Veterinary Entomology Research Articles

Highlights of veterinary entomology, 2023: beyond the barnyard: exploring the wild side of veterinary entomology.

Due to economic and food security concerns, veterinary entomology has traditionally focused on livestock pests and ectoparasites. However, recognizing the significant environmental changes of the Anthropocene era, there is a need to broaden the scope to include pests and ectoparasites of wildlife. This review highlights key studies from 2023 that go beyond the barnyard and represent this expanded focus. Key areas explored include the development and application of unique methodologies, the impact of arthropods on behavior, and the effects of anthropogenic and environmental influences on pests, ectoparasites, and hosts. By adopting a broader perspective, veterinary entomologists can develop new collaborations and better understand the complex interactions between pests, ectoparasites, and a diverse array of nonhuman vertebrates. This comprehensive understanding is essential for advancing global health and biodiversity conservation.

2024 AMCA MEMORIAL LECTURE HONOREE: MIR SUBHAN MULLA 1925-20231.

From 1979 to 2024, 51 individuals have been recognized as AMCA honorees for their lifetime achievements in mosquito and vector control. Mir Subhan Mulla (1925-2023) was the most recent honoree recognized in March 2024. Mulla received a scholarship in 1948 to attend Cornell University, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in entomology and parasitology. Mulla received his Ph.D. in entomology at the University of California, Berkeley in 1956, and then joined the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) faculty the same year. He retired in 2006 after 50 years of service. As one of the founding faculty in entomology at UC Riverside, Mulla created undergraduate and graduate courses and seminars in medical and veterinary entomology. As a leader in UC Riverside's world-renowned medical entomology graduate program, he advised 27 Ph.D. students, three master's students, 20 postdoctoral fellows, and 30 visiting scholars from many countries. Mulla contributed significantly to research and developments in biology, ecology, and control of arthropods of public health and economic importance, including but not limited to mosquitoes, flies, eye gnats, midges, blackflies, and stored product beetles. His work on biorational pesticides was remarkable. He published more than 550 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals. Mulla served the scientific community as a consultant, advisor, member, or chairman with numerous national and international organizations. He guided many universities in the development of their medical entomology programs. Mulla also served as one of the founding scientists of the Society for Vector Ecology (SOVE). He also provided financial support for facilities, faculty, and students at UC Riverside. Additionally, Mulla served as a leader in the Riverside Muslim community. He and his wife Lelia founded the Islamic Society of Riverside and Orange Counties in California. In recognition of Mulla's excellence in teaching, mentorship, and research, he received numerous prestigious recognitions from universities, communities, and professional organizations. He will be greatly missed by his loving and devoted family, friends, former students, and colleagues here in the USA and abroad.

Global Research on Bluetongue: A Bibliometric Analysis

Bluetongue (BT) is a viral disease characterized by swelling and cyanosis of the tongue, capable of infecting both domestic and wild animal species. Bluetongue virus (BTV) can cause an outbreak in any region of the world where favorable temperature and vector presence conditions exist. For this reason, BTV studies remain an active field in the literature and the research network of this field continues to develop. This paper aims to identify the most influential research elements and collaborations in the BTV field, with a discussion of results based on existing literature. To discover the current literature on BTV, the Web of Science database was employed. The dataset consisted of 1315 articles. The “Bibliometrix” R package and the VOSviewer program were utilized for data analysis. The number of BT studies rose dramatically between 2005 and 2016 with the appearance of BTV in Europe. The USA and England were determined as the most influential countries. The Veterinary Microbiology and Medical and Veterinary Entomology journals were identified as the most prominent journals of the field. It has been determined that serological studies have been a focal point and collaborations have been strengthened in the field of BTV. Conversely, financing sources and collaboration levels regarding BTV studies were found to be inadequate in African and Asian countries. This paper is expected to provide information to researchers interested in BTV studies about the intellectual structure of the field.

Highlights of Veterinary Entomology, 2022.

