1
|
Ebmer D, Balfanz F, Voracek T, Hering-Hagenbeck S, Pichler-Scheder C, Walochnik J, Kniha E. The Palearctic blackfly Simulium equinum (Diptera: Simuliidae) as a biting pest of captive nyala antelopes (Tragelaphus angasii). Zoo Biol 2023; 42:150-156. [PMID: 35795895 PMCID: PMC10084230 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are cosmopolitan nuisance pests of great economic importance as well as vectors of many pathogens. After reports of massive blackfly biting of captive nyala antelopes in the Vienna Zoo, Austria, this study aimed to identify the species causing multiple skin lesions on the antelope hosts. The Palearctic species Simulium equinum, belonging to the medically and veterinary important Wilhelmia subgenus, was identified as the most likely causative agent. Barcoding and maximum likelihood analysis supported morphological species identification and highlighted the complex phylogeny of the subgenus Wilhelmia. Our study gives first evidence of the multi-host feeding blackfly S. equinum in the Vienna Zoo, thereby raising the question whether other hosts could also be bitten on a regular basis. The preliminary results urge for further analysis of blackfly breeding sites as well as the clarification of the host spectrum to assess the medical and veterinary importance of blackflies in the Zoo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Ebmer
- Veterinary Clinic Vienna Zoo, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | | | | | - Julia Walochnik
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Edwin Kniha
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Khanzadeh F, Khaghaninia S, Maleki-Ravasan N, Koosha M, Oshaghi MA. Molecular detection of Dirofilaria spp. and host blood-meal identification in the Simulium turgaicum complex (Diptera: Simuliidae) in the Aras River Basin, northwestern Iran. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:548. [PMID: 33148310 PMCID: PMC7641795 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04432-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are known as effective vectors of human and animal pathogens, worldwide. We have already indicated that some individuals in the Simulium turgaicum complex are annoying pests of humans and livestock in the Aras River Basin, Iran. However, there is no evidence of host preference and their possible vectorial role in the region. This study was conducted to capture the S. turgaicum (s.l.), to identify their host blood-meals, and to examine their potential involvement in the circulation of zoonotic microfilariae in the study areas. Methods Adult blackflies of the S. turgaicum complex were bimonthly trapped with insect net in four ecotopes (humans/animals outdoors, irrigation canals, lands along the river, as well as rice and alfalfa farms) of ten villages (Gholibaiglou, Gungormaz, Hamrahlou, Hasanlou, Khetay, Khomarlou, Larijan, Mohammad Salehlou, Parvizkhanlou and Qarloujeh) of the Aras River Basin. A highly sensitive and specific nested PCR assay was used for detection of filarial nematodes in S. turgaicum (s.l.), using nuclear 18S rDNA-ITS1 markers. The sources of blood meals of engorged specimens were determined using multiplex and conventional cytb PCR assays. Results A total of 2754 females of S. turgaicum (s.l.) were collected. The DNA of filarial parasites was detected in 6 (0.62%) of 960 randomly examined individuals. Sequence analysis of 420 base pairs of 18S rDNA-ITS1 genes identified Dirofilaria spp. including 5 D. immitis and 1 D. repens. Importantly, all filarial positive specimens have been captured from humans and animals outdoors. Cytb-PCR assays showed that in all ecotypes studied, members of the S. turgaicum complex had preferably fed on humans, dogs, bovids, and birds, respectively. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of D. immitis/D. repens detection in blackflies. Results showed that S. turgaicum (s.l.) was the most abundant (97%) and anthropophilic (45%) blackfly in all studied ecotypes/villages and that DNA of Dirofilaria spp. was detected in the flies taken from six villages. Dirofilariasis is a common zoonosis between humans and carnivores, with mosquitoes (Culicidae) as the principal vectors. Further investigations are needed to demonstrate that blackflies are actual vectors of Dirofilaria in the studied region.![]()
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fariba Khanzadeh
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tehran, Iran
| | - Samad Khaghaninia
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tehran, Iran
| | - Naseh Maleki-Ravasan
- Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. .,Research Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mona Koosha
