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Ngetich C, Kamau L, Simbauni J, Mwendia C, Owido M, Kiio I, Matika O, Foster S, Birkett M, Djikeng A, Watson KA, Githaka N. The potential for use of haematological and anti-IgE humoral responses as phenotypic markers for tick resistance in cattle. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2023; 5:100159. [PMID: 38179546 PMCID: PMC10764256 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2023.100159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Approximately 80% of the global cattle population is at risk of infestation and infection by ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs). The economic losses from animal mortality, reduced production, vector control costs and animal treatment are very substantial, hence there is an urgent need to develop and deploy alternative vector control strategies. Breeding for host tick resistance has the potential for sustainable large-scale TTBD control especially in cattle. The gold standard method for phenotyping tick resistance in cattle is by counting ticks on the body but is very laborious and subjective. Better methods for phenotyping tick resistance more objectively, faster and at scale, are essential for selecting host genetic resistance to ticks. This study investigated the correlation between haematological cellular profiles and immunological responses (immunoglobulin E, IgE) and full body tick counts in herds of Bos indicus and Bos taurus following artificial tick challenge with Rhipicephalus decoloratus larvae. Fifty-four Friesian and Ayrshire (Bos taurus) and 52 East African Zebu (Bos indicus) calves were each infested with ∼2500 larvae. Near-replete adult female ticks (≥ 4.5 mm) were counted daily from Day 20-25. Blood and serum samples were obtained from each animal on Days 0 and 23 for cellular blood and IgE titre analysis, respectively. The indicine cattle were refractory to R. decoloratus infestation in comparison with the taurine breed (P < 0.0001). Repeated measurements of blood components pre-infestation revealed a significant (P < 0.05) association with tick count in IgE and red blood cells, haematocrit, and haemoglobin post-infestation. There was also a strong positive correlation between the tick counts and red blood cell numbers, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and IgE concentration (P < 0.0001) following tick challenge. The application of this approach to phenotype host resistance needs to be assessed using higher cattle numbers and with different tick species or genera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collins Ngetich
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
- Zoological Sciences and Animal Sciences Department, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Lucy Kamau
- Zoological Sciences and Animal Sciences Department, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Jemimah Simbauni
- Zoological Sciences and Animal Sciences Department, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Charles Mwendia
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
| | - Milton Owido
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Irene Kiio
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
| | - Oswald Matika
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, EH25 9RG, UK
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Sarah Foster
- Protecting Crops and the Environment, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Michael Birkett
- Protecting Crops and the Environment, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2JQ, UK
| | - Appolinaire Djikeng
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Kellie Anne Watson
- The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, EH25 9RG, UK
- Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Naftaly Githaka
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), PO Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
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Gouveia-Eufrasio L, de Freitas GJC, Costa MC, Peres-Emidio EC, Carmo PHF, Rodrigues JGM, de Rezende MC, Rodrigues VF, de Brito CB, Miranda GS, de Lima PA, da Silva LMV, Oliveira JBS, da Paixão TA, da Glória de Souza D, Fagundes CT, Peres NTDA, Negrão-Correa DA, Santos DA. The Th2 Response and Alternative Activation of Macrophages Triggered by Strongyloides venezuelensis Is Linked to Increased Morbidity and Mortality Due to Cryptococcosis in Mice. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:968. [PMID: 37888224 PMCID: PMC10607621 DOI: 10.3390/jof9100968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycosis that causes pneumonia and meningoencephalitis. Strongyloidiasis is a chronic gastrointestinal infection caused by parasites of the genus Strongyloides. Cryptococcosis and strongyloidiasis affect the lungs and are more prevalent in the same world regions, i.e., Africa and tropical countries such as Brazil. It is undeniable that those coincidences may lead to the occurrence of coinfections. However, there are no studies focused on the interaction between Cryptococcus spp. and Strongyloides spp. In this work, we aimed to investigate the interaction between Strongyloides venezuelensis (Sv) and Cryptococcus gattii (Cg) in a murine coinfection model. Murine macrophage exposure to Sv antigens reduced their ability to engulf Cg and produce reactive oxygen species, increasing the ability of fungal growth intracellularly. We then infected mice with both pathogens. Sv infection skewed the host's response to fungal infection, increasing lethality in a murine coinfection model. In addition to increased NO levels and arginase activity, coinfected mice presented a classic Th2 anti-Sv response: eosinophilia, higher levels of alternate activated macrophages (M2), increased concentrations of CCL24 and IL-4, and lower levels of IL-1β. This milieu favored fungal growth in the lungs with prominent translocation to the brain, increasing the host's tissue damage. In conclusion, our data shows that primary Sv infection promotes Th2 bias of the pulmonary response to Cg-infection and worsens its pathological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Gouveia-Eufrasio
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - Gustavo José Cota de Freitas
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - Marliete Carvalho Costa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - Eluzia Castro Peres-Emidio
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - Paulo Henrique Fonseca Carmo
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - João Gustavo Mendes Rodrigues
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Esquistossomose, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.A.N.-C.)
| | - Michelle Carvalho de Rezende
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Esquistossomose, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.A.N.-C.)
| | - Vanessa Fernandes Rodrigues
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Esquistossomose, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.A.N.-C.)
| | - Camila Bernardo de Brito
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Interação Microrganismo-Hospedeiro, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.d.G.d.S.); (C.T.F.)
| | - Guilherme Silva Miranda
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Esquistossomose, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.A.N.-C.)
