In the rapidly urbanizing region of West Africa, mosquitoes pose an emerging threat of infectious disease that is compounded by limited vector surveillance. Citizen science has been proposed as a way to fill surveillanc...In the rapidly urbanizing region of West Africa, mosquitoes pose an emerging threat of infectious disease that is compounded by limited vector surveillance. Citizen science has been proposed as a way to fill surveillance gaps by training local residents to collect and share information on disease vectors. Understanding the distribution of arbovirus vectors in West Africa can inform researchers and public health officials on where to conduct disease surveillance and focus public health interventions. We utilized citizen science data collected through NASA's GLOBE Observer mobile phone application and data from a previously published literature review on mosquito distribution to examine the contribution of citizen science to understanding the distribution of in West Africa using Maximum Entropy modeling. Combining citizen science and literature-derived observations improved the fit of the model compared to models created by each data source alone but did not alleviate location bias within the models, likely due to lack of widespread observations. Understanding distribution will require greater investment in mosquito surveillance in the region, and citizen science should be utilized as a tool in this mission to increase the reach of surveillance.
Mosquitoes of the genus comprise important vectors of pathogenic arboviruses in our region, including West Nile and Rift Valley Fever viruses. To improve our understanding of the epidemiology and transmission dynamics o...Mosquitoes of the genus comprise important vectors of pathogenic arboviruses in our region, including West Nile and Rift Valley Fever viruses. To improve our understanding of the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of arboviruses, we need to study the behavior and ecology of their vectors. The feeding patterns of the vector mosquitoes can be very useful in determining how and where to focus control efforts. For example, determining the preferred blood hosts of the females can assist in the implementation of potentially efficacious strategies for focused control of mosquito females. Determining the plants from which both sexes derive their sugar meals can comprise the initial step towards the formulation of efficient lures for trapping mosquitoes. In the past, plant meal identification was based mainly on chemical detection of fructose and microscopical observations of cellulose particles in mosquito guts. More recent studies have utilized DNA barcoding capable of identifying plant food sources. In the current study, we identify multiple plant species from which large numbers of mosquitoes obtained their sugar meals in one experimental procedure. We employed next generation DNA sequencing to sequence the chloroplast specific plant genes atpB and rbcL.
Family Laelapidae is an ecologically diverse group that includes free-living species and parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates. At least seven genera in this family are associated with small mammals. In this study,...Family Laelapidae is an ecologically diverse group that includes free-living species and parasites of vertebrates and invertebrates. At least seven genera in this family are associated with small mammals. In this study, ectoparasitic laelapid mites of rodents and shrews were investigated in Lithuania. In total, 2,274 small mammal specimens of 12 species were trapped and 6,089 laelapid mites were collected. The updated list of ectoparasitic mites in Lithuania included 21 mite species. Seven mite species were identified as highly specific for a host species or genus, one species was moderately specific, and four mite species were assigned to generalist parasites. All host species had one or two superdominant mite species. The prevalence and mean intensity varied significantly depending on host species and habitat. We analyzed the influence of the host (species, sex, age) and environmental factors (landscape morphology type, habitat, anthropogenic effect) on the abundance of the mite community and most numerous mite species, as well as the impact of the host community (Shannon's diversity index, species richness, host abundance) on mean abundance of the mite community. Only particular host species (, and ) and habitats (pastures, mixed forests) influenced the abundance of mites.
