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Villamarín F, Jardine TD, Bunn SE, Malvasio A, Piña CI, Jacobi CM, Araújo DD, de Brito ES, de Moraes Carvalho F, da Costa ID, Verdade LM, Lara N, de Camargo PB, Miorando PS, Portelinha TCG, Marques TS, Magnusson WE. Body size predicts ontogenetic nitrogen stable-isotope (δ 15N) variation, but has little relationship with trophic level in ectotherm vertebrate predators. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14102. [PMID: 38890338 PMCID: PMC11189434 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61969-5] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Large predators have disproportionate effects on their underlying food webs. Thus, appropriately assigning trophic positions has important conservation implications both for the predators themselves and for their prey. Large-bodied predators are often referred to as apex predators, implying that they are many trophic levels above primary producers. However, theoretical considerations predict both higher and lower trophic position with increasing body size. Nitrogen stable isotope values (δ15N) are increasingly replacing stomach contents or behavioral observations to assess trophic position and it is often assumed that ontogenetic dietary shifts result in higher trophic positions. Intraspecific studies based on δ15N values found a positive relationship between size and inferred trophic position. Here, we use datasets of predatory vertebrate ectotherms (crocodilians, turtles, lizards and fishes) to show that, although there are positive intraspecific relationships between size and δ15N values, relationships between stomach-content-based trophic level (TPdiet) and size are undetectable or negative. As there is usually no single value for 15N trophic discrimination factor (TDF) applicable to a predator species or its prey, estimates of trophic position based on δ15N in ectotherm vertebrates with large size ranges, may be inaccurate and biased. We urge a reconsideration of the sole use of δ15N values to assess trophic position and encourage the combined use of isotopes and stomach contents to assess diet and trophic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Villamarín
- Grupo de Biogeografía y Ecología Espacial (BioGeoE2), Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena, Ecuador.
| | - Timothy D Jardine
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Stuart E Bunn
- Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Adriana Malvasio
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Zoologia (LABECZ), Curso de Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Carlos Ignacio Piña
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Transferencia Tecnológica a la Producción (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Provincia de Entre Ríos, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos), Diamante, Argentina
| | | | - Diogo Dutra Araújo
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres (LEVERT), Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | - Igor David da Costa
- Instituto do Noroeste Fluminense de Educação Superior, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Santo Antônio de Pádua, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Neliton Lara
- Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thiago Costa Gonçalves Portelinha
- Laboratório de Caracterização de Impactos Ambientais (LCIA), Curso de Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Tocantins, Palmas, TO, Brazil
| | - Thiago Simon Marques
- Laboratório de Ecologia Aplicada, Núcleo de Estudos Ambientais, Universidade de Sorocaba, Sorocaba, Brazil
| | - William E Magnusson
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
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2
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Eisen L. Rodent-targeted approaches to reduce acarological risk of human exposure to pathogen-infected Ixodes ticks. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102119. [PMID: 36680999 PMCID: PMC10863499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102119] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, rodents serve as important hosts of medically important Ixodes ticks, including Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus, as well as reservoirs for human pathogens, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), and Babesia microti. Over the last four decades, different methods to disrupt enzootic transmission of these pathogens between tick vectors and rodent reservoirs have been developed and evaluated. Early work focused on self-application of topical acaricide by rodents to kill infesting ticks; this resulted in two different types of commercial products based on (i) delivery of permethrin to rodents via impregnated cotton offered as nesting material or (ii) application of fipronil to rodents via an impregnated wick as they navigate through a bait box to reach a food source. More recent work has focused on approaches where acaricides, antibiotics, or a vaccine against Bo. burgdorferi s.s. are delivered orally via rodent food baits. Of these, the oral vaccine and oral acaricide are nearest to commercialization. Other approaches in early stages of development include anti-tick vaccines for rodents and use of heritable genome editing to engineer white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) that are refractory to Bo. burgdorferi s.s. In this review, I first outline general benefits and drawbacks of rodent-targeted tick and pathogen control methods, and then describe the empirical evidence for different approaches to impact enzootic pathogen transmission and acarological risk of human exposure to pathogen-infected Ixodes ticks. Rodent-targeted methods remain promising components of integrated tick management approaches but there are concerns about the robustness of the impact of existing rodent-targeted products across habitats and variable tick host communities, and in some cases also for the implementation cost in relation to what homeowners in Lyme disease endemic areas say they are willing to pay for tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, United States.