| | - Pâmela Aparecida de Lima
- Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (T.A.d.P.)
| | - Lívia Mara Vitorino da Silva
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - Jefferson Bruno Soares Oliveira
- Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (T.A.d.P.)
| | - Tatiane Alves da Paixão
- Departamento de Patologia, Laboratório de Patologia Celular e Molecular, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (T.A.d.P.)
| | - Daniele da Glória de Souza
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Interação Microrganismo-Hospedeiro, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.d.G.d.S.); (C.T.F.)
| | - Caio Tavares Fagundes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Interação Microrganismo-Hospedeiro, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.d.G.d.S.); (C.T.F.)
| | - Nalu Teixeira de Aguiar Peres
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
| | - Deborah Aparecida Negrão-Correa
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Laboratório de Esquistossomose, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil (D.A.N.-C.)
| | - Daniel Assis Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Laboratório de Micologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; (L.G.-E.); (N.T.d.A.P.)
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Vanalli C, Mari L, Casagrandi R, Boag B, Gatto M, Cattadori IM. Modeling the contribution of antibody attack rates to single and dual helminth infections in a natural system. Math Biosci 2023; 360:109010. [PMID: 37088125 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2023.109010] [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: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Within-host models of infection can provide important insights into the processes that affect parasite spread and persistence in host populations. However, modeling can be limited by the availability of empirical data, a problem commonly encountered in natural systems. Here, we used six years of immune-infection observations of two gastrointestinal helminths (Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and Graphidium strigosum) from a population of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) to develop an age-dependent, mathematical model that explicitly included species-specific and cross-reacting antibody (IgA and IgG) responses to each helminth in hosts with single or dual infections. Different models of single infection were formally compared to test alternative mechanisms of parasite regulation. The two models that best described single infections of each helminth species were then coupled through antibody cross-immunity to examine how the presence of one species could alter the host immune response to, and the within-host dynamics of, the other species. For both single infections, model selection suggested that either IgA or IgG responses could equally explain the observed parasite intensities by host age. However, the antibody attack rate and affinity level changed between the two helminths, it was stronger against T. retortaeformis than against G. strigosum and caused contrasting age-intensity profiles. When the two helminths coinfect the same host, we found variation of the species-specific antibody response to both species together with an asymmetric cross-immune response driven by IgG. Lower attack rate and affinity of antibodies in dual than single infections contributed to the significant increase of both helminth intensities. By combining mathematical modeling with immuno-infection data, our work provides a tractable model framework for disentangling some of the complexities generated by host-parasite and parasite-parasite interactions in natural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Vanalli
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA.
| | - Lorenzo Mari
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Renato Casagrandi
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Brian Boag
- The James Hutton Institute, DD2 5DA Invergowrie, UK
| | - Marino Gatto
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Isabella M Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, 16802 PA, USA
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Dagostin F, Vanalli C, Boag B, Casagrandi R, Gatto M, Mari L, Cattadori IM. The enemy of my enemy is my friend: Immune-mediated facilitation contributes to fitness of co-infecting helminths. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:477-491. [PMID: 36478135 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13863] [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: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The conceptual understanding of immune-mediated interactions between parasites is rooted in the theory of community ecology. One of the limitations of this approach is that most of the theory and empirical evidence has focused on resource or immune-mediated competition between parasites and yet there is ample evidence of positive interactions that could be generated by immune-mediated facilitation. We developed an immuno-epidemiological model and applied it to long-term data of two gastrointestinal helminths in two rabbit populations to investigate, through model testing, how immune-mediated mechanisms of parasite regulation could explain the higher intensities of both helminths in rabbits with dual than single infections. The model framework was selected and calibrated on rabbit population A and then validated on the nearby rabbit population B to confirm the consistency of the findings and the generality of the mechanisms. Simulations suggested that the higher intensities in rabbits with dual infections could be explained by a weakened or low species-specific IgA response and an asymmetric IgA cross-reaction. Simulations also indicated that rabbits with dual infections shed more free-living stages that survived for longer in the environment, implying greater transmission than stages from hosts with single infections. Temperature and humidity selectively affected the free-living stages of the two helminths. These patterns were comparable in the two rabbit populations and support the hypothesis that immune-mediated facilitation can contribute to greater parasite fitness and local persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Dagostin
- Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy.,Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Chiara Vanalli
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brian Boag
- The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, UK
| | - Renato Casagrandi
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marino Gatto
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mari
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Isabella M Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Nguyen NTD, Pathak AK, Cattadori IM. Gastrointestinal helminths increase Bordetella bronchiseptica shedding and host variation in supershedding. eLife 2022; 11:70347. [DOI: 10.7554/elife.70347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Co-infected hosts, individuals that carry more than one infectious agent at any one time, have been suggested to facilitate pathogen transmission, including the emergence of supershedding events. However, how the host immune response mediates the interactions between co-infecting pathogens and how these affect the dynamics of shedding remains largely unclear. We used laboratory experiments and a modeling approach to examine temporal changes in the shedding of the respiratory bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica in rabbits with one or two gastrointestinal helminth species. Experimental data showed that rabbits co-infected with one or both helminths shed significantly more B. bronchiseptica, by direct contact with an agar petri dish, than rabbits with bacteria alone. Co-infected hosts generated supershedding events of higher intensity and more frequently than hosts with no helminths. To explain this variation in shedding an infection-immune model was developed and fitted to rabbits of each group. Simulations suggested that differences in the magnitude and duration of shedding could be explained by the effect of the two helminths on the relative contribution of neutrophils and specific IgA and IgG to B. bronchiseptica neutralization in the respiratory tract. However, the interactions between infection and immune response at the scale of analysis that we used could not capture the rapid variation in the intensity of shedding of every rabbit. We suggest that fast and local changes at the level of respiratory tissue probably played a more important role. This study indicates that co-infected hosts are important source of variation in shedding, and provides a quantitative explanation into the role of helminths to the dynamics of respiratory bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhat TD Nguyen
