bims-mosdis 2021-04-04 papers

bims-mosdis

Biomed News

on Mosquito distribution and disease

Issue of 2021–04–04
27 papers selected by
Richard Halfpenny, Staffordshire University

Efficiency of the CO2 -baited omni-directional Fay-Prince trap under semi-field conditions and characterizing response behaviours for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti.
Characterizing and Quantifying Arbovirus Transmission by Aedes aegypti Using Forced Salivation and Analysis of Bloodmeals.
Pyrethrins elicit olfactory response and spatial repellency in Aedes albopictus.
An Integrated Molecular Approach to Untangling Host-Vector-Pathogen Interactions in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) From Sylvan Communities in Mexico.
Increasing Effectiveness of Genetically Modifying Mosquito Populations: Risk Assessment of Releasing Blood-Fed Females.
Dengue-2 and Guadeloupe Mosquito Virus RNA Detected in Aedes (Stegomyia) spp. Collected in a Vehicle Impound Yard in Santo André, SP, Brazil.
[Competitive Adaptation of Aedes albopictus, Skuse 1894 in the Presence of Aedes aegypti Linné 1862 in Temporary Larvae Breeding Sites and in the Context of Pyrethroids Resistance in Douala(Cameroon)].
Sterile Insect Technique in an Integrated Vector Management Program against Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus in the Valencia Region (Spain): Operating Procedures and Quality Control Parameters.
Monitoring Mosquito-Borne Arbovirus in Various Insect Regions in China in 2018.
Assessing temperature-dependent competition between two invasive mosquito species.
Potential Distribution of Aedes (Ochlerotatus) scapularis (Diptera: Culicidae): A Vector Mosquito New to the Florida Peninsula.
From Global to Local-New Insights into Features of Pyrethroid Detoxification in Vector Mosquitoes.
[Efficacy against Malaria Vectors of Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets after 17 Months of Use in the City of Bouaké, in the Center of Côte d'Ivoire].
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey in Greece before the Implementation of Sterile Insect Technique against Aedes albopictus.
Simultaneous circulation of two West Nile virus lineage 2 clades and Bagaza virus in the Zambezi region, Namibia.
Host-Feeding Preference and Diel Activity of Mosquito Vectors of the Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Rural Cambodia.
Comparing sterile male releases and other methods for integrated control of the tiger mosquito in temperate and tropical climates.
Assessing Diversity, Plasmodium Infection and Blood Meal Sources in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from a Brazilian Zoological Park with Avian Malaria Transmission.
Epidemiological and genetic aspects of the largest dengue outbreak recorded in 2015 in Southeastern Brazil.
Differential Gene Expression in the Heads of Behaviorally Divergent Culex pipiens Mosquitoes.
Different Hatching Rates of Floodwater Mosquitoes Aedes sticticus, Aedes rossicus and Aedes cinereus from Different Flooded Environments.
Retrospective evaluation of the effectiveness of indoor residual spray with pirimiphos-methyl (Actellic) on malaria transmission in Zambia.
Spatial Dynamics of Dengue Fever in Mainland China, 2019.
Dirofilaria immitis infection in the Pelagie archipelago: the southernmost hyperendemic focus in Europe.
Drug resistance profile and clonality of Plasmodium falciparum parasites in Cape Verde: the 2017 malaria outbreak.
Two Cases of Natural Infection of Dengue-2 Virus in Bats in the Colombian Caribbean.
Plasmodium matutinum Transmitted by Culex pipiens as a Cause of Avian Malaria in Captive African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) in Italy.

Med Vet Entomol. 2021 Mar 29.

Efficiency of the CO2 -baited omni-directional Fay-Prince trap under semi-field conditions and characterizing response behaviours for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

Brogan A Amos, Ring T Cardé.

  Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) is a vector of several serious disease-causing viruses including Dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever. Effective and efficient trapping methods are essential for meaningful mosquito population and disease-presence surveillance and ultimately, vector control. The Fay-Prince trap (FPT) was developed in the late 1960s as a daytime visual trap for male Ae. aegypti. Since then, its use has been expanded into the trapping of female Ae. aegypti, Aedes albopictus Skuse, other Ae. spp., and Culex spp. The efficiency of the FPT alone and with CO2 was tested under semi-field conditions and the behaviour of responding female Ae. aegypti was characterized. The mean capture efficiency of the FPT with CO2 per 30 min in the greenhouse was 3.07% and the capture rate from the total number of mosquitoes in our semi-field setup was slightly higher at 4.45%. Understanding the behaviours that mosquitoes exhibit during their encounter with particularly a visual trap may recommend trap improvements and contributes to our understanding of host-seeking behaviour and how it might be exploited.

Keywords:  attraction; behaviour; carbon dioxide; host-seeking; trap efficiency

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/mve.12516
Insects. 2021 Mar 30. pii: 304. [Epub ahead of print]12(4):

Characterizing and Quantifying Arbovirus Transmission by Aedes aegypti Using Forced Salivation and Analysis of Bloodmeals.

Megan R Miller, Madeleine R Sorensen, Erin D Markle, Taylor C Clarkson, Ashley L Knight, Michelle J Savran, Brian D Foy.

  Arbovirus transmission studies are dependent on the ability to estimate the titer of virus transmitted from infectious mosquitoes to a host. There are several methods for estimating virus titer in mosquito saliva, including (1) using forced salivation (FS) whereby the infectious mosquito's proboscis is forced into a capillary tube containing media to collect and test their saliva for virus, and (2) by quantifying virus expectorated into host tissues or into the blood contained in an artificial feeder immediately after blood feeding. We studied FS and bloodmeals to estimate and compare titers of Zika virus and chikungunya virus transmitted by the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti. Infectious virus and viral genomes of both viruses were detected more often from individual mosquitoes using immersion oil for the FS media compared to fetal bovine serum (FBS) plus glycerol, but the FS media had no influence on virus quantification from positive samples. FS virus titers were equivalent when comparing individuals or groups of mosquitoes that never received a blood meal compared to those that were blood fed immediately prior, showing that blood feeding does not influence FS. This suggested that performing FS on mosquitoes after blood feeding might be an efficient way to estimate virus transmitted during blood feeding. However, detecting virus from the blood remaining in an artificial feeder post-blood feeding was mostly unsuccessful relative to quantifying virus from FS of the post-blood fed mosquitoes. In contrast, immunocompromised mice always became infected after being fed on by Zika-infected mosquitoes, even when no infectious virus was detected in their saliva by FS post-blood feed. Due to this discrepancy, we tested the ingested bloodmeals of individual mosquitoes that fed on artificial blood feeders for virus, and compared these to virus in their saliva harvested from FS and to virus in their bodies. These experiments revealed ~50-100 times higher virus titers in the dissected bloodmeals compared to those detected in the same mosquitoes' saliva, demonstrating how mosquitoes re-ingest much of their saliva during artificial blood feeding, and highlighting a large increase in virus transmission during Aedes aegypti blood feeding. Both FS and the dissected bloodmeals of artificially blood-fed mosquitoes showed that the quantity of viral RNA expectorated by mosquitoes was 2-5 logs more than the quantity of infectious virus. The results from this study add critical information to understanding and quantifying the transmission of Aedes aegypti arboviruses.

