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Khositharattanakool P, Pathawong N, Pongsiri A, Pengsakul T, Ponlawat A, Somwang P. Trypanosoma infection and bloodmeal analysis in post-feeding sand flies across Thailand. Acta Trop 2024; 258:107343. [PMID: 39098750 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107343] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Phlebotomine sand flies are recognized as a primary vector of Leishmania and are also suspected vectors of Trypanosoma. The transmission cycle of these parasites relies on the distribution of sand fly vectors, parasites, and reservoir animals. This study aimed to detect Leishmania and Trypanosoma DNA and identify the sources of bloodmeals in post-feeding sand flies captured across Thailand. A total of 42,911 field female sand flies were collected from 11 provinces across Thailand using CDC light traps. Among these, 253 post-feeding sand flies were selected for analysis. The predominant species in this study was Sergentomyia khawi (33.60 %). The DNA was extracted from individual female sand flies. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), specific to the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene regions were used to detect the presence of Leishmania and Trypanosoma DNA, respectively. Additionally, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene region was utilized to identify the sources of host bloodmeals. Leishmania DNA was not detected in any specimens. The analysis of SSU rRNA sequences revealed the presence of Trypanosoma DNA (11.46 %, 29/253) in sand fly samples. Among these samples, T. noyesi (1.58 %, 4/253) was identified in Idiophlebotomus longiforceps and Phlebotomus asperulus, Trypanosoma Anura01+02/Frog2 (1.18 %, 3/253) in Se. khawi, and Trypanosoma Anura04/Frog1 (8.70 %, 22/253) in Se. khawi, Se. hivernus and Grossomyia indica. Bloodmeal analysis utilizing the COI gene revealed a diverse range of vertebrate hosts' blood, including bird, bat, frog and sun skink. Our findings confirm the presence of Trypanosoma DNA and identify the sources of bloodmeals from vertebrate hosts in various sand fly species, suggesting their potential as possible vectors for Trypanosoma in Thailand. Furthermore, our study is the first to provide molecular evidence using the COI gene to identify frogs as a host blood source for sand flies in Thailand. Further studies focusing on the isolation of live parasites in sand flies to confirm vector potential and examining the role of animal reservoirs will enhance our understanding of the host-parasite relationship and enable more efficient control for disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pathamet Khositharattanakool
- School of Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand; Biomedical Technology Research Group for Vulnerable Populations, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand
| | - Nattaphol Pathawong
- Vector Biology and Control Section, Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Arissara Pongsiri
- Vector Biology and Control Section, Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Theerakamol Pengsakul
- Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand; Health and Environmental Research Center (HERC), Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Alongkot Ponlawat
- Vector Biology and Control Section, Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Puckavadee Somwang
- School of Medicine, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand; Biomedical Technology Research Group for Vulnerable Populations, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.
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Makhanthisa TI, Guarido MM, Kemp A, Weyer J, Rostal MK, Karesh WB, Thompson PN. Characterization of mosquito host-biting networks of potential Rift Valley fever virus vectors in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:341. [PMID: 39138532 PMCID: PMC11323694 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06416-0] [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: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne virus with serious implications for livestock health, human health, and the economy in Africa, and is suspected to be endemic in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. The vectors of RVFV in this area are poorly known, although several species, such as Aedes (Neomelaniconion) mcintoshi, Aedes (Neomelaniconion) circumluteolus, Aedes (Aedimorphus) durbanensis, and Culex (Lasioconops) poicilipes may be involved. The aim of the study was to determine the vertebrate blood meal sources of potential RVFV mosquito vectors in north-eastern KZN and to characterize the host-biting network. METHODS Blood-fed mosquitoes were collected monthly from November 2019 to February 2023 using a backpack aspirator, CO2-baited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) miniature light traps and tent traps, in the vicinity of water bodies and livestock farming households. The mosquitoes were morphologically identified. DNA was extracted from individual mosquitoes and used as templates to amplify the vertebrate cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and cytochrome b (cytb) genes using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplicons were sequenced and queried in GenBank and the Barcode of Life Data systems to identify the vertebrate blood meal sources and confirm mosquito identifications. All mosquitoes were screened for RVFV using real time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. RESULTS We identified the mammalian (88.8%) and avian (11.3%) blood meal sources from 409 blood-fed mosquitoes. Aedes circumluteolus (n = 128) made up the largest proportion of collected mosquitoes. Cattle (n = 195) and nyala (n = 61) were the most frequent domestic and wild hosts, respectively. Bipartite network analysis showed that the rural network consisted of more host-biting interactions than the reserve network. All mosquitoes tested negative for RVFV. CONCLUSIONS Several mosquito species, including Ae. circumluteolus, and vertebrate host species, including cattle and nyala, could play a central role in RVFV transmission. Future research in this region should focus on these species to better understand RVFV amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takalani I Makhanthisa
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Milehna M Guarido
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Alan Kemp
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline Weyer
- Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham, South Africa
- Department of Medical Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | | | - Peter N Thompson
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
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Kanga S, Roy P, Singh SK, Meraj G, Kumar P, Debnath J. Delineating dengue risk zones in Jaipur: An interdisciplinary approach to inform public health strategies. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2024. [PMID: 38987233 DOI: 10.1111/risa.15102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Dengue fever (DF) is a pervasive public health concern in tropical climates, with densely populated regions, such as India, disproportionately affected. Addressing this issue requires a multifaceted understanding of the environmental and sociocultural factors that contribute to the risk of dengue infection. This study aimed to identify high-risk zones for DF in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, by integrating physical, demographic, and epidemiological data in a comprehensive risk analysis framework. We investigated environmental variables, such as soil type and plant cover, to characterize the potential habitats of Aedes aegypti, the primary dengue vector. Concurrently, demographic metrics were evaluated to assess the population's susceptibility to dengue outbreaks. High-risk areas were systematically identified through a comparative analysis that integrated population density and incidence rates per ward. The results revealed a significant correlation between high population density and an increased risk of dengue, predominantly facilitated by vertical transmission. Spatially, these high-risk zones are concentrated in the northern and southern sectors of Jaipur, with the northern and southwestern wards exhibiting the most acute risk profiles. This study underscores the importance of targeted public health interventions and vaccination campaigns in vulnerable areas. It further lays the groundwork for future research to evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions, thereby contributing to the development of robust evidence-based strategies for dengue risk mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Kanga
- Department of Geography, School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Priyanka Roy
- Centre for Climate Change and Water Research, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Suraj Kumar Singh
- Centre for Sustainable Development, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Gowhar Meraj
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Hayama, Japan
| | - Jatan Debnath
- Department of Geography, Gauhati University, Jalukbari, Assam, India
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Blanken SL, Prudhomme O'Meara W, Hol FJH, Bousema T, Markwalter CF. À la carte: how mosquitoes choose their blood meals. Trends Parasitol 2024; 40:591-603. [PMID: 38853076 PMCID: PMC11223952 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.05.007] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Mosquitoes are important vectors for human diseases, transmitting pathogens that cause a range of parasitic and viral infections. Mosquito blood-feeding is heterogeneous, meaning that some human hosts are at higher risk of receiving bites than others, and this heterogeneity is multifactorial. Mosquitoes integrate specific cues to locate their hosts, and mosquito attraction differs considerably between individual human hosts. Heterogeneous mosquito biting results from variations in both host attractiveness and availability and can impact transmission of vector-borne diseases. However, the extent and drivers of this heterogeneity and its importance for pathogen transmission remain incompletely understood. Here, we review methods and recent data describing human characteristics that affect host-seeking behavior and host preferences of mosquito disease vectors, and the implications for vector-borne disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lynn Blanken
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wendy Prudhomme O'Meara
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Felix J H Hol
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Bousema
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Serem EK, Mburu DM, Abdullahi OA, Bargul JL. A scoping review on tsetse fly blood meal sources and its assay methods since 1956 to 2022. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:52. [PMID: 38308365 PMCID: PMC10837921 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06114-3] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) are the definitive biological vectors of African trypanosomes in humans and animals. Controlling this vector is the most promising method of preventing trypanosome transmission. This requires a comprehensive understanding of tsetse biology and host preference to inform targeted design and management strategies, such as the use of olfaction and visual cues in tsetse traps. No current review exists on host preference and blood meal analyses of tsetse flies. METHODS This review presents a meta-analysis of tsetse fly blood meal sources and the methodologies used to identify animal hosts from 1956 to August 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRIMA-ScR) was applied. This focused on tsetse-endemic countries, blood meal analysis methodologies and the blood meal hosts identified. The articles were retrieved and screened from databases using predetermined eligibility criteria. RESULTS Only 49/393 of the articles retrieved matched the inclusion criteria. Glossina's main hosts in the wild included the bushbuck, buffalo, elephant, warthog, bushpig and hippopotamus. Pigs, livestock and humans were key hosts at the domestic interface. The least studied species included Glossina fuscipleuris, G. fusca, G. medicorum, G. tabaniformis and G. austeni. In the absence of preferred hosts, Glossina fed opportunistically on a variety of hosts. Precipitin, haemagglutination, disc diffusion, complement fixation, ELISA and PCR-based assays were used to evaluate blood meals. Cytochrome b (Cyt b) was the main target gene in PCR to identify the vertebrate hosts. CONCLUSIONS Tsetse blood meal sources have likely expanded because of ecological changes that could have rendered preferred hosts unavailable. The major approaches for analysing tsetse fly blood meal hosts targeted Cyt b gene for species identification by Sanger sequencing. However, small-fragment DNAs, such as the mammalian 12S and 16S rRNA genes, along with second- and third-generation sequencing techniques, could increase sensitivity for host identification in multiple host feeders that Sanger sequencing may misidentify as "noise". This review of tsetse fly blood meal sources and approaches to host identification could inform strategies for tsetse control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Kibichiy Serem
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, School of Health and Human Sciences, Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya.
- Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre (PUBReC), Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya.