The field of veterinary entomology is dominated by research concerning insects and arthropods that negatively impact the health of domestic animals. A curated selection of peer-reviewed research which was highlighted at the 2022 Joint Meeting between the Entomological Society of America, the Entomological Society of Canada, and the Entomological Society of British Columbia, which prioritized exploring entomology through the lens of art, science, and culture are summarized. Articles are categorized into (i) biting and non-biting flies, (ii) ectoparasites, and (iii) review articles, with the overall goal of showcasing innovative methodologies, addressing overlooked questions in veterinary entomology, and highlighting comprehensive reviews. While not exhaustive, the selected studies represent a myriad of arthropods, methodologies, and perspectives, to inspire future scientists with diverse research avenues and emphasize the continual evolution and importance of entomological studies in today's world.

Prevalence of Parasites Infestation in Cultured and Wild African Catfish in Zaria Kaduna State, Nigeria

The study aimed to investigate the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites in wild and cultured catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Zaria and its Environs, Nigeria. Two hundred and forty (240) African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) of both sexes were sampled from cultured ponds and some water bodies around Zaria (including Galma dam, river Kubanni, River Saye). The fish were transported to the Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and used for the study. The catfish were dissected longitudinally and examine for parasites (GIT) grossly, and using Simple flotation technique for parasite eggs and oocysts of helminths and protozoans. Modified Ziehl Neelson staining technique was further performed on oocysts suspected to be Cryptosporidium. The result showed an overall occurrence of 32.5% for GIT parasites in Clarias gariepinus in the study area. The GIT parasites identified in both wild and cultured Clarias gariepinus were Procamallanus laevionchus (46.7%), Capillaria species (13.3%), and some unknown helminths (40.0%). There was a highly significant difference (p = 0.001) in the occurrence of Crytosporidium oocysts in wild Clarias gariepinus (86.2%) compared with cultured Clarias gariepinus (13.8%). Based on the sex; there was an observably higher occurrence of GIT parasites in male catfish (17.1%) than in female (15.4%), although not statistically significant (p = 0.645). The finding of this work revealed that gastrointestinal parasites are prevalent in the Clarias species sampled in Zaria and its Environs. It is hereby recommended that effective control measures and good culinary practices should be adopted to decimate the effect of these parasites in fish, especially those raised in culture ponds to improve productivity.

Analysis of the Influence of Changing and Fixed Temperatures on the Growth and Pteridine Content in the Head of Adults Sarcophaga crassipalpis (Diptera: Sarcophagidae).

Flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) are regarded as significant in medical and veterinary entomology, and their development models can be utilized as considerable markers to ascertain the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin). In this research, we explored the growth cycle and larval body length of Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart 1839 (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) reared under variable temperatures ranging from 15.7 to 31.1 °C, with an average of 24.55 °C and relative humidity ranges from 31.4 to 82.8% and at six fixed temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, 32, and then 35 °C. Moreover, pteridine from the head was used to assess adult age grading. Our results allowed us to provide three development models: the isomorphen chart, the isomegalen chart, and the thermal summation models. The time taken for S. crassipalpis to complete its development from larviposition to adult emergence at constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, 32, and 35 °C was 1256.3 ± 124.2, 698.6 ± 15.1, 481.8 ± 35.7, 366.0 ± 13.5, and 295.8 ± 20.5 h, respectively, except 35 °C, where all pupae were unable to attain adulthood. They lasted 485.8 ± 5.4 h under variable temperatures. The minimum developmental limit (D0) temperature and the thermal summation constant (K) of S. crassipalpis were 9.31 ± 0.55 °C and 7290.0 ± 388.4 degree hours, respectively. The increase in pteridine content exhibited variations across different temperatures. There was quite a considerable distinction in the pteridine contents of male and female S. crassipalpis at 15 °C (p = 0.0075) and 25 °C (p = 0.0213). At 32 °C and variable temperatures, the pteridine content between female and male S. crassipalpis was not statistically divergent. However, temperature and gender remain the main factors influencing the pteridine content in the head of S. crassipalpis. We aim to provide detailed developmental data on S. crassipalpis that can be used as a valuable resource for future research and PMI estimation.

Machine learning analysis of wing venation patterns accurately identifies Sarcophagidae, Calliphoridae and Muscidae fly species.