Keywords:  Aedes aegypti; arboviruses; saliva; transmission

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040304
Pest Manag Sci. 2021 Apr 02.

Pyrethrins elicit olfactory response and spatial repellency in Aedes albopictus.

Ru Yan, Qiaoling Zhou, Zhanyi Xu, Yuyan Wu, Guonian Zhu, Mengceng Wang, Yirong Guo, Ke Dong, Mengli Chen.

   BACKGROUND: Pyrethrum from dry flowers of Chrysanthemum is a well-known botanical insecticide and repellent. Its insecticidal activity attributes to its six insecticidal esters, collectively known as pyrethrins. Pyrethrins and its synthetic analogs pyrethroids exert their toxic action by modifying the function of voltage-gated sodium channels. Aside from insecticidal activity, pyrethrum has also been used to repel mosquitoes for centuries. Today, pyrethrum continues to be used as an active ingredient in mosquito coils and other mosquito-repellent devices globally. However, the mechanism of pyrethrum repellency remains largely unknown.
RESULTS: Here we report that pyrethrum vapor induced spatial (non-contact) repellency in Aedes albopictus, a major vector of dengue and West Nile viruses. Using electroantennogram (EAG) recordings from adult antennae, we found that pyrethrum elicited EAG response in a dose-dependent manner. We then isolated the six insecticidal esters, pyrethrins I and II, cinerins I and II, jasmolins I and II from pyrethrum extract and discovered that five of the six esters, except jasmolin I, all elicited EAG responses. Furthermore, pyrethrins I and II, cinerin II and jasmolin II induced repellency, whereas cinerin I and jasmolin I did not.
CONCLUSION: Of the six pyrethrins, four of them, pyrethrins I and II, cinerin II and jasmolin II, activate olfactory-receptor neurons and elicit spatial repellency in Ae. albopictus. Our study provided a foundation for future structure-function studies of pyrethrins, their cognate olfactory receptors and efficacies of repellency and for the development of new and more effective mosquito repellents for controlling vector-borne human diseases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Keywords:  Aedes albopictus; electroantennogram; pyrethrins; pyrethrum; repellency

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6390
Front Vet Sci. 2020 ;7 564791

An Integrated Molecular Approach to Untangling Host-Vector-Pathogen Interactions in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) From Sylvan Communities in Mexico.

Luis M Hernández-Triana, Javier A Garza-Hernández, Aldo I Ortega Morales, Sean W J Prosser, Paul D N Hebert, Nadya I Nikolova, Elsa Barrero, Erick de J de Luna-Santillana, Vicente H González-Alvarez, Ramón Mendez-López, Rahuel J Chan-Chable, Anthony R Fooks, Mario A Rodríguez-Pérez.

  There are ~240 species of Culicidae in Mexico, of which some are vectors of arthropod-borne viruses such as Zika virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and West Nile virus. Thus, the identification of mosquito feeding preferences is paramount to understanding of vector-host-pathogen interactions that, in turn, can aid the control of disease outbreaks. Typically, DNA and RNA are extracted separately for animal (insects and blood meal hosts) and viral identification, but this study demonstrates that multiple organisms can be analyzed from a single RNA extract. For the first time, residual DNA present in standard RNA extracts was analyzed by DNA barcoding in concert with Sanger and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify both the mosquito species and the source of their meals in blood-fed females caught in seven sylvan communities in Chiapas State, Mexico. While mosquito molecular identification involved standard barcoding methods, the sensitivity of blood meal identification was maximized by employing short primers with NGS. In total, we collected 1,634 specimens belonging to 14 genera, 25 subgenera, and 61 morphospecies of mosquitoes. Of these, four species were new records for Mexico (Aedes guatemala, Ae. insolitus, Limatus asulleptus, Trichoprosopon pallidiventer), and nine were new records for Chiapas State. DNA barcode sequences for >300 bp of the COI gene were obtained from 291 specimens, whereas 130 bp sequences were recovered from another 179 specimens. High intraspecific divergence values (>2%) suggesting cryptic species complexes were observed in nine taxa: Anopheles eiseni (5.39%), An. pseudopunctipennis (2.79%), Ae. podographicus (4.05%), Culex eastor (4.88%), Cx. erraticus (2.28%), Toxorhynchites haemorrhoidalis (4.30%), Tr. pallidiventer (4.95%), Wyeomyia adelpha/Wy. guatemala (7.30%), and Wy. pseudopecten (4.04%). The study increased the number of mosquito species known from 128 species to 138 species for Chiapas State, and 239 for Mexico as a whole. Blood meal analysis showed that Aedes angustivittatus fed on ducks and chicken, whereas Psorophora albipes fed on humans. Culex quinquefasciatus fed on diverse hosts including chicken, human, turkey, and Mexican grackle. No arbovirus RNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the surveyed specimens. This study demonstrated, for the first time, that residual DNA present in RNA blood meal extracts can be used to identify host vectors, highlighting the important role of molecular approaches in both vector identification and revealing host-vector-pathogen interactions.

Keywords:  DNA barcoding; Mexico; bloodmeals; chiapas state; cytochrome c oxidase I; mosquitoes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.564791
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Mar 29. pii: tpmd190729. [Epub ahead of print]

Increasing Effectiveness of Genetically Modifying Mosquito Populations: Risk Assessment of Releasing Blood-Fed Females.

Siyang Xia, Jonah Ury, Jeffrey R Powell.

Releasing mosquito refractory to pathogens has been proposed as a means of controlling mosquito-borne diseases. A recent modeling study demonstrated that instead of the conventional male-only releases, adding blood-fed females to the release population could significantly increase the program's efficiency, hastening the decrease in disease transmission competence of the target mosquito population and reducing the duration and costs of the release program. However, releasing female mosquitoes presents a short-term risk of increased disease transmission. To quantify this risk, we constructed a Ross-MacDonald model and an individual-based stochastic model to estimate the increase in disease transmission contributed by the released blood-fed females, using the mosquito Aedes aegypti and the dengue virus as a model system. Under baseline parameter values informed by empirical data, our stochastic models predicted a 1.1-5.5% increase in dengue transmission during the initial release, depending on the resistance level of released mosquitoes and release size. The basic reproductive number (R0) increased by 0.45-3.62%. The stochastic simulations were then extended to 10 releases to evaluate the long-term effect. The overall reduction of disease transmission was much greater than the number of potential infections directly contributed by the released females. Releasing blood-fed females with males could also outperform conventional male-only releases when the release strain is sufficiently resistant, and the release size is relatively small. Overall, these results suggested that the long-term benefit of releasing blood-fed females often outweighs the short-term risk.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.19-0729
Insects. 2021 Mar 16. pii: 248. [Epub ahead of print]12(3):

Dengue-2 and Guadeloupe Mosquito Virus RNA Detected in Aedes (Stegomyia) spp. Collected in a Vehicle Impound Yard in Santo André, SP, Brazil.

