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Melgarejo-Colmenares K, Vezzani D, Gallego A, Cardo MV. Blood meal sources of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in domestic and open green environments from two urbanisations of temperate Argentina. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024; 114:30-40. [PMID: 38112065 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485323000573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the blood-feeding patterns of mosquitoes is essential for evaluating their potential as disease vectors, especially in urban areas where mosquitoes coexist with humans, domestic animals and wildlife. This study aimed to bridge a substantial gap in regional knowledge by identifying the blood meal sources of field-collected mosquitoes in domestic and open green environments from two urbanisations of temperate Argentina, the Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA) and Tandil, using molecular techniques. Female mosquitoes were collected from November 2019 to March 2020 and April-May 2021. A bipartite network analysis was performed for each environment and urbanisation. A total of 103 blood meals from Aedes (2 species) and Culex (7 species) were identified. Among these, five mammal and 18 bird species were recognised as hosts. Aedes mosquitoes exclusively fed on mammals, while Culex mosquitoes exhibited a broader host range including both birds and mammals. In AMBA, the open green environments were composed by more mosquito species than the domestic environments, while both presented similar numbers of vertebrate species. In contrast, in open green environments from Tandil only blood-fed Aedes albifasciatus were collected. For open green environments of AMBA and domestic environments of Tandil, results suggested some degree of host selection. For the three main vectors of diseases in the region, Aedes aegypti, Ae. albifasciatus and Culex pipiens molestus, we present the first molecular evidence of human blood meals in South America. Epidemiological significance of the present findings is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karelly Melgarejo-Colmenares
- IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Vezzani
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, UNCPBA-CICPBA, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Gallego
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario sobre Ecosistemas y Desarrollo Sustentable, UNCPBA-CICPBA, Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María V Cardo
- IIIA-UNSAM-CONICET, Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental, Escuela de Hábitat y Sostenibilidad, San Martín, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Jeffries CL, Tantely LM, Kadriaj P, Blagrove MSC, Lytra I, Orsborne J, Al-Amin HM, Mohammed AR, Alam MS, Girod R, Afrane YA, Bino S, Robert V, Boyer S, Baylis M, Velo E, Hughes GL, Walker T. Mitochondrial and microbial diversity of the invasive mosquito vector species Culex tritaeniorhynchus across its extensive inter-continental geographic range. Wellcome Open Res 2024; 9:18. [PMID: 38800519 PMCID: PMC11128058 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.20761.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Culex (Cx.) tritaeniorhynchus is an invasive mosquito species with an extensive and expanding inter-continental distribution, currently reported across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and now Australia. It is an important vector of medical and veterinary pathogens which cause significant morbidity and mortality in human and animal populations. Across regions endemic for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), Cx. tritaeniorhynchus is considered the major vector and has also been shown to contribute to the transmission of several other zoonotic arboviruses including Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) and West Nile virus (WNV). Methods In this study, we used laboratory vector competence experiments to determine if Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from a Southern European population were competent JEV vectors. We also obtained samples from multiple geographically dispersed Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations from countries within Europe, Africa, Eurasia and Asia to perform phylogenetic analysis to measure the level of mitochondrial divergence using the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 ( CO1) gene. We also undertook bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to determine microbial diversity and used multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) to determine any evidence for the presence of strains of the naturally occurring endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia. Results Cx. tritaeniorhynchus from a Greek population were shown be be competent vectors of JEV with high levels of virus present in saliva. We found a signficant level of mitochondrial genetic diversity using the mosquito CO1 gene between geographically dispersed populations. Furthermore, we report diverse microbiomes identified by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing within and between geographical populations. Evidence for the detection of the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia was confirmed using Wolbachia-specific PCR and MLST. Conclusions This study enhances our understanding of the diversity of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and the associated microbiome across its inter-continental range and highlights the need for greater surveillance of this invasive vector species in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire L. Jeffries
