site, changing the availability, density and susceptibility of the hosts to pathogens and vectors, indirectly influencing the spread and persistence of a disease within an ecosystem. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), the most abundant vertebrate pest species found on livestock farms from Argentina, is a reservoir for several important zoonotic bacteria and may harbor ectoparasite species, which act as their vectors. Even though the Norway rat is widely known for its role as an ectoparasite host, the ecological characteristics of their ectoparasite communities and the related factors with parasitism on livestock farms have never been described. In the present study, we describe the ectoparasite community in Norway rats from central Argentina livestock farms, while also depicting the influencing factors on both ectoparasite occurrence and abundance. Ectoparasites were collected from rats captured in 20 sites from Buenos Aires province, between the winter of 2016 and the summer of 2018. A total of 1441 ectoparasite individuals were collected from 159 Norway rat individuals [Total ectoparasite prevalence = 69.2%; Mean ectoparasite specimen abundance (± CI) = 9.06 ± 2.32 ectoparasite individuals per rat; Mean ectoparasite specimen intensity (±CI) = 13.10 ± 3.08 ectoparasite individuals per infested rat found]. Ectoparasite assemblage consisted of four cosmopolitan species, recognized for their sanitary relevance: mites (Laelapidae: Laelaps nuttalli and Laelaps echidninus), lice (Polyplacidae: Polyplax spinulosa) and fleas (Pulicidae: Xenopsylla cheopis). We observed higher Norway rat abundance in sites related to higher ectoparasite occurrence and abundance frequencies on the rats. Additionally, ectoparasites were more abundant on rats in warm seasons and on male individuals, over female rats. Moreover, the geographical location of the studied sites influenced the ectoparasite assemblage structure observed on the rats. This study broadens the knowledge on the role of Norway rats as zoonotic ectoparasites hosts and analyzes the drivers influencing ectoparasite occurrence and abundance on the most populated region of Argentina, which is also the region with the most intensive livestock farming. Therefore, this survey may assist in evaluating potential risks for humans and generate effective sanitary control strategies for ectoparasite-borne infectious diseases.
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Gomes APN, Maldonado Júnior A, Bianchi RC, Souza JGR, D'Andrea PS, Gompper ME, Olifiers N. Variation in the prevalence and abundance of acanthocephalans in brown-nosed coatis Nasua nasua and crab-eating foxes Cerdocyon thous in the Brazilian Pantanal. BRAZ J BIOL 2018; 79:533-542. [PMID: 30540104 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.187881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Host infection by parasites is influenced by an array of factors, including host and environmental features. We investigated the relationship between host sex, body size and age, as well as seasonality on infection patterns by acanthocephalan in coatis (Procyonidae: Nasua nasua) and in crab-eating foxes (Canidae: Cerdocyon thous ) from the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands. Between 2006 and 2009, we collected faecal samples from these hosts and analyzed for the presence of acanthocephalan eggs. Prevalence, abundance and intensity of eggs of acanthocephalans were calculated. Egg abundance was analyzed using generalized linear models (GLM) with a negative binomial distribution and models were compared by Akaike criteria to verify the effect of biotic and abiotic factors. Prevalence of acanthocephalans was higher in the wet season in both host species but did not differ between host sexes; however, adult crab-eating foxes showed higher prevalence of acanthocephalan eggs than juveniles. In contrast, prevalence of acanthocephalan eggs found in coatis was higher in coati juveniles than in adults. Host age, season and maximum temperature were the top predictors of abundance of acanthocephalan eggs in crab-eating foxes whereas season and host sex were predictors of egg abundance in coatis. The importance of seasonality for abundance of acanthocephalan was clear for both host species. The influence of host-related attributes, however, varied by host species, with host gender and host age being important factors associated with prevalence and parasite loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P N Gomes
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestre Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Parasitária, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - A Maldonado Júnior
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestre Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - R C Bianchi
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Mamíferos, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinária, Departamento de Biologia Aplicada à Agropecuária, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" - UNESP, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane, s/n, CEP 14884-900, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
| | - J G R Souza
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestre Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - P S D'Andrea
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestre Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - M E Gompper
- School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 302 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, Columbia, MO 65211, United States of America
| | - N Olifiers
- Laboratório de Biologia e Parasitologia de Mamíferos Silvestre Reservatórios, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Avenida Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, CEP 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.,Universidade Veiga de Almeida - UVA, Rua Ibituruna, 108, Maracanã, CEP 20271-020, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
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Body size distribution in flea communities harboured by Siberian small mammals as affected by host species, host sex and scale: scale matters the most. Evol Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-018-9955-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Ectoparasites of small-mammals: determinants of community structure in South American savannah. Parasitology 2016; 144:475-483. [DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016001906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYThis study aimed to assess the contribution of hosts characteristics (rodents and marsupials) in the organization of ectoparasite communities present in woodland patches in western central Brazil. We verified the effect of host species, sex, body mass and vertical strata in addition to the role of seasonality on the ectoparasite composition, richness and abundance. The total sampling effort was 22 032 trap-nights equally distributed in 54 woodland patches. Variance partition and principal coordinate analysis were used to verify the existence of significant relationships between response variables and predictors. As expected, host species was the most important variable in ectoparasite community assembly. The composition, richness and abundance of mites and lice were highly influenced by host species, although higher for mites than for lice. Host body mass had a determining role on the richness and abundance of tick species. Vertical stratification and seasonality had weak influence, while the sex of the host had no influence on the organization of these communities. The results are closely related to the evolutionary characteristics of the species involved, as well as with local environmental characteristics of the study area.