Marina E O Rangel, Luana P R Oliveira, Aline D Cabral, Katharyna C Gois, Marcos V M Lima, Beatriz C A A Reis, Fernando L A Fonseca, Marcia A Sperança, Flavia S Gehrke, Gabriel Z Laporta.

  In 2018-2019, we conducted mosquito collections in a municipal vehicle impound yard, which is 10 km from the Serra do Mar Environmental Protection Area in Santo André, SP, Brazil. Our aim is to study arboviruses in the impound yard, to understand the transmission of arboviruses in an urban environment in Brazil. We captured the mosquitoes using human-landing catches and processed them for arbovirus detection by conventional and quantitative RT-PCR assays. We captured two mosquito species, Aedes aegypti (73 total specimens; 18 females and 55 males) and Ae. albopictus (34 specimens; 27 females and 7 males). The minimum infection rate for DENV-2 was 11.5 per 1000 (CI95%: 1-33.9). The detection of DENV-2 RNA in an Ae. albopictus female suggests that this virus might occur in high infection rates in the sampled mosquito population and is endemic in the urban areas of Santo André. In addition, Guadeloupe mosquito virus RNA was detected in an Ae. aegypti female. To our knowledge, this was the first detection of the Guadeloupe mosquito virus in Brazil.

Keywords:  arbovirus; mosquito-borne diseases; surveillance

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030248
Bull Soc Pathol Exot. 2020 ;113(2): 79-87

[Competitive Adaptation of Aedes albopictus, Skuse 1894 in the Presence of Aedes aegypti Linné 1862 in Temporary Larvae Breeding Sites and in the Context of Pyrethroids Resistance in Douala(Cameroon)].

O E Ngo Hondt, P Akona Ntonga, J V Ngo Hiol, D Nko Edou, C Tonga, G A Foko Dadji, S Kekeunou.

  Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti are two potential vectors of arboviruses in Douala. Knowing their breeding behaviour and insecticide resistance status would allow for better design of control activities. Mosquito larvae and nymphs were captured from breeding sites from July to September 2017, in Ndogbong, PK21 and Yassa, three neighbourhoods of the city of Douala, with ecological peculiarities. They were reared to adults and then identified to species. Female mosquitoes aged 3 to 5 days, not fed on blood, were tested for pyrethroid sensibility. Overall, 144 breeding artificial and natural sites were identified in the 3 neighbourhoods. A. albopictus was the single species found in most of the breeding sites (64.6%), whereas A. aegypti was found only in 4 sites (2.8%). Both species lived sympatrically in 47 sites (32.6%). Morphological identification of 8,160 adults revealed a significantly higher abundance of A. albopictus compared with A. aegypti (88.8% versus 11.2%). Insecticide resistance test with deltamethrin and permethrin revealed resistance in female A. aegypti and A. albopictus from Ndogbong and Yassa (mortality rates ‹ 92%). A. albopictus shows better adaptation to artificial breeding sites in Douala and their resistance to recommended insecticides calls for new insecticidal molecules.

Keywords:  Aedes aegyptii; Aedes albopictus; Afrique subsaharienne; Cameroun; Douala; Gîtes larvaires; Ndogbong; PK21; Résistances aux insecticides; Sympatrie; Yassa

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3166/bspe-2020-0113
Insects. 2021 Mar 23. pii: 272. [Epub ahead of print]12(3):

Sterile Insect Technique in an Integrated Vector Management Program against Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus in the Valencia Region (Spain): Operating Procedures and Quality Control Parameters.

Carlos Tur, David Almenar, Sandra Benlloch-Navarro, Rafael Argilés-Herrero, Mario Zacarés, Vicente Dalmau, Ignacio Pla.

  Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti are the main vectors of arboviral diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses. About a third of the world population is currently at risk of contracting Aedes-borne epidemics. In recent years, A. albopictus has drastically increased its distribution in many countries. In the absence of efficient mosquito vector control methods, the sterile insect technique (SIT) is presented as a very promising and environment-friendly control tool. The Agriculture Department of the Valencian Region is promoting an ongoing pilot project to evaluate the efficacy of an integrated vector management program (IVM) based on the use of the SIT as the main method of control. The laboratory studies for evaluating the entomological efficacy of SIT through the phased conditional testing process recommended by World Health Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency (WHO-IAEA) are addressed. This study describes the routine operating procedures and quality control parameters for the medium-scale rearing of sterile male A. albopictus. More than 15 million sterile males have been produced and released in an area of 80 ha between 2018 and 2020. Of the initial L1 larvae, we recovered 17.2% of male pupae after sex sorting to be sterilized and released on the field, while the rest of the pupae remained available to maintain the rearing colony. The residual percentage of females after sex sorting was on average 0.17%. The obtained values in terms of production and quality control as well as the proposed rearing methodology can be useful for designing a medium-scale mosquito-rearing pipeline.

Keywords:  Europe; SIT; dengue; insect production; mass rearing; vector control

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030272
Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2021 ;11 640993

Monitoring Mosquito-Borne Arbovirus in Various Insect Regions in China in 2018.

Yuan Fang, Wei Zhang, Jing-Bo Xue, Yi Zhang.

   Background: Increases in global travel and trade are changing arbovirus distributions worldwide. Arboviruses can be introduced by travelers, migratory birds, or vectors transported via international trade. Arbovirus surveillance in field-collected mosquitoes may provide early evidence for mosquito-borne disease transmission.
Methods: During the seasons of high mosquito activity of 2018, 29,285 mosquitoes were sampled from seven sentinel sites in various insect regions. The mosquitoes were analyzed by RT-PCR for alphaviruses, flaviviruses, and orthobunyaviruses.
Results: We detected three strains of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), five strains of Getah virus (GETV), and 45 strains of insect-specific flaviviruses including Aedes flavivirus (AeFV, 1), Chaoyang virus (CHAOV, 1), Culex flavivirus (CxFV, 17), Hanko virus (HANKV, 2), QuangBinh virus (QBV, 22), and Yunnan Culex flavivirus (YNCxFV, 2). Whole genomes of one strain each of GETV, CxFV, CHAOV, and AeFV were successfully amplified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the new JEV strains detected in the Shanghai and Hubei Provinces belong to the GI-b strain and are phylogenetically close to the NX1889 strain (MT134112) isolated from a patient during a JE outbreak in Ningxia in 2018. GETVs were found in Inner Mongolia, Hubei, and Hainan and belonged to Group III. They were closely related to strains isolated from swine. HANKV was recorded for the first time in China and other ISFVs were newly detected at several sentinel sites. The bias-corrected maximum likelihood estimation value for JEV in Jinshan, Shanghai was 4.52/1,000 (range 0.80-14.64). Hence, there is a potential risk of a JEV epidemic in that region.
Conclusion: GI-b is the dominant circulating JEV genotype in nature and poses a health risk to animals and humans. The potential threat of widespread GETV distribution as a zoonosis is gradually increasing. The present study also disclosed the dispersion and host range of ISFVs. These findings highlight the importance of tracing the movements of the vectors and hosts of mosquito-borne pathogens in order to prevent and control arbovirus outbreaks in China.

