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García-Del Río M, Castaño-Vázquez F, Martínez J, Martínez-de la Puente J, Cantarero A, García-Velasco J, Merino Y, Merino S. Nestling sex and behaviour determine the host preference of insect vectors in avian nests. Mol Ecol 2024:e17517. [PMID: 39193885 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Sexual differences in pathogen prevalence in wildlife often arise from varying susceptibility influenced by factors such as sex hormones and exposure to pathogens. In the case of vector-borne pathogens, host selection by insect vectors determines the exposure of hosts to infections, largely affecting the transmission of these infectious diseases. We identify the blood-feeding patterns of insect vectors in Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings in a 3-year study. Blood from both nestlings and insect vectors (Culicoides spp. and Simuliidae) captured inside nest-boxes were used to molecularly determine the sex of the host. We then compared the sex-ratios of the nestlings that had been bitten and those of the complete brood in each nest. We found that males were bitten more frequently than females in 2021, when males weighed less in comparison to other years. Additionally, we molecularly identified bitten nestlings individually by genotyping the DNA of blood obtained from both, the vector's abdomen and nestlings of each brood in 2022. Nestlings more frequently bitten by vectors were males, weighed less and were closest to the nest entrance. To our knowledge this is the first study identifying the nestling selection by insect vectors in bird nests under natural conditions. These results contribute to understanding the mechanisms of host selection by insect vectors, shedding light on pathogen transmission and offering insights into the observed sex-biased infections in wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina García-Del Río
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Javier Martínez
- Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology (Parasitology), Pharmacy School, Alcalá de Henares University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Josué Martínez-de la Puente
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Doñana Biological Station, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cantarero
- Department of Physiology, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier García-Velasco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Yago Merino
- Missouri Valley College, Marshall, Missouri, USA
| | - Santiago Merino
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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2
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An epidemiological model for mosquito host selection and temperature-dependent transmission of West Nile virus. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19946. [PMID: 36402904 PMCID: PMC9675847 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24527-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We extend a previously developed epidemiological model for West Nile virus (WNV) infection in humans in Greece, employing laboratory-confirmed WNV cases and mosquito-specific characteristics of transmission, such as host selection and temperature-dependent transmission of the virus. Host selection was defined by bird host selection and human host selection, the latter accounting only for the fraction of humans that develop symptoms after the virus is acquired. To model the role of temperature on virus transmission, we considered five temperature intervals (≤ 19.25 °C; > 19.25 and < 21.75 °C; ≥ 21.75 and < 24.25 °C; ≥ 24.25 and < 26.75 °C; and > 26.75 °C). The capacity of the new model to fit human cases and the week of first case occurrence was compared with the original model and showed improved performance. The model was also used to infer further quantities of interest, such as the force of infection for different temperatures as well as mosquito and bird abundances. Our results indicate that the inclusion of mosquito-specific characteristics in epidemiological models of mosquito-borne diseases leads to improved modelling capacity.
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3
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Host selection and forage ratio in West Nile virus-transmitting Culex mosquitoes: Challenges and knowledge gaps. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010819. [PMID: 36301825 PMCID: PMC9612463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To date, no specific therapy or vaccination is available for West Nile virus (WNV) infections in humans; preventive strategies represent the only possibility to control transmission. To focus these strategies, detailed knowledge of the virus dynamics is of paramount importance. However, several aspects of WNV transmission are still unclear, especially regarding the role of potential vertebrate host species. Whereas mosquitoes' intrinsic characteristics cause them to favour certain hosts (host preference), absolute selection is impossible in natural settings. Conversely, the selection carried out among available hosts and influenced from hosts' availability and other ecological/environmental factors is defined as host selection. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In July 2022, we searched PubMed database for original articles exploring host selection among WNV-transmitting Culex mosquitoes, the main WNV vector. We considered only original field studies estimating and reporting forage ratio. This index results from the ratio between the proportion of blood meals taken by mosquitoes on potential host species and the hosts' relative abundance. From the originally retrieved 585 articles, 9 matched the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All but one of the included studies were conducted in the Americas, six in the United States, and one each in Mexico and Colombia. The remaining study was conducted in Italy. American Robin, Northern Cardinal, and House Finch were the most significantly preferred birds in the Americas, Common Blackbird in Italy. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Although ornithophilic, all observed WNV-transmitting mosquitoes presented opportunistic feeding behaviour. All the observed species showed potential to act as bridges for zoonotic diseases, feeding also on humans. All the observed mosquitoes presented host selection patterns and did not feed on hosts as expected by chance alone. The articles observe different species of mosquitoes in different environments. In addition, the way the relative host abundance was determined differed. Finally, this review is not systematic. Therefore, the translation of our results to different settings should be conducted cautiously.
