Veterinary Entomology Research Articles

Magnetic nanoparticles are highly toxic to chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum, dengue virus (DEN-2), and their mosquito vectors.

A main challenge in parasitology is the development of reliable tools to prevent or treat mosquito-borne diseases. We investigated the toxicity of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) produced by Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense (strain MSR-1) on chloroquine-resistant (CQ-r) and sensitive (CQ-s) Plasmodium falciparum, dengue virus (DEN-2), and two of their main vectors, Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti, respectively. MNP were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. They were toxic to larvae and pupae of An. stephensi, LC50 ranged from 2.563ppm (1st instar larva) to 6.430ppm (pupa), and Ae. aegypti, LC50 ranged from 3.231ppm (1st instar larva) to 7.545ppm (pupa). MNP IC50 on P. falciparum were 83.32μgml-1 (CQ-s) and 87.47μgml-1 (CQ-r). However, the in vivo efficacy of MNP on Plasmodium berghei was low if compared to CQ-based treatments. Moderate cytotoxicity was detected on Vero cells post-treatment with MNP doses lower than 4μgml-1. MNP evaluated at 2-8μgml-1 inhibited DEN-2 replication inhibiting the expression of the envelope (E) protein. In conclusion, our findings represent the first report about the use of MNP in medical and veterinary entomology, proposing them as suitable materials to develop reliable tools to combat mosquito-borne diseases.

Development of the green bottle fly Lucilia illustris at constant temperatures

Lucilia illustris (Meigen 1826) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a cosmopolitan species that commonly colonizes carcasses and occasionally acts as parasites of humans or livestock, making it an insect of significant importance in forensic, medical, and veterinary entomology. However, only a few studies have documented the development of L. illustris. Here, we studied the developmental duration and larval body length changes of L. illustris under nine constant temperatures ranging from 15.0 to 35.0°C. Using these results, we generated an isomorphen diagram, thermal summation model, and isomegalen diagram for L. illustris. Simulation equations of the variation in the larval body length with time after hatching and variation in time after hatching with the body length were also obtained. L. illustris could complete its life cycle in 15.0–32.5°C, while its development was incomplete at 35.0°C, where the pupae failed to transform into adults. The development duration was 955.5±16.9, 625.7±16.9, 509.3±18.3, 410.0±17.0, 346.7±12.2, 290.2±6.7, 257.1±8.9, and 234.8±3.2h at 15.0, 17.5, 20.0, 22.5, 25.0, 27.5, 30.0, and 32.5°C, respectively. The developmental threshold temperature and thermal constant were 9.30±0.19°C and 5367.2±98.3°Ch, respectively. These results provide an important basis for the use of L. illustris development-based estimation of the minimum postmortem interval (PMImin) in forensic entomology.

How heterogeneous is the involvement of ABC transporters against insecticides?

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular defense against xenobiotic compounds is a main research issue in medical and veterinary entomology, as insecticide/acaricide resistance is a major threat in the control of arthropods. ABC transporters are recognized as a component of the detoxifying mechanism in arthropods. We investigated the possible involvement of ABC transporters in defense to the organophosphate insecticide temephos in the malarial vector Anopheles stephensi. We performed bioassays on larvae of An. stephensi, using insecticide alone and in combination with ABC-transporter inhibitors, to assess synergism between these compounds. Next, we investigated the expression profiles of six ABC transporter genes in larvae exposed to temephos. Surprisingly, neither bioassays nor gene expression analyses provided any evidence for a major role of ABC transporters in defense against temephos in An. stephensi. We thus decided to review existing literature to generate a record of other studies that failed to reveal a role for ABC transporters against particular insecticides/acaricides. A review of the scientific literature led to the recovery of 569 papers about ABC transporters; among these, 50 involved arthropods, and 10 reported negative results. Our study on An. stephensi and accompanying literature review highlight the heterogeneity that exists in ABC transporter involvement in defense/resistance mechanisms in arthropods.