Keywords:  Anopheles; Culex; Getah virus; Japanese encephalitis virus; insect-specific flavivirus

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.640993
Ecol Appl. 2021 Mar 26. e2334

Assessing temperature-dependent competition between two invasive mosquito species.

Michelle V Evans, John M Drake, Lindsey Jones, Courtney C Murdock.

  Invasive mosquitoes are expanding their ranges into new geographic areas and interacting with resident mosquito species. Understanding how novel interactions can affect mosquito population dynamics is necessary to predict transmission risk at invasion fronts. Mosquito life-history traits are extremely sensitive to temperature and this can lead to temperature-dependent competition between competing invasive mosquito species. We explored temperature-dependent competition between Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi, two invasive mosquito species whose distributions overlap in India, the Middle East, and North Africa, where An. stephensi is currently expanding into the endemic range of Ae. aegypti. We followed mosquito cohorts raised at different intraspecific and interspecific densities across five temperatures (16°C - 32°C) to measure traits relevant for population growth and to estimate species' per capita growth rates. We then used these growth rates to derive each species competitive ability at each temperature. We find strong evidence for asymmetric competition at all temperatures, with Ae. aegypti emerging as the dominant competitor. This was primarily due to differences in larval survival and development times across all temperatures that resulted in a higher estimated intrinsic growth rate and competitive tolerance estimate for Ae. aegypti compared to An. stephensi. The spread of An. stephensi into the African continent could lead to urban transmission of malaria, an otherwise rural disease, increasing the human population at risk and complicating malaria elimination efforts. Competition has resulted in habitat segregation of other invasive mosquito species, and our results suggest that it may play a role in determining the distribution of An. stephensi across its invasive range.

Keywords:   Aedes aegypti ; Anopheles stephensi ; invasive species; malaria; mosquito ecology; temperature-dependent competition

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2334
Insects. 2021 Mar 03. pii: 213. [Epub ahead of print]12(3):

Potential Distribution of Aedes (Ochlerotatus) scapularis (Diptera: Culicidae): A Vector Mosquito New to the Florida Peninsula.

Lindsay P Campbell, Nathan D Burkett-Cadena, Evaristo Miqueli, Isik Unlu, Kristin E Sloyer, Johana Medina, Chalmers Vasquez, William Petrie, Lawrence E Reeves.

  Aedes scapularis is a neotropical mosquito known to transmit pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Its recent establishment in southeastern Florida has potential public health implications. We used an ecological niche modeling approach to predict the abiotic environmental suitability for Ae. scapularis across much of the Americas and Caribbean Islands. Georeferenced occurrence data obtained from the Global Biodiversity Inventory Facility and recent collection records of Ae. scapularis from southern Florida served as input for model calibration. Environmental layers included bioclimatic variables provided in 2000 to 2010 average Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications climatic (MERRAclim) data. Models were run in the software program Maxent. Isothermality values often found in costal environments, had the greatest contribution to model performance. Model projections suggested that there are areas predicted to be suitable for Ae. Scapularis across portions of the Amazon Basin, the Yucatán Peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, and multiple Caribbean Islands. Additionally, model predictions suggested connectivity of highly suitable or relatively suitable environments spanning the United States Gulf Coast, which may facilitate the geographic expansion of this species. At least sixteen Florida counties were predicted to be highly suitable for Ae. scapularis, suggesting that vigilance is needed by vector control and public health agencies to recognize the further spread of this vector.

Keywords:  Aedes; ecological niche models; invasive species; species distribution models; vector surveillance

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030213
Insects. 2021 Mar 24. pii: 276. [Epub ahead of print]12(4):

From Global to Local-New Insights into Features of Pyrethroid Detoxification in Vector Mosquitoes.

William C Black, Trey K Snell, Karla Saavedra-Rodriguez, Rebekah C Kading, Corey L Campbell.

  The threat of mosquito-borne diseases continues to be a problem for public health in subtropical and tropical regions of the world; in response, there has been increased use of adulticidal insecticides, such as pyrethroids, in human habitation areas over the last thirty years. As a result, the prevalence of pyrethroid-resistant genetic markers in natural mosquito populations has increased at an alarming rate. This review details recent advances in the understanding of specific mechanisms associated with pyrethroid resistance, with emphasis on features of insecticide detoxification and the interdependence of multiple cellular pathways. Together, these advances add important context to the understanding of the processes that are selected in resistant mosquitoes. Specifically, before pyrethroids bind to their targets on motoneurons, they must first permeate the outer cuticle and diffuse to inner tissues. Resistant mosquitoes have evolved detoxification mechanisms that rely on cytochrome P450s (CYP), esterases, carboxyesterases, and other oxidation/reduction (redox) components to effectively detoxify pyrethroids to nontoxic breakdown products that are then excreted. Enhanced resistance mechanisms have evolved to include alteration of gene copy number, transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, as well as changes to cellular signaling mechanisms. Here, we outline the variety of ways in which detoxification has been selected in various mosquito populations, as well as key gene categories involved. Pathways associated with potential new genes of interest are proposed. Consideration of multiple cellular pathways could provide opportunities for development of new insecticides.

Keywords:  Aedes; Anopheles; Culex; deltamethrin; detoxification; insecticide; metabolic resistance; mosquito; permethrin; pyrethroid

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040276
Bull Soc Pathol Exot. 2020 ;113(2): 70-78

[Efficacy against Malaria Vectors of Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets after 17 Months of Use in the City of Bouaké, in the Center of Côte d'Ivoire].

F H Coulibaly, E Tia, Y G Yapi, Z I Tia, G K D N'guessan, F Fournet, J M Hougard.

  Malaria remains a public health problem in Côte d'Ivoire despite a 95% coverage rate with long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets (LLINs) since 2015. A study was conducted in Bouaké to determine the residual efficacy of LLINs used during 17 months (N = 30) and of stored and unpacked LLINs (N = 8). The physical integrity of LLINs and their biological efficacy on populations of Anopheles gambiae (sensitive and resistant to insecticides) were assessed. The study revealed that 57% (17/30) of LLINs recovered from households have a hole. The proportional hole indices indicated that 70% (21/30) of LLINs were in good condition, 20% (6/30) were repairable and 10% (3/30) were unusable.This study also showed that the LLINs used and stored were effective on the sensitive Kisumu strain but ineffective on resistant populations of An. gambiae of Bouaké. Average knock-down and mortality rates induced by LLINs used on the populations of An. gambiae from Bouaké were 23% and 9%, respectively. The resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides and the alteration of the physil integrity of mosquito nets are probably major factors to be taken into account in estimating the efficacy of LLINs in the field.