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University
| | - Ashutosh K Pathak
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University
- Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia
| | - Isabella M Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University
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Physiological, Immunological and Genetic Factors in the Resistance and Susceptibility to Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Sheep in the Peripartum Period: A Review. Helminthologia 2021; 58:134-151. [PMID: 34248374 PMCID: PMC8256458 DOI: 10.2478/helm-2021-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases of sheep involving gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are one of the main problems that affect fl ock productivity, especially during the peripartum period. Around lambing, the ewes are immunosuppressed and the nematode faecal egg count (FEC) increases at four weeks before lambing, reaching a peak between the fourth and sixth week postpartum and subsequently decreasing towards weaning. Prolactin has been credited with a suppressive effect on immune system, along with other hormones that intervene in metabolism, such as leptin, which has an important role in the activation of other hormones. Cortisol has also been included; this is stimulated by any stressful event and inhibits the proliferation of T-cells and alters the function of immunoglobulins. Another related hormone is pepsinogen, which is considered a marker of the integrity of the abomasum mucosa, as well as the albumin concentration that increases in the presence of a GIN infection. The humoral and cellular immune response, as well as inflammatory reactions, are the main mechanisms of action against GIN. Lymphocytes direct the effector mechanisms in a Th2 cell response, including interleukins (IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) together with immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM and IgE), which prevent the invasion of pathogens. Eosinophils with a cytotoxic effect are indicators of a parasitic infection, with importance in the immune protection of infected individuals. The genetic selection of resistant individuals measured by FEC is dependent on the heritability (h2), which is moderately inheritable and highly repeatable. Effects that influence the resistance or susceptibility of sheep to GIN infections in the peripartum period are determined by the interaction of various factors, such as genotype or breed, nutrition, age, type of birth, season and production system, etc., which are studied in this review.
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Vanalli C, Mari L, Righetto L, Casagrandi R, Gatto M, Cattadori IM. Within-host mechanisms of immune regulation explain the contrasting dynamics of two helminth species in both single and dual infections. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008438. [PMID: 33226981 PMCID: PMC7721179 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in the intensity and duration of infections is often driven by variation in the network and strength of host immune responses. While many of the immune mechanisms and components are known for parasitic helminths, how these relationships change from single to multiple infections and impact helminth dynamics remains largely unclear. Here, we used laboratory data from a rabbit-helminth system and developed a within-host model of infection to investigate different scenarios of immune regulation in rabbits infected with one or two helminth species. Model selection suggests that the immunological pathways activated against Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and Graphidium strigosum are similar. However, differences in the strength of these immune signals lead to the contrasting dynamics of infections, where the first parasite is rapidly cleared and the latter persists with high intensities. In addition to the reactions identified in single infections, rabbits with both helminths also activate new pathways that asymmetrically affect the dynamics of the two species. These new signals alter the intensities but not the general trend of the infections. The type of interactions described can be expected in many other host-helminth systems. Our immune framework is flexible enough to capture different mechanisms and their complexity, and provides essential insights to the understanding of multi-helminth infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Vanalli
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lorenzo Mari
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Righetto
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Renato Casagrandi
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marino Gatto
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Isabella M Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Distribution of Parasitic Helminths in the Small Intestine of the Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes). Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9060477. [PMID: 32560133 PMCID: PMC7350372 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyze the distribution of the main groups of parasitic helminths within the small intestine of the red fox on the example of animals coming from eastern Poland. Two hundred and sixteen red foxes shot in eastern Poland were used in the investigation. Before examination, each small intestine was divided into three equal parts: anterior (A), middle (M), and posterior (P). Each part was examined separately with the sedimentation and counting technique. Six different types of intestinal parasites were detected: Alaria alata (78.7%), Mesocestoides spp. (78.2%), hookworms (72.7%), Taenia spp. (53.2%), Toxocara/Toxascaris (43.1%), and Echinococcus multilocularis (18.5%). Alaria alata was most often found in A and in the only-A variant. Taenia spp. and Toxocara/Toxascaris occurred often in A and were the second (after A. alata) parasites in terms of frequency occurring in the only-A variant. Mesocestoides spp. was most commonly located in M. Parasites with predilection sites located mainly in M and P were E. multilocularis and hookworms. In all parasite species, the variant covering the entire intestine (A + M + P) was found in samples with a higher intensity compared to variants limited to one or two fragments. Our investigation, as one of the few of its type, conducted a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of intestinal helminths in the small intestine of the red fox. It showed significant differences in the distribution of parasitic helminths in the small intestine of the red fox. Determining typical predilection sites for parasites in the intestine can be helpful in creating effective diagnostic methods.
