Vectors Of Human Diseases Research Articles

Transgenerational effects of lambda-cyhalothrin on Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

The hormetic effect may cause disease control measures to fail due to inadequate treatment of human disease vectors such as houseflies. Age-stage, two-sex life table is used for accurate estimation of the hermetic impacts on insects as it allows to study sub-lethal or transgenerational effects. Pyrethroids insecticides are primarily used for the management of houseflies. This study used lambda-cyhalothrin (a pyrethroid insecticide) to quantify its transgenerational impacts on houseflies. Life table parameters of a progeny of adult houseflies exposed to LC10, LC30, and LC50 of lambda-cyhalothrin were computed. Statistically higher fecundity (71.31 per female) was observed in control treatment, while it was the adults exposed to LC50 recorded the lowest progeny. Significantly higher values for intrinsic rate of growth (r), limiting rate of growth (λ), and net reproductive rate (Ro) (0.16, 1.16, and 31.38 per day, respectively) were recorded for the control treatment of the study. Contrarily, lower values for λ, Ro, and r were (0.10, 1.10, and 9.24 per day, respectively) were noted in the LC50 treatment. Decreased population parameters suggest that lambda-cyhalothrin can be successfully used in indoor environments to control houseflies.

Assessment of the Practices and Health Related Toxic Symptoms of Pesticides use among Farm Workers in Nowpora Kalan of Baramulla, Kashmir

Background: Pesticide as defined by FAO (1986) comprise any substance or mixture of substance intended for preventing, destroying, or controlling any pest, including vectors of human or animal disease, unwanted species of plants or animals causing harm during, or otherwise interfering with, the production processing, storage, transport, or marketing of food, agricultural commodities (including commodities such as raw cereals, sugar beet, and cottonseed) wood products, or animal feedstuff, or which may be administered to animals for the control of insects, arachnids, or other pests on or their bodies. Objectives: To assess the practices of pesticides use among farm workers. To assess the health related toxic symptoms of pesticides use among farm workers. To find out the association between practices and health related toxic symptoms of pesticide use among farm workers. To find out the association of practices of pesticide use among farm workers with selected socio-demographic variables. Methodology: A quantitative research approach with descriptive research design was used. 100 Farm workers working in Nowpora Kalan of Baramulla Kashmir were selected by Convenience sampling. Results: The level of practices of pesticides use among farm workers, the result reveals that 12% of farm workers had good practice, 79% had average practice and 9% of farm workers had poor practice regarding practices of pesticides use with an average mean and SD of 24.12±6.08. Conclusion: The findings of the study shows that 12% of farm workers had good practice, 79% had average practice and 9% of farm workers had poor practice regarding practices of pesticides use.

The latest research progress on the prevention of storage pests by natural products: Species, mechanisms, and sources of inspiration

The quality of grains is influenced by storage pests, which are not only spoilers of stored grain, but also vectors of human and animal diseases. Chemical pesticides play an essential role in the cultivation and storage of cereals, however, due to the low degradability and residual toxicity of synthetic pesticides on the environment and non-target organisms, as well as the increasing resistance of target organisms to them, consideration should be given to the development of alternative pest control agents. Compounds isolated from natural sources have emerged as preferred targets for the development of novel insecticidal agents because of their eco-friendliness, safety, and effectiveness. In this review, we primarily focus on the natural product (NPs) control of storage pests. The effective monomer components of NPs and their anti-insect mechanisms were discussed, and natural sources of inspiration and models for insect repellents are described. This review aimed to provide guidelines for the exploitation and utilization of green and efficient natural insecticides.