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Luciano M Tantely
- Unite d'entomologie medicale, Institute Pasteur de Madagascar, Antanarivo, Madagascar
| | - Perparim Kadriaj
- Vector Control Unit, Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania
| | - Marcus S C Blagrove
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK
- Health Protection Research Unit on Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Ioanna Lytra
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - James Orsborne
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Hasan Mohammad Al-Amin
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Abdul Rahim Mohammed
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
| | - Mohammad Shafiul Alam
- Infectious Diseases Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Romain Girod
- Unite d'entomologie medicale, Institute Pasteur de Madagascar, Antanarivo, Madagascar
| | - Yaw A Afrane
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
| | - Silvia Bino
- Vector Control Unit, Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania
| | - Vincent Robert
- MIVEGEC, CNRS, Institute of Research for Development (IRD), University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sebastien Boyer
- Unite d'entomologie medicale, Institute Pasteur de Madagascar, Antanarivo, Madagascar
- Medical and Veterinary Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Matthew Baylis
- Health Protection Research Unit on Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Enkelejda Velo
- Vector Control Unit, Control of Infectious Diseases Department, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania
| | - Grant L Hughes
- Departments of Vector Biology and Tropical Disease Biology, Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Thomas Walker
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, England, UK
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3
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Smith CCR, Kern AD. disperseNN2: a neural network for estimating dispersal distance from georeferenced polymorphism data. BMC Bioinformatics 2023; 24:385. [PMID: 37817115 PMCID: PMC10566146 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-023-05522-7] [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: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial genetic variation is shaped in part by an organism's dispersal ability. We present a deep learning tool, disperseNN2, for estimating the mean per-generation dispersal distance from georeferenced polymorphism data. Our neural network performs feature extraction on pairs of genotypes, and uses the geographic information that comes with each sample. These attributes led disperseNN2 to outperform a state-of-the-art deep learning method that does not use explicit spatial information: the mean relative absolute error was reduced by 33% and 48% using sample sizes of 10 and 100 individuals, respectively. disperseNN2 is particularly useful for non-model organisms or systems with sparse genomic resources, as it uses unphased, single nucleotide polymorphisms as its input. The software is open source and available from https://github.com/kr-colab/disperseNN2 , with documentation located at https://dispersenn2.readthedocs.io/en/latest/ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris C R Smith
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
| | - Andrew D Kern
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
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Smith CCR, Tittes S, Ralph PL, Kern AD. Dispersal inference from population genetic variation using a convolutional neural network. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad068. [PMID: 37052957 PMCID: PMC10213498 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The geographic nature of biological dispersal shapes patterns of genetic variation over landscapes, making it possible to infer properties of dispersal from genetic variation data. Here, we present an inference tool that uses geographically distributed genotype data in combination with a convolutional neural network to estimate a critical population parameter: the mean per-generation dispersal distance. Using extensive simulation, we show that our deep learning approach is competitive with or outperforms state-of-the-art methods, particularly at small sample sizes. In addition, we evaluate varying nuisance parameters during training-including population density, demographic history, habitat size, and sampling area-and show that this strategy is effective for estimating dispersal distance when other model parameters are unknown. Whereas competing methods depend on information about local population density or accurate inference of identity-by-descent tracts, our method uses only single-nucleotide-polymorphism data and the spatial scale of sampling as input. Strikingly, and unlike other methods, our method does not use the geographic coordinates of the genotyped individuals. These features make our method, which we call "disperseNN," a potentially valuable new tool for estimating dispersal distance in nonmodel systems with whole genome data or reduced representation data. We apply disperseNN to 12 different species with publicly available data, yielding reasonable estimates for most species. Importantly, our method estimated consistently larger dispersal distances than mark-recapture calculations in the same species, which may be due to the limited geographic sampling area covered by some mark-recapture studies. Thus genetic tools like ours complement direct methods for improving our understanding of dispersal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris C R Smith
