Beauveria bassiana associated with a novel biomimetic hydrogel to control Aedes albopictus through lure and kill ovitraps.

BACKGROUND: Within the framework of sustainable and effective control methods for Aedes albopictus, two different conidial suspensions, BbCS-1 and BbCS-2 (respectively without and with nutrients), were used as solvents for the biopolymers water-soluble 2-hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) and sodium alginate (SA). In this way, two different classes of hydrogels were prepared for each polymer (previously shown to attract tiger mosquito oviposition) to produce HEC-based and SA-based Bb/Gel systems with and without nutrients. The aim was to achieve a long-lasting and cost-effective lure-and-kill oviposition substrate useful for lethal ovitraps. Beauveria bassiana (Bb) survival and growth in the different Bb/Gel systems were monitored for 24 days. Following the growth assay, 24-day-old Bb/Gel systems were tested against Ae. albopictus eggs through a hatching test to evaluate their lethal effect. RESULTS: Gel systems enhance Bb's longevity (up to 24 days) more effectively than standard liquid conidial suspensions, proving that tested HEC- and SA-based hydrogels are not toxic for Bb (biocompatibility) and create a microenvironment suitable to sustain prolonged fungal growth. In particular, the results indicate that gel system based on hydroxyethylcellulose is a suitable delivery substrate for supporting the activity of Bb and is simultaneously effective against Ae. albopictus eggs through a combined mechanism of mechanical effect and fungal action (CM > 90%). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of Bb gel systems was assessed according to its properties in favouring the growth and vitality of Bb as well as in reducing the Ae. albopictus hatching eggs rate. Further studies, in semi-field and field conditions, will be useful to evaluate the efficacy of Bb/Gel systems on adults in terms of attraction, oviposition, mortality, and potential autodissemination to propose a new tool in precision pest management. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Longitudinal survey of insecticide resistance in a village of central region of Burkina Faso reveals co-occurrence of 1014F, 1014S and 402L mutations in Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles arabiensis.

BACKGROUND: Pyrethroid resistance is one of the major threats for effectiveness of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) in malaria vector control. Genotyping of mutations in the voltage gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene is widely used to easily assess the evolution and spread of pyrethroid target-site resistance among malaria vectors. L1014F and L1014S substitutions are the most common and best characterized VGSC mutations in major African malaria vector species of the Anopheles gambiae complex. Recently, an additional substitution involved in pyrethroid resistance, i.e. V402L, has been detected in Anopheles coluzzii from West Africa lacking any other resistance alleles at locus 1014. The evolution of target-site resistance mutations L1014F/S and V402L was monitored in An. coluzzii and Anopheles arabiensis specimens from a Burkina Faso village over a 10-year range after the massive ITN scale-up started in 2010. METHODS: Anopheles coluzzii (N = 300) and An. arabiensis (N = 362) specimens collected both indoors and outdoors by different methods (pyrethrum spray catch, sticky resting box and human landing collections) in 2011, 2015 and 2020 at Goden village were genotyped by TaqMan assays and sequencing for the three target site resistance mutations; allele frequencies were statistically investigated over the years. RESULTS: A divergent trend in resistant allele frequencies was observed in the two species: 1014F decreased in An. coluzzii (from 0.76 to 0.52) but increased in An. arabiensis (from 0.18 to 0.70); 1014S occurred only in An. arabiensis and slightly decreased over time (from 0.33 to 0.23); 402L increased in An. coluzzii (from 0.15 to 0.48) and was found for the first time in one An. arabiensis specimen. In 2020 the co-occurrence of different resistance alleles reached 43% in An. coluzzii (alleles 410L and 1014F) and 32% in An. arabiensis (alleles 1014F and 1014S). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, an increasing level of target-site resistance was observed among the populations with only 1% of the two malaria vector species being wild type at both loci, 1014 and 402, in 2020. This, together with the co-occurrence of different mutations in the same specimens, calls for future investigations on the possible synergism between resistance alleles and their phenotype to implement local tailored intervention strategies.