A perspective on the expansion of the genetic technologies to support the control of neglected vector-borne diseases and conservation

Genetic-based technologies are emerging as promising tools to support vector population control. Vectors of human malaria and dengue have been the main focus of these development efforts, but in recent years these technologies have become more flexible and adaptable and may therefore have more wide-ranging applications. Culex quinquefasciatus, for example, is the primary vector of avian malaria in Hawaii and other tropical islands. Avian malaria has led to the extinction of numerous native bird species and many native bird species continue to be threatened as climate change is expanding the range of this mosquito. Genetic-based technologies would be ideal to support avian malaria control as they would offer alternatives to interventions that are difficult to implement in natural areas, such as larval source reduction, and limit the need for chemical insecticides, which can harm beneficial species in these natural areas. This mosquito is also an important vector of human diseases, such as West Nile and Saint Louis encephalitis viruses, so genetic-based control efforts for this species could also have a direct impact on human health. This commentary will discuss the current state of development and future needs for genetic-based technologies in lesser studied, but important disease vectors, such as C. quinquefasciatus, and make comparisons to technologies available in more studied vectors. While most current genetic control focuses on human disease, we will address the impact that these technologies could have on both disease and conservation focused vector control efforts and what is needed to prepare these technologies for evaluation in the field. The versatility of genetic-based technologies may result in the development of many important tools to control a variety of vectors that impact human, animal, and ecosystem health.

Recent Insights into Insect Olfactory Receptors and Odorant-Binding Proteins.

Simple SummaryStarting with efforts to understand pheromone detection in moths, the ability of insects to localize food and mates has captivated researchers for over a century. Here we review recent advances in understanding the detection of volatiles at the level of olfactory receptors and odorant-binding proteins focusing on advances in biological understanding. Drosophila remains an important model system, but CRIPSR-mediated genome editing is opening the door to genetic analysis in a wide range of insects, including disease vectors and important agricultural pests. This review will spotlight new findings for the initial recognition and signaling events by odorant-binding proteins and olfactory receptors in responses to odorants. Finally, we discussed how some critical insect behaviors appear to have evolved multimodal mechanisms to maximize response robustness.Human and insect olfaction share many general features, but insects differ from mammalian systems in important ways. Mammalian olfactory neurons share the same overlying fluid layer in the nose, and neuronal tuning entirely depends upon receptor specificity. In insects, the olfactory neurons are anatomically segregated into sensilla, and small clusters of olfactory neurons dendrites share extracellular fluid that can be independently regulated in different sensilla. Small extracellular proteins called odorant-binding proteins are differentially secreted into this sensillum lymph fluid where they have been shown to confer sensitivity to specific odorants, and they can also affect the kinetics of the olfactory neuron responses. Insect olfactory receptors are not G-protein-coupled receptors, such as vertebrate olfactory receptors, but are ligand-gated ion channels opened by direct interactions with odorant molecules. Recently, several examples of insect olfactory neurons expressing multiple receptors have been identified, indicating that the mechanisms for neuronal tuning may be broader in insects than mammals. Finally, recent advances in genome editing are finding applications in many species, including agricultural pests and human disease vectors.

Functional insight and cell-specific expression of the adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide in the human disease vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti

The adipokinetic hormone/corazonin-related peptide (ACP) is an insect neuropeptide structurally intermediate between corazonin (CRZ) and adipokinetic hormone (AKH). Unlike the AKH and CRZ signaling systems that are widely known for their roles in the mobilization of energy substrates and stress responses, respectively, the main role of ACP and its receptor (ACPR) remains unclear in most arthropods. The current study aimed to localize the distribution of ACP in the nervous system and provide insight into its physiological roles in the disease vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Immunohistochemical analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization localized the ACP peptide and transcript within a number of cells in the central nervous system, including two pairs of laterally positioned neurons in the protocerebrum of the brain and a few ventrally localized neurons within the pro- and mesothoracic regions of the fused thoracic ganglia. Further, extensive ACP-immunoreactive axonal projections with prominent blebs and varicosities were observed traversing the abdominal ganglia. Given the prominent enrichment of ACPR expression within the abdominal ganglia of adult A. aegypti mosquitoes as determined previously, the current results indicate that ACP may function as a neurotransmitter and/or neuromodulator facilitating communication between the brain and posterior regions of the nervous system. In an effort to elucidate a functional role for ACP signaling, biochemical measurement of energy substrates in female mosquitoes revealed a reduction in abdominal fat body in response to ACP that matched the actions of AKH, but interestingly, a corresponding hypertrehalosaemic effect was only found in response to AKH since ACP did not influence circulating carbohydrate levels. Comparatively, both ACP and AKH led to a significant increase in haemolymph carbohydrate levels in male mosquitoes while both peptides had no influence on their glycogen stores. Neither ACP nor AKH influenced circulating or stored lipid levels in both male and female mosquitoes. Collectively, these results reveal ACP signaling in mosquitoes may have complex sex-specific actions, and future research should aim to expand knowledge on the role of this understudied neuropeptide.

