Articles

Genome-wide identification and characterization of transfer RNA-derived small RNAs in Plasmodium falciparum

Transfer RNA (tRNA)-derived fragments (tRFs) have been widely identified in nature, functioning in diverse biological and pathological situations. Yet, the presence of these small RNAs in Plasmodium spp. remains ...

Authors: Zhensheng Wang, Chunyan Wei, Xiao Hao, Weiwei Deng, Lianhui Zhang, Zenglei Wang and Heng Wang

Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) in ectoparasites and reptiles in southern Italy

Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) is a complex containing pathogenic bacteria of which some species, such as Borrelia lusitaniae, use birds, small mammals and reptiles as reservoirs. In Italy, the bacteria have b...

Authors: Jairo Alfonso Mendoza-Roldan, Vito Colella, Riccardo Paolo Lia, Viet Linh Nguyen, Darci Moraes Barros-Battesti, Roberta Iatta, Filipe Dantas-Torres and Domenico Otranto

Entomological assessment of the transmission following recrudescence of onchocerciasis in the Comoé Valley, Burkina Faso

Onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is a dermal filariasis caused by infection with the nematode parasite Onchocerca volvulus, transmitted to humans through the bites of blackflies of the genus Simulium. Despite ...

Authors: Lassane Koala, Achille S. Nikièma, Alain B. Paré, François Drabo, Laurent D. Toé, Adrien M. G. Belem, Daniel A. Boakye, Soungalo Traoré and Roch K. Dabiré

Comparative bioinformatic analysis suggests that specific dauer-like signalling pathway components regulate Toxocara canis development and migration in the mammalian host

Toxocara canis is quite closely related to Ascaris suum but its biology is more complex, involving a phase of arrested development (diapause or hypobiosis) in tissues as well as transplacental and transmammary tr...

Authors: Guangxu Ma, Tao Wang, Pasi K. Korhonen, Shuai Nie, Gavin E. Reid, Andreas J. Stroehlein, Anson V. Koehler, Bill C. H. Chang, Andreas Hofmann, Neil D. Young and Robin B. Gasser

Maximising mosquito collections from barrier screens: the impacts of physical design and operation parameters

Traditional methods for collecting outdoor resting mosquitoes are generally inefficient with relatively low numbers caught per unit effort. The barrier screen, designed to intercept mosquitoes as they fly betw...

Authors: Edgar J. M. Pollard, Tanya L. Russell and Thomas R. Burkot

Retrospective evaluation of vector-borne infections in dogs imported from the Mediterranean region and southeastern Europe (2007–2015)

Canine vector-borne infections have gained importance in Germany due to growing tourist traffic and an increased import of dogs from abroad. Endemic regions for pathogens such as Leishmania infantum, Hepatozoon c...

Authors: Ingo Schäfer, Maria Volkmann, Pamela Beelitz, Roswitha Merle, Elisabeth Müller and Barbara Kohn

NLRP3 inflammasome activation from Kupffer cells is involved in liver fibrosis of Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice via NF-κB

NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome was reported as expressed in schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis (SSLF). We used an NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, MCC950, to investigate whether it inhibited...

Authors: Wen-Juan Zhang, Zheng-Ming Fang and Wen-Qi Liu

Transmission of Cytauxzoon felis to domestic cats by Amblyomma americanum nymphs

Successful Cytauxzoon felis transmission studies have occurred using Amblyomma americanum adults acquisition-fed as nymphs on an experimentally infected domestic cat or Dermacentor variabilis adults fed as nymphs...

Authors: Kelly E. Allen, Jennifer E. Thomas, Megan L. Wohltjen and Mason V. Reichard

Generational conservation of composition and diversity of field-acquired midgut microbiota in Anopheles gambiae (sensu lato) during colonization in the laboratory

The gut microbiota is known to play a role in a mosquito vector’s life history, a subject of increasing research. Laboratory experiments are essential for such studies and require laboratory colonies. In this ...

Authors: Jewelna Akorli, Philomena Asor Namaali, Godwin Williams Ametsi, Richardson Kwesi Egyirifa and Nana Adjoa Praba Pels

A cross-sectional screening by next-generation sequencing reveals Rickettsia, Coxiella, Francisella, Borrelia, Babesia, Theileria and Hemolivia species in ticks from Anatolia

Ticks participate as arthropod vectors in the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to humans. Several tick-borne infections have reemerged, along with newly described agents of unexplored pathogenicity. I...

