1
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Knudsen JT, Ignell R. Semiochemicals modulating bed bug behaviour. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 64:101207. [PMID: 38821142 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Cimicidae, Hemiptera), is obligate haematophagous and can carry pathogens but is not known to transmit diseases to humans in natural settings. Bed bugs are activated and guided by semiochemicals and heat by potential hosts, as well as by an aggregation pheromone when searching for food and home. No sexual pheromone has been detected in bed bugs, which mate through traumatic insemination. First, after mounting, males are able to distinguish between large nymphs, other males, and females. To avoid unwanted traumatic inseminations, nymphs and adults emit an alarm pheromone. The olfactory system of bed bugs has relatively few odorant and ionotropic receptors, which likely reflects the simple environment that bed bugs live in, and use to search for hosts and conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rickard Ignell
- Disease Vector Group, Department of Plant protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp, Sweden
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2
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Walt HK, King JG, Sheele JM, Meyer F, Pietri JE, Hoffmann FG. Do bed bugs transmit human viruses, or do humans spread bed bugs and their viruses? A worldwide survey of the bed bug RNA virosphere. Virus Res 2024; 343:199349. [PMID: 38431055 PMCID: PMC10982078 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2024.199349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
BED BUGS: (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) are a globally distributed hematophagous pest that routinely feed on humans. Unlike many blood-sucking arthropods, they have never been linked to pathogen transmission in a natural setting, and despite increasing interest in their role as disease vectors, little is known about the viruses that bed bugs naturally harbor. Here, we present a global-scale survey of the bed bug RNA virosphere. We sequenced the metatranscriptomes of 22 individual bed bugs (Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus) from 8 locations around the world. We detected sequences from two known bed bug viruses (Shuangao bedbug virus 1 and Shuangao bedbug virus 2) which extends their geographical range. We identified three novel bed bug virus sequences from a tenui-like virus (Bunyavirales), a toti-like virus (Ghabrivirales), and a luteo-like virus (Tolivirales). Interestingly, some of the bed bug viruses branch near to insect-transmitted plant-infecting viruses, opening questions regarding the evolution of plant virus infection. When we analyzed the viral sequences by their host's collection location, we found unexpected patterns of geographical diversity that may reflect humans' role in bed bug dispersal. Additionally, we investigated the effect that Wolbachia, the primary bed bug endosymbiont, may have on viral abundance and found that Wolbachia infection neither promotes nor inhibits viral infection. Finally, our results provide no evidence that bed bugs transmit any known human pathogenic viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter K Walt
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Jonas G King
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Johnathan M Sheele
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center & Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Florencia Meyer
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | - Jose E Pietri
- Sanford School of Medicine, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA.
| | - Federico G Hoffmann
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA; Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA.
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3
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Herrera AL, Chaussee MS, Pietri JE. Experimental Acquisition, Maintenance, and Transmission of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:245-251. [PMID: 37523766 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we fed bed bugs through a membrane contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at a concentration naturally present on human skin. We then determined the amount of viable MRSA present on their surface and internally over a period of 7 days. We also determined whether bed bugs that fed through the contaminated membrane could transmit MRSA to an uncontaminated membrane when taking a second blood meal 7 days later. Bed bugs acquired MRSA both externally on the cuticle surface as well as internally when feeding. MRSA was found to persist for 7 days both externally and internally in some bed bugs. Furthermore, MRSA replicated internally but not externally. Most importantly, bed bugs were able to transmit MRSA to an uncontaminated membrane feeder in 2 of 3 trials. These findings provide the first experimental support for the hypothesis that bed bugs may contribute to the transmission of MRSA in some settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L Herrera
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion
| | - Michael S Chaussee
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion
| | - Jose E Pietri
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion
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4
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Ngnindji-Youdje Y, Lontsi-Demano M, Diarra AZ, Makaila AM, Tchuinkam T, Berenger JM, Parola P. Morphological, molecular, and MALDI-TOF MS identification of bed bugs and associated Wolbachia species from Cameroon. Acta Trop 2024; 249:107086. [PMID: 38036023 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