Neuroanatomical basis of sexual dimorphism in the mosquito brain

SummaryFemale but not male mosquitoes are vectors for multiple deadly human diseases including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and West Nile virus. However, the underlying neural substrates of sexually dimorphic behaviors remain largely unknown in mosquitoes. In this study, we found striking sexual dimorphism in brain regions in two major disease vectors, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus, through voxel-wise comparison of the whole brain. Female-enlarged regions include those associated with chemosensation and vision, while male-enlarged regions are linked to hearing and memory. However, some brain regions associated with vision and memory are sexually dimorphic in Ae. aegypti but not Cx. quinquefasciatus. As the first global voxel-based comparative neuroanatomical analysis of mosquito brains between sexes, this study not only sheds light on the neural substrates underlying sex-specific behaviors, but also identifies regions of interest for future research to disrupt female-specific behaviors critical to disease transmission.

Morphological description of Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) veintemillasi n. sp., a new sand fly species from the sub-Andean region of Bolivia

BackgroundMost sand fly species are located in the Americas; some act as vectors of leishmaniasis and other human diseases. In Bolivia, about 25% of Neotropical species have been identified, and only a few have been implicated as vectors of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. A new species of anthropophilic sand fly from the sub-Andean region of Alto Beni is described herein.MethodsA large systematic entomological survey was carried out in a subtropical humid forest located in the Marimonos mountain range, at around 900 m altitude, in the municipality of Palos Blancos, Sud Yungas Province, Department of La Paz, Bolivia. Sand flies were captured over a period of 26 months between January 1982 and February 1984, at the ground and canopy level, using both CDC light traps and protected human bait. A total of 24,730 sand flies were collected on the ground, distributed in 16 species, and 3259 in the canopy, with eight species. One of these species was labeled as Pintomia (Pifanomyia) nevesi, although certain morphological features allowed us to doubt that it was that taxon. To define the identity of this sand fly, a re-evaluation (this work) was recently carried out through morphological analyses and measurements of the available specimens mounted on Euparal, previously labeled as Pi. (Pif.) nevesi.ResultsBased on the morphological traits and measurements, the re-evaluated specimens were definitively identified as a new sand fly species, Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) veintemillasi, closely related to Pi. (Pif.) nevesi and Pintomyia (Pifanomyia) maranonensis within the Evansi series. This new sand fly was the third most numerous anthropophilic species at the floor (6.2%) and the second most numerous anthropophilic at the canopy (35.1%).ConclusionsA new anthropophilic sand fly species is described as Pi. (Pif.) veintemillasi n. sp. This sand fly species was caught at about 900 m altitude in the Marimonos mountain range, a highly endemic area for cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Therefore, this species could be involved in the leishmaniasis transmission in the sub-Andean foothills of Alto Beni, Department of La Paz, Bolivia.Graphical

Toxicities and Cross-Resistance of Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Emamectin Benzoate, Spirotetramat, and Indoxacarb in Field Populations of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae).