Everglades virus (EVEV), an enzootic subtype of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, along with its endemic mosquito vector, , is known only from South Florida. The taxonomy of is complex and was once synonymous with...Everglades virus (EVEV), an enzootic subtype of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, along with its endemic mosquito vector, , is known only from South Florida. The taxonomy of is complex and was once synonymous with and . We modeled potential distribution of in Florida and the Caribbean using an ecological niche model and compared this distribution to the recorded distribution of EVEV in Florida as well as historical records of /. We used recent collections and occurrence data from scientific publications and temperature/precipitation variables and vegetation greenness values to calibrate models. We found mean annual temperature contributed the greatest to model performance. Everglades virus in humans and wildlife corresponded with areas predicted suitable for in Florida but not with incidence of antibodies reported in dogs. Most records of / in the Caribbean did not correspond to areas predicted suitable for , which may be due to mean annual temperature values in the Caribbean exceeding values within the calibration region, imposing model constraints. Results indicated that this model may adequately predict the distributions of within Florida but cannot predict areas suitable in the Caribbean.
Fleas are an important member of the North African entomofauna. An understanding of the risks of flea-borne diseases to public and veterinary health can be gained with surveys of their abundance, distribution, and hosts....Fleas are an important member of the North African entomofauna. An understanding of the risks of flea-borne diseases to public and veterinary health can be gained with surveys of their abundance, distribution, and hosts. The aims of this study were to make an initial assessment of flea (Siphonaptera) species collected from a selected number of mammalian hosts in Algeria and debate their medical and veterinary importance. To do so, an entomological survey was conducted on several animal species (goats, dogs, cats, rabbits, hedgehogs, and mongooses) in six localities of El Tarf region located in extreme northeastern Algeria. During the survey, flea specimens were collected from hosts, stored in alcohol, and identified using a taxonomic key. More than 1,200 specimens were collected and identified; including four species: and . Goats and dogs were the most infested animals, followed by cats and hedgehogs. was the most prevalent flea among all infested animals, with 631 collected specimens, followed by with 433 samples. Overall, this study is an initial assessment of flea species recovered from selected common mammals in northeastern Algeria.
In many areas, the main sources of mosquito vectors are not natural habitats but small artificial water bodies that are provided unintentionally by humans. Such container habitats have been linked to outbreaks of dengue...In many areas, the main sources of mosquito vectors are not natural habitats but small artificial water bodies that are provided unintentionally by humans. Such container habitats have been linked to outbreaks of dengue fever and other arboviral diseases. However, in many parts of the world the possible risks associated with container habitats have not been assessed. Here, we focused on a human population expansion area in northern Tanzania with a high incidence of dengue and other cases of high fever. We explored the importance of anthropogenic container habitats for mosquito production in the Lake Manyara Basin. We also assessed how biotic and physicochemical habitat characteristics limit mosquito abundance in containers. Results showed that (Linnaeus), vector of dengue and other arboviruses, and (Say), vector of filarial worms, were the dominant mosquitoes ovipositing in large numbers in different containers. Old tires were the dominant and most productive container habitat for mosquitoes in the region. However, there were strong differences among villages, illustrating that the mosquito burden associated with container habitats varies locally. We concluded that in this region, removal of artificial container habitats could be a simple strategy to reduce the mosquito-mediated disease burden within the local population.
Mosquitoes were collected in Lake County, CA, in 2014 and tested using standard polymerase chain reaction for filarial parasite DNA. Filarial parasites were detected in 23 out of 1,008 total pools. DNA from the parasite...Mosquitoes were collected in Lake County, CA, in 2014 and tested using standard polymerase chain reaction for filarial parasite DNA. Filarial parasites were detected in 23 out of 1,008 total pools. DNA from the parasite causing dog heartworm, was detected in (MIR=4.62), (MIR=6.72), (MIR=1.08), and (MIR=0.10). deer body worm, was detected in (MIR=13.42), (MIR=0.55), (MIR=2.69), and (MIR=0.41). The avian parasite could not be identified to species but was detected in (MIR=0.20). DNA was also detected for three unidentified filarial parasites in . Filarial-positive pools spanned May-August, with earlier in the season and later. For , MIR tended to be highest in June, when the 130 HDU development threshold was reached. Interestingly, was also detected prior to the HDU threshold, and was not detected August-September, though HDU remained high enough for development. This suggests that there are other factors influencing dog heartworm transmission in the area.