In medical, veterinary and forensic entomology, the ease and affordability of image data acquisition have resulted in whole-image analysis becoming an invaluable approach for species identification. Krawtchouk moment invariants are a classical mathematical transformation that can extract local features from an image, thus allowing subtle species-specific biological variations to be accentuated for subsequent analyses. We extracted Krawtchouk moment invariant features from binarised wing images of 759 male fly specimens from the Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae and Muscidae families (13 species and a species variant). Subsequently, we trained the Generalized, Unbiased, Interaction Detection and Estimation random forests classifier using linear discriminants derived from these features and inferred the species identity of specimens from the test samples. Fivefold cross-validation results show a 98.56 ± 0.38% (standard error) mean identification accuracy at the family level and a 91.04 ± 1.33% mean identification accuracy at the species level. The mean F1-score of 0.89 ± 0.02 reflects good balance of precision and recall properties of the model. The present study consolidates findings from previous small pilot studies of the usefulness of wing venation patterns for inferring species identities. Thus, the stage is set for the development of a mature data analytic ecosystem for routine computer image-based identification of fly species that are of medical, veterinary and forensic importance.

106 Serial Evaluation ofA. Marginale Positivity Rate Within a Single Herd of Mature Beef Cows

Abstract Anaplasmosis is an economically devastating disease in cattle that is caused by the rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma marginale. Infected cattle can serve as biological reservoirs for the organism, thus enabling further transmission of the disease to naive individuals via ticks, biting flies and contaminated needles. It is estimated that this disease causes over $300 million in expenses for the U.S. cattle industry annually. As a result, a better understanding of this disease and its prevalence is needed. As part of an ongoing collaborative effort between the University of Arkansas and the Kansas State University (KSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, general surveillance testing of beef cattle herds in Washington county, Arkansas previously indicated a possible 30% positivity rate for A. marginale in 2019. The objective of this study was to utilize both quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) tests to determine the whole-herd prevalence of A. marginale within the University of Arkansas Washington county research herd. In the fall of 2020, the entire fall-calving herd (168, apparently healthy, mature beef cows) was sampled and tested. Both whole blood and serum samples were collected from each animal. qPCR testing was completed on each whole blood sample submitted at the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine, while cELISA testing was completed on each serum sample by the University of Arkansas. Of the68 cows tested, 20 cows tested seropositive, with a % Inhibition of 30 or above (mean = 45%). Confirmatory qPCR testing on all seropositive samples, however, indicated that all cows were negative for active infection with A. marginale. Subsequently, in the spring of 2022, all available cows that had previously tested seropositive for A. marginale were retested using the same protocol as previously described, except that all qPCR testing was completed by University of Arkansas Veterinary Entomology Lab. Of the 17 mature cows still in inventory, that had previously tested seropositive for A. marginale, only 7 were still seropositive with a % inhibition of 30 or above (mean = 39%). However, confirmatory qPCR testing on all 7 seropositive samples indicated that all cows were negative for active infections with A. marginale. Because of its lower cost, compared with qPCR testing, ELISA testing is commonly recommended to and utilized by producers and veterinarians as a first-line diagnostic for individual and herd health evaluation and management. Information gathered by this study indicates that cELISA testing alone may not provide an accurate depiction of actual infection rates within a herd, and that further investigation into possible causes of false positivity are required. As part of this study, additional assays investigating the specificity of the commercial Anaplasmosis cELISA and possible cross-reaction with other endemic rickettsial pathogens will be performed.