Keywords:  Ahougnansou; Bouaké; Cité de l'Air; Côte d'Ivoire; Efficacité biologique; Insecticides; Intégrité physique; Koko; MILDA; Moustiquaires imprégnées; Paludisme; Prévention; Région du Gbéké; Santé publique; Tchélékro

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3166/bspe-2020-0127
Insects. 2021 Mar 02. pii: 212. [Epub ahead of print]12(3):

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey in Greece before the Implementation of Sterile Insect Technique against Aedes albopictus.

Angeliki Stefopoulou, Shannon L LaDeau, Nefeli Syrigou, George Balatsos, Vasileios Karras, Ioanna Lytra, Evangelia Boukouvala, Dimitrios P Papachristos, Panagiotis G Milonas, Apostolos Kapranas, Petros Vahamidis, Antonios Michaelakis.

  Community involvement in Aedes albopictus management can be very efficient and result in raising awareness among citizens. Toward this end, a door-to-door campaign can encourage active community participation in vector control. The current study describes the results of an intervention where a KAP (knowledge, attitude, practices) survey tool was paired with a door-to-door campaign and was implemented as an intervention method in Vravrona area (Attica, Greece) before the release of sterile males (sterile insect technique, SIT) against Aedes albopictus. The KAP tool was used to shed light on the knowledge, practices, and attitudes of local community members in order to better prepare and motivate participation in household mosquito control and to assess current understanding of SIT. Each household also received specific information about mosquito source habitat in their own yards at the time of the initial KAP survey. These household data were complemented by standardized mosquito trapping in the municipality. Our findings indicate that citizens' attitude toward SIT ranged from indecisive to fully supportive, while 77.5% of the respondents agreed that the SIT has many advantages over chemical control methods. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that using the door-to-door campaign as an intervention and prerelease method before SIT can suppress the initial mosquito population and potentially improve its efficacy. Lastly, we show that the presence of local municipality officials during door-to-door visits was associated with increased willingness from the residents to participate in the intervention.

Keywords:  Asian tiger mosquito; KAP questionnaires; community engagement

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030212
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2021 Apr 02. 15(4): e0009311

Simultaneous circulation of two West Nile virus lineage 2 clades and Bagaza virus in the Zambezi region, Namibia.

Heiko D Guggemos, Matthias Fendt, Christian Hieke, Verena Heyde, John K E Mfune, Christian Borgemeister, Sandra Junglen.

Flaviviruses include a great diversity of mosquito-borne arboviruses with epidemic potential and high global disease burden. Several flaviviruses are circulating in southern Africa affecting humans and livestock, among them West Nile virus (WNV) and Wesselsbron virus. Despite their high relevance, no arbovirus surveillance study has been conducted for more than 35 years in Namibia. In this study we assessed the diversity of flaviviruses circulating in mosquitoes in the densely populated, semi-tropical Zambezi region of north-eastern Namibia. In total, 10,206 mosquitoes were sampled in Bwabwata and Mudumu national parks and Mashi and Wuparo conservancies and screened for flavivirus infections. A high infection rate with insect-specific flaviviruses was found with 241 strains of two previously known and seven putative novel insect-specific flaviviruses. In addition, we identified ten strains of WNV in the main vector Cx. univittatus sampled in the Mashi conservancy. Surprisingly, the strains fell into two different clades of lineage 2, 2b and 2d. Further, three strains of Bagaza Virus (BAGV) were found in Cx. univittatus mosquitoes originating from Mudumu national park. Assessment of BAGV growth in different cell lines showed high replication rates in mosquito and duck cells and about 100,000fold lower replication in human, primate and rodent cells. We demonstrate a wide genetic diversity of flaviviruses is circulating in mosquitoes in the Zambezi region. Importantly, WNV and BAGV can cause outbreaks including severe disease and mortality in humans and birds, respectively. Future studies should focus on WNV and BAGV geographic distribution, as well as on their potential health impacts in and the associated social and economic implications for southern Africa.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009311
Pathogens. 2021 Mar 21. pii: 376. [Epub ahead of print]10(3):

Host-Feeding Preference and Diel Activity of Mosquito Vectors of the Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Rural Cambodia.

Sébastien Boyer, Benoit Durand, Sony Yean, Cécile Brengues, Pierre-Olivier Maquart, Didier Fontenille, Véronique Chevalier.

  Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is the most important cause of human encephalitis in Southeast Asia, and this zoonosis is mainly transmitted from pigs to human by mosquitoes. A better understanding of the host-feeding preference of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) major vectors is crucial for identifying risk areas, defining bridge vector species and targeting adapted vector control strategies. To assess host-feeding preference of JE vectors in a rural Cambodian area where JE is known to circulate, in 2017, we implemented four sessions of mosquito trapping (March, June, September, December), during five consecutive nights, collecting four times a night (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.), and using five baited traps simultaneously, i.e., cow, chicken, pig, human, and a blank one for control. In addition, blood meals of 157 engorged females trapped at the same location were opportunistically analyzed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using cow, pig, human, and dog blood primers. More than 95% of the 36,709 trapped mosquitoes were potential JE vectors. These vectors were trapped in large numbers throughout the year, including during the dry season, and from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Despite the apparent host-feeding preference of Culex vishnui, Cx. gelidus, and Cx. tritaenhyorhincus for cows, statistical analysis suggested that the primary target of these three mosquito species were pigs. Dog blood was detected in eight mosquitoes of the 157 tested, showing that mosquitoes also bite dogs, and suggesting that dogs may be used as proxy of the risk for human to get infected by JE virus.

Keywords:  Cambodia; Culex vishnui; Japanese encephalitis virus; host-feeding preference; mosquitoes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10030376
Sci Rep. 2021 Apr 01. 11(1): 7354

Comparing sterile male releases and other methods for integrated control of the tiger mosquito in temperate and tropical climates.

Léa Douchet, Marion Haramboure, Thierry Baldet, Gregory L'Ambert, David Damiens, Louis Clément Gouagna, Jeremy Bouyer, Pierrick Labbé, Annelise Tran.

