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Perea S, Meinecke CD, Larsen-Gray AL, Greene DU, Villari C, Gandhi KJK, Castleberry SB. Winter diet of bats in working forests of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12778. [PMID: 38834684 PMCID: PMC11150266 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63062-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Working forests comprise a large proportion of forested landscapes in the southeastern United States and are important to the conservation of bats, which rely on forests for roosting and foraging. While relationships between bat ecology and forest management are well studied during summer, winter bat ecology remains understudied. Hence, we aimed to identify the diet composition of overwintering bats, compare the composition of prey consumed by bat species, and determine the potential role of forest bats as pest controllers in working forest landscapes of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. During January to March 2021-2022, we captured 264 bats of eight species. We used DNA metabarcoding to obtain diet composition from 126 individuals of seven bat species identifying 22 orders and 174 families of arthropod prey. Although Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera were the most consumed orders, we found that bats had a generalist diet but with significant differences among some species. We also documented the consumption of multiple insect pests (e.g., Rhyacionia frustrana) and disease vectors (e.g., Culex spp). Our results provide important information regarding the winter diet of bats in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain and their potential role in controlling economically relevant pest species and disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Perea
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Colton D Meinecke
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Daniel U Greene
- Weyerhaeuser Company, Environmental Research South, Columbus, MS, USA
| | - Caterina Villari
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kamal J K Gandhi
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Steven B Castleberry
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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2
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Shrestha H, McCulloch K, Chisholm RH, Armoo SK, Veriegh F, Sirwani N, Crawford KE, Osei-Atweneboana MY, Grant WN, Hedtke SM. Synthesizing environmental, epidemiological and vector and parasite genetic data to assist decision making for disease elimination. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17357. [PMID: 38683054 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
We present a framework for identifying when conditions are favourable for transmission of vector-borne diseases between communities by incorporating predicted disease prevalence mapping with landscape analysis of sociological, environmental and host/parasite genetic data. We explored the relationship between environmental features and gene flow of a filarial parasite of humans, Onchocerca volvulus, and its vector, blackflies in the genus Simulium. We generated a baseline microfilarial prevalence map from point estimates from 47 locations in the ecological transition separating the savannah and forest in Ghana, where transmission of O. volvulus persists despite onchocerciasis control efforts. We generated movement suitability maps based on environmental correlates with mitochondrial population structure of 164 parasites from 15 communities and 93 vectors from only four sampling sites, and compared these to the baseline prevalence map. Parasite genetic distance between sampling locations was significantly associated with elevation (r = .793, p = .005) and soil moisture (r = .507, p = .002), while vector genetic distance was associated with soil moisture (r = .788, p = .0417) and precipitation (r = .835, p = .0417). The correlation between baseline prevalence and parasite resistance surface maps was stronger than that between prevalence and vector resistance surface maps. The centre of the study area had high prevalence and suitability for parasite and vector gene flow, potentially contributing to persistent transmission and suggesting the importance of re-evaluating transmission zone boundaries. With suitably dense sampling, this framework can help delineate transmission zones for onchocerciasis and would be translatable to other vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himal Shrestha
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Karen McCulloch
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca H Chisholm
- Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Samuel K Armoo
- Biomedical and Public Health Research Unit, CSIR-Water Research Institute, Accra, Ghana
| | - Francis Veriegh
- Biomedical and Public Health Research Unit, CSIR-Water Research Institute, Accra, Ghana
| | - Neha Sirwani
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Katie E Crawford
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Warwick N Grant
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shannon M Hedtke
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
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3
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Wudarski J, Aliabadi S, Gulia-Nuss M. Arthropod promoters for genetic control of disease vectors. Trends Parasitol 2024:S1471-4922(24)00093-X. [PMID: 38824066 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) impose devastating effects on human health and a heavy financial burden. Malaria, Lyme disease, and dengue fever are just a few examples of VBDs that cause severe illnesses. The current strategies to control VBDs consist mainly of environmental modification and chemical use, and to a small extent, genetic approaches. The genetic approaches, including transgenesis/genome modification and gene-drive technologies, provide the basis for developing new tools for VBD prevention by suppressing vector populations or reducing their capacity to transmit pathogens. The regulatory elements such as promoters are required for a robust sex-, tissue-, and stage-specific transgene expression. As discussed in this review, information on the regulatory elements is available for mosquito vectors but is scant for other vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Wudarski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Simindokht Aliabadi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Monika Gulia-Nuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.
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4
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Garzon MH, Colorado FA. Towards an Analytical Biology. Curr Genomics 2024; 25:65-68. [PMID: 38751597 PMCID: PMC11092911 DOI: 10.2174/0113892029283759231227075715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
This article draws a perspective on the increasingly unavoidable question of whether steps can be taken in genomics and biology at large to move them more rapidly towards more analytical and deductive biology, akin to similar developments that occurred in other natural sciences, such as physics and chemistry, centuries ago. It provides a summary of recent advances in other relevant sciences in the last 3 decades that are likely to pull it in that direction in the next decade or so, as well as what methods and tools will make it possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max H. Garzon
- Department of Computer Science, University of Memphis, 373 Dunn, USA
| | - Fredy A. Colorado
- Department of Biology, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
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5
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Cunze S, Jourdan J, Klimpel S. Ecologically and medically important black flies of the genus Simulium: Identification of biogeographical groups according to similar larval niches. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170454. [PMID: 38290683 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The black fly genus Simulium includes medically and ecologically important species, characterized by a wide variation of ecological niches largely determining their distributional patterns. In a rapidly changing environment, species-specific niche characteristics determine whether a species benefits or not. With aquatic egg, larval and pupal stages followed by a terrestrial adult phase, their spatial arrangements depend upon the interplay of aquatic conditions and climatic-landscape parameters in the terrestrial realm. The aim of this study was to enhance the understanding of the distributional patterns among Simulium species and their ecological drivers. In an ecological niche modelling approach, we focused on 12 common black fly species with different ecological requirements. Our modelling was based on available distribution data along with five stream variables describing the climatic, land-cover, and topographic conditions of river catchments. The modelled freshwater habitat suitability was spatially interpolated to derive an estimate of the adult black flies' probability of occurrence. Based on similarities in the spatial patterns of modelled habitat suitability we were able to identify three biogeographical groups, which allows us to confirm old assessments with current occurrence data: (A) montane species, (B) broad range species and (C) lowland species. The five veterinary and human medical relevant species Simulium equinum, S. erythrocephalum, S. lineatum, S. ornatum and S. reptans are mainly classified in the lowland species group. In the course of climatic changes, it is expected that biocoenosis will slightly shift towards upstream regions, so that the lowland group will presumably emerge as the winner. This is mainly explained by wider ecological niches, including a higher temperature tolerance and tolerance to various pollutants. In conclusion, these findings have significant implications for human and animal health. As exposure to relevant Simulium species increases, it becomes imperative to remain vigilant, particularly in investigating the potential transmission of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cunze
- Department of Integrative Parasitology and Zoophysiology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Jonas Jourdan
- Department Aquatic Ecotoxicology, Goethe University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sven Klimpel
- Department of Integrative Parasitology and Zoophysiology, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Senckenebrg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Branch Bioresources, Frauenhofer Institute for Molecular and Applied Ecology, Giessen, Germany
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6
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Hew YX, Ya'cob Z, Chen CD, Lau KW, Sofian-Azirun M, Muhammad-Rasul AH, Putt QY, Tan TK, Hadi UK, Suana IW, Takaoka H, Low VL. Co-occurrence of dual lineages within Simulium (Gomphostilbia) atratum De Meijere in the Indonesian Archipelago along Wallace's Line. Acta Trop 2024; 250:107097. [PMID: 38097150 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107097] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences were utilized to infer the population genetic structure of Simulium (Gomphostilbia) atratum De Meijere, an endemic simulid species to Indonesia. Both median-joining haplotype network and maximum-likelihood tree revealed two genetic lineages (A and B) within the species, with an overlap distribution in Lombok, which is situated along Wallace's line. Genetic differentiation and gene flow with varying frequencies (FST = 0.02-0.967; Nm = 0.01-10.58) were observed between populations of S. (G.) atratum, of which population pairs of different lineages showed high genetic differentiation. Notably, the high genetic distance of up to 5.92 % observed within S. (G.) atratum in Lombok was attributed to the existence of two genetically distinct lineages. The co-occurrence of distinct lineages in Lombok indicated that Wallace's line did not act as faunistic border for S. (G.) atratum in the present study. Moreover, both lineages also exhibited unimodal distributions and negative values of neutrality tests, suggesting a pattern of population expansion. The expansion and divergence time estimation suggested that the two lineages of S. (G.) atratum diverged and expanded during the Pleistocene era in Indonesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xin Hew
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zubaidah Ya'cob
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Chee Dhang Chen
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Koon Weng Lau
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Sofian-Azirun
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Qi Yan Putt
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Tiong Kai Tan
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Upik Kesumawati Hadi
- Entomology Laboratory, Division of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - I Wayan Suana
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, University of Mataram (UNRAM), Mataram, Indonesia
| | - Hiroyuki Takaoka
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Van Lun Low
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
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7
