scholarly journals Differential virulence and tsetse fly transmissibility of Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei strains

Author(s):  
Purity K. Gitonga ◽  
Kariuki Ndung’u ◽  
Grace A. Murilla ◽  
Paul C. Thande ◽  
Florence N. Wamwiri ◽  
...  

African animal trypanosomiasis causes significant economic losses in sub-Saharan African countries because of livestock mortalities and reduced productivity. Trypanosomes, the causative agents, are transmitted by tsetse flies (Glossina spp.). In the current study, we compared and contrasted the virulence characteristics of five Trypanosoma congolense and Trypanosoma brucei isolates using groups of Swiss white mice (n = 6). We further determined the vectorial capacity of Glossina pallidipes, for each of the trypanosome isolates. Results showed that the overall pre-patent (PP) periods were 8.4 ± 0.9 (range, 4–11) and 4.5 ± 0.2 (range, 4–6) for T. congolense and T. brucei isolates, respectively (p < 0.01). Despite the longer mean PP, T. congolense–infected mice exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) shorter survival time than T. brucei–infected mice, indicating greater virulence. Differences were also noted among the individual isolates with T. congolense KETRI 2909 causing the most acute infection of the entire group with a mean ± standard error survival time of 9 ± 2.1 days. Survival time of infected tsetse flies and the proportion with mature infections at 30 days post-exposure to the infective blood meals varied among isolates, with subacute infection–causing T. congolense EATRO 1829 and chronic infection–causing T. brucei EATRO 2267 isolates showing the highest mature infection rates of 38.5% and 23.1%, respectively. Therefore, our study provides further evidence of occurrence of differences in virulence and transmissibility of eastern African trypanosome strains and has identified two, T. congolense EATRO 1829 and T. brucei EATRO 2267, as suitable for tsetse infectivity and transmissibility experiments.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mouhamadou M. Dieng ◽  
Kiswend-sida M. Dera ◽  
Percy Moyaba ◽  
Gisele M. S. Ouedraogo ◽  
Guler Demirbas-Uzel ◽  
...  

Abstract Tsetse flies, the vectors of African Trypanosoma, have a highly regulated and defined microbial fauna composed of three bacterial symbionts that may have a role to play in the establishment of Trypanosoma infections in the flies and hence, may influence the vectorial competence of the released sterile males. Sodalis bacteria seem to interact with Trypanosoma infection in tsetse flies. Field-caught tsetse flies of ten different taxa and from 15 countries were screened using PCR to detect the presence of Sodalis and Trypanosoma species and their interaction. The results indicate that the prevalence of Sodalis and Trypanosoma varied with country and tsetse species. Trypanosome prevalence was higher in east, central and southern African countries than in west African countries. Tsetse fly infection rates with Trypanosoma vivax and Trypanozoon spp were higher in west African countries, whereas tsetse infection with Trypanosoma congolense and T. simiae, T. simiae (tsavo) and T. godfreyi infection prevalence were higher in east, central and south African countries. Sodalis prevalence was high in Glossina morsitans morsitans and G. pallidipes but absent in Glossina tachinoides. Double and triple infections with Trypanosoma taxa and coinfection of Sodalis and Trypanosoma were rarely observed but it occurs in some taxa and locations. A significant Chi square value (< 0.05) seems to suggest that Sodalis and Trypanosoma infection correlate in Glossina palpalis gambiensis, Glossina pallidipes and Glossina medicorum. Trypanosoma infection significantly increased the density of Sodalis in wild G. m. morsitans and G. pallidipes flies however no significant impact of Sodalis infection on trypanosome density.


Author(s):  
Imna I. Malele ◽  
Johnson O. Ouma ◽  
Hamisi S. Nyingilili ◽  
Winston A. Kitwika ◽  
Deusdedit J. Malulu ◽  
...  

This study was conducted to determine the efficiency of different tsetse traps in 28 sites across Tanzania. The traps used were biconical, H, NGU, NZI, pyramidal, S3, mobile, and sticky panels. Stationary traps were deployed at a distance of 200 m apart and examined 72 h after deployment. The results showed that 117 (52.2%) out of the 224 traps deployed captured at least one Glossina species. A total of five Glossina species were captured, namely Glossina brevipalpis, Glossina pallidipes, Glossina swynnertoni, Glossina morsitans, and Glossina fuscipes martinii. Biconical traps caught tsetse flies in 27 sites, pyramidal in 26, sticky panel in 20, mobile in 19, S3 in 15, NGU in 7, H in 2 and NZI in 1. A total of 21 107 tsetse flies were trapped, with the most abundant species being G. swynnertoni (55.9%), followed by G. pallidipes (31.1%), G. fuscipes martinii (6.9%) and G. morsitans (6.0%). The least caught was G. brevipalpis (0.2%). The highest number of flies were caught by NGU traps (32.5%), followed by sticky panel (16%), mobile (15.4%), pyramidal (13.0%), biconical (11.3%) and S3 (10.2%). NZI traps managed to catch 0.9% of the total flies and H traps 0.7%. From this study, it can be concluded that the most efficient trap was NGU, followed by sticky panel and mobile, in that order. Therefore, for tsetse fly control programmes, NGU traps could be the better choice. Conversely, of the stationary traps, pyramidal and biconical traps captured tsetse flies in the majority of sites, covering all three ecosystems better than any other traps; therefore, they would be suitable for scouting for tsetse infestation in any given area, thus sparing the costs of making traps for each specific Glossina species.Keywords: tseste; traps; densties; Glossina; mobile; stationary; Tanzania