| | - David Mwangi Mburu
- Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre (PUBReC), Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Osman Abdikarim Abdullahi
- Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre (PUBReC), Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya
- Department of Public Health, School of Health and Human Sciences, Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - Joel Ltilitan Bargul
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
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Melgarejo-Colmenares K, Vezzani D, Gallego A, Cardo MV. Blood meal sources of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in domestic and open green environments from two urbanisations of temperate Argentina. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 114:30-40. [PMID: 38112065 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the blood-feeding patterns of mosquitoes is essential for evaluating their potential as disease vectors, especially in urban areas where mosquitoes coexist with humans, domestic animals and wildlife. This study aimed to bridge a substantial gap in regional knowledge by identifying the blood meal sources of field-collected mosquitoes in domestic and open green environments from two urbanisations of temperate Argentina, the Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA) and Tandil, using molecular techniques. Female mosquitoes were collected from November 2019 to March 2020 and April-May 2021. A bipartite network analysis was performed for each environment and urbanisation. A total of 103 blood meals from Aedes (2 species) and Culex (7 species) were identified. Among these, five mammal and 18 bird species were recognised as hosts. Aedes mosquitoes exclusively fed on mammals, while Culex mosquitoes exhibited a broader host range including both birds and mammals. In AMBA, the open green environments were composed by more mosquito species than the domestic environments, while both presented similar numbers of vertebrate species. In contrast, in open green environments from Tandil only blood-fed Aedes albifasciatus were collected. For open green environments of AMBA and domestic environments of Tandil, results suggested some degree of host selection. For the three main vectors of diseases in the region, Aedes aegypti, Ae. albifasciatus and Culex pipiens molestus, we present the first molecular evidence of human blood meals in South America. Epidemiological significance of the present findings is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karelly Melgarejo-Colmenares
- IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Vezzani
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, UNCPBA-CICPBA, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Gallego
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, UNCPBA-CICPBA, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María V Cardo
- IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Hendrick GC, Nicholson MD, Pagan JA, Artim JM, Dolan MC, Sikkel PC. Blood meal identification reveals extremely broad host range and host-bias in a temporary ectoparasite of coral reef fishes. Oecologia 2023; 203:349-360. [PMID: 37951847 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05468-w] [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: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Appreciation for the role of cryptofauna in ecological systems has increased dramatically over the past decade. The impacts blood-feeding arthropods, such as ticks and mosquitos, have on terrestrial communities are the subject of hundreds of papers annually. However, blood-feeding arthropods have been largely ignored in marine environments. Gnathiid isopods, often referred to as "ticks of the sea", are temporary external parasites of fishes. They are found in all marine environments and have many consequential impacts on host fitness. Because they are highly mobile and only associated with their hosts while obtaining a blood meal, their broader trophic connections are difficult to discern. Conventional methods rely heavily on detecting gnathiids on wild-caught fishes. However, this approach typically yields few gnathiids and does not account for hosts that avoid capture. To overcome this limitation, we sequenced blood meals of free-living gnathiids collected in light traps to assess the host range and community-dependent exploitation of Caribbean gnathiid isopods. Using fish-specific COI (cox1) primers, sequencing individual blood meals from 1060 gnathiids resulted in the identification of 70 host fish species from 27 families. Comparisons of fish assemblages to blood meal identification frequencies at four collection sites indicated that fishes within the families Haemulidae (grunts) and Lutjanidae (snappers) were exploited more frequently than expected based on their biomass, and Labrid parrotfishes were exploited less frequently than expected. The broad host range along with the biased exploitation of diel-migratory species has important implications for the role gnathiid isopods play in Caribbean coral reef communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina C Hendrick
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Matthew D Nicholson
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - J Andres Pagan
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, CIBIO - Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
| | - John M Artim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA
| | - Maureen C Dolan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA
- Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR, USA
| | - Paul C Sikkel
- Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
- Water Research Group, Unit of Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
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Mshani IH, Siria DJ, Mwanga EP, Sow BB, Sanou R, Opiyo M, Sikulu-Lord MT, Ferguson HM, Diabate A, Wynne K, González-Jiménez M, Baldini F, Babayan SA, Okumu F. Key considerations, target product profiles, and research gaps in the application of infrared spectroscopy and artificial intelligence for malaria surveillance and diagnosis. Malar J 2023; 22:346. [PMID: 37950315 PMCID: PMC10638832 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04780-3] [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: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies on the applications of infrared (IR) spectroscopy and machine learning (ML) in public health have increased greatly in recent years. These technologies show enormous potential for measuring key parameters of malaria, a disease that still causes about 250 million cases and 620,000 deaths, annually. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the combination of IR spectroscopy and machine learning (ML) can yield accurate predictions of epidemiologically relevant parameters of malaria in both laboratory and field surveys. Proven applications now include determining the age, species, and blood-feeding histories of mosquito vectors as well as detecting malaria parasite infections in both humans and mosquitoes. As the World Health Organization encourages malaria-endemic countries to improve their surveillance-response strategies, it is crucial to consider whether IR and ML techniques are likely to meet the relevant feasibility and cost-effectiveness requirements-and how best they can be deployed. This paper reviews current applications of IR spectroscopy and ML approaches for investigating malaria indicators in both field surveys and laboratory settings, and identifies key research gaps relevant to these applications. Additionally, the article suggests initial target product profiles (TPPs) that should be considered when developing or testing these technologies for use in low-income settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Issa H Mshani
- Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences Department, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania.
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Doreen J Siria
- Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences Department, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Emmanuel P Mwanga
- Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences Department, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Bazoumana Bd Sow
- Department of Medical Biology and Public Health, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Roger Sanou
- Department of Medical Biology and Public Health, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Mercy Opiyo
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça (CISM), Maputo, Mozambique
- Malaria Elimination Initiative (MEI), Institute for Global Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA
| | - Maggy T Sikulu-Lord
- Faculty of Science, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Heather M Ferguson
- Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences Department, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Abdoulaye Diabate
- Department of Medical Biology and Public Health, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (IRSS), Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Klaas Wynne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Mario González-Jiménez
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- School of Chemistry, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Francesco Baldini
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Simon A Babayan
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Fredros Okumu
- Ifakara Health Institute, Environmental Health, and Ecological Sciences Department, Morogoro, United Republic of Tanzania.
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
- School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania.
- School of Public Health, The University of the Witwatersrand, Park Town, South Africa.
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Albó Timor A, Lucati F, Bartumeus F, Caner J, Escartin S, Mariani S, Palmer JRB, Ventura M. A fast and inexpensive genotyping system for the simultaneous analysis of human and Aedes albopictus short tandem repeats. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:347. [PMID: 37798758 PMCID: PMC10557338 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05977-w] [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: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Determination of the interactions between hematophagous mosquitoes and their human hosts is of great importance for better understanding the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne arboviruses and developing effective strategies to mitigate risk. Genetic analysis of human and mosquito DNA can play a key role in this, but commercial kits for human short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping are expensive and do not allow for the simultaneous STR analysis of host and vector DNA. Here, we present an inexpensive and straightforward STR-loci multiplex system capable of simultaneously amplifying Aedes albopictus and human STRs from blood-fed mosquitoes. Additionally, we examine the effect of storage methods and post-feeding time on the integrity of host DNA. METHODS Thirty-five STRs (16 human and 19 Ae. albopictus STRs) subdivided in three multiplexes were tested for amplification and scoring reliability. Under laboratory conditions we compared the efficacy of two preservation methods (absolute ethanol vs lysis buffer) on the integrity of host DNA in Ae. albopictus blood meals. We also evaluated the effect of post-feeding time by sacrificing blood-fed mosquitoes at different time intervals after feeding, and we assessed our ability to detect multiple feedings. To determine if the system can be employed successfully under field conditions, we carried out a preliminary study using field-collected Ae. albopictus. RESULTS All 35 STRs amplified consistently in the laboratory. Lysis buffer performed better than absolute ethanol in terms of allele peak height and clarity of electropherograms. Complete human DNA profiles could be obtained up to 48 h following the blood meal. Analysis of multiple feedings confirmed that peak heights can be used as a proxy to determine post-feeding time and thus derive the number of different people bitten by a mosquito. In the field trial, amplification was successful for 32 STRs. We found human DNA signal in 38 of the 61 field-collected mosquitoes (62%), of which 34 (89%) had ingested a single blood meal, while four (11%) contained double meals. CONCLUSIONS Our new genotyping system allows fast and reliable screening of both host and vector species, and can be further adapted to other mosquito species living in close contact with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Federica Lucati
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain.
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
- Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jenny Caner
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
| | - Santi Escartin
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
| | - Simone Mariani
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
| | - John R B Palmer
- Department of Political and Social Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Ventura
- Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain
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Gafarova MT, Eremeeva ME. History and Current Status of Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) in the Crimean Peninsula and Neighboring Regions along the Black Sea Coast. Pathogens 2023; 12:1161. [PMID: 37764969 PMCID: PMC10536518 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091161] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a tick-borne rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii subspecies conorii and transmitted to humans by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. The disease was first discovered in Tunisia in 1910 and was subsequently reported from other Mediterranean countries. The first cases of MSF in the former Soviet Union were detected in 1936 on the Crimean Peninsula. This review summarizes the historic information and main features of MSF in that region and contemporary surveillance and control efforts for this rickettsiosis. Current data pertinent to the epidemiology of the disease, circulation of the ticks and distribution of animal hosts are discussed and compared for each of the countries in the Black Sea basin where MSF occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muniver T. Gafarova
- S.I. Georgievsky Medical Academy (Academic Unit), V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University, 295051 Simferopol, Russia
| | - Marina E. Eremeeva
- Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA
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11
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Pereira NCL, Michalsky ÉM, Alonso C, Pinheiro LC, Lara-Silva FO, Lima NA, Nobi RCA, de Mello HES, Fortes-Dias CL, Dias ES. Survey of phlebotomine sand fly fauna in a public Zoo in Brazil: Species diversity, seasonality, and host variety. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2023; 44:100917. [PMID: 37652636 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100917] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a dynamic disease in which transmission conditions change due to environmental and human behavioral factors. Epidemiological analyses have shown modifications in the spread profile and growing urbanization of the disease, justifying the expansion of endemic areas and increasing number of cases in dogs and humans. In the city of Belo Horizonte, located in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais (Brazil), visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is endemic, with a typical urban transmission pattern, but with different regional prevalence. This study was conducted at the Zoo of the Foundation of Municipal Parks and Zoobotany of Belo Horizonte (FPMZB-BH), located in the Pampulha region, which is among the areas most severely affected by VL. This study aimed to determine the taxonomic diversity of native phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), identify climatic variables that potentially affect the phenology of these insects, and determine the blood meal sources for female phlebotomine sand flies. To achieve this, 10 mammal enclosures in the zoo were selected using the presence of possible leishmaniasis reservoirs as a selection criterion, and sampled using light traps between August 2019 and August 2021. A total of 6034 phlebotomine sand flies were collected, indicating nine species, with Lutzomyia longipalpis being the very abundant species (65.35% of the total). Of the 108 engorged phlebotomine collected females, seven samples (6.5%) were positive for blood meals from humans, marsupials, canids, and birds. Relative humidity and rainfall increased the phenology of phlebotomine sand flies, with population increases in the hottest and wettest months. The data obtained will provide guidelines for competent health agencies to implement vector control measures to reduce the risk of leishmaniasis transmission in the FPMZB-BH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathália Cristina Lima Pereira
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Érika Monteiro Michalsky
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Caroline Alonso
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Letícia Cavalari Pinheiro
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Oliveira Lara-Silva
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Nathália Albergaria Lima
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Regina Celi Antunes Nobi
- Foundation of Municipal Parks and Zoobotany of Belo Horizonte, Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 8000, CEP 31365-450 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Humberto Espírito Santo de Mello
- Foundation of Municipal Parks and Zoobotany of Belo Horizonte, Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 8000, CEP 31365-450 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Consuelo Latorre Fortes-Dias
- Ezequiel Dias Foundation (FUNED), Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro 80, CEP 30550-010 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Edelberto Santos Dias
- René Rachou Institute (IRR), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, CEP 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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12