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Hedtke SM, Post RJ, Feleke SM, Gebretsadik FS, Boakye DA, Krueger A, Grant WN, Wilding CS. Cytotaxonomic characterization and estimation of migration patterns of onchocerciasis vectors (Simulium damnosum sensu lato) in northwestern Ethiopia based on RADSeq data. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011868. [PMID: 38175836 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While much progress has been made in the control and elimination of onchocerciasis across Africa, the extent to which vector migration might confound progress towards elimination or result in re-establishment of endemism in areas where transmission has been eliminated remains unclear. In Northern Ethiopia, Metema and Metekel-two foci located near the Sudan border-exhibit continuing transmission. While progress towards elimination has been faster in Metema, there remains a problematic hotspot of transmission. Whether migration from Metekel contributes to this is currently unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS To assess the role of vector migration from Metekel into Metema, we present a population genomics study of 151 adult female vectors using 47,638 RADseq markers and mtDNA CoI sequencing. From additional cytotaxonomy data we identified a new cytoform in Metema, closely related to S. damnosum s.str, here called the Gondar form. RADseq data strongly indicate the existence of two distinctly differentiated clusters within S. damnosum s.l.: one genotypic cluster found only in Metema, and the second found predominantly in Metekel. Because blackflies from both clusters were found in sympatry (in all four collection sites in Metema), but hybrid genotypes were not detected, there may be reproductive barriers preventing interbreeding. The dominant genotype in Metema was not found in Metekel while the dominant genotype in Metekel was found in Metema, indicating that (at the time of sampling) migration is primarily unidirectional, with flies moving from Metekel to Metema. There was strong differentiation between clusters but little genetic differentiation within clusters, suggesting migration and gene flow of flies within the same genetic cluster are sufficient to prevent genetic divergence between sites. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our results confirm that Metekel and Metema represent different transmission foci, but also indicate a northward movement of vectors between foci that may have epidemiological importance, although its significance requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Hedtke
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rory J Post
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Disease Control Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Fikre Seife Gebretsadik
- Neglected Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Program, Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Daniel A Boakye
- Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Accra, Ghana
| | - Andreas Krueger
- Military Hospital Hamburg, Department Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Warwick N Grant
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Craig S Wilding
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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8
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Shin CP, Allmon WD. How we study cryptic species and their biological implications: A case study from marine shelled gastropods. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10360. [PMID: 37680961 PMCID: PMC10480071 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Methodological and biological considerations are intertwined when studying cryptic species. A potentially large component of modern biodiversity, the frequency of cryptic species among taxonomic groups is not well documented. The term "cryptic species" is imprecisely used in scientific literature, causing ambiguity when interpreting their evolutionary and ecological significance. This study reviews how cryptic species have been defined, discussing implications for taxonomy and biology, and explores these implications with a case study based on recently published literature on extant shelled marine gastropods. Reviewed gastropods were recorded by species. Records of cryptic gastropods were presented by authors with variable levels of confidence but were difficult to disentangle from inherent biases in the study effort. These complexities notwithstanding, most gastropod species discussed were not cryptic. To the degree that this review's sample represents extinct taxa, the results suggest that a high proportion of shelled marine gastropod species are identifiable for study in the fossil record. Much additional work is needed to provide a more adequate understanding of the relative frequency of cryptic species in shelled marine gastropods, which should start with more explicit definitions and targeted case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caren P. Shin
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
- Paleontological Research InstitutionIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Warren D. Allmon
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric SciencesCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
- Paleontological Research InstitutionIthacaNew YorkUSA
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9
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Lourdes EY, Low VL, Izwan-Anas N, Dawood MM, Sofian-Azirun M, Takaoka H, Ya'cob Z. Occurrence of five distinct clades of mermithid nematodes (Nematoda: Mermithidae) infecting black fly larvae (Diptera: Simuliidae) in tropical streams in Malaysia. Parasitol Int 2023; 94:102733. [PMID: 36693472 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2023.102733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mermithids are the most common parasites of black flies and are associated with host feminization and sterilization in infected hosts. However, information on the species / lineage of black fly mermithids in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia requires further elucidation. In this study, mermithids were obtained from black fly larvae collected from 138 freshwater stream sites across East and West Malaysia. A molecular approach based on nuclear-encoded 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene was used to identify the species identity / lineage of 77 nematodes successfully extracted and sequenced from the specimens collected. Maximum likelihood and neighbor-joining phylogenetic analyses demonstrated five distinct mermithid lineages. Four species delimitation analyses: automated simultaneous analysis phylogenetics (ASAP), maximum likelihood Poisson tree processes with Bayesian inferences (bPTP_ML), generalized mixed yule coalescent (GMYC) and single rate Poisson tree processes (PTP) were applied to delimit the species boundaries of mermithid lineages in this data set along with genetic distance analysis. Data analysis supports five distinct lineages or operational taxonomic units for mermithids in the present study, with two requiring further investigation as they may represent intraspecific variation or closely related taxa. One mermithid lineage was similar to that previously observed in Simulium nigrogilvum from Thailand. Co-infection with two mermithids of different lineages was observed in one larva of Simulium trangense. This study represents an important first step towards exploring other aspects of host - parasite interactions in black fly mermithids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Yogan Lourdes
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Van Lun Low
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
| | - Noor Izwan-Anas
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Mahadimenakbar M Dawood
- Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC), University of Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Sofian-Azirun
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Hiroyuki Takaoka
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Zubaidah Ya'cob
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
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10
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Hamada N, Andrade-Souza V, De Paul M, Nascimento JMC. Molecular circumscription of the blackfly Simulium oyapockense from South America. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 37:47-62. [PMID: 36762479 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Problems related to the identity of Simuliidae species are impediments to effective disease control in Amazonia. Some of these species, such as Simulium oyapockense Floch & Abonnenc, 1946 (Diptera: Simuliidae), are vectors of the organisms that cause onchocerciasis and mansonellosis diseases. This blackfly species has a wide distribution in South America, and it is suspected of being a complex of cryptic species. The aim of this study is to characterize the nominal species S. oyapockense using partial COI gene sequences. Seven populations of S. oyapockense (morphologically identified) were analysed, including one from its type-locality. The other six populations were collected in Brazil and in Argentina. A taxon collected in Amazonas state, Brazil, with adults similar to S. oyapockense but with distinct pupae, was also included in the analysis (Simulium 'S'). The nominal species S. oyapockense is circumscribed, and its geographical distribution is restricted to areas north of the Amazon River. Populations of S. oyapockense s.l. collected south of the Amazon River comprise a species complex that needs to be evaluated using integrative taxonomy. Simulium 'S' represents a species with unique morphological and molecular characteristics. Distinguishing cryptic species is a prerequisite for reducing the taxonomic impediment, especially in medically important taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neusa Hamada
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | | | - Marcela De Paul
- Centro de Estudios Interdisciplinarios de Calidad de Agua de Ambientes e Altura (CEICAAL), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy, Jujuy, Argentina
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11
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North–South Differentiation of Black Flies in the Western Cordillera of North America: A New Species of Prosimulium (Diptera: Simuliidae). DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Glaciation has been a powerful determiner of species distributions and the genetic structure of populations. Contemporary distributions of many organisms in North America’s Western Cordillera reflect the influence of Pleistocene glaciation. We identified a pattern of north–south differentiation in the genus Prosimulium of western North America, which reflects the separation of northern and southern populations by the North American Ice Sheet during the Pleistocene Epoch. The taxonomic implication is that new species exist within nominal species, requiring formal description or revalidation of names currently in synonymy. We morphologically and cytogenetically examined populations of one nominal species of black fly, Prosimulium esselbaughi Sommerman, over its known range from Alaska south to California and Colorado. Chromosomal and morphological evidence supports the presence of two species, P. esselbaughi sensu stricto from Alaska to at least southern British Columbia, and a new species, Prosimulium supernum in the central Rocky Mountains and high Sierra Nevada range of the United States. The new species is described in all life stages above the egg, along with its polytene chromosomes. The existence of differentiated populations of other nominal species of black flies in northern and southern North America provides a system for investigating possible co-differentiation of vectors and parasites.
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12
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Ebmer D, Balfanz F, Voracek T, Hering-Hagenbeck S, Pichler-Scheder C, Walochnik J, Kniha E. The Palearctic blackfly Simulium equinum (Diptera: Simuliidae) as a biting pest of captive nyala antelopes (Tragelaphus angasii). Zoo Biol 2023; 42:150-156. [PMID: 35795895 PMCID: PMC10084230 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are cosmopolitan nuisance pests of great economic importance as well as vectors of many pathogens. After reports of massive blackfly biting of captive nyala antelopes in the Vienna Zoo, Austria, this study aimed to identify the species causing multiple skin lesions on the antelope hosts. The Palearctic species Simulium equinum, belonging to the medically and veterinary important Wilhelmia subgenus, was identified as the most likely causative agent. Barcoding and maximum likelihood analysis supported morphological species identification and highlighted the complex phylogeny of the subgenus Wilhelmia. Our study gives first evidence of the multi-host feeding blackfly S. equinum in the Vienna Zoo, thereby raising the question whether other hosts could also be bitten on a regular basis. The preliminary results urge for further analysis of blackfly breeding sites as well as the clarification of the host spectrum to assess the medical and veterinary importance of blackflies in the Zoo.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ebmer
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | - Julia Walochnik
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Edwin Kniha
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Frallonardo L, Di Gennaro F, Panico GG, Novara R, Pallara E, Cotugno S, Guido G, De Vita E, Ricciardi A, Totaro V, Camporeale M, De Iaco G, Bavaro DF, Lattanzio R, Patti G, Brindicci G, Papagni R, Pellegrino C, Santoro CR, Segala FV, Putoto G, Nicastri E, Saracino A. Onchocerciasis: Current knowledge and future goals. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.986884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Onchocerciasis, caused by infection by the filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus, is a neglected public health disease that affects millions of people in the endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. It is also called river blindness because the Blackflies that transmit infection breeds in rapidly flowing fresh water streams and rivers. This review features state-of-the-art data on the parasite, its endobacteria Wolbachia, the prevalence of the infection and its geographical distribution, its diagnostics, the interaction between the parasite and its host, and the pathology of Onchocerciasis. By development and optimization of the control measures, transmission by the vector has been interrupted in foci of countries in the Americas (Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Guatemala)and inSudan, followed by Onchocerciasis eliminations. The current state and future perspectives for vector control and elimination strategy are described.