Diversity, distribution and relative abundance of the mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) of Malakand and Dir Lower, Pakistan.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the diversity, distribution (C) and relative abundance (RA) of the mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) of Malakand and Dir Lower, Pakistan. Collection of specimens (n = 1087) was made during September 2018 to July 2019 at six different habitats including freshwater bodies, rice fields, animal sheds, indoors, drains and sewage waters. Specimens were collected through light traps, pyrethrum spray, aspirators and nets and subsequently killed, preserved and then arranged in entomological boxes for identification. Three genera were identified namely Culex, Anopheles and Aedes. A total of fourteen species were identified namely: Cx. quinquefasciatus (Say, 1823), An. stephensi (Liston, 1901), Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (Giles, 1901), Ae. vittatus (Bigot, 1861), An. maculatus (Theobald, 1901), An. fluviatilis (James, 1902), Cx. vishnui (Theobald, 1901), Ae. aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) An. subpictus (Grassi, 1899), An. dthali (Patton, 1905), An. culicifascies (Giles, 1901), An. pallidus (Theobald, 1901), Ae. albopictus (Skuse, 1894) and An. annularis (van der Wulp, 1884). Cx. quinquefasciatus was found constantly distributed in the study area with RA = 16.5% and C = 100%. An. annularis was found as a satellite species, sporadically distributed in the study area having RA = 0.9% and C = 17%. Diversity indices of mosquitoes in the studied habitats were found as, Shannon-Wiener Index (2.415), Simpson Index (9.919), Fisher's Index (2.269) and Margalef's Index (1.859). A statistically significant difference was recorded in mosquito diversity in the six habitats (Kruskal-Wallis, chi-squared, H = 17.5, df = 5, P = 0.003 at α = 0.05). The present study encompasses mosquito fauna of Malakand, Pakistan with respect to diversity, relative abundance and distribution in diverse habitats and all seasons of the year. This will assist scientists working in various fields related with epidemiology, medical and veterinary entomology, ecology and allied areas of biological sciences.

Research on medical and veterinary entomology in the insular Caribbean: a bibliometric analysis

Research on medical and veterinary entomology in the insular Caribbean: a bibliometric analysis

Prevalence of Helminth Parasites of Swine in three Selected Local Government Areas of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Background: Helminth infections of swine are common, but reports on the economic losses are not available. Though they cause a reduction in weight gain by interfering with food digestion, absorption, and feed conversion efficiency, there has been an increase in feeding cost complicated by helminth parasite infections. The losses are difficult to substantiate due to the chronic nature of helminth infections. This study sought to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of swine helminth infections in three local government areas of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was applied to selected pig farms and animals from three local government areas in Ibadan for participation. 10 grams of freshly voided faeces were collected from a total of 246 pigs into a sterile labelled bottle containing 10% formalin until processed. Faecal samples were examined in the Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan. Oral interviews were made to assess the daily routine activities and health status of the pigs from farm owners. Results: The overall prevalence of helminth parasites of swine in this study was 34.2% while the species prevalence of four helminth parasites obtained in this study included: A. suum 35 (14.26%), T. suis 23 (9.3%), Oesophagostomum spp 17 (6.9%), and Strongyloides spp 9 (3.6%). Also the overall single and mixed helminth infections were 70.2% and 29.8% in the three local government areas respectively; helminth parasitic load was highest in grower pigs (48.4%), followed by piglets (31.6%), and lowest in adult pigs (22.5%) without significant difference (p>0.05). Female pigs demonstrated a higher parasite burden (37.6%) than male pigs (30.6%) with no significant difference (p>0.05). Semi-intensively managed farms had a higher parasite load (71%) than those under the intensive system (24%) while farms that administered anthelmintic recorded a lower prevalence (15%), and those without had a higher (63%) significance (p<0.05). Pigs in Ona-Ara and Akinyele local government areas voided low (EPG≤100) to moderate (EPG≥100<500) amount of helminth eggs while pigs in Egbeda local government area excreted high (EPG≥500≤1000). Conclusion: The risk factors for helminth infections in pigs are age, sex, farm management practice, and anthelminthic administration.

Special Collection: Highlights of Medical, Urban and Veterinary Entomology. Highlights in Medical Entomology, 2021.

Life remained far from normal as we completed the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic and entered a second year. Despite the challenges faced worldwide, together we continue to move the field of Medical Entomology forward. Here, I reflect on parallels between control of Covid-19 and vector-borne disease control, discuss the advantages and caveats of using new genotyping technologies for the study of invasive species, and proceed to highlight papers that were published between 2020 and 2021 with a focus on those related to mosquito surveillance and population genetics of mosquito vectors.

Collaboration is the key to resilience

Owing to the impact of the Covid pandemic that swept across Europe and the world since early 2020, never before has infectious diseases and their potential as a health and economic risk been so forefront in the minds of the European public, at least not in recent times. Those of us that been involved in medical and veterinary entomology or vector-borne disease related research and surveillance know only too well how quickly new and existing diseases can emerge to cause local and regional outbreaks. The outbreak of Zika in the Americas highlighted the prospect of global transmission of a vector-borne disease with outbreaks concerning the Americas, suddenly a concern for Europe.