Simple SummaryCulex quinquefasciatus is a major vector of several human and animal diseases. This species’ ability to develop resistance to synthetic insecticides can lead to failure to control it. Therefore, we conducted toxicity bioassays of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, spirotetramat, and indoxacarb on five field populations of Cx. Quinquefasciatus from Pakistan. These five populations showed susceptibility to high resistance against imidacloprid, susceptibility to moderate resistance against acetamiprid, susceptibility to emamectin benzoate, susceptibility to spirotetramat, and low–high resistance against indoxacarb. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and spirotetramat median lethal concentration values, indicating the possibility of cross-resistance. Meanwhile, there were no significant correlations among the median lethal concentration values of other tested insecticides, indicating the possible absence of cross-resistance. Our findings provide a useful background for the public health authorities, medical entomologists, and pest managers to control Cx. quinquefasciatus.Culex quinquefasciatus is a major vector of several pathogens and is capable of breeding in various aquatic habitats. The extensive and injudicious use of synthetic chemicals against the mosquito species has led to the problem of insecticide resistance. To explore this resistance in detail, toxicity bioassays of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, spirotetramat, and indoxacarb were performed on five Cx. quinquefasciatus field populations from Pakistan in addition to a laboratory susceptible strain. Compared with the susceptible strain, results for the five Cx. quinquefasciatus field populations were as follows: susceptibility to high resistance against imidacloprid (resistance ratio (RR): 0.09–11.18), susceptibility to moderate resistance against acetamiprid (RR: 0.39–8.00), susceptibility to emamectin benzoate (RR: 0.002–0.020), susceptibility to spirotetramat (RR: 0.01–0.07), and low to high resistance against indoxacarb (RR: 3.00–118.00). Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and spirotetramat median lethal concentration (LC50) values, indicating the possibility of cross-resistance. In contrast, there were no significant correlations between the LC50 values of other tested insecticides, indicating the possible absence of cross-resistance. These results can assist public health authorities, medical entomologists, and pest managers to manage the insecticide resistance of Cx. quinquefasciatus as well as the associated pollution and human health issues.

A chromosome-level assembly of the widely used Rockefeller strain of Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito.

Aedes aegypti is the vector of important human diseases, and genomic resources are crucial in facilitating the study of A. aegypti and its ecosystem interactions. Several laboratory-acclimated strains of this mosquito have been established, but the most used strain in toxicology studies is "Rockefeller," which was originally collected and established in Cuba 130 years ago. A full-length genome assembly of another reference strain, "Liverpool," was published in 2018 and is the reference genome for the species (AaegL5). However, genetic studies with the Rockefeller strain are complicated by the availability of only the Liverpool strain as the reference genome. Differences between Liverpool and Rockefeller have been known for decades, particularly in the expression of genes relevant to mosquito behavior and vector control (e.g. olfactory). These differences indicate that AaegL5 is likely not fully representative of the Rockefeller genome, presenting potential impediments to research. Here, we present a chromosomal-level assembly and annotation of the Rockefeller genome and a comparative characterization vs the Liverpool genome. Our results set the stage for a pan-genomic approach to understanding evolution and diversity within this important disease vector.

Larvicidal activity of acetone extract and green synthesized silver nanoparticles from Allium sativum L. (Amaryllidaceae) against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

Mosquito vectors of major human diseases are currently controlled using chemical and biological products. Extensive insecticide use has led to resistance development and human/environmental health risks, and alternative sustainable control options are needed; in this study, activity of an extract of garlic (Allium sativum; Amaryllidaceae), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from the extract, were evaluated against 2nd and 3rd instar larvae of the yellow fever mosquito, Ae. aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed using UV–Vis spectroscopy, and characterised using powdered X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Larvae were exposed to five concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200, 250 ppm) of garlic extract or synthesized AgNPs, with distilled water and silver nitrate solution (1 mM) as controls. The mortality of larvae was recorded after 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h following addition of the respective extracts. Dose- and time-dependent toxicity were recorded in both treatment groups with no mortality in control groups. Exposure to AgNPs at 250 ppm for 48 h yielded 100% mortality for both larval instars, with corresponding LC50 values of 44.77 (2nd) and 62.82 ppm (3rd). Exposure to garlic extract resulted in similar 48-hour mortality (99 ± 0.77% (2nd) and 98 ± 1.10% (3rd), but consistently higher LC50 values after all exposure times compared to AgNPs (e.g. 48-hour exposure: 108.42 ppm (2nd), 129.11 ppm (3rd), suggesting that AgNPs may potentially be used at lower concentrations for Ae. aegypti control.

