1
|
Badiezadeh P, Esmaeilifallah M, Haddadniaa M, Abtahi SM. Evaluation of the biodiversity and distribution of sand flies and tracking of Leishmania major in them in central Iran. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 34:3245-3255. [PMID: 38171018 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2300750] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Many areas of Iran are endemic regarding Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) as a parasitic disease transmitted by a female sand fly vector's bite. The present study investigated the distribution of sand flies in Harand and Egieh in Isfahan province, Central Iran. Overall, 408 out of 1260 collected sand flies were identified morphologically, among which 353 and 55 were isolated from Harand and Egieh, respectively. Also, 66.4% and 33.6% of the sand flies were female and male, respectively. The most prevalent sand fly species were Phlebotomus papatasi (52%), followed by Ph. caucasicus (40.4%), Sergentomyia sintoni (4.9%), and Ph. kazeruni (0.7%). Among 180 molecularly-analyzed sand flies, 14 (7.77%) were found infected with L. major, with 9 out of 103 (8.73%) Ph. papatasi and 5 out of 75 (6.66%) Ph. caucasicus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Parisima Badiezadeh
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahsa Esmaeilifallah
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Haddadniaa
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Abtahi
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wedage WMM, Harischandra IN, Weerasena OVDSJ, De Silva BGDNK. Genetic diversity and phylogeography of Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae), using COI and ND4 mitochondrial gene sequences. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0296286. [PMID: 38157363 PMCID: PMC10756540 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296286] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phlebotomus argentipes complex is the primary vector for cutaneous leishmaniasis, a burgeoning health concern in contemporary Sri Lanka, where effective vector control is important for proper disease management. Understanding the genetic diversity of the P. argentipes population in Sri Lanka is vital before implementing a successful vector control program. Various studies have indicated that genetic divergence, caused by genetic drift or selection, can significantly influence the vector capacity of arthropod species. To devise innovative control strategies for P. argentipes, exploring genetic diversity and phylogeography can offer valuable insights into vector competence, key genetic trait transfer, and impact on disease epidemiology. The primary objective is to analyze the genetic diversity and phylogeography of the P. argentipes complex in Sri Lanka, based on two mitochondrial genomic regions in modern representatives of P. argentipes populations. METHODOLOGY A total of 159 P. argentipes specimens were collected from five endemic areas of cutaneous leishmaniasis and identified morphologically. Two mitochondrial regions (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (ND4) were amplified using the total DNA and subsequently sequenced. Partial sequences of those mitochondrial genes were utilized to analyze genetic diversity indices and to explore phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Among five sampling locations, the highest genetic diversity for COI and ND4 was observed in Hambantota (Hd-0.749, π-0.00417) and Medirigiriya (Hd-0.977, π-0.01055), respectively. Phylogeographic analyses conducted using COI sequences and GenBank retrieved sequences demonstrated a significant divergence of P. argentipes haplotypes found in Sri Lanka. Results revealed that they have evolved from the Indian ancestral haplotype due to historical- geographical connections of the Indian subcontinent with Sri Lanka. CONCLUSIONS Utilizing high-mutation-rate mitochondrial genes, such as ND4, can enhance the accuracy of genetic variability analysis in P. argentipes populations in Sri Lanka. The phylogeographical analysis of COI gene markers in this study provides insights into the historical geographical relationship between India and P. argentipes in Sri Lanka. Both COI and ND4 genes exhibited consistent genetic homogeneity in P. argentipes in Sri Lanka, suggesting minimal impact on gene flow. This homogeneity also implies the potential for horizontal gene transfer across populations, facilitating the transmission of genes associated with traits like insecticide resistance. This dynamic undermines disease control efforts reliant on vector control strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W. Methsala Madurangi Wedage
- Center for Biotechnology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - Iresha N. Harischandra
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
- Vidya Sethu Foundation, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
| | | | - B. G. D. N. K. De Silva
- Center for Biotechnology, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Unit, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Institute of Biotechnology (SLIBTEC), Homagama, Sri Lanka
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ding H, Dong Y, Deng Y, Xu Y, Liu Y, Wu J, Chen M, Zhang C, Liu L, Lin Y. Molecular surveillance of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium vivax isolates from malaria cases in Yunnan Province of China using pvcrt-o gene polymorphisms. Malar J 2023; 22:338. [PMID: 37940956 PMCID: PMC10631137 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04776-z] [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: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficacy of chloroquine treatment for vivax malaria has been rarely evaluated due to a lack of an appropriate testing method. The objective of this study was to conduct molecular monitoring of chloroquine resistance in Plasmodium vivax strains from vivax malaria patients in Yunnan Province, focusing on the analysis of polymorphism in the P. vivax chloroquine resistance transporter protein orthologous gene (pvcrt-o). METHODS In accordance with the principles of a cohort study, blood samples were collected from malaria cases diagnosed with a P. vivax mono-infection in Yunnan Province from 2020 to 2022. Segmental PCR was used to amplify the whole pvcrt-o gene in the blood samples and their products were subsequently sequenced. The sequencing data were arranged to obtain the full coding DNA sequence (CDS) as well as the gene's promoter region sequences. The CDSs were aligned with the reference sequence (XM_001613407.1) of the P. vivax SalI isolate to identify the mutant loci. RESULTS From a total of 375 blood samples taken from vivax malaria cases, 272 both whole gene CDSs (1272-1275 bp) and promoter DNA sequences (707 bp) of pvcrt-o gene were obtained. Among the whole CDSs, there were 7 single nucleotide polymorphic sites in which c.7 A>G was the minor allele frequency (MAF) site with 4.4% (12/272) detection rate. The mutation detection rate showed a significant decrease from 9.8% (10/102) in 2020 to 1.1% (1/92) in 2021 and 1.3% (1/78) in 2022, indicating statistical significance (χ2 = 11.256, P < 0.05). Among the identified 12 haplotypes, the majority of which were wild type (75.7%; 206/272). These four mutant haplotypes (Hap_3, Hap_5, Hap_9, and Hap_10) were classified as "K10 insertion type" and accounted for 12.1% (33/272). The detection rate of Hap_3 increased from 1.0% (1/102) in 2020 to 13.0% (12/92) in 2021 and 14.1% (11/78) in 2022, indicating statistical significance. A total of 23.8% (65/272) of the samples exhibited 14 bp (bp) deletions in the promoter region, occurring most frequently in the wild type haplotype (Hap_1) samples at a rate of 28.6% (59/206). CONCLUSIONS In recent years in Yunnan Province, a notable proportion of vivax malaria patients are infected by P. vivax strains with a "K10 insertion" and partial sequence deletions in the promoter region of the pvcrt-o gene, necessitating vigilance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongyun Ding
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Ying Dong
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China.