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Post RJ, Laudisoit A, Mandro M, Lakwo T, Laemmer C, Pfarr K, Hoerauf A, Tortosa P, Gomard Y, Ukety T, Mande C, Farovitch L, Amazigo U, Bakajika D, Oguttu DW, Awaca N, Colebunders R. Identification of the onchocerciasis vector in the Kakoi-Koda focus of the Democratic Republic of Congo. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010684. [PMID: 36331979 PMCID: PMC9668120 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to characterise the vector in a small hyper-endemic focus of onchocerciasis (the Kakoi-Koda focus) which has recently been discovered on the western slopes of the rift valley above Lake Albert. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Aquatic stages of blackflies were collected by hand from streams and rivers, and anthropophilic adult females were collected by human landing catches. Using a combination of morphotaxonomy and DNA barcoding, the blackflies collected biting humans within the focus were identified as Simulium dentulosum and Simulium vorax, which were also found breeding in local streams and rivers. Simulium damnosum s.l., Simulium neavei and Simulium albivirgulatum were not found (except for a single site in 2009 where crabs were carrying S. neavei). Anthropophilic specimens from the focus were screened for Onchocerca DNA using discriminant qualitative real-time triplex PCR. One specimen of S. vorax was positive for Onchocerca volvulus in the body, and out of 155 S. dentulosum, 30% and 11% were infected and infective (respectively). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Simulium dentulosum currently appears to be the main vector of human onchocerciasis within the Kakoi-Koda focus, and S. vorax may be a secondary vector. It remains possible that S. neavei was the main (or only) vector in the past having now become rare as a result of the removal of tree-cover and land-use changes. Simulium vorax has previously been shown to support the development of O. volvulus in the laboratory, but this is the first time that S. dentulosum has been implicated as a probable vector of onchocerciasis, and this raises the possibility that other blackfly species which are not generally considered to be anthropophilic vectors might become vectors under suitable conditions. Because S. dentulosum is not a vector in endemic areas surrounding the Kakoi-Koda focus, it is probable that the Kakoi-Koda focus is significantly isolated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory J. Post
- Disease Control Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Laudisoit
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York, United States
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Evolutionary Ecology group (EVECO), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Michel Mandro
- Provincial Health Division Ituri, Ministry of Health, Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Thomson Lakwo
- Division of Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases Control, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Christine Laemmer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Bonn-Cologne, Germany
| | - Kenneth Pfarr
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Bonn-Cologne, Germany
| | - Achim Hoerauf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Bonn-Cologne, Germany
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", CNRS 9192, INSERM U 1187, IRD 249. Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Yann Gomard
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT "Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical", CNRS 9192, INSERM U 1187, IRD 249. Plateforme de Recherche CYROI, Saint-Denis, France
| | - Tony Ukety
- Centre de Recherche en Maladies Tropicales (CRMT), Rethy, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Claude Mande
- Department of Ecology and Wildlife Management, University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Biodiversity Monitoring Centre (CSB), University of Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Lorne Farovitch
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester New York, United States of America
| | - Uche Amazigo
- Pan-African Community Initiative on Education and Health, Enugu, Nigeria
| | - Didier Bakajika
- Expanded Special Project for Elimination of NTDs, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - David W. Oguttu
- Division of Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases Control, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Naomi Awaca
- Ministry of Health, National Programme for Neglected Tropical Diseases & Preventive Chemotherapy, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Robert Colebunders
- Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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Adler PH, Huang S. Chromosomes as Barcodes: Discovery of a New Species of Black Fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) from California, USA. INSECTS 2022; 13:903. [PMID: 36292851 PMCID: PMC9603938 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
One of the most popular tools for species discovery and resolution is the DNA barcode, typically based on the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. However, other non-genic barcodes are available for Diptera. The banding sequence of polytene chromosomes in some dipteran cells, particularly of the larval silk glands, can provide a unique species barcode. We used the sequence of bands to reveal a new species of black fly in the Simulium (Boreosimulium) annulus species group from California, USA. To further characterize the species and provide more integrated taxonomy, we morphologically described all life stages above the egg, formally named the species Simulium ustulatum n. sp., and provided a conventional COI barcode. The COI barcode confirmed the chromosomal and morphological evidence that the species is a new member of the S. annulus group, and enabled identification of the larva and female, which are structurally similar to those of other species. The chromosomal barcode shows that this species has the most rearranged complement, compared with the eight other North American members of its species group, with up to 12 times the number of fixed rearrangements. Up to six chromosomal rearrangements, including autosomal polymorphisms and sex-linked phenomena, are shared with other members of the group. The most unique and conspicuous chromosomal feature of this new species is a large, pale-staining chromocenter from which the six chromosomal arms radiate. The distribution of this univoltine species in lowland rivers of California's Central Valley could make it vulnerable, given climate change and increasing land development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H. Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Shaoming Huang
- San Joaquin County Mosquito & Vector Control District, Stockton, CA 95206, USA
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16
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Olkeba BK, Mereta ST, Goethals PLM, Yewhalaw D, Debesa G, Ambelu A, Ahmednur M, Boets P. Habitat preference of blackflies in Omo Gibe river basin (southwest Ethiopia): Implications for onchocerciasis elimination and control. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0264750. [PMID: 35245320 PMCID: PMC8896702 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological control of blackflies (Simulium damnosum) can be an alternative or additional tool to enhance onchocerciasis elimination efforts. However, limited research is conducted on the ecology of blackflies in Ethiopia. In this study, we determined the habitat preference of blackfly larvae and their relationship with aquatic macroinvertebrate predators in the Omo Gibe river basin of southwest Ethiopia. Environmental and biological data were collected from 150 sampling sites during both dry and wet seasons in 2019. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) were used to identify factors affecting the occurrence and abundance of S. damnosum larvae. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to investigate the relationship between environmental and biological variables and the abundance of S. damnosum larvae. The findings of this study indicated the abundance of S. damnosum larvae increased with increasing turbidity, alkalinity and altitude, but decreased with increasing concentrations of five-day Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), orthophosphate and magnesium ion. Both the presence and abundance of S. damnosum larvae decreased with the increasing abundance of stonefly larvae (Perlidae). Simulium damnosum larvae were found less likely in the presence of mayfly larvae (Baetidae) and were less abundant where Chironomidae are abundant. In conclusion, the findings of this study showed that the habitat preference of S. damnosum larvae is determined by environmental factors and that the presence and abundance of the larvae are affected by macroinvertebrate predators. It is essential to establish buffer zones as a part of watershed management to retain pollutants and prevent them from entering directly into water courses to improve water quality and the assemblages of macroinvertebrate predators and enhance biocontrol of blackflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beekam Kebede Olkeba
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia
- * E-mail:
| | - Seid Tiku Mereta
- Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Peter L. M. Goethals
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Delenasaw Yewhalaw
- School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Tropical and Infectious Disease Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Gemechu Debesa
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Argaw Ambelu
- Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Mahmud Ahmednur
- Department of Environmental Health Science and Technology, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Pieter Boets
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Provincial Centre of Environmental Research, Ghent, Belgium
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Hendy A, Krit M, Pfarr K, Laemmer C, De Witte J, Nwane P, Kamgno J, Nana-Djeunga HC, Boussinesq M, Dujardin JC, Post R, Colebunders R, O'Neill S, Enyong P, Njamnshi AK. Onchocerca volvulus transmission in the Mbam valley of Cameroon following 16 years of annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin, and the description of a new cytotype of Simulium squamosum. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:563. [PMID: 34727965 PMCID: PMC8561987 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05072-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onchocerciasis focus surrounding the lower Mbam and Sanaga rivers, where Onchocerca volvulus is transmitted by Simulium damnosum s.l. (Diptera: Simuliidae), was historically the largest in the southern regions of Cameroon. Annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) has been taking place since 2000, but recent studies have shown that new infections are occurring in children. We aimed to investigate blackfly biting and O. volvulus transmission rates along the lower Mbam river 16 years after the formal onset of annual CDTI. METHODS Black flies were collected for three consecutive days each month between July 2016 and June 2017 at two riverside villages and two inland sites situated 4.9 km and 7.9 km from the riverside. Specimens collected at each site were dissected on one of the three collection days each month to estimate parity rates and O. volvulus infection rates, while the remaining samples were preserved for pool screening. RESULTS In total, 93,573 S. damnosum s.l. black flies were recorded biting humans and 9281 were dissected. Annual biting rates of up to 606,370 were estimated at the riverside, decreasing to 20,540 at 7.9 km, while, based on dissections, annual transmission potentials of up to 4488 were estimated at the riverside, decreasing to 102 and 0 at 4.9 km and 7.9 km, respectively. However, pool screening showed evidence of infection in black flies at the furthest distance from the river. Results of both methods demonstrated the percentage of infective flies to be relatively low (0.10-0.36%), but above the WHO threshold for interruption of transmission. In addition, a small number of larvae collected during the dry season revealed the presence of Simulium squamosum E. This is the first time S. squamosum E has been found east of Lake Volta in Ghana, but our material was chromosomally distinctive, and we call it S. squamosum E2. CONCLUSIONS Relatively low O. volvulus infection rates appear to be offset by extremely high densities of biting black flies which are sustaining transmission along the banks of the lower Mbam river.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Hendy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. .,Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Meryam Krit
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kenneth Pfarr
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine Laemmer
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research, Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jacobus De Witte
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Philippe Nwane
- Centre for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases (CRFilMT), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Joseph Kamgno
- Centre for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases (CRFilMT), Yaoundé, Cameroon.,Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Hugues C Nana-Djeunga
- Centre for Research on Filariasis and Other Tropical Diseases (CRFilMT), Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Michel Boussinesq
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Claude Dujardin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rory Post
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.,School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Sarah O'Neill
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,CR 5, Ecole de Santé Publique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Enyong
- Research Foundation in Tropical Diseases and Environment, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Alfred K Njamnshi
- Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.,Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Yaoundé, Cameroon.,Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Geneva, Switzerland.,Neurology Department, Central Hospital Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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18
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Adler PH, Werner D, Kampen H. Chromosomal and Molecular Diversity in the Simulium ornatum Group (Diptera: Simuliidae) in the Western Tian Shan Range of Central Asia. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12090817. [PMID: 34564256 PMCID: PMC8472333 DOI: 10.3390/insects12090817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