Germline transformation of the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae(Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae), with a piggyBac transposon vector

Hanife GENC*, Marc F. SCHETELIG, Xavier NIRMALA, Alfred M. HANDLER Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Gainesville, Florida, USA Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany

Introduction of Julián F. Hillyer, Recipient of the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal For 2015

Introduction of Julián F. Hillyer, Recipient of the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal For 2015

Bionomy of two flies of sanitary and forensic importance: Peckia (Sarcodexia) lambens (Wiedemann) and Oxysarcodexia amorosa (Schiner) (Diptera, Sarcophagidae)

This study aims to elucidate the bionomy of Peckia (Sarcodexia) lambens and Oxysarcodexia amorosa to provide data for medical, veterinary and forensic entomology analyses. We analyzed larval stage duration (L1–L3), weight of the mature larvae (L3), pupal stage duration, L1–adult duration, adult emergence and viability of larvae and adults of both species. Larval viability of P. (S.) lambens was 82% and the mean duration of the larval stage was 3.51±0.99 days. The mature larvae had a mean weight of 33.67±7.13mg. The mean duration of the pupal stage was 8.26±0.93 days and the mean duration of the L1–adult was 11.53±1.22 days. Mean lifespan for females and males was 39.33±1.52 and 57.33±4.72 days, respectively. Larval viability of O. amorosa was 76% and mean duration of larval stage was 3.51±0.64 days. Mature larvae had a mean weight of 28.28±3.38mg. Mean duration of the pupal stage was 10.14±0.63 days and mean duration of the L1–adult was 13.60±0.69 days. Mean lifespan for females and males was 83.66±15.94 and 84.00±19.97 days, respectively. Oxysarcodexia amorosa showed a L1–adult stage longer than P. (S.) lambens; however both species showed low viability. O. amorosa laid more larvae than P. (S.) lambens, this fact may occur because O. amorosa had longer life duration.

Public Health Entomology Goddard, J. 2013. Public Health Entomology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. XIX + 210 pp. ISBN 978-1-4398-4881-4, US$89.00 (hardback), US$80.00 (eBook). Amazon

Goddard, J. 2013. Public Health Entomology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. XIX + 210 pp. ISBN 978-1-4398-4881-4, US$89.00 (hardback), US$80.00 (eBook). Amazon Few textbooks exist detailing the aspects of public health entomology, especially ones addressing the recent public health threats in the United States. Surveys in the U.S. assessing the public’s response to vector-borne diseases clearly demonstrate a growing concern for their control and knowledge, especially those transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes (Hill et al. 2009). Dr. Jerome Goddard, the author of Public Health Entomology , provides readers with a comprehensive 210-page textbook detailing aspects of modern-day public health entomology. An associate extension professor of medical and veterinary entomology at Mississippi State University, Dr. Goddard is an accomplished author who has written over 175 scientific papers, 8 book chapters, 4 college-level reference or textbooks and 6 fiction novels. View this article in BioOne

A look into the Medical and Veterinary Entomology crystal ball.

Medical and Veterinary Entomology (MVE) represents a leading periodical in its field and covers many aspects of the biology and control of insects, ticks, mites and other arthropods of medical and veterinary importance. Since the first issue of the journal, researchers working in both developed and developing countries have published in MVE, with direct impact on current knowledge in the field. An increasing number of articles dealing with the epidemiology and transmission of vector-borne pathogens have been published in MVE, reflecting rapid changes in vector distribution, pathogen transmission and host-arthropod interactions. This article represents a gaze into the crystal ball in which we identify areas of increasing interest, discuss the main changes that have occurred in the epidemiology of parasitic arthropods since the first issue of MVE, and predict the principal scientific topics that might arise in the next 25 years for scientists working in medical and veterinary entomology.