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Wheeler SS, Taff CC, Reisen WK, Townsend AK. Mosquito blood-feeding patterns and nesting behavior of American crows, an amplifying host of West Nile virus. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:331. [PMID: 34158103 PMCID: PMC8220764 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04827-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although American crows are a key indicator species for West Nile virus (WNV) and mount among the highest viremias reported for any host, the importance of crows in the WNV transmission cycle has been called into question because of their consistent underrepresentation in studies of Culex blood meal sources. Here, we test the hypothesis that this apparent underrepresentation could be due, in part, to underrepresentation of crow nesting habitat from mosquito sampling designs. Specifically, we examine how the likelihood of a crow blood meal changes with distance to and timing of active crow nests in a Davis, California, population. Methods Sixty artificial mosquito resting sites were deployed from May to September 2014 in varying proximity to known crow nesting sites, and Culex blood meal hosts were identified by DNA barcoding. Genotypes from crow blood meals and local crows (72 nestlings from 30 broods and 389 local breeders and helpers) were used to match mosquito blood meals to specific local crows. Results Among the 297 identified Culex blood meals, 20 (6.7%) were attributable to crows. The mean percentage of blood meals of crow origin was 19% in the nesting period (1 May–18 June 2014), but 0% in the weeks after fledging (19 June–1 September 2014), and the likelihood of a crow blood meal increased with proximity to an active nest: the odds that crows hosted a Culex blood meal were 38.07 times greater within 10 m of an active nest than > 10 m from an active nest. Nine of ten crow blood meals that could be matched to a genotype of a specific crow belonged to either nestlings in these nests or their mothers. Six of the seven genotypes that could not be attributed to sampled birds belonged to females, a sex bias likely due to mosquitoes targeting incubating or brooding females. Conclusion Data herein indicate that breeding crows serve as hosts for Culex in the initial stages of the WNV spring enzootic cycle. Given their high viremia, infected crows could thereby contribute to the re-initiation and early amplification of the virus, increasing its availability as mosquitoes shift to other moderately competent later-breeding avian hosts.![]() Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-021-04827-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S Wheeler
- Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, 8631 Bond Road, Elk Grove, CA, 95624, USA.
| | - Conor C Taff
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - William K Reisen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Andrea K Townsend
- Department of Biology, Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Rd, Clinton, NY, 13323, USA
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Bravo-Barriga D, Aguilera-Sepúlveda P, Guerrero-Carvajal F, Llorente F, Reina D, Pérez-Martín JE, Jiménez-Clavero MÁ, Frontera E. West Nile and Usutu virus infections in wild birds admitted to rehabilitation centres in Extremadura, western Spain, 2017-2019. Vet Microbiol 2021; 255:109020. [PMID: 33677369 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging flavivirus transmitted generally by mosquitoes of Culex genus. It is maintained in an enzootic life cycle where birds act as reservoir hosts. Humans and horses are also susceptible to infection, and occasionally, they suffer from neurological complications. However, they do not transmit the virus to other vectors, behaving as dead-end hosts. Sporadic WNV outbreaks observed in horses and wild birds from Extremadura (western Spain) during 2016 and 2017 seasons prompted to carry out this survey in wild birds, focused on specimens coming from two wildlife rehabilitation centres. Between October 2017 and December 2019, samples from 391 wild birds, belonging to 56 different species were collected and analysed in search of evidence of WNV infection. The analysis of serum samples for WNV-specific antibodies by ELISA, whose specificity was subsequently confirmed by virus-neutralisation test (VNT) showed positive results in 18.23 % birds belonging to 18 different species. Pelecaniformes (33.33 %), Accipitriformes (25.77 %) and Strigiformes (22.92 %) orders had the higher seroprevalences. Remarkably, WNV-specific antibodies were found in a black stork for the first time in Europe. Analysis by real time RT-PCR in symptomatic birds confirmed the presence of WNV lineage 1 RNA in griffon vulture and little owls. Specificity analysis of ELISA positive and doubtful sera was performed by differential VNT titration against WNV and two other cross-reacting avian flaviviruses found in Spain: Usutu virus (USUV) and Bagaza virus (BAGV). Only four samples showed USUV-specific antibodies (1.04 %) corresponding to three species: Eurasian eagle-owl, griffon vulture and great bustard (first detection in Europe) whereas no samples were found reactive to BAGV. Differential VNT yielded undetermined flavivirus result in 16 samples (4.17 %). This is the first study carried out on wild birds from Extremadura (western Spain). It highlights the widespread circulation of WNV in the region and its co-circulation with USUV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Bravo-Barriga
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
| | - Pilar Aguilera-Sepúlveda
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Francisco Llorente
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - David Reina
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
| | - J Enrique Pérez-Martín
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
| | - Miguel Ángel Jiménez-Clavero
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Eva Frontera
- Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, University of Extremadura (UEx), Cáceres, Spain.
