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Couper LI, Mordecai EA. Ecological drivers of dog heartworm transmission in California. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:388. [PMID: 36274157 PMCID: PMC9590206 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05526-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Effectively controlling heartworm disease-a major parasitic disease threatening animal health in the US and globally-requires understanding the local ecology of mosquito vectors involved in transmission. However, the key vector species in a given region are often unknown and challenging to identify. Here we investigate (i) the key vector species associated with transmission of the parasite, Dirofilaria immitis, in California and (ii) the climate and land cover drivers of vector presence. METHODS To identify key mosquito vectors involved in transmission, we incorporated long-term, finely resolved mosquito surveillance data and dog heartworm case data in a statistical modeling approach (fixed-effects regression) that rigorously controls for other unobserved drivers of heartworm cases. We then used a flexible machine learning approach (gradient boosted machines) to identify the climate and land cover variables associated with the presence of each species. RESULTS We found significant, regionally specific, positive associations between dog heartworm cases and the abundance of four vector species: Aedes aegypti (Central California), Ae. albopictus (Southern California), Ae. sierrensis (Central California), and Culiseta incidens (Northern and Central California). The proportion of developed land cover was one of the most important ecological variables predicting the presence or absence of the putative vector species. CONCLUSION Our results implicate three previously under-recognized vectors of dog heartworm transmission in California and indicate the land cover types in which each putative vector species is commonly found. Efforts to target these species could prioritize surveillance in these land cover types (e.g. near human dwellings in less urbanized settings for Ae. albopictus and Cs. incidens) but further investigation on the natural infection prevalence and host-biting rates of these species, as well as the other local vectors, is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa I. Couper
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
| | - Erin A. Mordecai
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
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Viveros-Santos V, Hernández-Triana LM, Ibáñez-Bernal S, Ortega-Morales AI, Nikolova NI, Pairot P, Fooks AR, Casas-Martínez M. Integrated Approaches for the Identification of Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from the Volcanoes of Central America Physiographic Subprovince of the State of Chiapas, Mexico. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2022; 22:120-137. [PMID: 35175140 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, there is a lack of information on the mosquito's fauna and DNA barcoding sequence reference library from many areas in Mexico, including the Volcanoes of Central America physiographic subprovince in the state of Chiapas. Consequently, a survey was undertaken to delineate the mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna in this region across different seasons using different collecting techniques. All species were identified by morphology and DNA barcoding, and their ecological features were also defined. In total, 62 taxa were morphologically examined, 60 of these were successfully identified based on morphological characteristics, but two were unable to be identified at the species level. The genera Aedes, Anopheles, Culex, and Wyeomyia are the most diverse among mosquito genera collected and include several species of medical and veterinary importance. Ecological characteristics of the immature habitats indicated that they were grouped into four categories namely, (1) large water bodies at ground level, (2) small and shady phytotelmata (e.g., tree holes and bamboo internodes), (3) large phytotelmata (e.g., plant leaves and axis bromeliad), and (4) artificial containers. The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA barcoding sequences successfully separated the majority of these species, although specific species showed >2% intraspecific genetic divergences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Viveros-Santos
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, México
| | | | | | - Aldo I Ortega-Morales
- Departamento de Parasitología, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro Unidad Laguna, Torreón, México
| | - Nadya I Nikolova
- Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Universidad de Guelph, Ontario, Canadá
| | - Pramual Pairot
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand
| | - Anthony R Fooks
- Virology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Mauricio Casas-Martínez
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, México
