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Bassini-Silva R, Chagas MEMD, Mello-Oliveira VDS, Calchi AC, Castro-Santiago AC, Andrade LDO, Benedet GC, Pereira FMAM, Soares-Neto LL, Hippólito AG, Hoppe EGL, Werther K, André MR, Quadros RMD, Barros-Battesti DM, Muñoz-Leal S, Jacinavicius FDC. Eutrichophilus cordiceps Mjöberg, 1910 (Ischnocera: Trichodectidae) in Spiny Tree Porcupines (Coendou villosus): New locality records and the first molecular evidence of association with Bartonella sp. Parasitol Int 2024; 100:102876. [PMID: 38438077 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102876] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
The chewing louse genus Eutrichophilus Mjöberg has 19 species only associated with porcupines (Rodentia: Erethizontidae). Of these species, E. cercolabes, E. cordiceps, E. emersoni, E. minor, E. moojeni, and E. paraguayensis have been recorded in Brazil. In the present study, we report E. cordiceps for the first time in the São Paulo State (Bauru Municipality) and for the second time in the Santa Catarina State (Lages Municipality), providing scanning electron images and light microscopy for the eggs, as well as the first molecular data (18S rRNA) for the genus. Additionally, Bartonella sp. was detected for the first time in this chewing lice species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Bassini-Silva
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maria Eduarda Moraes das Chagas
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Victor de Souza Mello-Oliveira
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ana Cláudia Calchi
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Lívia de Oliveira Andrade
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Gabriela Coelho Benedet
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (Cav Udesc), Lages, SC, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | - Estevam Guilherme Lux Hoppe
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Karin Werther
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Marcos Rogério André
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Rosiléia Marinho de Quadros
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (Cav Udesc), Lages, SC, Brazil; Laboratório de Zoologia e Parasitologia, Universidade do Planalto Catarinense da (Uniplac), Lages, SC, Brazil.
| | - Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti
- Vector-Borne Bioagents Laboratory (VBBL), Departamento de Patologia, Reprodução e Saúde Única, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias-UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil.
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile.
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Benedek AM, Boeraș I, Lazăr A, Sandu A, Cocîrlea MD, Stănciugelu M, Cic NV, Postolache C. Effects of Season, Habitat, and Host Characteristics on Ectoparasites of Wild Rodents in a Mosaic Rural Landscape. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:304. [PMID: 38254473 PMCID: PMC10812489 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the large number of studies on rodent ectoparasites-most of them vectors of epidemiologically important pathogens-infestation patterns remain poorly understood in various ecological contexts, such as the highly patchy agricultural landscapes. We aimed to relate the infestation of rodents to temporal, habitat, and host variables. We assessed the difference in parasite prevalence and mean abundance depending on host sex, age, and body weight, season, and land use intensity. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of host species abundance and the differential responses of parasites in main and minor host species. The field survey was conducted in a rural landscape in southern Transylvania (Romania) between June and September 2010-2011. We live-trapped small mammals, collected the ticks and fleas, and recorded the presence of lice and mites. Overall, we found the same infestation patterns largely reported in the literature: higher prevalence and mean abundance in heavier adult males, significant seasonality and differences among host species, and evidence of the dilution effect. The uniqueness of our study system was the negative effect of the land use intensity on the prevalence and mean abundance of parasites, explained by the highly patchy mosaic landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Benedek
- Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (A.S.); (C.P.)
- Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania;
| | - Ioana Boeraș
- Faculty of Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania;
| | - Anamaria Lazăr
- Faculty of Food and Tourism, Transylvania University of Braşov, 500036 Brașov, Romania;
| | - Alexandra Sandu
- Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (A.S.); (C.P.)
| | - Maria Denisa Cocîrlea
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Food Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550012 Sibiu, Romania;
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies and Research, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Maria Stănciugelu
- Brukenthal National Museum, Natural History Museum, 550163 Sibiu, Romania;
| | | | - Carmen Postolache
- Doctoral School in Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania; (A.S.); (C.P.)