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Valdebenito JO, Liker A, Halimubieke N, Figuerola J, Székely T. Mortality cost of sex-specific parasitism in wild bird populations. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20983. [PMID: 33268803 PMCID: PMC7710712 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77410-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-specific mortality is frequent in animals although the causes of different male versus female mortalities remain poorly understood. Parasitism is ubiquitous in nature with widespread detrimental effects to hosts, making parasitism a likely cause of sex-specific mortalities. Using sex-specific blood and gastrointestinal parasite prevalence from 96 and 54 avian host species, respectively, we test the implications of parasites for annual mortality in wild bird populations using phylogenetic comparative methods. First, we show that parasite prevalence is not different between adult males and females, although Nematodes showed a statistically significant but small male-biased parasite prevalence. Second, we found no correlation between sex-biased host mortalities and sex-biased parasite prevalence. These results were consistent in both blood and gastrointestinal parasites. Taken together, our results show little evidence for sex-dependent parasite prevalence in adults in wild bird populations, and suggest that parasite prevalence is an unlikely predictor of sex difference in adult mortalities, not withstanding sampling limitations. We propose that to understand causes of sex-biased mortalities, more complex analyses are needed that incorporate various ecological and life history components of animals life that may include sex differences in exposure to predators, immune capacity and cost of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- José O Valdebenito
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - András Liker
- MTA-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary.,Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Center for Natural Sciences, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Naerhulan Halimubieke
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Seville, Spain.,CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Seville, Spain
| | - Tamás Székely
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK. .,Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
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7
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Santiago-Alarcon D, Ferreira FC. Does Plasmodium Infection Affect Mosquito Attraction? Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.582943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
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8
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Feyer S, Bartenschlager F, Bertram CA, Ziegler U, Fast C, Klopfleisch R, Müller K. Clinical, pathological and virological aspects of fatal West Nile virus infections in ten free-ranging goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) in Germany. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:907-919. [PMID: 32743905 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV), a zoonotic arbovirus, is a new epizootic disease in Germany and caused increasing avian and equine mortality since its first detection in 2018. The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is highly susceptible to fatal WNV disease and thus is considered as an indicator species for WNV emergence in European countries. Therefore, information regarding clinical presentation and pathological findings is important for identifying suspect cases and initiating further virological diagnostics. Between July and September 2019, ten free-ranging goshawks were admitted to the Small Animal Clinic of the Freie Universität Berlin with later confirmed WNV infection. Clinical, pathological and virological findings are summarized in this report. All birds were presented obtunded and in poor to cachectic body condition. Most of the birds were juveniles (8/10) and females (9/10). Neurologic abnormalities were observed in all birds and included stupor (3/10), seizures (3/10), head tremor (2/10), head tilt (2/10), ataxia (2/10) and monoplegia (2/10). Concurrent diseases like aerosacculitis/pneumonia (7/10), clinical infections with Eucoleus spp. and Trichomonas spp. (3/10), trauma-related injuries (3/10) and myiasis (2/10) were found. Blood analysis results were unspecific considering concurrent diseases. Median time of survival was two days. The most common pathological findings were meningoencephalitis (9/10), myocarditis (8/10), iridocyclitis (8/8) and myositis (7/10). WNV infection was diagnosed by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by serology and immunohistochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina Feyer
- Small Animal Clinic, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Bartenschlager
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christof A Bertram
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Ziegler
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christine Fast
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Robert Klopfleisch
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Müller
- Small Animal Clinic, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Rochlin I, Faraji A, Healy K, Andreadis TG. West Nile Virus Mosquito Vectors in North America. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:1475-1490. [PMID: 31549725 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