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Ramírez L, de Moura LD, Mateus NLF, de Moraes MH, do Nascimento LFM, de Jesus Melo N, Taketa LB, Catecati T, Huete SG, Penichet K, Piranda EM, de Oliveira AG, Steindel M, Barral-Netto M, do Socorro Pires e Cruz M, Barral A, Soto M. Improving the serodiagnosis of canine Leishmania infantum infection in geographical areas of Brazil with different disease prevalence. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2020; 8:e00126. [PMID: 31832561 PMCID: PMC6890974 DOI: 10.1016/j.parepi.2019.e00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Serodiagnosis of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs relies on the detection of antibodies against leishmanial crude extracts or parasitic defined antigens. The expansion of canine leishmaniasis from geographical areas of Brazil in which the infection is endemic to regions in which the disease is emerging is occurring. This fact makes necessary the analysis of the serodiagnostic capabilities of different leishmanial preparations in distinct geographical locations. In this article sera from dogs infected with Leishmania and showing the clinical form of the disease, were collected in three distinct Brazilian States and were tested against soluble leishmanial antigens or seven parasite individual antigens produced as recombinant proteins. We show that the recognition of soluble leishmanial antigens by sera from these animals was influenced by the geographical location of the infected dogs. Efficacy of the diagnosis based on this crude parasite preparation was higher in newly endemic regions when compared with areas of high disease endemicity. We also show that the use of three of the recombinant proteins, namely parasite surface kinetoplastid membrane protein of 11 kDa (KMP-11), and two members of the P protein family (P2a and P0), can improve the degree of sensitivity without adversely affecting the specificity of the diagnostic assays for canine leishmaniasis, independently of the geographical area of residence. In addition, sera from dogs clinically healthy but infected were also assayed with some of the antigen preparations. We demonstrate that the use of these proteins can help to the serodiagnosis of Leishmania infected animals with subclinical infections. Finally, we propose a diagnostic protocol using a combination of KMP-11, P2a y P0, together with total leishmanial extracts.
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Key Words
- Antibodies
- BB, blocking buffer
- CanL, Canine visceral leishmaniasis
- Canine leishmaniasis
- EDCB, ELISA denaturant coating buffer
- ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
- HSP, Heat shock protein
- KMP-11, Kinetoplastid-membrane protein of 11 kDa
- LR, Likelihood ratio
- Leishmania
- MS, Mato Grosso do Sul State (Brazil)
- PBS, phosphate saline buffer
- PI, Piaui State (Brazil)
- ROC, Receiver Operating Characteristic
- RR, Relative reactivity
- RT, Room temperature
- Recombinant proteins
- SC, Santa Catarina State (Brazil)
- SLA, Soluble leishmanial antigen
- Serodiagnosis
- VL, Visceral leishmaniosis
- WB, Washing buffer
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ramírez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luana Dias de Moura
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Piaui (UFPI), Teresina, 64049-550 PI, Brazil
| | - Natalia Lopes Fontoura Mateus
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, s/n, Campo Grande 79070-900 MS, Brazil
| | - Milene Hoehr de Moraes
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis 88040-900 SC, Brazil
| | | | - Nailson de Jesus Melo
- Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Piaui (UFPI), Teresina, 64049-550 PI, Brazil
| | - Lucas Bezerra Taketa
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, s/n, Campo Grande 79070-900 MS, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Catecati
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis 88040-900 SC, Brazil
| | - Samuel G. Huete
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Karla Penichet
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eliane Mattos Piranda
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, s/n, Campo Grande 79070-900 MS, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Gutierrez de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Cidade Universitária, s/n, Campo Grande 79070-900 MS, Brazil
| | - Mario Steindel
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis 88040-900 SC, Brazil
| | - Manoel Barral-Netto
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz- FIOCRUZ). Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador 40296-710 BA, Brazil
| | | | - Aldina Barral
- Centro de Pesquisas Gonçalo Moniz (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz- FIOCRUZ). Waldemar Falcão, 121, Salvador 40296-710 BA, Brazil
| | - Manuel Soto
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CBMSO), Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias, CSIC-UAM, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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10
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Cattadori IM, Pathak AK, Ferrari MJ. External disturbances impact helminth-host interactions by affecting dynamics of infection, parasite traits, and host immune responses. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:13495-13505. [PMID: 31871660 PMCID: PMC6912924 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 10/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
External perturbations, such as multispecies infections or anthelmintic treatments, can alter host-parasite interactions with consequences on the dynamics of infection. While the overall profile of infection might appear fundamentally conserved at the host population level, perturbations can disproportionately affect components of parasite demography or host responses, and ultimately impact parasite fitness and long-term persistence.We took an immuno-epidemiological approach to this reasoning and examined a rabbit-helminth system where animals were trickle-dosed with either one or two helminth species, treated halfway through the experiment with an anthelmintic and reinfected one month later following the same initial regime. Parasite traits (body length and fecundity) and host immune responses (cytokines, transcription factors, antibodies) were quantified at fixed time points and compared before and after drug treatment, and between single and dual infections.Findings indicated a resistant host phenotype to Trichostrongylus retortaeformis where abundance, body length, and fecundity were regulated by a protective immune response. In contrast, Graphidium strigosum accumulated in the host and, while it stimulated a clear immune reaction, many genes were downregulated both following reinfection and in dual infection, suggestive of a low host resistance.External perturbations affected parasite fecundity, including body length and number of eggs in utero, more significantly than abundance; however, there was no consistency in the parasite-immune relationships.Disentangling the processes affecting parasite life history, and how they relate to host responses, can provide a better understanding of how external disturbances impact disease severity and transmission, and how parasites strategies adjust to secure persistence at the host and the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella M. Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease DynamicsThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
- Department of BiologyThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
| | - Ashutosh K. Pathak
- Department of Infectious DiseasesCollege of Veterinary MedicineThe University of GeorgiaAthensGAUSA
| | - Matthew J. Ferrari
- Center for Infectious Disease DynamicsThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
- Department of BiologyThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity ParkPAUSA
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11