A novel tetra-primer ARMS-PCR approach for the molecular karyotyping of chromosomal inversion 2Ru in the main malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii.

BACKGROUND: Chromosomal inversion polymorphisms have been associated with adaptive behavioral, physiological, morphological and life history traits in the two main Afrotropical malaria vectors, Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae. The understanding of the adaptive value of chromosomal inversion systems is constrained by the feasibility of cytological karyotyping. In recent years in silico and molecular approaches have been developed for the genotyping of most widespread inversions (2La, 2Rb and 2Rc). The 2Ru inversion, spanning roughly 8% of chromosome 2R, is commonly polymorphic in West African populations of An. coluzzii and An. gambiae and shows clear increases in frequency with increasing rainfall seasonally and geographically. The aim of this work was to overcome the constraints of currently available cytological and high-throughput molecular assays by developing a simple PCR assay for genotyping the 2Ru inversion in individual specimens of both mosquito species. METHODS: We designed tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR assays based on five tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously shown to be strongly correlated with 2Ru inversion orientation. The most promising assay was validated against laboratory and field samples of An. coluzzii and An. gambiae karyotyped either cytogenetically or molecularly using a genotyping-in-thousands by sequencing (GT-seq) high-throughput approach that employs targeted sequencing of multiplexed PCR amplicons. RESULTS: A successful assay was designed based on the tag SNP at position 2R, 31710303, which is highly predictive of the 2Ru genotype. The assay, which requires only one PCR, and no additional post-PCR processing other than electrophoresis, produced a clear banding pattern for 98.5% of the 454 specimens tested, which is a 96.7% agreement with established karyotyping methods. Sequences were obtained for nine of the An. coluzzii specimens manifesting 2Ru genotype discrepancies with GT-seq. Possible sources of these discordances are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The tetra-primer ARMS-PCR assay represents an accurate, streamlined and cost-effective method for the molecular karyotyping of the 2Ru inversion in An. coluzzii and An. gambiae. Together with approaches already available for the other common polymorphic inversions, 2La, 2Rb and 2Rc, this assay will allow investigations of the adaptive value of the complex set of inversion systems observed in the two major malaria vectors in the Afrotropical region.

A modified BG-Sentinel trap equipped with FTA card as a novel tool for mosquito-borne disease surveillance: a field test for flavivirus detection.

Early detection of pathogens in vectors is important in preventing the spread of arboviral diseases, providing a timely indicator of pathogen circulation before outbreaks occur. However, entomological surveillance may face logistical constraints, such as maintaining the cold chain, and resource limitations, such as the field and laboratory workload of mosquito processing. We propose an FTA card-based trapping system that aims to simplify both field and laboratory phases of arbovirus surveillance. We modified a BG-Sentinel trap to include a mosquito collection chamber and a sugar feeding source through an FTA card soaked in a long-lasting viscous solution of honey and hydroxy-cellulose hydrogel. The FTA card ensures environmental preservation of nucleic acids, allowing continuous collection and feeding activity of specimens for several days and reducing the effort required for viral detection. We tested the trap prototype during two field seasons (2019 and 2021) in North-eastern Italy and compared it to CDC-CO2 trapping applied in West Nile and Usutu virus regional surveillance. Collections by the BG-FTA approach detected high species diversity, including Culex pipiens, Aedes albopictus, Culex modestus, Anopheles maculipennis sensu lato and Ochlerotatus caspius. When used for two-days sampling, the BG-FTA trap performed equally to CDC also for the WNV-major vector Cx. pipiens. The FTA cards detected both WNV and USUV, confirming the reliability of this novel approach to detect viral circulation in infectious mosquitoes. We recommend this surveillance approach as a particularly useful alternative in multi-target surveillance, for sampling in remote areas and in contexts characterized by high mosquito densities and diversity.

The interplay between malaria vectors and human activity accounts for high residual malaria transmission in a Burkina Faso village with universal ITN coverage.