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Riahi SM, Yusuf MA, Azari-Hamidian S, Solgi R. Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in mosquitoes (Diptera) - systematic review and meta-analysis. J Nematol 2021; 53:e2021-012. [PMID: 33860239 PMCID: PMC8039976 DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2021-012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the vectors of dirofilariasis in the world beside the treatment of infected dog is crucial to establish mosquito vector-based control programs. The current systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on published studies, documenting the prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis infected/infective mosquitoes from field surveys and laboratory experiments under controlled conditions. Articles up through 2019 from Scopus, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar were screened systematically. The overall prevalence of D. immitis infected/infective mosquitoes was estimated using a random effect model. Meta-regression was used to identify factors related to high dirofilariasis prevalence in the vectors. In these studies, the detection method was not identified as a heterogeneity and the overall prevalence in both subgroups had overlap (7.9-34.9 and 1.5-48.5). The overall prevalence of infective stage was 2.6 (95% CI: 0.97-4.77 per 1,000) and 84.7 per 1000 (95% CI: 20.5-183.8 per 1,000) for the field survey/laboratory experiment, respectively. The higher overall prevalence of D. immitis infected/infective mosquitoes were reported across studies in which take place in Eastern Mediterranean Region office (EMRO), longitude: 80 to 110, latitude: 20 to 40, annual rainfall: 250 to 1000, sea level: 26 to 100 and <1,000, humidity: 66 to 70, during 2000 to 2005 by dissection methods. Our review determined that mosquito species within the genus Anopheles and to a less extent Culex were the main vectors of dirofilariasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mohammad Riahi
- Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Mustapha Ahmed Yusuf
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Shahyad Azari-Hamidian
- Department of Health Education, Research Center of Health and Environment, School of Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
| | - Rahmat Solgi
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
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Dantas-Torres F, Otranto D. Overview on Dirofilaria immitis in the Americas, with notes on other filarial worms infecting dogs. Vet Parasitol 2020; 282:109113. [PMID: 32464570 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2020.109113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Canine dirofilariosis in the Americas is primarily caused by Dirofilaria immitis, a mosquito-borne filarial worm infecting dogs, which may also infect and cause disease in other mammalian hosts, including humans. Morphological and molecular evidence gathered in the past decades suggest that other Dirofilaria spp. may infect dogs in the American continent, though the actual taxonomic identity of them still needs to be elucidated. In addition, filarial worms belonging to distinct genera have also been reported in dogs in this part of the world, including Acanthocheilonema reconditum, Cercopithifilaria bainae, and Onchocerca lupi. Among these, O. lupi is a species of major clinical significance, which has been reported not only in dogs, but also in cats and humans in North America. The present article provides a current overview on canine dirofilariosis in the Americas, with notes on other filarial worms infecting dogs. It also provides some insights into outstanding research questions that should be responded to fill some of the several knowledge gaps related to this group of parasites in this continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Dantas-Torres
- Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy; Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
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Fitzpatrick DM, Hattaway LM, Hsueh AN, Ramos-Niño ME, Cheetham SM. PCR-Based Bloodmeal Analysis of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in St. George Parish, Grenada. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:1170-1175. [PMID: 31245825 PMCID: PMC6595504 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Blood-feeding patterns of mosquitoes affect the transmission and maintenance of arboviral diseases. In the Caribbean, Aedes aegypti (L.) and Culex quinquefasciatus Say mosquitoes are the dominant mosquito species in developed areas. However, no information is available on the bloodmeal hosts of these invasive vectors in Grenada, where arboviral pathogens such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses cause significant human suffering. To this end, Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes were investigated from five semirural locations near houses in St. George's Parish, from 2017 to 2018. Polymerase chain reaction was conducted on DNA extracted from individual blood-fed mosquitoes using vertebrate-specific cytochrome b primers. The 32 Ae. aegypti bloodmeals included humans (70%), mongooses (18%), domestic dogs (6%), a domestic cat (3%), and an unidentified bird (3%). Thirty-seven Cx. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes took bloodmeals from seven species of birds (51%), humans (27%), domestic cats (8%), iguanas (5%), a domestic dog (3%), a rat (3%), and a common opossum (3%). The high percentage of human bloodmeal hosts in our study, especially by the normally anthropophilic Ae. aegypti, is expected. The bloodmeal sources and the percentage of nonhuman bloodmeals (30%) taken by Ae. aegypti are comparable to other studies. The large range of hosts may be explained in part by the semirural nature of most local housing. Accordingly, this may contribute to an exchange of pathogens between domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic transmission cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Fitzpatrick