Molecular differentiation of Central European blowfly species (Diptera, Calliphoridae) using mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers

A challenging step in medical, veterinary and forensic entomology casework is the rapid and accurate identification of insects to estimate the period of insect activity (PIA), which usually approximates the post-mortem interval (PMI). The morphological identification of insect evidence is hampered by species similarities, especially at the early larval stages. However, DNA-based species identification is more accurate and reliable. In this study, we improved the suitability and efficacy of the standard mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcode region of 658bp combined with an additional region of 616bp of the same gene. We also tested the usefulness of other mitochondrial and nuclear loci, such as the non-coding region included in mitochondrial Cyt-b-tRNAser-ND1 (495–496bp) and the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) (310–337bp). We classified a total of 54 specimens from five blowfly species belonging to three Calliphoridae genera commonly found in Central Europe: Phormia (P. regina), Calliphora (C. vicina) and Lucilia (L. sericata, L. ampullacea and L. caesar). Additionally included were the Cyt-b (307bp) sequences for P. regina species and GenBank recorded information about the studied loci for select species. The results revealed the robustness of COI (616bp) and ITS2 (310–337bp) as diagnostic tools to be added to the widely established COI barcode (658bp). Their higher discriminatory power allows for more precise and reliable identifications, even within more complex genera (Lucilia). This work also contributes new nucleotide sequences that are useful for accurate species diagnosis and new sequence data of Calliphoridae interspecific variability in the European Westphalia region (Germany).

The Calliphoridae the blow flies (Diptera: Oestroidea) of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The identification of adults of the Calliphoridae (Diptera: Oestroidea) or blowflies is important in regard to sanitary biology, medical, veterinary, and forensic entomology. No comprehensive study of the Calliphoridae for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently available. An examination of 2,211 specimens collected from June 2010-June 2012 and literature records indicated at least 34 species of Calliphoridae are known from Saudi Arabia. Four species represent new country records, Pericallimyia greatheadi, Pollenia hungarica, Rhyncomya sinaiensis and Rhyncomya zumpti. Keys and illustrations are presented to allow determination of the adults of the 34 species. Additionally, distribution maps for these species for Saudi Arabia are provided.

Molecular phylogenetic profiling of gut-associated bacteria in larvae and adults of flesh flies.

Flesh flies of the genus Sarcophaga (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) are carrion-breeding, necrophagous insects important in medical and veterinary entomology as potential transmitters of pathogens to humans and animals. Our aim was to analyse the diversity of gut-associated bacteria in wild-caught larvae and adult flesh flies using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences from cultured isolates and clone libraries revealed bacteria affiliated to Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in the guts of larval and adult flesh flies. Bacteria cultured from larval and adult flesh fly guts belonged to the genera Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Budvicia, Citrobacter, Dermacoccus, Enterococcus, Ignatzschineria, Lysinibacillus, Myroides, Pasteurella, Proteus, Providencia and Staphylococcus. Phylogenetic analysis showed clone sequences of the genera Aeromonas, Bacillus, Bradyrhizobium, Citrobacter, Clostridium, Corynebacterium, Ignatzschineria, Klebsiella, Pantoea, Propionibacterium, Proteus, Providencia, Serratia, Sporosarcina, Weissella and Wohlfahrtiimonas. Species of clinically significant genera such as Ignatzschineria and Wohlfahrtiimonas spp. were detected in both larvae and adult flesh flies. Sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene libraries supported culture-based results and revealed the presence of additional bacterial taxa. This study determined the diversity of gut microbiota in flesh flies, which will bolster the ability to assess microbiological risk associated with the presence of these flies. The present data thereby establish a platform for a much larger study.

The Encyclopedia of Medical and Veterinary Entomology

The Encyclopedia of Medical and Veterinary Entomology

Ticks and associated diseases: a retrospective review

This is a retrospective review of contributions to the understanding of ticks and associated diseases published in Medical and Veterinary Entomology since its first issue. It highlights the large and significant changes in the style and conduct of this field over the last 25 years. The selected papers refer to disease-related categories of host immunity to ticks, population dynamics, pathogen transmission and tick control.