| | - Yan Deng
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Yanchun Xu
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Mengni Chen
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Canglin Zhang
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Vector-borne Diseases Control and Research, Yunnan International Joint Laboratory of Tropical Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control, Pu'er, 665000, China
| | - Li Liu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China.
| | - Yingkun Lin
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dehong, 678499, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Labbé F, Abdeladhim M, Abrudan J, Araki AS, Araujo RN, Arensburger P, Benoit JB, Brazil RP, Bruno RV, Bueno da Silva Rivas G, Carvalho de Abreu V, Charamis J, Coutinho-Abreu IV, da Costa-Latgé SG, Darby A, Dillon VM, Emrich SJ, Fernandez-Medina D, Figueiredo Gontijo N, Flanley CM, Gatherer D, Genta FA, Gesing S, Giraldo-Calderón GI, Gomes B, Aguiar ERGR, Hamilton JGC, Hamarsheh O, Hawksworth M, Hendershot JM, Hickner PV, Imler JL, Ioannidis P, Jennings EC, Kamhawi S, Karageorgiou C, Kennedy RC, Krueger A, Latorre-Estivalis JM, Ligoxygakis P, Meireles-Filho ACA, Minx P, Miranda JC, Montague MJ, Nowling RJ, Oliveira F, Ortigão-Farias J, Pavan MG, Horacio Pereira M, Nobrega Pitaluga A, Proveti Olmo R, Ramalho-Ortigao M, Ribeiro JMC, Rosendale AJ, Sant’Anna MRV, Scherer SE, Secundino NFC, Shoue DA, da Silva Moraes C, Gesto JSM, Souza NA, Syed Z, Tadros S, Teles-de-Freitas R, Telleria EL, Tomlinson C, Traub-Csekö YM, Marques JT, Tu Z, Unger MF, Valenzuela J, Ferreira FV, de Oliveira KPV, Vigoder FM, Vontas J, Wang L, Weedall GD, Zhioua E, Richards S, Warren WC, Waterhouse RM, Dillon RJ, McDowell MA. Genomic analysis of two phlebotomine sand fly vectors of Leishmania from the New and Old World. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0010862. [PMID: 37043542 PMCID: PMC10138862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010862] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Phlebotomine sand flies are of global significance as important vectors of human disease, transmitting bacterial, viral, and protozoan pathogens, including the kinetoplastid parasites of the genus Leishmania, the causative agents of devastating diseases collectively termed leishmaniasis. More than 40 pathogenic Leishmania species are transmitted to humans by approximately 35 sand fly species in 98 countries with hundreds of millions of people at risk around the world. No approved efficacious vaccine exists for leishmaniasis and available therapeutic drugs are either toxic and/or expensive, or the parasites are becoming resistant to the more recently developed drugs. Therefore, sand fly and/or reservoir control are currently the most effective strategies to break transmission. To better understand the biology of sand flies, including the mechanisms involved in their vectorial capacity, insecticide resistance, and population structures we sequenced the genomes of two geographically widespread and important sand fly vector species: Phlebotomus papatasi, a vector of Leishmania parasites that cause cutaneous leishmaniasis, (distributed in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa) and Lutzomyia longipalpis, a vector of Leishmania parasites that cause visceral leishmaniasis (distributed across Central and South America). We categorized and curated genes involved in processes important to their roles as disease vectors, including chemosensation, blood feeding, circadian rhythm, immunity, and detoxification, as well as mobile genetic elements. We also defined gene orthology and observed micro-synteny among the genomes. Finally, we present the genetic diversity and population structure of these species in their respective geographical areas. These genomes will be a foundation on which to base future efforts to prevent vector-borne transmission of Leishmania parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Labbé
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Maha Abdeladhim
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jenica Abrudan
- Genomic Sciences & Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Alejandra Saori Araki
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo N. Araujo
- Laboratório de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematófagos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Peter Arensburger
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California, United States of America
| | - Joshua B. Benoit
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | | | - Rafaela V. Bruno
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Bueno da Silva Rivas
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Vinicius Carvalho de Abreu
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Jason Charamis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes University Campus, Heraklion, Greece
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Iliano V. Coutinho-Abreu
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | | | - Alistair Darby
- Institute of Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Viv M. Dillon
- Institute of Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Scott J. Emrich
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | | | - Nelder Figueiredo Gontijo
- Laboratório de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematófagos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Catherine M. Flanley
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Derek Gatherer
- Division of Biomedical & Life Sciences, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Fernando A. Genta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Sandra Gesing
- Discovery Partners Institute, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Gloria I. Giraldo-Calderón
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
- Dept. Ciencias Biológicas & Dept. Ciencias Básicas Médicas, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
| | - Bruno Gomes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - James G. C. Hamilton
- Division of Biomedical & Life Sciences, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Omar Hamarsheh
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Mallory Hawksworth
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jacob M. Hendershot
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Paul V. Hickner
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jean-Luc Imler
- CNRS-UPR9022 Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire and Faculté des Sciences de la Vie-Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Panagiotis Ioannidis
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
| | - Emily C. Jennings
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Charikleia Karageorgiou
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
- Genomics Group – Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Biology Lab, Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ryan C. Kennedy
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Andreas Krueger
- Medical Entomology Branch, Dept. Microbiology, Bundeswehr Hospital, Hamburg, Germany
- Medical Zoology Branch, Dept. Microbiology, Central Bundeswehr Hospital, Koblenz, Germany
| | - José M. Latorre-Estivalis
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias, Universidad de Buenos Aires - CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Petros Ligoxygakis
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Development and Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Patrick Minx
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Olivette, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Jose Carlos Miranda
- Laboratório de Imunoparasitologia, CPqGM, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Michael J. Montague
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ronald J. Nowling
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Fabiano Oliveira
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Marcio G. Pavan
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Fisiologia de Insetos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Transmissores de Hematozoários, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos Horacio Pereira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematófagos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Andre Nobrega Pitaluga
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Roenick Proveti Olmo
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Ramalho-Ortigao
- F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - José M. C. Ribeiro
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Rosendale
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mauricio R. V. Sant’Anna
