scholarly journals Ecological multiplex interactions determine the role of species for parasite spread amplification

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Stella ◽  
Sanja Selakovic ◽  
Alberto Antonioni ◽  
Cecilia S Andreazzi
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Top Predators ◽  
Multiplex Network ◽  
Multiple Routes ◽  
Diverse Community ◽  
Testing Potential ◽  
Host Parasite

Despite their potential interplay, multiple routes of many disease transmissions are often investigated separately. As a unifying framework for understanding parasite spread through interdependent transmission paths, we present the ‘ecomultiplex’ model, where the multiple transmission paths among a diverse community of interacting hosts are represented as a spatially explicit multiplex network. We adopt this framework for designing and testing potential control strategies for Trypanosoma cruzi spread in two empirical host communities. We show that the ecomultiplex model is an efficient and low data-demanding method to identify which species enhances parasite spread and should thus be a target for control strategies. We also find that the interplay between predator-prey and host-parasite interactions leads to a phenomenon of parasite amplification, in which top predators facilitate T. cruzi spread, offering a mechanistic interpretation of previous empirical findings. Our approach can provide novel insights in understanding and controlling parasite spreading in real-world complex systems.

scholarly journals Interaction intimacy organizes networks of antagonistic interactions in different ways

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (78) ◽  
pp. 20120649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias M. Pires ◽  
Paulo R. Guimarães
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Assembly Rules ◽  
Major Question ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Herbivore Interactions ◽  
Plant Herbivore ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Antagonistic Interactions

Interaction intimacy, the degree of biological integration between interacting individuals, shapes the ecology and evolution of species interactions. A major question in ecology is whether interaction intimacy also shapes the way interactions are organized within communities. We combined analyses of network structure and food web models to test the role of interaction intimacy in determining patterns of antagonistic interactions, such as host–parasite, predator–prey and plant–herbivore interactions. Networks describing interactions with low intimacy were more connected, more nested and less modular than high-intimacy networks. Moreover, the performance of the models differed across networks with different levels of intimacy. All models reproduced well low-intimacy networks, whereas the more elaborate models were also capable of reproducing networks depicting interactions with higher levels of intimacy. Our results indicate the key role of interaction intimacy in organizing antagonisms, suggesting that greater interaction intimacy might be associated with greater complexity in the assembly rules shaping ecological networks.

scholarly journals Differential attraction in mosquito–human interactions and implications for disease control

2020 ◽  
Vol 376 (1818) ◽  
pp. 20190811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Martinez ◽  
Alicia Showering ◽  
Catherine Oke ◽  
Robert T. Jones ◽  
James G. Logan
Keyword(s):  
Vector Control ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Skin Microbiome ◽  
Human Interactions ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Body Odour ◽  
Host Parasite

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major burden on human health worldwide and their eradication through vector control methods remains challenging. In particular, the success of vector control interventions for targeting diseases such as malaria is under threat, in part due to the evolution of insecticide resistance, while for other diseases effective control solutions are still lacking. The rate at which mosquitoes encounter and bite humans is a key determinant of their capacity for disease transmission. Future progress is strongly reliant on improving our understanding of the mechanisms leading to a mosquito bite. Here, we review the biological factors known to influence the attractiveness of mosquitoes to humans, such as body odour, the skin microbiome, genetics and infection by parasites. We identify the knowledge gaps around the relative contribution of each factor, and the potential links between them, as well as the role of natural selection in shaping vector–host–parasite interactions. Finally, we argue that addressing these questions will contribute to improving current tools and the development of novel interventions for the future. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Novel control strategies for mosquito-borne diseases'.

scholarly journals Fear of parasitism affects the functional role of ecosystem engineers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim N Mouritsen ◽  
Nina P Dalsgaard ◽  
Sarah B Flensburg ◽  
Josefine C Madsen ◽  
Christian Selbach
Keyword(s):  
Predator Prey ◽  
Cascading Effects ◽  
Blue Mussels ◽  
Host Parasite Interactions ◽  
Mere Presence ◽  
Lower Infection ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
And Function ◽  
Host Parasite