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3
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Characterization of triatomine bloodmeal sources using direct Sanger sequencing and amplicon deep sequencing methods. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10234. [PMID: 35715521 PMCID: PMC9205944 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14208-8] [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] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of host associations of blood-feeding vectors may afford insights into managing disease systems and protecting public health. However, the ability of methods to distinguish bloodmeal sources varies widely. We used two methods—Sanger sequencing and amplicon deep sequencing—to target a 228 bp region of the vertebrate Cytochrome b gene and determine hosts fed upon by triatomines (n = 115) collected primarily in Texas, USA. Direct Sanger sequencing of PCR amplicons was successful for 36 samples (31%). Sanger sequencing revealed 15 distinct host species, which included humans, domestic animals (Canis lupus familiaris, Ovis aries, Gallus gallus, Bos taurus, Felis catus, and Capra hircus), wildlife (Rattus rattus, Incilius nebulifer, Sciurus carolinensis, Sciurus niger, and Odocoileus virginianus), and captive animals (Panthera tigris, Colobus spp., and Chelonoidis carbonaria). Samples sequenced by the Sanger method were also subjected to Illumina MiSeq amplicon deep sequencing. The amplicon deep sequencing results (average of 302,080 usable reads per sample) replicated the host community revealed using Sanger sequencing, and detected additional hosts in five triatomines (13.9%), including two additional blood sources (Procyon lotor and Bassariscus astutus). Up to four bloodmeal sources were detected in a single triatomine (I. nebulifer, Homo sapiens, C. lupus familiaris, and S. carolinensis). Enhanced understanding of vector-host-parasite networks may allow for integrated vector management programs focusing on highly-utilized and highly-infected host species.
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Kim HJ, Hamer GL, Hamer SA, Lopez JE, Teel PD. Identification of Host Bloodmeal Source in Ornithodoros turicata Dugès (Ixodida: Argasidae) Using DNA-Based and Stable Isotope-Based Techniques. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:620441. [PMID: 33681326 PMCID: PMC7925843 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.620441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ecology and host feeding patterns of many soft ticks (Ixodida: Argasidae) remain poorly understood. To address soft tick-host feeding associations, we fed Ornithodoros turicata Dugès on multiple host species and evaluated quantitative PCR (qPCR) and stable isotope analyses to identify the vertebrate species used for the bloodmeal. The results showed that a qPCR with host-specific probes for the cytochrome b gene successfully identified bloodmeals from chicken (Gallus gallus L.), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus L), and swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) beyond 330 days post-feeding and through multiple molting. Also, qPCR-based bloodmeal analyses could detect multiple host species within individual ticks that fed upon more than one species. The stable isotope bloodmeal analyses were based on variation in the natural abundance of carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N) isotopes in ticks fed on different hosts. When compared to reference isotope signatures, this method discerned unique δ13C and δ15N signatures in the ticks fed on each host taxa yet could not discern multiple host species from O. turicata that fed on more than one host species. Given the significance of soft tick-borne zoonoses and animal diseases, elucidating host feeding patterns from field-collected ticks using these methods may provide insight for an ecological basis to disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hee J. Kim
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Gabriel L. Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Sarah A. Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Job E. Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Pete D. Teel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
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Busselman RE, Olson MF, Martinez V, Davila E, Briggs C, Eldridge DS, Higgins B, Bass B, Cropper TL, Casey TM, Edwards T, Teel PD, Hamer SA, Hamer GL. Host Bloodmeal Identification in Cave-Dwelling Ornithodoros turicata Dugès (Ixodida: Argasidae), Texas, USA. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:639400. [PMID: 33659288 PMCID: PMC7917080 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.639400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-host bloodmeal associations are important factors when characterizing risks of associated pathogen transmission and applying appropriate management strategies. Despite their biological importance, comparatively little is known about soft tick (Argasidae) host associations in the United States compared to hard ticks (Ixodidae). In this study, we evaluated a PCR and direct Sanger sequencing method for identifying the bloodmeal hosts of soft ticks. We collected 381 cave-associated Ornithodoros turicata near San Antonio, Texas, USA, and also utilized eight colony-reared specimens fed artificially on known host blood sources over 1.5 years ago. We correctly identified the vertebrate host bloodmeals of two colony-reared ticks (chicken and pig) up to 1,105 days post-feeding, and identified bloodmeal hosts from 19 out of 168 field-collected soft ticks, including raccoon (78.9%), black vulture (10.5%), Texas black rattlesnake (5.3%), and human (5.3%). Our results confirm the retention of vertebrate blood DNA in soft ticks and advance the knowledge of argasid host associations in cave-dwelling O. turicata.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E. Busselman
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Mark F. Olson
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Viridiana Martinez
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Edward Davila
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Cierra Briggs
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Devon S. Eldridge
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Bailee Higgins
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Brittany Bass
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Thomas L. Cropper
- 59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Theresa M. Casey
- 59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Theresa Edwards
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Government Canyon State Natural Area, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Pete D. Teel
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Sarah A. Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Gabriel L. Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, College Station, TX, United States
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6
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Modernizing the Toolkit for Arthropod Bloodmeal Identification. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12010037. [PMID: 33418885 PMCID: PMC7825046 DOI: 10.3390/insects12010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The ability to identify the source of vertebrate blood in mosquitoes, ticks, and other blood-feeding arthropod vectors greatly enhances our knowledge of how vector-borne pathogens are spread. The source of the bloodmeal is identified by analyzing the remnants of blood remaining in the arthropod at the time of capture, though this is often fraught with challenges. This review provides a roadmap and guide for those considering modern techniques for arthropod bloodmeal identification with a focus on progress made in the field over the past decade. We highlight genome regions that can be used to identify the vertebrate source of arthropod bloodmeals as well as technological advances made in other fields that have introduced innovative new ways to identify vertebrate meal source based on unique properties of the DNA sequence, protein signatures, or residual molecules present in the blood. Additionally, engineering progress in miniaturization has led to a number of field-deployable technologies that bring the laboratory directly to the arthropods at the site of collection. Although many of these advancements have helped to address the technical challenges of the past, the challenge of successfully analyzing degraded DNA in bloodmeals remains to be solved. Abstract Understanding vertebrate–vector interactions is vitally important for understanding the transmission dynamics of arthropod-vectored pathogens and depends on the ability to accurately identify the vertebrate source of blood-engorged arthropods in field collections using molecular methods. A decade ago, molecular techniques being applied to arthropod blood meal identification were thoroughly reviewed, but there have been significant advancements in the techniques and technologies available since that time. This review highlights the available diagnostic markers in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and discusses their benefits and shortcomings for use in molecular identification assays. Advances in real-time PCR, high resolution melting analysis, digital PCR, next generation sequencing, microsphere assays, mass spectrometry, and stable isotope analysis each offer novel approaches and advantages to bloodmeal analysis that have gained traction in the field. New, field-forward technologies and platforms have also come into use that offer promising solutions for point-of-care and remote field deployment for rapid bloodmeal source identification. Some of the lessons learned over the last decade, particularly in the fields of DNA barcoding and sequence analysis, are discussed. Though many advancements have been made, technical challenges remain concerning the prevention of sample degradation both by the arthropod before the sample has been obtained and during storage. This review provides a roadmap and guide for those considering modern techniques for arthropod bloodmeal identification and reviews how advances in molecular technology over the past decade have been applied in this unique biomedical context.
