scholarly journals Mosquito diversity and dog heartworm prevalence in suburban areas

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith R. Spence Beaulieu ◽  
Jennifer L. Federico ◽  
Michael H. Reiskind

Abstract Background Urbanization is occurring rapidly on a global scale and is altering mosquito communities, creating assemblages that are characteristically less diverse. Despite high rates of urbanization and ample examples of vector-borne diseases transmitted by multiple species, the effects of urbanization-driven mosquito diversity losses on disease transmission has not been well explored. We investigated this question using the dog heartworm, a filarial parasite vectored by numerous mosquito species. Methods We trapped host-seeking mosquitoes in undeveloped areas and neighborhoods of different ages in Wake County, North Carolina, USA, analyzing captured mosquitoes for heartworm DNA. We compared within-mosquito heartworm infection across land-use types by Kruskal–Wallis and likelihood ratio tests. Using zip code level data acquired from dogs in a local shelter, we performed linear regressions of within-host heartworm prevalence by within-mosquito heartworm prevalence as well as by three mosquito diversity measures. We also determined the best predictor of host-level prevalence among models including within-mosquito infection, mosquito diversity and abundance, and socioeconomic status as variables. Results Suburban areas had lower within-mosquito heartworm prevalence and lower likelihood of heartworm-positive mosquitoes than did undeveloped field sites, although no differences were seen between suburban and undeveloped wooded sites. No relationships were noted between within-mosquito and within-host heartworm prevalence. However, mosquito diversity metrics were positively correlated with host heartworm prevalence. Model selection revealed within-host prevalence was best predicted by a positive relationship with mosquito Shannon–Wiener diversity and a negative relationship with household income. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that decreases in mosquito diversity due to urbanization alter vector-borne disease risk. With regard to dog heartworm disease, this loss of mosquito diversity is associated with decreased heartworm prevalence within both the vector and the host. Although the response is likely different for diseases transmitted by one or few species, mosquito diversity losses leading to decreased transmission could be generalizable to other pathogens with multiple vectors. This study contributes to better understanding of the effects of urbanization and the role of vector diversity in multi-vectored pathosystems.

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-88
Author(s):  
Fedor I. Vasilevich ◽  
Anna M. Nikanorova

The purpose of the research is development of preventive measures against zooanthroponoze vector-borne diseases spread by parasitic arthropods in the Kaluga Region. Materials and methods. The subject of the research was Ixodidae, mosquitoes, and small mammals inhabiting the Kaluga Region. The census of parasitic arthropods was carried out on the territory of all districts of the Kaluga Region and the city of Kaluga. Open natural habitat and human settlements were investigated. Weather conditions from 2013 to 2018 were also taken into account. For the purposes of the study, we used standard methods for capturing and counting arthropods and mouse-like rodents. In order to obtain mathematical models of small mammal populations, a full factorial experiment was conducted using the collected statistical data. In-process testing of the drug based on s-fenvalerate and piperonyl butoxide were carried out under the conditions of the agricultural collective farm “Niva” of the Kozelsky District, the Kaluga Region, and LLC “Angus Center of Genetics” of the Babyninsky District, the Kaluga Region. Results and discussion. In the Kaluga Region, two species of ixodic ticks are found, namely, Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus, which have two activity peaks. Mosquito may have 3-4 generations in a year in the Kaluga region. The most common mosquito species in the Kaluga Region are Aedes communis, Ae. (Och.) togoi and Ae. (Och.) diantaeus, Culex pipiens Culex Linnaeus, 1758 (Diptera, Culicidae) (Culex pipiens): Cx. pipiens f. pipiens L. (non-autogenic form) and Cx. p. f. molestus Fors. (autogenic form), which interbreed, and reproductively isolated in the Region. The developed mathematical models make it possible to quantify the risks of outbreaks of zooanthroponoze vector-borne diseases without the cost of field research, and allow for rational, timely and effective preventive measures. Medications based on s-fenvalerate and piperonyl butoxide and based on cyfluthrin showed high insecto-acaricidal efficacy and safety.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-75
Author(s):  
Drew David Reinbold-Wasson ◽  
Michael Hay Reiskind

ABSTRACT An essential component of vector-borne disease monitoring programs is mosquito surveillance. Surveillance efforts employ various collection traps depending on mosquito species and targeted life-history stage, i.e., eggs, larvae, host-seeking, resting, or gravid adults. Surveillance activities often use commercial traps, sometimes modified to accept specific mosquito species attractants. The advent of widely available and affordable 3D printing technology allows the construction of novel trap designs and components. The study goal was to develop and assess a cost-effective, multipurpose, 6-volt mosquito trap integrating features of both host-seeking and gravid mosquito traps to collect undamaged live specimens: a multifunctional mosquito trap (MMT). We tested the MMT in comparison to commercial traps, targeting gravid Aedes albopictus, host-seeking Ae. albopictus, and total number of host-seeking mosquitos regardless of species. Field evaluations found the MMT performed as well as or better than comparable commercial traps. This project demonstrates an easy to construct, inexpensive, and versatile mosquito trap, potentially useful for surveying multiple mosquito species and other hematophagous insects by varying attractants into the MMT.