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Chen K, Roe RM, Ponnusamy L. Biology, Systematics, Microbiome, Pathogen Transmission and Control of Chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae, Leeuwenhoekiidae) with Emphasis on the United States. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15147. [PMID: 36429867 PMCID: PMC9690316 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Chiggers are the larval stage of Trombiculidae and Leeuwenhoekiidae mites of medical and veterinary importance. Some species in the genus Leptotrombidium and Herpetacarus vector Orientia species, the bacteria that causes scrub typhus disease in humans. Scrub typhus is a life-threatening, febrile disease. Chigger bites can also cause dermatitis. There were 248 chigger species reported from the US from almost every state. However, there are large gaps in our knowledge of the life history of other stages of development. North American wide morphological keys are needed for better species identification, and molecular sequence data for identification are minimal and not clearly matched with morphological data. The role of chiggers in disease transmission in the US is especially understudied, and the role of endosymbionts in Orientia infection are suggested in the scientific literature but not confirmed. The most common chiggers in the eastern United States were identified as Eutrombicula alfreddugesi but were likely misidentified and should be replaced with Eutrombicula cinnabaris. Scrub typhus was originally believed to be limited to the Tsutsugamushi Triangle and the chigger genus, Leptotrombidium, but there is increasing evidence this is not the case. The potential of Orientia species establishing in the US is high. In addition, several other recognized pathogens to infect humans, namely Hantavirus, Bartonella, Borrelia, and Rickettsia, were also detected in chiggers. The role that chiggers play in these disease transmissions in the US needs further investigation. It is possible some of the tick-borne diseases and red meat allergies are caused by chiggers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiying Chen
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - R. Michael Roe
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Herrera-Mares A, Guzmán-Cornejo C, Ulloa-García A, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Silva-de la Fuente MC, Suzán G. Mites, rodents, and pathogens: A global review for a multi-species interaction in disease ecology. Acta Trop 2022; 232:106509. [PMID: 35569525 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
More than ever, there is a need to understand how pathogens, vectors and hosts occur temporally and spatially to predict the occurrence of zoonotic outbreaks. Related to this, mites of the Mesostigmata and Trombidiformes orders have the potential to transmit several diseases, yet their information of occurrence, distribution and zoonotic accompanying agents have not been systematically organized. We conducted a systematic review using a combination of words through the Sysrev platform, as well as literature searches in specialised databases to identify global patterns of infections, trends in mite-rodent-pathogen research and existing knowledge gaps. The inclusion criterion was the detection of pathogens in mites, either by molecular or serological techniques or by direct observation under the microscope, which rendered 125 papers. Most works have been carried out in Asia, mainly around the transmission of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Interestingly, co-infections, i.e., the presence of more than one pathogen in an individual, are common in other Acari groups such as ticks. Moreover, this is not the case for Trombidiformes and Mesostigmata as only 4.7 percent of the articles reviewed detected more than one pathogen in these mites. It is important to include a multi-host, multi-vector and multi-pathogen approaches to understand complex systems in disease ecology. A synergy between mite taxonomists, physicians and veterinarians, decision-makers, governmental organisations, and society is needed to address the emergence of mite-borne new or neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel Herrera-Mares
- Departamento de Etología, Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades y Una Salud, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico; Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Unidad de Posgrado, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico
| | - Carmen Guzmán-Cornejo
- Departamento de Biología Comparada, Facultad de Ciencias, Laboratorio de Acarología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Armando Ulloa-García
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Campus IV, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad, Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Gerardo Suzán
- Departamento de Etología, Laboratorio de Ecología de Enfermedades y Una Salud, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Wechtaisong W, Bonnet SI, Chomel BB, Lien YY, Chuang ST, Tsai YL. Investigation of Transovarial Transmission of Bartonella henselae in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato Ticks Using Artificial Feeding. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9122501. [PMID: 34946103 PMCID: PMC8705908 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella henselae is a slow-growing, Gram-negative bacterium that causes cat scratch disease in humans. A transstadial transmission of the bacteria from larvae to nymphs of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) ticks, suspected to be a potential vector of the bacteria, has been previously demonstrated. The present study aims to investigate transovarial transmission of B. henselae from R. sanguineus s.l. adults to their instars. Adult ticks (25 males and 25 females) were fed through an artificial feeding system on B. henselae-infected goat blood for 14 days, and 300 larvae derived from the experimentally B. henselae-infected females were fed on noninfected goat blood for 7 days. Nested PCR and culture were used to detect and isolate B. henselae in ticks and blood samples. Bartonella henselae DNA was detected in midguts, salivary glands, and carcasses of the semi-engorged adults and pooled tick feces (during feeding and post-feeding periods). After the oviposition period, B. henselae DNA was detected in salivary glands of females (33.3%), but not in pooled eggs or larvae derived from the infected females. However, B. henselae DNA was detected by nested PCR from the blood sample during larval feeding, while no viable B. henselae was isolated by culture. According to our findings, following infected blood meal, B. henselae could remain in the tick midguts, move to other tissues including salivary glands, and then be shed through tick feces with limited persistency. The presence of bacterial DNA in the blood during larval feeding shows the possibility of transovarial transmission of B. henselae in R. sanguineus s.l. ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wittawat Wechtaisong
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- Animal Health Department, INRAE, 37380 Nouzilly, France;
- Functional Genetics of Infectious Diseases Unit, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR 2000, Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Bruno B. Chomel
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA;
| | - Yi-Yang Lien
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
| | - Shih-Te Chuang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan;
| | - Yi-Lun Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan; (W.W.); (Y.-Y.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-8-774-0226
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Krasnov BR, Shenbrot GI, Khokhlova IS. Dark diversity of flea assemblages of small mammalian hosts: effects of environment, host traits and host phylogeny. Int J Parasitol 2021; 52:157-167. [PMID: 34560075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.08.003] [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: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
An assemblage of species in a locality comprises two components, namely (i) species that are present (realised diversity) and (ii) species from the regional pool that may potentially inhabit this locality due to suitable ecological conditions, but that are absent (dark diversity). We investigated factors affecting the dark diversity of component communities of fleas parasitic on small mammals in the northern Palearctic at two scales. First, we considered the dark diversity of flea assemblages of the same host (for 13 host species) across regions and tested for the effects of environmental factors and the number of available host species on the dark diversity of within-region flea assemblages. Second, we considered the dark diversity of fleas across host species within a region (for 20 regions) and asked whether within-host dark diversity is associated with host phylogeny and/or traits. We found that the dark diversity of flea assemblages harboured by small mammals varied substantially (i) within the same host species across space (in 12 of 13 host species) and (ii) between host species within a region (in eight of 20 regions). The size of the dark diversity of flea assemblages of the same host across regions was generally affected by environmental factors (mainly by the amount of green vegetation), whereas the size of the dark diversity of flea assemblages of a host species within a region was affected by host traits (mainly by the degree of host sociality and the structure of its shelter and, to a lesser degree, by its geographic range size) but was not associated with host phylogenetic affinities. We conclude that application of the dark diversity concept to parasite communities across space or hosts allows a better understanding of the factors affecting the species richness and composition of these communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris R Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel.
