The ecological significance of arthropod vectors of plant, animal, and human pathogens

Green cities and vector-borne diseases: emerging concerns and opportunities

Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, nature-based solutions such as urban greening e.g. public gardens, urban forests, parks and street trees, which aim to protect, sustainably manage or restore an ecosystem, have emerged as a promising tool for improving the health and well-being of an ever-increasing urban population. While urban greening efforts have undeniable benefits for human health and the biological communities inhabiting these green zones, disease vector populations may also be affected, possibly promoting greater pathogen transmission and the emergence of infectious diseases such as dengue, West Nile fever, malaria, leishmaniosis and tick-borne diseases. Evidence for the impact of urban green areas on vector-borne disease (VBD) transmission is scarce. Furthermore, because of vast disparities between cities, variation in green landscapes and differing scales of observation, findings are often contradictory; this calls for careful assessment of how urban greening affects VBD risk. Improved understanding of the effect of urban greening on VBDs would support planning, monitoring and management of green spaces in cities to sustainably mitigate VBD risks for surrounding urban populations.

Mining Public Data to Investigate the Virome of Neglected Pollinators and Other Floral Visitors

This study reports the virome investigation of pollinator species and other floral visitors associated with plants from the south of Bahia: Aphis aurantii, Atrichopogon sp., Dasyhelea sp., Forcipomyia taiwana, and Trigona ventralis hoozana. Studying viruses in insects associated with economically important crops is vital to understand transmission dynamics and manage viral diseases that pose as threats for global food security. Using literature mining and public RNA next-generation sequencing data deposited in the NCBI SRA database, we identified potential vectors associated with Malvaceae plant species and characterized the microbial communities resident in these insects. Bacteria and Eukarya dominated the metagenomic analyses of all taxon groups. We also found sequences showing similarity to elements from several viral families, including Bunyavirales, Chuviridae, Iflaviridae, Narnaviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Totiviridae, and Xinmoviridae. Phylogenetic analyses indicated the existence of at least 16 new viruses distributed among A. aurantii (3), Atrichopogon sp. (4), Dasyhelea sp. (3), and F. taiwana (6). No novel viruses were found for T. ventralis hoozana. For F. taiwana, the available libraries also allowed us to suggest possible vertical transmission, while for A. aurantii we followed the infection profile along the insect development. Our results highlight the importance of studying the virome of insect species associated with crop pollination, as they may play a crucial role in the transmission of viruses to economically important plants, such as those of the genus Theobroma, or they will reduce the pollination process. This information may be valuable in developing strategies to mitigate the spread of viruses and protect the global industry.

Biosynthesis and extrinsic toxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles against cattle parasites: An eco-friendly approach

Plant extracts' ability to collect metals and decrease metal ions makes them a superior candidate for the biosynthesis of nanoparticles; hence, they are referred to as bio-nano factories since both living and dead dried biomass are employed to produce metallic nanoparticles. The antiparasitic activity of biosynthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) was examined against cow tick larvae (Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, and Hippobosca maculata). These parasitic larvae were treated with various concentrations of methanolic leaf extract of A. marmelos (MLE-AM) and biosynthesized CuO NPs for 24 h. CuO NPs were synthesized quickly using A. marmelos leaf extract, and nanoparticle synthesis was identified within 15 min. The results from characteristic XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, and TEM analyses confirmed the biosynthesis of CuO NPs. The presence of 26-Hydroxycholesterol was discovered as the predominant chemical present in the GC-MS analysis of MLE-AM. The maximum efficacy was observed in biosynthesized CuO NPs against R. microplus larvae, H. bispinosa adults, and Hip. maculata larvae (LC₅₀ = 4.30, 9.50, and 11.13 mg/L; and LC₉₀ = 8.30, 19.57, and 21.65 mg/L; and 6.219, 6.547, and 2.587). Overall, the bio-fabrication of CuO NPs has the potential to develop better and safer antiparasitic control techniques.

An Overview on the Impact of Microbiota on Malaria Transmission and Severity: Plasmodium-Vector-Host Axis

PURPOSE

Malaria, which is a vector-borne disease caused by Plasmodium sp., continue to become a serious threat, causing more than 600,000 deaths annually, especially in developing countries. Due to the lack of a long-term, and effective vaccine, and an increasing resistance to antimalarials, new strategies are needed for prevention and treatment of malaria. Recently, the impact of microbiota on development and transmission of Plasmodium, and the severity of malaria has only begun to emerge, although its contribution to homeostasis and a wide variety of disorders is well-understood. Further evidence has shown that microbiota of both mosquito and human host play important roles in transmission, progression, and clearance of Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, Plasmodium can cause significant alterations in the host and mosquito gut microbiota, affecting the clinical outcome of malaria.

METHODOLOGY

In this review, we attempt to summarize results from published studies on the influence of the host microbiota on the outcome of Plasmodium infections in both arthropods and mammalian hosts.

CONCLUSION

Modifications of microbiota may be an important potential strategy in blocking Plasmodium transmission in vectors and in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of malaria in humans in the future.