Bacterial symbionts in human blood-feeding arthropods: Patterns, general mechanisms and effects of global ecological changes

Acta Tropica ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 186 ◽  
pp. 69-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Guillermo Jiménez-Cortés ◽  
Rodolfo García-Contreras ◽  
Martha I. Bucio-Torres ◽  
Margarita Cabrera-Bravo ◽  
Alex Córdoba-Aguilar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Blood ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Bacterial Symbionts ◽  
Ecological Changes

Human Blood Feeding by Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Florida Keys and a Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1640-1647
Author(s):  
Catherine A Pruszynski ◽  
Tanise Stenn ◽  
Carolina Acevedo ◽  
Andrea L Leal ◽  
Nathan D Burkett-Cadena
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Florida Keys ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Key West ◽  
Local Transmission

Abstract Aedes aegypti L. is considered to have a proclivity for feeding on human blood even when other hosts are available. However, few studies have demonstrated host use by this mosquito in the continental United States, where local transmission of dengue, Zika, and chikungunya viruses has been recently documented. This study investigated the bloodmeal sources of female Ae. aegypti in the subtropical city of Key West and the surrounding county in Florida with the goal of identifying preferred hosts. Blood-engorged Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected from BG Sentinel traps used as part of a routine surveillance program in the Florida Keys (Monroe County, Florida). Bloodmeal samples were analyzed using PCR assays, sequencing, and comparison with reference sequences in GenBank. Aedes aegypti females from Key West fed predominantly on humans (79.6%) and did not differ statistically from females collected from the rest of the Florida Keys (69.5%). Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), considered a host generalist, was collected and analyzed from the same sites for comparative purposes. Females of Cx. quinquefasciatus fed predominantly (70.7%) on birds and nonhuman mammals in the Florida Keys, corroborating the validity of molecular assay breadth and demonstrating that given the same group of available hosts Ae. aegypti selects humans. Our results indicated that Ae. aegypti has a high rate of human-biting in a subtropical area within the United States, supporting its role in recent local transmission of dengue and other viruses.

scholarly journals Human blood microRNA hsa-miR-21-5p induces vitellogenin in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo D. Perdomo ◽  
Mazhar Hussain ◽  
Rhys Parry ◽  
Kayvan Etebari ◽  
Lauren M. Hedges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Fat Body ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Mosquito Vectors ◽  
Progeny Production ◽  
Proteomics Analysis ◽  
Gene Coding ◽  
Reproductive Events

AbstractMosquito vectors transmit various diseases through blood feeding, required for their egg development. Hence, blood feeding is a major physiological event in their life cycle, during which hundreds of genes are tightly regulated. Blood is a rich source of proteins for mosquitoes, but also contains many other molecules including microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we found that human blood miRNAs are transported abundantly into the fat body tissue of Aedes aegypti, a key metabolic center in post-blood feeding reproductive events, where they target and regulate mosquito genes. Using an artificial diet spiked with the mimic of an abundant and stable human blood miRNA, hsa-miR-21-5p, and proteomics analysis, we found over 40 proteins showing differential expression in female Ae. aegypti mosquitoes after feeding. Of interest, we found that the miRNA positively regulates the vitellogenin gene, coding for a yolk protein produced in the mosquito fat body and then transported to the ovaries as a protein source for egg production. Inhibition of hsa-miR-21-5p followed by human blood feeding led to a statistically insignificant reduction in progeny production. The results provide another example of the involvement of small regulatory molecules in the interaction of taxonomically vastly different taxa.

scholarly journals Blood meal sources of Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Malawi: Implications for malaria transmission and effectiveness of interventions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rex B Mbewe ◽  
John Keven ◽  
Themba Mzilahowa ◽  
Lauren Cohee ◽  
Miriam K Laufer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Blood ◽  
Blood Meal ◽  
Light Trap ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Malaria Vectors ◽  
Rural Villages ◽  
Human Malaria ◽  
Anopheles Vectors ◽  
Wide Availability ◽  
Blood Meals