| | - Georgy I Shenbrot
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Irina S Khokhlova
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer Campus, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
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Smith JE, Smith IB, Working CL, Russell ID, Krout SA, Singh KS, Sih A. Host traits, identity, and ecological conditions predict consistent flea abundance and prevalence on free-living California ground squirrels. Int J Parasitol 2021; 51:587-598. [PMID: 33508332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding why some individuals are more prone to carry parasites and spread diseases than others is a key question in biology. Although epidemiologists and disease ecologists increasingly recognize that individuals of the same species can vary tremendously in their relative contributions to the emergence of diseases, very few empirical studies systematically assess consistent individual differences in parasite loads within populations over time. Two species of fleas (Oropsylla montana and Hoplopsyllus anomalous) and their hosts, California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi), form a major complex for amplifying epizootic plague in the western United States. Understanding its biology is primarily of major ecological importance and is also relevant to public health. Here, we capitalize on a long-term data set to explain flea incidence on California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, USA. In a 7 year study, we detected 42,358 fleas from 2,759 live trapping events involving 803 unique squirrels from two free-living populations that differed in the amount of human disturbance in those areas. In general, fleas were most abundant and prevalent on adult males, on heavy squirrels, and at the pristine site, but flea distributions varied among years, with seasonal conditions (e.g., temperature, rainfall, humidity), temporally within summers, and between flea species. Although on-host abundances of the two flea species were positively correlated, each flea species occupied a distinctive ecological niche. The common flea (O. montana) occurred primarily on adults in cool, moist conditions in early summer whereas the rare flea (H. anomalous) was mainly on juveniles in hot, dry conditions in late summer. Beyond this, we uncovered significantly repeatable and persistent effects of host individual identity on flea loads, finding consistent individual differences among hosts in all parasite measures. Taken together, we reveal multiple determinants of parasites on free-living mammals, including the underappreciated potential for host heterogeneity - within populations - to structure the emergence of zoonotic diseases such as bubonic plague.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Smith
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94631, USA.
| | - Imani B Smith
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94631, USA
| | - Cecelia L Working
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94631, USA; Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E Green St, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Imani D Russell
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94631, USA
| | - Shelby A Krout
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94631, USA
| | - Kajol S Singh
- Biology Department, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94631, USA
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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8
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Rosso AA, Nicholson DJ, Logan ML, Chung AK, Curlis JD, Degon ZM, Knell RJ, Garner TWJ, McMillan WO, Cox CL. Sex-biased parasitism and expression of a sexual signal. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Given that sexual signals are often expressed more highly in one sex than the other, they can impose a sex-specific cost of reproduction through parasitism. The two primary paradigms regarding the relationship of parasites to sexual signals are the good genes hypothesis and the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis; however, there are other ecological, morphological and energetic factors that might influence parasite infections in a sex-specific fashion. We tested the relationship between expression of a sexual signal (the dewlap) and ecological, morphological and energetic factors mediating ectoparasite (mite) load between male and female Panamanian slender anoles (Anolis apletophallus). We found that males were more highly parasitized than females because of the preponderance of ectoparasites on the larger dewlap of males. Indeed, ectoparasite infection increased with both body size and dewlap size in males but not in females, and parasite infection was related to energy storage in a sex-specific fashion for the fat bodies, liver and gonads. Our work and previous work on testosterone in anoles suggests that this pattern did not arise solely from immunosuppression by testosterone, but that mites prefer the dewlap as an attachment site. Thus, the expression of this sexual signal could incur a fitness cost that might structure life-history trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam A Rosso
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Daniel J Nicholson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Michael L Logan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Albert K Chung
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John David Curlis
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zachariah M Degon
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
| | - Robert J Knell
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | - W Owen McMillan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Christian L Cox
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA, USA
- Institute of Environment and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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Bartonella washoensis infection in red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) and their ectoparasites in Lithuania. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2019; 68:101391. [PMID: 31760364 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2019.101391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This is the first study to investigate the presence of Bartonella infections in different internal organs of red squirrels and their ectoparasites in Lithuania. A total of 39 roadkill red squirrels were collected. Squirrels were infested with Ixodes ricinus ticks (191) and Ceratophyllus sciurorum fleas (36). The presence of Bartonella spp. was screened using 16 S-23 S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region and bacteria were detected in 38.5 % (15/39) samples of squirrels, 1.0 % (2/191) samples of ticks and 55.5 % (20/36) samples of fleas. The infection rate of different internal organs of squirrels varied from 11.1%-47.4%. The 16 S-23 S rRNA ITS region sequences showed that Bartonella washoensis were detected in squirrels and their ectoparasites. The results from this study support the hypothesis that S. vulgaris and their fleas, C.sciurorum, serve as a major reservoir and a vector, respectively, of zoonotic B. washoensis in Lithuania.