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7
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Olson MF, Ndeffo-Mbah ML, Juarez JG, Garcia-Luna S, Martin E, Borucki MK, Frank M, Estrada-Franco JG, Rodríguez-Pérez MA, Fernández-Santos NA, Molina-Gamboa GDJ, Carmona Aguirre SD, Reyes-Berrones BDL, Cortés-De la cruz LJ, García-Barrientos A, Huidobro-Guevara RE, Brussolo-Ceballos RM, Ramirez J, Salazar A, Chaves LF, Badillo-Vargas IE, Hamer GL. High Rate of Non-Human Feeding by Aedes aegypti Reduces Zika Virus Transmission in South Texas. Viruses 2020; 12:E453. [PMID: 32316394 PMCID: PMC7232486 DOI: 10.3390/v12040453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne viruses are emerging or re-emerging globally, afflicting millions of people around the world. Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is the principal vector of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses, and has well-established populations across tropical and subtropical urban areas of the Americas, including the southern United States. While intense arboviral epidemics have occurred in Mexico and further south in the Americas, local transmission in the United States has been minimal. Here, we study Ae. aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus host feeding patterns and vertebrate host communities in residential environments of South Texas to identify host-utilization relative to availability. Only 31% of Ae. aegypti blood meals were derived from humans, while 50% were from dogs and 19% from other wild and domestic animals. In Cx. quinquefasciatus, 67% of blood meals were derived from chicken, 22% came from dogs, 9% from various wild avian species, and 2% from other mammals including one human, one cat, and one pig. We developed a model for the reproductive number, R0, for Zika virus (ZIKV) in South Texas relative to northern Mexico using human disease data from Tamaulipas, Mexico. We show that ZIKV R0 in South Texas communities could be greater than one if the risk of human exposure to Ae. aegypti bites in these communities is at least 60% that of Northern Mexico communities. The high utilization of non-human vertebrates and low risk of human exposure in South Texas diminishes the outbreak potential for human-amplified urban arboviruses transmitted by Ae. aegypti.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark F. Olson
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.O.); (J.G.J.); (S.G.-L.); (E.M.); (I.E.B.-V.)
| | - Martial L. Ndeffo-Mbah
- Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Jose G. Juarez
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.O.); (J.G.J.); (S.G.-L.); (E.M.); (I.E.B.-V.)
| | - Selene Garcia-Luna
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.O.); (J.G.J.); (S.G.-L.); (E.M.); (I.E.B.-V.)
| | - Estelle Martin
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.O.); (J.G.J.); (S.G.-L.); (E.M.); (I.E.B.-V.)
| | - Monica K. Borucki
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Chemistry, Materials and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.K.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Matthias Frank
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Chemistry, Materials and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.K.B.); (M.F.)
| | - José Guillermo Estrada-Franco
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Cd. Reynosa 88710, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (J.G.E.-F.); (M.A.R.-P.); (N.A.F.-S.)
| | - Mario A. Rodríguez-Pérez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Cd. Reynosa 88710, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (J.G.E.-F.); (M.A.R.-P.); (N.A.F.-S.)
| | - Nadia A. Fernández-Santos
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Cd. Reynosa 88710, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (J.G.E.-F.); (M.A.R.-P.); (N.A.F.-S.)
| | - Gloria de Jesús Molina-Gamboa
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Santos Daniel Carmona Aguirre
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Bernardita de Lourdes Reyes-Berrones
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Luis Javier Cortés-De la cruz
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Alejandro García-Barrientos
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Raúl E. Huidobro-Guevara
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Regina M. Brussolo-Ceballos
- Secretary of Health of the State of Tamaulipas, Epidemiology Directorate, Cd. Victoria 87000, Tamaulipas, Mexico; (G.d.J.M.-G.); (S.D.C.A.); (B.d.L.R.-B.); (L.J.C.-D.l.c.); (A.G.-B.); (R.E.H.-G.); (R.M.B.-C.)