Seasonality of fleas (Siphonaptera) may be due to species competition, prompting the idea that flea species partition temperature, along with correlated variables such as moisture (thermal-niche partitioning hypothesis)....Seasonality of fleas (Siphonaptera) may be due to species competition, prompting the idea that flea species partition temperature, along with correlated variables such as moisture (thermal-niche partitioning hypothesis). I compared the fleas of five rodent-flea communities described from the literature for thermal-niche optima by fitting non-linear LRF (Lobry-Rosso-Flandrois) curves to examine whether flea species in a community show distinct, partitioned thermal niches. LRF curves estimate physiological parameters of temperature minimum, optimum, maximum, and maximum abundance, and facilitate comparison between species by summarizing seasonal data. Flea-communities were on Nearctic Southern flying squirrel (), Richardson's ground-squirrel (), North American deer-mouse (), and Palearctic Midday jird (), and Wagner's gerbil (). Flea communities appeared to show seasonality consistent with thermal-niche partitioning. Several flea families and genera had characteristic thermal niches: Ceratophyllidae had broad tolerance to extreme temperature, Leptopsyllidae (one species in this study) to cold, and Pulicidae to hot. In contrast, at the local, species level, climatic speciation could be significant in flea diversification. Non-competition hypotheses (environmental filtering, neutrality) require testing, too. Thermal-niche partitioning may increase flea species richness on hosts and could occur in other insect and plant communities. Implications for biodiversity conservation and disease ecology under global warming are wide-ranging.
A statewide survey of the tick fauna found on deer, using harvested deer heads as the sample unit, was conducted during the Alabama hunting seasons of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Four species of ticks: (n= 936, % of catch...A statewide survey of the tick fauna found on deer, using harvested deer heads as the sample unit, was conducted during the Alabama hunting seasons of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Four species of ticks: (n= 936, % of catch 69.1%), (315, 23.2%), (97, 7.1%), and (6, 0.4%) were taken from 151 deer heads harvested from 21 deer processing centers (n = 4-17 heads/processor). A total of 87.7% (prevalence) of deer heads had one or more ticks. We used two standard numerical descriptors of tick numbers, abundance, and relative abundance. No significant stepwise regressions (p > 0.05) were found between tick abundance (all ticks, ) and the predictor variables of latitude, deer density, season, and year. In addition, the correlation between the abundance of and was not significant (p > 0.5). In contrast, the relative abundance of both and showed a significant (P < 0.05) relationship with latitude, with the relative abundance of increasing on deer with increased latitude and showing the opposite pattern.
mosquitoes have been studied as potential biological mosquito control agents because they consume other mosquito larvae. As a top predator, species are also considered keystone predators in phytotelmata. However, limite...mosquitoes have been studied as potential biological mosquito control agents because they consume other mosquito larvae. As a top predator, species are also considered keystone predators in phytotelmata. However, limited information is available regarding , which is found in northeast Asia. The present study investigated whether could reduce mosquito populations and increase species diversity by functioning as a mosquito control agent and keystone predator, respectively. During the study, aquatic insects were collected every three weeks (May-October, 2018) from tire habitats, which resemble treehole ecosystems, at the Korean National Arboretum in the central region of the Korean Peninsula. The samples were separated into the surface- and the substrate-groups based on their behavior, and the communities were compared based on the density of . As a result, the communities with a higher density of the predators showed a higher diversity and evenness, and the communities also had a lower mosquito ratio, dominance, and density of the surface-group. The results of both non-metric multi-dimensional scaling and one-way analysis of similarities also indicated that the communities were affected by the density of larvae. Similarity percentage analysis results revealed the effects of this predator on the communities could mainly be attributed to reductions in the densities of the three dominant mosquito species (, , and ). Thus, may be valuable as both a biological mosquito control agent and keystone species of treehole ecosystems by reducing dominant mosquito species and improving species diversity.