Author(s):  
Leila Khouaja ◽  
Slimane Ben Miled ◽  
Hassan Hbid

Epidemiology had an important development these last years allowing the resolution of a large number of problems and had good prediction on disease evolution. However, the transmission of several vector-borne diseases is closely connected to environmental protagonists, specially in the parasite-host interaction. Moreover, understanding the disease transmission is related to studying the ecology of all protagonists. These two levels of complexity(epidemiology and ecology) cannot be separated and have to be studied as a whole in a systematic way. Our goal is to understand the interaction of climate change on the evolution of a disease when the vector has ecological niche that depends on physiological state of development. We are particularly interested in tick vector diseases which are serious health problem affecting humans as well as domestic animals in many parts of the world. These infections are transmitted through a bite of an infected tick, and it appears that most of these infections are widely present in some wildlife species. L'épidémiologie a connu un développement important ces dernières années. Cette discipline a permis une meilleure compréhension del'évolution de maladies. Cependant, plusieurs maladies à transmission vectorielle sont étroitement liées aux protagonistes environnementaux. Ce constat est particulièrement vrai dans le contexte des interactions du parasite avec son hôte. De plus, comprendre la transmission de maladie est lié à l'étude de l'écologie de tous les protagonistes. Notre objectif est de comprendre l'influence du changement climatique sur l'évolution des maladies lorsque la niche écologique du vecteur dépend de l'état de développement physiologique de son hôte. Nous sommes particulièrement intéressés par les maladies vectorielles à tiques qui constituent un grave problème de santé touchant l'être humain et les animaux domestiques dans de nombreuses régions du monde. Ces infections sont généralement transmises par la piqûre d'une tique infectée et il apparaît que la plupart de ces infections sont largement présentées dans certaines espèces fauniques


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fadoua El Moustaid ◽  
Zorian Thronton ◽  
Hani Slamani ◽  
Sadie J. Ryan ◽  
Leah R. Johnson

AbstractThe transmission of vector-borne diseases is governed by complex factors including pathogen characteristics, vector-host interactions, and environmental conditions. Temperature is a major driver for many vector-borne diseases including Bluetongue viral (BTV) disease, a midge-borne febrile disease of ruminants, notably livestock, whose etiology ranges from mild or asymptomatic to rapidly fatal, thus threatening animal agriculture and the economy of affected countries. Using modeling tools, we seek to predict where transmission can occur based on suitable temperatures for BTV. We fit thermal performance curves to temperature sensitive midge life history traits, using a Bayesian approach. Then, we incorporated these into a new formula for the disease basic reproductive number, R0, to include trait responses, for two species of key midge vectors, Culicoides sonorensis and Culicoides variipennis. Our results show that outbreaks of BTV are more likely between 15°C and 33°C with predicted peak transmission at 26°C. The greatest uncertainty in R0 is associated with the uncertainty in: mortality and fecundity of midges near optimal temperature for transmission; midges’ probability of becoming infectious post infection at the lower edge of the thermal range; and the biting rate together with vector competence at the higher edge of the thermal range. We compare our R0 to two other R0 formulations and show that incorporating thermal curves into all three leads to similar BTV risk predictions. To demonstrate the utility of this model approach, we created global suitability maps indicating the areas at high and long-term risk of BTV transmission, to assess risk, and anticipate potential locations of establishment.


Author(s):  
Maha Bouzid

Waterborne diseases are caused by a multitude of pathogens and associated with a significant burden in both developed and developing countries. While the assessment of the adverse impacts of climate change on human heath from infectious diseases has mainly focused on vector-borne diseases, waterborne diseases prevalence and transmission patterns are also likely to be impacted by environmental change. This chapter will outline relevant waterborne pathogens, summarise the impact of climate change on disease transmission and explore climate change adaptation options in order to reduce the increased burden of waterborne diseases.


2017 ◽  
pp. 1041-1055
Author(s):  
Maha Bouzid

Waterborne diseases are caused by a multitude of pathogens and associated with a significant burden in both developed and developing countries. While the assessment of the adverse impacts of climate change on human heath from infectious diseases has mainly focused on vector-borne diseases, waterborne diseases prevalence and transmission patterns are also likely to be impacted by environmental change. This chapter will outline relevant waterborne pathogens, summarise the impact of climate change on disease transmission and explore climate change adaptation options in order to reduce the increased burden of waterborne diseases.