Infravec2 guidelines for the design and operation of containment level 2 and 3 insectaries in Europe

ABSTRACT With the current expansion of vector-based research and an increasing number of facilities rearing arthropod vectors and infecting them with pathogens, common measures for containment of arthropods as well as manipulation of pathogens are becoming essential for the design and running of such research facilities to ensure safe work and reproducibility, without compromising experimental feasibility. These guidelines and comments were written by experts of the Infravec2 consortium, a Horizon 2020-funded consortium integrating the most sophisticated European infrastructures for research on arthropod vectors of human and animal diseases. They reflect current good practice across European laboratories with experience of safely handling different mosquito species and the pathogens they transmit. As such, they provide experience-based advice to assess and manage the risks to work safely with mosquitoes and the pathogens they transmit. This document can also form the basis for research with other arthropods, for example, midges, ticks or sandflies, with some modification to reflect specific requirements.

Mitochondrial genome sequencing, mapping, and assembly benchmarking for Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

BackgroundMitochondrial genomes are the most sequenced genomes after bacterial and fungal genomic DNA. However, little information on mitogenomes is available for multiple metazoan taxa, such as Culicoides, a globally distributed, megadiverse genus containing 1,347 species.Aim Generating novel mitogenomic information from single Culicoides sonorensis and C. biguttatus specimens, comparing available mitogenome mapping and de novo assembly tools, and identifying the best performing strategy and tools for Culicoides species.ResultsWe present two novel and fully annotated mitochondrial haplotypes for two Culicoides species, C. sonorensis and C. biguttatus. We also annotated or re-annotated the only available reference mitogenome for C. sonorensis and C. arakawae. All species present a high similarity in mitogenome organization. The general gene arrangement for all Culicoides species was identical to the ancestral insect mitochondrial genome. Only short spacers were found in C. sonorensis (up to 30 bp), contrary to C. biguttatus (up to 114 bp). The mitochondrial genes ATP8, NAD2, NAD6, and LSU rRNA exhibited the highest nucleotide diversity and pairwise interspecific p genetic distance, suggesting that these genes might be suitable and complementary molecular barcodes for Culicoides identification in addition to the commonly utilized COI gene.We observed performance differences between the compared mitogenome generation strategies. The mapping strategy outperformed the de novo assembly strategy, but mapping results were partially biased in the absence of species-specific reference mitogenome. Among the utilized tools, BWA performed best for C. sonorensis while SPAdes, MEGAHIT, and MitoZ were among the best for C. biguttatus. The best-performing mitogenome annotator was MITOS2. Additionally, we were able to recover exogenous mitochondrial DNA from Bos taurus (biting midges host) from a C. biguttatus blood meal sample.ConclusionsTwo novel annotated mitogenome haplotypes for C. sonorensis and C. biguttatus using High-Throughput Sequencing are presented. Current results are useful as the baseline for mitogenome reconstruction of the remaining Culicoides species from single specimens to HTS and genome annotation. Mapping to a species-specific reference mitogenome generated better results for Culicoides mitochondrial genome reconstruction than de novo assembly, while de novo assembly resulted better in the absence of a closely related reference mitogenome. These results have direct implications for molecular-based identification of these vectors of human and zoonotic diseases, setting the basis for using the whole mitochondrial genome as a marker in Culicoides identification.

Occurrence of entomopathogenic hypocrealean fungi in mosquitoes and their larval habitats in Central Brazil, and activity against Aedes aegypti

Collecting entomopathogenic fungi associated with mosquitoes and studies on their activity against mosquito developmental stages will improve the understanding of their potential as agents to control important mosquito vectors. Twenty-one strains of entomopathogenic fungi affecting mosquitoes in Central Brazil were studied: 7 of Beauveria bassiana, 7 of Metarhizium humberi, 3 of M. anisopliae, 2 of Cordyceps sp. and one each of Akanthomyces saksenae and Simplicillium lamellicola. These fungi were isolated from field-collected mosquito adults (3 strains) or larvae (a single strain); the other 17 strains were isolated from laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti sentinel larvae set out in partially immersed cages placed in diverse small- to middle-sized aquatic mosquito habitats in or close to areas with secondary tropical forest. The frequent recovery of normally soil-borne Metarhizium spp. and B. bassiana from aquatic habitats is notable. Our laboratory findings indicated that M. anisopliae IP 429 and IP 438 and M. humberi IP 421 and IP 478 were highly active against immature stages and, together with M. anisopliae IP 432, also against adults. These strains appear to be the most promising candidates to develop effective control strategies targeting the different developmental stages of A. aegypti, the most important vector of viral diseases in humans in the tropics.