Parasitology ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Baylis ◽  
C. O. Nambiro

SUMMARYAn incomplete ring of electric nets was placed around uninfected cattle and cattle infected with Trypanosoma congolense. The numbers of fed and unfed Glossina pallidipes caught on the nets were used to estimate the attractiveness of infected and uninfected cattle to tsetse, and the feeding success of tsetse on the cattle. There was no difference in the attractiveness of infected and uninfected cattle to G. pallidipes. However, the feeding success of G. pallidipes on infected cattle was 75 % greater than on uninfected cattle. This suggests that certain effects of T. congolense on cattle behaviour or physiology act to increase the probability of transmission of the parasite by increasing the feeding success of the vector. The nature of the effects of T. congolense on cattle which caused this result is unknown, but several possibilities are discussed.


eLife ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harriet Lane-Serff ◽  
Paula MacGregor ◽  
Lori Peacock ◽  
Olivia JS Macleod ◽  
Christopher Kay ◽  
...  

The haptoglobin-haemoglobin receptor of the African trypanosome species, Trypanosoma brucei, is expressed when the parasite is in the bloodstream of the mammalian host, allowing it to acquire haem through the uptake of haptoglobin-haemoglobin complexes. Here we show that in Trypanosoma congolense this receptor is instead expressed in the epimastigote developmental stage that occurs in the tsetse fly, where it acts as a haemoglobin receptor. We also present the structure of the T. congolense receptor in complex with haemoglobin. This allows us to propose an evolutionary history for this receptor, charting the structural and cellular changes that took place as it adapted from a role in the insect to a new role in the mammalian host.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Morka Amante ◽  
Hika Tesgera

Trypanosomosis is the most serious disease of cattle, which causes great socioeconomic losses in the country. Its socioeconomic impact is reflected on direct losses due to mortality, morbidity, and reduction in milk and meat production, abortion and stillbirth, and also costs associated with combat of the disease are direct losses. A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of cattle trypanosomosis, and the apparent density and distribution of its fly vectors in selected study areas. The methods employed during the study were buffy coat technique for parasitological study and deploying trap for the collection of tsetse flies. A total of 1512 flies were trapped, and among them, 1162 were tsetse flies while 350 were biting flies. Higher apparent density for tsetse fly (7.7 F/T/D) followed by Stomoxys (0.9 F/T/D), Tabanus (0.8 F/T/D), and Hematopota (0.6 F/T/D) was recorded. Out of 638 examined cattle, the overall prevalence of trypanosomosis in the study area was 9.1% (58/638). Out of positive cases, Trypanosoma congolense (7.7%) was the dominant trypanosome species followed by Trypanosoma vivax (0.9%), Trypanosoma brucei (0.2%), and mixed infection of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma vivax (0.3%). There was no a significant difference (p>0.05) in trypanosome infection between age, sex, and trypanosome species. The prevalence of trypanosomosis on the bases of body condition was 2.8% for poor, 5.5% for medium, and 0.8% for good body condition. The overall prevalence of anemia was (36.8%), and presence of anemia was higher in trypanosome positive animals (62.5%) than in negative animals (34.3%) which is statistically significant (p<0.05, CI = 1.794–5.471). The overall mean packed cell volume (PCV) value for examined animals was 25.84 ± 0.252SE. Mean (PCV) of parasitaemic cattle (9.1%) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of aparasitaemic cattle (90%). This survey showed that trypanosomosis is still a core problem for livestock production of the study area. Therefore, more attention should be given to the control of both the disease and its vectors.


Parasitology ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. J. WOOLHOUSE ◽  
J. W. HARGROVE

Epidemiological models are used to analyse 8 published data sets reporting age–prevalence curves for trypanosome infections of the tsetse fly Glossina pallidipes. A model assuming a fixed maturation period and a rate of infection which is independent of fly age is adequate for Trypanosoma vivax-type infections, explaining 98% of observed variance in prevalence by site and age, allowing that the rate of infection may be site dependent. This model is not adequate for T. congolense-type infections and the fit can be improved by allowing (i) the rates of infection to decline with age (although non-teneral flies remain susceptible), (ii) a fraction of resistant flies, which may vary between sites, (iii) increased mortality of infected flies and (iv) variation in the maturation period. Models with these features can explain up to 97% of observed variance. Parameter estimates from published experimental data suggest that all may contribute in practice but that (i) and/or (ii) are likely to be the most important.