- Laboratório de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematófagos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Departamento de Parasitologia, Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Steven E. Scherer
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Douglas A. Shoue
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | | | | | - Nataly Araujo Souza
- Laboratory Interdisciplinar em Vigilancia Entomologia em Diptera e Hemiptera, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Zainulabueddin Syed
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Samuel Tadros
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | | | - Erich L. Telleria
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Chad Tomlinson
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | | | - João Trindade Marques
- Department of Biology and Center for Biological Clocks Research, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Zhijian Tu
- Fralin Life Science Institute and Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Maria F. Unger
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Jesus Valenzuela
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Flávia V. Ferreira
- Department of Microbiology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Karla P. V. de Oliveira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Felipe M. Vigoder
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - John Vontas
- Molecular Entomology Lab, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Greece
- Pesticide Science Lab, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens Greece
| | - Lihui Wang
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Olivette, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Gareth D. Weedall
- Vector Biology Department, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Liverpool, United Kingdom
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Elyes Zhioua
- Vector Ecology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Stephen Richards
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Wesley C. Warren
- Department of Animal Sciences, Department of Surgery, Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Waterhouse
- Department of Ecology & Evolution and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rod J. Dillon
- Division of Biomedical & Life Sciences, Faculty of Health & Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Mary Ann McDowell
- Eck Institute for Global Health, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kykalová B, Tichá L, Volf P, Loza Telleria E. Phlebotomus papatasi Antimicrobial Peptides in Larvae and Females and a Gut-Specific Defensin Upregulated by Leishmania major Infection. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112307. [PMID: 34835433 PMCID: PMC8625375 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Phlebotomus papatasi is the vector of Leishmania major, causing cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World. We investigated whether P. papatasi immunity genes were expressed toward L. major, commensal gut microbes, or a combination of both. We focused on sand fly transcription factors dorsal and relish and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) attacin and defensin and assessed their relative gene expression by qPCR. Sand fly larvae were fed food with different bacterial loads. Relish and AMPs gene expressions were higher in L3 and early L4 larval instars, while bacteria 16S rRNA increased in late L4 larval instar, all fed rich-microbe food compared to the control group fed autoclaved food. Sand fly females were treated with an antibiotic cocktail to deplete gut bacteria and were experimentally infected by Leishmania. Compared to non-infected females, dorsal and defensin were upregulated at early and late infection stages, respectively. An earlier increase of defensin was observed in infected females when bacteria recolonized the gut after the removal of antibiotics. Interestingly, this defensin gene expression occurred specifically in midguts but not in other tissues of females and larvae. A gut-specific defensin gene upregulated by L. major infection, in combination with gut-bacteria, is a promising molecular target for parasite control strategies.
Collapse
|
6
|
First molecular identification of Leishmania major in Phlebotomus papatasi in an outbreak cutaneous leishmaniasis area in Iraq. Acta Trop 2021; 215:105807. [PMID: 33385365 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105807] [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: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is transmitted by Phlebotomine sand fly vectors, among which Phlebotomus papatasi is prevalent in Western Asia, Northern Africa and Southern Europe, and it is known as a vector for Leishmania major parasite in the world. However, in Iraq, morphological studies showed that P. papatasi is a predominant sand fly species and hypothesised to transmit CL causing Leishmania species including L. major and L. tropica. Few studies have found Leishmania species in sand flies in mixed pools of samples in this country. Accurate identification of sand flies as vectors of Leishmania species is required in Iraq. The current study aims to identify sand fly species, using both morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, in a region where CL tends to be endemic. Furthermore, molecular phylogenetic analysis has also used to confirm Leishmania species in the sand fly samples collected in 11 villages between Diyala and Sulaymaniyah Provinces. For the first time, we have found L. major in three individual sand flies, one engorged (with fresh blood meal) and two non-engorged (without visible fresh blood meal) P. papatasi females in an area of CL outbreaks since 2014-till now due to civil wars and internal conflicts happen in the region. Further study should be performed on sand fly population and Leishmania reservoirs in this region.
Collapse
|
7
|
Nezamzadeh-Ezhiyeh H, Mirhendi H, Jafari R, Veysi A, Rassi Y, Oshaghi MA, Arandian MH, Abdoli H, Bahrami S, Zahraei Ramazani AR, Fadaei R, Ramazanpoor J, Farsi M, Aminian K, Saeidi Z, Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Akhavan AA. An Eco-Epidemiological Study on Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Central Iran. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 50:350-359. [PMID: 33747999 PMCID: PMC7956076 DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v50i2.5350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis is an expanding neglected tropical disease in the world reporting from 98 countries including Iran. This study focused on eco-epidemiological determinants of the disease following a rapid and unexpected increase of leishmaniasis incidence in a strategic residential district in North-East of Isfahan County, Iran. Methods This study was accomplished from Apr 2012 to Jan 2014 in a strategic residential zone in North-East of Isfahan County, Esfahan, Iran. Monthly activity, parity, Leishmania infection and susceptibility tests, were determined on sand flies. Some portion of inhabitants and school children were surveyed to find active or passive cases of leishmaniasis and also wild rodents were collected to determine reservoir host. Results Totally 5223 sand flies belonging to Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia genus were collected and identified; Ph. papa-tasi was the dominant species and started to appear in May and disappeared in Oct. The majority of living dissected sand flies were unfed and parous. Ph. papatasi showed 4.6% Leishmania infection through direct examination and 39.54% by nested-PCR respectively. Phlebotomus papatasi was susceptible against deltametrin 0.05%. Totally 2149 people were surveyed and incidence and prevalence of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis estimated as 45.39 and 314.40 per 1000 population. Rodents showed 73.91% and 80% Leishmania infection by direct examination and nested-PCR respectively. Conclusion Cutaneous leishmaniasis due to L. major has been established in this area. Rodent control operation and personal protection are highly recommended to control the disease in this focus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Nezamzadeh-Ezhiyeh
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Mirhendi
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Reza Jafari
- Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arshad Veysi
- Zoonoses Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Yavar Rassi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Arandian
- Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Abdoli
- Isfahan Health Research Station, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samad Bahrami
- Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ali Reza Zahraei Ramazani
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Fadaei
- Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Javad Ramazanpoor
- Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Farsi
- Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Kurosh Aminian
- Isfahan Health Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Zahra Saeidi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Yaghoobi-Ershadi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Ahmad Akhavan
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Population genetics analysis of Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies from Egypt and Jordan based on mitochondrial cytochrome b haplotypes. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:214. [PMID: 29587873 PMCID: PMC5872541 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2785-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phlebotomus papatasi sand flies are major vectors of Leishmania major and phlebovirus infection in North Africa and across the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent. Population genetics is a valuable tool in understanding the level of genetic variability present in vector populations, vector competence, and the development of novel control strategies. This study investigated the genetic differentiation between P. papatasi populations in Egypt and Jordan that inhabit distinct ecotopes and compared this structure to P. papatasi populations from a broader geographical range. METHODS A 461 base pair (bp) fragment from the mtDNA cytochrome b (cyt b) gene was PCR amplified and sequenced from 116 individual female sand flies from Aswan and North Sinai, Egypt, as well as Swaimeh and Malka, Jordan. Haplotypes were identified and used to generate a median-joining network, F ST values and isolation-by-distance were also evaluated. Additional sand fly individuals from Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Tunisia and Turkey were included as well as previously published haplotypes to provide a geographically broad genetic variation analysis. RESULTS Thirteen haplotypes displaying nine variant sites were identified from P. papatasi collected in Egypt and Jordan. No private haplotypes were identified from samples in North Sinai, Egypt, two were observed in Aswan, Egypt, four from Swaimeh, Jordan and two in Malka, Jordan. The Jordan populations clustered separately from the Egypt populations and produced more private haplotypes than those from Egypt. Pairwise F ST values fall in the range 0.024-0.648. CONCLUSION The clustering patterns and pairwise F ST values indicate a strong differentiation between Egyptian and Jordanian populations, although this population structure is not due to isolation-by-distance. Other factors, such as environmental influences and the genetic variability in the circulating Le. major parasites, could possibly contribute to this heterogeneity. The present study aligns with previous reports in that pockets of genetic differentiation exists between populations of this widely dispersed species but, overall, the species remains relatively homogeneous.
Collapse
|
9
|
Saghafipour A, Vatandoost H, Zahraei-Ramazani AR, Yaghoobi-Ershadi MR, Jooshin MK, Rassi Y, Shirzadi MR, Akhavan AA, Hanafi-Bojd AA. Epidemiological Study on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in an Endemic Area, of Qom Province, Central Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis 2017; 11:403-413. [PMID: 29322057 PMCID: PMC5758636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the most important health problems in many areas of Iran. There are two forms of the disease in Iran, anthroponotic and zoonotic CL. This study conducted to assess the epidemiological situation of CL in an endemic area of Qom Province, central Iran from Apr to Nov 2015. METHODS The sticky paper traps and aspirating tubes were used for collecting adult sand flies. Sherman traps and small insect nets were used to capture rodents and small mammals. Giemsa staining was used for preparing the expanded smear and followed by PCR for identifying the causative agent in human, vectors, and reservoirs. In this study, relative frequency of CL was also calculated. RESULTS Fourteen species of Phlebotomine sand flies were collected. Phlebotomus papatasi (61.74%) was the predominant species through the period of activity. Overall, 62 Meriones libycus, 8 Nesokia indica, 4 Mus musculus, 16 Allactaga elater and 2 Hemiechinus auritis were caught. PCR technique showed 6 out of 150 P. papatasi (2%), two out of 62 M. libycus (3.23%) and all of suspected human's skin tissue samples (100%) were infected with Leishmania major. The relative frequency of CL was 0.30%. CONCLUSION This is the first detection of L. major within P. papatasi, M. libycus and human in Kahak District in Qom Province of Iran. Zoonotic cycle of CL exists in this area, L. major is the causative agent, P. papatasi is the main vector and M. libycus is the main reservoir of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abedin Saghafipour
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, International Campus (IC-TUMS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Vatandoost
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Department of Environmental Chemical Pollutants and Pesticides, Institute for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Corresponding authors: Dr Hassan Vatandoost, E-mail: , Dr Ali Reza, Zahraei-Ramazani, E-mail:
| | - Ali Reza Zahraei-Ramazani
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran,Corresponding authors: Dr Hassan Vatandoost, E-mail: , Dr Ali Reza, Zahraei-Ramazani, E-mail:
| | - Mohammad Reza Yaghoobi-Ershadi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Yavar Rassi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Shirzadi
- Communicable Diseases Management Center, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Ahmad Akhavan
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Ali Hanafi-Bojd
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Bellali H, Chemak F, Nouiri I, Ben Mansour D, Ghrab J, Chahed MK. Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Prevalence Among Farmers in Central Tunisia, 2014. J Agromedicine 2017; 22:244-250. [PMID: 28402250 DOI: 10.1080/1059924x.2017.1318725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) is endemic in central Tunisia and is more prevalent in rural agricultural areas. The aim of this work was to determine ZCL prevalence among farmers and to test their availability to take ownership of the problem and participate actively to fight and address the disease. METHODS A sample of farmers from Sidi Bouzid, central Tunisia, was selected randomly. Farmers were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire about ZCL lesion occurrence, its date of onset among family members, and the farmers' availability to contribute to fighting this disease. RESULTS ZCL occurred in at least one of the family members of 38.5% interviewed farmers. The disease was endemic with recurrent epidemics every 4 or 5 years. ZCL among farmers was associated with irrigation management. With regard to ZCL preventive measures, the majority of farmers agreed and expressed willingness to collaborate (93.1%), to follow health care facilities instructions (73.1%), and to join the nongovernmental organization (NGO) (56.9%). However, they did not agree to reduce irrigation activities mainly at night, to live far from their irrigated fields, or to sleep out of their houses at night. CONCLUSIONS ZCL is more prevalent in farmers engaged in irrigation activities. Farmers are not agreeable to reducing their activity to avoid exposure to the sand fly bites. Thus, population involvement and commitment is required to implement effective control measures to fight and address ZCL.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hedia Bellali
- a Department of Epidemiology and Statistics , Abderrahmen Mami Hospital , Ariana , Tunisia.,b Section of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Medical Faculty of Tunis , Tunis El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia
| | - Fraj Chemak
- c National Institute for Agricultural Research of Tunisia (INRAT) , Tunis , Tunisia
| | - Issam Nouiri
- d National Institute of Agronomy of Tunisia (INAT) , University of Carthage , Carthage , Tunisia
| | - Dorra Ben Mansour
- c National Institute for Agricultural Research of Tunisia (INRAT) , Tunis , Tunisia
| | - Jamila Ghrab
- e Environmental Sciences and Technologies Institute , Borj Cedria , Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Kouni Chahed