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Silas Tittes
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Peter L Ralph
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Andrew D Kern
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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5
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Bellekom B, Bailey A, England M, Langlands Z, Lewis OT, Hackett TD. Effects of storage conditions and digestion time on DNA amplification of biting midge (Culicoides) blood meals. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:13. [PMID: 36635709 PMCID: PMC9837887 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05607-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular analysis of blood meals is increasingly used to identify the hosts of biting insects such as midges and mosquitoes. Successful host identification depends on the availability of sufficient host DNA template for PCR amplification, making it important to understand how amplification success changes under different storage conditions and with different durations of blood meal digestion within the insect gut before being placed into the storage medium. METHOD We characterised and compared the digestion profile of two species of Culicoides over a 96-h period using a novel set of general vertebrate primers targeting the 16S rRNA gene. A set number of individuals from each species were killed over 13 time points post-blood feeding and preserved in 95% ethanol. Samples were stored either at ambient room temperature or in a - 20 °C freezer to examine the effect of storage condition on the PCR amplification success of host DNA. RESULTS We found that amplification success across the 96-h sampling period post-feeding was reduced from 96 to 6% and 96% to 14% for Culicoides nubeculosus and Culicoides sonorensis, respectively. We found no effect of storage condition on PCR amplification success, and storage in 95% ethanol was sufficient to maintain high rates of amplifiable host DNA for at least 9 months, even at room temperature. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the limited time frame during which an individual may contain amplifiable host DNA and demonstrate the importance of timely sample capture and processing post-blood feeding. Moreover, storage in 95% ethanol alone is sufficient to limit host DNA degradation. These results are relevant to the design of studies investigating the biting behaviour and disease transmission potential of Culicoides and other biting Diptera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Bellekom
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
| | - Abigail Bailey
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
| | - Marion England
- grid.63622.330000 0004 0388 7540The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0NF UK
| | - Zoe Langlands
- grid.63622.330000 0004 0388 7540The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0NF UK
| | - Owen T. Lewis
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
| | - Talya D. Hackett
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
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Campos M, Phelan J, Spadar A, Collins E, Gonçalves A, Pelloquin B, Vaselli NM, Meiwald A, Clark E, Stica C, Orsborne J, Sylla M, Edi C, Camara D, Mohammed AR, Afrane YA, Kristan M, Walker T, Gomez LF, Messenger LA, Clark TG, Campino S. High-throughput barcoding method for the genetic surveillance of insecticide resistance and species identification in Anopheles gambiae complex malaria vectors. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13893. [PMID: 35974073 PMCID: PMC9381500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17822-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Surveillance of malaria vector species and the monitoring of insecticide resistance are essential to inform malaria control strategies and support the reduction of infections and disease. Genetic barcoding of mosquitoes is a useful tool to assist the high-throughput surveillance of insecticide resistance, discriminate between sibling species and to detect the presence of Plasmodium infections. In this study, we combined multiplex PCR, custom designed dual indexing, and Illumina next generation sequencing for high throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-profiling of four species from the Anopheles (An.) gambiae complex (An. gambiae sensu stricto, An. coluzzii, An. arabiensis and An. melas). By amplifying and sequencing only 14 genetic fragments (500 bp each), we were able to simultaneously detect Plasmodium infection; insecticide resistance-conferring SNPs in ace1, gste2, vgsc and rdl genes; the partial sequences of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) and intergenic spacers (IGS), Short INterspersed Elements (SINE), as well as mitochondrial genes (cox1 and nd4) for species identification and genetic diversity. Using this amplicon sequencing approach with the four selected An. gambiae complex species, we identified a total of 15 non-synonymous mutations in the insecticide target genes, including previously described mutations associated with resistance and two new mutations (F1525L in vgsc and D148E in gste2). Overall, we present a reliable and cost-effective high-throughput panel for surveillance of An. gambiae complex mosquitoes in malaria endemic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Campos