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Talebzadeh F, Ghadipasha M, Gharehdaghi J, Raoofian R, Azam K, Koosha M, Oshaghi MA. Efficiency of mitochondrial genes and nuclear Alu elements in detecting human DNA in blood meals of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes: a time-course study. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:284. [PMID: 37580774 PMCID: PMC10426119 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05884-0] [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: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The time required for PCR detection of DNA in human blood meals in vector mosquitoes may vary, depending on the molecular markers used, based on the size and copy number of the amplicons. Detailed knowledge of the blood-feeding behavior of mosquito populations in nature is an essential component for evaluating their vectorial capacity and for assessing the roles of individual vertebrates as potential hosts involved in the transmission of vector-borne diseases. METHODS Laboratory experiments were conducted to compare the time course of PCR detection of DNA in human blood meals from individual blood-fed Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, using loci with different characteristics, including two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes, cytB (228 bp) and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) (157 bp) and nuclear Alu-repeat elements (226 bp) at different time points after the blood meal. RESULTS Human DNA was detectable up to 84-120 h post-blood-feeding, depending on the length and copy number of the loci. Our results suggest that 16S rRNA and Alu-repeat markers can be successfully recovered from human DNA up to 5 days post-blood-meal. The 16S rDNA and Alu-repeat loci have a significantly (P = 0.008) slower decline rate than the cytB locus. Median detection periods (T50) for the amplicons were 117, 113 and 86.4 h for Alu-repeat, 16S rDNA and cytB, respectively, suggesting an inverse linear relationship between amplicon size/copy number and digestion time. CONCLUSION This comparative study shows that the Alu-repeat locus is the most efficient marker for time-course identification of human DNA from blood meals in female mosquitoes. It is also a promising tool for determining the anthropophilic index (AI) or human blood index (HBI), i.e. the proportion of blood meals from humans, which is often reported as a relative measure of anthropophagy of different mosquito vectors, and hence a measure of the vector competence of mosquito species collected in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahimeh Talebzadeh
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Ghadipasha
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jaber Gharehdaghi
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Raoofian
- Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamal Azam
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mona Koosha
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Vector Biology and Control of Diseases, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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13
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Hollingsworth BD, Grubaugh ND, Lazzaro BP, Murdock CC. Leveraging insect-specific viruses to elucidate mosquito population structure and dynamics. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011588. [PMID: 37651317 PMCID: PMC10470969 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Several aspects of mosquito ecology that are important for vectored disease transmission and control have been difficult to measure at epidemiologically important scales in the field. In particular, the ability to describe mosquito population structure and movement rates has been hindered by difficulty in quantifying fine-scale genetic variation among populations. The mosquito virome represents a possible avenue for quantifying population structure and movement rates across multiple spatial scales. Mosquito viromes contain a diversity of viruses, including several insect-specific viruses (ISVs) and "core" viruses that have high prevalence across populations. To date, virome studies have focused on viral discovery and have only recently begun examining viral ecology. While nonpathogenic ISVs may be of little public health relevance themselves, they provide a possible route for quantifying mosquito population structure and dynamics. For example, vertically transmitted viruses could behave as a rapidly evolving extension of the host's genome. It should be possible to apply established analytical methods to appropriate viral phylogenies and incidence data to generate novel approaches for estimating mosquito population structure and dispersal over epidemiologically relevant timescales. By studying the virome through the lens of spatial and genomic epidemiology, it may be possible to investigate otherwise cryptic aspects of mosquito ecology. A better understanding of mosquito population structure and dynamics are key for understanding mosquito-borne disease ecology and methods based on ISVs could provide a powerful tool for informing mosquito control programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon D Hollingsworth
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute for Host Microbe Interaction and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Nathan D Grubaugh
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Brian P Lazzaro
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute for Host Microbe Interaction and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Courtney C Murdock
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Cornell Institute for Host Microbe Interaction and Disease, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
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14
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San Juan E, Araya-Donoso R, Sierra-Rosales C, Correa JP, Quiroga N, Campos-Soto R, Solari A, Llewellyn M, Bacigalupo A, Botto-Mahan C. Humans as blood-feeding sources in sylvatic triatomines of Chile unveiled by next-generation sequencing. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:225. [PMID: 37415248 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05841-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triatomines are blood-sucking insects capable of transmitting Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease in humans. Vectorial transmission entails an infected triatomine feeding on a vertebrate host, release of triatomine infective dejections, and host infection by the entry of parasites through mucous membranes, skin abrasions, or the biting site; therefore, transmission to humans is related to the triatomine-human contact. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated whether humans were detected in the diet of three sylvatic triatomine species (Mepraia parapatrica, Mepraia spinolai, and Triatoma infestans) present in the semiarid-Mediterranean ecosystem of Chile. METHODS We used triatomines collected from 32 sites across 1100 km, with an overall T. cruzi infection frequency of 47.1% (N = 4287 total specimens) by conventional PCR or qPCR. First, we amplified the vertebrate cytochrome b gene (cytb) from all DNA samples obtained from triatomine intestinal contents. Then, we sequenced cytb-positive PCR products in pools of 10-20 triatomines each, grouped by site. The filtered sequences were grouped into amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) with a minimum abundance of 100 reads. ASVs were identified by selecting the best BLASTn match against the NCBI nucleotide database. RESULTS Overall, 16 mammal (including human), 14 bird, and seven reptile species were identified in the diet of sylvatic triatomines. Humans were part of the diet of all analyzed triatomine species, and it was detected in 19 sites representing 12.19% of the sequences. CONCLUSIONS Sylvatic triatomine species from Chile feed on a variety of vertebrate species; many of them are detected here for the first time in their diet. Our results highlight that the sylvatic triatomine-human contact is noteworthy. Education must be enforced for local inhabitants, workers, and tourists arriving in endemic areas to avoid or minimize the risk of exposure to Chagas disease vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban San Juan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Catalina Sierra-Rosales
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juana P Correa
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile
| | - Nicol Quiroga
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo Campos-Soto
- Escuela de Ciencias Agrícolas y Veterinarias, Universidad Viña del Mar, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Aldo Solari
- Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martin Llewellyn
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Antonella Bacigalupo
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Carezza Botto-Mahan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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15
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Trillo PA, Bernal XE, Hall RJ. Mixed-species assemblages and disease: the importance of differential vector and parasite attraction in transmission dynamics. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220109. [PMID: 37066659 PMCID: PMC10107280 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0109] [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: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals from multiple species often aggregate at resources, group to facilitate defense and foraging, or are brought together by human activity. While it is well-documented that host-seeking disease vectors and parasites show biases in their responses to cues from different hosts, the influence of mixed-species assemblages on disease dynamics has received limited attention. Here, we synthesize relevant research in host-specific vector and parasite bias. To better understand how vector and parasite biases influence infection, we provide a conceptual framework describing cue-oriented vector and parasite host-seeking behaviour as a two-stage process that encompasses attraction of these enemies to the assemblage and their choice of hosts once at the assemblage. We illustrate this framework, developing a case study of mixed-species frog assemblages, where frog-biting midges transmit trypanosomes. Finally, we present a mathematical model that investigates how host species composition and asymmetries in vector attraction modulate transmission dynamics in mixed-species assemblages. We argue that differential attraction of vectors by hosts can have important consequences for disease transmission within mixed-species assemblages, with implications for wildlife conservation and zoonotic disease. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A. Trillo
- Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, USA
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Panama, República de Panama
| | - Richard J. Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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16
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Sloyer KE, Acevedo C, Wisely SM, Burkett-Cadena ND. Host associations of biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) at deer farms in Florida, USA. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:518-526. [PMID: 37040561 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Documenting the host use of vector species is important for understanding the transmission dynamics of vector-borne pathogens. Biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) are vectors of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) and bluetongue virus (BTV) worldwide. However, relative to mosquitoes and many other vector groups, host associations of this group are poorly documented. In this study, we used PCR-based bloodmeal analysis to determine species-level host associations of 3,603 blood-engorged specimens belonging to 18 Culicoides species at 8 deer farms in Florida, USA. We used a binomial mixed model with a Bayesian framework to compare the effect of host composition on the feeding patterns of Culicoides spp. and employed the Morisita-Horn Index to investigate the similarity of host use between farms for Culicoides stellifer and Culicoides insignis. Results show that the estimated probability of Culicoides spp. feeding upon white-tailed deer depends on the availability of cattle or exotic game and demonstrates differences in host-feeding selection among species. Culicoides insignis had high host similarity across farms suggesting that its host-use patterns are somewhat conserved. Culicoides stellifer had lower host similarity across farms suggesting that it is a more opportunistic feeder. White-tailed deer are fed upon by many Culicoides species on deer farms in Florida, and while most Culicoides species feed on white-tailed deer, the ratio of white-tailed deer bloodmeals to other bloodmeals is likely influenced by host availability. Culicoides spp. taking a majority of their bloodmeals from farmed white-tailed deer should be assessed for their vector competence for EHDV and BTV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin E Sloyer
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida IFAS, 200 9th St. SE, Vero Beach, FL, USA
| | - Carolina Acevedo
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida IFAS, 200 9th St. SE, Vero Beach, FL, USA
| | - Samantha M Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Nathan D Burkett-Cadena
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida IFAS, 200 9th St. SE, Vero Beach, FL, USA
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Segovia M, Schwabl P, Sueto S, Nakad CC, Londoño JC, Rodriguez M, Paiva M, Llewellyn MS, Carrasco HJ. Vector mapping and bloodmeal metabarcoding demonstrate risk of urban Chagas disease transmission in Caracas, Venezuela. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0010613. [PMID: 36930686 PMCID: PMC10057784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a significant public health risk in rural and semi-rural areas of Venezuela. Triatomine infection by the aetiological agent Trypanosoma cruzi is also observed in the Metropolitan District of Caracas (MDC), where foodborne T. cruzi outbreaks occasionally occur but active vector-to-human transmission (infection during triatomine bloodmeal) is considered absent. Citizen science-based domiciliary triatomine collection carried out between 2007 and 2013 in the MDC has advanced understanding of urban T. cruzi prevalence patterns and represents an important public awareness-building tool. The present study reports on the extension of this triatomine collection program from 2014 to 2019 and uses mitochondrial metabarcoding to assess feeding behavior in a subset of specimens. The combined, thirteen-year dataset (n = 4872) shows a high rate of T. cruzi infection (75.2%) and a predominance of Panstrongylus geniculatus (99.01%) among triatomines collected in domiciliary areas by MDC inhabitants. Collection also involved nymphal stages of P. geniculatus in 18 of 32 MDC parishes. Other collected species included Triatoma nigromaculata, Triatoma maculata, Rhodnius prolixus, and Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus. Liquid intestinal content indicative of bloodmeal was observed in 53.4% of analyzed specimens. Dissection pools representing 108 such visually blooded P. geniculatus specimens predominantly tested positive for human cytochrome b DNA (22 of 24 pools). Additional bloodmeal sources detected via metabarcoding analysis included key sylvatic T. cruzi reservoirs (opossum and armadillo), rodents, and various other synanthropic and domesticated animals. Results suggest a porous sylvatic-domiciliary transmission interface and ongoing adaptation of P. geniculatus to the urban ecotope. Although P. geniculatus defecation traits greatly limit the possibility of active T. cruzi transmission for any individual biting event, the cumulation of this low risk across a vast metropolitan population warrants further investigation. Efforts to prevent triatomine contact with human food sources also clearly require greater attention to protect Venezuela's capital from Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maikell Segovia
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Philipp Schwabl
- School of Biodiversity, One Health Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Salem Sueto
- School of Biodiversity, One Health Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Candy Cherine Nakad
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Juan Carlos Londoño
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Marlenes Rodriguez
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Manuel Paiva
- Escuela de Salud Pública, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Martin Stephen Llewellyn
- School of Biodiversity, One Health Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Hernán José Carrasco
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
- * E-mail:
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Identification of Neotropical Culex Mosquitoes by MALDI-TOF MS Profiling. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8030168. [PMID: 36977169 PMCID: PMC10055718 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8030168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna of French Guiana encompasses 242 species, of which nearly half of them belong to the genus Culex. Whereas several species of Culex are important vectors of arboviruses, only a limited number of studies focus on them due to the difficulties to morphologically identify field-caught females. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been reported as a promising method for the identification of mosquitoes. Culex females collected in French Guiana were morphologically identified and dissected. Abdomens were used for molecular identification using the COI (cytochrome oxidase 1) gene. Legs and thorax of 169 specimens belonging to 13 Culex species, (i.e., Cx. declarator, Cx. nigripalpus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, Cx. usquatus, Cx. adamesi, Cx. dunni, Cx. eastor, Cx. idottus, Cx. pedroi, Cx. phlogistus, Cx. portesi, Cx. rabanicolus and Cx. spissipes) were then submitted to MALDI-TOF MS analysis. A high intra-species reproducibility and inter-species specificity of MS spectra for each mosquito body part tested were obtained. A corroboration of the specimen identification was revealed between MALDI-TOF MS, morphological and molecular results. MALDI-TOF MS protein profiling proves to be a suitable tool for identification of neotropical Culex species and will permit the enhancement of knowledge on this highly diverse genus.
