scholarly journals Emerging roles of non-coding RNAs in vector-borne infections

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (5) ◽  
pp. jcs246744
Author(s):  
Chaima Bensaoud ◽  
Larissa Almeida Martins ◽  
Hajer Aounallah ◽  
Michael Hackenberg ◽  
Michail Kotsyfakis

ABSTRACTNon-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are nucleotide sequences that are known to assume regulatory roles previously thought to be reserved for proteins. Their functions include the regulation of protein activity and localization and the organization of subcellular structures. Sequencing studies have now identified thousands of ncRNAs encoded within the prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes, leading to advances in several fields including parasitology. ncRNAs play major roles in several aspects of vector–host–pathogen interactions. Arthropod vector ncRNAs are secreted through extracellular vesicles into vertebrate hosts to counteract host defense systems and ensure arthropod survival. Conversely, hosts can use specific ncRNAs as one of several strategies to overcome arthropod vector invasion. In addition, pathogens transmitted through vector saliva into vertebrate hosts also possess ncRNAs thought to contribute to their pathogenicity. Recent studies have addressed ncRNAs in vectors or vertebrate hosts, with relatively few studies investigating the role of ncRNAs derived from pathogens and their involvement in establishing infections, especially in the context of vector-borne diseases. This Review summarizes recent data focusing on pathogen-derived ncRNAs and their role in modulating the cellular responses that favor pathogen survival in the vertebrate host and the arthropod vector, as well as host ncRNAs that interact with vector-borne pathogens.

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Wright ◽  
Frans Jongejan ◽  
Mary Marcondes ◽  
Andrew Peregrine ◽  
Gad Baneth ◽  
...  

Abstract The Companion Vector-Borne Diseases (CVBD) World Forum is a working group of leading international experts who meet annually to evaluate current scientific findings and future trends concerning the distribution, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis and prevention of vector-borne infections of dogs and cats. At the 14th Symposium of the CVBD World Forum in Trieste, Italy (March 25–28, 2019), we identified the need to (i) bring attention to the potential spread of parasites and vectors with relocated dogs, and (ii) provide advice to the veterinary profession regarding the importance of surveillance and treatment for parasites and vector-borne infections when rehoming dogs. This letter shares a consensus statement from the CVBD World Forum as well as a summary of the problem faced, including the role of veterinary professionals in parasite surveillance, causal issues, and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation in addressing the problem. To limit opportunities for dissemination of parasites and vectors, whenever possible, underlying problems creating the need for dog rehoming should be addressed. However, when it is necessary to rehome dogs, this should ideally take place in the country and national region of origin. When geographically distant relocation occurs, veterinary professionals have a vital role to play in public education, vigilance for detection of exotic vectors and infections, and alerting the medical community to the risk(s) for pathogen spread. With appropriate veterinary intervention, dog welfare needs can be met without inadvertently allowing global spread of parasites and their vectors.


2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (22) ◽  
pp. 7740-7752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Durand ◽  
Maxime Jacquet ◽  
Lye Paillard ◽  
Olivier Rais ◽  
Lise Gern ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTMany vector-borne pathogens consist of multiple strains that circulate in both the vertebrate host and the arthropod vector. Characterization of the community of pathogen strains in the arthropod vector is therefore important for understanding the epidemiology of mixed vector-borne infections.Borrelia afzeliiandB. gariniiare two species of tick-borne bacteria that cause Lyme disease in humans. These two sympatric pathogens use the same tick,Ixodes ricinus, but are adapted to different classes of vertebrate hosts. BothBorreliaspecies consist of multiple strains that are classified using the highly polymorphicospCgene. Vertebrate cross-immunity against the OspC antigen is predicted to structure the community of multiple-strainBorreliapathogens.Borreliaisolates were cultured from field-collectedI. ricinusticks over a period spanning 11 years. TheBorreliaspecies of each isolate was identified using a reverse line blot (RLB) assay. Deep sequencing was used to characterize theospCcommunities of 190B. afzeliiisolates and 193B. gariniiisolates. Infections with multipleospCstrains were common in ticks, but vertebrate cross-immunity did not influence the strain structure in the tick vector. The pattern of genetic variation at theospClocus suggested that vertebrate cross-immunity exerts strong selection against intermediately divergentospCalleles. Deep sequencing found that more than 50% of our isolates contained exoticospCalleles derived from otherBorreliaspecies. Two alternative explanations for these exoticospCalleles are cryptic coinfections that were not detected by the RLB assay or horizontal transfer of theospCgene betweenBorreliaspecies.


2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1737) ◽  
pp. 2354-2362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Sedda ◽  
Heidi E. Brown ◽  
Bethan V. Purse ◽  
Laura Burgin ◽  
John Gloster ◽  
...  