After vanishing from the public eye for more than 50 years, bed bugs have resurged to become one of the most widely discussed and heavily researched insect pests in the world. This study presents the basic information of infestations of tropical bed bugs, Cimex hemipterus (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), in Cameroon. A total of 248 immature stage and adult bed bug specimens were collected from households and a travel agency in Yaoundé and Douala, Cameroon. The ability of MALDI-TOF MS to identify bed bugs was tested using heads for adults and cephalothoraxes for immature stages. Microorganism screening was performed by qPCR and confirmed by regular PCR and sequencing. Based on morphometrical criteria, four stages of immature bed bugs are represented. Of the 248 bed bug specimens morphologically identified as Cimex hemipterus, 246 (77 males, 65 females and 104 immature specimens) were submitted to MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Of the 222 adults and immature specimens tested, 122 (59.9 %) produced good quality MALDI-TOF MS spectra (35 adults and 87 immature specimens). Blind testing allowed species level identification of 98.21 % of adult and immature C. hemipterus. Among the bacteria tested, only Wolbachia DNA was found in 12/246 (4.8 %) bed bugs. More surveys in the country are warranted to assess the true level of bed bug infestations, in order to take appropriate action for their control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Ngnindji-Youdje
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire MInstitut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13005, France; Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory of the Research Unit for Biology and Applied Ecology (VBID-RUBAE), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Dschang, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Michel Lontsi-Demano
- Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory of the Research Unit for Biology and Applied Ecology (VBID-RUBAE), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Dschang, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Adama Zan Diarra
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire MInstitut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Ahmat Mahamat Makaila
- Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory of the Research Unit for Biology and Applied Ecology (VBID-RUBAE), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Dschang, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Timoléon Tchuinkam
- Vector-Borne Diseases Laboratory of the Research Unit for Biology and Applied Ecology (VBID-RUBAE), Faculty of Sciences of the University of Dschang, P.O. Box 067, Dschang, Cameroon
| | - Jean-Michel Berenger
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire MInstitut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13005, France
| | - Philippe Parola
- Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, Marseille, France; Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire MInstitut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, Marseille 13005, France.
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5
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Sheele JM, Peta V, Miron A, Balvin O, Cain D, Edelheit S, McCormick T, Pietri JE. A metatranscriptomic evaluation of viruses in field-collected bed bugs. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:4. [PMID: 38049683 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08049-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Cimex lectularius, known as the common bed bug, is a widespread hematophagous human ectoparasite and urban pest that is not known to be a vector of any human infectious disease agents. However, few studies in the era of molecular biology have profiled the microorganisms harbored by field populations of bed bugs. The objective of this study was to examine the viruses present in a large sampling of common bed bugs and related bat bugs (Cimex pipistrelle). RNA sequencing was undertaken on an international sampling of > 500 field-collected bugs, and multiple workflows were used to assemble contigs and query these against reference nucleotide databases to identify viral genomes. Shuangao bed bug virus 2, an uncharacterized rhabdovirus previously discovered in Cimex hemipterus from China, was found in several bed bug pools from the USA and Europe, as well as in C. pipistrelle, suggesting that this virus is common among bed bug populations. In addition, Shuangao bed bug virus 1 was detected in a bed bug pool from China, and sequences matching Enterobacteria phage P7 were found in all bed bug pools, indicating the ubiquitous presence of phage-derived elements in the genome of the bed bug or its enterobacterial symbiont. However, viral diversity was low in bed bugs in our study, as no other viral genomes were detected with significant coverage. These results provide evidence against frequent virus infection in bed bugs. Nonetheless, our investigation had several important limitations, and additional studies should be conducted to better understand the prevalence and composition of viruses in bed bugs. Most notably, our study largely focused on insects from urban areas in industrialized nations, thus likely missing infrequent virus infections and those that could occur in rural or tropical environments or developing nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnathan M Sheele
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center & Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
| | - Vincent Peta
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Alexander Miron
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ondrej Balvin
- Department of Ecology, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Cain
- Bed Bugs Limited, 3 Cobden Road, London, UK
| | - Simone Edelheit
- Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Tom McCormick
- Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jose E Pietri
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA.