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Jent D, Perry A, Critchlow J, Tate AT. Natural variation in the contribution of microbial density to inducible immune dynamics. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:5360-5372. [PMID: 31674070 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Immune responses evolve to balance the benefits of microbial killing against the costs of autoimmunity and energetic resource use. Models that explore the evolution of optimal immune responses generally include a term for constitutive immunity, or the level of immunological investment prior to microbial exposure, and for inducible immunity, or investment in immune function after microbial challenge. However, studies rarely consider the functional form of inducible immune responses with respect to microbial density, despite the theoretical dependence of immune system evolution on microbe- versus immune-mediated damage to the host. In this study, we analyse antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene expression from seven wild-caught flour beetle populations (Tribolium spp.) during acute infection with the virulent bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Photorhabdus luminescens (P.lum) to demonstrate that inducible immune responses mediated by the humoral IMD pathway exhibit natural variation in both microbe density-dependent and independent temporal dynamics. Beetle populations that exhibited greater AMP expression sensitivity to Bt density were also more likely to die from infection, while populations that exhibited higher microbe density-independent AMP expression were more likely to survive P. luminescens infection. Reduction in pathway signalling efficiency through RNAi-mediated knockdown of the imd gene reduced the magnitude of both microbe-independent and dependent responses and reduced host resistance to Bt growth, but had no net effect on host survival. This study provides a framework for understanding natural variation in the flexibility of investment in inducible immune responses and should inform theory on the contribution of nonequilibrium host-microbe dynamics to immune system evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derrick Jent
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Abby Perry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Justin Critchlow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ann T Tate
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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12
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Hogan G, Walker S, Turnbull F, Curiao T, Morrison AA, Flores Y, Andrews L, Claesson MJ, Tangney M, Bartley DJ. Microbiome analysis as a platform R&D tool for parasitic nematode disease management. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2664-2680. [PMID: 31239540 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0462-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between bacterial communities and their host is being extensively investigated for the potential to improve the host's health. Little is known about the interplay between the microbiota of parasites and the health of the infected host. Using nematode co-infection of lambs as a proof-of-concept model, the aim of this study was to characterise the microbiomes of nematodes and that of their host, enabling identification of candidate nematode-specific microbiota member(s) that could be exploited as drug development tools or for targeted therapy. Deep sequencing techniques were used to elucidate the microbiomes of different life stages of two parasitic nematodes of ruminants, Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta, as well as that of the co-infected ovine hosts, pre- and post infection. Bioinformatic analyses demonstrated significant differences between the composition of the nematode and ovine microbiomes. The two nematode species also differed significantly. The data indicated a shift in the constitution of the larval nematode microbiome after exposure to the ovine microbiome, and in the ovine intestinal microbial community over time as a result of helminth co-infection. Several bacterial species were identified in nematodes that were absent from their surrounding abomasal environment, the most significant of which included Escherichia coli/Shigella. The ability to purposefully infect nematode species with engineered E. coli was demonstrated in vitro, validating the concept of using this bacterium as a nematode-specific drug development tool and/or drug delivery vehicle. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the concept of exploiting a parasite's microbiome for drug development and treatment purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn Hogan
- SynBioCentre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Cancer Research@UCC, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Sidney Walker
- SynBioCentre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Cancer Research@UCC, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Frank Turnbull
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Tania Curiao
- SynBioCentre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Cancer Research@UCC, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Alison A Morrison
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Yensi Flores
- SynBioCentre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Cancer Research@UCC, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Leigh Andrews
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Marcus J Claesson
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.,Department of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Mark Tangney
- SynBioCentre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. .,Cancer Research@UCC, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. .,APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | - Dave J Bartley
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Penicuik, EH26 0PZ, UK.
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13
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Lello J, McClure SJ, Tyrrell K, Viney ME. Predicting the effects of parasite co-infection across species boundaries. Proc Biol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29540516 PMCID: PMC5879626 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
It is normal for hosts to be co-infected by parasites. Interactions among co-infecting species can have profound consequences, including changing parasite transmission dynamics, altering disease severity and confounding attempts at parasite control. Despite the importance of co-infection, there is currently no way to predict how different parasite species may interact with one another, nor the consequences of those interactions. Here, we demonstrate a method that enables such prediction by identifying two nematode parasite groups based on taxonomy and characteristics of the parasitological niche. From an understanding of the interactions between the two defined groups in one host system (wild rabbits), we predict how two different nematode species, from the same defined groups, will interact in co-infections in a different host system (sheep), and then we test this experimentally. We show that, as predicted, in co-infections, the blood-feeding nematode Haemonchus contortus suppresses aspects of the sheep immune response, thereby facilitating the establishment and/or survival of the nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis; and that the T. colubriformis-induced immune response negatively affects H. contortus This work is, to our knowledge, the first to use empirical data from one host system to successfully predict the specific outcome of a different co-infection in a second host species. The study therefore takes the first step in defining a practical framework for predicting interspecific parasite interactions in other animal systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne Lello
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK .,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele all'Adige, Trentino 38010, Italy.,Division of Animal, Food and Health Sciences, CSIRO, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Susan J McClure
- Division of Animal, Food and Health Sciences, CSIRO, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Kerri Tyrrell
- Division of Animal, Food and Health Sciences, CSIRO, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Mark E Viney
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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14
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Shaw DK, Tate AT, Schneider DS, Levashina EA, Kagan JC, Pal U, Fikrig E, Pedra JHF. Vector Immunity and Evolutionary Ecology: The Harmonious Dissonance. Trends Immunol 2018; 39:862-873. [PMID: 30301592 PMCID: PMC6218297 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent scientific breakthroughs have significantly expanded our understanding of arthropod vector immunity. Insights in the laboratory have demonstrated how the immune system provides resistance to infection, and in what manner innate defenses protect against a microbial assault. Less understood, however, is the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on microbial-vector interactions and the impact of the immune system on arthropod populations in nature. Furthermore, the influence of genetic plasticity on the immune response against vector-borne pathogens remains mostly elusive. Herein, we discuss evolutionary forces that shape arthropod vector immunity. We focus on resistance, pathogenicity and tolerance to infection. We posit that novel scientific paradigms should emerge when molecular immunologists and evolutionary ecologists work together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana K Shaw
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State, Pullman, WA, USA.