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Lindsey M Hattaway
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Andy N Hsueh
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Maria E Ramos-Niño
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
| | - Sonia M Cheetham
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
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Vezzani D, Mesplet M, Eiras DF, Fontanarrosa MF, Schnittger L. PCR detection of Dirofilaria immitis in Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens from urban temperate Argentina. Parasitol Res 2010; 108:985-9. [PMID: 21072539 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2142-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2010] [Accepted: 10/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Dirofilariasis, a mosquito-borne disease of dogs caused by the nematode Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy; Spirurida: Onchocercidae), has now become a growing zoonotic concern. Based on direct microscopical observation, Aedes aegypti (L.) and Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae) have been previously incriminated as potential vectors of D. immitis in urban temperate Argentina. In this study, an effort was made to provide evidence for this assumption by screening of mosquitoes for D. immitis infection using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. PCR primers were developed to specifically amplify the D. immitis-16S rRNA gene and to reliably detect 100th of the genomic equivalent (10 pg) of the infective third-stage larvae in mosquito pools of up to 30 individuals. Collection of mosquitoes was performed between September 2007 and April 2008 in premises known to be inhabited by D. immitis-infected dogs in Greater Buenos Aires. The final collection comprised 453 specimens belonging to 11 mosquito species of the genera Aedes, Culex, Ochlerotatus, and Psorophora. PCR assays were performed on 82 pools (n ≤ 20) of heads and abdomens separately, as this allows differentiating infective and non-infective stages of the parasite, respectively. Identification of the non-infective stage of D. immitis in A. aegypti and C. pipiens provided additional strong support of transmission of the parasite by these species. To our knowledge, this was the first PCR screening for D. immitis-infected mosquitoes in South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darío Vezzani
- Unidad de Ecología de Reservorios y Vectores de Parásitos, Facultad de Cs. Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, 4º piso, (C1428EHA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Vezzani D, Carbajo AE. Spatial and temporal transmission risk of Dirofilaria immitis in Argentina. Int J Parasitol 2006; 36:1463-72. [PMID: 17027990 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2006.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2006] [Revised: 08/22/2006] [Accepted: 08/29/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this work was to assess spatial and seasonal Dirofilaria immitis transmission risk throughout Argentina with models based on the temperature threshold below which filarial development will not proceed in the mosquito (i.e. 14 degrees C), the occurrence and the number of potential vector mosquito species, and the Heartworm Development Units derived from the degree-days concept. The four models showed a similar increasing southwest-northeast tendency and correlated significantly with canine prevalences used as external validation data. About one-third of Argentina would be suitable for heartworm transmission and the highest risk areas include the north-eastern provinces. According to our models, heartworm transmission is markedly seasonal with peaks in January and February; no region would support transmission throughout the year. To improve the present models, it is necessary to know which mosquito species are competent rather than potential vectors in the country. We believe the present study provides the first risk assessment maps for D. immitis transmission in the Southern Hemisphere and provides a useful guide for heartworm prevention during the transmission periods in different regions of Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darío Vezzani