The 2006 bluetongue (BT) outbreak in northwestern Europe had devastating effects on cattle and sheep in that intensively farmed area. The role of wind in disease spread, through its effect on Culicoides dispersal, is still uncertain, and remains unquantified. We examine here the relationship between farm-level infection dates and wind speed and direction within the framework of a novel model involving both mechanistic and stochastic steps. We consider wind as both a carrier of host semio-chemicals, to which midges might respond by upwind flight, and as a transporter of the midges themselves, in a more or less downwind direction. For completeness, we also consider midge movement independent of wind and various combinations of upwind, downwind and random movements. Using stochastic simulation, we are able to explain infection onset at 94 per cent of the 2025 affected farms. We conclude that 54 per cent of outbreaks occurred through (presumably midge) movement of infections over distances of no more than 5 km, 92 per cent over distances of no more than 31 km and only 2 per cent over any greater distances. The modal value for all infections combined is less than 1 km. Our analysis suggests that previous claims for a higher frequency of long-distance infections are unfounded. We suggest that many apparent long-distance infections resulted from sequences of shorter-range infections; a ‘stepping stone’ effect. Our analysis also found that downwind movement (the only sort so far considered in explanations of BT epidemics) is responsible for only 39 per cent of all infections, and highlights the effective contribution to disease spread of upwind midge movement, which accounted for 38 per cent of all infections. The importance of midge flight speed is also investigated. Within the same model framework, lower midge active flight speed (of 0.13 rather than 0.5 m s −1 ) reduced virtually to zero the role of upwind movement, mainly because modelled wind speeds in the area concerned were usually greater than such flight speed. Our analysis, therefore, highlights the need to improve our knowledge of midge flight speed in field situations, which is still very poorly understood. Finally, the model returned an intrinsic incubation period of 8 days, in accordance with the values reported in the literature. We argue that better understanding of the movement of infected insect vectors is an important ingredient in the management of future outbreaks of BT in Europe, and other devastating vector-borne diseases elsewhere.


2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Paula Olivera ◽  
Álvaro A. Faccini-Martínez ◽  
Carlos E. Pérez-Díaz ◽  
Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales

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


Author(s):  
Alex G. Stewart ◽  
Sam Ghebrehewet ◽  
Peter MacPherson

This chapter describes the increasing global problem of new and emerging infections, many zoonotic, ranging from the recently described Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) to bacteria now resistant to all locally available antimicrobial agents. The environmental, human, technological, and microbial factors contributing to disease emergence are assessed. Changes in environment and land use result in the spread of vector-borne diseases into new areas, and global travel and trade may introduce pathogens to non-immune populations. The breakdown of health services following political change or during conflict can result in the resurgence of previously controlled communicable diseases. The importance of collaboration between human and veterinary health services is emphasized, and the UK ‘DATER’ strategy (Detection, Assessment, Treatment, Escalation, Recovery) for dealing with pandemic influenza is applied to new and emerging infections. Finally, the role of internet-based, syndromic surveillance to create early awareness of new infections is considered.


2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1905) ◽  
pp. 20190973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Ritchie ◽  
Kyran M. Staunton

In this perspective, I discuss the great eras of vector control, centring on Aedes aegypti , the primary vector of dengue, Zika and several other viruses. Since the discovery and acceptance of the role of mosquitoes as vectors of disease agents, several significant strategies have been developed and deployed to control them and the diseases they transmit. Environmental management, insecticides and, to a lesser extent, biological control have emerged as great eras of vector control. In the past decade, the release of massive numbers of specifically modified mosquitoes that mate with wild populations has emerged as a significant new strategy to fight vector-borne diseases. These reared and released mosquitoes have been modified by the addition of a symbiont (e.g. Wolbachia bacteria), radiation or introduction of a genetic construct to either sterilize the wild mosquitoes they mate with, crashing the population, or to reduce the wild population's capacity to vector pathogens. Will these new rear and release strategies become the next great era of vector control? From my vantage point as a dengue control manager and researcher involved in two Wolbachia programmes, I will discuss the hurdles that rear and release programmes face to gain widespread acceptance and success.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith R Spence Beaulieu

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 456 ◽  
Author(s):  
André F. Gabriel ◽  
Marina C. Costa ◽  
Francisco J. Enguita

Non-coding regulatory RNAs are generated as a core output of the eukaryotic genomes, being essential players in cell biology. At the organism level, they are key functional actors in those tissues and organs with limited proliferation capabilities such as the heart. The role of regulatory networks mediated by non-coding RNAs in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular conditions is starting to be unveiled. However, a deeper knowledge of the functional interactions among the diverse non-coding RNA families and their phenotypic consequences is required. This review presents the current knowledge about the functional crosstalk between circRNAs and other biomolecules in the framework of the cardiovascular diseases.


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