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Peng PY, Guo XG, Jin DC, Dong WG, Qian TJ, Qin F, Yang ZH. Species abundance distribution and ecological niches of chigger mites on small mammals in Yunnan province, southwest China. Biologia (Bratisl) 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2017-0119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Huang XD, Cheng P, Zhao YQ, Li WJ, Zhao JX, Liu HM, Kou JX, Gong MQ. Chigger Mite (Acari: Trombiculidae) Survey of Rodents in Shandong Province, Northern China. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2017; 55:555-559. [PMID: 29103271 PMCID: PMC5678473 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2017.55.5.555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Chigger mites are parasites of rodents and other vertebrates, invertebrates, and other arthropods, and are the only vectors of scrub typhus, in addition to other zoonoses. Therefore, investigating their distribution, diversity, and seasonal abundance is important for public health. Rodent surveillance was conducted at 6 districts in Shandong Province, northern China (114–112°E, 34–38°N), from January to December 2011. Overall, 225/286 (78.7%) rodents captured were infested with chigger mites. A total of 451 chigger mites were identified as belonging to 5 most commonly collected species and 3 genera in 1 family. Leptotrombidium scutellare and Leptotrombidium intermedia were the most commonly collected chigger mites. L. scutellare (66.2%, 36.7%, and 49.0%) was the most frequently collected chigger mite from Apodemus agrarius, Rattus norvegicus, and Microtus fortis, respectively, whereas L. intermedia (61.5% and 63.2%) was the most frequently collected chigger mite from Cricetulus triton and Mus musculus, respectively. This study demonstrated a relatively high prevalence of chigger mites that varied seasonally in Shandong Province, China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Dan Huang
- Shandong Academy of Medicine Sciences, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jining, Shandong Province 272033, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Cheng
- Shandong Academy of Medicine Sciences, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jining, Shandong Province 272033, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Qiang Zhao
- Shandong Academy of Medicine Sciences, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jining, Shandong Province 272033, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Juan Li
- Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong Province 272067, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiu-Xu Zhao
- Jining Health School, Jining, Shandong Province 272031, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Mei Liu
- Shandong Academy of Medicine Sciences, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jining, Shandong Province 272033, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Xuan Kou
- Shandong Academy of Medicine Sciences, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jining, Shandong Province 272033, People's Republic of China
| | - Mao-Qing Gong
- Shandong Academy of Medicine Sciences, Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Jining, Shandong Province 272033, People's Republic of China
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Bobbie CB, Schmidt E, Foley J, Schulte-Hostedde AI. The presence of parasitic mites on small mammals in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Here we identify, for the first time, a generalist orange parasitic mite found on multiple small-mammal species in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Results from 18S rRNA sequencing suggest that these mites may belong to the family Trombiculidae (Acari: Trombidiformes), although morphological and additional genetic analyses are needed to confirm this identification. The presence of these mites was associated with lower body condition in North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus (Erxleben, 1777)), suggesting that these mites may be a detriment to fitness in small mammals or are more successful when targeting individuals in poorer condition. A lack of sex-biased host infection, emergence dates outside of the host reproductive season, and stability of mite prevalence across study years indicate mite population dynamics may be driven predominantly by factors external from host status, such as climatic conditions or habitat preference. Future research should focus on providing additional reliable identification of these mites, as well as broadening our knowledge on their range, pathogenicity, and impact on small-mammal community dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen B. Bobbie
- Department of Biology, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Elliott Schmidt
- Department of Biology, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Janet Foley
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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13
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Species diversity of ectoparasitic chigger mites (Acari: Prostigmata) on small mammals in Yunnan Province, China. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:3605-18. [PMID: 27212464 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-5127-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Chigger mites are a large group of arthropods and the larvae of mites are ectoparasites. Some species of ectoparasitic mites (larvae) can be the transmitting vectors of tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus). Yunnan Province is located in the southwest of China with complicated topographic landform and high biodiversity, where there are five zoogeographical subregions. Rodents and some other small mammals were trapped and examined for ectoparasitic chigger mites in 29 investigation sites in Yunnan during 2001-2013. From 13,760 individuals and 76 species of small mammal hosts, we collected 274 species of mites, which were identified as comprising 26 genera in two families. The species diversity of chigger mites (274 species) in the present study were not only much higher than that from other provinces of China but also largely exceeded that recorded from other regions and countries in the world. Of the five zoogeographical subregions, both the species diversity and Shannon-Weiner's diversity of mites were the highest in subregion II (southern subregion of Hengduan Mountains) with middle altitudes and middle latitude. Both the species diversity of mites and Shannon-Wiener diversity index showed a parabolic tendency from the low altitude (<500 m) to the high altitude (>3500 m) along the vertical gradients with the peak occurring in the middle-altitude regions (2000-2500 m). Of four dominant hosts, the species richness of mites was highest on Eothenomys miletus (S = 165) and Shannon-Wiener diversity index was highest on Rattus norvegicus (H = 3.13). Along latitude gradients, species richness of chigger mites increased first and then decreased, peaking at 25° to 26° N with 193 mite species. The geographical location, complex topography, and landscape with diverse small mammal hosts in Yunnan Province have contributed to the extremely high species diversity of mites in the province. The large sampling size of small mammal hosts in a wide geographical scope within a long time span also made it possible to have collected so many species of chigger mites.