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jody Phelan
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Anton Spadar
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Emma Collins
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Adéritow Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Praia, 719, Cabo Verde
| | - Bethanie Pelloquin
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Natasha Marcella Vaselli
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Anne Meiwald
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Emma Clark
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Caleb Stica
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - James Orsborne
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Moussa Sylla
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Constant Edi
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Cote d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Denka Camara
- Programme National de Lutte Contre le Paludisme, Ministère de la Santé, BP. 595, Conakry, Guinea
| | - Abdul Rahim Mohammed
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Yaw Asare Afrane
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Mojca Kristan
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Thomas Walker
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Louisa A Messenger
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Taane G Clark
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Susana Campino
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Brown R, Salgado-Lynn M, Jumail A, Jalius C, Chua TH, Vythilingam I, Ferguson HM. Exposure of Primate Reservoir Hosts to Mosquito Vectors in Malaysian Borneo. ECOHEALTH 2022; 19:233-245. [PMID: 35553290 PMCID: PMC9276546 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-022-01586-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Several vector-borne pathogens of primates have potential for human spillover. An example is the simian malaria Plasmodium knowlesi which is now a major public health problem in Malaysia. Characterization of exposure to mosquito vectors is essential for assessment of the force of infection within wild simian populations, however few methods exist to do so. Here we demonstrate the use of thermal imaging and mosquito magnet independence traps (MMIT) to assess the abundance, diversity and infection rates in mosquitoes host seeking near long-tailed macaque (Macaca fasicularis) sleeping sites in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Malaysian Borneo. The primary Plasmodium knowlesi vector, Anopheles balabacensis, was trapped at higher abundance near sleeping sites than control trees. Although none of the An. balabacensis collected (n = 15) were positive for P. knowlesi by PCR screening, two were infected with another simian malaria Plasmodium inui. Analysis of macaque stools from sleeping sites confirmed a high prevalence of Plasmodium infection, suspected to be P. inui. Recently, natural transmission of P. inui has been detected in humans and An. cracens in Peninsular Malaysia. The presence of P. inui in An. balabacensis here and previously in human-biting collections highlight its potential for spillover from macaques to humans in Sabah. We advocate the use of MMITs for non-invasive sampling of mosquito vectors that host seek on wild simian populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Brown
- Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.
| | - Milena Salgado-Lynn
- Danau Girang Field Centre C/O Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- School of Biosciences and Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Wildlife Health, Genetic and Forensic Laboratory, Kampung Potuki, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Amaziasizamoria Jumail
- Danau Girang Field Centre C/O Sabah Wildlife Department, Wisma Muis, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Cyrlen Jalius
- Wildlife Health, Genetic and Forensic Laboratory, Kampung Potuki, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Tock-Hing Chua
- Department of Pathobiology and Medical Diagnostics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Indra Vythilingam
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Heather M Ferguson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
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Mbewe RB, Keven JB, Mzilahowa T, Mathanga D, Wilson M, Cohee L, Laufer MK, Walker ED. Blood-feeding patterns of Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Malawi: implications for malaria transmission and effectiveness of LLIN interventions. Malar J 2022; 21:67. [PMID: 35241083 PMCID: PMC8892392 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-022-04089-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Access to human hosts by Anopheles mosquitoes is a key determinant of vectorial capacity for malaria, but it can be limited by use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). In Malawi, pyrethroid-treated LLINs with and without the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) were distributed to control malaria. This study investigated the blood-feeding patterns of malaria vectors and whether LLINs