Ecology of preimaginal phases of mosquitoes in the north of Yakutia

The experimental part of the work was carried out in the Momsky district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in 2008. Office processing of the collected material was carried out at the Yakut Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture, the All-Russian Research Institute of Veterinary Entomology and Arachnology. The larvae were taken with a net from the mill gas and their number was counted. To determine the density of larvae, a recalculation per 1 m2 of the water surface was performed. Then the larvae and pupae were placed in vessels with water and delivered to the laboratory, where they were preserved with 70% aqueous alcohol solution in 10 ml vials with rubber stoppers, the vials were supplied with labels. Samples were taken once a week, from the third decade of May to the third decade of July. A total of 14120 mosquito larvae were collected. district is located at 66°27ў18ўў north latitude and 143°13ў11ўў east longitude. In temporary reservoirs, the density of mosquito larvae in the second decade of June is up to 876 ind./m2. At the beginning of the third decade of June, the density of larvae reaches up to 1432 ind./m2. At the end of June, a decrease in the density of mosquito larvae to 233 ind./m2 was noted with a simultaneous increase in the number of pupae. The species composition of adults emerging from the cage was determined as Aedes punctor Kirby and A. hexodontus Dyar. The percentage of emergence from pupae is 95%. Mosquitoes have been flying since June.

Insecticide Susceptibility Status of Lab and Field Populations of Aedes albopictus from Gainesville, Florida, to Organophosphates and Pyrethroids.

Previous unpublished results from 2 open-field studies in South Florida evaluated the effectiveness of 4 ultra-low volume malathion formulations, applied by ground application against a USDA (Gainesville) laboratory-colonized strain of Aedes albopictus. Field results of the bioassays indicated that the species was highly resistant to malathion compared with other insecticide-susceptible mosquito species concurrently tested. Unfortunately, when the Ae. albopictus colony was initially started in 2003 from a field collection in Gainesville, FL, susceptibility to insecticides was not determined. Since that time, this species has been in constant production without exposure to pesticides by the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL. In order to determine its susceptibility level to malathion and compare it with 3 current field-collected Ae. albopictus populations, 3 organophosphates (malathion, chlorpyrifos, naled) and 2 pyrethroids (permethrin, deltamethrin) were tested in the laboratory, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bottle bioassays. Results of the study confirmed that the USDA-Gainesville Ae. albopictus was still highly resistant to malathion even after being maintained in the laboratory for 16 years without exposure to pesticides. The 3 field-collected populations were also resistant to malathion but slightly less so than the USDA-Gainesville population. Rotation of pyrethroid products 16 years ago did not result in any significant reduction of malathion resistance in the field populations. Neither the USDA-Gainesville nor the field-collected Ae. albopictus populations showed cross-resistance to chlorpyrifos and naled. Lower mortalities were observed in the 10-min diagnostic time from the 3 field-collected populations against permethrin but rose significantly at 15-min exposure. Resistance was not detected for deltamethrin in any of the 4 Gainesville Ae. albopictus populations.

Delusional parasitosis: an entomological perspective after a 20-years-experience in two public medical and veterinary entomology laboratories

Delusional parasitosis (DP) is psychiatric disorder characterized by the unshakeable belief of being infested by endo– or ectoparasites, without any evidence of infestations. Hence, DP sufferers often consult medical entomologists or dermatologists, rather than seeking help from a mental health practitioner. Here we present 39 cases of suspected DP occurred in twenty years in two Italian public medical entomology laboratories, to highlight their common features and peculiarities, based on the interviews and material brought to our laboratories. Our results confirmed that DP affects both sexes, but is more frequent in females over the age of 50 years. Cases of psychological contagion, mostly affecting elderly people, were reported within seven family units. Some rare or unique features of DP sufferers involved: the fixed belief to be infested by endoparasites, olfactory hallucinations of unpleasant smell, self-harm to get rid of the imaginary parasite and suicidal thoughts. We suggest the term “Digital pics sign” to describe a modern derivative of the “Matchbox sign”, where the DP sufferers showed pictures and videos, in person or sent by email, as proofs of being infested. Medical entomologists, being the most frequently contacted professionals by DP sufferers, may be crucial to raise awareness about this psychological disorder and to encourage a multidisciplinary approach amongst medical professionals and pest control operators.