The expansion of mosquito species worldwide is creating a powerful network for the spread of arboviruses. In addition to the destruction of breeding sites (prevention) and mass trapping, methods based on the sterile insect technique (SIT), the autodissemination of pyriproxyfen (ADT), and a fusion of elements from both of these known as boosted SIT (BSIT), are being developed to meet the urgent need for effective vector control. However, the comparative potential of these methods has yet to be explored in different environments. This is needed to propose and integrate informed guidelines into sustainable mosquito management plans. We extended a weather-dependent model of Aedes albopictus population dynamics to assess the effectiveness of these different vector control methods, alone or in combination, in a tropical (Reunion island, southwest Indian Ocean) and a temperate (Montpellier area, southern France) climate. Our results confirm the potential efficiency of SIT in temperate climates when performed early in the year (mid-March for northern hemisphere). In such a climate, the timing of the vector control action was the key factor in its success. In tropical climates, the potential of the combination of methods becomes more relevant. BSIT and the combination of ADT with SIT were twice as effective compared to the use of SIT alone.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86798-8
Insects. 2021 Mar 03. pii: 215. [Epub ahead of print]12(3):

Assessing Diversity, Plasmodium Infection and Blood Meal Sources in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from a Brazilian Zoological Park with Avian Malaria Transmission.

Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães, Roseli França Simões, Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas, Regiane Maria Tironi de Menezes, Fabiana Santos Silva, Eliana Ferreira Monteiro, Marcia Moreira Holcman, Miklos Maximiliano Bajay, Adriano Pinter, Vera Lucia Fonseca de Camargo-Neves, Karin Kirchgatter.

  Avian malaria parasites are widespread parasites transmitted by Culicidae insects belonging to different genera. Even though several studies have been conducted recently, there is still a lack of information about potential vectors of Plasmodium parasites, especially in Neotropical regions. Former studies with free-living and captive animals in São Paulo Zoo showed the presence of several Plasmodium and Haemoproteus species. In 2015, a pilot study was conducted at the zoo to collect mosquitoes in order to find out (i) which species of Culicidae are present in the study area, (ii) what are their blood meal sources, and (iii) to which Plasmodium species might they be potential vectors. Mosquitoes were morphologically and molecularly identified. Blood meal source and haemosporidian DNA were identified using molecular protocols. A total of 25 Culicidae species were identified, and 6 of them were positive for Plasmodium/Haemoproteus DNA. Ten mosquito species had their source of blood meal identified, which were mainly birds, including some species that were positive for haemosporidian parasites in the former study mentioned. This study allowed us to expand the list of potential vectors of avian malaria parasites and to improve our knowledge of the evolutionary and ecological relationships between the highly diverse communities of birds, parasites, and vectors present at São Paulo Zoo.

Keywords:  Aedes; Culex; captive; haemosporidian parasites; vectors; wildlife

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030215
Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2021 ;pii: S0036-46652021000100209. [Epub ahead of print]63 e17

Epidemiological and genetic aspects of the largest dengue outbreak recorded in 2015 in Southeastern Brazil.

Aline Diniz Cabral, Luana Prado Rolim de Oliveira, Juliana Sá Teles de Oliveira Molina, Andreia Moreira Dos Santos Carmo, Rodrigo Buzinaro Suzuki, Camila Marcondes de Oliveira, Luciamare Perinetti Alves Martins, Carlos Roberto Prudencio, André Eterovic, Márcia Aparecida Sperança.

Dengue virus, the etiological agent of dengue fever (DF) occurs in four genetically distinct serotypes (DENV1-4), being transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes. DF incidence is increasing in Brazil, following vector dispersal, proliferation and DENV serotypes introduction, co-circulation and substitution. Medium- and small-sized cities in Sao Paulo State, such as Marilia (Midwest region), have been affected by huge epidemics. To understand the evolution of DENV epidemics in medium-sized cities, in this study a historical data on DENV incidence (2000-2015) in Marilia, was evaluated. Previous studies disclosed regional and specific DF outcomes associated with 2007 outbreak in that city, when co-circulating DENV1 and DENV3 presented different hematological profiles. In this study, characteristics of 2007 DENV epidemics were compared to the epidemiological, hematological and demographic outlines of the major outbreak of DENV1 in Marilia in 2015. DENV1 genetic diversity was assessed through capsid and pre-membrane junction encoding gene (CprM) sequencing. The results revealed circulation of DENV1 serotype from 2007 to 2015, with epidemics occurring every three-years until 2013 and then, increasing yearly. There were significant differences in hematological profiles of DENV1 patients between 2015 and 2007. CprM showed DENV1 genetic variability in 2015, contrasting with the unique sequence pattern in 2007. These results reinforce the regional and temporal characteristics of DENV epidemics that need local public health research to improve care for people and to limit the spread of new serotypes/genotypes to uninfected areas.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-9946202163017
Insects. 2021 Mar 23. pii: 271. [Epub ahead of print]12(3):

Differential Gene Expression in the Heads of Behaviorally Divergent Culex pipiens Mosquitoes.

Anna Noreuil, Megan L Fritz.

  Host preferences of Cx. pipiens, a bridge vector for West Nile virus to humans, have the potential to drive pathogen transmission dynamics. Yet much remains unknown about the extent of variation in these preferences and their molecular basis. We conducted host choice assays in a laboratory setting to quantify multi-day human and avian landing rates for Cx. pipiens females. Assayed populations originated from five above-ground and three below-ground breeding and overwintering habitats. All three below-ground populations were biased toward human landings, with rates of human landing ranging from 69-85%. Of the five above-ground populations, four had avian landing rates of >80%, while one landed on the avian host only 44% of the time. Overall response rates and willingness to alternate landing on the human and avian hosts across multiple days of testing also varied by population. For one human- and one avian-preferring population, we examined patterns of differential expression and splice site variation at genes expressed in female heads. We also compared gene expression and splice site variation within human-seeking females in either gravid or host-seeking physiological states to identify genes that may regulate blood feeding behaviors. Overall, we identified genes with metabolic and regulatory function that were differentially expressed in our comparison of gravid and host-seeking females. Differentially expressed genes in our comparison of avian- and human-seeking females were enriched for those involved in sensory perception. We conclude with a discussion of specific sensory genes and their potential influence on the divergent behaviors of avian- and human-seeking Cx. pipiens.

Keywords:  Culex pipiens; RNA sequencing; gene expression; host preference; sensory genes; whole heads

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030271
Insects. 2021 Mar 25. pii: 279. [Epub ahead of print]12(4):

Different Hatching Rates of Floodwater Mosquitoes Aedes sticticus, Aedes rossicus and Aedes cinereus from Different Flooded Environments.

Anders Lindström, Disa Eklöf, Tobias Lilja.