Authors: Annika Brinkmann, Olcay Hekimoğlu, Ender Dinçer, Peter Hagedorn, Andreas Nitsche and Koray Ergünay

Effectiveness of the spot-on combination of moxidectin and imidacloprid (Advocate®) in the treatment of ocular thelaziosis by Thelazia callipaeda in naturally infected cats

The present study evaluated the therapeutic effectiveness of moxidectin 1.0% (w/v) and imidacloprid 10% (w/v) (Advocate® spot-on solution for cats, Bayer Animal Health) against natural infections with the eyew...

Authors: Domenico Otranto, Fabrizio Solari Basano, Marco Pombi, Gioia Capelli, Roberto Nazzari, Luigi Falsone, Gabriele Petry, Matthias Günter Pollmeier and Riccardo Paolo Lia

Wing length and host location in tsetse (Glossina spp.): implications for control using stationary baits

It has been suggested that attempts to eradicate populations of tsetse (Glossina spp.) using stationary targets might fail because smaller, less mobile individuals are unlikely to be killed by the targets. If tru...

Authors: John Hargrove, Sinead English, Stephen J. Torr, Jennifer Lord, Lee Rafuse Haines, Cari van Schalkwyk, James Patterson and Glyn Vale

A study of tribendimidine effects in vitro and in vivo on the liver fluke Opisthorchis felineus

The food-borne liver fluke Opisthorchis felineus is an epidemiologically important species and the causative agent of opisthorchiasis across an extensive territory of Eurasia. For decades, treatment of opisthorch...

Authors: Maria Y. Pakharukova, Vladimir A. Samsonov, Elena A. Serbina and Viatcheslav A. Mordvinov

New strains of Japanese encephalitis virus circulating in Shanghai, China after a ten-year hiatus in local mosquito surveillance

Continuous vector pathogen surveillance is essential for preventing outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. Several mosquito species acting as vectors of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), dengue virus, Zika vir...

Authors: Yuan Fang, Yi Zhang, Zheng-Bin Zhou, Shang Xia, Wen-Qi Shi, Jing-Bo Xue, Yuan-Yuan Li and Jia-Tong Wu

Secretome analysis of Strongyloides venezuelensis parasitic stages reveals that soluble and insoluble proteins are involved in its parasitism

Parasites excrete and secrete a wide range of molecules that act as the primary interface with their hosts and play critical roles in establishing parasitism during different stages of infection. Strongyloides ve...

Authors: Yasunobu Maeda, Juan Emilio Palomares-Rius, Akina Hino, Tanzila Afrin, Shakhinur Islam Mondal, Ayako Nakatake, Haruhiko Maruyama and Taisei Kikuchi

Fine-scale spatial and temporal dynamics of kdr haplotypes in Aedes aegypti from Mexico

As resistance to insecticides increases in disease vectors, it has become exceedingly important to monitor populations for susceptibility. Most studies of field populations of Aedes aegypti have largely character...

Authors: Marissa K. Grossman, Julian Rodriguez, Anuar Medina Barreiro, Audrey Lenhart, Pablo Manrique-Saide and Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec

First evidence of the presence of genotype-1 of Japanese encephalitis virus in Culex gelidus in Indonesia

Japanese encephalitis has become a public health threat in Indonesia. Three genotypes have been recorded in Indonesia, i.e. genotype II (GII), genotype III (GIII) and genotype IV (GIV). Genotype I (GI) and gen...

Authors: Triwibowo Ambar Garjito, Mega Tyas Prihatin, Lulus Susanti, Dhian Prastowo, Siti Rofiatus Sa’adah, Yulian Taviv, Tri Baskoro Tunggul Satoto, Joko Waluyo, Sylvie Manguin and Roger Frutos

Distribution of Anopheles vectors and potential malaria transmission stability in Europe and the Mediterranean area under future climate change

In the scope of climate change the possible recurrence and/or expansion of vector-borne diseases poses a major concern. The occurrence of vector competent Anopheles species as well as favorable climatic condition...

Authors: Elke Hertig

A novel entomological index, Aedes aegypti Breeding Percentage, reveals the geographical spread of the dengue vector in Singapore and serves as a spatial risk indicator for dengue

Aedes aegypti is an efficient primary vector of dengue, and has a heterogeneous distribution in Singapore. Aedes albopictus, a poor vector of dengue, is native and ubiquitous on the island. Though dengue risk fol...

Authors: Janet Ong, Xu Liu, Jayanthi Rajarethinam, Grace Yap, Derek Ho and Lee Ching Ng

Anthroponotic transmission of Cryptosporidium parvum predominates in countries with poorer sanitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Globally cryptosporidiosis is one of the commonest causes of mortality in children under 24 months old and may be associated with important longterm health effects. Whilst most strains of Cryptosporidium parvum a...