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Rajonhson DM, Raksakoon C, Payakkapol A, Dujardin S, Dujardin JP, Potiwat R. Comparison of Two Different Morphological Methods to Study the Pronotum of Cimicidae: Bed Bugs, Bat Bugs, and Swallow Bugs. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13121155. [PMID: 36555065 PMCID: PMC9785296 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
An infestation of a Cimicidae (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) member, especially the bed bug, can cause economic loss and impact health. A cost-effective and user-friendly method for identifying the infesting species will help with the early detection and control of infestations. A linear morphometric method is often used, but it requires the examination of many characters and a highly preserved specimen. We conducted a comparative morphometric study of the effectiveness of Cimicidae classification using a single organ, the pronotum, through outline-based and linear morphometric methods. Bat (Stricticimex parvus), human (Cimex hemipterus), and bird (Paracimex sp.) ectoparasites were subject of the study. With both methods, the properties of size and shape were compared and used separately to classify the specimens. Classification analyses of the two methods provided similar results, but more informative variables of size and shape were obtained with the outline-based approach. Size, as analyzed with the outline-based method, could detect sexual dimorphism, and produced better reclassification. The shape variables obtained from the linear measurements were strongly influenced by size variation, much more than the ones obtained from coordinates describing the pronotum contours. Our data suggest that the outline-based approach provides better characterization variables, thus we recommend them for a wider use in other Cimicidae family members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora M. Rajonhson
- Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Chadchalerm Raksakoon
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
- Correspondence: (C.R.); (R.P.)
| | - Anon Payakkapol
- Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Sébastien Dujardin
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR INTERTRYP IRD-CIRAD, University of Montpellier, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Dujardin
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR INTERTRYP IRD-CIRAD, University of Montpellier, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Rutcharin Potiwat
- Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Correspondence: (C.R.); (R.P.)
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7
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A Comparative Study of Body Lice and Bed Bugs Reveals Factors Potentially Involved in Differential Vector Competence for the Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia recurrentis. Infect Immun 2022; 90:e0068321. [PMID: 35384689 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00683-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia recurrentis is the causative agent of louse-borne relapsing fever and the only Borrelia species transmitted by an insect rather than a tick vector. While bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) are not established vectors of any human pathogens, a recent study reported that they may be competent vectors of B. recurrentis. However, many aspects of infection and transmission remain unclear in this possible secondary vector. Here, we carried out several quantitative laboratory studies to gain a better understanding of the host suitability of bed bugs relative to the established body louse vector as well as the factors that may affect the ability of bed bugs to transmit the pathogen. We fed bed bugs B. recurrentis and estimated the level and duration of infection in the hemolymph using live imaging. We performed quantitative PCR (qPCR) to examine whole-body spirochete levels and the occurrence of vertical transmission to progeny. We also developed an assay to compare the amounts of force required to release infectious hemolymph from recently engorged bed bugs and body lice. Finally, we analyzed humoral antibacterial activity in the hemolymph, hemolymph pH, and hemocyte activity in both insect species. Our results confirm that within 24 h of ingestion, B. recurrentis can penetrate the midgut epithelium of bed bugs and enter the hemolymph, overcoming a major host barrier, as in body lice. Once in the hemolymph, spirochetes remain visible for at least 4 days. Moreover, we show that bed bugs are more physically susceptible to crushing than body lice, suggesting that crushing is a feasible route for the natural dissemination of B. recurrentis from the hemolymph of bed bugs, as for body lice. Nonetheless, our data also indicate that bed bugs are suboptimal hosts for B. recurrentis, as the bacterium does not appear to proliferate to high levels or stably colonize the hemolymph and exhibits pleomorphism in this environment. In particular, our data suggest that hemolymph pH and unique cellular immune responses, rather than humoral effectors, may be involved in limiting spirochete survival in bed bugs. Notably, we document the formation of extracellular DNA traps by bed bug hemocytes for the first time. For these reasons, while bed bugs may be capable of limited transmission given their ecology, vector competence is probably minimal relative to body lice. Additional mechanistic studies of human pathogen infection of bed bugs may provide much-needed insight into the biological factors that restrict their ability to act as vectors and may reveal novel mechanisms of immunity.