Effect of ecological factors and breeding habitat types on Culicine larvae occurrence and abundance in residential areas Southern Thailand

Mosquitoes are a vector of human disease transmitting malaria, and many arboviruses such as dengue virus and Zika virus. This study determined mosquito larval occurrence and abundance in residential areas around Suratthani Rajabhat University as influenced by ecological factors and breeding container diversity. Mosquito larvae were collected using a standard dipping method from 95 locations during April through September 2019 and environmental factors such as physicochemical parameters of water in the breeding containers were measured. During the survey, a total of 194 houses were inspected, of which 58 were found to be infested with mosquito larvae, with a house index of 29.90, a container index of 25.55, and a Breteau index of 48.99. A total of 5,123 mosquito larvae were reported from seven breeding habitat types namely, plastics, cement, mud pots, glass, foam, discarded tires and natural materials. Among the collected larvae, Aedes albopictus (56.45%) was most prevalent, while Culex sp. (22.33%) and Aedes aegypti were less prevalent (21.21%). The most common mosquito larvae breeding habitats were plastics (44.22%) followed by discarded tires (18.14%). The spearman correlation analysis showed that the number of mosquito larvae were significantly positively correlated with the depths and width of containers (p<0.05). These findings are helpful in understanding the ecological factors and breeding habitat types that influence mosquito species and their abundance, and also in determining ways to control mosquito borne diseases.

Brugmansia suaveolens Bercht. &amp; J. Presl: phytochemistry, cytotoxicity and its larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

The mosquito family (Diptera: Culicidae) contains several species of great public health relevance due to their role as vectors of human diseases. Aedes aegypti, is responsible for transmitting some of the most important vector-borne viruses that affect humanity, including Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika. The widespread and intensive use of chemical insecticides has caused significant adverse environmental effects and contributed to the emergence of populations, reducing their efficiency. Therefore, it becomes urgent to develop new alternative tools for vector control. In this context, our study aimed to trace the profile of the main secondary metabolites, followed by determining the larvicidal action against the A. aegypti mosquito lineage; and in vitro safety, through cytotoxicity in eukaryotic cells. The extracts were obtained by maceration with better yields for leaves, in relation to the phytochemical profile, the presence of different classes of secondary metabolites was identified, such as triterpenes, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and alkaloids. Low larvicidal lethality was observed at the concentrations tested (250-1000 ppm). The analysis of the cytotoxic potential showed a low toxic activity after direct exposure of the extracts to Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, even though the species was classified as toxic. The study presented results not determined in previous research of this species, providing an innovative, relevant and significant character for future research.

Pathogens in ticks collected in Israel: II. Bacteria and protozoa found in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Rhipicephalus turanicus

Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato and Rhipicephalus turanicus are very prevalent in Israel and are known to be vectors of human and animal diseases. The aim of this study was to identify the pathogens found in questing ticks and such parasitizing domestic and wild animals. Ticks were collected from 16 localities in Israel with the flagging technique and by examining dogs, hedgehogs, a badger and a tortoise. Bacterial and protozoal pathogens were analyzed by PCR and sequencing. Overall, 374 R. sanguineus s.l. specimens were collected, out of which 142 by flagging and 132 from six dogs. Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia massiliae, Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis, and Anaplasma sp. were identified in ticks collected by flagging, Rickettsia aeschlimannii was found only in specimens collected from dogs, while Ehrlichia sp., Coxiella burnetii, Hepatozoon canis and Leishmania infantum were recorded in ticks collected by flagging and from dogs. Out of 226 specimens of R. turanicus, 124 were collected by flagging, while additional 33 from eight dogs, 64 from seven southern white-breasted hedgehogs (Erinaceus concolor), two from a European badger (Meles meles) and one from a Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca). Out of 65 R. sanguineus s.l. pools 17 (26.2%) had pathogens, while seven of them were positive for one pathogen, and 10 for two pathogens. In 43 R. turanicus pools, R. aeschlimannii R. africae, Rickettsia barbariae, R. massiliae, Anaplasma sp., Ehrlichia sp. and C. burnetii, as well as Babesia microti, B. vogeli, Hepatozoon felis, and L. infantum was detected, while Listeria monocytogenes, Bartonella sp. and Toxoplasma gondii were negative in all R. sanguineus s.l. and R. turanicus pools examined. In conclusion, Babesia microti is reported for the first time in Israel, R. africae, R. aeschlimannii, C. burnetii and L. infantum are reported for the first time in R. sanguineus s.l. and R. turanicus, while H. felis is reported for the first time from R. turanicus in the country.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Ixodes granulatus (Ixodidae) and its phylogenetic implications.