By any measure, such as abundance, species diversity or geographic range, the Simulium ornatum species group is one of the most successful Palearctic taxa of black flies. To explore potential diversity in this group in the Tian Shan range of Central Asia, we focused on Kyrgyzstan, in which three nominal morphospecies have been recorded. Among our samples, we morphologically identified S. mesasiaticum Rubtsov and a second possible species tentatively identified as S. ferganicum Rubtsov. By analyzing banding patterns of the larval polytene chromosomes, we discovered two fixed inversions, two sex-linked rearrangements, and 19 autosomal rearrangements, including supernumerary B chromosomes. The chromosomal data indicate minimal diversity of only one or two species across the surveyed area of nearly 50,000 km2. Mitochondrial DNA (CO1) sequences fell into three distinct clusters, possibly representing separate species. The chromosomal, molecular, and morphological data indicate that Kyrgyz populations are unique within the S. ornatum group, but the data sets are not entirely congruent. Thus, reconciling data sets and assigning existing names is tentative. Simulium mesasiaticum is linked with undifferentiated sex chromosomes, one of the three CO1 clades, and higher elevations, whereas S. ferganicum is tenuously associated with differentiated sex chromosomes, a separate CO1 clade, and lower elevations. These associations leave one Kyrgyz larva, which is in a third CO1 clade, unlinked to a formal species name. Our analyses also indicate that S. ornatum Meigen sensu stricto, contrary to previous reports, does not occur in Kyrgyzstan and should be deleted from the country's faunal list.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H. Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0310, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Doreen Werner
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany;
| | - Helge Kampen
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17493 Greifswald, Germany;
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Sousa-Paula LCD, Pessoa FAC, Otranto D, Dantas-Torres F. Beyond taxonomy: species complexes in New World phlebotomine sand flies. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:267-283. [PMID: 33480064 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A species complex (= species group, species series) is an assemblage of species, which are related morphologically and phylogenetically. Recent research has revealed several arthropod vector species that were believed to be a single nominal species actually representing a group of closely related species, which are sometimes morphologically indistinguishable at one or more developmental stages. In some instances, differences in terms of vector competence, capacity, or both have been recorded. It highlights the importance of detecting and studying species complexes to improve our understanding of pathogen transmission patterns, which may be vectored more or less efficiently by different species within the complex. Considering more than 540 species, about one-third of the phlebotomine sand flies in the New World present males and/or females morphologically indistinguishable to one or more species. Remarkably, several of these species may act in transmission of pathogenic agents. In this article, we review recent research on species complexes in phlebotomine sand flies from the Americas. Possible practical implications of recently acquired knowledge and future research needs are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C de Sousa-Paula
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - F A C Pessoa
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Leônidas e Maria Deane Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - D Otranto
- Parasitology Unit, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - F Dantas-Torres
- Laboratory of Immunoparasitology, Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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20
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Hall MJR, Martín‐Vega D, Clark B, Ghosh D, Rogers M, Pigoli D, Veriegh FBD, Tetteh‐Kumah A, Osei‐Atweneboana MY, Cheke RA. Micro-CT imaging of Onchocerca infection of Simulium damnosum s.l. blackflies and comparison of the peritrophic membrane thickness of forest and savannah flies. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:231-238. [PMID: 33480060 PMCID: PMC8451916 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Onchocerca Diesing 1841 (Spirurida: Onchocercidae) nematodes transmitted by blackflies. It is associated with poverty and imposes a significant health, welfare and economic burden on many tropical countries. Current methods to visualize infections within the vectors rely on invasive methods. However, using micro-computed tomography techniques, without interference from physical tissue manipulation, we visualized in three dimensions for the first time an L1 larva of an Onchocerca species within the thoracic musculature of a blackfly, Simulium damnosum s.l. Theobald 1903 (Diptera: Simuliidae), naturally infected in Ghana. The possibility that thicker peritrophic membranes in savannah flies could account for their lower parasite loads was not supported, but there were limits to our analysis. While there were no statistically significant differences between the mean thicknesses of the peritrophic membranes, in the anterior, dorsal and ventral regions, of forest and savannah blackflies killed 34-48 min after a blood-meal, the thickness of the peritrophic membrane in the posterior region could not be measured. Micro-computed tomography has the potential to provide novel information on many other parasite/vector systems and impactful images for public engagement in health education.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. J. R. Hall
- Departments of Life Sciences and Core Research LaboratoriesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - D. Martín‐Vega
- Departments of Life Sciences and Core Research LaboratoriesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida (Unidad Docente de Zoología)Universidad de AlcaláAlcalá de Henares (Madrid)Spain
| | - B. Clark
- Departments of Life Sciences and Core Research LaboratoriesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| | - D. Ghosh
- Nutrition and Clinical Services DivisionInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b)DhakaBangladesh
| | - M. Rogers
- Department of Disease ControlLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineLondonUK
| | - D. Pigoli
- Department of MathematicsKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - F. B. D. Veriegh
- Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchWater Research InstituteAccraGhana
| | - A. Tetteh‐Kumah
- Council for Scientific and Industrial ResearchWater Research InstituteAccraGhana
| | | | - R. A. Cheke
- Agriculture, Health and Environment Department, Natural Resources InstituteUniversity of GreenwichMedway CampusChatham MaritimeKentUK
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21
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Human immune response against salivary antigens of Simulium damnosum s.l.: A new epidemiological marker for exposure to blackfly bites in onchocerciasis endemic areas. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009512. [PMID: 34157020 PMCID: PMC8253393 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Simulium damnosum sensu lato (s.l.) blackflies transmit Onchocerca volvulus, a filarial nematode that causes human onchocerciasis. Human landing catches (HLCs) is currently the sole method used to estimate blackfly biting rates but is labour-intensive and questionable on ethical grounds. A potential alternative is to measure host antibodies to vector saliva deposited during bloodfeeding. In this study, immunoassays to quantify human antibody responses to S. damnosum s.l. saliva were developed, and the salivary proteome of S. damnosum s.l. was investigated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Blood samples from people living in onchocerciasis-endemic areas in Ghana were collected during the wet season; samples from people living in Accra, a blackfly-free area, were considered negative controls and compared to samples from blackfly-free locations in Sudan. Blackflies were collected by HLCs and dissected to extract their salivary glands. An ELISA measuring anti-S. damnosum s.l. salivary IgG and IgM was optimized and used to quantify the humoral immune response of 958 individuals. Both immunoassays differentiated negative controls from endemic participants. Salivary proteins were separated by gel-electrophoresis, and antigenic proteins visualized by immunoblot. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was performed to characterize the proteome of S. damnosum s.l. salivary glands. Several antigenic proteins were recognized, with the major ones located around 15 and 40 kDa. LC-MS/MS identified the presence of antigen 5-related protein, apyrase/nucleotidase, and hyaluronidase. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study validated for the first time human immunoassays that quantify humoral immune responses as potential markers of exposure to blackfly bites. These assays have the potential to facilitate understanding patterns of exposure as well as evaluating the impact of vector control on biting rates. Future studies need to investigate seasonal fluctuations of these antibody responses, potential cross-reactions with other bloodsucking arthropods, and thoroughly identify the most immunogenic proteins.
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Brattig NW, Cheke RA, Garms R. Onchocerciasis (river blindness) - more than a century of research and control. Acta Trop 2021; 218:105677. [PMID: 32857984 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
This review summarises more than a century of research on onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, and its control. River blindness is an infection caused by the tissue filaria Onchocerca volvulus affecting the skin, subcutaneous tissue and eyes and leading to blindness in a minority of infected persons. The parasite is transmitted by its intermediate hosts Simulium spp. which breed in rivers. Featured are history and milestones in onchocerciasis research and control, state-of-the-art data on the parasite, its endobacteria Wolbachia, on the vectors, previous and current prevalence of the infection, its diagnostics, the interaction between the parasite and its host, immune responses and the pathology of onchocerciasis. Detailed information is documented on the time course of control programmes in the afflicted countries in Africa and the Americas, a long road from previous programmes to current successes in control of the transmission of this infectious disease. By development, adjustment and optimization of the control measures, transmission by the vector has been interrupted in foci of countries in the Americas, in Uganda, in Sudan and elsewhere, followed by onchocerciasis eliminations. The current state and future perspectives for control, elimination and eradication within the next 20-30 years are described and discussed. This review contributes to a deeper comprehension of this disease by a tissue-dwelling filaria and it will be helpful in efforts to control and eliminate other filarial infections.
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Izwan-Anas N, Ya'cob Z, Low VL, Lourdes EY, Ramli R, Bolongan G, Takaoka H. Simulium (Gomphostilbia) aziruni: First record of a black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) attracted to a human in Malaysia. Acta Trop 2021; 218:105904. [PMID: 33775626 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105904] [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: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Most female black flies in the genus Simulium are blood-sucking flies and they can cause various parasitic diseases in human and animal. A total of 94 species of black flies have been reported in Malaysia, however, their biting behavior and role as vector of infectious agents remain understudied. To fill in this knowledge gap, we attempted to survey adult black flies from field populations in Peninsular Malaysia. In a survey carried out in 2017 at Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu, three females were caught while attracted and landed on human skin. Further morphological and molecular analyses showed that the specimens were identical to Simulium (Gomphostilbia) aziruni Takaoka, Hashim & Chen of the Simulium gombakense species-group. This is the first report on a black fly species attracted to human in Malaysia which serves as a steppingstone towards in-depth studies for black flies in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor Izwan-Anas
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Zubaidah Ya'cob
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
| | - Van Lun Low
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
| | - Emmanuel Y Lourdes
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Rosli Ramli
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Gilmoore Bolongan
- Department of Wildlife and Nature Parks Peninsular Malaysia (PERHILITAN), KM 10, Jalan Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56100, Malaysia
| | - Hiroyuki Takaoka
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
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Samraoui B, Samraoui F, Al-Misned FA, El-Serehy HA, Adler PH. Ecological determinants of black fly assemblages of relict mountain streams in northeastern Algeria, plus new records (Diptera: Simuliidae). Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Nascimento JM, Hamada N, Andrade-Souza V, Huerta H, Garza JA, Frontado H, Frontado CQ, Grillet ME. Back from the past: Molecular and morphological support for Simulium mutucuna Nunes de Mello & Vieira da Silva, 1974 (Diptera: Simuliidae) as a valid species. Acta Trop 2021; 216:105846. [PMID: 33497618 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.105846] [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: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Simulium mutucuna, a species described based on a single female from Roraima state, was previously synonymized with Simulium paynei and currently is considered a synonym of Simulium rubrithorax. In the present paper we present morphological and molecular evidence supporting the validity of S. mutucuna based on analysis of specimens from Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico. We redescribe the female and describe, for the first time, the male, pupa and larva of S. mutucuna and discuss the morphological differences between this species and the others that are already considered as its senior synonyms. Currently, the distribution of S. mutucuna is restricted to Roraima state. The distribution record for S. rubrithorax in Brazil's North region needs to be removed, since the previous records were based on occurrence of S. mutucuna. Finally, we present new evidence of cryptic diversity in the S. paynei complex based on molecular information.