Authors: Philippa King, Kevin M. Tyler and Paul R. Hunter

Population genetics of Anopheles funestus, the African malaria vector, Kenya

Anopheles funestus is among the major malaria vectors in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa and has been recently implicated in persistent malaria transmission. However, its ecology and genetic diversity remain poorly ...

Authors: Edwin O. Ogola, Joel O. Odero, Joseph M. Mwangangi, Daniel K. Masiga and David P. Tchouassi

Effect of flubendazole on developing stages of Loa loa in vitro and in vivo: a new approach for screening filaricidal agents

Loiasis, an often-neglected tropical disease, is a threat to the success of lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis elimination programmes in rainforest areas of the central and western Africa. Its control and...

Authors: Fanny Fri Fombad, Abdel Jelil Njouendou, Patrick Chounna Ndongmo, Manuel Ritter, Valerine C. Chunda, Haelly M. Metuge, Narcisse Victor T. Gandjui, Peter Enyong, Flobert Njiokou, Achim Hoerauf, Charles D. Mackenzie and Samuel Wanji

Susceptibility to common insecticides and detoxifying enzyme activities in Anopheles sundaicus (sensu lato) after cessation of indoor residual spraying of insecticides in the Jaffna Peninsula and its surroundings in northern Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has been malaria-free since 2013 but re-introduction of malaria transmission by infected overseas travelers is possible due to a prevalence of potent malaria vectors. Knowledge of the insecticide res...

Authors: Kokila Sivabalakrishnan, Thilini C. Weerarathne, Amirtharasa Thileepan, S. H. P. Parakrama Karunaratne, Ranjan Ramasamy and Sinnathamby N. Surendran

Low genetic diversity of Ehrlichia canis associated with high co-infection rates in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.)

Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) is the most widely distributed ixodid tick and is a vector of major canine and human pathogens. High-throughput technologies have revealed that individual ticks carry a ...

Authors: Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Eleonore Allain, Abdullah S. Ahmad, Muhammad A. Saeed, Imran Rashid, Kamran Ashraf, Lena Yousfi, Wasim Shehzad, Lea Indjein, Manuel Rodriguez-Valle, Agustin Estrada-Peña, Dasiel Obregón, Abdul Jabbar and Sara Moutailler

Combination of microbiome analysis and serodiagnostics to assess the risk of pathogen transmission by ticks to humans and animals in central Germany

Arthropod-borne diseases remain a major health-threat for humans and animals worldwide. To estimate the distribution of pathogenic agents and especially Bartonella spp., we conducted tick microbiome analysis and ...

Authors: Yvonne Regier, Kassandra Komma, Markus Weigel, Peter Kraiczy, Arttu Laisi, Arto T. Pulliainen, Torsten Hain and Volkhard A. J. Kempf

Aerobic midgut microbiota of sand fly vectors of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis from northern Iran, a step toward finding potential paratransgenic candidates

Leishmaniasis is caused by Leishmania parasites and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected sand flies. Development of Leishmania to infective metacyclic promastigotes occurs within the sand fly gut...

Authors: Fateh Karimian, Hassan Vatandoost, Yavar Rassi, Naseh Maleki-Ravasan, Mehdi Mohebali, Mohammad Hasan Shirazi, Mona Koosha, Nayyereh Choubdar and Mohammad Ali Oshaghi

Rapid multiplex gene expression assays for monitoring metabolic resistance in the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

Metabolic resistance of the major malaria vector Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) to insecticides is operationally significant, particularly in combination with target site resistance. However, detection of metabolic res...

Authors: Konstantinos Mavridis, Nadja Wipf, Sandrine Medves, Ignacio Erquiaga, Pie Müller and John Vontas

Cox1 barcoding versus multilocus species delimitation: validation of two mite species with contrasting effective population sizes

The cox1-barcoding approach is currently extensively used for high-throughput species delimitation and discovery. However, this method has several limitations, particularly when organisms have large effective pop...

Authors: Pavel B. Klimov, Maciej Skoracki and Andre V. Bochkov

Silencing expression of the Rhipicephalus microplus vitellogenin receptor gene blocks Babesia bovis transmission and interferes with oocyte maturation

Rhipicephalus microplus is an efficient biological vector of Babesia bovis, a causative agent of bovine babesiosis. Babesia bovis is passed transovarially to the next generation of ticks, which then transmit the ...