Ticks are deemed to be second only to mosquitoes as the most common vector of human infectious diseases worldwide that give rise to human and animal diseases and economic losses to livestock production. Our understanding of the phylogenetic analysis between tick lineages has been restricted by the phylogenetic markers of individual genes. Genomic data research could help advance our understanding of phylogenetic analysis and molecular evolution. Mitochondrial genomic DNA facilitated the phylogenetic analysis of eukaryotes containing ticks. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the circular complete mitogenome information of Ixodes granulatus. The 14,540-bp mitogenome consists of 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two genes for ribosomal RNA (rRNAs), and 22 genes for transfer RNA (tRNAs), and the origin of the L-strand replication region. The directions of the coding strand and component genes in the non-Australasian Ixodes mitochondrial genome were similar to those found in most other Australasian Ixodes, except for the loss of a lengthy control region. The phylogenetic tree based on maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) computational algorithms showed that I. granulatus exhibits a close relationship with I. hexagonus and I. ricinus. To our knowledge, this is the first study exploring the complete mitogenome for the species I. granulatus. Our results provide new insights for further research on the evolution, population genetics, systematics, and molecular ecology of ticks.

A New Approach to Develop Resistant Cultivars Against the Plant Pathogens: CRISPR Drives.

CRISPR drive is a recent and robust tool that allows durable genetic manipulation of the pest population like human disease vectors such as malaria vector mosquitos. In recent years, it has been suggested that CRISPR drives can also be used to control plant diseases, pests, and weeds. However, using a CRISPR drive in Arabidopsis for the first time in 2021 has been shown to use this technology in plant breeding to obtain homozygous parental lines. This perspective has proposed using CRISPR drive to develop pathogen-resistant cultivars by disrupting the susceptibility gene (S). In the breeding program, CRISPR is used to create S-gene mutations in two parental lines of hybrid cultivars. However, CRISPR must be reapplied or long-term backcrossed for the parental line to obtain homozygous S-mutant cultivars. When a parental line crosses with different parental lines to develop new hybrids, heterozygous S-mutations could not resist in hybrid against the pathogen. CRISPR drives are theoretically valid to develop homozygous S-mutant plants against pathogens by only routine pollination after CRISPR drive transformation to just one parental line. This way, breeders could use this parental line in different crossing combinations without reapplying the genome-editing technique or backcrossing. Moreover, CRISPR drive also could allow the development of marker-free resistant cultivars with modifications on the drive cassette.

Organophosphorus Pesticides as Modulating Substances of Inflammation through the Cholinergic Pathway.

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widespread insecticides used for pest control in agricultural activities and the control of the vectors of human and animal diseases. However, OPs’ neurotoxic mechanism involves cholinergic components, which, beyond being involved in the transmission of neuronal signals, also influence the activity of cytokines and other pro-inflammatory molecules; thus, acute and chronic exposure to OPs may be related to the development of chronic degenerative pathologies and other inflammatory diseases. The present article reviews and discusses the experimental evidence linking inflammatory process with OP-induced cholinergic dysregulation, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms related to the role of cytokines and cellular alterations in humans and other animal models, and possible therapeutic targets to inhibit inflammation.