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Cheke RA, Little KE, Young S, Walker M, Basáñez MG. Taking the strain out of onchocerciasis? A reanalysis of blindness and transmission data does not support the existence of a savannah blinding strain of onchocerciasis in West Africa. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2021; 112:1-50. [PMID: 34024357 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Onchocerciasis (also known as 'river blindness'), is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by the (Simulium-transmitted) filarial nematode Onchocerca volvulus. The occurrence of 'blinding' (savannah) and non-blinding (forest) parasite strains and the existence of corresponding, locally adapted Onchocerca-Simulium complexes were postulated to explain greater blindness prevalence in savannah than in forest foci. As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP) focused anti-vectorial and anti-parasitic interventions in savannah endemic areas. In this paper, village-level data on blindness prevalence, microfilarial prevalence, and transmission intensity (measured by the annual transmission potential, the number of infective, L3, larvae per person per year) were extracted from 16 West-Central Africa-based publications, and analysed according to habitat (forest, forest-savannah mosaic, savannah) to test the dichotomous strain hypothesis in relation to blindness. When adjusting for sample size, there were no statistically significant differences in blindness prevalence between the habitats (one-way ANOVA, P=0.68, mean prevalence for forest=1.76±0.37 (SE); mosaic=1.49±0.38; savannah=1.89±0.26). The well-known relationship between blindness prevalence and annual transmission potential for savannah habitats was confirmed and shown to hold for (but not to be statistically different from) forest foci (excluding data from southern Côte d'Ivoire, in which blindness prevalence was significantly lower than in other West African forest communities, but which had been the focus of studies leading to the strain-blindness hypothesis that was accepted by OCP planners). We conclude that the evidence for a savannah blinding onchocerciasis strain in simple contrast with a non-blinding forest strain is equivocal. A re-appraisal of the strain hypothesis to explain patterns of ocular disease is needed to improve understanding of onchocerciasis epidemiology and disease burden estimates in the light of the WHO 2030 goals for onchocerciasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Cheke
- Natural Resources Institute, Department of Agriculture, Health & Environment, University of Greenwich at Medway, Kent, United Kingdom; London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stephen Young
- Natural Resources Institute, Department of Agriculture, Health & Environment, University of Greenwich at Medway, Kent, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Walker
- London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research, Department of Pathobiology and Populations Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Maria-Gloria Basáñez
- London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR), Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Khanzadeh F, Khaghaninia S, Maleki-Ravasan N, Koosha M, Oshaghi MA. Molecular detection of Dirofilaria spp. and host blood-meal identification in the Simulium turgaicum complex (Diptera: Simuliidae) in the Aras River Basin, northwestern Iran. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:548. [PMID: 33148310 PMCID: PMC7641795 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04432-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are known as effective vectors of human and animal pathogens, worldwide. We have already indicated that some individuals in the Simulium turgaicum complex are annoying pests of humans and livestock in the Aras River Basin, Iran. However, there is no evidence of host preference and their possible vectorial role in the region. This study was conducted to capture the S. turgaicum (s.l.), to identify their host blood-meals, and to examine their potential involvement in the circulation of zoonotic microfilariae in the study areas. Methods Adult blackflies of the S. turgaicum complex were bimonthly trapped with insect net in four ecotopes (humans/animals outdoors, irrigation canals, lands along the river, as well as rice and alfalfa farms) of ten villages (Gholibaiglou, Gungormaz, Hamrahlou, Hasanlou, Khetay, Khomarlou, Larijan, Mohammad Salehlou, Parvizkhanlou and Qarloujeh) of the Aras River Basin. A highly sensitive and specific nested PCR assay was used for detection of filarial nematodes in S. turgaicum (s.l.), using nuclear 18S rDNA-ITS1 markers. The sources of blood meals of engorged specimens were determined using multiplex and conventional cytb PCR assays. Results A total of 2754 females of S. turgaicum (s.l.) were collected. The DNA of filarial parasites was detected in 6 (0.62%) of 960 randomly examined individuals. Sequence analysis of 420 base pairs of 18S rDNA-ITS1 genes identified Dirofilaria spp. including 5 D. immitis and 1 D. repens. Importantly, all filarial positive specimens have been captured from humans and animals outdoors. Cytb-PCR assays showed that in all ecotypes studied, members of the S. turgaicum complex had preferably fed on humans, dogs, bovids, and birds, respectively. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. immitis/D. repens detection in blackflies. Results showed that S. turgaicum (s.l.) was the most abundant (97%) and anthropophilic (45%) blackfly in all studied ecotypes/villages and that DNA of Dirofilaria spp. was detected in the flies taken from six villages. Dirofilariasis is a common zoonosis between humans and carnivores, with mosquitoes (Culicidae) as the principal vectors. Further investigations are needed to demonstrate that blackflies are actual vectors of Dirofilaria in the studied region.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Khanzadeh
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samad Khaghaninia
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tehran, Iran
| | - Naseh Maleki-Ravasan
- Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. .,Research Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mona Koosha
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
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Lukindu M, Love RR, Guelbeogo MW, Small ST, Stephens MT, Campbell NR, Sagnon N, Costantini C, Besansky NJ. High-Throughput Genotyping of Common Chromosomal Inversions in the Afrotropical Malaria Mosquito Anopheles Funestus. INSECTS 2020; 11:E693. [PMID: 33065978 PMCID: PMC7650614 DOI: 10.3390/insects11100693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Polymorphic chromosomal inversions have been implicated in local adaptation. In anopheline mosquitoes, inversions also contribute to epidemiologically relevant phenotypes such as resting behavior. Progress in understanding these phenotypes and their mechanistic basis has been hindered because the only available method for inversion genotyping relies on traditional cytogenetic karyotyping, a rate-limiting and technically difficult approach that is possible only for the fraction of the adult female population at the correct gonotrophic stage. Here, we focus on an understudied malaria vector of major importance in sub-Saharan Africa, Anopheles funestus. We ascertain and validate tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using high throughput molecular assays that allow rapid inversion genotyping of the three most common An. funestus inversions at scale, overcoming the cytogenetic karyotyping barrier. These same inversions are the only available markers for distinguishing two An. funestus ecotypes that differ in indoor resting behavior, Folonzo and Kiribina. Our new inversion genotyping tools will facilitate studies of ecotypic differentiation in An. funestus and provide a means to improve our understanding of the roles of Folonzo and Kiribina in malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Lukindu
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; (M.L.); (R.R.L.); (S.T.S.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
| | - R. Rebecca Love
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; (M.L.); (R.R.L.); (S.T.S.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
| | - Moussa W. Guelbeogo
- Centre National de Recherche et Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; (M.W.G.); (N.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Scott T. Small
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; (M.L.); (R.R.L.); (S.T.S.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
| | - Melissa T. Stephens
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
| | | | - N’Fale Sagnon
- Centre National de Recherche et Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; (M.W.G.); (N.S.); (C.C.)
| | - Carlo Costantini
- Centre National de Recherche et Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; (M.W.G.); (N.S.); (C.C.)
- 5 MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS 5290, IRD 224, F-34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Nora J. Besansky
- Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA; (M.L.); (R.R.L.); (S.T.S.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA;
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Valencia-Montoya WA, Elfekih S, North HL, Meier JI, Warren IA, Tay WT, Gordon KHJ, Specht A, Paula-Moraes SV, Rane R, Walsh TK, Jiggins CD. Adaptive Introgression across Semipermeable Species Boundaries between Local Helicoverpa zea and Invasive Helicoverpa armigera Moths. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:2568-2583. [PMID: 32348505 PMCID: PMC7475041 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hybridization between invasive and native species has raised global concern, given the dramatic increase in species range shifts and pest outbreaks due to anthropogenic dispersal. Nevertheless, secondary contact between sister lineages of local and invasive species provides a natural laboratory to understand the factors that determine introgression and the maintenance or loss of species barriers. Here, we characterize the early evolutionary outcomes following secondary contact between invasive Helicoverpa armigera and native H. zea in Brazil. We carried out whole-genome resequencing of Helicoverpa moths from Brazil in two temporal samples: during the outbreak of H. armigera in 2013 and 2017. There is evidence for a burst of hybridization and widespread introgression from local H. zea into invasive H. armigera coinciding with H. armigera expansion in 2013. However, in H. armigera, the admixture proportion and the length of introgressed blocks were significantly reduced between 2013 and 2017, suggesting selection against admixture. In contrast to the genome-wide pattern, there was striking evidence for adaptive introgression of a single region from the invasive H. armigera into local H. zea, including an insecticide resistance allele that increased in frequency over time. In summary, despite extensive gene flow after secondary contact, the species boundaries are largely maintained except for the single introgressed region containing the insecticide-resistant locus. We document the worst-case scenario for an invasive species, in which there are now two pest species instead of one, and the native species has acquired resistance to pyrethroid insecticides through introgression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy A Valencia-Montoya
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Samia Elfekih
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Henry L North
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Joana I Meier
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ian A Warren
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Wee Tek Tay
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Karl H J Gordon
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | | | | | - Rahul Rane
- CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Tom K Walsh
- CSIRO Land and Water, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Chris D Jiggins
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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Khanzadeh F, Khaghaninia S, Maleki-Ravasan N, Oshaghi MA, Adler PH. Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) of the Aras River Basin: Species composition and floral visitation. Acta Trop 2020; 209:105536. [PMID: 32450136 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Black flies are insects of medical, veterinary, and environmental significance. Historically, they have attacked humans and caused simuliotoxicosis in livestock in the Aras River Basin in northwest Iran. However, information on the species and their bionomics is limited in the region. Adult flies were collected from diverse ecotopes of the Aras River Basin. After morphological identification, representative specimens of each morphological group were subjected to mtDNA COI gene sequence analysis for species diagnosis and to infer relationships. Flies also were examined for pollinia. A total of 1880 specimens representing 12 morphotaxa in two genera (Simulium and Metacnephia) were identified: Simulium turgaicum (n=1834), S. kiritshenkoi (n=12), S. bezzii (n=7), S. brevitarse (n=7), S. pseudequinum (n=5), S. aureum species group (n=4), S. vernum species group (n=3), S. transcaspicum (n=1), three unidentified species of the subgenus Simulium (n=5), and Metacnephia possibly persica (n=2). Fifty two haplotypes were detected for the 65 COI sequences analyzed. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.19-8.83%, whereas the mean interspecific genetic distances among the morphotaxa were 1.41-19.58%. Molecular analyses recovered three well-supported lineages within S. turgaicum. One lineage included black flies collected from agricultural fields, a second lineage involved black flies captured from animals, and a third lineage included specimens that had visited flowers, as evidenced by presence of pollinia. The relative abundance (97%) and observations of the S. turgaicum complex biting humans are important epidemiological factors. Future studies are needed to define the potential epidemiological risk of simulids in Khoda-Afarin County of Iran.