containing pyrethroid and PBO led to a reduction of human blood feeding than those containing only pyrethroids. Methods Mosquitoes were sampled inside houses from May 2019 through April 2020 by aspiration, pyrethrum spray catch, and light trap methods in two sites. One site (Namanolo, Balaka district) had LLINs containing only pyrethroids whereas the other (Ntaja, Machinga district) had LLINs with both pyrethroids and PBO. Anopheles species, their blood-meal host, and infection with Plasmodium falciparum were determined using PCR methods. Results A total of 6585 female Anopheles were sampled in 203 houses. Of these, 633 (9.6%) were blood-fed mosquitoes comprising of 279 (44.1%) Anopheles arabiensis, 103 (16.3%) Anopheles gambiae 212 (33.5), Anopheles funestus, 2 (0.3%), Anopheles parensis and 37 (5.8%) were unidentified Anopheles spp. Blood meal hosts were successfully identified for 85.5% (n = 541) of the blood-fed mosquitoes, of which 436 (81.0%) were human blood meals, 28 (5.2%) were goats, 11 (2.0%) were dogs, 60 (11.1%) were mixed goat-human blood meals, 5 (0.9%) were dog–human, and 1 was a mixed dog-goat. Human blood index (fraction of blood meals that were humans) was significantly higher in Namanolo (0.96) than Ntaja (0.89). Even though human blood index was high, goats were over-selected than humans after accounting for relative abundance of both hosts. The number of infectious Anopheles bites per person-year was 44 in Namanolo and 22 in Ntaja. Conclusion Although LLINs with PBO PBO may have reduced human blood feeding, access to humans was extremely high despite high LLIN ownership and usage rates in both sites. This finding could explain persistently high rates of malaria infections in Malawi. However, this study had one village for each net type, thus the observed differences may have been a result of other factors present in each village. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-022-04089-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rex B Mbewe
- Department of Physics and Biochemical Sciences, Polytechnic, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi. .,Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.
| | - John B Keven
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Public Health, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Themba Mzilahowa
- Malaria Alert Center, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Don Mathanga
- Malaria Alert Center, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Mark Wilson
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lauren Cohee
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Miriam K Laufer
- Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Edward D Walker
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Fikrig K, Harrington LC. Understanding and interpreting mosquito blood feeding studies: the case of Aedes albopictus. Trends Parasitol 2021; 37:959-975. [PMID: 34497032 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Blood feeding is a fundamental mosquito behavior with consequences for pathogen transmission and control. Feeding behavior can be studied through two lenses - patterns and preference. Feeding patterns are assessed via blood meal analyses, reflecting mosquito-host associations influenced by environmental and biological parameters. Bias can profoundly impact results, and we provide recommendations for mitigating these effects. We also outline design choices for host preference research, which can take many forms, and highlight their respective (dis)advantages for preference measurement. Finally, Aedes albopictus serves as a case study for how to apply these lessons to interpret data and understand feeding biology. We illustrate how assumptions and incomplete evidence can lead to inconsistent interpretations by reviewing Ae. albopictus feeding studies alongside prevalent narratives about perceived behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Fikrig
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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Hernandez-Colina A, Gonzalez-Olvera M, Lomax E, Townsend F, Maddox A, Hesson JC, Sherlock K, Ward D, Eckley L, Vercoe M, Lopez J, Baylis M. Blood-feeding ecology of mosquitoes in two zoological gardens in the United Kingdom. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:249. [PMID: 34016159 PMCID: PMC8139098 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04735-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zoological gardens contain unique configurations of exotic and endemic animals and plants that create a diverse range of developing sites and potential sources of blood meals for local mosquitoes. This may imply unusual interspecific pathogen transmission risks involving zoo vertebrates, like avian malaria to captive penguins. Understanding mosquito ecology and host feeding patterns is necessary to improve mosquito control and disease prevention measures in these environments. METHODS Mosquito sampling took place in Chester Zoo for 3 years (2017, 2018, and 2019) and for 1 year in Flamingo Land (2017) using different trapping methods. Blood-fed mosquitoes were identified and their blood meal was amplified by PCR, sequenced, and blasted for host species identification. RESULTS In total, 640 blood-fed mosquitoes were collected [Culex pipiens (n = 497), Culiseta annulata (n = 81), Anopheles maculipennis s.l. (n = 7), An. claviger (n = 1), and unidentifiable (n = 55)]. Successful identification of the host species was