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Bamou R, Dao A, Yaro AS, Kouam C, Ergunay K, Bourke BP, Diallo M, Sanogo ZL, Samake D, YA A, Mohammed AR, Owusu-Asenso CM, Akosah-Brempong G, Pambit-Zong CM, Krajacich BJ, Faiman R, Pacheco MA, Escalante AA, Weaver SC, Nartey R, Chapman JW, Reynolds DR, Linton YM, Lehmann T. Pathogens spread by high-altitude windborne mosquitoes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.12.26.630351. [PMID: 39763833 PMCID: PMC11703268 DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.26.630351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed that many mosquito species regularly engage in high-altitude windborne migration, but its epidemiological significance was debated. The hypothesis that high-altitude mosquitoes spread pathogens over large distances has not been directly tested. Here, we report for the first time that high-altitude windborne mosquitoes are commonly infected with arboviruses, protozoans, and helminths affecting vertebrates and humans, and provide the first description of this pathogen-vector aerial network. A total of 1,017 female mosquitoes (81.4%, N=1,249) intercepted on nets suspended from helium balloons at altitudes of 120-290 m above ground over Mali and Ghana were screened for infection with arboviruses, plasmodia, and filariae, using pan-genus qPCR analyses followed by sequencing of positive samples. The mosquito fauna collected at altitude comprised 61 species, across 9 genera, dominated by Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles. Infection and infectiousness rates of high-altitude migrant mosquitoes were 7.2% and 4.4% with plasmodia, 1.6% and 0.6% with filariae, 3.5% and 1.1% with flaviviruses, respectively. Nineteen mosquito-borne pathogens were identified, including three arboviruses: dengue, West Nile and M'Poko viruses, 13 putative plasmodia species including Plasmodium matutinum and P. relictum, three filariids, including Pelecitus spp., 27 insect-specific viruses and 5 non-mosquito-borne pathogens (e.g., Trypanosoma theileri). Confirmed head-thorax (disseminated) infections of multiple pathogens in multiple mosquito species, eg., Culex perexiguus, Coquilletidia metallica, Mansonia uniformis, and Anopheles squamosus provides evidence that pathogens carried by high-altitude windborne mosquitoes are infectious and likely capable of infecting naïve hosts far from their starting location. This traffic of sylvatic pathogens may be key to their maintenance among foci as well as initiating outbreaks away from them.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Bamou
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH. Rockville, MD, USA
| | - A Dao
- Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) / Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - AS Yaro
- Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) / Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - C Kouam
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH. Rockville, MD, USA
| | - K Ergunay
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center, Suitland Maryland, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - BP Bourke
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center, Suitland Maryland, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - M Diallo
- Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) / Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - ZL Sanogo
- Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) / Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - D Samake
- Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) / Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odonto-stomatology, Bamako, Mali
| | - Afrane YA
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana
| | - AR Mohammed
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana
| | - CM Owusu-Asenso
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana
| | - G Akosah-Brempong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana
- Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, 25 Accra Ghana
| | - CM Pambit-Zong
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School, University of Ghana
| | - BJ Krajacich
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH. Rockville, MD, USA
| | - R Faiman
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH. Rockville, MD, USA
| | - MA Pacheco
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - AA Escalante
- Biology Department/Institute of Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine (iGEM), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - SC Weaver
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology and World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - R Nartey
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH. Rockville, MD, USA
| | - JW Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, and Environment and Sustainability Inst., University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, P. R. China
| | - DR Reynolds
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, Kent, UK
- Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, Kent, UK
| | - Y-M Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center, Suitland Maryland, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - T Lehmann
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH. Rockville, MD, USA
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Gupta KA, Ikonomidou VN, Glancey M, Faiman R, Talafha S, Ford T, Jenkins T, Goodwin A. Mosquito species identification accuracy of early deployed algorithms in IDX, A vector identification tool. Acta Trop 2024; 260:107392. [PMID: 39255861 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107392] [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: 07/23/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose a great threat to global public health systems due to increased insecticide resistance and climate change. Accurate vector identification is crucial for effective control, yet it presents significant challenges. IDX - an automated computer vision-based device capable of capturing mosquito images and outputting mosquito species ID has been deployed globally resulting in algorithms currently capable of identifying 53 mosquito species. In this study, we evaluate deployed performance of the IDX mosquito species identification algorithms using data from partners in the Southeastern United States (SE US) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2023 and 2024. This preliminary assessment indicates continued improvement of the IDX mosquito species identification algorithms over the study period for individual species as well as average regional accuracy with macro average recall improving from 55.3 % [Confidence Interval (CI) 48.9, 61.7] to 80.2 % [CI 77.3, 84.9] for SE US, and 84.1 % [CI 75.1, 93.1] to 93.6 % [CI 91.6, 95.6] for PNG using a CI of 90 %. This study underscores the importance of algorithm refinement and dataset expansion covering more species and regions to enhance identification systems thereby reducing the workload for human experts, addressing taxonomic expertise gaps, and improving vector control efforts.