| | - Josue Ramirez
- Health Department, City of Harlingen, TX 78550, USA;
| | - Aaron Salazar
- Hidalgo County Health & Human Services, Edinburg, TX 78539, USA;
| | - Luis F. Chaves
- Instituto Costarricense de Investigación y Enseñanza en Nutrición y Salud (INCIENSA), Apartado Postal, Tres Ríos, Cartago 4-2250, Costa Rica;
| | - Ismael E. Badillo-Vargas
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.O.); (J.G.J.); (S.G.-L.); (E.M.); (I.E.B.-V.)
| | - Gabriel L. Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA; (M.F.O.); (J.G.J.); (S.G.-L.); (E.M.); (I.E.B.-V.)
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8
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Heylen D, Schmidt O, Dautel H, Gern L, Kampen H, Newton J, Gray J. Host identification in unfed ticks from stable isotope compositions (δ 13 C and δ 15 N). MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 33:360-366. [PMID: 30883848 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Determination of the ratios of natural stable isotopes (13 C/12 C and 15 N/14 N) in unfed Ixodes ricinus nymphs and adults, which, in their previous stage, fed on captive wild rodents (Apodemus sylvaticus and Myodes glareolus), wild birds (Parus major and Cyanistes caeruleus) or domestic ruminants (Ovis aries and Bos taurus), demonstrated that it is possible to identify each host category with confidence. First, the tick-blood spacing, which is the difference between values obtained from ticks and the blood of hosts that they had fed on in the previous stage, was consistent (152 spacings investigated from 15 host individuals in total). Second, potential confounding factors (tick age and sex) did not affect the discriminatory power of the isotope patterns, nor did different rearing conditions (room temperature vs. 4 °C) or the duration of development (maximum of 430 days). The findings that the tick-blood isotope spacings, across a diverse range of hosts, were similar and predictable, and that confounders had little or no effect on this, strongly support the usage of the isotope approach. Because each of the host categories has a different role in the population dynamics of I. ricinus and in tick-borne pathogen ecology, the method described here has great potential for the clarification of tick and tick-borne pathogen ecology in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Heylen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, U.S.A
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - O Schmidt
- UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
| | - H Dautel
- IS Insect Services GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - L Gern
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - H Kampen
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - J Newton
- Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, East Kilbride, U.K
| | - J Gray
- UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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9
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Exploration of stable isotope analysis for tick host identification. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 9:151-154. [PMID: 28919405 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 08/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Due to the problem of tick-borne diseases, there is a need to better understand the importance of different host species in maintaining enzootic disease cycles. We explored the utility of stable isotope analysis to identify the larval hosts of questing ixodid ticks. In laboratory experiments, we used Ixodes scapularis and two host species that are important in the Lyme disease system in eastern North America. First, we tested how effectively a short-term dietary tracer (13C in corn) was reflected in molted ticks. Second, we attempted to identify the host species (either white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) or eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)), based on the isotopic signature of the ticks that had fed on them. The corn isotopic signal was easily detectable in the ticks that fed on corn-diet hosts despite the brief feeding period (96h). However, we were not able to differentiate between flat Ixodes scapularis nymphs that had fed as larvae on mice vs. those fed on chipmunks. Isotopic signatures of fur from mice and chipmunks were also indistinguishable, probably due to the similar diets of these two species in the wild. We conclude that, while stable isotope analysis of ticks may not be able to distinguish between ecologically similar host species, it may be useful in sorting ticks to the level of feeding guild of the host.