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ciloglu A, Ergen AG, Inci A, Dik B, Duzlu O, Onder Z, Yetismis G, Bensch S, Valkiūnas G, Yildirim A. Prevalence and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites at an intersection point of bird migration routes: Sultan Marshes National Park, Turkey. Acta Trop 2020; 210:105465. [PMID: 32504592 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Avian haemosporidians (Haemosporida) represent a globally distributed, species-rich multiparasite-multihost host-parasite system. Each year, many of these parasite lineages are carried between temperate and tropical regions by migratory birds. While several factors can limit the transmission of avian haemosporidians to new areas, recent studies have shown that some abundant parasites can sometimes disperse and be transmitted in new areas to become emerging infectious diseases. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites in Sultan Marshes National Park (SMNP), a major stopover site in the eastern Mediterranean flyway, and we evaluated the potential for avian haemosporidians in SMNP to be transmitted to areas outside of their known distributions. We sampled a total of 565 migratory and resident birds belonging to 39 species and 23 families. We applied both molecular and microscopic methods to detect and identify avian haemosporidian infections and also quantified the frequency of potential abortive infections. We identified a total of 52 different mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) parasite lineages belonging to the genera Plasmodium (N = 12), Haemoproteus (N = 31), and Leucocytozoon (N = 9) in 193 (34.2%) infected birds. Ten of the lineages were reported for the first time. Our findings show that numerous parasite lineages are actively transmitted among resident bird species of SMNP. Our findings also revealed new parasite-host interactions while considering the role of possible abortive infections. The relatively high frequency of presumed abortive infections suggests that analyses of datasets generated only by PCR-based methods should be interpreted with caution. We also compared the prevalence and distribution of avian haemosporidian infections in both resident and migratory bird species and showed that haemosporidian prevalence was related to bird migratory behavior. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the ecological and genetic adaptations associated with changes in transmission areas of avian haemosporidian parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arif Ciloglu
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Arzu Gursoy Ergen
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ankara University, 06100, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Abdullah Inci
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Bilal Dik
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, 42250, Konya, Turkey
| | - Onder Duzlu
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zuhal Onder
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Gamze Yetismis
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Department of Biology, Lund University, S-22362, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Alparslan Yildirim
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Khanzadeh F, Khaghaninia S, Maleki-Ravasan N, Oshaghi MA, Adler PH. Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) of the Aras River Basin: Species composition and floral visitation. Acta Trop 2020; 209:105536. [PMID: 32450136 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2020.105536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Black flies are insects of medical, veterinary, and environmental significance. Historically, they have attacked humans and caused simuliotoxicosis in livestock in the Aras River Basin in northwest Iran. However, information on the species and their bionomics is limited in the region. Adult flies were collected from diverse ecotopes of the Aras River Basin. After morphological identification, representative specimens of each morphological group were subjected to mtDNA COI gene sequence analysis for species diagnosis and to infer relationships. Flies also were examined for pollinia. A total of 1880 specimens representing 12 morphotaxa in two genera (Simulium and Metacnephia) were identified: Simulium turgaicum (n=1834), S. kiritshenkoi (n=12), S. bezzii (n=7), S. brevitarse (n=7), S. pseudequinum (n=5), S. aureum species group (n=4), S. vernum species group (n=3), S. transcaspicum (n=1), three unidentified species of the subgenus Simulium (n=5), and Metacnephia possibly persica (n=2). Fifty two haplotypes were detected for the 65 COI sequences analyzed. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.19-8.83%, whereas the mean interspecific genetic distances among the morphotaxa were 1.41-19.58%. Molecular analyses recovered three well-supported lineages within S. turgaicum. One lineage included black flies collected from agricultural fields, a second lineage involved black flies captured from animals, and a third lineage included specimens that had visited flowers, as evidenced by presence of pollinia. The relative abundance (97%) and observations of the S. turgaicum complex biting humans are important epidemiological factors. Future studies are needed to define the potential epidemiological risk of simulids in Khoda-Afarin County of Iran.