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Costa-da-Silva AL, Dye-Braumuller KC, Wagner-Coello HU, Li H, Johnson-Carson D, Gunter SM, Nolan MS, DeGennaro M. Landscape and meteorological variables associated with Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito infestation in two southeastern U.S.A. coastal cities. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2024; 50:28-38. [PMID: 39658537 DOI: 10.52707/1081-1710-50.1-28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 12/12/2024]
Abstract
Human cases of arboviral disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes are increasing worldwide and spreading to new areas of the United States. These diseases continue to re-emerge, likely due to changes in vector ecology, urbanization, human migration, and larger range of climatic suitability. Recent shifts in landscape and weather variables are predicted to impact the habitat patterns of urban mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Miami, FL is in the tropical zone, while Charleston, SC is in the humid subtropical zone, and both cities are established hotspots for arboviruses. We applied remote sensing with land-use cover and weather variation to identify mosquito infestation patterns. We detected statistically significant positive and negative associations between entomological indicators and most weather variables in combined data from both cities. For all entomological indices, weekly wind speed and relative humidity were significantly positively associated, while precipitation and maximum temperature were significantly negatively associated. Aedes egg abundance was significantly positively associated with open land in Charleston but was negatively associated with vegetation cover in combined data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva
- Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A
| | - Kyndall C Dye-Braumuller
- Institute for Infectious Disease Translational Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
| | - Helen Urpi Wagner-Coello
- Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A
| | - Huixuan Li
- Institute for Infectious Disease Translational Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
| | - Danielle Johnson-Carson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
| | - Sarah M Gunter
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, U.S.A
| | - Melissa S Nolan
- Institute for Infectious Disease Translational Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A.,
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A.,
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, U.S.A
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Campos M, Rašić G, Viegas J, Cornel AJ, Pinto J, Lanzaro GC. Patterns of Gene Flow in Anopheles coluzzii Populations From Two African Oceanic Islands. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e70044. [PMID: 39600347 PMCID: PMC11589655 DOI: 10.1111/eva.70044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 10/25/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii is widespread across West Africa and is the sole vector species on the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. Our interest in the population genetics of this species on these islands is part of an assessment of their suitability for a field trial involving the release of genetically engineered A. coluzzii. The engineered construct includes two genes that encode anti-Plasmodium peptides, along with a Cas9-based gene drive. We investigated gene flow among A. coluzzii subpopulations on each island to estimate dispersal rates between sites. Sampling covered the known range of A. coluzzii on both islands. Spatial autocorrelation suggests 7 km to be the likely extent of dispersal of this species, whereas estimates based on a convolutional neural network were roughly 3 km. This difference highlights the complexity of dispersal dynamics and the value of using multiple approaches. Our analysis also revealed weak heterogeneity among populations within each island but did identify areas weakly resistant or permissive of gene flow. Overall, A. coluzzii on each of the two islands exist as single Mendelian populations. We expect that a gene construct that includes a low-threshold gene drive and has minimal fitness impact should, once introduced, spread relatively unimpeded across each island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Campos
- Vector Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyUniversity of California—DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Gordana Rašić
- Mosquito Genomics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstituteHerstonQueenslandAustralia
| | - João Viegas
- Centro Nacional de Endemias, Ministério da Saúde, Trabalho e Assuntos SociaisSão ToméSao Tome and Principe
| | - Anthony J. Cornel
- Vector Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyUniversity of California—DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
- Mosquito Control Research Laboratory, Department of Entomology and NematologyUniversity of CaliforniaParlierCaliforniaUSA
| | - João Pinto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina TropicalUniversidade Nova de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Gregory C. Lanzaro
- Vector Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and ImmunologyUniversity of California—DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