Genetic and Chemical Profiling of Solenopsis spp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Intercepted in Hawaii

Ants intercepted by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture in 2018 and 2019 identified as Solenopsis spp., and possibly S. invicta, were submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service-Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research Unit for further taxonomic assessment using genetic and chemical methods. The 2018 sample consisted of 1 worker ant, and the 2019 sample consisted of 3 worker ants. Thoraces were used for genetic assessment and gasters were used for venom analyses. It was determined readily from genetic and chemical analyses that the intercepted ants were not S. invicta or S. richteri. Mitochondrial COX1 gene sequences were compared with previously published data from Solenopsis species. The closest match for the 2018 sample was S. xyloni, which is native to the shipment's origin (San Diego, California, USA). The 2 major alkaloids found were characteristic of the S. geminata species group. In addition, the alkaloid ratio closely matched that of S. xyloni. Therefore, the alkaloid analysis of the 2018 intercepted ant concurs with the genetic data that the ant was an S. xyloni worker. The COX1 gene sequences of the 2019 interceptions most closely matched S. geminata. The corresponding venom alkaloid profile also eliminated S. invicta and S. richteri as possibilities. However, 1 major alkaloid was unusual (Fig. 2) and normally is found only in trace amounts. We suggest the 2019 specimens are an unusual variant of S. geminata.

First Report of Culicoides Biting Midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Attacking People in Italy, With the Description of Extreme Larval Breeding Sites and Diurnal Activity of Culicoides riethi.

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) play a paramount role in medical and veterinary entomology worldwide, particularly as vectors of pathogens which cause animal diseases. Biting midges are also infamous for the nuisance they provoke to people involved in outdoor activities. Nonetheless, attacks to man by midges from any Culicoides species have not been reported in Italy. An entomological investigation was performed following repeated attacks to man in a nature park near Rome (central Italy). The study area is a natural degassing zone, characterized by widespread hazardous gas emissions of CO2 and H2S, with several water bodies including permanent lakes, ponds, and pools. The biting midge C. riethi Kieffer, 1914 was very active during daytime in the period April–June. The species has been identified as responsible for attacks on people in the area. An in-depth analysis of the extreme environmental conditions revealed the ability of larvae to thrive in several water bodies, characterized by an extremely low pH and a high concentration of sulfates.

Highlights in Veterinary Entomology, 2020: The Importance of the Contributions of Government Scientists to Research in Veterinary Entomology.

The field of veterinary entomology is primarily associated with the study of arthropods that impact the health of animals. Papers featured in the compilation of highlighted research from 2020 focused on studies conducted by scientists from the federal government that sought to understand and manage arthropods associated with wild and domesticated animals. The topics of these articles included research from the basic tenets of veterinary entomology: 1) biology and ecology of economically important pests, 2) novel control tactics and resistance management, 3) genomics, and 4) pathogen transmission. Key findings of the highlighted papers are presented and discussed to serve as a presentation record.

Visualization Technologies for Learning and Teaching Veterinary Acarology and Entomology.

Educational technologies are tools and resources used for improving teaching, learning, and creative inquiry. Visualization technologies (VTs) fall within this category and comprise a high diversity of strategies from simple infographics to complex forms of visual data analysis. Traditionally, parasitology has been a challenging subject in medical and veterinary degree courses due to the high number of scientific names, morphological characters, and complex life cycles, among other factors. This has been reinforced by conventional teaching methods with limited innovation strategies. Here we present the design and evaluation of an interactive album of veterinary acarology and entomology, "Álbum Interactivo de Acarología y Entomología Veterinaria" (AIAEV). This tool was assessed through three strategies: (1) a mean grade comparison between veterinary parasitology classes before and after VT implementation, (2) a system usability scale (SUS), and (3) a student/user satisfaction index. The grade value was higher in the class after implementation, the SUS total score was 80.05 (excellent), and 93.75% considered it a useful tool. This is the first study aimed at investigating the use of VTs to teach veterinary acarology and entomology and shows promising results to develop and implement digital technologies in this and other veterinary curricula disciplines.