Fear is an integrated part of predator-prey interactions with cascading effects on the structure and function of ecosystems. Fear of parasitism holds a similar ecological potential but our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in host-parasite interactions is limited by lack of empirical examples. Here, we experimentally test if blue mussels Mytilus edulis respond behaviourally to the mere presence of infective transmission stages of the trematode Himasthla elongata by ceasing filtration activity, thereby avoiding infection. Our results show that blue mussels reduced clearance rates by more than 30% in presences of parasites. The reduced filtration activity resulted in lower infection rates in experimental mussels. The identified parasite-specific avoidance behaviour can be expected to play a significant role in regulating the ecosystem engineering function of blue mussels in coastal habitats.

scholarly journals Anthonomus rubi on Strawberry Fruit: Its Biology, Ecology, Damage, and Control from an IPM Perspective

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 701
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Tonina ◽  
Giulia Zanettin ◽  
Paolo Miorelli ◽  
Simone Puppato ◽  
Andrew G. S. Cuthbertson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Activity ◽  
Host Feeding ◽  
Mass Trapping ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
North East ◽  
Monitoring Tools ◽  
Anthonomus Rubi ◽  
And Control

The strawberry blossom weevil (SBW), Anthonomus rubi, is a well-documented pest of strawberry. Recently, in strawberry fields of Trento Province (north-east Italy), new noteworthy damage on fruit linked to SBW adults was observed, combined with a prolonged adult activity until the autumn. In this new scenario, we re-investigated SBW biology, ecology, monitoring tools, and potential control methods to develop Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. Several trials were conducted on strawberry in the laboratory, field and semi-natural habitats. The feeding activity of adult SBW results in small deep holes on berries at different stages, causing yield losses of up to 60%. We observed a prolonged survival of newly emerged adults (>240 days) along with their ability to sever flower buds without laying eggs inside them in the same year (one generation per year). SBW adults were present in the strawberry field year-round, with movement between crop and no crop habitats, underlying a potential role of other host/feeding plants to support its populations. Yellow sticky traps combined with synthetic attractants proved promising for both adult monitoring and mass trapping. Regarding control, adhesive tapes and mass trapping using green bucket pheromone traps gave unsatisfactory results, while the high temperatures provided by the black fabric, the periodic removal of severed buds or adults and Chlorpyrifos-methyl application constrained population build-up. The findings are important for the development of an IPM strategy.

scholarly journals The Role of Trip Lengths Calibration in Model-Based Perimeter Control Strategies

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Sergio F. A. Batista ◽  
Deepak Ingole ◽  
Ludovic Leclercq ◽  
Monica Menendez
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Model Based

The Role of Predation in Determining Traits of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) and Infection With Zika Virus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawna Bellamy ◽  
Barry W Alto
Keyword(s):  
Aedes Aegypti ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Immature Stages ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Infected Blood ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Susceptibility To Infection ◽  
Density Reduction

Abstract Non-lethal predator-prey interactions during the immature stages can cause significant changes to mosquito life history traits and their ability to transmit pathogens as adults. Treatment manipulations using mosquitoes Aedes aegypti (L.) and Toxoryhnchites rutilus (Coquillett) were performed during the immature stages to explore the potential impacts of non-lethal interactions on adult susceptibility to infection, disseminated infection and saliva infection of Ae. aegypti following ingestion of Zika virus-infected blood. Treatments inducing density reduction resulted in reduced development time and survivorship to adulthood. However, effects of treatment did not alter infection, dissemination, or saliva infection. These observations indicate that, while non-lethal predation may impact some traits that influence population dynamics and transmission of pathogens, there were no direct effects on mosquito-arbovirus interactions.