Authors: Hala E. Hussein, Wendell C. Johnson, Naomi S. Taus, Carlos E. Suarez, Glen A. Scoles and Massaro W. Ueti

Fluorescent proteins reveal what trypanosomes get up to inside the tsetse fly

The discovery and development of fluorescent proteins for the investigation of living cells and whole organisms has been a major advance in biomedical research. This approach was quickly exploited by parasitol...

Authors: Wendy Gibson and Lori Peacock

Evolution, phylogenetic distribution and functional ecology of division of labour in trematodes

Division of labour has evolved in many social animals where colonies consist of clones or close kin. It involves the performance of different tasks by morphologically distinct castes, leading to increased colo...

Authors: Robert Poulin, Tsukushi Kamiya and Clément Lagrue

The influence of temperature and humidity on the flight activity of Culicoides imicola both under laboratory and field conditions

Insight into the factors that regulate the circadian host-seeking flight activity of Culicoides vectors (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) will be of importance to assess the risk of transmission of Culicoides-borne path...

Authors: Gert J. Venter, Solomon N. B. Boikanyo and Chantel J. de Beer

Epidemiology and genetic diversity of Anaplasma ovis in goats in Corsica, France

Anaplasma ovis is a major cause of small ruminant anaplasmosis, a tick-borne disease mainly affecting small ruminants in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Due to health and production problems in dai...

Authors: Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz, Mélanie Gallois, Mélanie Fontugne, Eléonore Allain, Myriam Denoual, Sara Moutailler, Elodie Devillers, Stephan Zientara, Marc Memmi, Alain Chauvin, Albert Agoulon, Muriel Vayssier-Taussat and Christophe Chartier

Spatial distribution, prevalence and diversity of haemosporidians in the rufous-collared sparrow, Zonotrichia capensis

Parasite prevalence and diversity are determined by the distribution of hosts and vectors and by the interplay among a suite of environmental factors. Distributions of parasite lineages vary based on host susc...

Authors: Daniela Doussang, Daniel González-Acuña, Luis Gonzalo Torres-Fuentes, Stephen C. Lougheed, Rute Beatriz Clemente-Carvalho, Kian Connelly Greene and Juliana A. Vianna

Infection prevalence and ecotypes of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in moose Alces alces, red deer Cervus elaphus, roe deer Capreolus capreolus and Ixodes ricinus ticks from Norway

The geographical expansion of the tick Ixodes ricinus in northern Europe is a serious concern for animal and human health. The pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum is transmitted by ticks and causes emergences of t...

Authors: Vetle M. Stigum, Ryanne I. Jaarsma, Hein Sprong, Christer M. Rolandsen and Atle Mysterud

Patterns of Fasciola hepatica infection in Danish dairy cattle: implications for on-farm control of the parasite based on different diagnostic methods

Bovine fasciolosis is an economically important livestock disease in Europe, and represents a particular challenge for organic farms, where cattle are grazed extensively and the use of anthelmintic is limited....

Authors: Nao Takeuchi-Storm, Matthew Denwood, Heidi Huus Petersen, Heidi Larsen Enemark, Anna-Sofie Stensgaard, Mita Eva Sengupta, Nicola Jane Beesley, Jane Hodgkinson, Diana Williams and Stig Milan Thamsborg

Long-term exposure of Aedes aegypti to Bacillus thuringiensis svar. israelensis did not involve altered susceptibility to this microbial larvicide or to other control agents

Bacillus thuringiensis svar. israelensis (Bti) is an effective and safe biolarvicide to control Aedes aegypti. Its mode of action based on four protoxins disfavors resistance; however, control in endemic areas th...

Authors: Karine da Silva Carvalho, Mônica Maria Crespo, Ana Paula Araújo, Renata Santana da Silva, Maria Alice Varjal de Melo-Santos, Cláudia Maria Fontes de Oliveira and Maria Helena Neves Lobo Silva-Filha

Implementing a community vector collection strategy using xenomonitoring for the endgame of lymphatic filariasis elimination

The global strategy for elimination of lymphatic filariasis is by annual mass drug administration (MDA). Effective implementation of this strategy in endemic areas reduces Wuchereria bancrofti in the blood of inf...

Authors: Sellase Pi-Bansa, Joseph Harold Nyarko Osei, Joannitta Joannides, Maame Esi Woode, David Agyemang, Elizabeth Elhassan, Samuel Kweku Dadzie, Maxwell Alexander Appawu, Michael David Wilson, Benjamin Guibehi Koudou, Dziedzom Komi de Souza, Jürg Utzinger and Daniel Adjei Boakye

Efficacy and side effects of doxycycline versus minocycline in the three-dose melarsomine canine adulticidal heartworm treatment protocol

The American Heartworm Society currently recommends the use of a monthly macrocyclic lactone, a 28-day course of 10 mg/kg doxycycline BID, and the 3-dose protocol of melarsomine dihydrochloride for the treatme...