- a Department of Epidemiology and Statistics , Abderrahmen Mami Hospital , Ariana , Tunisia.,b Section of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Medical Faculty of Tunis , Tunis El Manar University , Tunis , Tunisia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Azizi K, Askari MB, Kalantari M, Moemenbellah-Fard MD. Molecular detection of Leishmania parasites and host blood meal identification in wild sand flies from a new endemic rural region, south of Iran. Pathog Glob Health 2016; 110:303-309. [PMID: 27854189 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2016.1253530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniosis (ZCL) remains the most crucial vector-borne public health disease particularly in endemic rural parts of Iran. The main aim of this study is to identify wild sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae), determine their infection rate, and differentiate their host blood meal sources using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Sand fly populations were caught with sticky paper traps from 10 different villages in the county of Darab, Fars province, southern Iran. Following their species identification, they were used in one step PCR to determine their infection with Leishmania spp. parasites. They were then subjected to PCR-RFLP protocol to identify and differentiate their blood meal sources. Two genera of Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia comprising 13 species of sand flies were identified in this region. From a total of 150 parous female sand flies, encompassing 4 different medically important species, 7 specimens (4.7%) including 6 Phlebotomus papatasi and 1 Phlebotomus bergeroti were infected with Leishmania major. Molecular data indicated that about 32% of female sand flies fed on man, while nearly 43% fed on rodent and canine hosts. Molecular detection is an efficient way of differentiating the source of blood meals in female sand flies feeding on different vertebrate hosts. It is suggested that P. papatasi is not highly anthropophagic and appears to be an opportunistic feeder on man. This species is, however, the primary vector of ZCL in this region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kourosh Azizi
- a Research Centre for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control , School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran
| | - Mohammad Bagher Askari
- b Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control , School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran
| | - Mohsen Kalantari
- a Research Centre for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control , School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran.,c Department of Public Health, Mamasani Higher Education Complex for Health , Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran
| | - Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard
- a Research Centre for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control , School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences , Shiraz , Iran
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ebrahimi S, Bordbar A, Parvizi P. Genetic dynamics in the sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) nuclear and mitochondrial genotypes: evidence for vector adaptation at the border of Iran with Iraq. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:319. [PMID: 27260204 PMCID: PMC4893242 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1603-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Our investigation uses nucleotide variations of the genera Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia using the EF-1α and Cyt b genotype regions to describe the sand fly fauna and genetic aspects collected at war-torn sites of the Khuzestan boundary between Iraq and Iran. Methods All sand fly species were characterized using molecular genetics. The field work was conducted in six districts including 24 locations in remote areas for three years at the peak of sand fly activity during cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission seasons. The distribution of CL vectors was determined based on the climatic regionalization using the kriging method in ArcGIS model. DNA of sand fly pools were screened via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using neutrality (Tajima’s D) and neutral allele frequency (Fu’s Fs) tests to measure the effect of randomly evolving DNA sequence on the genetic diversity of sand fly populations in response to habitat fragmentation and landscape modification. Results Among the 1213 specimens, ten species were identified based on morphology. The non-native species Phlebotomus sergenti was unequivocally found for the first time in the studied regions. Nucleotide substitutions of sand fly sequences varied most in the most disrupted districts (Dashte-Azadegan and Abadan; disparity index test: P < 0.05). The haplotypes of Cyt b from the subgenus Sergentomyia and P. papatasi revealed more heterogeneity (Tajima’s D > +2) than P. alexandri (D > +1), which suggests widespread heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA mutations in the same mtDNA gene among different sand fly species. Subgenus Sintonius exhibited greater fitness (D = 0) and (neutrality test; P > 0.05) no evidence of selection. The sequence of the nuclear gene EF-1α indicated similar nucleotide differences, as observed for the Cyt b gene, in all sand fly species, but lower levels of polymorphisms (D > +1) were observed compared with the mitochondrial Cyt b gene (D > +2) in the subgenus Sergentomyia. Conclusion Our findings describe random nucleotide diversity in the Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia population gene pools due to recent anthropogenic influence. A phylogenetic analysis showed that the closely related species are positioned in monophyletic clades, except for the subgenus Sergentomyia and P. sergenti, and highlights the importance of haplotype variations for the development of adaptability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Ebrahimi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.,Microbiology Research Center (MRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Bordbar
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.,Microbiology Research Center (MRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Parvizi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. .,Microbiology Research Center (MRC), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Akhoundi M, Kuhls K, Cannet A, Votýpka J, Marty P, Delaunay P, Sereno D. A Historical Overview of the Classification, Evolution, and Dispersion of Leishmania Parasites and Sandflies. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004349. [PMID: 26937644 PMCID: PMC4777430 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 522] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to describe the major evolutionary historical events among Leishmania, sandflies, and the associated animal reservoirs in detail, in accordance with the geographical evolution of the Earth, which has not been previously discussed on a large scale. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Leishmania and sandfly classification has always been a controversial matter, and the increasing number of species currently described further complicates this issue. Despite several hypotheses on the origin, evolution, and distribution of Leishmania and sandflies in the Old and New World, no consistent agreement exists regarding dissemination of the actors that play roles in leishmaniasis. For this purpose, we present here three centuries of research on sandflies and Leishmania descriptions, as well as a complete description of Leishmania and sandfly fossils and the emergence date of each Leishmania and sandfly group during different geographical periods, from 550 million years ago until now. We discuss critically the different approaches that were used for Leishmana and sandfly classification and their synonymies, proposing an updated classification for each species of Leishmania and sandfly. We update information on the current distribution and dispersion of different species of Leishmania (53), sandflies (more than 800 at genus or subgenus level), and animal reservoirs in each of the following geographical ecozones: Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropic, Afrotropical, Oriental, Malagasy, and Australian. We propose an updated list of the potential and proven sandfly vectors for each Leishmania species in the Old and New World. Finally, we address a classical question about digenetic Leishmania evolution: which was the first host, a vertebrate or an invertebrate? CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE We propose an updated view of events that have played important roles in the geographical dispersion of sandflies, in relation to both the Leishmania species they transmit and the animal reservoirs of the parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Akhoundi
- Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l’Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France
| | - Katrin Kuhls
