High parasite diversity accelerates host adaptation and diversification

The distribution of sillaginid-specific ectoparasites permits the distinction of two provinces with high parasite diversity: one on the continental shelf of Australia, and one on the shelf of Asia. The Australian province has 15 endemics (five monogeneans, one leech and nine copepods), and the Asian province has 14 endemics (two monogeneans and 12 copepods). These provinces are separated by a region with coastlines that descend very steeply to the ocean floor and by deep ocean waters that largely inhibit sillaginid movements. Some sillaginids must have dispersed across eastern Indonesia, however, leading to the occurrence of four parasites in both provinces. Three Australian parasites also appear to be presently encroaching onto the southern periphery of the Asian shelf. At least one less-recent invasion of Australian waters by Asian sillaginids would account for the occurrence of six pairs of copepod congeners that have one member in each province. The most widespread sillaginid, Sillago sihama, seems to have dispersed to African shores from the Arabian Sea as planktonic larvae only (no Asian parasites were present in samples of 29 hosts) and relatively recently (only one locally endemic parasite appears to have been acquired).

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Community structure and systematic study of Helminth parasites of freshwater snails of the Chittagong University Campus

Bangladesh Journal of Zoology ◽

10.3329/bjz.v44i1.30173 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 44 (1) ◽

pp. 9-30

Author(s):

Mahabuba Hasnath ◽

Md Abdul Gofur Khan

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Freshwater Snails ◽

Helminth Parasites ◽

University Campus ◽

Parasite Diversity ◽

Pila Globosa ◽

Low Prevalence ◽

High Parasite ◽

Bellamya Bengalensis

In all, 13 parasite taxa - eight cercariae, three nematodes, one rhabdocoel and one aspidogastrean - were recorded from 205 out of the 642 snails autopsied. Of the carcariae, xiphidiocercous was the most diversified (five taxa), followed by the echinostome (two) and the furcocercous (one). Infection by the nematodes, though rather poor in diversity, was much higher (23.99%) than that (12.15%) by the developmental stages of Trematoda. The rhabdocoel and the aspidogastrean were minor infestors having 1.56% and 2.80% prevalence, respectively. Bellamya bengalensis was the most abundant host, had the highest parasite diversity (12 taxa) and also the highest prevalence of infection (51.59%). Though the second highest abundant host, Paludomus blanfordiana had the least parasite diversity (only an oxyurid nematode) and a very low prevalence (2.04%) as well. Brotia costula, the big strong snail harboured two taxa (a carcaria and a nematode), and also had a low prevalence (8.65%). The amphibious Pila globosa, though least abundant among the four hosts, had moderately high parasite diversity (four carcariae and two nematodes) and prevalence (40.26%).Bangladesh J. Zool. 44(1): 9-30, 2016

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Variable routes to genomic and host adaptation among coronaviruses

Journal of Evolutionary Biology ◽

10.1111/jeb.13771 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vincent Montoya ◽

Angela McLaughlin ◽

Gideon J. Mordecai ◽

Rachel L. Miller ◽

Jeffrey B. Joy

Keyword(s):

Host Adaptation

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Wide Distribution and Diversity of Malaria-Related Haemosporidian Parasites (Polychromophilus spp.) in Bats and Their Ectoparasites in Eastern Europe

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9020230 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 230

Author(s):

Attila D. Sándor ◽

Áron Péter ◽

Alexandra Corduneanu ◽

Levente Barti ◽

István Csősz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Eastern Europe ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Parasite Diversity ◽

Haemosporidian Parasite ◽

High Genetic Diversity ◽

Haemosporidian Parasites ◽

Host Ecology ◽

Wildlife Populations ◽

Pcr Targeting

Malaria is responsible for major diseases of humans, while associated haemosporidians are important factors in regulating wildlife populations. Polychromophilus, a haemosporidian parasite of bats, is phylogenetically close to human-pathogenic Plasmodium species, and their study may provide further clues for understanding the evolutionary relationships between vertebrates and malarial parasites. Our aim was to investigate the distribution of Polychromophilus spp. in Eastern Europe and test the importance of host ecology and roost site on haemosporidian parasite infection of bats. We sampled bats and their ectoparasites at eight locations in Romania and Bulgaria. DNA was extracted from blood samples and ectoparasites and tested individually for the presence of DNA of Polychromophilus spp. using a nested PCR targeting a 705 bp fragment of cytB. Two species of Polychromophilus were identified: Po. melanipherus in Miniopterus schreibersii and associated ectoparasites and Po. murinus in rhinolophid and vespertilionid bats (6 species) and their ticks and nycteribiid flies. Only cave-dwelling bat species (and their ectoparasites) showed infections, and we found a strong correlation between infections with Polychromophilus parasites and Nycteribiidae prevalence. We report the high genetic diversity of Polychromophilus spp. in Eastern Europe, suggesting that the simultaneous presence of varied host and vector assemblages enhances bat haemosporidian parasite diversity.