Review of “The Encyclopedia of medical & veterinary entomology” by Richard Russell, Domenico Otranto & Richard Wall

Review of “The Encyclopedia of medical & veterinary entomology” by Richard Russell, Domenico Otranto & Richard Wall

Veterinary forensic entomology

At the University of Liverpool vet school, third‐year students complete a dissertation of their choice. Emily Ratsep chose veterinary forensic entomology, an interest she developed by accident

Reductions in Energy and Water Use in a Government Laboratory through An Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC)

ABSTRACT The USDA's Agricultural Research Service Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology is constantly looking for ways to reduce its energy and water use while still delivering world-class research in a comfortable and safe facility. Over the years, the federal facility has achieved reductions by teaming up with its local utility provider. More recently, it participated in an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) with an energy services company to radically reduce its total energy use from 28,974 MBtu/yr to 23,413 MBtu/yr, and its water use from 426.4 Kgal/yr to 182.0 Kgal/yr while maintaining occupant safety and comfort. The unique features of an ESPC allow any federal facility to accomplish energy savings projects without up-front capital outlays. Both in-house small projects and large projects can be accomplished through the ESPC process using private financing, with implementation costs and debt service paid for out of energy savings.

Retraction

Medical and Veterinary EntomologyVolume 27, Issue 1 p. 122-122 Free Access Retraction This article corrects the following: Retracted: Established and emerging pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from birds on a conservation island in the Baltic Sea J. FRANKE, F. MEIER, A. MOLDENHAUER, E. STRAUBE, W. DORN, A. HILDEBRANDT, Volume 24Issue 4Medical and Veterinary Entomology pages: 425-432 First Published online: September 26, 2010 First published: 04 January 2013 https://doi.org/10.1111/mve.12002AboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat The following article from Medical and Veterinary Entomology, ‘Established and emerging pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from birds on a conservation island in the Baltic Sea’ by J. Franke, F. Meier, A. Moledenhauer, E. Straube, W. Dorne and A. Hildebrandt, published online on 26 September 2010 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editors, Doug D. Colwell, Mary Cameron, Domenico Otranto and Hilary Ranson and Blackwell Publishing Ltd. and with the knowledge of the authors. The retraction has been agreed due to overlap between this article and the following articles published in the journal Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases: ‘The potential role of migratory birds in transmission cycles of Babesia spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Rickettsia spp.’ by Anke Hildebrandt, Jan Franke, Frank Meier, Svea Sachse, Wolfram Dorn and Eberhard Straube. Ticks and Tick-Bourne Diseases, Volume 1 Issue 2, 2010, pages 105–107 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2009.12.003 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X10000105 and Are birds reservoir hosts for Borrelia afzelii? By Jan Franke, Anja Moldenhauer, A., Anke Hildebrandt, Wolfram Dorn, Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, Volume 1 Issue 2, 109–112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2010.03.001 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X10000336 References Franke, J., Meier, F., Moldenhauer, A., Straube, E., Dorn, W. & Hildebrandt, A. (2010) Established and emerging pathogens in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from birds on a conservation island in the Baltic Sea. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 24: 425– 432. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2010.00905.x Wiley Online LibraryCASPubMedWeb of Science®Google Scholar http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2010.00905.x/abstract Google Scholar Volume27, Issue1March 2013Pages 122-122 ReferencesRelatedInformation