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Loss SR, Noden BH, Hamer GL, Hamer SA. A quantitative synthesis of the role of birds in carrying ticks and tick-borne pathogens in North America. Oecologia 2016; 182:947-959. [PMID: 27670413 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3731-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Birds play a central role in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens. They expand tick populations and pathogens across vast distances and serve as reservoirs that maintain and amplify transmission locally. Research into the role of birds for supporting ticks and tick-borne pathogens has largely been descriptive and focused in small areas. To expand inference beyond these studies, we conducted a quantitative review at the scale of North America to identify avian life history correlates of tick infestation and pathogen prevalence, calculate species-level indices of importance for carrying ticks, and identify research gaps limiting understanding of tick-borne pathogen transmission. Across studies, 78 of 162 bird species harbored ticks, yielding an infestation prevalence of 1981 of 38,929 birds (5.1 %). Avian foraging and migratory strategies interacted to influence infestation. Ground-foraging species, especially non-migratory ground foragers, were disproportionately likely to have high prevalence and intensity of tick infestation. Studies largely focused on Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, and non-migratory ground foragers were especially likely to carry B. burgdorferi-infected ticks, a finding that highlights the potential importance of resident birds in local pathogen transmission. Based on infestation indices, all "super-carrier" bird species were passerines. Vast interior areas of North America, many bird and tick species, and most tick-borne pathogens, remain understudied, and research is needed to address these gaps. More studies are needed that quantify tick host preferences, host competence, and spatiotemporal variation in pathogen prevalence and vector and host abundance. This information is crucial for predicting pathogen transmission dynamics under future global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott R Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Ag Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Bruce H Noden
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Gabriel L Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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Opiyo MA, Hamer GL, Lwetoijera DW, Auckland LD, Majambere S, Okumu FO. Using Stable Isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen to Mark Wild Populations of Anopheles and Aedes Mosquitoes in South-Eastern Tanzania. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159067. [PMID: 27392083 PMCID: PMC4938253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Marking wild mosquitoes is important for understanding their ecology, behaviours and role in disease transmission. Traditional insect marking techniques include using fluorescent dyes, protein labels, radioactive labels and tags, but such techniques have various limitations; notably low marker retention and inability to mark wild mosquitoes at source. Stable isotopes are gaining wide spread use for non-invasive marking of arthropods, permitting greater understanding of mosquito dispersal and responses to interventions. We describe here a simple technique for marking naturally-breeding malaria and dengue vectors using stable isotopes of nitrogen (15N) and carbon (13C), and describe potential field applications. METHODS We created man-made aquatic mosquito habitats and added either 15N-labelled potassium nitrate or 13C-labelled glucose, leaving non-adulterated habitats as controls. We then allowed wild mosquitoes to lay eggs in these habitats and monitored their development in situ. Pupae were collected promptly as they appeared and kept in netting cages. Emergent adults (in pools of ~4 mosquitoes/pool) and individually stored pupae were desiccated and analysed using Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS). FINDINGS Anopheles gambiae s.l and Aedes spp. from enriched 13C and enriched 15N larval habitats had significantly higher isotopic levels than controls (P = 0.005), and both isotopes produced sufficient distinction between marked and unmarked mosquitoes. Mean δ15N for enriched females and males were 275.6±65.1 and 248.0±54.6, while mean δ15N in controls were 2.1±0.1 and 3.9±1.7 respectively. Similarly, mean δ13C for enriched females and males were 36.08±5.28 and 38.5±6.86, compared to -4.3±0.2 and -7.9±3.6 in controls respectively. Mean δ15N and δ13C was significantly higher in any pool containing at least one enriched mosquito compared to pools with all unenriched mosquitoes, P<0.001. In all cases, there were variations in standardized isotopic ratios between mosquito species. CONCLUSION Enrichment of semi-natural mosquito larval habitats with stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon resulted in effective marking of Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes colonizing these habitats. This approach can significantly enhance studies on mosquito eco-physiology, dispersal, pathogen transmission and responses to control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercy A. Opiyo
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Gabriel L. Hamer
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dickson W. Lwetoijera
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Lisa D. Auckland
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Silas Majambere
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Innovative Vector Control Consortium, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Fredros O. Okumu
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Republic of South Africa
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