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Recent Progress in Torovirus Molecular Biology

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13030435 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 435

Author(s):

Makoto Ujike ◽

Fumihiro Taguchi

Keyword(s):

Molecular Biology ◽

Recent Progress ◽

Reverse Genetics ◽

Cultured Cells ◽

Host Adaptation ◽

Economic Losses ◽

New Family ◽

Enteric Diseases ◽

Long Time ◽

Medical Importance

Torovirus (ToV) has recently been classified into the new family Tobaniviridae, although it belonged to the Coronavirus (CoV) family historically. ToVs are associated with enteric diseases in animals and humans. In contrast to CoVs, which are recognised as pathogens of veterinary and medical importance, little attention has been paid to ToVs because their infections are usually asymptomatic or not severe; for a long time, only one equine ToV could be propagated in cultured cells. However, bovine ToVs, which predominantly cause diarrhoea in calves, have been detected worldwide, leading to economic losses. Porcine ToVs have also spread globally; although they have not caused serious economic losses, coinfections with other pathogens can exacerbate their symptoms. In addition, frequent inter- or intra-recombination among ToVs can increase pathogenesis or unpredicted host adaptation. These findings have highlighted the importance of ToVs as pathogens and the need for basic ToV research. Here, we review recent progress in the study of ToV molecular biology including reverse genetics, focusing on the similarities and differences between ToVs and CoVs.

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High parasite diversity in a neglected host: larval trematodes of Bithynia tentaculata in Central Europe

Journal of Helminthology ◽

10.1017/s0022149x19001093 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 94 ◽

Author(s):

J. Schwelm ◽

O. Kudlai ◽

N.J. Smit ◽

C. Selbach ◽

B. Sures

Keyword(s):

Central Europe ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Snail Host ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Curonian Lagoon ◽

Parasite Communities ◽

Bithynia Tentaculata ◽

Host Parasite ◽

Host Families ◽

High Parasite

Abstract Bithynids snails are a widespread group of molluscs in European freshwater systems. However, not much information is available on trematode communities from molluscs of this family. Here, we investigate the trematode diversity of Bithynia tentaculata, based on molecular and morphological data. A total of 682 snails from the rivers Lippe and Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and 121 B. tentaculata from Curonian Lagoon, Lithuania were screened for infections with digeneans. In total, B. tentaculata showed a trematode prevalence of 12.9% and 14%, respectively. The phylogenetic analyses based on 55 novel sequences for 36 isolates demonstrated a high diversity of digeneans. Analyses of the molecular and morphological data revealed a species-rich trematode fauna, comprising 20 species, belonging to ten families. Interestingly, the larval trematode community of B. tentaculata shows little overlap with the well-studied trematode fauna of lymnaeids and planorbids, and some of the detected species (Echinochasmus beleocephalus and E. coaxatus) constitute first records for B. tentaculata in Central Europe. Our study revealed an abundant, diverse and distinct trematode fauna in B. tentaculata, which highlights the need for further research on this so far understudied host–parasite system. Therefore, we might currently be underestimating the ecological roles of several parasite communities of non-pulmonate snail host families in European fresh waters.

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Within-Host Adaptation Mediated by Intergenic Evolution in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Genome Biology and Evolution ◽

10.1093/gbe/evz083 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1385-1397 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

S M Hossein Khademi ◽

Pavelas Sazinas ◽

Lars Jelsbak

Keyword(s):

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽

Host Adaptation

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Tracking platyhelminth parasite diversity from freshwater turtles in French Guiana: First report of Neopolystoma Price, 1939 (Monogenea: Polystomatidae) with the description of three new species

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-017-1986-y ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Louis H. Du Preez ◽

Mathieu Badets ◽

Laurent Héritier ◽

Olivier Verneau

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

French Guiana ◽

Freshwater Turtles ◽

Parasite Diversity ◽

First Report ◽

Three New Species ◽

Platyhelminth Parasite

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Guapiaçu virus, a new insect-specific flavivirus isolated from two species of Aedes mosquitoes from Brazil

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83879-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Geovani de Oliveira Ribeiro ◽

Antonio Charlys da Costa ◽

Danielle Elise Gill ◽

Edcelha Soares D’Athaide Ribeiro ◽

Marlisson Octavio da S. Rego ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Codon Usage ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

Plasma Sample ◽

Genetic Characterization ◽

Secondary Structures ◽

Host Adaptation ◽

Major Group ◽

Aedes Mosquitoes ◽

Evolutionary Relatedness

AbstractClassical insect-flaviviruses (cISFVs) and dual host-related insect-specific flavivirus (dISFV) are within the major group of insect-specific flavivirus. Remarkably dISFV are evolutionarily related to some of the pathogenic flavivirus, such as Zika and dengue viruses. The Evolutionary relatedness of dISFV to flavivirus allowed us to investigate the evolutionary principle of host adaptation. Additionally, dISFV can be used for the development of flavivirus vaccines and to explore underlying principles of mammalian pathogenicity. Here we describe the genetic characterization of a novel putative dISFV, termed Guapiaçu virus (GUAPV). Distinct strains of GUAPV were isolated from pools of Aedes terrens and Aedes scapularis mosquitoes. Additionally, we also detected viral GUAPV RNA in a plasma sample of an individual febrile from the Amazon region (North of Brazil). Although GUAPV did not replicate in tested mammalian cells, 3′UTR secondary structures duplication and codon usage index were similar to pathogenic flavivirus.

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