achieved from 159 blood-fed mosquitoes. Mosquitoes fed on birds (n = 74), non-human mammals (n = 20), and humans (n = 71). There were mixed blood meals from two hosts (n = 6). The proportions of blood-fed mosquitoes varied across sampling seasons and sites within the zoos. The use of resting traps and aspiration of vegetation were more efficient techniques for capturing blood-fed mosquitoes than traps for host-seeking or gravid mosquitoes. By relating the locations of zoo vertebrates to where fed mosquitoes were trapped, the minimum travelling distances were calculated (13.7 to 366.7 m). Temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, proximity to zoo vertebrate exhibits, and vegetation level were found to be significantly associated with the proportion of captured blood-fed mosquitoes by generalized linear modelling. CONCLUSIONS Mosquito feeding behaviour in zoos is mainly influenced by time, location (sampling area), temperature, and host availability, which highlights the value of mosquito monitoring in complex settings to plan control strategies and potentially reduce inherent disease transmission risks for humans and threatened zoo vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Hernandez-Colina
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK.
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK.
| | - Merit Gonzalez-Olvera
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Emily Lomax
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Freya Townsend
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Amber Maddox
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Jenny C Hesson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Centre, Uppsala University, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kenneth Sherlock
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Dawn Ward
- Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton, Malton, YO17 6UX, UK
| | - Lindsay Eckley
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Mark Vercoe
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Javier Lopez
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
| | - Matthew Baylis
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK
- Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Modernizing the Toolkit for Arthropod Bloodmeal Identification. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12010037. [PMID: 33418885 PMCID: PMC7825046 DOI: 10.3390/insects12010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The ability to identify the source of vertebrate blood in mosquitoes, ticks, and other blood-feeding arthropod vectors greatly enhances our knowledge of how vector-borne pathogens are spread. The source of the bloodmeal is identified by analyzing the remnants of blood remaining in the arthropod at the time of capture, though this is often fraught with challenges. This review provides a roadmap and guide for those considering modern techniques for arthropod bloodmeal identification with a focus on progress made in the field over the past decade. We highlight genome regions that can be used to identify the vertebrate source of arthropod bloodmeals as well as technological advances made in other fields that have introduced innovative new ways to identify vertebrate meal source based on unique properties of the DNA sequence, protein signatures, or residual molecules present in the blood. Additionally, engineering progress in miniaturization has led to a number of field-deployable technologies that bring the laboratory directly to the arthropods at the site of collection. Although many of these advancements have helped to address the technical challenges of the past, the challenge of successfully analyzing degraded DNA in bloodmeals remains to be solved. Abstract Understanding vertebrate–vector interactions is vitally important for understanding the transmission dynamics of arthropod-vectored pathogens and depends on the ability to accurately identify the vertebrate source of blood-engorged arthropods in field collections using molecular methods. A decade ago, molecular techniques being applied to arthropod blood meal identification were thoroughly reviewed, but there have been significant advancements in the techniques and technologies available since that time. This review highlights the available diagnostic markers in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and discusses their benefits and shortcomings for use in molecular identification assays. Advances in real-time PCR, high resolution melting analysis, digital PCR, next generation sequencing, microsphere assays, mass spectrometry, and stable isotope analysis each offer novel approaches and advantages to bloodmeal analysis that have gained traction in the field. New, field-forward technologies and platforms have also come into use that offer promising solutions for point-of-care and remote field deployment for rapid bloodmeal source identification. Some of the lessons learned over the last decade, particularly in the fields of DNA barcoding and sequence analysis, are discussed. Though many advancements have been made, technical challenges remain concerning the prevention of sample degradation both by the arthropod before the sample has been obtained and during storage. This review provides a roadmap and guide for those considering modern techniques for arthropod bloodmeal identification and reviews how advances in molecular technology over the past decade have been applied in this unique biomedical context.