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Holt JR, Cavichiolli de Oliveira N, Medina RF, Malacrinò A, Lindsey ARI. Insect-microbe interactions and their influence on organisms and ecosystems. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11699. [PMID: 39041011 PMCID: PMC11260886 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Microorganisms are important associates of insect and arthropod species. Insect-associated microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, can drastically impact host physiology, ecology, and fitness, while many microbes still have no known role. Over the past decade, we have increased our knowledge of the taxonomic composition and functional roles of insect-associated microbiomes and viromes. There has been a more recent shift toward examining the complexity of microbial communities, including how they vary in response to different factors (e.g., host genome, microbial strain, environment, and time), and the consequences of this variation for the host and the wider ecological community. We provide an overview of insect-microbe interactions, the variety of associated microbial functions, and the evolutionary ecology of these relationships. We explore the influence of the environment and the interactive effects of insects and their microbiomes across trophic levels. Additionally, we discuss the potential for subsequent synergistic and reciprocal impacts on the associated microbiomes, ecological interactions, and communities. Lastly, we discuss some potential avenues for the future of insect-microbe interactions that include the modification of existing microbial symbionts as well as the construction of synthetic microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Raul F. Medina
- Department of EntomologyTexas A&M University, Minnie Bell Heep CenterCollege StationTexasUSA
| | - Antonino Malacrinò
- Department of AgricultureUniversità Degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio CalabriaReggio CalabriaItaly
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Costa-da-Silva AL, Dye-Braumuller KC, Wagner-Coello HU, Li H, Johnson-Carson D, Gunter SM, Nolan MS, DeGennaro M. Landscape and meteorological variables associated with Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquito infestation in two southeastern USA coastal cities. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597792. [PMID: 38895389 PMCID: PMC11185711 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Aedes transmitted arboviral human cases are increasing worldwide and spreading to new areas of the United States of America (USA). These diseases continue to re-emerge likely due to changes in vector ecology, urbanization, human migration, and larger range of climatic suitability. Recent shifts in landscape and weather variables are predicted to impact the habitat patterns of urban mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Miami (FL) is in the tropical zone and an established hotspot for arboviruses, while Charleston (SC) is in the humid subtropical zone and newly vulnerable. Although these coastal cities have distinct climates, both have hot summers. To understand mosquito infestation in both cities and potentiate our surveillance effort, we performed egg collections in the warmest season. We applied remote sensing with land-use cover and weather variation to identify mosquito infestation patterns. Our study found predominant occurrence of Ae. aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus in both cities. We detected statistically significant positive and negative associations between entomological indicators and most weather variables in combined data from both cities. For all entomological indices, weekly wind speed and relative humidity were significantly positively associated, while precipitation and maximum temperature were significantly negatively associated. Aedes egg abundance was significantly positively associated with open land in Charleston but was negatively associated with vegetation cover in combined data. There is a clear need for further observational studies to determine the impact of climate change on Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus infestation in the Southeastern region of the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Luis Costa-da-Silva
- Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
| | - Kyndall C Dye-Braumuller
- Institute for Infectious Disease Translational Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Helen Urpi Wagner-Coello
- Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
| | - Huixuan Li
- Institute for Infectious Disease Translational Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Danielle Johnson-Carson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Sarah M Gunter
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Melissa S Nolan
- Institute for Infectious Disease Translational Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208
| | - Matthew DeGennaro
- Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
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7