- Ecología de Reservorios y Vectores de Parásitos, Dto. de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Cs. Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, 4 piso, (C1428EHA) Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Vezzani D, Eiras DF, Wisnivesky C. Dirofilariasis in Argentina: historical review and first report of Dirofilaria immitis in a natural mosquito population. Vet Parasitol 2005; 136:259-73. [PMID: 16310953 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2005] [Revised: 10/28/2005] [Accepted: 10/28/2005] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Argentina is one of the four South American countries where the presence of Dirofilaria immitis is currently confirmed. The objective of this study was to review information on dirofilariasis in the country, and to report our recent findings on mosquito vectors. Since the first report of dogs with unidentified microfilariae in 1926, D. immitis was found in seven provinces and canine prevalence ranged 0-71% at local scale. National prevalence was 8% by the end of the 1980s and current information is available only for Buenos Aires Province. Four pulmonary human infections of D. immitis and one subcutaneous of Dirofilaria sp. were documented. The common coati was the only wild host found, and natural infection in mosquitoes was not previously reported in the country. In our recent mosquito survey in Greater Buenos Aires, we captured and dissected 2380 mosquitoes belonging to 20 species. According to a minimum temperature of 14 degrees C, the potential transmission period (PTP) for D. immitis in Buenos Aires covers 6 months, and the most favourable period (mean temperature above 20 degrees C) takes place from the middle of November to the beginning of April. To identify potential vectors of the parasite, we assessed weekly abundances of mosquito species during those PTP estimated previously. We found two specimens of Culex pipiens and one of Aedes aegypti carrying non-infective stages of D. immitis. These two highly anthropophilic mosquitoes may enhance the role of D. immitis as zoonotic agent in temperate Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darío Vezzani
- Unidad de Ecología de Reservorios y Vectores de Parásitos, Dto. de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Cs. Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 2, Argentina
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Serrão ML, Labarthe N, Lourenço-de-Oliveira R. Vectorial competence of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus 1762) Rio de Janeiro strain, to Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy 1856). Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2001; 96:593-8. [PMID: 11500754 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762001000500001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy 1856), a nematode parasite, is the etiologic agent of canine heartworm disease and mosquitoes are essential intermediate hosts. Mosquito susceptibility to the worms differ with species, strains and also among individuals of the same strain. To evaluate the degree of susceptibility of Rio de Janeiro laboratory raised strain of Aedes aegypti, we fed mosquitoes on canine blood with different densities of microfilariae (mf). There was no significant difference in the rate of development among the three different densities of mf. Infective larvae were found in the head and proboscis of all mosquitoes provided bloodmeals with different densities of mf after the 11th day post-infection. The infection rate of mosquitoes after ingestion of blood containing 3,000 mf/ml, 5,000 mf/ml and 7,000 mf/ml were 55.3%, 66.7% and 100%, respectively. The vector efficiency indices ranged from 1.6 to 9.3. The finding of L3 stage larvae, high infection rates and vector efficiency indices suggest that Ae. aegypti, Rio de Janeiro laboratory strain, is a potential vector of D. immitis, although of low efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Serrão
- Laboratório de Transmissores de Hematozoários, Departamento de Entomologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, 21045-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
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Ahid SM, Vasconcelos PS, Lourenço-de-Oliviera R. Vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus say from different regions of Brazil to Dirofilaria immitis. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2000; 95:769-75. [PMID: 11080759 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762000000600004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus from five localities in Brazil to Dirofilaria immitis was evaluated experimentally. Females from each locality were fed on an infected dog ( approximately 6 microfilariae/microl blood). A sample of blood fed mosquitoes were dissected approximately 1 h after blood meal. These results demonstrated that all had ingested microfilariae (mean, 4.8 to 24.6 microfilariae/mosquito). Fifteen days after the infected blood meal, the infection and infective rates were low in all populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus. The mean number of infective larvae detected in the head and proboscis of these mosquitoes was 1-1.5. The vector efficiency, the number of microfilariae ingested/number of infective larvae, was low for all populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus. However, the survival rate for all populations was high (range 50-75%). The survival rate of Aedes aegypti assayed simultaneously for comparison was low (24.7%), while the vector efficiency was much higher than for Cx. quinquefasciatus. These data suggest that the vector competence of all assayed populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus to D. immitis in Brazil is similar and that this species is a secondary vector due to its low susceptibility. Nevertheless, vector capacity may vary between populations due to differences in biting frequency on dogs that has been reported in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Ahid
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, 65054-970 São Luis, MA, Brasil.
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