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12
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Escobar D, Ascencio K, Ortiz A, Palma A, Sánchez A, Fontecha G. Blood Meal Sources of Anopheles spp. in Malaria Endemic Areas of Honduras. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11070450. [PMID: 32708582 PMCID: PMC7412045 DOI: 10.3390/insects11070450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a life-threatening disease in many tropical countries. Honduras has successfully reduced malaria transmission as different control methods have been applied, focusing mainly on indoor mosquitoes. The selective pressure exerted by the use of insecticides inside the households could modify the feeding behavior of the mosquitoes, forcing them to search for available animal hosts outside the houses. These animal hosts in the peridomicile could consequently become an important factor in maintaining vector populations in endemic areas. Herein, we investigated the blood meal sources and Plasmodium spp. infection on anophelines collected outdoors in endemic areas of Honduras. Individual PCR reactions with species-specific primers were used to detect five feeding sources on 181 visibly engorged mosquitoes. In addition, a subset of these mosquitoes was chosen for pathogen analysis by a nested PCR approach. Most mosquitoes fed on multiple hosts (2 to 4), and 24.9% of mosquitoes had fed on a single host, animal or human. Chicken and bovine were the most frequent blood meal sources (29.5% and 27.5%, respectively). The average human blood index (HBI) was 22.1%. None of the mosquitoes were found to be infected with Plasmodium spp. Our results show the opportunistic and zoophilic behavior of Anopheles mosquitoes in Honduras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Escobar
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras; (D.E.); (K.A.); (A.O.); (A.P.)
| | - Krisnaya Ascencio
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras; (D.E.); (K.A.); (A.O.); (A.P.)
| | - Andrés Ortiz
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras; (D.E.); (K.A.); (A.O.); (A.P.)
| | - Adalid Palma
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras; (D.E.); (K.A.); (A.O.); (A.P.)
| | - Ana Sánchez
- Department of Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2V 5A2, Canada;
| | - Gustavo Fontecha
- Microbiology Research Institute, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras; (D.E.); (K.A.); (A.O.); (A.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +504-33935443
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13
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Orsborne J, Mohammed AR, Jeffries CL, Kristan M, Afrane YA, Walker T, Yakob L. Evidence of extrinsic factors dominating intrinsic blood host preferences of major African malaria vectors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:741. [PMID: 31959845 PMCID: PMC6971008 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57732-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the key determinants of a haematophagous vector’s capacity to transmit pathogens is its selection of which host to secure a blood meal from. This choice is influenced by both intrinsic (genetic) and extrinsic (environmental) factors, but little is known of their relative contributions. Blood fed Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from a malaria endemic village in Ghana. Collections were conducted across a range of different host availabilities and from both indoor and outdoor locations. These environmental factors were shown to impact dramatically the host choice of caught malaria vectors: mosquitoes caught indoors were ten-fold more likely to have sourced their blood meal from humans; and a halving in odds of being human-fed was found for mosquitoes caught only 25 m from the centre of the village. For the first time, we demonstrate that anthropophagy was better explained by extrinsic factors (namely, local host availability and indoor/outdoor trapping location) than intrinsic factors (namely, the (sibling) species of the mosquito caught) (respective Akaike information criterion estimates: 243.0 versus 359.8). Instead of characterizing biting behaviour on a taxonomic level, we illustrate the importance of assessing local entomology. Accounting for this behavioural plasticity is important, both in terms of measuring effectiveness of control programmes and in informing optimal disease control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Orsborne
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Abdul Rahim Mohammed
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana
| | - Claire L Jeffries
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mojca Kristan
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Yaw A Afrane
- Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra, Ghana
| | - Thomas Walker
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Laith Yakob
- Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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