  In the lower Dalälven region, floodwater mosquitoes cause recurring problems. The main nuisance species is Aedes (Ochlerotatus) sticticus, but large numbers of Aedes (Aedes) rossicus and Aedes (Aedes) cinereus also hatch during flooding events. To increase understanding of which environments in the area give rise to mosquito nuisance, soil samples were taken from 20 locations from four environmental categories: grazed meadows, mowed meadows, unkept open grassland areas and forest areas. In each location 20 soil samples were taken, 10 from random locations and 10 from moisture retaining structures, such as tussocks, shrubs, piles of leaves, logs, and roots. The soil samples were soaked with tap water in the lab, and mosquito larvae were collected and allowed to develop to adult mosquitoes for species identification. Fewer larvae hatched from mowed areas and more larvae hatched from moisture retaining structure samples than random samples. The results showed that Aedes cinereus mostly hatch from grazed and unkept areas and hatched as much from random samples as from structures, whereas Aedes sticticus and Aedes rossicus hatched from open unkept and forest areas and hatch significantly more from structure samples. When the moisture retaining structures in open unkept areas where Aedes sticticus hatched were identified it was clear that they hatched predominantly from willow shrubs that offered shade. The results suggest that Ae. sticticus and Ae. cinereus favor different flooded environments for oviposition.

Keywords:  Aedes cinereus; Aedes rossicus; Aedes sticticus; egg laying; floodwater mosquitoes; oviposition

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12040279
Malar J. 2021 Apr 01. 20(1): 173

Retrospective evaluation of the effectiveness of indoor residual spray with pirimiphos-methyl (Actellic) on malaria transmission in Zambia.

Joseph Keating, Joshua O Yukich, John M Miller, Sara Scates, Busiku Hamainza, Thomas P Eisele, Adam Bennett.

   BACKGROUND: Widespread insecticide resistance to pyrethroids could thwart progress towards elimination. Recently, the World Health Organization has encouraged the use of non-pyrethroid insecticides to reduce the spread of insecticide resistance. An electronic tool for implementing and tracking coverage of IRS campaigns has recently been tested (mSpray), using satellite imagery to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the enumeration process. The purpose of this paper is to retrospectively analyse cross-sectional observational data to provide evidence of the epidemiological effectiveness of having introduced Actellic 300CS and the mSpray platform into IRS programmes across Zambia.
METHODS: Health facility catchment areas in 40 high burden districts in 5 selected provinces were initially targeted for spraying. The mSpray platform was used in 7 districts in Luapula Province. An observational study design was used to assess the relationship between IRS exposure and confirmed malaria case incidence. A random effects Poisson model was used to quantify the effect of IRS (with and without use of the mSpray platform) on confirmed malaria case incidence over the period 2013-2017; analysis was restricted to the 4 provinces where IRS was conducted in each year 2014-2016.
RESULTS: IRS was conducted in 283 health facility catchment areas from 2014 to 2016; 198 health facilities from the same provinces, that received no IRS during this period, served as a comparison. IRS appears to be associated with reduced confirmed malaria incidence; the incidence rate ratio (IRR) was lower in areas with IRS but without mSpray, compared to areas with no IRS (IRR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.98). Receiving IRS with mSpray significantly lowered confirmed case incidence (IRR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.66-0.86) compared to no IRS. IRS with mSpray resulted in lower incidence compared to IRS without mSpray (IRR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.72-0.95).
CONCLUSIONS: IRS using Actellic-CS appears to substantially reduce malaria incidence in Zambia. The use of the mSpray tool appears to improve the effectiveness of the IRS programme, possibly through improved population level coverage. The results of this study lend credence to the anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of 3GIRS using Actellic, and the importance of exploring new platforms for improving effective population coverage of areas targeted for spraying.

Keywords:  Indoor Residual Spray; Malaria; Pirimiphos-Methyl (Actellic); Zambia; mSpray

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03710-5
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 11. pii: 2855. [Epub ahead of print]18(6):

Spatial Dynamics of Dengue Fever in Mainland China, 2019.

Yujuan Yue, Xiaobo Liu, Dongsheng Ren, Haixia Wu, Qiyong Liu.

  New spatial characteristics of dengue fever in mainland China during 2019 were analyzed. There was a dengue fever outbreak in mainland China in 2019, with 15,187 indigenous cases in 13 provinces, 1281 domestic imported cases from 12 provinces and 5778 overseas imported cases from 47 countries, more than the previous cases during the period 2005-2018, except for in 2014. Indigenous cases occurred in Sichuan, Hubei and Chongqing in 2019. There have been big changes in the spatial distribution and proportion of dengue cases. Indigenous cases were not only located in the southwestern border and southeastern coastal provinces of Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian but also in the central provinces of Jiangxi and Chongqing. Domestic imported cases were not only from Guangdong, but also from Yunnan. There were five new sources of importation of cases. Overseas imported cases were mainly from Cambodia and Myanmar in 2019. Understanding the new spatial characteristics of dengue fever in China helps to formulate targeted, strategic plans and implement effective public health prevention and control measures.

Keywords:  domestic imported dengue cases; indigenous dengue cases; overseas imported dengue cases; spatial characteristics

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062855
Transbound Emerg Dis. 2021 Mar 31.

Dirofilaria immitis infection in the Pelagie archipelago: the southernmost hyperendemic focus in Europe.

Emanuele Brianti, Rossella Panarese, Ettore Napoli, Giovanni De Benedetto, Gabriella Gaglio, Marcos Antônio Bezerra-Santos, Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Domenico Otranto.

  Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are mosquito-borne filaroids of zoonotic concern, which primarily cause canine heartworm disease (HWD) and subcutaneous dirofilariosis, respectively. The geographical distribution of these nematodes is constantly changing, due to many factors such as the colonization by new invasive mosquito species, the increased movement of animals, and the absence of chemoprophylactic strategies in non-endemic regions. Although HWD has always been considered endemic in northern Italy, an increase in the prevalence of this disease has been recorded in the last decades in central and southern regions . We describe the southernmost hyperendemic European focus of heartworm disease in the Pelagie archipelagos. From June to November 2020, 157 dogs and 46 cats were sampled in Linosa and Lampedusa islands for the detection of Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens by modified Knott's, rapid antigen and molecular tests. Mosquitoes were collected using CDC light and BG sentinel-2 traps and aspirators, and tested for host blood meal and Dirofilaria spp. DNA. Out of 56 dogs in Linosa and 101 in Lampedusa, 33 (i.e., 58.9%) and 8 (i.e., 7.9%) were positive to D. immitis and D. repens, respectively. Three cats scored positive to D. immitis (i.e., 17.6%) on Linosa. Six mosquito species were identified and the abdomen of a non-engorged Aedes albopictus was positive to D. immitis and human DNA. The results suggest that D. immitis infection could spread to new previously non-endemic territories in southern Europe, representing a real threat to animal and human health.

Keywords:   Dirofilaria immitis ; Dirofilaria repens ; Dirofilariosis; canine heartworm disease; dogs; mosquitoes

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.14089
Malar J. 2021 Mar 31. 20(1): 172

Drug resistance profile and clonality of Plasmodium falciparum parasites in Cape Verde: the 2017 malaria outbreak.