| | - Ann T Tate
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - David S Schneider
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Elena A Levashina
- Vector Biology Unit, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan C Kagan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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15
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Ghosh S, Ferrari MJ, Pathak AK, Cattadori IM. Changes in parasite traits, rather than intensity, affect the dynamics of infection under external perturbation. PLoS Comput Biol 2018; 14:e1006167. [PMID: 29889827 PMCID: PMC6019670 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2017] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that generate complex host-parasite interactions, and how they contribute to variation between and within hosts, is important for predicting risk of infection and transmission, and for developing more effective interventions based on parasite properties. We used the T. retortaeformis (TR)-rabbit system and developed a state-space mathematical framework to capture the variation in intensity of infection and egg shedding in hosts infected weekly, then treated with an anthelminthic and subsequently re-challenged following the same infection regime. Experimental infections indicate that parasite intensity accumulates more slowly in the post-anthelminthic phase but reaches similar maximum numbers. By contrast, parasite EPG (eggs per gram of feces) shed from rabbits in the post-treatment phase is lower and less variable through time. Inference based on EPG alone suggests a decline in parasite intensity over time. Using a state-space model and incorporating all sources of cross-sectional and longitudinal data, we show that while parasite intensity remains relatively constant in both experimental phases, shedding of eggs into the environment is increasingly limited through changes in parasite growth. We suggest that host immunity directly modulates both the accumulation and the growth of the parasite, and indirectly affects transmission by limiting parasite length and thus fecundity. This study provides a better understanding of how within-host trophic interactions influence different components of a helminth population. It also suggests that heterogeneity in parasite traits should be addressed more carefully when examining and managing helminth infections in the absence of some critical data on parasite dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suma Ghosh
- Department of Mathematics, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Ferrari
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ashutosh K. Pathak
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Odum School of Ecology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Isabella M. Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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16
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Klaus A, Zimmermann E, Röper KM, Radespiel U, Nathan S, Goossens B, Strube C. Co-infection patterns of intestinal parasites in arboreal primates (proboscis monkeys, Nasalis larvatus) in Borneo. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2017; 6:320-329. [PMID: 29988805 PMCID: PMC6031963 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Non-human primates of South-East Asia remain under-studied concerning parasite epidemiology and co-infection patterns. Simultaneously, efforts in conservation demand knowledge of parasite abundance and biodiversity in threatened species. The Endangered proboscis monkey, Nasalis larvatus, a primate flagship species for conservation in Borneo, was investigated in the present study. Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the greatest threats to bachelor and harem groups of this folivorous colobine. Designed as a follow-up study, prevalence and co-infection status of intestinal parasites from N. larvatus in a protected area in Malaysian Borneo were analyzed from fecal samples using a flotation method. For the first time, the intestinal parasite co-infection patterns were examined using quantitative analyses. Overall, 92.3% of fecal samples (N = 652) were positive for helminth eggs. Five helminth groups were detected: (1) trichurids (82.7% prevalence) including Trichuris spp. (82.1%) and Anatrichosoma spp. (1.4%), (2) strongyles (58.9%) including Trichostrongylus spp. (48.5%) and Oesophagostomum/Ternidens spp. (22.8%), (3) Strongyloides fuelleborni (32.7%), (4) Ascaris lumbricoides (8.6%), and (5) Enterobius spp. (5.5%). On average, an individual was co-infected with two different groups. Significant positive associations were found for co-infections of trichurids with strongyles and S. fuelleborni as well as S. fuelleborni with A. lumbricoides and strongyles. This study shows a high prevalence of various gastrointestinal helminths with potential transmission pathways primarily related to soil and with zoonotic relevance in wild proboscis monkeys in their remaining natural habitats. Observed positive associations of trichurids with strongyles and Strongyloides spp. may result from the high prevalence of trichurids. Similarly, positive associations between Strongyloides and Ascaris were found, both of which typically occur predominantly in juvenile hosts. These findings should be considered when proposing conservation actions in altered habitats nearby human settlements and when managing captive populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Klaus
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Elke Zimmermann
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Kathrin Monika Röper
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ute Radespiel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
| | - Senthilvel Nathan
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, B Block, Wisma MUIS, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Sabah Wildlife Department, 5th Floor, B Block, Wisma MUIS, 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
- Danau Girang Field Centre, C/o Sabah Wildlife Department, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Pl, Cardiff CF10 3BA, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Buenteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, Germany
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17
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Mignatti A, Boag B, Cattadori IM. Host immunity shapes the impact of climate changes on the dynamics of parasite infections. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:2970-5. [PMID: 26884194 PMCID: PMC4801268 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1501193113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Global climate change is predicted to alter the distribution and dynamics of soil-transmitted helminth infections, and yet host immunity can also influence the impact of warming on host-parasite interactions and mitigate the long-term effects. We used time-series data from two helminth species of a natural herbivore and investigated the contribution of climate change and immunity on the long-term and seasonal dynamics of infection. We provide evidence that climate warming increases the availability of infective stages of both helminth species and the proportional increase in the intensity of infection for the helminth not regulated by immunity. In contrast, there is no significant long-term positive trend in the intensity for the immune-controlled helminth, as immunity reduces the net outcome of climate on parasite dynamics. Even so, hosts experienced higher infections of this helminth at an earlier age during critical months in the warmer years. Immunity can alleviate the expected long-term effect of climate on parasite infections but can also shift the seasonal peak of infection toward the younger individuals.