- Division of Molecular Biotechnology and Functional Genetics, Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, Wildau, Germany
| | - Arnaud Cannet
- Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pierre Marty
- Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l’Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France
- Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Pascal Delaunay
- Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Hôpital de l’Archet, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France
- Inserm U1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Nice, France
| | - Denis Sereno
- MIVEGEC, UMR CNRS-IRD-Université de Montpellier Centre IRD, Montpellier, France
- UMR177, Centre IRD de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Haddad N, Saliba H, Altawil A, Villinsky J, Al-Nahhas S. Cutaneous leishmaniasis in the central provinces of Hama and Edlib in Syria: Vector identification and parasite typing. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:524. [PMID: 26459055 PMCID: PMC4603585 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1147-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a disease transmitted by sand fly bites. This disease is highly prevalent in Syria where Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica are the known aetiological agents. In 2011, more than 58,000 cases were reported in the country by the Ministry of Health. The central region of the country harbors 20 % of the reported cases. However, the epidemiology of the disease in this area is not well understood. An epidemiological survey was conducted in 2010 to identity the circulating parasite and the sand fly vector in the central provinces of Edlib and Hama. Methods Sand fly specimens were collected using CDC light traps and identified morphologically. Total DNA was extracted from the abdomens of female specimens and from Giemsa-stained skin lesion smears of 80 patients. Leishmania parasites were first identified by sequencing the ITS1 gene amplicons. Then polymorphism analysis was performed using the RFLP technique. Results A total of 2142 sand flies were collected. They belonged to eight species, among which Phlebotomus sergenti and Phlebotomus papatasi were the most predominant. L. tropica ITS1 gene was amplified from two pools of P. sergenti specimens and from skin smears of cutaneous leishmaniasis patients. This suggests that P. sergenti is the potential vector species in the study area. The digestion profiles of the obtained amplicons by TaqI restriction enzyme were identical for all analysed L. tropica parasites. Moreover, L. infantum ITS1 gene was amplified from two pools of Phlebotomus tobbi in the relatively humid zone of Edlib. Conclusions L. tropica is confirmed to be the aetiological agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in the central provinces. RFLP technique failed to show any genetic heterogeneity in the ITS1 gene among the tested parasites. The molecular detection of this parasite in human skin smears and in P. sergenti supports the vector status of this species in the study area. The detection of L. infantum in P. tobbi specimens indicates a potential circulation of this parasite in the humid zone of Edlib. Further epidemiological studies are needed to evaluate the burden of this visceral parasite in the study region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nabil Haddad
- Laboratory of Immunology, Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Fanar, Lebanon.
| | - Hanadi Saliba
- Laboratory of Immunology, Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Fanar, Lebanon.
| | - Atef Altawil
- National Leishmaniasis Control Program, Ministry of Health, Damascus, Syria.
| | | | - Samar Al-Nahhas
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ye F, Liu T, King SD, You P. Mitochondrial genomes of two phlebotomine sand flies, Phlebotomus chinensis and Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Nematocera), the first representatives from the family Psychodidae. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:472. [PMID: 26381614 PMCID: PMC4573934 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1081-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a worldwide but neglected disease of humans and animal transmitted by sand flies, vectors that also transmit other important diseases. Mitochondrial genomes contain abundant information for population genetic and phylogenetic studies, important in disease management. However, the available mitochondrial sequences of these crucial vectors are limited, emphasizing the need for developing more mitochondrial genetic markers. METHODS The complete mitochondrial genome of Phlebotomus chinensis was amplified in eight fragments and sequenced using primer walking. The mitochondrial genome of Phlebotomus papatasi was reconstructed from whole-genome sequencing data available on Genbank. The phylogenetic relationship of 24 selected representatives of Diptera was deduced from codon positions 1 and 2 for 13 protein coding genes, using Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. RESULTS We provide the first Phlebotomus (P. chinensis and P. papatasi) mitochondrial genomes. Both genomes contain 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and an A + T-rich region. The gene order of Phlebotomus mitochondrial genomes is identical with the ancestral gene order of insect. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that Psychodidae and Tanyderidae are sister taxa. Potential markers for population genetic study of Phlebotomus species were also revealed. CONCLUSION The generated mitochondrial genomes of P. chinensis and P. papatasi represent a useful resource for comparative genomic studies and provide valuable future markers for the population genetic study of these important Leishmania vectors. Our results also preliminary demonstrate the phylogenetic placement of Psychodidae based on their mitochondrial genomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Ye
- Co-Innovation Center for Qinba regions' sustainable development, College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
| | - Ting Liu
- Co-Innovation Center for Qinba regions' sustainable development, College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
| | - Stanley D King
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 4J1.
| | - Ping You
- Co-Innovation Center for Qinba regions' sustainable development, College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Bellali H, Hchaichi A, Harizi C, Mrabet A, Chahed MK. Comparison between active surveillance and passive detection of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic rural areas in Central Tunisia, 2009 to 2014. ASIAN PACIFIC JOURNAL OF TROPICAL DISEASE 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/s2222-1808(15)60827-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
17
|
High infection frequency, low diversity of Leishmania major and first detection of Leishmania turanica in human in northern Iran. Acta Trop 2014; 133:69-72. [PMID: 24530890 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2014.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2013] [Revised: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Smears of suspected patients infected with zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) were stained and examined under a light microscopic observation. DNA of parasites within human ulcers was extracted directly from their smears. Nested PCR was used to amplify a fragment containing the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal RNA genes (ITS-rDNA) of Lesihmania parasites in human from Turkemen Sahara located in the northeastern part of Iran. Based on RFLP method by digesting BsuRI restriction enzyme and more precisely sequencing of DNA ITS-rDNA was shown to be species-specific. The infection rates of Leishmania parasites were high with 154 (93.9%) infections out of 164 suspected patients using microscopic observations. Only from 128 suspected patients out of 164, ITS-rDNA fragments were amplified and 125 samples had enough DNA to digest BsuRI restriction enzyme and do DNA sequencing. The Nested PCR assays detected not only Leishmania major but also Leishmania turanica for the first time, another parasite of the great gerbil in human. The density of L. major was high but the diversity was low with only 2 haplotypes. The overall ratio of L. major (123 infections) to L. turanica (2 infections) was significantly higher (Chi-squared test: p<0.05). Infections of L. turanica are not reported only and/or not known to cause human disease. Our analytical framework conveys a clear understanding of both L. major and L. turanica which can only be approved as causative agents of ZCL by more extensive sampling and followed by standardized molecular diagnosis.