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Peta V, Tantely LM, Potts R, Girod R, Pietri JE. A Francisella tularensis-Like Bacterium in Tropical Bed Bugs from Madagascar. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:58-61. [PMID: 34981990 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Francisella includes several highly virulent human pathogens and some tick endosymbionts. Francisella infections are acquired by humans through contact with vertebrate animal reservoirs or contaminated water or dust. The species Francisella tularensis can also be transmitted by arthropods including ticks, mosquitoes, and flies. For the first time, we describe the molecular detection of an F. tularensis-like bacterium in bed bugs from samples collected in rural Madagascar. This finding suggests a potential involvement of bed bugs in the ecology of Francisella. The role of bed bugs as possible hosts, reservoirs, or vectors of Francisella spp. should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Peta
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
| | - Luciano M Tantely
- Medical Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Rashaun Potts
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
| | - Romain Girod
- Medical Entomology Unit, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Jose E Pietri
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota, USA
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9
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Sheele JM, Libertin CR, Pritt BS, Wysokinska EM, Pietri JE. Investigating the association of bed bugs with infectious diseases: A retrospective case-control study. Heliyon 2021; 7:e08107. [PMID: 34765758 PMCID: PMC8569396 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bed bugs are common urban pests. Unlike many other blood-feeding human ectoparasites, bed bugs are not known to be vectors of human infectious diseases, but clinical and epidemiological studies to directly interrogate this link have been limited. Here, we aimed to determine whether bed bugs were associated with infectious diseases in a set of infested patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) in the greater Cleveland, OH area. We performed a retrospective case-control study involving 332 ED patients with bed bugs and 4,952 control patients, seen from February 1, 2011, through February 1, 2017. Cases and controls were matched by age, sex, and the presenting ED. Additionally, data were adjusted for ≥20 sociodemographic variables, triage data, and comorbidities in multivariable regression analyses. Seventeen laboratory values, ten different ED and inpatient diagnoses, chest radiographs, infectious disease consults, and blood cultures were examined. The odds of bed bug infestation were significantly higher for patients that had positive blood cultures, had blood cultures growing coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, were diagnosed with pneumonia, were diagnosed with cellulitis, received an infectious disease consult, received a chest radiograph, and had higher percentages of eosinophils in the blood (P < .05 for all). Additional investigations are needed to determine whether bed bugs directly contribute to disease by transmitting causative agents, whether bed bug exposure contributes secondarily contributes to infections, or whether these associations are better explained by other environmental and social determinants of health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bobbi S. Pritt
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Ewa M. Wysokinska
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Jose E. Pietri
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA
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Peta V, Pietri JE. Experimental infection of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) with Burkholderia multivorans. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:507-512. [PMID: 33884648 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The bacterium Burkholderia multivorans is an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen of humans. A previous study reported molecular detection of this bacterium in several specimens of the common bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) collected from an elderly care facility in the U.S.A., raising questions about the possibility of vector-borne transmission. However, the ability of B. multivorans to colonize bed bugs and the ability of bed bugs to transmit the bacteria both remained untested. To resolve this knowledge gap, here we performed a set of experiments to examine the persistence and shedding of B. multivorans following ingestion by bed bugs in a blood meal. We isolated viable B. multivorans from the bodies of bed bugs for up to 13 days post-ingestion, but bacterial load substantially diminished over time. By 16 days post-ingestion, the bacteria could not be isolated. Further, B. multivorans was not shed in the saliva of infected bugs during feeding nor was it transmitted vertically from infected insects to their progeny. Based on these results, significant biological or mechanical transmission of B. multivorans to humans by bed bugs appears unlikely. Nonetheless, some viable bacteria were passively shed into the environment through defecation, a process which could potentially contribute to transmission through indirect contamination under rare circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Peta
- Sanford School of Medicine, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, U.S.A