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Kipp EJ, Lindsey LL, Milstein MS, Blanco CM, Baker JP, Faulk C, Oliver JD, Larsen PA. Nanopore adaptive sampling for targeted mitochondrial genome sequencing and bloodmeal identification in hematophagous insects. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:68. [PMID: 36788607 PMCID: PMC9930342 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05679-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood-feeding insects are important vectors for an array of zoonotic pathogens. While previous efforts toward generating molecular resources have largely focused on major vectors of global medical and veterinary importance, molecular data across a large number of hematophagous insect taxa remain limited. Advancements in long-read sequencing technologies and associated bioinformatic pipelines provide new opportunities for targeted sequencing of insect mitochondrial (mt) genomes. For engorged hematophagous insects, such technologies can be leveraged for both insect mitogenome genome assembly and identification of vertebrate blood-meal sources. METHODS We used nanopore adaptive sampling (NAS) to sequence genomic DNA from four species of field-collected, blood-engorged mosquitoes (Aedes and Culex spp.) and one deer fly (Chrysops sp.). NAS was used for bioinformatical enrichment of mtDNA reads of hematophagous insects and potential vertebrate blood-meal hosts using publically available mt genomes as references. We also performed an experimental control to compare results of traditional non-NAS nanopore sequencing to the mt genome enrichment by the NAS method. RESULTS Complete mitogenomes were assembled and annotated for all five species sequenced with NAS: Aedes trivittatus, Aedes vexans, Culex restuans, Culex territans and the deer fly, Chrysops niger. In comparison to data generated during our non-NAS control experiment, NAS yielded a substantially higher proportion of reference-mapped mtDNA reads, greatly streamlining downstream mitogenome assembly and annotation. The NAS-assembled mitogenomes ranged in length from 15,582 to 16,045 bp, contained between 78.1% and 79.0% A + T content and shared the anticipated arrangement of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNAs, and 22 transfer RNAs. Maximum likelihood phylogenies were generated to further characterize each insect species. Additionally, vertebrate blood-meal analysis was successful in three samples sequenced, with mtDNA-based phylogenetic analyses revealing that blood-meal sources for Chrysops niger, Culex restuans and Aedes trivittatus were human, house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that NAS has dual utility to simultaneously molecularly identify hematophagous insects and their blood-meal hosts. Moreover, our data indicate NAS can facilitate a wide array of mitogenomic systematic studies through novel 'phylogenetic capture' methods. We conclude that the NAS approach has great potential for broadly improving genomic resources used to identify blood-feeding insects, answer phylogenetic questions and elucidate complex pathways for the transmission of vector-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan J. Kipp
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Laramie L. Lindsey
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Marissa S. Milstein
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Cristina M. Blanco
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Julia P. Baker
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Christopher Faulk
- Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
| | - Jonathan D. Oliver
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA
| | - Peter A. Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN USA
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20
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De Bona S, Correa JP, San Juan E, Estay-Olea D, Quiroga N, Bacigalupo A, Araya-Donoso R, Botto-Mahan C. Opportunistic or selective? Stage-dependent feeding behavior in a wild vector of Chagas disease. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:55-64. [PMID: 36462561 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The composition and contribution of different host species in the dynamics of vector-borne zoonotic parasites are particularly relevant for public health. Hence, the study of host selection by vectors is fundamental. Developmental stage and infection status are factors that may modulate vector feeding behavior. In the semi-arid Mediterranean ecosystem of South America, the transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan causing Chagas disease, includes the triatomine vector Mepraia spinolai and several vertebrate species. In this field study, we examined whether M. spinolai exhibits an opportunistic feeding behavior dependent upon developmental stage and/or infection status. We found that M. spinolai does not feed according to the relative availability of vertebrate species. In addition, early stage nymphs (first/second instars) fed on twice as many different species as middle (third/fourth instars) and late (fifth instars and adults) M. spinolai, with the former feeding on native rodents and lizards and the latter mostly on rabbits. Infected and uninfected M. spinolai showed similar feeding profiles. Wild triatomine species might be described as stage-dependent selective blood feeders, as a consequence of the temporal and spatial scale at which host-vector interactions occur, highlighting that all developmental stages might be infected and capable of transmitting T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie De Bona
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juana P Correa
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza, Universidad San Sebastián, Concepción, Chile
| | - Esteban San Juan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Estay-Olea
- Instituto de Ciencias Agroalimentarias, Animales y Ambientales (ICA3), Universidad de O'Higgins, San Fernando, Chile
| | - Nicol Quiroga
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonella Bacigalupo
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carezza Botto-Mahan
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, Santiago, Chile.
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21
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Cardo MV, Carbajo AE, Mozzoni C, Kliger M, Vezzani D. Blood feeding patterns of the Culex pipiens complex in equestrian land uses and their implications for arboviral encephalitis risk in temperate Argentina. Zoonoses Public Health 2022; 70:256-268. [PMID: 36575644 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Blood feeding patterns of mosquitoes are a key component in the dynamics of arboviral encephalitides transmission. In temperate Argentina, the members of the Culex pipiens complex include Cx. pipiens molestus, Cx. quinquefasciatus and their hybrids. To characterize their blood feeding patterns, adult resting mosquitoes were collected monthly during the warm season in urban and rural equestrian fields. The availability of birds and domestic mammals per site was characterized. The blood source and the complex member were successfully identified for 89 specimens using PCR. Blood of 19 vertebrate species was isolated including four mammals (most common feeds from dog, Canus lupus 19% of the blood meals; and horse, Equus caballus 18%) and 15 birds (picazuro pigeon, Patagioenas picazuro 11%; eared dove, Zenaida auriculata 10%; chicken, Gallus gallus 9%). The Forage Ratio (FR), calculated as the proportion of feeds taken from a given host species with respect to that host availability in the environment, suggested preference for dog by all members of the complex (FR ≥4.5). On the contrary, FR values suggested avoidance for horse by Cx. quinquefasciatus and the hybrid (FR ≤0.8), and a use proportional to its abundance by Cx. pipiens molestus (FR = 1.1-1.2 in urban and rural sites, respectively). FR values suggesting preference were obtained for avian species of the orders Passeriformes (7 species in total) and Columbiformes (5) by all members of the complex (FR ≥ 3.3), whereas values for monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus, Psiitaciformes) suggested avoidance by Cx. quinquefasciatus in urban sites (FR = 0.4) and by Cx. pipiens molestus in rural sites (FR = 0.3) but not in urban sites (FR = 1.4). A mammal-bird index (MBI, from -1 all avian to +1 all mammalian blood meals) was calculated for each member of the complex and urbanization category. Values were negative for Cx. quinquefasciatus (MBIurban = -0.60, MBIrural = -0.33) and positive for Cx. pipiens molestus (MBIurban = 0.20, MBIrural = 0.60), indicating a higher proportion of feeds taken on birds and mammals, respectively, regardless of the urbanization category. In temperate Argentina, the members of the Cx. pipiens complex fed both on horses and on birds, thus representing a real risk of transmission of arboviral encephalitides from avian enzootic cycles to horse epizootics.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Victoria Cardo
- Ecología de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores (2eTV), Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental-IIIA, UNSAM-CONICET, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Aníbal Eduardo Carbajo
- Ecología de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores (2eTV), Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental-IIIA, UNSAM-CONICET, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Marlene Kliger
- Ecología de Enfermedades Transmitidas por Vectores (2eTV), Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental-IIIA, UNSAM-CONICET, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Vezzani
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, UNCPBA-CICPBA, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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22
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Sunantaraporn S, Hortiwakul T, Kraivichian K, Siriyasatien P, Brownell N. Molecular Identification of Host Blood Meals and Detection of Blood Parasites in Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Collected from Phatthalung Province, Southern Thailand. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13100912. [PMID: 36292860 PMCID: PMC9604321 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Five hundred and fifty-nine female biting midges were collected, and seventeen species in six subgenera (Avaritia, Haemophoructus, Hoffmania, Meijerehelea, Remmia, and Trithecoides) and two groups (Clavipalpis and Shortti) were identified. The dominant Culicoides species was C. peregrinus (30.94%), followed by C. subgenus Trithecoides. From blood meal analysis of engorged biting midges, they were found to feed on cows, dogs, pigs, and avians. The majority of blood preferences of biting midges (68%; 49/72) displayed a mixed pattern of host blood DNA (cow and avian). The overall non-engorged biting midge field infectivity rate was 1.44 % (7/487). We detected Leucocytozoon sp. in three Culicoides specimens, one from each species: C. fulvus, C. oxystoma, and C. subgenus Trithecoides. Crithidia sp. was found in two C. peregrinus specimens, and Trypanosoma sp. and P. juxtanucleare were separately found in two C. guttifer. More consideration should be paid to the capacity of biting midges to transmit pathogens such as avian haemosporidian and trypanosomatid parasites. To demonstrate that these biting midges are natural vectors of trypanosomatid parasites, additional research must be conducted with a greater number of biting midges in other endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakone Sunantaraporn
- Medical Science Program, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Thanaporn Hortiwakul
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand
| | - Kanyarat Kraivichian
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Padet Siriyasatien
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Narisa Brownell
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Correspondence:
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23
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Montarsi F, Rosso F, Arnoldi D, Ravagnan S, Marini G, Delucchi L, Rosà R, Rizzoli A. First report of the blood-feeding pattern in Aedes koreicus, a new invasive species in Europe. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15751. [PMID: 36130985 PMCID: PMC9492761 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19734-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes koreicus is an invasive mosquito species which has been introduced into several European countries. Compared to other invasive Aedes mosquitoes, little is known of its biology and ecology. To determine Ae. koreicus’ vectorial capacity, it is essential to establish its feeding patterns and level of anthropophagy. We report on the blood-feeding patterns of Ae. koreicus, examining the blood meal origin of engorged females and evaluating the influence of different biotic and abiotic factors on feeding behavior. Mosquitoes were collected in 23 sites in northern Italy by manual aspiration and BG-sentinel traps; host availability was estimated by survey. The source of blood meals was identified using a nested PCR and by targeting and sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene. In total, 352 Ae. koreicus engorged females were collected between 2013 and 2020 and host blood meals were determined from 299 blood-fed mosquitoes (84.9%). Eleven host species were identified, with the highest prevalences being observed among roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (N = 189, 63.2%) and humans (N = 46, 15.4%). Blood meals were mostly taken from roe deer in forested sites and from humans in urban areas, suggesting that this species can feed on different hosts according to local abundance. Two blood meals were identified from avian hosts and one from lizard. Ae. koreicus’ mammalophilic feeding pattern suggests that it may be a potential vector of pathogens establishing transmission cycles among mammals, whereas its role as a bridge vector between mammals and birds could be negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Montarsi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padua, Italy.
| | - Fausta Rosso
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Daniele Arnoldi
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Silvia Ravagnan
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padua, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marini
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Luca Delucchi
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Roberto Rosà
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy.,Center Agriculture Food Environment, University of Trento, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Annapaola Rizzoli
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele All'Adige, TN, Italy
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24
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Peach DAH, Matthews BJ. The Invasive Mosquitoes of Canada: An Entomological, Medical, and Veterinary Review. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 107:231-244. [PMID: 35895394 PMCID: PMC9393454 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0167] [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: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Several invasive mosquitoes have become established in Canada, including important pathogen vectors such as Aedes albopictus, Ae. japonicus, and Culex pipiens. Some species have been present for decades, while others are recent arrivals. Several species present new health concerns and may result in autochthonous seasonal outbreaks of pathogens, particularly in southern Canada, that were previously restricted to imported cases. This review provides an overview of current knowledge of the biological, medical, and veterinary perspectives of these invasive species and highlights the need for increased monitoring efforts and information sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. H. Peach
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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25
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Species Diversity, Habitat Distribution, and Blood Meal Analysis of Haematophagous Dipterans Collected by CDC-UV Light Traps in the Dominican Republic. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11070714. [PMID: 35889959 PMCID: PMC9319014 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11070714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Haematophagous insects cause major economic losses by both direct damage and the transmission of pathogens. However, the biting Diptera species in the Caribbean region have been poorly documented. During 2021, CDC downdraft suction traps with UV light were employed to assess both the species occurrence and blood meal sources across three different habitats in the Dominican Republic. Eighteen species of mosquitoes (n = 274), six species of Culicoides (n = 803), two black fly species (n = 2), and one species of muscid fly (n = 25) were identified at species-level by morphology and/or molecular phylogenetic approaches based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI). Engorged mosquito (n = 5) and Culicoides (n = 28) females showed host preferences derived exclusively from mammals (cows and pigs), except Culex species containing the blood of chickens. Our study provides new records of the Diptera Dominican catalogue (Culex salinarius for the Greater Antilles, Culicoides jamaicensis for Hispaniola, and Culicoides haitiensis and Culicoides borinqueni for the Dominican Republic), the first available COI DNA sequences of different Diptera in the GenBank, some pictures of diagnostic features of closely related specimens, spatial distribution across the habitats studied, and new insights on their feeding preferences in the Caribbean region.