scholarly journals Eco-Environmental Aspects of COVID-19 Pandemic and Potential Control Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3488
Author(s):  
Rashid Nazir ◽  
Jawad Ali ◽  
Ijaz Rasul ◽  
Emilie Widemann ◽  
Sarfraz Shafiq
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Environmental Aspects ◽  
Potential Control ◽  
Health Infrastructure ◽  
The People ◽  
Slum Dwellers ◽  
Hospital Wastes ◽  
Future Outbreak

A new coronavirus-strain from a zoonotic reservoir (probably bat)—termed as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—has recently claimed more than two million deaths worldwide. Consequently, a burst of scientific reports on epidemiology, symptoms, and diagnosis came out. However, a comprehensive understanding of eco-environmental aspects that may contribute to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread is still missing, and we therefore aim to focus here on these aspects. In addition to human–human direct SARS-CoV-2 transmission, eco-environmental sources, such as air aerosols, different public use objects, hospital wastes, livestock/pet animals, municipal wastes, ventilation facilities, soil and groundwater potentially contribute to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Further, high temperature and humidity were found to limit the spread of COVID-19. Although the COVID-19 pandemic led to decrease air and noise pollution during the period of lockdown, increased use of masks and gloves is threatening the environment by water and soil pollutions. COVID-19 badly impacted all the socio-economic groups in different capacities, where women, slum dwellers, and the people lacking social protections are the most vulnerable. Finally, sustainable strategies, waste management, biodiversity reclaim, eco-friendly lifestyle, improved health infrastructure and public awareness, were proposed to minimize the COVID-19 impact on our society and environment. These strategies will seemingly be equally effective against any future outbreak.

scholarly journals Mycobacterium tuberculosis adhesins: potential biomarkers as anti-tuberculosis therapeutic and diagnostic targets

Microbiology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 160 (9) ◽  
pp. 1821-1831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viveshree S. Govender ◽  
Saiyur Ramsugit ◽  
Manormoney Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Tuberculosis Control ◽  
Surface Molecules ◽  
Host Pathogen Interaction ◽  
Bacterial Aggregation ◽  
Insight Into

Adhesion to host cells is a precursor to host colonization and evasion of the host immune response. Conversely, it triggers the induction of the immune response, a process vital to the host’s defence against infection. Adhesins are microbial cell surface molecules or structures that mediate the attachment of the microbe to host cells and thus the host–pathogen interaction. They also play a crucial role in bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation. In this review, we discuss the role of adhesins in the pathogenesis of the aetiological agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We also provide insight into the structure and characteristics of some of the characterized and putative M. tuberculosis adhesins. Finally, we examine the potential of adhesins as targets for the development of tuberculosis control strategies.

The possible role of the frontal and sub-parietal gland systems of the pentastomidReighardia sternae(Diesing, 1864) in the evasion of the host immune response

Parasitology ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Riley ◽  
J. L. James ◽  
A. A. Banaja
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Alternative Explanation ◽  
Surface Membrane ◽  
Membrane System ◽  
Host Immune Response ◽  
Entire Surface ◽  
Strong Immune Response ◽  
Concomitant Immunity ◽  
Host Parasite

SUMMARYThe frontal and sub-parietal glands of the pentastomidReighardia sternaeelaborate lamellate secretion which is poured on to the cuticle. The entire surface of the cuticle, including the mouth, hook pits and reproductive apertures, is coated with secretion. Electron microscope studies indicate that the glands are continuously active, which implies a turnover of surface membranes. The postulated function of these membranes is to protect certain vital areas of the host–parasite interface, notably the pores of ion-transporting cells, from the host immune response. The available evidence suggests that pentastomids do evoke a strong immune response but since most are long-lived they must circumvent it. We believe the surface membrane system to be instrumental in this. Studies on another pentastomid,Porocephalus crotaliin rats have shown that an immune response stimulated by a primary infection will kill subsequent infections and that the surface membranes are strongly immunogenic. Obvious parallels between this situation and that of schistosome infections in mammals are discussed. An alternative explanation of concomitant immunity is proposed.

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