scholarly journals Blocking the Transmission of a Noncirculative Vector-Borne Plant Pathogenic Bacterium

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 535-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Labroussaa ◽  
Adam R. Zeilinger ◽  
Rodrigo P. P. Almeida

The successful control of insect-borne plant pathogens is often difficult to achieve due to the ecologically complex interactions among pathogens, vectors, and host plants. Disease management often relies on pesticides and other approaches that have limited long-term sustainability. To add a new tool to control vector-borne diseases, we attempted to block the transmission of a bacterial insect-transmitted pathogen, the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, by disrupting bacteria–insect vector interactions. X. fastidiosa is known to attach to and colonize the cuticular surface of the mouthparts of vectors; a set of recombinant peptides was generated and the chemical affinities of these peptides to chitin and related carbohydrates was assayed in vitro. Two candidates, the X. fastidiosa hypothetical protein PD1764 and an N-terminal region of the hemagglutinin-like protein B (HxfB) showed affinity for these substrates. These proteins were provided to vectors via an artificial diet system in which insects acquire X. fastidiosa, followed by an inoculation access period on plants under greenhouse conditions. Both PD1764 and HxfAD1-3 significantly blocked transmission. Furthermore, bacterial populations within insects over a 10-day period demonstrated that these peptides inhibited cell adhesion to vectors but not bacterial multiplication, indicating that the mode of action of these peptides is restricted to limiting cell adhesion to insects, likely via competition for adhesion sites. These results open a new venue in the search for sustainable disease-control strategies that are pathogen specific and may have limited nontarget effects.

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (16) ◽  
pp. 2974-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwang-sun Kim

Vectors are living organisms that transmit infectious diseases from an infected animal to humans or another animal. Biological vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and sand flies carry pathogens that multiply within their bodies prior to delivery to a new host. The increased prevalence of Vector-Borne Diseases (VBDs) such as Aedes-borne dengue, Chikungunya (CHIKV), Zika (ZIKV), malaria, Tick-Borne Disease (TBD), and scrub typhus has a huge impact on the health of both humans and livestock worldwide. In particular, zoonotic diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks place a considerable burden on public health. Vaccines, drugs, and vector control methods have been developed to prevent and treat VBDs and have prevented millions of deaths. However, development of such strategies is falling behind the rapid emergence of VBDs. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to fighting VBDs must be considered immediately. In this review, I focus on the challenges posed by emerging outbreaks of VBDs and discuss available drugs and vaccines designed to overcome this burden. Research into promising drugs needs to be upgraded and fast-tracked, and novel drugs or vaccines being tested in in vitro and in vivo models need to be moved into human clinical trials. Active preventive tactics, as well as new and upgraded diagnostics, surveillance, treatments, and vaccination strategies, need to be monitored constantly if we are to manage VBDs of medical importance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranju Ravindran Santhakumari Manoj ◽  
Maria Stefania Latrofa ◽  
Sara Epis ◽  
Domenico Otranto

Abstract Background Wolbachia is an obligate intracellular maternally transmitted, gram-negative bacterium which forms a spectrum of endosymbiotic relationships from parasitism to obligatory mutualism in a wide range of arthropods and onchocercid nematodes, respectively. In arthropods Wolbachia produces reproductive manipulations such as male killing, feminization, parthenogenesis and cytoplasmic incompatibility for its propagation and provides an additional fitness benefit for the host to protect against pathogens, whilst in onchocercid nematodes, apart from the mutual metabolic dependence, this bacterium is involved in moulting, embryogenesis, growth and survival of the host. Methods This review details the molecular data of Wolbachia and its effect on host biology, immunity, ecology and evolution, reproduction, endosymbiont-based treatment and control strategies exploited for filariasis. Relevant peer-reviewed scientic papers available in various authenticated scientific data bases were considered while writing the review. Conclusions The information presented provides an overview on Wolbachia biology and its use in the control and/or treatment of vectors, onchocercid nematodes and viral diseases of medical and veterinary importance. This offers the development of new approaches for the control of a variety of vector-borne diseases. Graphic Abstract


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Medone ◽  
Carlos M Hern�ndez-Su�rez

Abstract Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya arboviruses (DZC), mainly transmitted by mosquito Aedes aegypti, are global health public issues affecting 390 million people each year. In most endemic countries, vector control strategies have been focused on reducing breeding sites and adult mosquito populations. Most health communication strategies have pointed out adult mosquito as the main responsible of the transmission, persuading people to eliminate domestic containers. However, it is not clear how should people understand the relationship between adult mosquitoes and water domestic containers. So, the main goal of the present study was to assess the people understanding of this relationship. Results showed that most people associate adult mosquitoes with DZC, but only few could associate swimming larvae with mosquitoes. The unawareness of larva presence leads to an underestimation of risk perception about DZC transmission. In this context, we consider that educative interventions for health promotion, based on meaningful knowledge and social representations arise as long-term strategies to control transmission of vector-borne diseases. Here, we propose innovative health strategies focused on increase the risk perception about swimming larvae, considering social representations, which may be a key stepping stone to increase people adherence to massive campaigns and reducing DZC burden.


2020 ◽  
Vol 376 (1818) ◽  
pp. 20190807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T. Jones ◽  
Elizabeth Pretorius ◽  
Thomas H. Ant ◽  
John Bradley ◽  
Anna Last ◽  
...  

Vector-borne diseases threaten the health of populations around the world. While key interventions continue to provide protection from vectors, there remains a need to develop and test new vector control tools. Cluster-randomized trials, in which the intervention or control is randomly allocated to clusters, are commonly selected for such evaluations, but their design must carefully consider cluster size and cluster separation, as well as the movement of people and vectors, to ensure sufficient statistical power and avoid contamination of results. Island settings present an opportunity to conduct these studies. Here, we explore the benefits and challenges of conducting intervention studies on islands and introduce the Bijagós archipelago of Guinea-Bissau as a potential study site for interventions intended to control vector-borne diseases. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.


10.21149/8140 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (1, ene-feb) ◽  
pp. 77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Alonso Zumaya-Estrada ◽  
María Carmen Rodríguez ◽  
Mario Henry Rodríguez

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
António M. Mendes ◽  
Inês S. Albuquerque ◽  
Marta Machado ◽  
Joana Pissarra ◽  
Patrícia Meireles ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Avermectins are powerful endectocides with an established potential to reduce the incidence of vector-borne diseases. Here, we show that several avermectins inhibit the hepatic stage of Plasmodium infection in vitro. Notably, ivermectin potently inhibits liver infection in vivo by impairing parasite development inside hepatocytes. This impairment has a clear impact on the ensuing blood stage parasitemia, reducing disease severity and enhancing host survival. Ivermectin has been proposed as a tool to control malaria transmission because of its effects on the mosquito vector. Our study extends the effect of ivermectin to the early stages of mammalian host infection and supports the inclusion of this multipurpose drug in malaria control strategies.


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