In North America, the geographic distribution, ecology, and vectorial capacity of a diverse assemblage of mosquito species belonging to the genus Culex determine patterns of West Nile virus transmission and disease risk. East of the Mississippi River, mostly ornithophagic Culex pipiens L. complex mosquitoes drive intense enzootic transmission with relatively small numbers of human cases. Westward, the presence of highly competent Culex tarsalis (Coquillett) under arid climate and hot summers defines the regions with the highest human risk. West Nile virus human risk distribution is not uniform geographically or temporally within all regions. Notable geographic 'hotspots' persist with occasional severe outbreaks. Despite two decades of comprehensive research, several questions remain unresolved, such as the role of non-Culex bridge vectors, which are not involved in the enzootic cycle, but may be involved in virus transmission to humans. The absence of bridge vectors also may help to explain the frequent lack of West Nile virus 'spillover' into human populations despite very intense enzootic amplification in the eastern United States. This article examines vectorial capacity and the eco-epidemiology of West Nile virus mosquito vectors in four geographic regions of North America and presents some of the unresolved questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilia Rochlin
- Center for Vector Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Ary Faraji
- Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Kristen Healy
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA
| | - Theodore G Andreadis
- Center for Vector Biology & Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT
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McMillan JR, Blakney RA, Mead DG, Koval WT, Coker SM, Waller LA, Kitron U, Vazquez‐Prokopec GM. Linking the vectorial capacity of multiple vectors to observed patterns of West Nile virus transmission. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R. McMillan
- Program in Population Biology, Ecology and EvolutionEmory University Atlanta Georgia
| | | | - Daniel G. Mead
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease StudyUniversity of Georgia Athens Georgia
| | - William T. Koval
- Department of Environmental SciencesEmory University Atlanta Georgia
| | - Sarah M. Coker
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease StudyUniversity of Georgia Athens Georgia
| | - Lance A. Waller
- Program in Population Biology, Ecology and EvolutionEmory University Atlanta Georgia
- Department of Biostatistics and BioinformaticsRollins School of Public HealthEmory University Atlanta Georgia
| | - Uriel Kitron
- Program in Population Biology, Ecology and EvolutionEmory University Atlanta Georgia
- Department of Environmental SciencesEmory University Atlanta Georgia
| | - Gonzalo M. Vazquez‐Prokopec
- Program in Population Biology, Ecology and EvolutionEmory University Atlanta Georgia
- Department of Environmental SciencesEmory University Atlanta Georgia
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11
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Egizi A, Martinsen ES, Vuong H, Zimmerman KI, Faraji A, Fonseca DM. Using Bloodmeal Analysis to Assess Disease Risk to Wildlife at the New Northern Limit of a Mosquito Species. ECOHEALTH 2018; 15:543-554. [PMID: 30242538 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-018-1371-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The historically southeastern mosquito species Culex erraticus has over the last 30 years undergone a marked expansion north. We evaluated this species' potential to participate in local disease cycles in the northeastern USA by identifying the vertebrate sources of blood in Cx. erraticus specimens from New Jersey. We found that the majority of bloodmeals (92.6%) were derived from birds, followed by 6.8% from mammals (of which half were human), and a single amphibian bloodmeal from a spring peeper (0.56%). Medium- and large-sized water birds from the order Pelecaniformes made up 60.4% of the bird species and 55.9% of all identified hosts. This group of birds is known enzootic hosts of arboviruses such as eastern equine encephalitis virus, for which Cx. erraticus is a competent vector. Additionally, we screened blooded mosquitoes for avian malaria parasites and identified three different lineages of Plasmodium, including what may represent a new Plasmodium species (likely a wetland bird specialist) in bloodmeals from Green Herons, a Great Egret, and a Double-Crested Cormorant. Our results support the utility of mosquito bloodmeals as sources of information about circulating wildlife pathogens and reveal the potential of range-expanding species to intensify local zoonoses and bridge enzootic pathogens to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Egizi
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, Tinton Falls, NJ, 07724, USA
| | - Ellen S Martinsen
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA
| | - Holly Vuong
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- National Youth Science Forum, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Kelly I Zimmerman
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ, 07043, USA
| | - Ary Faraji
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District, Salt Lake City, UT, 84116, USA
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
- Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA.