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Regier Y, O Rourke F, Kempf VAJ. Bartonella spp. - a chance to establish One Health concepts in veterinary and human medicine. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:261. [PMID: 27161111 PMCID: PMC4862191 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1546-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases remain a remarkable health threat for humans and animals. In the past, the epidemiology, etiology and pathology of infectious agents affecting humans and animals have mostly been investigated in separate studies. However, it is evident, that combined approaches are needed to understand geographical distribution, transmission and infection biology of “zoonotic agents”. The genus Bartonella represents a congenial example of the synergistic benefits that can arise from such combined approaches: Bartonella spp. infect a broad variety of animals, are linked with a constantly increasing number of human diseases and are transmitted via arthropod vectors. As a result, the genus Bartonella is predestined to play a pivotal role in establishing a One Health concept combining veterinary and human medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Regier
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Fiona O Rourke
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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15
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Peng PY, Guo XG, Ren TG, Song WY. Faunal analysis of chigger mites (Acari: Prostigmata) on small mammals in Yunnan province, southwest China. Parasitol Res 2015; 114:2815-33. [PMID: 25930112 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4483-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This paper studied the species diversity and fauna distribution of chigger mites on small mammals in Yunnan province, southwest Yunnan. In total, 120,138 individuals of chigger mites were collected from 13,760 individual small mammals, and these mites were identified as comprising two families, 26 genera, and 274 species. Of the five zoogeographical subregions, the mite species diversity in subregions I and II was higher than that in subregions III, IV, and V. Four mite species (Leptotrombidium scutellare, Leptotrombidium sinicum, Leptotrombidium deliense, and Helenicula simena) were the most dominant species in the whole province. Several vector species of chigger mites co-existed in Yunnan, and L. deliense (a main vector of scrub typhus in China) was mainly distributed in subregions IV and V with lower latitude and average altitude whereas L. scutellare (also a main vector in China) was mainly distributed in subregions I, II, and III with higher latitude and average altitude. Some geographically widely distributed mite species were also the mites with wide host ranges and low host specificity. The dominant mite species and their clustering tendency in the dendrogram of hierarchical clustering analysis were highly in accordance with the zoogeographical divisions. The species diversity of chigger mites showed a parabolic tendency from the low altitude (<500 m) to the high altitude (>3,500 m) along the vertical gradients and reached the highest value in the middle altitude regions in 2,000-2,500 m. The highest species diversity of the mites and their small mammal hosts happened in the regions around the Hengduan Mountains, which is a hotspot of biodiversity in Asia continent. The host and its sample size, geographical scope, landscape, topography, and some other factors comprehensively influence the species diversity and faunal distribution of chigger mites. A systematic field investigation with a wide geographical scope and large host sample is strongly recommended in the fauna study of chigger mites and other ectoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Ying Peng
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Dali University (Branch of Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Control and Prevention), Dali, Yunnan Province, 671000, People's Republic of China
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16
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Gutiérrez R, Krasnov B, Morick D, Gottlieb Y, Khokhlova IS, Harrus S. Bartonella infection in rodents and their flea ectoparasites: an overview. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2015; 15:27-39. [PMID: 25629778 PMCID: PMC4307031 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2014.1606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies worldwide have reported a high prevalence and a great diversity of Bartonella species, both in rodents and their flea parasites. The interaction among Bartonella, wild rodents, and fleas reflects a high degree of adaptation among these organisms. Vertical and horizontal efficient Bartonella transmission pathways within flea communities and from fleas to rodents have been documented in competence studies, suggesting that fleas are key players in the transmission of Bartonella to rodents. Exploration of the ecological traits of rodents and their fleas may shed light on the mechanisms used by bartonellae to become established in these organisms. The present review explores the interrelations within the Bartonella-rodent-flea system. The role of the latter two components is emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Gutiérrez
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Boris Krasnov
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Danny Morick
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yuval Gottlieb
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Irina S. Khokhlova
- Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Shimon Harrus
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
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17