1968 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Irving

The increase in tolerance to topically applied chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides shown by pregnant female tsetse flies was investigated in Glossina pallidipes. Solvent extracts of male and pregnant female flies, traeted with DDT and endosulfan labelled with carbon-14, were analysed by thin-layer chromatography and autoradiography of the developed chromatograms. No metabolites of these compounds were detected in the internal and faecal extracts. It was considered, therefore, that detoxication of absorbed insecticide was not the machanism responsible for the lower susceptibility to insecticide in the pregnant female fly. It was shown, however, by the above technique, that insecticide was absorbed by the in utero larva.Measurement of labelled DDT absorbed by the larva was carried out by liquid scintillation counting. The results indicated that this insecticide was slowly taken up by the larva, in an amount increasing with time, and it was suggested that inert storage of toxicant in the larva is a pregnant female. This would be in addition to the effects of increase in weight and other possible physiological factors.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eloïse Bertiaux ◽  
Adeline Mallet ◽  
Brice Rotureau ◽  
Philippe Bastin

AbstractMulticellular organisms assemble cilia and flagella of precise lengths differing from one cell to another, yet little is known about the mechanisms governing these differences. Similarly, protists assemble flagella of different lengths according to the stage of their life cycle. This is the case of Trypanosoma brucei that assembles flagella of 3 to 30 µm during its development in the tsetse fly. It provides an opportunity to examine how cells naturally modulate organelle length. Flagella are constructed by addition of new blocks at their distal end via intraflagellar transport (IFT). Immunofluorescence assays, 3-D electron microscopy and live cell imaging revealed that IFT was present in all life cycle stages. IFT proteins are concentrated at the base, IFT trains are located along doublets 3-4 & 7-8 and travel bidirectionally in the flagellum. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the total amount of IFT proteins correlates with the length of the flagellum. Surprisingly, the shortest flagellum exhibited a supplementary large amount of dynamic IFT material at its distal end. The contribution of IFT and other factors to the regulation of flagellum length is discussed.Summary statementThis work investigated the assembly of flagella of different length during the development of Trypanosoma brucei in the tsetse fly, revealing a direct correlation between the amount of intraflagellar transport proteins and flagellum length.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. e0008267
Author(s):  
Edward Edmond Makhulu ◽  
Jandouwe Villinger ◽  
Vincent Owino Adunga ◽  
Maamun M. Jeneby ◽  
Edwin Murungi Kimathi ◽  
...  

African trypanosomiasis (AT) is a neglected disease of both humans and animals caused by Trypanosoma parasites, which are transmitted by obligate hematophagous tsetse flies (Glossina spp.). Knowledge on tsetse fly vertebrate hosts and the influence of tsetse endosymbionts on trypanosome presence, especially in wildlife-human-livestock interfaces, is limited. We identified tsetse species, their blood-meal sources, and correlations between endosymbionts and trypanosome presence in tsetse flies from the trypanosome-endemic Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR) in Kenya. Among 1167 tsetse flies (1136 Glossina pallidipes, 31 Glossina swynnertoni) collected from 10 sampling sites, 28 (2.4%) were positive by PCR for trypanosome DNA, most (17/28) being of Trypanosoma vivax species. Blood-meal analyses based on high-resolution melting analysis of vertebrate cytochrome c oxidase 1 and cytochrome b gene PCR products (n = 354) identified humans as the most common vertebrate host (37%), followed by hippopotamus (29.1%), African buffalo (26.3%), elephant (3.39%), and giraffe (0.84%). Flies positive for trypanosome DNA had fed on hippopotamus and buffalo. Tsetse flies were more likely to be positive for trypanosomes if they had the Sodalis glossinidius endosymbiont (P = 0.0002). These findings point to complex interactions of tsetse flies with trypanosomes, endosymbionts, and diverse vertebrate hosts in wildlife ecosystems such as in the MMNR, which should be considered in control programs. These interactions may contribute to the maintenance of tsetse populations and/or persistent circulation of African trypanosomes. Although the African buffalo is a key reservoir of AT, the higher proportion of hippopotamus blood-meals in flies with trypanosome DNA indicates that other wildlife species may be important in AT transmission. No trypanosomes associated with human disease were identified, but the high proportion of human blood-meals identified are indicative of human African trypanosomiasis risk. Our results add to existing data suggesting that Sodalis endosymbionts are associated with increased trypanosome presence in tsetse flies.


2004 ◽  
Vol 199 (10) ◽  
pp. 1445-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kisaburo Nagamune ◽  
Alvaro Acosta-Serrano ◽  
Haruki Uemura ◽  
Reto Brun ◽  
Christina Kunz-Renggli ◽  
...  

The African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei, which causes sleeping sickness in humans and Nagana disease in livestock, is spread via blood-sucking Tsetse flies. In the fly's intestine, the trypanosomes survive digestive and trypanocidal environments, proliferate, and translocate into the salivary gland, where they become infectious to the next mammalian host. Here, we show that for successful survival in Tsetse flies, the trypanosomes use trans-sialidase to transfer sialic acids that they cannot synthesize from host's glycoconjugates to the glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs), which are abundantly expressed on their surface. Trypanosomes lacking sialic acids due to a defective generation of GPI-anchored trans-sialidase could not survive in the intestine, but regained the ability to survive when sialylated by means of soluble trans-sialidase. Thus, surface sialic acids appear to protect the parasites from the digestive and trypanocidal environments in the midgut of Tsetse flies.


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