BACKGROUND: Mosquito and human behaviour interaction is a key determinant of the maximum level of protection against malaria that can be provided by insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). Nevertheless, scant literature focuses on this interaction, overlooking a fundamental factor for efficient malaria control. This study aims to estimate malaria transmission risk in a Burkina Faso village by integrating vector biting rhythms with some key information about human habits. METHODS: Indoor/outdoor human landing catches were conducted for 16 h (16:00-08:00) during 8 nights (September 2020) in Goden village. A survey about net usage and sleeping patterns was submitted to half the households (October-December 2020). A subsample of collected specimens of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato was molecularly processed for species identification, Plasmodium detection from heads-thoraxes and L1014F pyrethroid-resistance allele genotyping. Hourly mosquito abundance was statistically assessed by GLM/GAM, and the entomological inoculation rate (EIR) was corrected for the actual ITN usage retrieved from the questionnaire. RESULTS: Malaria transmission was mainly driven by Anopheles coluzzii (68.7%) followed by A. arabiensis (26.2%). The overall sporozoite rate was 2% with L1014F estimated frequency of 0.68 (N = 1070 out of 15,201 A. gambiae s.l. collected). No major shift in mosquito biting rhythms in response to ITN or differences between indoor and outdoor catches were detected. Impressive high biting pressure (mean 30.3 mosquitoes/person/hour) was exerted from 20:00 to 06:00 with a peak at 4:00. Human survey revealed that nearly all inhabitants were awake before 20:00 and after 7:00 and at least 8.7% had no access to bednets. Adjusting for anthropological data, the EIR dropped from 6.7 to 1.2 infective bites/person/16 h. In a scenario of full net coverage and accounting only for the human sleeping patterns, the daily malaria transmission risk not targetable by ITNs was 0.69 infective bites. CONCLUSIONS: The high mosquito densities and interplay between human/vector activities means that an estimated 10% of residual malaria transmission cannot be prevented by ITNs in the village. Locally tailored studies, like the current one, are essential to explore the heterogeneity of human exposure to infective bites and, consequently, to instruct the adoption of new vector control tools strengthening individual and community protection.

A case of furuncular myiasis in an Italian patient: a "travel souvenir".

Furuncular myiasis is a parasitosis of the skin that is commonly reported in the tropical areas and is caused by various agents including Dermatobia hominis. Knowledge of myiasis is limited in Italy, resulting in difficulties in its diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of imported furuncular myiasis in a 48 year old Italian patient who returned from Peru. A third stage larva of D. hominis was identified and the diagnosis of myiasis was confirmed.

Delivery and effectiveness of entomopathogenic fungi for mosquito and tick control: Current knowledge and research challenges.

Insects, ticks, and mites represent a threat to animal health globally, mainly due to their role as vectors of pathogens. Among the most important diseases, those transmitted by mosquitoes (e.g., malaria and arboviral infections) and ticks (e.g., Lyme borreliosis, babesiosis, and viral haemorrhagic fever) have a huge impact on human health. The principal methods available for reducing the public health burden of most vector-borne diseases are vector-based intervention relying to insecticides and acaricides. However, the use of these products is challenged by the introduction of invasive species, the quick development of physiological insecticide and acaricide resistance, and their non-target effects on human health and environment. In this scenario, insecticide/acaricide-free control approaches based on the employment of entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) are currently considered a promising tool in Integrated Pest/Vector Management, even if their large-scale use is still limited. In this article, we provide an overview on current knowledge about the role of EPFs for mosquito and tick management to assess solutions improving the delivery and efficacy of EPFs in the field. Laboratory research provided solid evidence that EPFs represent a next-generation control tool to manage mosquito and tick populations. However, the viability, infectivity, and persistence of fungal spores under field conditions are still inadequate. Herein we also discuss the development and optimization of EPF-based lure and kill approaches through biopolymers to improve cost-competitive, safety and eco-friendly pest and vector control tools.