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Morand S, Bordes F. Parasite diversity of disease-bearing rodents of Southeast Asia: habitat determinants and effects on sexual size dimorphism and life-traits. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Sponchiado J, Melo GL, Landulfo GA, Jacinavicius FC, Barros-Battesti DM, Cáceres NC. Interaction of ectoparasites (Mesostigmata, Phthiraptera and Siphonaptera) with small mammals in Cerrado fragments, western Brazil. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2015; 66:369-381. [PMID: 25912954 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-015-9917-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We describe ectoparasite fauna associated with small mammals in fragments of Cerrado biome, central-western Brazil. We analyzed the level of associations and the aggregation patterns according to seasonal and host variations. Small mammals were systematically captured in 54 woodland fragments from February 2012 to July 2013. A total of 1040 animals belonging to eight marsupial and 12 rodent species were sampled; 354 individuals were parasitized by 33 ectoparasite species (twenty five Mesostigmata, seven Phthiraptera and one Siphonaptera). A total of 49 ecological relationships between ectoparasites and small mammals were observed, 24 being new association records. The overall specialization index of all ectoparasites and host species was 0.91 with significant deviation from a random host-parasite association, suggesting a high host-parasite specialization in this system. Specialization indices for ectoparasites ranged from moderate to high, while among host was high, for most species. Contrary to the overall pattern, some ectoparasites had higher prevalence and mean intensity of infestation in the dry season. Overall, ectoparasite prevalence and mean intensity of infestation were not significantly associated with host gender. This study provides significant information about the ectoparasites ecology in relation to specificity, seasonality and hosts gender, contributing to the understanding of host-parasite relationships in Brazilian savannah.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Sponchiado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97110-970, Brazil,
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Kowalski K, Bogdziewicz M, Eichert U, Rychlik L. Sex differences in flea infections among rodent hosts: is there a male bias? Parasitol Res 2015; 114:337-41. [PMID: 25410932 PMCID: PMC4281372 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4231-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 11/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Recognizing patterns of parasite distribution among wildlife hosts is of major importance due to growing risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases to humans. Thus, sex-dependent parasite distribution in higher vertebrates is extensively studied, and males are often found more parasitized than females. Male-biased parasitism may be the result of weaker immunocompetence of male hosts owing to the immunosuppressive effect of androgens. Moreover, larger hosts (males) may demonstrate higher parasite infestation levels than smaller individuals (females), as they constitute a better nutritional resource for parasites and provide them with a greater variety of niches. In the present work, we investigated sex-dependent patterns of flea distribution among three common rodent species (Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis, and Myodes glareolus). We hypothesized that males have a higher flea infestation than females. We confirm male-biased parasitism in A. agrarius and M. glareolus, but not in A. flavicollis. Additionally, flea infestation increased with body mass in A. agrarius, but not in A. flavicollis and M. glareolus. The detected differences in parasite distribution among sexes are probably the result of immunosuppressive effects of androgens and spatial behavior of males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Kowalski
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland,
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Grzybek M, Bajer A, Behnke-Borowczyk J, Al-Sarraf M, Behnke JM. Female host sex-biased parasitism with the rodent stomach nematode Mastophorus muris in wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus). Parasitol Res 2014; 114:523-33. [PMID: 25395256 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4214-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Abundance and prevalence of helminth infections often differ between host sexes, and are usually biased in favor of males. Relatively few cases of female-biased parasitism have been reported. We sampled bank voles in three woodland sites in N.E. Poland over 11 years at 3-4-year intervals, and assessed their parasite burdens. Prevalence and abundance of the stomach nematode Mastophorus muris were consistently higher among females. Among adult female bank voles from the two sites that showed the highest prevalence with M. muris, both prevalence and abundance were significantly higher in lactating bank voles, but not pregnant animals, and the effect of lactation was evident in both sites, in all four surveys, and in both age classes. Although the magnitude of the effect of lactation varied between years, it was not confounded by any significant interactions with other factors. We hypothesize that mature and reproductively active female bank voles are subject to higher exposure compared with males of similar age, as a consequence of the increased content of invertebrates in their diet, including the intermediate hosts of M. muris, required to meet the higher increased energy and protein demands of nursing litters throughout the summer months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Grzybek