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12
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Goodman H, Egizi A, Fonseca DM, Leisnham PT, LaDeau SL. Primary blood-hosts of mosquitoes are influenced by social and ecological conditions in a complex urban landscape. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:218. [PMID: 29631602 PMCID: PMC5891940 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2779-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Temperate urban landscapes support persistent and growing populations of Culex and Aedes mosquito vectors. Large urban mosquito populations can represent a significant risk for transmission of emergent arboviral infection. However, even large mosquito populations are only a risk to the animals they bite. The purpose of this study is to identify and assess spatial patterns of host-use in a temperate urban landscape with heterogeneous socio-economic and ecological conditions. Results Mosquito blood meals were collected from neighborhoods categorized along a socio-economic gradient in Baltimore, MD, USA. Blood meal hosts were identified for two Aedes (Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus) and three Culex (Cx. pipiens, Cx. restuans and Cx. salinarius) species. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) was the most frequently detected host in both Aedes species and Cx. salinarius. Human biting was evident in Aedes and Culex species and the proportion of human blood meals from Ae. albopictus varied significantly with neighborhood socio-economic status. Aedes albopictus was most likely to feed on human blood hosts (at 50%) in residential blocks categorized as having income above the city median, although there were still more total human bites detected from lower income blocks where Ae. albopictus was more abundant. Birds were the most frequently detected Culex blood hosts but were absent from all Aedes sampled. Conclusions This study highlights fine-scale variation in host-use by medically important mosquito vectors and specifically investigates blood meal composition at spatial scales relevant to urban mosquito dispersal and human exposure. Further, the work emphasizes the importance of neighborhood economics and infrastructure management in shaping both the relative abundance of vectors and local blood feeding strategies. The invasive brown rat was an important blood source across vector species and neighborhoods in Baltimore. We show that social and economic conditions can be important predictors of transmission potential in urban landscapes and identify important questions about the role of rodents in supporting urban mosquito populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Goodman
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA
| | - Andrea Egizi
- Monmouth County Division of Mosquito Control, Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Entomology Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Paul T Leisnham
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
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Haemoparasites of the pied flycatcher: inter-population variation in the prevalence and community composition. Parasitology 2017; 145:912-919. [PMID: 29113599 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017001913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence and community composition of haemoparasites can substantially differ among avian host populations, which may lead to different selection pressures. Therefore, information about these parameters is crucial for understanding, e.g. the inter-population variation in host life history traits. Here, we molecularly screened a population of a long-distance migrant, the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, from central Poland for the presence of three genera of blood parasites: Haemoproteus, Plasmodium and Trypanosoma. The infection rate in this population was the highest for haemosporidians (86·8%) and one of the highest for trypanosomes (39·7%) among the thus far screened breeding populations of this species. The haemosporidian community was composed of six Haemoproteus/Plasmodium lineages, and the trypanosome community - 4 species and a parasite assigned to genus level. Trypanosomes were dominated by T. culicavium, a recently described species, corroborating the prediction that insectivorous songbirds are vertebrate hosts of this parasite. Host sex and age did not explain variation in infection incidence except for the higher trypanosome infection rates in males. A comparison of the study population with three other breeding populations previously screened molecularly for haemosporidians showed some geographic differences. This study confirms the importance of examining local parasite communities across a host distribution range.
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Ganser C, Gregory AJ, McNew LB, Hunt LA, Sandercock BK, Wisely SM. Fine-scale distribution modeling of avian malaria vectors in north-central Kansas. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2016; 41:114-122. [PMID: 27232133 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases increasingly play a role in the decline of wildlife populations. Vector-borne diseases, in particular, have been implicated in mass mortality events and localized population declines are threatening some species with extinction. Transmission patterns for vector-borne diseases are influenced by the spatial distribution of vectors and are therefore not uniform across the landscape. Avian malaria is a globally distributed vector-borne disease that has been shown to affect endemic bird populations of North America. We evaluated shared habitat use between avian malaria vectors, mosquitoes in the genus Culex and a native grassland bird, the Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), by (1) modeling the distribution of Culex spp. occurrence across the Smoky Hills of north-central Kansas using detection data and habitat variables, (2) assessing the occurrence of these vectors at nests of female Greater Prairie-Chickens, and (3) evaluating if shared habitat use between vectors and hosts is correlated with malarial infection status of the Greater Prairie-Chicken. Our results indicate that Culex occurrence increased at nest locations compared to other available but unoccupied grassland habitats; however the shared habitat use between vectors and hosts did not result in an increased prevalence of malarial parasites in Greater Prairie-Chickens that occupied habitats with high vector occurrence. We developed a predictive map to illustrate the associations between Culex occurrence and infection status with malarial parasites in an obligate grassland bird that may be used to guide management decisions to limit the spread of vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Ganser
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 60506, U.S.A
- Department of Wildlife Ecology Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A
| | - Andrew J Gregory
- School of Earth, the Environment, Society, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, U.S.A
| | - Lance B McNew
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 60506, U.S.A
- Department of Animal Range Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, U.S.A
| | - Lyla A Hunt
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 60506, U.S.A
| | - Brett K Sandercock
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 60506, U.S.A
| | - Samantha M Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, U.S.A..