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26
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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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27
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Yetişmiş K, Mert U, Caner A, Nalçaci M, Töz S, Özbel Y. Blood Meal Analysis and Molecular Detection of Leishmania DNA in Wild-Caught Sand Flies in Leishmaniasis Endemic Areas of Turkey and Northern Cyprus. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:932-942. [PMID: 35384598 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00542-4] [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: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are known as the vector of diseases such as leishmaniasis, bartonellosis and viral diseases. The aim of this study is to detect the host feeding pattern of sand flies in the endemic areas for leishmaniasis in Turkey (Antalya, Kayseri) and Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as well as the presence of Leishmania DNA in the specimens. METHODS One-hundred seventy-six blood-fed sand fly specimens were examined for blood meal analysis. A SYBR Green-PCR assay was performed with specific forward primers for each host and a universal reverse primer. Primers of human and goat were used together in multiplex PCR while goat and cow were studied separately. ITS-1 qPCR assay was also performed on both blood-fed and non-blood-fed females to detect Leishmania parasites. RESULTS Blood sources could be detected in 69 out of 176 blood-fed sand fly specimens. The results of blood meal analysis showed that specimens were fed mostly on cows (22.2%) followed by humans (5.7%), goats (2.8%) and dogs (0.6%). Multiple feeding patterns were also detected as human + cow (3.4%), cow + goat (2.8%) and human + goat (1.7%). Five of the blood-fed specimens were Leishmania spp. positive: P. major s.l. (n = 1), P. tobbi (n = 2) were L. tropica positive from Antalya, P. simici was positive for L. infantum from Kayseri and P. papatasi (n = 1) was positive for L. major from Cyprus. Leishmania infection rates were determined as 3.79%, 1.69% and 2.63% among the blood-fed sand fly specimens in Antalya, Kayseri and TRNC, respectively. CONCLUSION The SYBR-Green-based multiplex PCR assay is a cost-effective and promising tool for blood meal identification of wild-caught sand flies as well as other blood-sucking arthropods. Feeding patterns of important vector species detected in the present study show the high risk in these endemic areas. As a next step, to identify the blood source in a shorter time and to make the test more sensitive, development of this assay to probe-based and multiplex PCR will be also planned.
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Messahel NE, Benallal KE, Halada P, Lafri I, Manseur H, Hakem A, Houali K, Harrat Z, Volf P, Dvorak V. Identification of blood source preferences and Leishmania infection in sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in north-eastern Algeria. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 31:100729. [PMID: 35569914 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniases are among the most neglected vector-borne diseases, infecting humans as well various animal hosts with clinical outcomes varying from cutaneous disorders to visceral and life-threatening disease. In Algeria, canine leishmaniasis (CanL) caused by Leishmania infantum is endemic mainly throughout the northern regions of the country with the Mediterranean climate that favours the occurrence of Larroussius sand flies, the vectors of the parasite. This study conducted in Bougaa and Kherrata, two regions located in north-eastern Algeria and endemic for CanL, focuses on: i) composition of sand fly fauna, ii) screening of Leishmania parasites and iii) the blood sources of engorged females. Entomological surveys were conducted between June and September 2019 using CDC light-traps in rural areas of both regions. Sand fly specimens were morphologically identified, females were screened for Leishmania DNA using kDNA and ITS1 primers, blood meals in engorged females were identified by peptide mass mapping (PMM)-based MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and confirmed by DNA sequencing analysis. Overall, 1940 specimens (844 males, 1096 females) were collected, all belonging to the subgenus Larroussius: Phlebotomus perniciosus, (94.64%), Ph. perfiliewi (4.74%) and Ph. longicuspis (0.62%). No Leishmania DNA was detected in the evaluated pools (n = 106) (1096 females). PMM-based MALDI-TOF MS successfully identified a source of blood in 92% (141/154) of engorged females (135 Ph. perniciosus and 6 Ph. perfiliewi). All blood meals were taken from domestic cattle (Bos taurus) except for one originating from a dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and one from sheep (Ovis aries). Sequencing of host cytochrome B gene confirmed these identifications but showed lower success rate of 58% (29/50), demonstrating the high effectivity of peptide mass mapping (PMM)-based MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for routine identification of blood meals of varying degree of digestion. Our findings represent first record of cattle and dog blood in sand flies in Algeria and striking feeding preference of local sand fly population at domestic sites of studied regions for cattle which may play an important role in parasite transmission. Further studies are needed to better understand potential contribution of cattle to ecology of sand flies and epidemiology of leishmaniasis in north-eastern Algeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nacer Eddine Messahel
- Laboratory of Analytical Biochemistry and Biotechnology (LABAB), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological and Agronomic Sciences, University Mouloud Mammeri, Tizi Ouzou 15000, Algeria
| | - Kamel Eddine Benallal
- Laboratory of Parasitic eco-epidemiology and population genetics, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Algeria; Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 128 43, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Halada
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průmyslová 595, Vestec, 252 50, Czech Republic
| | - Ismail Lafri
- Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University of Blida 1, Blida, Algeria; Laboratory of Biotechnology related to Animal Reproduction (LBRA), Institute of Veterinary Sciences University of Blida 1, Blida, Algeria.
| | - Hemza Manseur
- Institute of Veterinary Sciences, University of Blida 1, Blida, Algeria; Laboratory of Biotechnology related to Animal Reproduction (LBRA), Institute of Veterinary Sciences University of Blida 1, Blida, Algeria
| | - Ahcene Hakem
- Laboratory of Exploration and Valorisation of Steppe Ecosystems, Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, University of Djelfa, Djelfa, Algeria; Center of Research in Agropastoralism, Djelfa, Algeria
| | - Karim Houali
- Laboratory of Analytical Biochemistry and Biotechnology (LABAB), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological and Agronomic Sciences, University Mouloud Mammeri, Tizi Ouzou 15000, Algeria
| | - Zoubir Harrat
- Laboratory of Parasitic eco-epidemiology and population genetics, Institut Pasteur d'Algérie, Algeria
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 128 43, Czech Republic
| | - Vit Dvorak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, Prague 2 128 43, Czech Republic
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Blood feeding habits of mosquitoes: hardly a bite in South America. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:1829-1852. [PMID: 35562516 PMCID: PMC9106385 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07537-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mosquito blood feeding plays a key role in epidemiology. Despite its importance and large number of studies worldwide, less attention has been paid in South America. We summarized some general concepts and methodological issues related to the study of mosquito blood feeding habits, and compiled and analyzed all published information regarding the subject in the continent until 2020. Available literature comprised 152 scientific studies, that pursued different approaches: human landing catches (102 studies), baited trap (19), and blood meal analyses of collected specimens (38). Among the latter, 23 used serological and 15 molecular techniques. Species most frequently studied were those incriminated in malaria transmission, whereas relevant vectors such as Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, and Haemagogus janthinomys were surprisingly neglected. Brazil was the leading country both in number of works and species studied. For over 70% of the species and three out of 13 South American countries there is no single information on mosquito blood feeding habits. Data from baited traps included 143 mosquito species, 83.9% of which were attracted to humans, either exclusively (10.5%) or in combination with other vertebrates (73.4%). Host blood identification of field collected specimens provided data on 102 mosquito species, and 60.8% of these fed on humans (55.9% combined with other vertebrates). Only 17 of the 73 species assessed by both methods yielded similar feeding patterns. Finally, supplementary tables are provided in a comprehensive summary of all information available and information gaps are highlighted for future research in the continent.
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30
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Kobayashi D, Kuwata R, Kimura T, Faizah AN, Azerigyik FA, Higa Y, Hayashi T, Sawabe K, Isawa H. Detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus RNA in Host-Questing Ticks in Japan, 2019-2020. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2022; 106:tpmd210700. [PMID: 35405649 PMCID: PMC9209924 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito-borne virus, causes severe clinical symptoms in humans in the Asian-Pacific region, where it circulates in a primary transmission cycle among Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquitoes, domestic swine (Sus scrofa domesticus), and wading birds. We report here an anomalous result that mosquito-borne JEV was detected in unfed host-questing ticks collected from the field in Japan. JEV genomic RNA was detected in four pools of Haemaphysalis flava nymphs collected in November and December 2019, and March 2020, when Cx. tritaeniorhynchus adults were not presumed to be active. Moreover, JEV antigenomic RNA was detected in some JEV-positive tick samples, suggesting virus replication in ticks. However, taken together with no infectious virus isolated, the possibility that the antigenomic RNA was derived from the undigested bloodmeal source in ticks cannot be ruled out. Thus, the role of the ticks as a natural reservoir for JEV remains to be confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Kobayashi
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryusei Kuwata
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime, Japan
| | - Toshiya Kimura
- Meat Inspection Center of Ehime Prefecture, Ehime, Japan
| | - Astri Nur Faizah
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Yukiko Higa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshihiko Hayashi
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kyoko Sawabe
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Isawa
- Department of Medical Entomology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
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Blood-Meal Sources and Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Coastal and Insular Triatomine Bugs from the Atacama Desert of Chile. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040785. [PMID: 35456835 PMCID: PMC9028406 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mepraia parapatrica is one of the lesser known and less abundant sylvatic triatomine species naturally infected by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. M. parapatrica lives in sympatry with T. cruzi-infected rodents, but only birds, reptiles, and marine mammals have been reported as blood-meal sources of this vector species by serology. The distribution range of this kissing bug overlaps with fishers’ settlements and tourist areas, and therefore the study of the blood-meal sources of this triatomine species is relevant. Here, we determined the blood-meal sources of M. parapatrica by NGS or standard sequencing from a coastal mainland area and an island in northern Chile, and T. cruzi infection by real-time PCR. The blood-meals of. M parapatrica included 61.3% reptiles, 35.5% mammals (including humans) and 3.2% birds. Feeding on reptiles was more frequent on the mainland, while on the island feeding on mammals was more frequent. The presence of T. cruzi-infected triatomine bugs and humans as part of the diet of M. parapatrica in both areas represents an epidemiological threat and potential risk to the human population visiting or established in these areas. Currently there are no tools to control wild triatomines; these results highlight the potential risk of inhabiting these areas and the necessity of developing information campaigns for the community and surveillance actions.