| | - J E Pietri
- Sanford School of Medicine, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, U.S.A
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11
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Molecular analysis of the blood meals and bacterial communities of bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) to assess interactions with alternative hosts. Parasitol Res 2021; 120:1209-1217. [PMID: 33559752 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07079-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Common bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) are hematophagous pests present in urban environments across the globe. It is widely established that they have a strong host preference for humans. However, there are records of C. lectularius feeding upon a range of mammalian and avian hosts, including rodents, in the field. There is little information available about how frequently common bed bugs feed on alternative hosts in residential settings, but understanding this phenomenon has implications for both management of infestations and public health. Here, we examined cohorts of C. lectularius collected from 13 different dwellings in the state of New Jersey, USA, that were known to be simultaneously infested with house mice (Mus musculus domesticus). Host-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine if blood meals were taken from mice, while 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used to screen the bed bugs for the presence of zoonotic bacterial pathogens. We found no evidence that any of the bed bugs we collected fed on mice. Furthermore, the insects harbored depauperate bacterial communities that did not include known human pathogens. However, host-specific qPCR detected feline DNA in a pool of bed bugs from one dwelling, suggesting that interaction with domestic pets should be further investigated. Although sampling in this study was limited, the approach described herein will be useful for additional studies of the interactions between bed bugs and alternative blood meal hosts.
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12
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Baak-Baak C, Garcia-Rejon J, Tzuc-Dzul J, Nuñez-Corea D, Arana-Guardia R, Cetina-Trejo R, Machain-Williams C, Jimenez-Coello M, Acosta-Viana K, Torres-Chable O, Pietri JE, Cigarroa-Toledo N. Four Species of Under-reported Parasitic Arthropods in Mexico and their Potential Role as Vectors of Pathogens. J Parasitol 2021; 106:835-842. [PMID: 33378530 DOI: 10.1645/20-58] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous arthropod taxa are important in human and veterinary medicine. The salivary secretions and feces of arthropods can cause allergic reactions in host vertebrates or harbor pathogens. Also, bites can be a risk factor for secondary infections. Documenting the diversity of arthropods of medical and veterinary importance remains an important aspect of disease control and prevention. We provide new records of ectoparasitic arthropods from Mexico that are of potential medical or veterinary relevance. Scanning electron microscopy along with amplification and sequencing of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene (16S rRNA) was used to confirm some species identities. We report the cat louse Felicola subrostratus from cats and the chewing louse Heterodoxus spiniger from dogs, which are common ectoparasites but largely not reported in Mexico. The chigger Eutrombicula alfreddugesi is common on wild lizards (Squamata). For the first time, E. alfreddugesi is reported on Hemidactylus frenatus (common house gecko). This reptile has a close relationship with humans and its chiggers can cause dermatitis (i.e., trombiculiasis) or transmit pathogens. In addition, the common bed bug Cimex lectularius is reported for the first time in the state of Yucatan, an atypical area for its natural distribution. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Cimex lectularius from Yucatan is closely related to genetic sequences of Cimex lectularius from China. Knowing the regional distribution of arthropods allows the design and implementation of prevention strategies for those that have potential roles as reservoirs or vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Baak-Baak
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - Julian Garcia-Rejon
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - Julio Tzuc-Dzul
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - David Nuñez-Corea
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - Roger Arana-Guardia
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - Rosa Cetina-Trejo
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - Carlos Machain-Williams
- Laboratorio de Arbovirología. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Calle 43 s/n x 96, Col. Paseo de las Fuentes, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97225, México
| | - Matilde Jimenez-Coello
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Avenida Itzaes, No. 490 x Calle 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97000, México
| | - Karla Acosta-Viana
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Avenida Itzaes, No. 490 x Calle 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97000, México
| | - Oswaldo Torres-Chable
- Laboratorio de Enfermedades Tropicales y Transmitidas por Vector, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, Tabasco, C.P. 86040, México
| | - Jose E Pietri