Collapse
|
18
|
Kebede N, Oghumu S, Worku A, Hailu A, Varikuti S, Satoskar AR. Multilocus microsatellite signature and identification of specific molecular markers for Leishmania aethiopica. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:160. [PMID: 23734874 PMCID: PMC3679749 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a clinically and epidemiologically diverse zoonotic disease caused by obligatory, intracellular protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most widely distributed form of the disease characterized by skin lesions. Leishmania aethiopica is considered the predominant etiological agent in Ethiopia. The current study was aimed at developing multilocus microsatellite markers for L. aethiopica isolated from human cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Ethiopia. RESULTS L. aethiopica parasites for the study were obtained from Ethiopia and laboratory analysis was conducted at The Ohio State University. DNA was extracted from cultured parasites and an internal transcribed spacer located at the ribosomal region of L. aethiopica genomic DNA was PCR amplified for species identification. Microsatellite markers were identified using multilocus microsatellite typing. We generated an enriched genomic library, and using Primer3 software, designed PCR primers to amplify sequences flanking the detected microsatellites. Subsequent screening of the amplified markers for length variations was performed by gel electrophoresis.Using a variety of molecular methods, 22 different microsatellite markers were identified and tested for typing L. aethiopica strains using a number of clinical isolates. Of the 22 markers tested, 5 were polymorphic and showed distinctive multilocus genotypes, classifying them into four clusters. One marker was found to be specific for L. aethiopica, discriminating it from other species of Leishmania. CONCLUSION Multilocus microsatellite typing using the markers developed in this study could be useful for epidemiological and population genetic studies of strains of L. aethiopica in order to investigate the structure and dynamics of the corresponding natural foci. It could also help to answer specific clinical questions, such as the occurrence of local and diffuse lesions, strain correlates of parasite persistence after subclinical infection and lesion comparisons from patients suffering from L. aethiopica infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nigatu Kebede
- Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Azizi K, Badzohreh A, Sarkari B, Fakoorziba MR, Kalantari M, Moemenbellah-Fard MD, Ali-Akbarpour M. Nested polymerase chain reaction and sequence- based detection of leishmania infection of sand flies in recently emerged endemic focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, southern iran. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES 2013; 38:156-62. [PMID: 24031105 PMCID: PMC3771217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Revised: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 06/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Geographical distribution of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) has continuously been extended in recent years in Iran. The Beiza District is one of the newly-emerged endemic foci of ZCL in southern Iran. The main aim of the present study was to detect the vector(s) of ZCL in this area. METHODS To detect the fauna and vectors of ZCL in this district, sand flies were caught using sticky papers. Seventy randomly selected female sand flies out of 730 were molecularly investigated for Leishmania infection using species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay between April and October 2010. RESULTS A total of 2543 sand flies were caught. The fauna was identified as 10 species (five Phlebotomus spp. and five Sergentomyia spp.). Phlebotomus papatasi was the most dominant species both indoors and outdoors (37.55% and 16.35 %, respectively). L. major was detected in 5 out of 48 investigated Phlebotomus papatasi (10.41%). Sequence-based characterization was carried out to confirm the PCR findings. The positive samples were shown to have 75-88% similarity with L. major sequences in GenBank. CONCLUSION According to the findings of the present study, similar to the other foci of ZCL in Iran, P. papatasi is the proven and primary vector of CL. This study could be drawn upon for future strategy planning in this newly emerged endemic focus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kourosh Azizi
- Department of Medical Entomology, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health and Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Abdollah Badzohreh
- Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Bahador Sarkari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Fakoorziba
- Department of Medical Entomology, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health and Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Kalantari
- Department of Public Health, Mamasani Paramedical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard
- Department of Medical Entomology, Research Centre for Health Sciences, School of Health and Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Ali-Akbarpour
- Department of Diseases Control, Fars Province Health Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Alasaad S. War diseases revealed by the social media: massive leishmaniasis outbreak in the Syrian Spring. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:94. [PMID: 23587258 PMCID: PMC3626784 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-94] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 04/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social media introduce pivotal changes to communication between individuals, organizations and communities. A clear example of the power of social media is the spread of the revolutionary outbreaks in the Arabic countries during 2011, where people used Facebook, YouTube and Skype to communicate, organise meetings and protest actions. Here I report how Doctor-Activists use these social media as an alarm system for ‘war disease’ outbreaks in the Syrian Spring. Social media are used as an alarm system to attract the attention of international organizations, which should assume their responsibilities and play their part in controlling the outbreak of such war diseases.