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Mbewe RB, Keven JB, Mzilahowa T, Mathanga D, Wilson M, Cohee L, Laufer MK, Walker ED. Blood-feeding patterns of Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Malawi: implications for malaria transmission and effectiveness of LLIN interventions. Malar J 2022; 21:67. [PMID: 35241083 PMCID: PMC8892392 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04089-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Access to human hosts by Anopheles mosquitoes is a key determinant of vectorial capacity for malaria, but it can be limited by use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). In Malawi, pyrethroid-treated LLINs with and without the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were distributed to control malaria. This study investigated the blood-feeding patterns of malaria vectors and whether LLINs containing pyrethroid and PBO led to a reduction of human blood feeding than those containing only pyrethroids. Methods Mosquitoes were sampled inside houses from May 2019 through April 2020 by aspiration, pyrethrum spray catch, and light trap methods in two sites. One site (Namanolo, Balaka district) had LLINs containing only pyrethroids whereas the other (Ntaja, Machinga district) had LLINs with both pyrethroids and PBO. Anopheles species, their blood-meal host, and infection with Plasmodium falciparum were determined using PCR methods. Results A total of 6585 female Anopheles were sampled in 203 houses. Of these, 633 (9.6%) were blood-fed mosquitoes comprising of 279 (44.1%) Anopheles arabiensis, 103 (16.3%) Anopheles gambiae 212 (33.5), Anopheles funestus, 2 (0.3%), Anopheles parensis and 37 (5.8%) were unidentified Anopheles spp. Blood meal hosts were successfully identified for 85.5% (n = 541) of the blood-fed mosquitoes, of which 436 (81.0%) were human blood meals, 28 (5.2%) were goats, 11 (2.0%) were dogs, 60 (11.1%) were mixed goat-human blood meals, 5 (0.9%) were dog–human, and 1 was a mixed dog-goat. Human blood index (fraction of blood meals that were humans) was significantly higher in Namanolo (0.96) than Ntaja (0.89). Even though human blood index was high, goats were over-selected than humans after accounting for relative abundance of both hosts. The number of infectious Anopheles bites per person-year was 44 in Namanolo and 22 in Ntaja. Conclusion Although LLINs with PBO PBO may have reduced human blood feeding, access to humans was extremely high despite high LLIN ownership and usage rates in both sites. This finding could explain persistently high rates of malaria infections in Malawi. However, this study had one village for each net type, thus the observed differences may have been a result of other factors present in each village. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04089-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex B Mbewe
- Department of Physics and Biochemical Sciences, Polytechnic, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi. .,Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - John B Keven
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Public Health, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Themba Mzilahowa
- Malaria Alert Center, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Don Mathanga
- Malaria Alert Center, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Mark Wilson
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lauren Cohee
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Miriam K Laufer
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edward D Walker
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Li LJ, Ning NZ, Zheng YC, Chu YL, Cui XM, Zhang MZ, Guo WB, Wei R, Liu HB, Sun Y, Ye JL, Jiang BG, Yuan TT, Li J, Bian C, Bell-Sakyi L, Wang H, Jiang JF, Song JL, Cao WC, Tsan-Yuk Lam T, Ni XB, Jia N. Virome and Blood Meal-Associated Host Responses in Ixodes persulcatus Naturally Fed on Patients. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:728996. [PMID: 35250897 PMCID: PMC8891964 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.728996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The long-lasting co-evolution of ticks with pathogens results in mutual adaptation. Blood-feeding is one of the critical physiological behaviors that have been associated with the tick microbiome; however, most knowledge was gained through the study of laboratory-reared ticks. Here we detached Ixodes persulcatus ticks at different stages of blood-feeding from human patients and performed high-throughput transcriptomic analysis on them to identify their virome and genes differentially expressed between flat and fully fed ticks. We also traced bloodmeal sources of those ticks and identified bats and three other potential mammalian hosts, highlighting the public health significance. We found Jingmen tick virus and 13 putative new viruses belonging to 11 viral families, three of which even exhibited high genetic divergence from viruses previously reported in the same tick species from the same geographic region. Furthermore, differential expression analysis suggested a downregulation of antioxidant genes in the fully fed I. persulcatus ticks, which might be related to bloodmeal-related redox homeostasis. Our work highlights the significance of active surveillance of tick viromes and suggests a role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in modulating changes in the microbiome during blood-feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Nian-Zhi Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | | | - Yan-Li Chu
- Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ming-Zhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Wen-Bin Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ran Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hong-Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Ling Ye
- Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Bao-Gui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ting-Ting Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- Shanghai Institute for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Cai Bian
- Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary, and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Fu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ju-Liang Song
- Mudanjiang Forestry Central Hospital, Mudanjiang, China
| | - Wu-Chun Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Joint Institute of Virology (SU/HKU), Shantou University, Shantou, China
| | - Xue-Bing Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Centre of Influenza Research, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Xue-Bing Ni,
| | - Na Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
- Na Jia,
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Buatong J, Dvorak V, Thepparat A, Thongkhao K, Koyadun S, Siriyasatien P, Pengsakul T. Phlebotomine Sand Flies in Southern Thailand: Entomological Survey, Identification of Blood Meals and Molecular Detection of Trypanosoma spp. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13020197. [PMID: 35206770 PMCID: PMC8879718 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are hematophagous insects, and many species serve as vectors of various human and animal pathogens, including Leishmania and Trypanosoma protozoa. In Thailand, the first case of autochthonous leishmaniasis was reported 62 years ago. At present, the number of human cases is increasing in different regions of the country, but most cases are reported from southern Thailand. Therefore, we studied the potential transmission of Leishmania and Trypanosoma by sand flies in three provinces of southern Thailand, and analyzed blood sources of engorged sand fly females. We detected Trypanosoma sp. DNA in Sergentomyia barraudi, S. indica, S. khawi and Idiophlebotomus asperulus but no Leishmania spp. DNA. Moreover, bloodmeal analysis revealed that Trypanopsoma-positive females of S. barraudi and Sergentomyia sp. fed on dogs and humans, respectively. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge of leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis presence and sand fly feeding behavior in southern Thailand. Abstract An entomological survey at rural and cavernicolous localities in four provinces in southern Thailand provided 155 blood-fed females of sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) that were identified based on morphological characters as Idiophlebotomus asperulus (n = 19), Phlebotomus stantoni (n = 4), P. argentipes (n = 3), Sergentomyia anodontis (n = 20), S. barraudi (n = 9), S. hamidi (n = 23), S. hodgsoni (n = 4), S. hodgsoni hodgsoni (n = 32), S. indica (n = 5), S. iyengari (n = 2), S. khawi (n = 17), S. silvatica (n = 11) and Sergentomyia sp. (n = 6). The dominant species in this study was S. hodgsoni hodgsoni, which was collected specifically in a Buddha cave. Screening for DNA of parasitic protozoans revealed eight specimens (5.16%) of four species (S. barraudi, S. indica, S. khawi and Id. asperulus) positive for Trypanosoma sp., while no Leishmania spp. DNA was detected. Blood meals of engorged females were identified by PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay on a fragment of cytochrome b (cyt b) gene with a success rate 36%, humans, dogs, and rats being determined as sources of blood. Bloodmeal analysis of two Trypanopsoma-positive females (S. barraudi and Sergentomyia sp.) identified blood from dogs and humans, respectively. Our findings indicate that S. barraudi, S. indica, S. khawi and Id. asperulus may be incriminated in circulation of detected Trypanosoma spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jirayu Buatong
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand;
| | - Vit Dvorak
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 12844 Prague, Czech Republic;
| | - Arunrat Thepparat
- Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Hua Mak, Bang Kapi, Bangkok 10240, Thailand;
| | - Kanaphot Thongkhao
- Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Region 11, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80000, Thailand; (K.T.); (S.K.)
| | - Surachart Koyadun
- Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Region 11, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80000, Thailand; (K.T.); (S.K.)
| | - Padet Siriyasatien
- Vector Biology and Vector Borne Disease Research Unit, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
| | - Theerakamol Pengsakul
- Faculty of Medical Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla 90110, Thailand;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +66-7428-9124
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Ber JL, Goddard J, Outlaw D. Survey of Mississippi Mosquito Blood Meals for Vertebrate Host Identification. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION 2021; 37:283-285. [PMID: 34817606 DOI: 10.2987/21-7004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Exploring particular mosquito and vertebrate relationships provide insight to potential transmission of several agents of disease. In the current study, the relationship between white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mosquitoes was explored by identifying blood meals within mosquitoes captured throughout Mississippi between June and September of 2013 and 2017. We captured 72 bloodfed mosquitoes between 2 collection years, with a majority of specimens identified as Culex erraticus or Psorophora mathesoni. Seventy-nine percent (26/33) of blood meals in Cx. erraticus originated from the white-tailed deer. These findings implicate mosquitoes may primarily be feeding on white-tailed deer in rural areas of Mississippi.