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Takken W, Charlwood D, Lindsay SW. The behaviour of adult Anopheles gambiae, sub-Saharan Africa's principal malaria vector, and its relevance to malaria control: a review. Malar J 2024; 23:161. [PMID: 38783348 PMCID: PMC11112813 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-024-04982-3] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex are one of the major vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Their ability to transmit this disease of major public health importance is dependent on their abundance, biting behaviour, susceptibility and their ability to survive long enough to transmit malaria parasites. A deeper understanding of this behaviour can be exploited for improving vector surveillance and malaria control. FINDINGS Adult mosquitoes emerge from aquatic habitats at dusk. After a 24 h teneral period, in which the cuticle hardens and the adult matures, they may disperse at random and search upwind for a mate or to feed. Mating generally takes place at dusk in swarms that form over species-specific 'markers'. Well-nourished females may mate before blood-feeding, but the reverse is true for poorly-nourished insects. Females are monogamous and only mate once whilst males, that only feed on nectar, swarm nightly and can potentially mate up to four times. Females are able to locate hosts by following their carbon dioxide and odour gradients. When in close proximity to the host, visual cues, temperature and relative humidity are also used. Most blood-feeding occurs at night, indoors, with mosquitoes entering houses mainly through gaps between the roof and the walls. With the exception of the first feed, females are gonotrophically concordant and a blood meal gives rise to a complete egg batch. Egg development takes two or three days depending on temperature. Gravid females leave their resting sites at dusk. They are attracted by water gradients and volatile chemicals that provide a suitable aquatic habitat in which to lay their eggs. CONCLUSION Whilst traditional interventions, using insecticides, target mosquitoes indoors, additional protection can be achieved using spatial repellents outdoors, attractant traps or house modifications to prevent mosquito entry. Future research on the variability of species-specific behaviour, movement of mosquitoes across the landscape, the importance of light and vision, reproductive barriers to gene flow, male mosquito behaviour and evolutionary changes in mosquito behaviour could lead to an improvement in malaria surveillance and better methods of control reducing the current over-reliance on the indoor application of insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Derek Charlwood
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Hygiene e Medicina Tropical, Lisbon, Portugal
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Saraiva JF, Furtado NVR, Maitra A, Carvalho DP, Galardo AKR, Lima JBP. Trends of Mansonia (Diptera, Culicidae, Mansoniini) in Porto Velho: Seasonal patterns and meteorological influences. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303405. [PMID: 38718006 PMCID: PMC11078429 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Entomological research is vital for shaping strategies to control mosquito vectors. Its significance also reaches into environmental management, aiming to prevent inconveniences caused by non-vector mosquitoes like the Mansonia Blanchard, 1901 mosquito. In this study, we carried out a five-year (2019-2023) monitoring of these mosquitoes at ten sites in Porto Velho, Rondônia, using SkeeterVac SV3100 automatic traps positioned between the two hydroelectric complexes on the Madeira River. Throughout this period, we sampled 153,125 mosquitoes, of which the Mansonia genus accounted for 54% of the total, indicating its prevalence in the region. ARIMA analysis revealed seasonal patterns of Mansonia spp., highlighting periods of peak density. Notably, a significant decreasing trend in local abundance was observed from July 2021 (25th epidemiological week) until the end of the study. Wind speed was observed to be the most relevant meteorological factor influencing the abundance of Mansonia spp. especially in the Joana D'Arc settlement, although additional investigation is needed to comprehensively analyze other local events and gain a deeper understanding of the ecological patterns of this genus in the Amazon region.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ferreira Saraiva
- Medical Entomology Laboratory, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá –IEPA, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Nercy Virginia Rabelo Furtado
- Medical Entomology Laboratory, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá –IEPA, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Medicine, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ahana Maitra
- Department of Pharmacy–Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Allan Kardec Ribeiro Galardo
- Medical Entomology Laboratory, Instituto de Pesquisas Científicas e Tecnológicas do Estado do Amapá –IEPA, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil
| | - José Bento Pereira Lima
- Laboratory of Biology, Control, and Surveillance of Insect Vectors (LaBiCoVIV), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Huang J, Feng H, Drake VA, Reynolds DR, Gao B, Chen F, Zhang G, Zhu J, Gao Y, Zhai B, Li G, Tian C, Huang B, Hu G, Chapman JW. Massive seasonal high-altitude migrations of nocturnal insects above the agricultural plains of East China. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317646121. [PMID: 38648486 PMCID: PMC11067063 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317646121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Long-distance migrations of insects contribute to ecosystem functioning but also have important economic impacts when the migrants are pests or provide ecosystem services. We combined radar monitoring, aerial sampling, and searchlight trapping, to quantify the annual pattern of nocturnal insect migration above the densely populated agricultural lands of East China. A total of ~9.3 trillion nocturnal insect migrants (15,000 t of biomass), predominantly Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera, including many crop pests and disease vectors, fly at heights up to 1 km above this 600 km-wide region every year. Larger migrants (>10 mg) exhibited seasonal reversal of movement directions, comprising northward expansion during spring and summer, followed by southward movements during fall. This north-south transfer was not balanced, however, with southward movement in fall 0.66× that of northward movement in spring and summer. Spring and summer migrations were strongest when the wind had a northward component, while in fall, stronger movements occurred on winds that allowed movement with a southward component; heading directions of larger insects were generally close to the track direction. These findings indicate adaptations leading to movement in seasonally favorable directions. We compare our results from China with similar studies in Europe and North America and conclude that ecological patterns and behavioral adaptations are similar across the Northern Hemisphere. The predominance of pests among these nocturnal migrants has severe implications for food security and grower prosperity throughout this heavily populated region, and knowledge of their migrations is potentially valuable for forecasting pest impacts and planning timely management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianrong Huang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control, Key Laboratory for Integrated Crop Pests Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, International Joint Research Laboratory for Crop Protection of Henan, No. 0 Entomological Radar Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan450002, China
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, and Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, CornwallTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
| | - Hongqiang Feng
- Henan Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control, Key Laboratory for Integrated Crop Pests Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, International Joint Research Laboratory for Crop Protection of Henan, No. 0 Entomological Radar Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan450002, China
| | - V. Alistair Drake
- School of Science, UNSW Canberra, The University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT2610, Australia
- Institute for Applied Ecology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT2617, Australia
| | - Don R. Reynolds
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham, KentME4 4 TB, United Kingdom
- Department of Computational and Analytical Sciences, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, HertsAL5 2JQ, United Kingdom
| | - Boya Gao
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210095, China
| | - Fajun Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210095, China
| | - Guoyan Zhang
- Plant Protection and Quarantine Station of Henan Province, Zhengzhou, Henan450002, China
| | - Junsheng Zhu
- Shandong Agricultural Technology Extension Center, Jinan, Shandong250100, China
| | - Yuebo Gao
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210095, China
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Gongzhuling, Jilin136100, China
| | - Baoping Zhai
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210095, China
| | - Guoping Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control, Key Laboratory for Integrated Crop Pests Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, International Joint Research Laboratory for Crop Protection of Henan, No. 0 Entomological Radar Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan450002, China
| | - Caihong Tian
- Henan Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control, Key Laboratory for Integrated Crop Pests Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, International Joint Research Laboratory for Crop Protection of Henan, No. 0 Entomological Radar Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan450002, China
| | - Bo Huang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Crop Pest Control, Key Laboratory for Integrated Crop Pests Management on Crops in Southern Region of North China, International Joint Research Laboratory for Crop Protection of Henan, No. 0 Entomological Radar Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Henan Province, Institute of Plant Protection, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan450002, China
| | - Gao Hu
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210095, China
| | - Jason W. Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, and Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, CornwallTR10 9FE, United Kingdom
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210095, China
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10