Collapse
|
21
|
Khalid NM, Aboud MA, Alrabba FM, Elnaiem DEA, Tripet F. Evidence for genetic differentiation at the microgeographic scale in Phlebotomus papatasi populations from Sudan. Parasit Vectors 2012; 5:249. [PMID: 23146340 PMCID: PMC3503571 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-5-249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2012] [Accepted: 11/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in Sudan. It is caused by Leishmania major parasites and transmitted by Phlebotomus papatasi sandflies. Recently, uncommon clinical manifestations of CL have been reported. Moreover, L. donovani parasites that cause Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) have been isolated from CL lesions of some patients who contracted the disease in Khartoum State, Central Sudan with no history of travelling to VL endemic sites on south-eastern Sudan. Because different clinical manifestations and the parasite behaviour could be related to genetic differentiation, or even sub-structuring within sandfly vector populations, a population genetic study was conducted on P. papatasi populations collected from different localities in Khartoum State known for their uncommon CL cases and characterized by contrasting environmental conditions. Methods A set of seven microsatellite loci was used to investigate the population structure of P. papatasi samples collected from different localities in Khartoum State, Central Sudan. Populations from Kassala State, Eastern Sudan and Egypt were also included in the analyses as outgroups. The level of genetic diversity and genetic differentiation among natural populations of P. papatasi was determined using FST statistics and Bayesian assignments. Results Genetic analyses revealed significant genetic differentiation (FST) between the Sudanese and the Egyptian populations. Within the Sudanese P. papatasi populations, one population from Gerif West, Khartoum State, exhibited significant genetic differentiation from all other populations including those collected as near as 22 km. Conclusion The significant genetic differentiation of Gerif West P. papatasi population from other Sudanese populations may have important implication for the epidemiology of leishmaniasis in Khartoum State and needs to be further investigated. Primarily, it could be linked to the unique location of Gerif West which is confined by the River Nile and its tributaries that may act as a natural barrier for gene flow between this site and the other rural sites. The observed high migration rates and lack of genetic differentiation among the other P. papatasi populations could be attributed to the continuous human and cattle movement between these localities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noteila M Khalid
- Department of Zoology, Khartoum College of Medical Science, PO Box 10995, Khartoum, Sudan.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Chelbi I, Bray DP, Hamilton JGC. Courtship behaviour of Phlebotomus papatasi the sand fly vector of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Parasit Vectors 2012; 5:179. [PMID: 22935092 PMCID: PMC3480941 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-5-179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 07/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi is an Old World vector of Leishmania major, the etiologic agent of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis. This study describes the courtship behaviour of P. papatasi and compares it with that of Lutzomyia longipalpis, the New World vector of visceral leishmaniasis. Understanding the details of courtship behaviour in P. papatasi may help us to understand the role of sex pheromones in this important vector. Results P. papatasi courtship was found to start with the female touching the male, leading him to begin abdomen bending and wing flapping. Following a period of leg rubbing and facing, the male flaps his wings while approaching the female. The female then briefly flaps her wings in response, to indicate that she is willing to mate, thereby signaling the male to begin copulation. Male P. papatasi did not engage in parading behaviour, which is performed by male L. longipalpis to mark out individual territories during lekking (the establishment and maintenance of mating aggregations), or wing-flap during copulation, believed to function in the production of audio signals important to mate recognition. In P. papatasi the only predictor of mating success for males was previous copulation attempts and for females stationary wing-flapping. By contrast, male L. longipalpis mating success is predicted by male approach-flapping and semi-circling behaviour and for females stationary wing-flapping. Conclusions The results show that there are important differences between the mating behaviours of P. papatasi and L. longipalpis. Abdomen bending, which does not occur in L. longipalpis, may act in the release of sex pheromone from an as yet unidentified site in the male abdomen. In male L. longipalpis wing-flapping is believed to be associated with distribution of male pheromone. These different behaviours are likely to signify significant differences in how pheromone is used, an observation that is consistent with field and laboratory observations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ifhem Chelbi
- Chemical Ecology Group, Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Identification and frequency distribution of Leishmania (L.) major infections in sand flies from a new endemic ZCL focus in southeast Iran. Parasitol Res 2012; 111:1821-6. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-3029-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2011] [Accepted: 06/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
24
|
Improving the population genetics toolbox for the study of the African malaria vector Anopheles nili: microsatellite mapping to chromosomes. Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:202. [PMID: 22011455 PMCID: PMC3222614 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2011] [Accepted: 10/19/2011] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles nili is a major vector of malaria in the humid savannas and forested areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding the population genetic structure and evolutionary dynamics of this species is important for the development of an adequate and targeted malaria control strategy in Africa. Chromosomal inversions and microsatellite markers are commonly used for studying the population structure of malaria mosquitoes. Physical mapping of these markers onto the chromosomes further improves the toolbox, and allows inference on the demographic and evolutionary history of the target species. RESULTS Availability of polytene chromosomes allowed us to develop a map of microsatellite markers and to study polymorphism of chromosomal inversions. Nine microsatellite markers were mapped to unique locations on all five chromosomal arms of An. nili using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Probes were obtained from 300-483 bp-long inserts of plasmid clones and from 506-559 bp-long fragments amplified with primers designed using the An. nili genome assembly generated on an Illumina platform. Two additional loci were assigned to specific chromosome arms of An. nili based on in silico sequence similarity and chromosome synteny with Anopheles gambiae. Three microsatellites were mapped inside or in the vicinity of the polymorphic chromosomal inversions 2Rb and 2Rc. A statistically significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, due to a deficit in heterozygotes at the 2Rb inversion, and highly significant linkage disequilibrium between the two inversions, were detected in natural An. nili populations collected from Burkina Faso. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated that next-generation sequencing can be used to improve FISH for microsatellite mapping in species with no reference genome sequence. Physical mapping of microsatellite markers in An. nili showed that their cytological locations spanned the entire five-arm complement, allowing genome-wide inferences. The knowledge about polymorphic inversions and chromosomal locations of microsatellite markers has been useful for explaining differences in genetic variability across loci and significant differentiation observed among natural populations of An. nili.
Collapse
|
25
|
Hamarsheh O, Amro A. Characterization of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) from Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Parasit Vectors 2011; 4:189. [PMID: 21958493 PMCID: PMC3191335 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2011] [Accepted: 09/29/2011] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phlebotomus papatasi is a natural vector of Leishmania major, which causes cutaneous leishmaniasis in many countries. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs), or microsatellites, are common in eukaryotic genomes and are short, repeated nucleotide sequence elements arrayed in tandem and flanked by non-repetitive regions. The enrichment methods used previously for finding new microsatellite loci in sand flies remain laborious and time consuming; in silico mining, which includes retrieval and screening of microsatellites from large amounts of sequence data from sequence data bases using microsatellite search tools can yield many new candidate markers. RESULTS Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were characterized in P. papatasi expressed sequence tags (ESTs) derived from a public database, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). A total of 42,784 sequences were mined, and 1,499 SSRs were identified with a frequency of 3.5% and an average density of 15.55 kb per SSR. Dinucleotide motifs were the most common SSRs, accounting for 67% followed by tri-, tetra-, and penta-nucleotide repeats, accounting for 31.1%, 1.5%, and 0.1%, respectively. The length of microsatellites varied from 5 to 16 repeats. Dinucleotide types; AG and CT have the highest frequency. Dinucleotide SSR-ESTs are relatively biased toward an excess of (AX)n repeats and a low GC base content. Forty primer pairs were designed based on motif lengths for further experimental validation. CONCLUSION The first large-scale survey of SSRs derived from P. papatasi is presented; dinucleotide SSRs identified are more frequent than other types. EST data mining is an effective strategy to identify functional microsatellites in P. papatasi.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omar Hamarsheh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Al-Quds University, PO Box 51000, Jerusalem, Palestine.
| | | |
Collapse
|