Authors: Molly D. Savadelis, Katherine M. Day, Jenna L. Bradner, Adrian J. Wolstenholme, Michael T. Dzimianski and Andrew R. Moorhead

Coxiella-like bacteria in fowl ticks from Thailand

Coxiella bacteria were identified from various tick species across the world. Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii that most commonly infects a variety of mammals. Non-mammalian ...

Authors: Wachareeporn Trinachartvanit, Simaporn Maneewong, Warissara Kaenkan, Pawiga Usananan, Visut Baimai and Arunee Ahantarig

Host-feeding patterns of Culex mosquitoes in Iran

Different mosquito-borne pathogens are circulating in Iran including Sindbis virus, West Nile virus, filarioid worms and malaria parasites. However, the local transmission cycles of these pathogenic agents are...

Authors: Nariman Shahhosseini, Johannes Friedrich, Seyed Hassan Moosa-Kazemi, Mohammad Mehdi Sedaghat, Mohammad Hassan Kayedi, Egbert Tannich, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit and Renke Lühken

Identification of novel multi-stage histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors that impair Schistosoma mansoni viability and egg production

Novel anti-schistosomal multi-stage drugs are needed because only a single drug, praziquantel, is available for the treatment of schistosomiasis and is poorly effective on larval and juvenile stages of the par...

Authors: Alessandra Guidi, Fulvio Saccoccia, Nadia Gennari, Roberto Gimmelli, Emanuela Nizi, Cristiana Lalli, Giacomo Paonessa, Giuliana Papoff, Alberto Bresciani and Giovina Ruberti

Identification and molecular characterization of a novel Babesia orientalis thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (BoTRAP1)

The thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) family, a kind of transmembrane protein, is widely distributed with a conserved feature of structure in all apicomplexan parasites and plays a crucial role i...

Authors: Long Yu, Qin Liu, Xueyan Zhan, Yuan Huang, Yali Sun, Zheng Nie, Yangnan Zhao, Xiaomeng An, Muxiao Li, Sen Wang, Yangsiqi Ao, Cuiqin Huang, Lan He and Junlong Zhao

Mapping of the complement C1q binding site on Trichinella spiralis paramyosin

Trichinella spiralis is a tissue-dwelling parasite has developed the ability to evade the host immune attack to establish parasitism in a host. One of the strategies evolved by the nematode is to produce proteins...

Authors: Zixia Wang, Chunyue Hao, Jingjing Huang, Qinghui Zhuang, Bin Zhan and Xinping Zhu

Functional analysis of the promoter of an early zygotic gene KLC2 in Aedes aegypti

Aedes aegypti is an important mosquito vector that transmits arboviruses that cause devastating diseases including Zika, dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya. Improved understanding of gene regulation in th...

Authors: Wanqi Hu and Zhijian Jake Tu

Joint FAO/IAEA Coordinated Research Project on “Exploring genetic, molecular, mechanical and behavioural methods of sex separation in mosquitoes” – an introduction

Authors: Kostas Bourtzis and Zhijian Jake Tu

Pure early zygotic genes in the Asian malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi

The Asian malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, is a major urban malaria vector in the Middle East and on the Indian subcontinent. Early zygotic transcription, which marks the maternal-to-zygotic transition, has...

Authors: Yang Wu, Wanqi Hu, James K. Biedler, Xiao-Guang Chen and Zhijian Jake Tu

Exploring protandry and pupal size selection for Aedes albopictus sex separation

We explored the possibility to improve male/female separation (sexing) in Aedes albopictus by selection of two strains, one toward increasing sex dimorphism and another toward increasing protandry. In the laborat...

Authors: Romeo Bellini, Arianna Puggioli, Fabrizio Balestrino, Marco Carrieri and Sandra Urbanelli

Effects of stable ectopic expression of the primary sex determination gene Yob in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae

Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, are controlled primarily by suppressing mosquito vector populations using insecticides. The current control programmes are seriously threatened by the emergence and ra...

Authors: Elzbieta Krzywinska and Jaroslaw Krzywinski

Sex determination and Aedes population control

The global economic cost of Aedes-borne diseases, such as dengue, is estimated to be in the billions of dollars annually. In this scenario, a sustained vector control strategy is the only alternative to control d...

Authors: Helena Rocha Corrêa de Araújo, Bianca Burini Kojin and Margareth Lara Capurro