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Identification of different Bartonella species in the cattle tail louse (Haematopinus quadripertusus) and in cattle blood. Appl Environ Microbiol 2014; 80:5477-83. [PMID: 24973066 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01409-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella spp. are worldwide-distributed facultative intracellular bacteria that exhibit an immense genomic diversity across mammal and arthropod hosts. The occurrence of cattle-associated Bartonella species was investigated in the cattle tail louse Haematopinus quadripertusus and in dairy cattle blood from Israel. Lice were collected from cattle from two dairy farms during summer 2011, and both lice and cow blood samples were collected from additional seven farms during the successive winter. The lice were identified morphologically and molecularly using 18S rRNA sequencing. Thereafter, they were screened for Bartonella DNA by conventional and real-time PCR assays using four partial genetic loci (gltA, rpoB, ssrA, and internal transcribed spacer [ITS]). A potentially novel Bartonella variant, closely related to other ruminant bartonellae, was identified in 11 of 13 louse pools collected in summer. In the cattle blood, the prevalence of Bartonella infection was 38%, identified as B. bovis and B. henselae (24 and 12%, respectively). A third genotype, closely related to Bartonella melophagi and Bartonella chomelii (based on the ssrA gene) and to B. bovis (based on the ITS sequence) was identified in a single cow. The relatively high prevalence of these Bartonella species in cattle and the occurrence of phylogenetically diverse Bartonella variants in both cattle and their lice suggest the potential role of this animal system in the generation of Bartonella species diversity.
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18
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Ren TG, Guo XG, Jin DC, Wu D, Fletcher QE. A new species of chigger mite (acari: trombiculidae) from rodents in southwest China. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2014; 52:63-7. [PMID: 24623884 PMCID: PMC3948996 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2014.52.1.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Revised: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes a new species of chigger mite (Acari: Trombiculidae), Gahrliepia cangshanensis n. sp., from rodents in southwest China. The specimens were collected from Yunnan red-backed voles, Eothenomys miletus (Thomas, 1914), and a Chinese white-bellied rat, Niviventer confucianus (Milne-Edwards, 1871) in Yunnan Province. The new species is unique mainly in its number of dorsal setae (n=21), and it has the following features: fT (formula of palpotarsus)=4B (B=branched), fp (formula of palpal seta)=B/N/N/N/B (N=naked), a broad tongue-shaped scutum with an almost straight posterior margin, and 17 PPLs (posterior posterolateral seta) with a length of 36-43 µm. This chigger mite may also infect other rodent hosts and may be distributed in other localities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Guang Ren
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University (The Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Region), Guiyang 550025, P. R. China. ; Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors (Branch of Key Laboratory for Preventing and Controlling Plague of Yunnan Province), Dali University, Dali, Yunnan Province 671000, P.R. China
| | - Xian-Guo Guo
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University (The Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Region), Guiyang 550025, P. R. China. ; Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors (Branch of Key Laboratory for Preventing and Controlling Plague of Yunnan Province), Dali University, Dali, Yunnan Province 671000, P.R. China
| | - Dao-Chao Jin
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University (The Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of Mountainous Region), Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Dian Wu
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors (Branch of Key Laboratory for Preventing and Controlling Plague of Yunnan Province), Dali University, Dali, Yunnan Province 671000, P.R. China
| | - Quinn E Fletcher
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
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Romeo C, Wauters LA, Ferrari N, Lanfranchi P, Martinoli A, Pisanu B, Preatoni DG, Saino N. Macroparasite fauna of alien grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis): composition, variability and implications for native species. PLoS One 2014; 9:e88002. [PMID: 24505348 PMCID: PMC3914897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 01/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduced hosts populations may benefit of an "enemy release" through impoverishment of parasite communities made of both few imported species and few acquired local ones. Moreover, closely related competing native hosts can be affected by acquiring introduced taxa (spillover) and by increased transmission risk of native parasites (spillback). We determined the macroparasite fauna of invasive grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Italy to detect any diversity loss, introduction of novel parasites or acquisition of local ones, and analysed variation in parasite burdens to identify factors that may increase transmission risk for native red squirrels (S. vulgaris). Based on 277 grey squirrels sampled from 7 populations characterised by different time scales in introduction events, we identified 7 gastro-intestinal helminths and 4 parasite arthropods. Parasite richness is lower than in grey squirrel's native range and independent from introduction time lags. The most common parasites are Nearctic nematodes Strongyloides robustus (prevalence: 56.6%) and Trichostrongylus calcaratus (6.5%), red squirrel flea Ceratophyllus sciurorum (26.0%) and Holarctic sucking louse Neohaematopinus sciuri (17.7%). All other parasites are European or cosmopolitan species with prevalence below 5%. S. robustus abundance is positively affected by host density and body mass, C. sciurorum abundance increases with host density and varies with seasons. Overall, we show that grey squirrels in Italy may benefit of an enemy release, and both spillback and spillover processes towards native red squirrels may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Romeo
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Lucas A. Wauters
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Lanfranchi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Adriano Martinoli
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Benoît Pisanu
- Department of Ecology and Biodiversity Management, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Damiano G. Preatoni