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MESH Headings
- Aging/immunology
- Animal Distribution
- Animals
- Global Warming
- Helminthiasis, Animal/epidemiology
- Helminthiasis, Animal/immunology
- Helminthiasis, Animal/parasitology
- Helminthiasis, Animal/transmission
- Host-Parasite Interactions/immunology
- Humidity
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/epidemiology
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/immunology
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/parasitology
- Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic/veterinary
- Intestine, Small/immunology
- Intestine, Small/parasitology
- Larva/physiology
- Life Cycle Stages
- Ovum/physiology
- Population Dynamics
- Rabbits/immunology
- Rabbits/parasitology
- Scotland/epidemiology
- Seasons
- Soil/parasitology
- Stomach/immunology
- Stomach/parasitology
- Stomach Diseases/epidemiology
- Stomach Diseases/immunology
- Stomach Diseases/parasitology
- Stomach Diseases/veterinary
- Temperature
- Trichostrongyloidea/growth & development
- Trichostrongyloidea/physiology
- Trichostrongyloidiasis/epidemiology
- Trichostrongyloidiasis/immunology
- Trichostrongyloidiasis/parasitology
- Trichostrongyloidiasis/transmission
- Trichostrongyloidiasis/veterinary
- Trichostrongylosis/epidemiology
- Trichostrongylosis/immunology
- Trichostrongylosis/parasitology
- Trichostrongylosis/transmission
- Trichostrongylosis/veterinary
- Trichostrongylus/growth & development
- Trichostrongylus/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mignatti
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16082
| | - Brian Boag
- The James Hutton Institute, DD2 5DA Invergowrie, United Kingdom
| | - Isabella M Cattadori
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16082;
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18
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Seabloom EW, Borer ET, Gross K, Kendig AE, Lacroix C, Mitchell CE, Mordecai EA, Power AG. The community ecology of pathogens: coinfection, coexistence and community composition. Ecol Lett 2015; 18:401-15. [PMID: 25728488 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Revised: 09/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Disease and community ecology share conceptual and theoretical lineages, and there has been a resurgence of interest in strengthening links between these fields. Building on recent syntheses focused on the effects of host community composition on single pathogen systems, we examine pathogen (microparasite) communities using a stochastic metacommunity model as a starting point to bridge community and disease ecology perspectives. Such models incorporate the effects of core community processes, such as ecological drift, selection and dispersal, but have not been extended to incorporate host-pathogen interactions, such as immunosuppression or synergistic mortality, that are central to disease ecology. We use a two-pathogen susceptible-infected (SI) model to fill these gaps in the metacommunity approach; however, SI models can be intractable for examining species-diverse, spatially structured systems. By placing disease into a framework developed for community ecology, our synthesis highlights areas ripe for progress, including a theoretical framework that incorporates host dynamics, spatial structuring and evolutionary processes, as well as the data needed to test the predictions of such a model. Our synthesis points the way for this framework and demonstrates that a deeper understanding of pathogen community dynamics will emerge from approaches working at the interface of disease and community ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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19
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Helenbrook WD, Wade SE, Shields WM, Stehman SV, Whipps CM. Gastrointestinal Parasites of Ecuadorian Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata aequatorialis) Based on Fecal Analysis. J Parasitol 2015; 101:341-50. [PMID: 25686475 DOI: 10.1645/13-356.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
An analysis of gastrointestinal parasites of Ecuadorian mantled howler monkeys, Alouatta palliata aequatorialis, was conducted based on examination of fecal smears, flotations, and sedimentations. At least 1 type of parasite was detected in 97% of the 96 fecal samples screened across 19 howler monkey groups using these techniques. Samples averaged 3.6 parasite species per individual (±1.4 SD). Parasites included species representing genera of 2 apicomplexans: Cyclospora sp. (18% of individual samples) and Isospora sp. (3%); 6 other protozoa: Balantidium sp. (9%), Blastocystis sp. (60%), Chilomastix sp. (4%), Dientamoeba sp. (3%), Entamoeba species (56%), Iodamoeba sp. (5%); 4 nematodes: Enterobius sp. (3%), Capillaria sp. (78%), Strongyloides spp. (88%) which included 2 morphotypes, Trypanoxyuris sp. (12%); and the platyhelminth Controrchis sp. (15%). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between group size and each of 3 different estimators of parasite species richness adjusted for sampling effort (ICE: r(2) = 0.24, P = 0.05; Chao2: r(2) = 0.25, P = 0.05, and Jackknife: r(2) = 0.31, P = 0.03). Two significant associations between co-infecting parasites were identified. Based on the prevalence data, individuals infected with Balantidium sp. were more likely to also be infected with Isospora sp. (χ(2) = 6.02, P = 0.01), while individuals harboring Chilomastix sp. were less likely to have Capillaria sp. present (χ(2) = 4.03, P = 0.04).