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Trzebny A, Nahimova O, Dabert M. High temperatures and low humidity promote the occurrence of microsporidians (Microsporidia) in mosquitoes (Culicidae). Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:187. [PMID: 38605410 PMCID: PMC11008030 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06254-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the context of climate change, a growing concern is that vector-pathogen or host-parasite interactions may be correlated with climatic factors, especially increasing temperatures. In the present study, we used a mosquito-microsporidian model to determine the impact of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, wind and rainfall on the occurrence rates of opportunistic obligate microparasites (Microsporidia) in hosts from a family that includes important disease vectors (Culicidae). METHODS In our study, 3000 adult mosquitoes collected from the field over 3 years were analysed. Mosquitoes and microsporidia were identified using PCR and sequencing of the hypervariable V5 region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene and a shortened fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene, respectively. RESULTS DNA metabarcoding was used to identify nine mosquito species, all of which were hosts of 12 microsporidian species. The prevalence of microsporidian DNA across all mosquito samples was 34.6%. Microsporidian prevalence in mosquitoes was more frequent during warm months (> 19 °C; humidity < 65%), as was the co-occurrence of two or three microsporidian species in a single host individual. During warm months, microsporidian occurrence was noted 1.6-fold more often than during the cold periods. Among the microsporidians found in the mosquitoes, five (representing the genera Enterocytospora, Vairimorpha and Microsporidium) were positively correlated with an increase in temperature, whereas one (Hazardia sp.) was significantly correlated with a decrease in temperature. Threefold more microsporidian co-occurrences were recorded in the warm months than in the cold months. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the susceptibility of mosquitoes to parasite occurrence is primarily determined by environmental conditions, such as, for example, temperatures > 19 °C and humidity not exceeding 62%. Collectively, our data provide a better understanding of the effects of the environment on microsporidian-mosquito interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Trzebny
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Olena Nahimova
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
- Genetics and Cytology Department, School of Biology, V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv, Ukraine
| | - Miroslawa Dabert
- Molecular Biology Techniques Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
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11
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Hedtke SM, Post RJ, Feleke SM, Gebretsadik FS, Boakye DA, Krueger A, Grant WN, Wilding CS. Cytotaxonomic characterization and estimation of migration patterns of onchocerciasis vectors (Simulium damnosum sensu lato) in northwestern Ethiopia based on RADSeq data. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011868. [PMID: 38175836 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While much progress has been made in the control and elimination of onchocerciasis across Africa, the extent to which vector migration might confound progress towards elimination or result in re-establishment of endemism in areas where transmission has been eliminated remains unclear. In Northern Ethiopia, Metema and Metekel-two foci located near the Sudan border-exhibit continuing transmission. While progress towards elimination has been faster in Metema, there remains a problematic hotspot of transmission. Whether migration from Metekel contributes to this is currently unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS To assess the role of vector migration from Metekel into Metema, we present a population genomics study of 151 adult female vectors using 47,638 RADseq markers and mtDNA CoI sequencing. From additional cytotaxonomy data we identified a new cytoform in Metema, closely related to S. damnosum s.str, here called the Gondar form. RADseq data strongly indicate the existence of two distinctly differentiated clusters within S. damnosum s.l.: one genotypic cluster found only in Metema, and the second found predominantly in Metekel. Because blackflies from both clusters were found in sympatry (in all four collection sites in Metema), but hybrid genotypes were not detected, there may be reproductive barriers preventing interbreeding. The dominant genotype in Metema was not found in Metekel while the dominant genotype in Metekel was found in Metema, indicating that (at the time of sampling) migration is primarily unidirectional, with flies moving from Metekel to Metema. There was strong differentiation between clusters but little genetic differentiation within clusters, suggesting migration and gene flow of flies within the same genetic cluster are sufficient to prevent genetic divergence between sites. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our results confirm that Metekel and Metema represent different transmission foci, but also indicate a northward movement of vectors between foci that may have epidemiological importance, although its significance requires further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Hedtke
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rory J Post
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Disease Control Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Fikre Seife Gebretsadik
- Neglected Tropical Disease Prevention and Control Program, Federal Ministry of Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Daniel A Boakye
- Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Accra, Ghana
| | - Andreas Krueger
- Military Hospital Hamburg, Department Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Warwick N Grant
- Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Craig S Wilding
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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12