The genus contains facultative Gram-negative intracellular bacteria from the family Bartonellaceae that can cause diseases in humans and animals. Various species have been detected in rodents' ectoparasites, such as fl...The genus contains facultative Gram-negative intracellular bacteria from the family Bartonellaceae that can cause diseases in humans and animals. Various species have been detected in rodents' ectoparasites, such as fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. However, the role of laelapid mites (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) as carriers of spp. needs to be confirmed. We aimed to investigate the presence of spp. in laelapid mites collected from small rodents in Lithuania using real-time PCR targeting the transfer-messenger RNA/tmRNA () gene and to characterize strains using nested PCR and sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer region (ITS). A total of 271 laelapid mites of five species ( and ) were collected from five rodent species (, , and ) during 2015-2016. DNA was detected in three mite species and with an overall prevalence of 11.4%. Sequence analysis of the 16S-23S rRNA ITS region revealed the presence of in , and , and in . Our results suggest that laelapid mites are involved in the maintenance of rodent-associated spp. in nature. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the presence of spp. DNA in laelapid mites from small rodents.
The movement of and adult ticks down a hill slope under natural conditions was investigated using the mark-release-recapture (MRR) method. We evaluated the movement of host-seeking adult ticks down a hill slope to dete...The movement of and adult ticks down a hill slope under natural conditions was investigated using the mark-release-recapture (MRR) method. We evaluated the movement of host-seeking adult ticks down a hill slope to determine if ticks travel downhill from an uphill area to trail margins below. During the tick seasons in 2016-2018, the ticks were collected by flagging, marked with paint, released at a predetermined location, and recaptured by weekly flagging. Of the 188 female and 114 male marked and released 30 m above the trail in 2016, 11 (5.8%) females and one (0.9%) male were recaptured at the trail. In 2017, of the 71 female and 52 male , none were recaptured. In 2018, nine (3.6%) female and one (0.4%) male were recaptured of the 247 female and 287 males marked and released. Fifteen (18.5%) female and six (7.3%) male were recaptured of the 81 females and 82 males marked and released in 2017. The trail deterred further movement with only 0.6% of and 8.3% of recaptured on the opposite side of the trail. This study demonstrated that some and adults found along the uphill side of trails may have originated from an area 30 m from the trail margin, some travelling at a rate of 1.6-1.9 m/day under natural conditions in chaparral.
Woody plant encroachment into grasslands is occurring worldwide, affecting ecosystems in ways that likely influence mosquito-borne disease transmission. In the U.S. Great Plains, encroachment by eastern redcedar () (ERC)...Woody plant encroachment into grasslands is occurring worldwide, affecting ecosystems in ways that likely influence mosquito-borne disease transmission. In the U.S. Great Plains, encroachment by eastern redcedar () (ERC) may be expanding conducive habitat for mosquitoes and their hosts, but few studies have evaluated associations between ERC encroachment and West Nile virus (WNV). To test the hypotheses that mosquito abundance and WNV-infected mosquitoes increase with increasing ERC cover, we collected mosquitoes in 32 sites in Oklahoma reflecting various ERC encroachment stages. We found support for our first hypothesis, as mean abundance of increased significantly with ERC cover. However, and abundance decreased with increasing ERC. There was no significant association with ERC for other mosquito species. We could not test our second hypothesis due to low WNV prevalence, but the only detected WNV-infected pool of mosquitoes () was collected in ERC. Our results suggest ERC encroachment increases abundance of at least one medically important mosquito species, but further research is needed to clarify how encroachment affects ecology of the entire WNV disease system through changes to vector and host communities, vector-host interactions, and thus disease transmission and prevalence. Understanding relationships between woody plant encroachment and the nidus of infection for mosquito-borne diseases will be crucial for targeting public health efforts, including land management activities that limit and/or eradicate woody plant encroachment, particularly in areas with high levels of disease risk.