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Helenbrook
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Environmental and Forest Biology, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210
| | - Susan E Wade
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Environmental and Forest Biology, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210
| | - William M Shields
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Environmental and Forest Biology, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210
| | - Stephen V Stehman
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Environmental and Forest Biology, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210
| | - Christopher M Whipps
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Environmental and Forest Biology, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210
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Buhnerkempe MG, Roberts MG, Dobson AP, Heesterbeek H, Hudson PJ, Lloyd-Smith JO. Eight challenges in modelling disease ecology in multi-host, multi-agent systems. Epidemics 2014; 10:26-30. [PMID: 25843378 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2014] [Revised: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Many disease systems exhibit complexities not captured by current theoretical and empirical work. In particular, systems with multiple host species and multiple infectious agents (i.e., multi-host, multi-agent systems) require novel methods to extend the wealth of knowledge acquired studying primarily single-host, single-agent systems. We outline eight challenges in multi-host, multi-agent systems that could substantively increase our knowledge of the drivers and broader ecosystem effects of infectious disease dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Buhnerkempe
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Mick G Roberts
- Institute of Natural & Mathematical Sciences, New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study and Infectious Disease Research Centre, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Andrew P Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Hans Heesterbeek
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Peter J Hudson
- Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; The Huck Institute for Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - James O Lloyd-Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Cattadori IM, Wagner BR, Wodzinski LA, Pathak AK, Poole A. Infections do not predict shedding in co-infections with two helminths from a natural system. Ecology 2014; 95:1684-92. [PMID: 25039232 DOI: 10.1890/13-1538.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Given the health and economic burden associated with the widespread occurrence of co-infections in humans and agricultural animals, understanding how coinfections contribute to host heterogeneity to infection and transmission is critical if we are to assess risk of infection based on host characteristics. Here, we examine whether host heterogeneity to infection leads to similar heterogeneity in transmission in a population of rabbits single and co-infected with two helminths and monitored monthly for eight years. Compared to single infections, co-infected rabbits carried higher Trichostrongylus retortaeformis intensities, shorter worms with fewer eggs in utero, and shed similar numbers of parasite eggs. In contrast, the same co-infected rabbits harbored fewer Graphidium strigosum with longer bodies and more eggs in utero, and shed more eggs of this helminth. A positive density-dependent relationship between fecundity and intensity was found for T. retortaeformis but not G. strigosum in co-infected rabbits. Juvenile rabbits contributed to most of the infection and shedding of T. retortaeformis, while adult hosts were more important for G. strigosum dynamics of infection and transmission, and this pattern was consistent in single and co-infected individuals. This host-parasite system suggests that we cannot predict the pattern of parasite shedding during co-infections based on intensity of infection alone. We suggest that a mismatching between susceptibility and infectiousness should be expected in helminth coinfections and should not be overlooked.
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Abstract
AbstractTransmission success for helminths with free-living stages depends on the ability of eggs and larvae to develop and survive once in the environment. While environmental conditions are often suggested to influence egg phenology and hatching rate, immunity against parasite eggs might also play a role. We examined this hypothesis using the gastrointestinal helminths Trichostrongylus retortaeformis and Graphidium strigosum, two common infections of the European rabbit. Changes in egg hatching rate and volume were examined in relation to specific antibodies in the serum and bound to eggshells, using eggs shed in host faeces over a 15-week period. Hatching rate was consistently higher for T. retortaeformis than G. strigosum and no changes were observed between weeks. Egg volume increased for G. strigosum but decreased for T. retortaeformis. We did find evidence of egg-specific antibody responses and fewer antibodies were bound to eggs of T. retortaeformis compared to G. strigosum. Little to no association was found between antibodies and hatchability, or volume, for both helminths. We suggest that host antibodies play a relatively minor role in the egg hatching rate of these gastrointestinal helminths.
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TLTF in cerebrospinal fluid for detection and staging of T. b. gambiense infection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79281. [PMID: 24260185 PMCID: PMC3834137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Trypanosome-derived lymphocyte triggering factor (TLTF) is a molecule released by African trypanosomes that interacts with the host immune system, resulting in increased levels of IFN-γ production. Methodology/Principal findings TLTF and anti-TLTF antibodies were assessed in sera and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients infected with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (T. b. gambiense) in an attempt to identify alternative markers for diagnosis and stage determination of human African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness. Seventy-four serum and sixty-one CSF samples from patients with parasitologically confirmed infection and known disease stage along with 13 sera and CSF from uninfected controls were tested. In serum the levels of anti-TLTF antibodies were unrelated to the disease stage. In contrast, levels of anti-TLTF antibodies in CSF were higher in intermediate/late stages than in early stage disease patients. Specificity of the detected antibodies was assessed by inhibition of TLTF bioactivity as represented by its ability to induce IFN-γ production. Additionally, TLTF was detected in CSF from late stage patients by Western blotting with the anti-TLTF specific monoclonal antibody MO3. Conclusions/Significance These findings suggest a new possibility for disease diagnosis with focus on involvement of the CNS through detection of TLTF and anti-TLTF antibodies in the CSF.
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