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Lehmann T, Kouam C, Woo J, Diallo M, Wilkerson R, Linton YM. The African mosquito-borne diseasosome: geographical patterns, range expansion and future disease emergence. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231581. [PMID: 38018102 PMCID: PMC10685135 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1581] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) threaten public health and food security globally. We provide the first biogeographic description of the African mosquito fauna (677 species) and the 151 mosquito-borne pathogens (MBPs) they transmit. While mosquito species richness agrees with expectations based on Africa's land surface, African arboviruses and mammalian plasmodia are more speciose than expected. Species assemblages of mosquitoes and MBPs similarly separate sub-Saharan Africa from North Africa, and those in West and Central Africa from eastern and southern Africa. Similarities between mosquitoes and MBPs in diversity and range size suggest that mosquitoes are key in delimiting the range of MBPs. With approximately 25% endemicity, approximately 50% occupying one to three countries and less than 5% occupying greater than 25 countries, the ranges of mosquitoes and MBPs are surprisingly small, suggesting that most MBPs are transmitted by a single mosquito species. Exceptionally widespread mosquito species feed on people and livestock, and most are high-altitude-windborne migrants. Likewise, widespread MBPs are transmitted among people or livestock by widespread mosquitoes, suggesting that adapting to people or livestock and to widespread mosquito species promote range expansion in MBPs. Range size may predict range expansion and emergence risk. We highlight key knowledge gaps that impede prediction and mitigation of future emergence of local and global MBDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tovi Lehmann
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Cedric Kouam
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Joshua Woo
- Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mawlouth Diallo
- Pôle de Zoologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Richard Wilkerson
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution–National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Yvonne-Marie Linton
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU), Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center, Suitland, MD, USA
- Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution–National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
- One Health Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD, USA
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13
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Mwima R, Hui TYJ, Nanteza A, Burt A, Kayondo JK. Potential persistence mechanisms of the major Anopheles gambiae species complex malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa: a narrative review. Malar J 2023; 22:336. [PMID: 37936194 PMCID: PMC10631165 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04775-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The source of malaria vector populations that re-establish at the beginning of the rainy season is still unclear yet knowledge of mosquito behaviour is required to effectively institute control measures. Alternative hypotheses like aestivation, local refugia, migration between neighbouring sites, and long-distance migration (LDM) are stipulated to support mosquito persistence. This work assessed the malaria vector persistence dynamics and examined various studies done on vector survival via these hypotheses; aestivation, local refugia, local or long-distance migration across sub-Saharan Africa, explored a range of methods used, ecological parameters and highlighted the knowledge trends and gaps. The results about a particular persistence mechanism that supports the re-establishment of Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles coluzzii or Anopheles arabiensis in sub-Saharan Africa were not conclusive given that each method used had its limitations. For example, the Mark-Release-Recapture (MRR) method whose challenge is a low recapture rate that affects its accuracy, and the use of time series analysis through field collections whose challenge is the uncertainty about whether not finding mosquitoes during the dry season is a weakness of the conventional sampling methods used or because of hidden shelters. This, therefore, calls for further investigations emphasizing the use of ecological experiments under controlled conditions in the laboratory or semi-field, and genetic approaches, as they are known to complement each other. This review, therefore, unveils and assesses the uncertainties that influence the different malaria vector persistence mechanisms and provides recommendations for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Mwima
- Department of Entomology, Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, Uganda
- Department of Biotechnical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Tin-Yu J Hui
- Silwood Park Campus, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Ann Nanteza
- Department of Biotechnical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Austin Burt
- Silwood Park Campus, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Jonathan K Kayondo
- Department of Entomology, Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), Entebbe, Uganda.
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