Proof of Concept of Biopolymer Based Hydrogels as Biomimetic Oviposition Substrate to Develop Tiger Mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) Cost-Effective Lure and Kill Ovitraps.

Pest management is looking for green and cost-effective innovative solutions to control tiger mosquitoes and other pests. By using biomimetic principles and biocompatible/biodegradable biopolymers, it could be possible to develop a new approach based on substrates that selectively attract insects by reproducing specific natural environmental conditions and then kill them by hosting and delivering a natural biopesticide or through mechanical action (biomimetic lure and kill approach, BL&K). Such an approach can be theoretically specialized against tiger mosquitoes (BL&K-TM) by designing hydrogels to imitate the natural oviposition site's conditions to employ them inside a lure and kill ovitraps as a biomimetic oviposition substrate. In this work, the hydrogels have been prepared to prove the concept. The study compares lab/on-field oviposition between standard substrates (absorbing paper/masonite) and a physical and chemically crosslinked hydrogel composition panel. Then the best performing is characterized to evaluate a correlation between the hydrogel's properties and oviposition. Tests identify a 2-Hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC)-based physical hydrogel preparation as five times more attractive than the control in a lab oviposition assay. When employed on the field in a low-cost cardboard trap, the same substrate is seven times more capturing than a standard masonite ovitrap, with a duration four times longer.

Laboratory breeding of two Phortica species (Diptera: Drosophilidae), vectors of the zoonotic eyeworm Thelazia callipaeda.

BACKGROUND: Some species of drosophilid flies belonging to the genus Phortica feed on ocular secretions of mammals, acting as biological vectors of the zoonotic eyeworm Thelazia callipaeda. This study describes an effective breeding protocol of Phortica variegata and Phortica oldenbergi in insectary conditions. METHODS: Alive gravid flies of P. oldenbergi, P. variegata and Phortica semivirgo were field collected in wooded areas of Lazio region (Italy) and allowed to oviposit singularly to obtain isofamilies. Flies were maintained in ovipots (200 ml) with a plaster-covered bottom to maintain high humidity level inside. Adult feeding was guaranteed by fresh apples and a liquid dietary supplement containing sodium chloride and mucin proteins, while larval development was obtained by Drosophila-like agar feeding medium. The breeding performances of two media were compared: a standard one based on cornmeal flour and an enriched medium based on chestnut flour. All conditions were kept in a climatic chamber with a photoperiod of 14:10 h light:dark, 26 ± 2 °C and 80 ± 10% RH. RESULTS: From a total of 130 field-collected Phortica spp., three generations (i.e. F1 = 783, F2 = 109, F3 = 6) were obtained. Phortica oldenbergi was the species with highest breeding performance, being the only species reaching F3. Chestnut-based feeding medium allowed higher adult production and survival probability in both P. oldenbergi and P. variegata. Adult production/female was promising in both species (P. oldenbergi: 13.5 F1/f; P. variegata: 4.5 F1/f). CONCLUSIONS: This standardized breeding protocol, based on controlled climatic parameters and fly densities, together with the introduction of an enriched chestnut-based feeding medium, allowed to investigate aspects of life history traits of Phortica spp. involved in the transmission of T. callipaeda. Obtaining F3 generation of these species for the first time paved the road for the establishment of stable colonies, an essential requirement for future studies on these vectors in controlled conditions.

Phortica oldenbergi (Diptera: Drosophilidae): A new potential vector of the zoonotic Thelazia callipaeda eyeworm.

