Abstract
Vector borne diseases (VBD) are on the rise because of failure of the existing methods of control of vector and vector borne diseases and the climate change. A steep rise of VBDs are due to several factors like selection of insecticide resistant vector population, drug resistant parasite population and lack of effective vaccines against the VBDs. Environmental pollution, public health hazard and insecticide resistant vector population indicate that the insecticides are no longer a sustainable control method of vector and vector-borne diseases. Amongst the various alternative control strategies, symbiont based approach utilizing endosymbionts of arthropod vectors could be explored to control the vector and vector borne diseases. The endosymbiont population of arthropod vectors could be exploited in different ways viz., as a chemotherapeutic target, vaccine target for the control of vectors. Expression of molecules with antiparasitic activity by genetically transformed symbiotic bacteria of disease-transmitting arthropods may serve as a powerful approach to control certain arthropod-borne diseases. Genetic transformation of symbiotic bacteria of the arthropod vector to alter the vector's ability to transmit pathogen is an alternative means of blocking the transmission of VBDs. In Indian scenario, where dengue, chikungunya, malaria and filariosis are prevalent, paratransgenic based approach can be used effectively.
Highlights
Vector borne diseases (VBD) are of global importance because of their economic and health implications in livestock, human and companion animals [1]
Sodalis is well suited for paratransgenesis because a) it resides in the gut in close proximity to pathogenic trypanosomes, b) a system for culturing Sodalis in vitro has been developed [26] and can be used in conjunction with standard molecular biology techniques to insert and express foreign genes of interest in this bacterium [27] c) Sodalis is highly resistant to many trypanocidal peptides, [28,29] d) recombinant Sodalis can be reintroduced into tsetse by thoracic microinjection and passed on to future progeny where they successfully express the marker gene product [30] and e) its genome is completely sequenced and annotated, and this information will serve as a valuable resource that can be exploited to improve the efficiency of this expression system
A variety of very effective methods have been employed for suppressing arthropod vector populations, including the application of biological control agents and the elimination of breeding sites, with a continuing and heavy reliance on the use of chemical insecticides
Summary
Vector borne diseases (VBD) are of global importance because of their economic and health implications in livestock, human and companion animals [1]. Secondary endosymbionts are organisms appear to be the resultant of multiple independent infections and horizontal transmission and their contribution to the welfare of arthropod host may not be major or essential. A rickettsia which is present in 20-70% of arthropods stated to be a reproductive parasite of arthropods rather than symbiont [15] These organisms cause a number of interactions with the host and alter the host response that includes cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), parthenogenesis induction [16] and male killing. Endosymbiont-pathogen interaction: The presence of symbionts and the pathogenic organisms together in the vector and the possible role of the interaction between the two in favour of disease transmission had been reported Amongst the bacterial gut flora the S. marcescens chitinase has the ability to digest the peritrophic membrane of mosquito [20]. Creation of paratransgenic tsetse fly with the phenotype to check the activity of proteolytic lectin of the fly would limit the transmission of African trypanosmiosis
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