Abstract BackgroundSelection of blood meal hosts by mosquitoes is a key variable in the vectorial capacity of Anopheles mosquitoes for human malaria. Blood feeding on humans is likely to be modulated by use of different types of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and the effectiveness of LLINs is impacted by the relative intensity of insecticide resistance. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that LLINs containing pyrethroid and the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) would lead to a reduction of human host utilization than LLINs containing only pyrethroid and that blood feeding patterns of Anopheles in Malawi compromise malaria interventions.MethodsFemale Anopheles mosquitoes were sampled indoors from May 2019 through April 2020 by aspiration, pyrethrum spray catch, and CDC light trap in rural villages of Namanolo (conventional nets) and Ntaja (PBO nets) in Balaka and Machinga districts respectively. Anopheles species, blood meal sources, and infection with Plasmodium falciparum in the head and thorax of individual mosquitoes were determined with PCR.ResultsOf a total of 6,585 Anopheles females sampled indoors in 203 houses, 633 (9.6%) were blood-fed and consisted of An. arabiensis (44.1% (n = 279)), An. gambiae s.s (16.2% (n = 103)), An. funestus s.s (33.5% (n = 212)), An. parensis 0.3% (n = 2), and unidentified Anopheles spp (5.8% (n = 37)). Of the 541 mosquitoes (85.5%) successfully identified blood meals, 436 (81.0%) were solely human, 28 (5.2%) goat, 11 (2.0%) dog, 60 (11.1%) mixed goat-human, 5 (0.9%) dog-human, and 1 dog-goat. Human blood index and EIR was high in Namanolo than Ntaja (0.96 vs 0.89 (p = 0.001) and 0.11 vs 0.06 infective bites per person per year respectively) despite high net ownership (92%) and nightly use (75%) rates. Relative to host availability, non-human hosts were over selected in the two sites.ConclusionThe use of PBO nets was associated with lower HBI and EIR, however, the wide availability of LLINs was still associated with extensive successful human blood meals by the main malaria vectors in Malawi. The presence of a small fraction of mixed blood meals indicates constrained plasticity of Anopheles vectors to switch to non-human hosts and circumvent malaria control interventions.

scholarly journals Infeksi Virus Dengue pada Nyamuk Aedes aegypti Menggunakan Artificial Blood Feeding dan Deteksi Virus Dengue Menggunakan Teknik Molekular

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-98
Author(s):  
Endang Srimurni Kusmintarsih ◽  
Medina Fadli Latus Syaadah ◽  
Edy Riwidiharso ◽  
R Tedjo Sasmono
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Human Blood ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Feeding Time ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Fasting Period ◽  
Artificial Blood ◽  
Aedes Mosquitoes ◽  
Control Study

Abstract. Artificial blood-feeding using the parafilm-M membrane can be used as an alternative solution andsubstitute live animals as a source of blood. This method is not only be used for blood-feeding but also to infectthe dengue virus (DENV) to mosquitoes. This study was aimed to determine the effectiveness artificial bloodfeeding using parafilm-M membrane in Aedes mosquitoes originated in Indonesia and determine the positivityof mosquitoes infected by Indonesia DENV-1. DENV-1 was isolated from patient and propagated in Vero cellculture. The feeding was done in cardboard cups after mosquitos have been starved for 4-17 hours before beingfed with human blood. A conical 50ml tube was prepared, and a hole was created in the tube lid. The tubeopening was covered with parafilm. Glycerol was added into conical tube and heated in water bath for an hourat 55oC. A mixture of blood and DENV-1 was made with concentration of 10%. Detection of DENV in bloodfedmosquitos was carried out by using Simplexa Dengue Real-Time RT-PCR assay. The results showed thatthe prevalence of blood-fed mosquitoes reached 66.67% with fasting period for 17 hours. Blood feedingmosquitoes are affected by duration of fasting period, blood-feeding time, and attractants from human skinrubbed into parafilm-M membrane. The prevalence of blood-fed Ae. aegypti infected by DENV was 20.83%.This study provides information on the effectiveness of artificial parafilm membrane blood-feeding in alaboratory setting that will be useful for vector control study in Indonesia.

Bacterial symbiont and salivary peptide evolution in the context of leech phylogeny

Parasitology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 138 (13) ◽  
pp. 1815-1827 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARK E. SIDDALL ◽  
GI-SIK MIN ◽  
FRANK M. FONTANELLA ◽  
ANNA J. PHILLIPS ◽  
SARA C. WATSON
Keyword(s):  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Bacterial Symbionts ◽  
Evolutionary Selection ◽  
Salivary Peptide ◽  
History Of ◽  
And Function

