Abstract
BackgroundCulicoides biting midges (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) are known vectors of avian Haemoproteus parasites. These parasites cause diseases, pathology and even mortality in birds. The diversity of biting midges in Europe is great, but only four Culicoides species are known to be vectors of avian Haemoproteus parasites. In general, our knowledge about the role of the particular Culicoides species in the transmission of Haemoproteus parasites remains insufficient. Information gaps hinder a better understanding of parasite biology and the epizootiology of parasite-caused diseases. The aim of this study was to determine new Culicoides species involved in the transmission of Haemoproteus parasites.MethodsBiting midges were collected using a UV trap as well as sticky traps installed in bird nest boxes. Individual parous females were diagnosed for the presence of haemoproteids using both PCR-based and microscopic methods.ResultsWe collected and dissected 232 parous Culicoides females from 9 species using a UV trap and 293 females from 11 species from bird nest boxes. Culicoides obsoletus was the dominant species collected using a UV trap, and Culicoides kibunensis dominated among midges collected in nest boxes. PCR-based screening showed that 5.2% of parous biting midges collected using a UV trap and 4.4% of midges collected from nest boxes were infected with avian haemosporidian parasites. Haemoproteid DNA was detected in C. kibunensis, Culicoides pictipennis, Culicoides punctatus, Culicoides segnis and Culicoides impunctatus females. The sporozoites of Haemoproteus minutus (genetic lineages hTURDUS2 and hTUPHI01) were detected in the salivary glands of two C. kibunensis females using microscopy, and this finding was confirmed by PCR.ConclusionsCulicoides kibunensis was detected as a new natural vector of Haemoproteus minutus (hTURDUS2 and hTUPHI01). Haemoproteid DNA was detected in females from five Culicoides species. This study contributes to the epizootiology of avian Haemoproteus infections by specifying Culicoides species as vectors and species that are likely to be responsible for the transmission of haemoproteids in Europe.Graphical
Highlights
Culicoides biting midges (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) are known vectors of avian Haemoproteus parasites
Experimental studies have been performed with Culicoides nubeculosus, the only Palearctic Culicoides species maintained in laboratories [13, 14], which have proved that C. nubeculosus is a vector of eight Haemoproteus species [7]
The paucity of knowledge of the composition of Culicoides species involved in transmission of Haemoproteus parasites in the wild hinders the understanding of patterns of epizootiology [2, 3, 22]
Summary
Culicoides biting midges (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) are known vectors of avian Haemoproteus parasites. Biting midges (Ceratopogonidae: Culicoides) play an important role in the transmission of viruses, bacteria, parasitic protozoa and nematodes [1,2,3] They are vectors of the Haemoproteus (Haemosporida) parasites, which. Several recent studies have reported nine other Culicoides species as possible Haemoproteus vectors, but the authors used only molecular diagnosis of the parasite DNA in wild-caught insects [15,16,17,18,19,20] Such PCR-based studies are helpful in determining ornithophagic midges but the presence of parasite DNA alone indicates only a possible vector, because PCR-based diagnostics cannot distinguish between sporozoites infective to vertebrate hosts and non-infective sporogonic stages [21]. The paucity of knowledge of the composition of Culicoides species involved in transmission of Haemoproteus parasites in the wild hinders the understanding of patterns of epizootiology [2, 3, 22]
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