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Hinton MG, Reisen WK, Wheeler SS, Townsend AK. West Nile Virus Activity in a Winter Roost of American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos): Is Bird-To-Bird Transmission Important in Persistence and Amplification? JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2015; 52:683-92. [PMID: 26335475 PMCID: PMC4592346 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Since its emergence in North America, West Nile virus (WNV) has had a large impact on equines, humans, and wild bird communities, yet gaps remain in our understanding of how the virus persists at temperate latitudes when winter temperatures preclude virus replication and host-seeking activity by mosquito vectors. Bird-to-bird transmission at large communal American Crow roosts could provide one mechanism for WNV persistence. Herein, we describe seasonal patterns of crow and Culex mosquito abundance, WNV infection rates, and the prevalence of WNV-positive fecal samples at a winter crow roost to test the hypothesis that bird-to-bird transmission allows WNV to persist at winter crow roosts. Samples were collected from large winter crow roosts in the Sacramento Valley of California from January 2013 until August 2014, encompassing two overwintering roost periods. West Nile virus RNA was detected in local crow carcasses in both summer [13/18 (72% WNV positive)] and winter [18/44 (41% WNV positive)] 2013-2014. Winter infections were unlikely to have arisen by recent bites from infected mosquitoes because Culex host-seeking activity was very low in winter and all Culex mosquitoes collected during winter months tested negative for WNV. Opportunities existed for fecal-oral transfer at the overwintering roost: most carcasses that tested positive for WNV had detectable viral RNA in both kidney and cloacal swabs, suggesting that infected crows were shedding virus in their feces, and >50% of crows at the roost were stained with feces by mid-winter. Moreover, 2.3% of fecal samples collected in late summer, when mosquitoes were active, tested positive for WNV RNA. Nevertheless, none of the 1,119 feces collected from three roosts over two winters contained detectable WNV RNA. This study provided evidence of WNV infection in overwintering American crows without mosquito vector activity, but did not elucidate a mechanism of WNV transmission during winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Hinton
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, 1088 Academic Surge, Davis, CA 95616.
| | - W K Reisen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, University of California, Davis, Center for Vectorborne Diseases, Old Davis Road, Davis, CA 95616
| | - S S Wheeler
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, University of California, Davis, Center for Vectorborne Diseases, Old Davis Road, Davis, CA 95616
| | - A K Townsend
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, 1088 Academic Surge, Davis, CA 95616. Department of Biology, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323
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Johnson BJ, Robson MG, Fonseca DM. Unexpected spatiotemporal abundance of infected Culex restuans suggest a greater role as a West Nile virus vector for this native species. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2015; 31:40-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Revised: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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Burkett-Cadena ND, Bingham AM, Unnasch TR. Sex-biased avian host use by arbovirus vectors. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2014; 1:140262. [PMID: 26064562 PMCID: PMC4448840 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.140262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Prevalence of arthropod-borne parasites often differs drastically between host sexes. This sex-related disparity may be related to physiological (primarily hormonal) differences that facilitate or suppress replication of the pathogen in host tissues. Alternately, differences in pathogen prevalence between host sexes may be owing to differential exposure to infected vectors. Here, we report on the use of PCR-based assays recognizing bird sex chromosomes to investigate sex-related patterns of avian host use from field-collected female mosquitoes from Florida, USA. Mosquitoes took more bloodmeals from male birds (64.0% of 308 sexed samples) than female birds (36.0%), deviating significantly from a hypothetical 1:1 sex ratio. In addition, male-biased host use was consistent across mosquito species (Culex erraticus (64.4%); Culex nigripalpus (61.0%) and Culiseta melanura (64.9%)). Our findings support the hypothesis that sex-biased exposure to vector-borne pathogens contributes to disparities in parasite/pathogen prevalence between the sexes. While few studies have yet to investigate sex-biased host use by mosquitoes, the methods used here could be applied to a variety of mosquito-borne disease systems, including those that affect health of humans, domestic animals and wildlife. Understanding the mechanisms that drive sex-based disparities in host use may lead to novel strategies for interrupting pathogen/parasite transmission.
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