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Akhoundi M, Sereno D, Marteau A, Bruel C, Izri A. Who Bites Me? A Tentative Discriminative Key to Diagnose Hematophagous Ectoparasites Biting Using Clinical Manifestations. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10050308. [PMID: 32429276 PMCID: PMC7277957 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10050308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropod blood feeders are vectors of several human pathogenic agents, including viruses (e.g., yellow fever, chikungunya, dengue fever), parasites (e.g., malaria, leishmaniasis, lymphatic filariasis), or bacteria (e.g., plague). Besides their role as a vector of pathogens, their biting activities cause a nuisance to humans. Herein, we document clinical symptoms associated with the biting of ten clusters of hematophagous arthropods, including mosquitoes, biting midges and sandflies, lice, ticks, tsetse flies, blackflies, horse flies, fleas, triatomine and bed bugs. Within the framework of clinical history and entomo-epidemiological information, we propose a tentative discriminative key that can be helpful for practicing physicians in identifying hematophagous arthropods biting humans and delivering treatment for the associated clinical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Akhoundi
- Parasitology-Mycology Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, 93000 Bobigny, France; (A.M.); (A.I.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Denis Sereno
- MIVEGEC, IRD, Montpellier University, 34032 Montpellier, France;
- InterTryp, IRD, Montpellier University, 34032 Montpellier, France
| | - Anthony Marteau
- Parasitology-Mycology Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, 93000 Bobigny, France; (A.M.); (A.I.)
| | - Christiane Bruel
- Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS) Île-de-France, 35, rue de la Gare, 75935 Paris CEDEX 19, France;
| | - Arezki Izri
- Parasitology-Mycology Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, 93000 Bobigny, France; (A.M.); (A.I.)
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Oforka LC, Adeleke MA, Anikwe JC, Hardy NB, Mathias DK, Makanjuola WA, Fadamiro HY. Biting Rates and Onchocerca Infectivity Status of Black Flies from the Simulium damnosum Complex (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Osun State, Nigeria. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:901-907. [PMID: 31901168 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The Simulium damnosum Theobald complex transmits Onchocerca volvulus Leuckart (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), the causative agent of onchocerciasis. Recent evidence suggests that control efforts have strongly suppressed parasite populations, but vector surveillance is needed in parts of Africa where the disease remains endemic. Here, studies on biting rates and infectivity status of suspected vector species were conducted in three onchocerciasis-endemic areas, namely Iwo, Ede, and Obokun, in Osun State, Nigeria. A total of 3,035 black flies were collected between October 2014 and September 2016, and examined for parity and parasites using standard methods. A separate collection of 2,000 black flies was pool-screened for infectivity using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the O-150 marker. Results showed that parous flies were significantly less common than nulliparous flies with overall parous rates of 8.02% in Iwo and 35.38% in Ede at the end of the study period. Obokun had a parous rate of 22.22% obtained in the first year only. None of the dissected parous flies were infected with O. volvulus and PCR assays showed no amplification of O-150 O. volvulus-specific repeats in head and body pools. However, annual biting rates exceeded the World Health Organization threshold of 1,000 bites/person/yr. Thus it appears that, with such high rates of biting, even low levels of vector infection can sustain onchocerciasis in African communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C Oforka
- Department of Zoology, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, 101017, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Monsuru A Adeleke
- Department of Zoology, Osun State University, P.M.B 4494, Osogbo, Nigeria
| | - Joseph C Anikwe
- Department of Zoology, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, 101017, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Nate B Hardy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
| | - Derrick K Mathias
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL
| | | | - Henry Y Fadamiro
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
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Đuknić J, Jovanović VM, Atlagić JČ, Andjus S, Paunović M, Živić I, Popović N. Simulium reptans (Linnaeus, 1758) and Simulium reptantoides Carlsson, 1962 from the Balkan Peninsula. Zookeys 2020; 922:141-155. [PMID: 32265594 PMCID: PMC7118442 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.922.49306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simulium reptans (Linnaeus, 1758) and Simulium reptantoides Carlsson, 1962 are two species of the Simulium reptans group whose distribution is unclear because of their confusing taxonomy and systematics. Their genetic variability is well known for populations in northern and central Europe and shows that both species have two forms; however, the genetic variability of these species in southern and eastern Europe is unknown. To identify the status of these two species in southeast Europe, mtDNA was extracted from 19 individuals from 12 localities across the Balkan Peninsula. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of two species with 7.38-7.94% divergence. Each species was comprised of two clades, with 2.31% and 1.43% interclade divergence for S. reptans and S. reptantoides, respectively. This study revealed the presence of both species across the Balkans and that S. reptans occurs in this area in only one form (S. reptans B), while S. reptantoides is found in two genetic forms (A and B).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Đuknić
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir M Jovanović
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia.,Bioinformatics Solution Center, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jelena Čanak Atlagić
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Stefan Andjus
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Momir Paunović
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana Živić
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nataša Popović
- Department of Hydroecology and Water Protection, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia
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Wang R, Yu ZC, Luo XP, Chen LJ, Shao GY, Yang XY. Survey of infection and determination of the transmission vector of Onchocerca fasciata in camels (Camelus bactrianus) in Inner Mongolia, China. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 34:59-68. [PMID: 31508843 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Onchocerciasis in camels is caused by adult Onchocerca spp. and results in great economic losses to the camel industry. However, only a few studies on Onchocerca have been conducted, especially regarding the intermediate host and vector(s). In the present study, 192 camels were examined from December and January during 2013 and 2016, and the filarial larvae suspected to be Onchocerca spp. were further identified. Furthermore, aquatic dipteran insects in the living environment of camels were collected from May to September between 2013 and 2017 and dissected. Eventually, onchocercal lesions were observed in 95 of 192 (49%) camels and the captured insects were classified into 49 species from 42 genera in 21 families, among which 18 species were newly recorded in Inner Mongolia and 14 were haematophagous species. The filarial larvae were found in Culicoides puncticollis and identified as Onchocerca fasciata, indicating that C. puncticollis is the vector of O. fasciata in Inner Mongolia. These findings provide an estimate of onchocerciasis infection in camels and an alternative method of identifying insects and screening vectors using molecular methods. Important data are also provided for the diagnosis and control of onchocerciasis, thereby further filling the gap in knowledge regarding transmission vectors in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Z C Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
- Technology Center of Hohhot Customs District PR China, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - X P Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - L J Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
- Technology Center of Hohhot Customs District PR China, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - G Y Shao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - X Y Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology in Animal Disease, Ministry of Agriculture, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
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Onder Z, Yildirim A, Duzlu O, Arslan MO, Sari B, Tasci GT, Ciloglu A, Aydin NP, Inci A, Adler PH. Molecular characterization of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in areas with pest outbreaks and simuliotoxicosis in Northeast Anatolia Region, Turkey. Acta Trop 2019; 199:105149. [PMID: 31422094 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Accurate species identification provides the foundation for successful pest management and vector control of black flies. Accordingly, we examined the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences of four morphologically and chromosomally identified species of black flies (Simulium vernumgroup sp., S. bergi Rubtsov, S. bezzii (Corti), and S. kiritshenkoi Rubtsov) in Northeast Anatolia Region of Turkey where simuliid pest problems and simuliotoxicosis cases have been reported among cattle. COI gene sequences of these species and closely related species available in GenBank were used to provide species-level diagnoses and infer relationships. Both subgenera (Nevermannia and Simulium) were monophyletic, and subclades generally corresponded with species groups. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.2-1.6%, whereas the mean interspecific genetic divergence among the four species was 11.2-14.5%. The COI analysis produced results congruent with morphological concepts of the nominal species S. bergi and S. bezzii. Probable misidentifications in GenBank were revealed, especially for species in the S. ornatum and S. vernum groups, complicating identification capability. Sequence variation in the COI barcode region also might not be adequate for species delineation and identification among some species in these two species groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuhal Onder
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Alparslan Yildirim
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Onder Duzlu
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mukremin O Arslan
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kars, Turkey
| | - Baris Sari
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kars, Turkey
| | - Gencay T Tasci
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kars, Turkey
| | - Arif Ciloglu
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | | | - Abdullah Inci
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Peter H Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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Đuknić J, Jovanović VM, Popović N, Živić I, Raković M, Čerba D, Paunović M. Phylogeography of Simulium Subgenus Wilhelmia (Diptera: Simuliidae)-Insights From Balkan Populations. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:967-978. [PMID: 31220292 PMCID: PMC6595531 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Many morphologically similar species of the simuliid (Diptera: Simuliidae) subgenus Wilhelmia, Enderlein are difficult to distinguish. Thus, the revision of the subgenus using various morphological, cytogenetic, and genetic analyses has been attempted. Neglected until now, the Balkan Peninsula, a crossroad between Europe and Anatolia, provides insight which could resolve problematic interrelationships of the taxa within this subgenus. To uncover the status and relations within the subgenus Wilhelmia, mtDNA was extracted from 47 individuals of six morphospecies: Simulium balcanicum (Enderlein, 1924), Simulium turgaicum Rubtsov, 1940, Simulium lineatum (Meigen, 1804), Simulium pseudequinum Séguy, 1921, Simulium equinum (Linnaeus, 1758), and Simulium paraequinum Puri, 1933 from 21 sites throughout the Balkan Peninsula. Phylogenetic analysis of the Wilhelmia species using mitochondrial DNA barcoding (COI) gene showed two major branches, the lineatum branch, which includes the lineages sergenti, paraequinum, and lineatum, and the equinum branch. In the equinum branch, the mtDNA sequences formed six clades, with high genetic distances, suggesting the existence of different species. Historically, the clades of the equinum branch appeared at numerous islands, perhaps as a result of allopatric speciation. The paraequinum lineage (lineatum branch) is composed of two species. However, six clades of the lineatum lineage overlapped with intra- and interspecific genetic distances. Our results revealed that the species S. balcanicum, S. pseudequinum B, and S. equinum were omnipresent in the Balkans. The results point to not only the fair diversity of Wilhelmia species in the Balkans, but also indicate that most Wilhelmia species live in sympatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Đuknić
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir M Jovanović
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nataša Popović
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana Živić
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Maja Raković
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dubravka Čerba
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Momir Paunović
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Kraberger S, Schmidlin K, Fontenele RS, Walters M, Varsani A. Unravelling the Single-Stranded DNA Virome of the New Zealand Blackfly. Viruses 2019; 11:E532. [PMID: 31181730 PMCID: PMC6630596 DOI: 10.3390/v11060532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, arthropods have been shown to harbour a rich diversity of viruses. Through viral metagenomics a large diversity of single-stranded (ss) DNA viruses have been identified. Here we examine the ssDNA virome of the hematophagous New Zealand blackfly using viral metagenomics. Our investigation reveals a plethora of novel ssDNA viral genomes, some of which cluster in the viral families Genomoviridae (n = 9), Circoviridae (n = 1), and Microviridae (n = 108), others in putative families that, at present, remain unclassified (n = 20) and one DNA molecule that only encodes a replication associated protein. Among these novel viruses, two putative multi-component virus genomes were recovered, and these are most closely related to a Tongan flying fox faeces-associated multi-component virus. Given that the only other known multi-component circular replication-associated (Rep) protein encoding single-stranded (CRESS) DNA viruses infecting plants are in the families Geminiviridae (members of the genus Begomovirus) and Nanoviridae, it appears these are likely a new multi-component virus group which may be associated with animals. This study reiterates the diversity of ssDNA viruses in nature and in particular with the New Zealand blackflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA.
| | - Kara Schmidlin
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA.
| | - Rafaela S Fontenele
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA.
| | - Matthew Walters
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa.