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 12 Akademicka Street, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
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Variable effects of host characteristics on species richness of flea infracommunities in rodents from three continents. Parasitol Res 2014; 113:2777-88. [PMID: 24820040 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-3937-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 04/30/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We studied the effect of host gender and body mass on species richness of flea infracommunities in nine rodent host species from three biomes (temperate zone of central Europe, desert of the Middle East and the tropics of East Africa). Using season- and species-specific generalized linear mixed models and controlling for year-to-year variation, spatial clustering of rodent sampling and over-dispersion of the data, we found inconsistent associations between host characteristics and flea species richness. We found strong support for male-biased flea parasitism, especially during the reproductive period (higher species richness in male hosts than in females) in all considered European rodents (Apodemus agrarius, Myodes glareolus and Microtus arvalis) and in one rodent species from the Middle East (Dipodillus dasyurus). In contrast, two of three African rodent species (Lophuromys kilonzoi and Praomys delectorum) demonstrated a trend of female-biased flea species richness. Positive associations between body mass and the number of flea species were detected mainly in males (five of nine species: A. agrarius, M. glareolus, M. arvalis, D. dasyurus and Mastomys natalensis) and not in females (except for M. natalensis). The results of this study support earlier reports that gender-biased, in general, and male-biased, in particular, infestation by ectoparasites is not a universal rule. This suggests that mechanisms of parasite acquisition by an individual host are species-specific and have evolved independently in different rodent host-flea systems.
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Kiffner C, Stanko M, Morand S, Khokhlova IS, Shenbrot GI, Laudisoit A, Leirs H, Hawlena H, Krasnov BR. Sex-biased parasitism is not universal: evidence from rodent-flea associations from three biomes. Oecologia 2013; 173:1009-22. [PMID: 23636459 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2664-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2012] [Accepted: 04/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The distribution of parasites among individual hosts is characterised by high variability that is believed to be a result of variations in host traits. To find general patterns of host traits affecting parasite abundance, we studied flea infestation of nine rodent species from three different biomes (temperate zone of central Europe, desert of Middle East and tropics of East Africa). We tested for independent and interactive effects of host sex and body mass on the number of fleas harboured by an individual host while accounting for spatial clustering of host and parasite sampling and temporal variation. We found no consistent patterns of the effect of host sex and body mass on flea abundance either among species within a biome or among biomes. We found evidence for sex-biased flea infestation in just five host species (Apodemus agrarius, Myodes glareolus, Microtus arvalis, Gerbillus andersoni, Mastomys natalensis). In six rodent species, we found an effect of body mass on flea abundance (all species mentioned above and Meriones crassus). This effect was positive in five species and negative in one species (Microtus arvalis). In M. glareolus, G. andersoni, M. natalensis, and M. arvalis, the relationship between body mass and flea abundance was mediated by host sex. This was manifested in steeper change in flea abundance with increasing body mass in male than female individuals (M. glareolus, G. andersoni, M. natalensis), whereas the opposite pattern was found in M. arvalis. Our findings suggest that sex and body mass are common determinants of parasite infestation in mammalian hosts, but neither of them follows universal rules. This implies that the effect of host individual characteristics on mechanisms responsible for flea acquisition may be manifested differently in different host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kiffner
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA,
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Fernandes FR, Cruz LD, Linhares AX. Effects of sex and locality on the abundance of lice on the wild rodent Oligoryzomys nigripes. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:1701-6. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-3009-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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