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Gilkey PL, Ortiz DL, Kowalo T, Troyo A, Sirot LK. Host-Feeding Patterns of the Mosquito Assemblage at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:2058-2066. [PMID: 34224564 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab113] [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: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne pathogens have spread throughout tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere causing increased burden of disease in the region. Outbreaks of dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya, West Nile, and Zika have occurred over the past several years. Mosquito blood-feeding patterns need to be assayed to assist in determining which vertebrates could act as hosts of these mosquito-borne pathogens and which mosquito species could act as vectors. We conducted bloodmeal analyses of mosquitoes collected at Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve, a dry tropical forest reserve in Costa Rica. Mosquitoes were collected using backpack aspirators and light, gravid, and resting traps, and then identified morphologically. Blood-fed mosquitoes underwent DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and sequencing of the vertebrate cytochrome b and cytochrome c oxidase 1 genes to identify vertebrate bloodmeal hosts. Several mosquitoes known to vector pathogens were found including Culex (Melanoconion) erraticus Dyar & Knab (Diptera: Culicidae), Cx. (Mel.) pedroi Sirivanakarn & Belkin, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus Skuse, Ae. (Ochlerotatus) scapularis Rondani, Ae. (Och.) serratus Theobald, and Ae. (Och.) taeniorhynchus Wiedemann. The most common bloodmeal hosts were basilisk lizards (Basiliscus vittatus) Wiegmann (Squamata: Corytophanidae) in Culex (Linnaeus) species and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Zimmermann (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) in Aedes (Meigen) species. These results show the diversity of mosquito species in a tropical dry deciduous forest and identify associations between mosquito vectors and potential pathogen reservoir hosts. Our study highlights the importance of understanding interactions between vector species and their hosts that could serve as predictors for the potential emergence or resurgence of mosquito-borne pathogens in Costa Rica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick L Gilkey
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA
- School of Biological, Environmental, & Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Diana L Ortiz
- Biology Program, Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, USA
| | - Tia Kowalo
- Environmental Science Program, Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, USA
| | - Adriana Troyo
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Vectores (LIVE), Centro de Investigación en Enfermedades Tropicales (CIET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Laura K Sirot
- Department of Biology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA
- Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
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Erram D, Vincent Black T, Burkett-Cadena N. Host Bloodmeal Source Has No Significant Effect on the Fecundity and Subsequent Larval Development Traits of the Progeny in Culicoides furens Poey (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:2439-2445. [PMID: 33999171 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab085] [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: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Culicoides Latreille species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are insects of significant medical and veterinary importance worldwide because their bites can cause major annoyance, allergic reactions, and/or pathogen transmission to vertebrates, including humans. In this study, we examined the effect of host bloodmeal source on the fecundity and subsequent larval development traits of the progeny of Culicoides furens Poey, a nuisance species in coastal Florida. Field-collected females were fed on two different classes of hosts: birds (chicken) or mammals (human). Fecundity outcomes of the females and larval developmental traits of the progeny were recorded and compared between the two groups. The percentage of females that developed eggs, percentage of gravid females that deposited eggs, number of eggs produced per female, number of eggs deposited per female, egg hatch rates, larval survival rates, time to pupation, pupal sex-ratios, and adult eclosion rates were not significantly different between the two groups. Our results demonstrate that the host bloodmeal source has no significant effect on the fecundity and subsequent larval developmental life-history traits of the progeny in C. furens. Previous studies reported C. furens to be a generalist feeder that shows no host preference for birds or mammals. Collectively, these findings suggest that C. furens is well adapted, not just behaviorally, but also physiologically to efficiently utilize blood meals from avian and mammalian hosts, a quality that offers a major evolutionary advantage to the success of this midge species as a generalist feeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Erram
- Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, UF/IFAS, Vero Beach, FL, USA
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Rodrigues BL, Costa GDS, Shimabukuro PHF. Identification of Bloodmeals from Sand Flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) Collected in the Parque Nacional do Viruá, State of Roraima, Brazil. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:2488-2494. [PMID: 33884431 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab068] [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: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The transmission of pathogens that cause leishmaniases occurs by the bite of female sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in their vertebrate hosts, which makes the identification of their bloodmeal sources an important step for the control and epidemiology of these diseases. In Brazil, the state of Roraima has a great diversity of sand flies, vertebrate hosts, and protozoan Leishmania, but little is known about the host blood-feeding preferences of sand flies. Thus, we evaluated the bloodmeal sources of sand flies collected from their sylvatic habitats in Parque Nacional do Viruá, Roraima. Fieldwork was carried-out between 13th and 18th August 2019 using CDC light traps. Sand flies were slide-mounted and morphologically identified using the head and last segments of the abdomen. Engorged females had their DNA extracted, followed by amplification and sequencing of the cytochrome b (cytb) molecular marker for vertebrates. Sequences were analyzed and compared with those from GenBank using the BLASTn search tool, in addition to the reconstruction of a phylogenetic tree to demonstrate the clustering pattern of these sequences. A total of 1,209 sand flies were identified, comprising 20 species, in which the most abundant were Psychodopygus ayrozai (Barretto and Coutinho) (42.10%) and Psychodopygus chagasi (Costa Lima) (26.22%). Bloodmeal source identification was successfully performed for 34 sand flies, that confirm four vertebrate species, being the most abundant the armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 (Cingulata: Dasypodidae).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Leite Rodrigues
- Grupo de Estudos em Leishmanioses, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz Minas, Av. Augusto de Lima, Barro Preto, Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Glaucilene da Silva Costa
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, Porto Velho - Rondônia, Brasil
| | - Paloma Helena Fernandes Shimabukuro
- Grupo de Estudos em Leishmanioses, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz Minas, Av. Augusto de Lima, Barro Preto, Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Coleção de Flebotomíneos - FIOCRUZ/COLFLEB, Instituto René Rachou - Fiocruz Minas, Av. Augusto de Lima, Barro Preto, Belo Horizonte - Minas Gerais, Brasil
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Fikrig K, Harrington LC. Understanding and interpreting mosquito blood feeding studies: the case of Aedes albopictus. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:959-975. [PMID: 34497032 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Blood feeding is a fundamental mosquito behavior with consequences for pathogen transmission and control. Feeding behavior can be studied through two lenses - patterns and preference. Feeding patterns are assessed via blood meal analyses, reflecting mosquito-host associations influenced by environmental and biological parameters. Bias can profoundly impact results, and we provide recommendations for mitigating these effects. We also outline design choices for host preference research, which can take many forms, and highlight their respective (dis)advantages for preference measurement. Finally, Aedes albopictus serves as a case study for how to apply these lessons to interpret data and understand feeding biology. We illustrate how assumptions and incomplete evidence can lead to inconsistent interpretations by reviewing Ae. albopictus feeding studies alongside prevalent narratives about perceived behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Fikrig
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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Carvalho LPC, Pereira Júnior AM, de Paulo PFM, Silva GS, Costa GDS, Freitas MTDS, Pessoa FAC, Medeiros JF. DNA-based blood meal analysis of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) species from Jamari National Forest, Southwestern Amazon, Brazil. Acta Trop 2021; 221:106025. [PMID: 34175266 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Culicoides biting midges are insects involved in the transmission of filarial nematodes, protozoans, and viruses. Greater knowledge of Culicoides blood meal sources could improve our understanding of parasite transmission cycles. Our study used molecular tools to evaluate the blood meal sources of Culicoides biting midges from sylvatic environments. This study was conducted in Jamari National Forest, Rondônia, Brazil. Culicoides were captured using HP light traps positioned at ground level (1.5 m above ground) and in canopy (15 m above ground). To identify blood meal sources, females were subjected to DNA extraction and PCR targeting the cytb gene fragment, and the obtained sequences were analyzed and compared with sequences from GenBank. DNA extraction and PCR were performed on 455 Culicoides females, and blood meal sources were identified in 186 females. Thirty Culicoides specimens were collected from the Potosi trail and 156 were collected from the Santa Maria trail. A total of 22 species were captured; all 22 species were collected in canopy (100%) but only three species were collected at ground level (13.6%). The cytb fragment was amplified in 162 of 186 samples. Sample sequencing identified cytb DNA from nine blood-meal sources: Pauxi sp., Psophia viridis, Ramphastos tucanus tucanus, Choloepus didactylus, Choloepus hoffmanni, Tamandua tetradactyla, Ateles chamek, Homo sapiens and Pithecia irrorata. We observed that several different blood meal sources were utilized by a high diversity of Culicoides species. The abundance of Culicoides in the canopy may be related to the fact that the majority of blood meal hosts feed in treetops. We observed that C. (Hoffmania) sp. and C. coutinhoi tend to be more generalist, feeding on a range of mammals and piciform, gruiform and galliform birds. This data improves our knowledge of the feeding profile of biting midges from forest environments and should serve as a future basis for defining zoonotic transmission cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Paulo Costa Carvalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, BR 364, Km 9.5, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil.
| | - Antônio Marques Pereira Júnior
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental - INCT-EpiAmO, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | | | - Geisiane Santos Silva
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Glaucilene da Silva Costa
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, Fundação Universidade Federal de Rondônia, BR 364, Km 9.5, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | | | - Felipe Arley Costa Pessoa
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental - INCT-EpiAmO, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Rua Terezina, 476, Adrianópolis, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Jansen Fernandes Medeiros
- Laboratório de Entomologia, Fiocruz Rondônia, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Epidemiologia da Amazônia Ocidental - INCT-EpiAmO, Rua da Beira, 7671, Lagoa, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
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Channumsin M, Ciosi M, Masiga D, Auty H, Turner CM, Kilbride E, Mable BK. Blood meal analysis of tsetse flies ( Glossina pallidipes: Glossinidae) reveals higher host fidelity on wild compared with domestic hosts. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 6:213. [PMID: 34703903 PMCID: PMC8513123 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16978.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Changes in climate and land use can alter risk of transmission of parasites between domestic hosts and wildlife, particularly when mediated by vectors that can travel between populations. Here we focused on tsetse flies (genus Glossina), the cyclical vectors for both Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT). The aims of this study were to investigate three issues related to G. palldipes from Kenya: 1) the diversity of vertebrate hosts that flies fed on; 2) whether host feeding patterns varied in relation to type of hosts, tsetse feeding behaviour, site or tsetse age and sex; and 3) if there was a relationship between trypanosome detection and host feeding behaviours or host types. Methods: Sources of blood meals of Glossina pallidipes were identified by sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and analyzed in relationship with previously determined trypanosome detection in the same flies. Results: In an area dominated by wildlife but with seasonal presence of livestock (Nguruman), 98% of tsetse fed on single wild host species, whereas in an area including a mixture of resident domesticated animals, humans and wildlife (Shimba Hills), 52% of flies fed on more than one host species. Multiple Correspondence Analysis revealed strong correlations between feeding pattern, host type and site but these were resolved along a different dimension than trypanosome status, sex and age of the flies. Conclusions: Our results suggest that individual G. pallidipes in interface areas may show higher feeding success on wild hosts when available but often feed on both wild and domesticated hosts. This illustrates the importance of G. pallidipes as a vector connecting the sylvatic and domestic cycles of African trypanosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manun Channumsin
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-Ok, Chonburi, 20230, Thailand
| | - Marc Ciosi
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of glasgow, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Dan Masiga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, P.O. Box 30772, 00100, Kenya
| | - Harriet Auty
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (BAHCM), University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - C. Michael Turner
- Institute of Infection Immunity and Inflammation (III), University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Elizabeth Kilbride
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (BAHCM), University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Barbara K. Mable
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (BAHCM), University of Glasgow, University Place, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
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42
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Muturi EJ, Dunlap C, Tchouassi DP, Swanson J. Next generation sequencing approach for simultaneous identification of mosquitoes and their blood-meal hosts. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2021; 46:116-121. [PMID: 35229589 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-46.1.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ephantus J Muturi
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, Peoria, IL 61604, U.S.A.,
| | - Christopher Dunlap
- USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, Peoria, IL 61604, U.S.A
| | - David P Tchouassi
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jack Swanson
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health, Springfield, IL 62761, U.S.A
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Transmission of the Human Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia persica by the Argasid Tick Ornithodoros tholozani Involves Blood Meals from Wildlife Animal Reservoirs and Mainly Transstadial Transfer. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.03117-20. [PMID: 33741637 DOI: 10.1128/aem.03117-20] [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: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia persica, transmitted by the argasid tick Ornithodoros tholozani, causes human tick-borne relapsing fever in the Middle East and Central Asia. Infection is acquired often when visiting tick-infested caves and reported to be transmitted mainly transovarially between ticks, occasionally infecting humans. To study the epidemiology of this infection, ticks were trapped in 24 caves in 12 geographic zones covering all of Israel and identified morphologically. DNA was extracted from larvae, nymphs, and adult stages from each location and PCR followed by DNA sequencing was performed to identify Borrelia infection, tick species, and tick blood meal sources. We collected 51,472 argasid ticks from 16 of 24 caves surveyed. We analyzed 2,774 O. tholozani ticks, and 72 (2.6%) from nine caves were PCR positive for B. persica Infection rates in male, female, and nymphal ticks (4.4%, 3%, and 3.2%, respectively) were higher than in larva (P < 0.001), with only 3 (0.04%) positive larvae. Presence of blood meal was associated with B. persica infection in ticks (P = 0.003), and blood meals of golden jackals, red foxes, and Cairo spiny mouse were associated with infection (P ≤ 0.043). PCR survey of 402 wild mammals revealed B. persica infection with the highest rates in social voles (22%), red foxes (16%), golden jackals (8%), and Cairo spiny mice (3%). In conclusion, although transovarial tick transmission of B. persica occurs at low levels, ticks apparently acquire infection mainly from wildlife canid and rodents and may eventually transmit relapsing fever borreliosis to humans who enter their habitat.IMPORTANCE Borrelia persica is a spirochete that causes tick-borne relapsing fever in humans in an area that spans from India to the Mediterranean. Until now, it was thought that the soft tick vector of this infection, Ornithodoros tholozani, is also its main reservoir and it transmits B. persica mostly transovarially between tick generations. This study showed that tick infection with B. persica is associated with feeding blood from wild jackals, foxes, and rodents and that transovarial transmission is minimal. Since O. tholozani ticks are found in isolated caves and ruins, it is assumed that wild canids who migrate over long distances have a major role in the transmission of B. persica between remote tick populations, and it is then maintained locally also by rodents and eventually transferred to humans during tick bites. Prevention of human infection could be achieved by restricting entrance of canines and humans to habitats with O. tholozani populations.