A scientific note on the comparison of airborne volatiles produced by commercial bumble bee (Bombus impatiens) and honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Investigators have shown (Stanghellini et al. 2000; Spiewok and Newman 2006; Hoffman et al. 2008) that commercial bumble bee (Bombus impatiens Cresson, Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies can serve as potential alternative hosts for the small hive beetle (SHB, Aethina tumida Murray, Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), a honey bee pest (Lundie 1940; Neumann and Elzen 2004; Ellis and Hepburn 2006). Using olfactory choice tests, Graham et al. (2011) found that SHB attraction to bumble bee colonies is chemically mediated. Since SHBs are attracted to bumble bee and honey bee colonies, we expected the volatile profiles produced by bumble bee and honey bee colony components to be similar. To test this, airborne volatiles produced by bumble bee and honey bee adults, brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae), honey, stored pollen (= bee bread), and wax were collected and analyzed. In June 2007, two commercial bumble bee (B. impatiens) quads (= eight colonies; Koppert Biological Systems, Inc., Romulus, MI) were established at the University of Florida’s Bee Biology Unit in Gainesville, FL (37.629′′29° N, 21.405′′82° W). Both quads consisted of four bumble bee colonies containing a reproductive queen, 200–250 workers, brood, and nesting material. Eight queenright honey bee colonies were housed in typical Langstroth style equipment at the University of Florida’s Bee Biology Unit in Gainesville, FL. Volatiles were collected from colony components using methods modified from Suazo et al. (2003). The colony components (adult bees, brood, honey, pollen, and wax) were extracted from eight bumble bee and eight honey bee colonies. The samples were placed in glass volatile collection chambers (3.8 L) by component and colony at the USDA-ARS Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology (CMAVE, Gainesville, FL). All volatile collections were conducted in a controlled environmental chamber maintained without light and at an ambient temperature of ∼33 °C. Charcoal-filtered and humidified air, controlled by carboloy flowmeters, was passed through the volatile collection chambers and into SuperQ filters at a rate of 0.5 L/min. All component volatiles were collected for 14 h with the exception of brood volatiles that were collected for 7 h. The abbreviated time frame for volatile collection of brood was intended to avoid stressing the unattended brood, recognizing the fact that brood may still be stressed in the absence of adult workers. Adult bees were provisioned with a cotton wick saturated with a 50 % sugar water solution and an autoclaved steel mesh platform on which the adults could crawl to minimize stress. Volatiles trapped on the SuperQ filters were extracted by eluting the filter with 500 μL of methylene chloride. These samples were pooled by component and bee type and stored in a −70 °C freezer (Revco Scientific, Inc., Asheville, NC) at CMAVE until use. volatile / Bombus impatiens / bumble bee / Apis mellifera / honey bee / olfaction

Fire Ants (Solenopsisspp.) and Their Natural Enemies in Southern South America

We review the fire ant research conducted by the ARS-South American Biological Control Laboratory (SABCL) since 1987 to find a complex of natural enemies in southern South America and evaluate their specificity and suitability for field release as self-sustaining biological control agents. We also include those studies conducted by the ARS-Center for Medical, Agriculture, and Veterinary Entomology in the United States with the SABCL collaboration. Ecological and biological information is reported on local fire ants and their microsporidia, nematodes, viruses, phorid flies, eucharitid wasps, strepsiptera, and parasitic ants. Their biology, abundance, distribution, detrimental effect, field persistence, specificity, and phenology are discussed. We conclude that the objectives of the ARS program in South America are being achieved and that the pioneering studies have served to encourage further investigations in the United States and other countries and advanced the implementation of biological control programs to decrease imported fire ant densities and damage. Still, several promising organisms should be further investigated for eventual field release in the near future.

Myiasis among slaughtered animals in Kashan, Iran: describing a veterinary entomological problem in the tropics.

Myiasis is a common veterinary entomology problem in many slaughterhouses in the tropics.The prevalence of myiasis among slaughtered cattlewas investigated in Kashan Abattoir, central Iran, in 2009. All kinds of dipterous larvae that may cause myiasis were collected and identified.Thenthe prevalence of each infestation was analyzed by statistical tests. The results of the study revealed a total of 4 species of dipterous larvae belonged to two families of Sarcophagidae and Oestridae. The identified species were the following ones: Family Oestridae: Hypodermalineatum (61.4%), Hypodermaovis (12.6%), Oestrusovis (22.7%) and Family Sarcophagidae: Wohlfahrtiamagnifica (3.8%).Of the 7736 examined animals, 2.5% of goats and 0.5% of sheep were infested by any kinds of dipterous larvae. Statistical comparisons were made between the sex of host species and occurrence of myiasis, infested animals and species of larvae, the infested body parts of the host, and finally between the prevalence and origin of the cattle. Statistically the possibility of infestation of goats was 1.43 times more than sheep (odds ratio=1.43). These findingscan be considered by officials to keep the human and animal myiasis under control. There is also need to investigate the prevalence and incidence of animal myiasis in other parts of the country to clarify the spread of infestation in the country and in the region.