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Romeo C, Pisanu B, Ferrari N, Basset F, Tillon L, Wauters LA, Martinoli A, Saino N, Chapuis JL. Macroparasite community of the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris): poor species richness and diversity. Parasitol Res 2013; 112:3527-36. [PMID: 23873618 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3535-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/04/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is the only naturally occurring tree squirrel throughout its range. We aim at improving current knowledge on its macroparasite fauna, expecting that it will have a poor parasite diversity because in species that have no sympatric congeners parasite richness should be lower than in hosts sharing their range with several closely related species, where host-switching events and lateral transmission are promoted. We examined gastro-intestinal helminth and ectoparasite communities (excluding mites) of, respectively, 147 and 311 red squirrel roadkills collected in four biogeographic regions in Italy and France. As expected, the macroparasite fauna was poor: we found five species of nematodes and some unidentified cestodes, three fleas, two sucking lice and two hard ticks. The helminth community was dominated by a single species, the oxyurid Trypanoxyuris (Rodentoxyuris) sciuri (prevalence, 87%; mean abundance, 373 ± 65 worms/host). Its abundance varied among seasons and biogeographic regions and increased with body mass in male hosts while decreased in females. The most prevalent ectoparasites were the flea Ceratophyllus (Monopsyllus) sciurorum (28%), whose presence was affected by season, and the generalist tick Ixodes (Ixodes) ricinus that was found only in France (34%). All the other helminths and arthropod species were rare, with prevalence below 10%. However, the first record of Strongyloides robustus, a common nematode of North American Eastern grey squirrels (S. carolinensis), in two red squirrels living in areas where this alien species co-inhabits, deserves further attention, since low parasite richness could result in native red squirrels being particularly vulnerable to parasite spillover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Romeo
- Department of Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy,
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Zhan YZ, Guo XG, Speakman JR, Zuo XH, Wu D, Wang QH, Yang ZH. Abundances and host relationships of chigger mites in Yunnan Province, China. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2013; 27:194-202. [PMID: 23167491 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2012.01053.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
This paper reports on ectoparasitic chigger mites found on small mammals in Yunnan Province, southwest China. Data were accumulated from 19 investigation sites (counties) between 2001 and 2009. A total of 10 222 small mammal hosts were captured and identified; these represented 62 species, 34 genera and 11 families in five orders. From the body surfaces of these 10 222 hosts, a total of 92 990 chigger mites were collected and identified microscopically. These represented 224 species, 22 genera and three subfamilies in the family Trombiculidae (Trombidiformes). Small mammals were commonly found to be infested by chigger mites and most host species harboured several species of mite. The species diversity of chigger mites in Yunnan was much higher than diversities reported previously in other provinces of China and in other countries. A single species of rodent, Eothenomys miletus (Rodentia: Cricetidae), carried 111 species of chigger mite, thus demonstrating the highest species diversity and heaviest mite infestation of all recorded hosts. This diversity is exceptional compared with that of other ectoparasites. Of the total 224 mite species, 21 species accounted for 82.2% of all mites counted. Two species acting as major vectors for scrub typhus (tsutsugamushi disease), Leptotrombidium scutellare and Leptotrombidium deliense, were identified as the dominant mite species in this sample. In addition to these two major vectors, 12 potential or suspected vector species were found. Most species of chigger mite had a wide range of hosts and low host specificity. For example, L. scutellare parasitized 30 species of host. The low host specificity of chigger mites may increase their probability of encountering humans, as well as their transmission of scrub typhus among different hosts. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that similarities between different chigger mite communities on the 18 main species of small mammal host did not accord with the taxonomic affinity of the hosts. This suggests that the distribution of chigger mites may be strongly influenced by the environment in which hosts live.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y-Z Zhan
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
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Huang LQ, Guo XG, Speakman JR, Dong WG. Analysis of gamasid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) associated with the Asian house rat, Rattus tanezumi (Rodentia: Muridae) in Yunnan Province, southwest China. Parasitol Res 2013; 112:1967-72. [PMID: 23471780 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-013-3354-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
During a survey lasting from 1990 to 2008, we captured 4,113 Asian house rats, Rattus tanezumi Temminck 1844 (Rodentia: Muridae) from 28 counties of Yunnan Province in southwestern China. From these rats, a total of 19,304 gamasid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) were collected and identified as comprising 50 different species. The species diversity of gamasid mites from this single rat species is higher than that reported previously from multiple hosts within a given geographical region. Of the 50 mite species, 31 species belonged to ectoparasites and 19 species belonged to free-living mites. The species diversity of the mites from rats trapped outdoors was much higher than from rats trapped indoors. The parameter K from the negative binomial distribution was used to measure the spatial distribution patterns of the dominant mite species and revealed that all the mites had an aggregated distribution among the rat hosts. Most mite species showed a predominantly female-biased population structure with many more females than males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Qin Huang
- Vector Laboratory, Institute of Pathogens and Vectors, Dali University (Branch of Key Laboratory for Preventing and Controlling Plague of Yunnan Province), Dali, Yunnan, 671000, China.