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Sevestre J, Diarra AZ, Laroche M, Almeras L, Parola P. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry: an emerging tool for studying the vectors of human infectious diseases. Future Microbiol 2021; 16:323-340. [PMID: 33733821 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2020-0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropod vectors have historically been identified morphologically, and more recently using molecular biology methods. However, both of these methods are time-consuming and require specific expertise and equipment. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, which has revolutionized the routine identification of microorganisms in clinical microbiology laboratories, was recently successfully applied to the identification of arthropod vectors. Since then, the robustness of this identification technique has been confirmed, extended to a large panel of arthropod vectors, and assessed for detecting blood feeding behavior and identifying the infection status in regard to certain pathogenic agents. In this study, we summarize the state-of-the-art of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry applied to the identification of arthropod vectors (ticks, mosquitoes, phlebotomine sand-flies, fleas, triatomines, lice and Culicoides), their trophic preferences and their ability to discriminate between infection statuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Sevestre
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
| | - Adama Z Diarra
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
| | - Maureen Laroche
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Lionel Almeras
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France.,Département Microbiologie et Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Parasitologie et Entomologie, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Parola
- IHU Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005, Marseille, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France
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45
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Lumsden GAM, Zakharov EV, Dolynskyj S, Weese JS, Lindsay LR, Jardine C. Temporal Detection Limits of Remnant Larval Bloodmeals in Nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Say, Ixodida: Ixodidae) Using Two Next-Generation Sequencing DNA Barcoding Assays. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 58:821-829. [PMID: 33095865 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjaa192] [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: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Using next-generation sequencing DNA barcoding, we aimed to determine: 1) if the larval bloodmeal can be detected in Ixodes scapularis nymphs and 2) the post-moult temporal window for detection of the larval bloodmeal. Subsets of 30 nymphs fed on a domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus Linnaeus, Lagomorphia: Leporidae) as larvae were reared and frozen at 11 time points post-moult, up to 150 d. Vertebrate DNA was amplified using novel universal (UP) and species-specific primers (SSP) and sequenced for comparison against cytochrome c oxidase subunit I barcodes to infer host identification. Detectable bloodmeals decreased as time since moult increased for both assays. For the SSP assay, detection of bloodmeals decreased from 96.7% (n = 29/30) in day 0 nymphs to 3.3% (n = 1/30) and 6.7% (n = 2/30) at 4- and 5-mo post-moult, respectively. A shorter temporal detection period was achieved with the UP assay, declining from 16.7% (n = 5/30) in day 0 nymphs to 0/30 in 3-d-old nymphs. Bloodmeal detection was nonexistent for the remaining cohorts, with the exception of 1/30 nymphs at 2-mo post-moult. Host detection was significantly more likely using the SSP assay compared to the UP assay in the first three time cohorts (day 0: χ 2 = 39.1, P < 0.005; day 2: χ 2 = 19.2, P < 0.005; day 3: χ 2 = 23.3, P < 0.005). Regardless of the primer set used, the next-generation sequencing DNA barcoding assay was able to detect host DNA from a larval bloodmeal in the nymphal life stage; however, a short window with a high proportion of detection post-moult was achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evgeny V Zakharov
- Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah Dolynskyj
- Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Scott Weese
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - L Robbin Lindsay
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Claire Jardine
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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46
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Hernández-Triana LM, Garza-Hernández JA, Ortega Morales AI, Prosser SWJ, Hebert PDN, Nikolova NI, Barrero E, de Luna-Santillana EDJ, González-Alvarez VH, Mendez-López R, Chan-Chable RJ, Fooks AR, Rodríguez-Pérez MA. An Integrated Molecular Approach to Untangling Host-Vector-Pathogen Interactions in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) From Sylvan Communities in Mexico. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:564791. [PMID: 33778029 PMCID: PMC7988227 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.564791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There are ~240 species of Culicidae in Mexico, of which some are vectors of arthropod-borne viruses such as Zika virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and West Nile virus. Thus, the identification of mosquito feeding preferences is paramount to understanding of vector–host–pathogen interactions that, in turn, can aid the control of disease outbreaks. Typically, DNA and RNA are extracted separately for animal (insects and blood meal hosts) and viral identification, but this study demonstrates that multiple organisms can be analyzed from a single RNA extract. For the first time, residual DNA present in standard RNA extracts was analyzed by DNA barcoding in concert with Sanger and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify both the mosquito species and the source of their meals in blood-fed females caught in seven sylvan communities in Chiapas State, Mexico. While mosquito molecular identification involved standard barcoding methods, the sensitivity of blood meal identification was maximized by employing short primers with NGS. In total, we collected 1,634 specimens belonging to 14 genera, 25 subgenera, and 61 morphospecies of mosquitoes. Of these, four species were new records for Mexico (Aedes guatemala, Ae. insolitus, Limatus asulleptus, Trichoprosopon pallidiventer), and nine were new records for Chiapas State. DNA barcode sequences for >300 bp of the COI gene were obtained from 291 specimens, whereas 130 bp sequences were recovered from another 179 specimens. High intraspecific divergence values (>2%) suggesting cryptic species complexes were observed in nine taxa: Anopheles eiseni (5.39%), An. pseudopunctipennis (2.79%), Ae. podographicus (4.05%), Culex eastor (4.88%), Cx. erraticus (2.28%), Toxorhynchites haemorrhoidalis (4.30%), Tr. pallidiventer (4.95%), Wyeomyia adelpha/Wy. guatemala (7.30%), and Wy. pseudopecten (4.04%). The study increased the number of mosquito species known from 128 species to 138 species for Chiapas State, and 239 for Mexico as a whole. Blood meal analysis showed that Aedes angustivittatus fed on ducks and chicken, whereas Psorophora albipes fed on humans. Culex quinquefasciatus fed on diverse hosts including chicken, human, turkey, and Mexican grackle. No arbovirus RNA was detected by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction in the surveyed specimens. This study demonstrated, for the first time, that residual DNA present in RNA blood meal extracts can be used to identify host vectors, highlighting the important role of molecular approaches in both vector identification and revealing host–vector–pathogen interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M Hernández-Triana
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Virology Department, Rabies and Wildlife Zoonoses Research Group, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | | | - Aldo I Ortega Morales
- Departamento de Parasitología, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón, Mexico
| | - Sean W J Prosser
- Center for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Paul D N Hebert
- Center for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nadya I Nikolova
- Center for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Elsa Barrero
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Virology Department, Rabies and Wildlife Zoonoses Research Group, Addlestone, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Ramón Mendez-López
- Departamento de Parasitología, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón, Mexico
| | - Rahuel J Chan-Chable
- Departamento de Parasitología, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón, Mexico
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Virology Department, Rabies and Wildlife Zoonoses Research Group, Addlestone, United Kingdom
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Lumsden GA, Zakharov EV, Dolynskyj S, Weese JS, Lindsay LR, Jardine CM. The application of next-generation sequence-based DNA barcoding for bloodmeal detection in host-seeking wild-caught Ixodes scapularis nymphs. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:67. [PMID: 33602311 PMCID: PMC7891142 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05481-3] [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: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Our objective was to apply next-generation sequence-based DNA barcoding to identify the remnant larval bloodmeals in wild-caught host-seeking (unengorged) Ixodes scapularis nymphs (n = 216). To infer host species identification, vertebrate DNA was amplified using universal primers for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and sequenced using next-generation sequencing (NGS) for comparison against known barcode references. Results Bloodmeal identification was unsuccessful in most samples (99% of 216 specimens) demonstrating a very low detection rate of this assay. Sequences that surpassed quality thresholds were obtained for 41.7% of nymphs (n = 90) and of those, confident species identification was obtained for 15.6% of nymphs (n = 14). Wild host identifications were only obtained from 2 specimens, where DNA from the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) was identified. Human and bovine DNA was identified in remaining nymphs and considered to be contaminants. Further optimization of the technique is required to improve detection of remnant bloodmeals in host-seeking nymphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- G A Lumsden
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada.
| | - E V Zakharov
- Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 579 Gordon St., Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada
| | - S Dolynskyj
- Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding, Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 579 Gordon St., Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada
| | - J S Weese
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada
| | - L R Lindsay
- Public Health Agency of Canada, National Microbiology Laboratory, 1015 Arlington St., Winnipeg, MB, R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - C M Jardine
- Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada.,Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada
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48
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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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Hopken MW, Reyes-Torres LJ, Scavo N, Piaggio AJ, Abdo Z, Taylor D, Pierce J, Yee DA. Temporal and Spatial Blood Feeding Patterns of Urban Mosquitoes in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12020129. [PMID: 33540671 PMCID: PMC7913113 DOI: 10.3390/insects12020129] [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: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Understanding the biodiversity of urban ecosystems is critical for management of invasive and pest species, conserving native species, and disease control. Mosquitoes (Culicidae) are ubiquitous and abundant in urban ecosystems, and rely on blood meals taken from vertebrates. We used DNA from freshly blood-fed mosquitoes to characterize the diversity of vertebrate host species in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico. We collected two mosquito species that fed on a variety of vertebrates. Culex quinquefasciatus fed on 17 avian taxa (81.2% of blood meals), seven mammalian taxa (17.9%), and one reptilian taxon (0.85%). Aedes aegypti blood meals were from a less diverse group, with two avian taxa (11.1%) and three mammalian taxa (88.9%) identified. Domestic chickens dominated the blood meals of Cx. quinquefasciatus, both temporally and spatially, and no statistically significant shift from birds to mammals was detected. The species we detected from the mosquito blood meals provided a snapshot of the vertebrate community in the San Juan Metropolitan Area, most of which were domestic species. However, we also identified a variety of native and nonnative wild species. These results add knowledge about potential ecological factors that impact vector-borne disease management in urban habitats. Abstract Urban ecosystems are a patchwork of habitats that host a broad diversity of animal species. Insects comprise a large portion of urban biodiversity which includes many pest species, including those that transmit pathogens. Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) inhabit urban environments and rely on sympatric vertebrate species to complete their life cycles, and in this process transmit pathogens to animals and humans. Given that mosquitoes feed upon vertebrates, they can also act as efficient samplers that facilitate detection of vertebrate species that utilize urban ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed DNA extracted from mosquito blood meals collected temporally in multiple neighborhoods of the San Juan Metropolitan Area, Puerto Rico to evaluate the presence of vertebrate fauna. DNA was collected from 604 individual mosquitoes that represented two common urban species, Culex quinquefasciatus (n = 586) and Aedes aegypti (n = 18). Culex quinquefasciatus fed on 17 avian taxa (81.2% of blood meals), seven mammalian taxa (17.9%), and one reptilian taxon (0.85%). Domestic chickens dominated these blood meals both temporally and spatially, and no statistically significant shift from birds to mammals was detected. Aedes aegypti blood meals were from a less diverse group, with two avian taxa (11.1%) and three mammalian taxa (88.9%) identified. The blood meals we identified provided a snapshot of the vertebrate community in the San Juan Metropolitan Area and have potential implications for vector-borne pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W. Hopken
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (Z.A.); (J.P.)
- United States Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA; (A.J.P.); (D.T.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Limarie J. Reyes-Torres
- School of Biological, Environmental, & Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA; (L.J.R.-T.); (N.S.); (D.A.Y.)
| | - Nicole Scavo
- School of Biological, Environmental, & Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA; (L.J.R.-T.); (N.S.); (D.A.Y.)
| | - Antoinette J. Piaggio
- United States Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA; (A.J.P.); (D.T.)
| | - Zaid Abdo
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (Z.A.); (J.P.)
| | - Daniel Taylor
- United States Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA; (A.J.P.); (D.T.)
| | - James Pierce
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (Z.A.); (J.P.)
| | - Donald A. Yee
- School of Biological, Environmental, & Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA; (L.J.R.-T.); (N.S.); (D.A.Y.)
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