2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1665) ◽  
pp. 20130551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Parham ◽  
Joanna Waldock ◽  
George K. Christophides ◽  
Deborah Hemming ◽  
Folashade Agusto ◽  
...  

Arguably one of the most important effects of climate change is the potential impact on human health. While this is likely to take many forms, the implications for future transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs), given their ongoing contribution to global disease burden, are both extremely important and highly uncertain. In part, this is owing not only to data limitations and methodological challenges when integrating climate-driven VBD models and climate change projections, but also, perhaps most crucially, to the multitude of epidemiological, ecological and socio-economic factors that drive VBD transmission, and this complexity has generated considerable debate over the past 10–15 years. In this review, we seek to elucidate current knowledge around this topic, identify key themes and uncertainties, evaluate ongoing challenges and open research questions and, crucially, offer some solutions for the field. Although many of these challenges are ubiquitous across multiple VBDs, more specific issues also arise in different vector–pathogen systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 948 (1) ◽  
pp. 012039
Author(s):  
D Novianto ◽  
U K Hadi ◽  
S Soviana ◽  
Supriyono ◽  
H S Darusman

Abstract Mosquito larvae play an essential role in the ecological, and many of them can spread human and animal diseases, including in Macaca fascicularis. Information on mosquito species and their habitats can provide an overview of the role of mosquitoes in the spread of vector-borne diseases in M. fascicularis captivity area. This study aimed to identify species diversity of mosquito larvae, species affinity and association, and the larval breeding sites around M. fascicularis captivity area in Bogor, West Java. Mosquito larvae were collected from 102 sites using a 350 ml dipper. Mosquito larvae that were successfully collected consisted of 11 species; Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, Armigeres subalbatus, Anopheles aconitus, An. kochi, An. vagus, Culex fuscocephala, Cx. pseudovishnui, Cx. tritaeniorhyncus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. vishnui. Co-occurrence in mosquito larvae as many as 13 compositions, with the highest co-occurrence in Ae. albopictus and Cx. quinquefasciatus that was 11 times. There were seven types breeding sites for the larval mosquitoes, i.e containers, ditches, creeks, ponds, artificial ponds, groundwater puddles, and rice fields. We conclude the existence of mosquito larvae and the availability of their breeding site in M. fascicularis captivity area can be a potential transmission of pathogens between mosquitoes and hosts


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doreen J. Siria ◽  
Roger Sanou ◽  
Joshua Mitton ◽  
Emmanuel P. Mwanga ◽  
Abdoulaye Niang ◽  
...  

AbstractThe malaria parasite, which is transmitted by several Anopheles mosquito species, requires more time to reach its human-transmissible stage than the average lifespan of a mosquito. Monitoring the species-specific age structure of mosquito populations is critical to evaluating the impact of vector control interventions on malaria risk. We developed a rapid, cost-effective surveillance method based on deep learning of mid-infrared spectra of mosquitoes’ cuticle that simultaneously identifies the species and the age of three main malaria vectors, in natural populations. Using over 40,000 ecologically and genetically diverse females, we could speciate and age grade An. gambiae, An. arabiensis, and An. coluzzii with up to 95% accuracy. Further, our model learned the age of new populations with minimal sampling effort and detected the impact of control interventions on simulated mosquito populations, measured as a shift in their age structures. We anticipate our method to be applied to other arthropod vector-borne diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena M. Simon ◽  
Thiago F. Rangel

Dengue is an ongoing problem, especially in tropical countries. Like many other vector-borne diseases, the spread of dengue is driven by a myriad of climate and socioeconomic factors. Within developing countries, heterogeneities on socioeconomic factors are expected to create variable conditions for dengue transmission. However, the relative role of socioeconomic characteristics and their association with climate in determining dengue prevalence are poorly understood. Here we assembled essential socioeconomic factors over 5570 municipalities across Brazil and assessed their effect on dengue prevalence jointly with a previously predicted temperature suitability for transmission. Using a simultaneous autoregressive approach (SAR), we showed that the variability in the prevalence of dengue cases across Brazil is primarily explained by the combined effect of climate and socioeconomic factors. At some dengue seasons, the effect of temperature on transmission potential showed to be a more significant proxy of dengue cases. Still, socioeconomic factors explained the later increase in dengue prevalence over Brazil. In a heterogeneous country such as Brazil, recognizing the transmission drivers by vectors is a fundamental issue in effectively predicting and combating tropical diseases like dengue. Ultimately, it indicates that not considering socioeconomic factors in disease transmission predictions might compromise efficient surveillance strategies. Our study shows that sanitation, urbanization, and GDP are regional indicators that should be considered along with temperature suitability on dengue transmission, setting effective directions to mosquito-borne disease control.


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