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A multi-gene analysis of diversity of Bartonella detected in fleas from Algeria. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 35:71-6. [PMID: 22153359 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2011] [Revised: 11/05/2011] [Accepted: 11/10/2011] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
We report the molecular detection of several Bartonella species in 44 (21.5%) of 204 fleas from Algeria collected from 26 rodents and 7 hedgehogs. Bartonella elizabethae and B. clarridgeiae were detected in the fleas collected on hedgehogs. Bartonella tribocorum and B. elizabethae were detected in fleas collected from rats and mice, and sequences similar to an unnamed Bartonella sp. detected in rodents from China were detected in rats as well as a genotype of Bartonella closely related to Bartonella rochalimae detected in fleas collected on brown rats (Rattus norvegicus).
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Bartonella species and their ectoparasites: selective host adaptation or strain selection between the vector and the mammalian host? Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 34:299-314. [PMID: 21616536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2011.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2011] [Revised: 04/16/2011] [Accepted: 04/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A wide range of blood-sucking arthropods have either been confirmed or are suspected as important vectors in Bartonella transmission to mammals, including humans. Overall, it appears that the diversity of Bartonella species DNA identified in ectoparasites is much broader than the species detected in their mammalian hosts, suggesting a mechanism of adaptation of Bartonella species to their host-vector ecosystem. However, these mechanisms leading to the fitness between the vectors and their hosts still need to be investigated.
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Tsai YL, Chuang ST, Chang CC, Kass PH, Chomel BB. Bartonella species in small mammals and their ectoparasites in Taiwan. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2010; 83:917-23. [PMID: 20889892 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.10-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Bartonella spp. prevalence in small mammals and their ectoparasites was investigated in Taiwan. Blood samples were obtained from 66 rats, 20 shrews, 276 mites (Laelaps spp.), 74 fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis), 81 lice (Polyplax spp.), and 47 ticks (41 Dermacentor spp. and 6 Ixodes spp.). Bartonellae were isolated or detected in 27 (31.4%) animals. Bartonella DNA was detected in 48 (64.9%) fleas and 11 (64.7%) pooled lice samples, but not in mite and tick samples. Bartonella phoceensis, B. queenslandensis, B. tribocorum, B. elizabethae, and B. rattimassiliensis were isolated or detected in bacteremic mammals. For the first time in Taiwan, B. tribocorum, B. elizabethae, B. queenslandensis, and a B. rochalimae-like strain were detected in fleas, and B. tribocorum, B. phoceensis, and B. rattimassiliensis were detected in lice obtained from small mammals. A broader range of Bartonella species was identified in the ectoparasites than in the small mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Lun Tsai
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
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Kabeya H, Colborn JM, Bai Y, Lerdthusnee K, Richardson JH, Maruyama S, Kosoy MY. Detection ofBartonella tamiaeDNA in Ectoparasites from Rodents in Thailand and Their Sequence Similarity with Bacterial Cultures from Thai Patients. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2010; 10:429-34. [DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2009.0124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hidenori Kabeya
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - James M. Colborn
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Ying Bai
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Kriangkrai Lerdthusnee
- Department of Entomology, U.S. Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jason H. Richardson
- Department of Entomology, U.S. Army Medical Component, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Soichi Maruyama
- Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Michael Y. Kosoy
- Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Parker WT, Gerhardt RR, Muller LI, Caldwell ND, Castleberry SB, Ford WM. External Parasites of Neotoma magisterBaird (Allegheny Woodrat) in the Cumberland Mountains and Plateau, Tennessee. SOUTHEAST NAT 2009. [DOI: 10.1656/058.008.0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Billeter SA, Levy MG, Chomel BB, Breitschwerdt EB. Vector transmission of Bartonella species with emphasis on the potential for tick transmission. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2008; 22:1-15. [PMID: 18380649 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2008.00713.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Bartonella species are gram-negative bacteria that infect erythrocytes, endothelial cells and macrophages, often leading to persistent blood-borne infections. Because of the ability of various Bartonella species to reside within erythrocytes of a diverse number of animal hosts, there is substantial opportunity for the potential uptake of these blood-borne bacteria by a variety of arthropod vectors that feed on animals and people. Five Bartonella species are transmitted by lice, fleas or sandflies. However, Bartonella DNA has been detected or Bartonella spp. have been cultured from numerous other arthropods. This review discusses Bartonella transmission by sandflies, lice and fleas, the potential for transmission by other vectors, and data supporting transmission by ticks. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or culture methods have been used to detect Bartonella in ticks, either questing or host-attached, throughout the world. Case studies and serological or molecular surveys involving humans, cats and canines provide indirect evidence supporting transmission of Bartonella species by ticks. Of potential clinical relevance, many studies have proposed co-transmission of Bartonella with other known tick-borne pathogens. Currently, critically important experimental transmission studies have not been performed for Bartonella transmission by many potential arthropod vectors, including ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Billeter
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Transitional Research, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, USA
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