- University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, 414 E. Clark Street, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069
| | - Nohemi Cigarroa-Toledo
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular. Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, México, Avenida Itzaes, No. 490 x Calle 59, Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán, C.P. 97000, México
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13
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Gwenzi W, Chaukura N, Muisa-Zikali N, Teta C, Musvuugwa T, Rzymski P, Abia ALK. Insects, Rodents, and Pets as Reservoirs, Vectors, and Sentinels of Antimicrobial Resistance. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10010068. [PMID: 33445633 PMCID: PMC7826649 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10010068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reviews the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in insects, rodents, and pets. Insects (e.g., houseflies, cockroaches), rodents (rats, mice), and pets (dogs, cats) act as reservoirs of AMR for first-line and last-resort antimicrobial agents. AMR proliferates in insects, rodents, and pets, and their skin and gut systems. Subsequently, insects, rodents, and pets act as vectors that disseminate AMR to humans via direct contact, human food contamination, and horizontal gene transfer. Thus, insects, rodents, and pets might act as sentinels or bioindicators of AMR. Human health risks are discussed, including those unique to low-income countries. Current evidence on human health risks is largely inferential and based on qualitative data, but comprehensive statistics based on quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) are still lacking. Hence, tracing human health risks of AMR to insects, rodents, and pets, remains a challenge. To safeguard human health, mitigation measures are proposed, based on the one-health approach. Future research should include human health risk analysis using QMRA, and the application of in-silico techniques, genomics, network analysis, and ’big data’ analytical tools to understand the role of household insects, rodents, and pets in the persistence, circulation, and health risks of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willis Gwenzi
- Biosystems and Environmental Engineering Research Group, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, University of Zimbabwe, Mount. Pleasant, Harare P.O. Box MP167, Zimbabwe
- Correspondence: or (W.G.); or (A.L.K.A.)
| | - Nhamo Chaukura
- Department of Physical and Earth Sciences, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley 8300, South Africa;
| | - Norah Muisa-Zikali
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Technology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag, Chinhoyi 7724, Zimbabwe; or
| | - Charles Teta
- Future Water Institute, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa;
| | - Tendai Musvuugwa
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Sciences, Sol Plaatje University, Kimberley 8300, South Africa;
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland;
- Integrated Science Association (ISA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), 60-806 Poznań, Poland
| | - Akebe Luther King Abia
- Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
- Correspondence: or (W.G.); or (A.L.K.A.)
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14
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Potts R, King JG, Pietri JE. Ex vivo characterization of the circulating hemocytes of bed bugs and their responses to bacterial exposure. J Invertebr Pathol 2020; 174:107422. [PMID: 32526226 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2020.107422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Bed bugs (Cimex spp.) are urban pests of global importance. Knowledge of the immune system of bed bugs has implications for understanding their susceptibility to biological control agents, their potential to transmit human pathogens, and the basic comparative immunology of insects. Nonetheless, the immunological repertoire of the family Cimicidae remains poorly characterized. Here, we use microscopy, flow cytometry, and RNA sequencing to provide a basal characterization of the circulating hemocytes of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. We also examine the responses of these specialized cells to E. coli exposure using the same techniques. Our results show that circulating hemocytes are comprised of at least four morphologically distinct cell types that are capable of phagocytosis, undergo degranulation, and exhibit additional markers of activation following stimulation, including size shift and DNA replication. Furthermore, transcriptomic profiling reveals expression of predicted Toll/IMD signaling pathway components, antimicrobial effectors and other potentially immunoresponsive genes in these cells. Together, our data demonstrate the conservation of several canonical cellular immune responses in the common bed bug and provide a foundation for additional mechanistic immunological studies with specific pathogens of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashaun Potts
- University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Vermillion, SD, United States
| | - Jonas G King
- Mississippi State University, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology & Plant Pathology, Starkville, MS, United States
| | - Jose E Pietri
- University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Vermillion, SD, United States.
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