SUMMARYThe evolutionary history of leeches is employed as a general framework for understanding more than merely the systematics of this charismatic group of annelid worms, and serves as a basis for understanding blood-feeding related correlates ranging from the specifics of gut-associated bacterial symbionts to salivary anticoagulant peptides. A variety of medicinal leech families were examined for intraluminal crop bacterial symbionts. Species ofAeromonasand Bacteroidetes were characterized with DNA gyrase B and 16S rDNA. Bacteroidetes isolates were found to be much more phylogenetically diverse and suggested stronger evidence of phylogenetic correlation than the gammaproteobacteria. Patterns that look like co-speciation with limited taxon sampling do not in the full context of phylogeny. Bioactive compounds that are expressed as gene products, like those in leech salivary glands, have ‘passed the test’ of evolutionary selection. We produced and bioinformatically mined salivary gland EST libraries across medicinal leech lineages to experimentally and statistically evaluate whether evolutionary selection on peptides can identify structure-function activities of known therapeutically relevant bioactive compounds like antithrombin, hirudin and antistasin. The combined information content of a well corroborated leech phylogeny and broad taxonomic coverage of expressed proteins leads to a rich understanding of evolution and function in leech history.

scholarly journals Horizontal transmission of the insect symbiont Rickettsia is plant-mediated

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1734) ◽  
pp. 1791-1796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayelet Caspi-Fluger ◽  
Moshe Inbar ◽  
Netta Mozes-Daube ◽  
Nurit Katzir ◽  
Vitaly Portnoy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Phytophagous Insects ◽  
Cotton Leaf ◽  
Bacterial Symbionts ◽  
Phytophagous Insect ◽  
Black Nightshade ◽  
Accelerated Evolution

Bacteria in the genus Rickettsia , best known as vertebrate pathogens vectored by blood-feeding arthropods, can also be found in phytophagous insects. The presence of closely related bacterial symbionts in evolutionarily distant arthropod hosts presupposes a means of horizontal transmission, but no mechanism for this transmission has been described. Using a combination of experiments with live insects, molecular analyses and microscopy, we found that Rickettsia were transferred from an insect host (the whitefly Bemisia tabaci ) to a plant, moved inside the phloem, and could be acquired by other whiteflies. In one experiment, Rickettsia was transferred from the whitefly host to leaves of cotton, basil and black nightshade, where the bacteria were restricted to the phloem cells of the plant. In another experiment, Rickettsia -free adult whiteflies, physically segregated but sharing a cotton leaf with Rickettsia -plus individuals, acquired the Rickettsia at a high rate. Plants can serve as a reservoir for horizontal transmission of Rickettsia , a mechanism which may explain the occurrence of phylogenetically similar symbionts among unrelated phytophagous insect species. This plant-mediated transmission route may also exist in other insect–symbiont systems and, since symbionts may play a critical role in the ecology and evolution of their hosts, serve as an immediate and powerful tool for accelerated evolution.

scholarly journals Microbiomes of Blood-Feeding Arthropods: Genes Coding for Essential Nutrients and Relation to Vector Fitness and Pathogenic Infections. A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2433
Author(s):  
Daniel E. Sonenshine ◽  
Philip E. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Normal Development ◽  
Gene Families ◽  
Enteric Bacteria ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Bacterial Symbionts ◽  
Essential Nutrients ◽  
Blood Sucking ◽  
Host Growth ◽  
Vector Borne

Background: Blood-feeding arthropods support a diverse array of symbiotic microbes, some of which facilitate host growth and development whereas others are detrimental to vector-borne pathogens. We found a common core constituency among the microbiota of 16 different arthropod blood-sucking disease vectors, including Bacillaceae, Rickettsiaceae, Anaplasmataceae, Sphingomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Moraxellaceae and Staphylococcaceae. By comparing 21 genomes of common bacterial symbionts in blood-feeding vectors versus non-blooding insects, we found that certain enteric bacteria benefit their hosts by upregulating numerous genes coding for essential nutrients. Bacteria of blood-sucking vectors expressed significantly more genes (p < 0.001) coding for these essential nutrients than those of non-blooding insects. Moreover, compared to endosymbionts, the genomes of enteric bacteria also contained significantly more genes (p < 0.001) that code for the synthesis of essential amino acids and proteins that detoxify reactive oxygen species. In contrast, microbes in non-blood-feeding insects expressed few gene families coding for these nutrient categories. We also discuss specific midgut bacteria essential for the normal development of pathogens (e.g., Leishmania) versus others that were detrimental (e.g., bacterial toxins in mosquitoes lethal to Plasmodium spp.).

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