Collapse
|
5
|
Onder Z, Yildirim A, Duzlu O, Arslan MO, Sari B, Tasci GT, Ciloglu A, Aydin NP, Inci A, Adler PH. Molecular characterization of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in areas with pest outbreaks and simuliotoxicosis in Northeast Anatolia Region, Turkey. Acta Trop 2019; 199:105149. [PMID: 31422094 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Accurate species identification provides the foundation for successful pest management and vector control of black flies. Accordingly, we examined the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences of four morphologically and chromosomally identified species of black flies (Simulium vernumgroup sp., S. bergi Rubtsov, S. bezzii (Corti), and S. kiritshenkoi Rubtsov) in Northeast Anatolia Region of Turkey where simuliid pest problems and simuliotoxicosis cases have been reported among cattle. COI gene sequences of these species and closely related species available in GenBank were used to provide species-level diagnoses and infer relationships. Both subgenera (Nevermannia and Simulium) were monophyletic, and subclades generally corresponded with species groups. Intraspecific genetic divergence was 0.2-1.6%, whereas the mean interspecific genetic divergence among the four species was 11.2-14.5%. The COI analysis produced results congruent with morphological concepts of the nominal species S. bergi and S. bezzii. Probable misidentifications in GenBank were revealed, especially for species in the S. ornatum and S. vernum groups, complicating identification capability. Sequence variation in the COI barcode region also might not be adequate for species delineation and identification among some species in these two species groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zuhal Onder
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.
| | - Alparslan Yildirim
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Onder Duzlu
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mukremin O Arslan
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kars, Turkey
| | - Baris Sari
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kars, Turkey
| | - Gencay T Tasci
- Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kars, Turkey
| | - Arif Ciloglu
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | | | - Abdullah Inci
- Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Parasitology Department, Kayseri, Turkey; Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Implementation and Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Peter H Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Đuknić J, Jovanović VM, Popović N, Živić I, Raković M, Čerba D, Paunović M. Phylogeography of Simulium Subgenus Wilhelmia (Diptera: Simuliidae)-Insights From Balkan Populations. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:967-978. [PMID: 31220292 PMCID: PMC6595531 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Many morphologically similar species of the simuliid (Diptera: Simuliidae) subgenus Wilhelmia, Enderlein are difficult to distinguish. Thus, the revision of the subgenus using various morphological, cytogenetic, and genetic analyses has been attempted. Neglected until now, the Balkan Peninsula, a crossroad between Europe and Anatolia, provides insight which could resolve problematic interrelationships of the taxa within this subgenus. To uncover the status and relations within the subgenus Wilhelmia, mtDNA was extracted from 47 individuals of six morphospecies: Simulium balcanicum (Enderlein, 1924), Simulium turgaicum Rubtsov, 1940, Simulium lineatum (Meigen, 1804), Simulium pseudequinum Séguy, 1921, Simulium equinum (Linnaeus, 1758), and Simulium paraequinum Puri, 1933 from 21 sites throughout the Balkan Peninsula. Phylogenetic analysis of the Wilhelmia species using mitochondrial DNA barcoding (COI) gene showed two major branches, the lineatum branch, which includes the lineages sergenti, paraequinum, and lineatum, and the equinum branch. In the equinum branch, the mtDNA sequences formed six clades, with high genetic distances, suggesting the existence of different species. Historically, the clades of the equinum branch appeared at numerous islands, perhaps as a result of allopatric speciation. The paraequinum lineage (lineatum branch) is composed of two species. However, six clades of the lineatum lineage overlapped with intra- and interspecific genetic distances. Our results revealed that the species S. balcanicum, S. pseudequinum B, and S. equinum were omnipresent in the Balkans. The results point to not only the fair diversity of Wilhelmia species in the Balkans, but also indicate that most Wilhelmia species live in sympatry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Đuknić
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vladimir M Jovanović
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nataša Popović
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana Živić
- Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Maja Raković
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dubravka Čerba
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Momir Paunović
- Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|