Silvania Da Veiga Leal, Daniel Ward, Susana Campino, Ernest Diez Benavente, Amy Ibrahim, Tânia Claret, Varela Isaías, Davidson Monteiro, Taane G Clark, Luzia Gonçalves, Tomas Valdez, Maria da Luz Lima Mendonça, Henrique Silveira, Fatima Nogueira.

   BACKGROUND: Cape Verde is an archipelago located off the West African coast and is in a pre-elimination phase of malaria control. Since 2010, fewer than 20 Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases have been reported annually, except in 2017, when an outbreak in Praia before the rainy season led to 423 autochthonous cases. It is important to understand the genetic diversity of circulating P. falciparum to inform on drug resistance, potential transmission networks and sources of infection, including parasite importation.
METHODS: Enrolled subjects involved malaria patients admitted to Dr Agostinho Neto Hospital at Praia city, Santiago island, Cape Verde, between July and October 2017. Neighbours and family members of enrolled cases were assessed for the presence of anti-P. falciparum antibodies. Sanger sequencing and real-time PCR was used to identify SNPs in genes associated with drug resistance (e.g., pfdhfr, pfdhps, pfmdr1, pfk13, pfcrt), and whole genome sequencing data were generated to investigate the population structure of P. falciparum parasites.
RESULTS: The study analysed 190 parasite samples, 187 indigenous and 3 from imported infections. Malaria cases were distributed throughout Praia city. There were no cases of severe malaria and all patients had an adequate clinical and parasitological response after treatment. Anti-P. falciparum antibodies were not detected in the 137 neighbours and family members tested. No mutations were detected in pfdhps. The triple mutation S108N/N51I/C59R in pfdhfr and the chloroquine-resistant CVIET haplotype in the pfcrt gene were detected in almost all samples. Variations in pfk13 were identified in only one sample (R645T, E668K). The haplotype NFD for pfmdr1 was detected in the majority of samples (89.7%).
CONCLUSIONS: Polymorphisms in pfk13 associated with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) tolerance in Southeast Asia were not detected, but the majority of the tested samples carried the pfmdr1 haplotype NFD and anti-malarial-associated mutations in the the pfcrt and pfdhfr genes. The first whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for Cape Verdean parasites that showed that the samples cluster together, have a very high level of similarity and are close to other parasites populations from West Africa.

Keywords:  Drug resistance; Genetics; Malaria; Plasmodium falciparum; Sequencing

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-021-03708-z
Trop Med Infect Dis. 2021 Mar 12. pii: 35. [Epub ahead of print]6(1):

Two Cases of Natural Infection of Dengue-2 Virus in Bats in the Colombian Caribbean.

Alfonso Calderón, Camilo Guzmán, Teresa Oviedo-Socarras, Salim Mattar, Virginia Rodríguez, Víctor Castañeda, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo.

  Dengue, a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease, is the most common vector-borne disease in tropical and subtropical areas. In this study, we aim to demonstrate biological evidence of dengue virus infection in bats. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the departments of Cordoba and Sucre, Colombia. A total of 286 bats were captured following the ethical protocols of animal experimentation. The specimens were identified and euthanized using a pharmacological treatment with atropine, acepromazine and sodium pentobarbital. Duplicate samples of brain, heart, lung, spleen, liver, and kidney were collected with one set stored in Trizol and the other stored in 10% buffered formalin for histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis using polyclonal antibodies. Brain samples from lactating mice with an intracranial inoculation of DENV-2 were used as a positive control. As a negative control, lactating mouse brains without inoculation and bats brains negative for RT-PCR were included. Tissue sections from each specimen of bat without conjugate were used as staining control. In a specimen of Carollia perspicillata captured in Ayapel (Cordoba) and Phylostomus discolor captured in San Carlos (Cordoba), dengue virus was detected, and sequences were matched to DENV serotype 2. In bats RT-PCR positive for dengue, lesions compatible with viral infections, and the presence of antigens in tissues were observed. Molecular findings, pathological lesions, and detection of antigens in tissues could demonstrate viral DENV-2 replication and may correspond to natural infection in bats. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of these species in dengue epidemics.

Keywords:  antibodies; arbovirus; flavivirus; immunohistochemistry; pathology; zoonoses

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed6010035
Front Vet Sci. 2021 ;8 621974

Plasmodium matutinum Transmitted by Culex pipiens as a Cause of Avian Malaria in Captive African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) in Italy.

Manuela Iurescia, Federico Romiti, Cristiano Cocumelli, Elena Lavinia Diaconu, Fiorentino Stravino, Roberta Onorati, Patricia Alba, Klaus Gunther Friedrich, Flavio Maggi, Adele Magliano, Arianna Ermenegildi, Virginia Carfora, Andrea Caprioli, Claudio De Liberato, Antonio Battisti.

  Avian malaria is a parasitic disease of birds caused by protozoa belonging to the genus Plasmodium, within the order Haemosporida. Penguins are considered particularly susceptible, and outbreaks in captive populations can lead to high mortality. We used a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the death due to avian malaria, occurred between 2015 and 2019, in eight African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) kept in two Italian zoos located in central Italy, and situated about 30 km apart. We also provided information about the presence and circulation of Plasmodium spp. in mosquitoes in central Italy by sampling mosquitoes in both zoos where penguin mortalities occurred. In the eight dead penguins, gross and histopathological lesions were consistent with those previously observed by other authors in avian malaria outbreaks. Organs from dead penguins and mosquitoes collected in both zoos were tested for avian malaria parasites by using a PCR assay targeting the partial mitochondrial conserved region of the cytochrome b gene. Identification at species level was performed by sequencing analysis. Plasmodium matutinum was detected in both dead penguins and in mosquitoes (Culex pipiens), while Plasmodium vaughani in Culex pipiens only. Parasites were not found in any of the PCR tested Aedes albopictus samples. Based on our phylogenetic analysis, we detected three previously characterized lineages: Plasmodium matutinum LINN1 and AFTRU5, P. vaughani SYAT05. In Culex pipiens we also identified two novel lineages, CXPIP32 (inferred morphospecies Plasmodium matutinum) and CXPIP33 (inferred morphospecies P. vaughani). Significantly, LINN1 and AFTRU5 were found to be associated to penguin deaths, although only LINN1 was detected both in penguins (along the years of the study) and in Culex pipiens, while AFTRU5 was detected in a single penguin dead in 2017. In conclusion, in our study Plasmodium matutinum was found to cause avian malaria in captive penguins kept in Europe, with Culex pipiens being its most probable vector. Our results are in agreement with previous studies suggesting that Culex pipiens is one of the main vectors of Plasmodium spp. in Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. Zoos maintaining captive penguins in temperate areas where Culex pipiens is abundant should be well aware of the risks of avian malaria, and should put every effort to prevent outbreaks, in particular during the periods when the number of vectors is higher.

Keywords:  Plasmodium matutinum; Plasmodium spp.; Plasmodium vaughani; avian malaria; mortality; mosquitoes; penguins; zoo

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.621974