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Wang G, Huang M. Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Simulium (Byssodon) maculatum (Diptera: Simuliidae) and its phylogenetic implications. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 121:152-160. [PMID: 30287375 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.09.205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The mitochondrial (mt) genome of the black fly Simulium (Byssodon) maculatum, a pest of great importance for both humans and livestock, is sequenced and annotated for the first time. The genome structure, gene order and codon usage are typical among Diptera mt genomes. The mt genome is circular and 15,799 bp in length with 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and a control region (CR), and with weakly positive AT-skew (0.02) and negative GC-skew (-0.12). Phylogenetic relationships of 16 species representing five families of Culicomorpha and two outgroups, based on mt genome data, were analyzed using both Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods. The monophyly of Culicomorpha is well supported, while Chironomoidea is indicated as a paraphyletic group. The well supported monophyletic Simuliidae is the sister group to Culicidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Min Huang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
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Cherairia M, Adler PH. Genetic variation in a colonization specialist, Simulium ruficorne (Diptera: Simuliidae), the world's most widely distributed black fly. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205137. [PMID: 30281665 PMCID: PMC6169971 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of aquatic insects to colonize Earth's most remote freshwater habitats, such as those of islands and deserts, is limited to select taxa. Among black flies, the premiere colonization specialist is Simulium ruficorne Macquart, the only species known from both the Afrotropical and Palearctic regions. We investigated the cytogenetics of S. ruficorne to gain insight into its wide geographic distribution and ability to colonize oceanic islands and deserts. On the basis of larval polytene chromosomes from 14 locations, we documented 17 novel and previously known chromosomal rearrangements and established five cytoforms (A1, A2, B, C, and D), of which probably four (A1/A2, B, C, and D) are distinct species and two (A1 and A2) represent sex-chromosome polymorphism involving a heteroband in the long arm of chromosome III. The chromosome restructuring phenomena associated with the five cytoforms are consistent with the trend in the Simuliidae that one and the same rearrangement can assume different functions in the various descendants of a common ancestor in which the rearrangement was polymorphic. The most widely distributed cytoforms are A1 and A2, which are found in North Africa, the Canary Islands, and Majorca. Simulium ruficorne, the only known black fly in the Hoggar Mountains of the central Sahara Desert, represents a cohesive population of cytoform A1 little differentiated from other North African populations of A1 and A2. Cytoform B inhabits the West African mainland, cytoform C is on Tenerife, and cytoform D is on Cape Verde. We suggest that dispersal and colonization specialists, such as S. ruficorne, are multivoltine inhabitants of temporary streams, and must relocate as their habitats deteriorate. Simulium ruficorne, therefore, should have adaptations that contribute to successful dispersal and colonization, perhaps largely physiological in nature, such as tolerance of high temperatures and droughts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouna Cherairia
- Laboratoire de Recherche et de Conservation des Zones Humides, Université 8 Mai 1945 de Guelma, Guelma, Algeria
| | - Peter H. Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
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Gomard Y, Cornuault J, Licciardi S, Lagadec E, Belqat B, Dsouli N, Mavingui P, Tortosa P. Evidence of multiple colonizations as a driver of black fly diversification in an oceanic island. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202015. [PMID: 30096163 PMCID: PMC6086440 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
True oceanic islands typically host reduced species diversity together with high levels of endemism, which make these environmental set-ups ideal for the exploration of species diversification drivers. In the present study, we used black fly species (Diptera: Simuliidae) from Reunion Island as a model to highlight the main drivers of insect species diversification in this young and remote volcanic island located in the Southwestern Indian Ocean. Using local and regional (Comoros and Seychelles archipelagos) samples as well as specimens from continental Africa, we tested the likelihood of two distinct scenarios, i.e. multiple colonizations vs. in-situ diversification. For this, posterior odds were used to test whether species from Reunion did form a monophyletic group and we estimated divergence times between species. Three out of the four previously described Reunion black fly species could be sampled, namely Simulium ruficorne, Simulium borbonense and Simulium triplex. The phylogenies based on nuclear and mitochondrial markers showed that S. ruficorne and S. borbonense are the most closely related species. Interestingly, we report a probable mitochondrial introgression between these two species although they diverged almost six million years ago. Finally, we showed that the three Reunion species did not form a monophyletic group, and, combined with the molecular datation, the results indicated that Reunion black fly diversity resulted from multiple colonization events. Thus, multiple colonizations, rather than in-situ diversification, are likely responsible for an important part of black fly diversity found on this young Darwinian island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Gomard
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Josselin Cornuault
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation, Real Jardín Botánico, RJB-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Séverine Licciardi
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
- ASTRE, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier, France
- Groupement d’Intérêt Public Cyclotron Reunion Océan Indien (GIP CYROI), Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Erwan Lagadec
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Boutaïna Belqat
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tétouan, Morocco
| | - Najla Dsouli
- Centre de Recherche et de Veille sur les maladies émergentes dans l’Océan Indien (CRVOI), Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
| | - Patrick Mavingui
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, France; Université Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France; CNRS, UMR 5557, Ecologie Microbienne, Villeurbanne, France; INRA, UMR1418, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pablo Tortosa
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PIMIT (Processus Infectieux en Milieu Insulaire Tropical), INSERM 1187, CNRS 9192, IRD 249, Plateforme Technologique CYROI, Sainte-Clotilde, La Réunion, France
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McCreadie JW, Williams RH, Stutsman S, Finn DS, Adler PH. The influence of habitat heterogeneity and latitude on gamma diversity of the Nearctic Simuliidae, a ubiquitous group of stream-dwelling insects. INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:712-720. [PMID: 28106957 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Among the most prominent, large-scale patterns of species richness are the increases in richness with decreasing latitude and with increasing habitat heterogeneity. Using the stream-dwelling larval and pupal stages of North American black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae), we address 3 broad questions about species richness: (i) Does a significant latitude-richness relationship exist? (ii) How does habitat heterogeneity influence gamma diversity? (iii) What is the sign (positive or negative) of the latitude-richness and the heterogeneity-richness relationships? We found no evidence that habitat heterogeneity influences gamma diversity. The estimated peak species richness for black flies in North America was at 50-53°N, which also corresponds with peak generic richness. All plesiomorphic, extant lineages of the Simuliidae in the Western Hemisphere are found in cool mountainous environments of North America, suggesting that peak richness at 50-53°N might be a signature of this phylogenetic pattern and a reflection of underlying historical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W McCreadie
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Rachel H Williams
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Sam Stutsman
- Department of Earth Sciences Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Debra S Finn
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Peter H Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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Hendy A, Krüger A, Pfarr K, De Witte J, Kibweja A, Mwingira U, Dujardin JC, Post R, Colebunders R, O’Neill S, Kalinga A. The blackfly vectors and transmission of Onchocerca volvulus in Mahenge, south eastern Tanzania. Acta Trop 2018; 181:50-59. [PMID: 29410302 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The Mahenge Mountains onchocerciasis focus in south eastern Tanzania was historically one of the most heavily infected areas in the country. The vectors of Onchocerca volvulus are mainly Simulium damnosum complex blackflies, but a species of the Simulium neavei group may also contribute to transmission in some areas. The only detailed studies of parasite transmission in Mahenge were conducted in the late 1960s. The taxonomy of the S. damnosum complex has since been revised and onchocerciasis control through annual community directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) commenced in 1997. This study aimed to provide a cytogenetic and molecular update of the S. damnosum complex cytoforms present in Mahenge, and to evaluate the current status of O. volvulus transmission by blackflies following 19 years of annual CDTI. Rivers were surveyed to identify sites of S. damnosum s.l. breeding among the eastern slopes of the mountains, and human landing collections of adult female blackflies were made close to breeding sites. Identification of S. damnosum complex cytoforms was by cytotaxonomy of late-instar larvae and ITS1 amplicon size polymorphisms of larvae and adults. Adult blackflies were pool screened for O. volvulus infection using a triplex real-time PCR. The cytoforms 'Nkusi', Simulium kilibanum and 'Turiani' were found breeding in perennial rivers. 'Nkusi' and S. kilibanum were collected on human bait at 7/7 catch sites and possessed ITS1 profiles most closely resembling the molecular forms 'Nkusi J' and S. kilibanum 'T'. Whereas 'Turiani' was present in rivers, it was not collected on human bait and appears to be zoophilic. Simulium nyasalandicum was collected in low numbers on human bait at 3/7 catch sites. In total, 12,452 S. damnosum s.l. were pool screened and O. volvulus infection was detected in 97/104 pools of bodies and 51/104 pools of heads. The estimated percentage of S. damnosum s.l. carrying infective L3 stage parasites was 0.57% (95% CI 0.43%-0.74%). Onchocerca volvulus transmission by S. damnosum s.l. is continuing in the Mahenge Mountains after 19 years of annual CDTI. Infection rates appear similar to those reported in the 1960s, but a more detailed study is required to fully understand the epidemiological significance of the ongoing transmission. These results provide further evidence that annual CDTI may be insufficient to eliminate the parasite in formerly hyperendemic foci.
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Thaijarern J, Adler PH, Pramual P. Limited differentiation among black flies in the Simulium multistriatum species group (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Thailand: cryptic species, homosequential species and homosequential cryptic species. Zool J Linn Soc 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiraporn Thaijarern
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantharawichai District, Maha Sarakham, Thailand
| | - Peter H Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Pairot Pramual
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantharawichai District, Maha Sarakham, Thailand
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Abstract
Climate change is expected to impact across every domain of society, including health. The majority of the world's population is susceptible to pathological, infectious disease whose life cycles are sensitive to environmental factors across different physical phases including air, water and soil. Nearly all so-called neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) fall into this category, meaning that future geographic patterns of transmission of dozens of infections are likely to be affected by climate change over the short (seasonal), medium (annual) and long (decadal) term. This review offers an introduction into the terms and processes deployed in modelling climate change and reviews the state of the art in terms of research into how climate change may affect future transmission of NTDs. The 34 infections included in this chapter are drawn from the WHO NTD list and the WHO blueprint list of priority diseases. For the majority of infections, some evidence is available of which environmental factors contribute to the population biology of parasites, vectors and zoonotic hosts. There is a general paucity of published research on the potential effects of decadal climate change, with some exceptions, mainly in vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Booth
- Newcastle University, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
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Woodford L, Bianco G, Ivanova Y, Dale M, Elmer K, Rae F, Larcombe SD, Helm B, Ferguson HM, Baldini F. Vector species-specific association between natural Wolbachia infections and avian malaria in black fly populations. Sci Rep 2018; 8:4188. [PMID: 29520067 PMCID: PMC5843599 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22550-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial infection of mosquitoes with the endosymbiont bacteria Wolbachia can interfere with malaria parasite development. Therefore, the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes has been proposed as a malaria control strategy. However, Wolbachia effects on vector competence are only partly understood, as indicated by inconsistent effects on malaria infection reported under laboratory conditions. Studies of naturally-occurring Wolbachia infections in wild vector populations could be useful to identify the ecological and evolutionary conditions under which these endosymbionts can block malaria transmission. Here we demonstrate the occurrence of natural Wolbachia infections in three species of black fly (genus Simulium), which is a main vector of the avian malaria parasite Leucocytozoon. Prevalence of Leucocytozoon was high (25%), but the nature and magnitude of its association with Wolbachia differed between black fly species. Wolbachia infection was positively associated with avian malaria infection in S. cryophilum, negatively associated in S. aureum, and unrelated in S. vernum. These differences suggest that Wolbachia interacts with the parasite in a vector host species-specific manner. This provides a useful model system for further study of how Wolbachia influences vector competence. Such knowledge, including the possibility of undesirable positive association, is required to guide endosymbiont based control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Woodford
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Bianco
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Yoana Ivanova
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Maeve Dale
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn Elmer
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Rae
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen D Larcombe
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Heather M Ferguson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Francesco Baldini
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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Andrade-Souza V, Silva JG, Hamada N. Phylogeography and population diversity of Simulium hirtipupa Lutz (Diptera: Simuliidae) based on mitochondrial COI sequences. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0190091. [PMID: 29281704 PMCID: PMC5744943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
High morphological homogeneity and cryptic speciation may cause the diversity within Simuliidae to be underestimated. Recent molecular studies on population genetics and phylogeography have contributed to reveal which factors influenced the diversity within this group. This study aimed at examining the genetic diversity of Simulium hirtipupa Lutz, 1910 in populations from the biomes Caatinga, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest. In this study, we carried out phylogeographic and population genetic analyses using a fragment of the mitochondrial gene COI. The 19 populations studied were clustered into seven groups, most of which are associated with geography indicating certain genetic structure. The northern region of the state of Minas Gerais is most likely the center of origin of this species. The average intergroup genetic distance was 3.7%, indicating the presence of cryptic species. The species tree as well as the haplotype network recovered all groups forming two major groups: the first comprises groups Gr-Bahia (in which the São Francisco river has not acted as geographical barrier), Gr-Pernambuco, and Gr-Mato Grosso do Sul. The second included groups comprising populations of the states of Goiás, Tocantins, Minas Gerais, Bahia, São Paulo, and Espírito Santo. The mismatch distribution for groups was consistent with the model of demographic expansion, except for the Gr-Central-East_1 group. The diversification in this group occurred about 1.19 Mya during the Pleistocene, influenced by paleoclimatic oscillations during the Quaternary glacial cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanderly Andrade-Souza
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Citotaxonomia e Insetos Aquáticos, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Janisete G. Silva
- Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Neusa Hamada
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Citotaxonomia e Insetos Aquáticos, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
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Adler PH, Hamada N, Cavalcante do Nascimento JM, Grillet ME. River-specific macrogenomic diversity in Simulium guianense s. l. (Diptera: Simuliidae), a complex of tropical American vectors associated with human onchocerciasis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181679. [PMID: 28727841 PMCID: PMC5519218 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simulium guianense Wise is a Latin American vector complex of black flies associated with transmission of the causal agent of human onchocerciasis (river blindness). An analysis of the chromosomal banding patterns of 607 larvae of S. guianense s. l. revealed a high level of variation involving 83 macrogenomic rearrangements across 25 populations in Brazil, French Guiana, and Venezuela. The 25 populations were assigned to 13 cytoforms (A1, A2, B1-B4, C, D, E1-E4, and F), some of which are probably valid species. Based on geographical proximity, a member of the B group of cytoforms probably represents the name-bearing type specimen of S. guianense and the primary vector in the last-remaining onchocerciasis foci in the Western Hemisphere. Cytoform B3 in Amapá State is implicated as an anthropophilic simuliid in an area currently and historically free of onchocerciasis. Distributions of cytoforms are associated with geography, elevation, and drainage basin, and are largely congruent with ecoregions. Despite extraordinarily large larval populations of S. guianense s. l. in big rivers and consequent production of female flies for dispersal, the cytoforms maintain their chromosomal distinction within individual rivers, suggesting a high degree of fidelity to the specialized breeding habitats-rocky shoals-of the natal rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H. Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Neusa Hamada
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Curso de pós-graduação em Entomologia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Eugenia Grillet
- Laboratorio de Biología de Vectores y Parásitos, Instituto de Zoología y Ecología Tropical, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
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Rodríguez-Pérez MA, Garza-Hernández JA, Salinas-Carmona MC, Fernández-Salas I, Reyes-Villanueva F, Real-Najarro O, Cupp EW, Unnasch TR. The esperanza window trap reduces the human biting rate of Simulium ochraceum s.l. in formerly onchocerciasis endemic foci in Southern Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005686. [PMID: 28686665 PMCID: PMC5517070 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Esperanza Window Trap (EWT) baited with CO2 and human sweat compounds is attractive to Simulium ochraceum s.l., the primary vector of Onchocerca volvulus in the historically largest endemic foci in México and Guatemala. Methodology/Principal findings The ability of the EWT to locally reduce numbers of questing S. ochraceum s.l. was evaluated in two formerly onchocerciasis endemic communities in Southern México. At each community, two EWTs were placed in or near a school or household and flies were collected sequentially for a total of 10 days. Black fly collections were then carried out for an additional 10 days in the absence of the EWTs. Flies were also collected outside the dwellings to control for variations in the local fly populations. When the EWTs were present, there was a significant reduction in the human biting rate at both the household and school locations at collection sites, with a greater effect observed in the schools. Conclusions/Significance These results indicate that the EWTs not only have potential as a black fly monitoring tool but may be used for reducing personal exposure to fly bites in Mesoamerica. The Esperanza window trap (EWT), when used in large numbers (3-4/household and >90% coverage) and baited with human sweat compounds and CO2, can be used to collect epidemiologically significant numbers of Simulium ochraceum s.l., the primary vector of Onchocerca volvulus in the historically largest endemic foci in México and Guatemala. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of the EWT to reduce the personal biting rate by questing S. ochraceum s.l. in two formerly onchocerciasis endemic communities in Southern México. At each community, two EWTs were placed in or near a school or household and flies were collected sequentially for a total of 10 days. Black fly collections were then carried out for an additional 10 days in the absence of the EWTs. When the EWTs were present, there was a significant reduction in the human biting rate at each of the four collection sites, varying from 14% to 51%. This study demonstrates that the EWTs have potential both as a black fly monitoring and personal exposure reduction tool in Mesoamerica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario A. Rodríguez-Pérez
- Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa, Tamaulipas, México
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Javier A. Garza-Hernández
- Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa, Tamaulipas, México
- Laboratorio de Biologia Molecular, Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Torreon, Coahuila. C. P., México
| | | | - Ildefonso Fernández-Salas
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | | | - Olga Real-Najarro
- Consejería de Educación, Madrid, España. Calle Maestro 19, Leganés (Madrid) Madrid, España
| | - Eddie W. Cupp
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Thomas R. Unnasch
- Global Health Infectious Disease Research Program, Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States of America
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50
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Inci A, Yildirim A, Duzlu O, Onder Z, Ciloglu A, Seitz G, Adler PH. Genetic Diversity and Identification of Palearctic Black Flies in the Subgenus Wilhelmia (Diptera: Simuliidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 54:888-894. [PMID: 28399227 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjw246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Accurate species identifications are the essential first step in understanding the medical, economic, and ecological importance of black flies. The utility of DNA barcoding based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) sequences was evaluated for identifying six common species of Palearctic black flies in the subgenus Wilhelmia, including several that are virulent pests. Chromosomally identified larvae from Turkey and Germany and COI sequences in GenBank were analyzed. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.7-3.5% (mean 1.6%), whereas interspecific genetic divergence was 2.7-16.9%. On the basis of COI barcodes, the six nominal species of Simulium (Wilhelmia) were clustered in three distinct clades with high levels of genetic divergence, using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. All specimens of Simulium equinum (L.), Simulium pseudequinum Séguy, and Simulium paraequinum Puri were correctly identified. However, >75% of identifications were ambiguous for Simulium lineatum (Meigen) and Simulium turgaicum Rubtsov (Meigen) because of overlapping intra- and interspecific divergence of the two species and Simulium balcanicum (Enderlein), all three of which are chromosomally similar and nearly isomorphic. Phylogenetic evaluation showed that S. balcanicum, S. equinum, S. pseudequinum, and S. paraequinum were monophyletic, with high bootstrap and posterior probability values, but it also showed that S. lineatum and S. turgaicum were paraphyletic, each clustering in two distinct groups, suggesting the presence of cryptic taxa. Although DNA barcoding provided a partial means of identification and indications of additional biodiversity, other molecular markers are needed to clarify the limits of all pest species of the subgenus Wilhelmia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Inci
- Parasitology Department, Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Alparslan Yildirim
- Parasitology Department, Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Onder Duzlu
- Parasitology Department, Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zuhal Onder
- Parasitology Department, Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Arif Ciloglu
- Parasitology Department, Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 38039 Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Gunther Seitz
- District Government of Lower Bavaria, Regierungsplatz 540, 84028 Landshut, Germany
| | - Peter H Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
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