Thelazia callipaeda is a zoonotic nematode parasitizing the eyes of many hosts species, primarily dogs. To date Phortica variegata and Phortica okadai are the only known vectors of this nematode in Europe and China, respectively. In this study we investigated the role played by a third species, Phortica oldenbergi, as vector of T. callipaeda in Europe. Drosophilid flies of this species were collected in central Italy and maintained in laboratory. One hundred forty P. oldenbergi were experimentally infected with T. callipaeda L1 recovered from field collected gravid females belonging to haplotype 1, which is that detected in several countries in Europe. Seventy-four (i.e., 60 females and 14 males) specimens died at 5 days post infection (d.p.i.) (±1) and scored negative for T. callipaeda larvae at the dissection. Sixty-six (i.e., 46 females and 20 males) P. oldenbergi survived and were dissected at 21 d.p.i. From those, T. callipaeda L3 were detected in the proboscis of two females (3.0%). Overall, at the molecular analysis, 11.4% (n = 16/140; 13 females and 3 males) scored positive for the presence of T. callipaeda DNA. Data herein reported brings further insights on the biology of T. callipaeda by adding P. oldenbergi as a new potential intermediate host under experimental conditions. The role of this drosophilid in the transmission cycle of T. callipaeda needs to be confirmed under natural conditions.

Comparative efficacy of BG-Sentinel 2 and CDC-like mosquito traps for monitoring potential malaria vectors in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Different trapping devices and attractants are used in the mosquito surveillance programs currently running in Europe. Most of these devices target vector species belonging to the genera Culex or Aedes, and no studies have yet evaluated the effectiveness of different trapping devices for the specific targeting of Anopheles mosquito species, which are potential vectors of malaria in Europe. This study aims to fill this gap in knowledge by comparing the performance of trapping methods that are commonly used in European mosquito surveillance programs for Culex and Aedes for the specific collection of adults of species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex. METHODS: The following combinations of traps and attractants were used: (i) BG-Sentinel 2 (BG trap) baited with a BG-Lure cartridge (BG + lure), (ii) BG trap baited with a BG-Lure cartridge and CO2 (BG + lure + CO2), (iii) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-like trap (CDC trap) baited with CO2 (CDC + CO2), (iv) CDC trap used with light and baited with BG-Lure and CO2 (CDC light + lure + CO2). These combinations were compared in the field using a 4 × 4 Latin square study design. The trial was conducted in two sites in northeastern Italy in 2019. Anopheles species were identified morphologically and a sub-sample of An. maculipennis complex specimens were identified to species level by molecular analysis. RESULTS: Forty-eight collections were performed on 12 different trapping days at each site, and a total of 1721 An. maculipennis complex specimens were captured. The molecular analysis of a sub-sample comprising 254 specimens identified both Anopheles messeae/Anopheles daciae (n = 103) and Anopheles maculipennis sensu stricto (n = 8) at site 1, while at site 2 only An. messeae/An. daciae (n = 143) was found. The four trapping devices differed with respect to the number of An. messeae/An. daciae captured. More mosquitoes were caught by the BG trap when it was used with additional lures (i.e. BG + lure + CO2) than without the attractant, CO2 [ratioBG+lure vs BG+lure+CO2 = 0.206, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.101-0.420, P < 0.0001], while no significant differences were observed between CDC + CO2 and CDC light + lure + CO2 (P = 0.321). The addition of CO2 to BG + lure increased the ability of this combination to capture An. messeae/An. daciae by a factor of 4.85, and it also trapped more mosquitoes of other, non-target species (Culex pipiens, ratioBG+lure vs BG+lure+CO2 = 0.119, 95% CI 0.056-0.250, P < 0.0001; Ochlerotatus caspius, ratioBG+lure vs BG+lure+CO2 = 0.035, 95% CI 0.015-0.080, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that both the BG-Sentinel and CDC trap can be used to effectively sample An. messeae/An. daciae, but that the combination of the BG-Sentinel trap with the BG-Lure and CO2 was the most effective means of achieving this. BG + lure + CO2 is considered the best combination for the routine monitoring of host-seeking An. maculipennis complex species such as An. messeae/An. daciae. The BG-Sentinel and CDC traps have value as alternative methods to human landing catches and manual aspiration for the standardized monitoring of Anopheles species in Europe.

From tissue engineering to mosquitoes: biopolymers as tools for developing a novel biomimetic approach to pest management/vector control.

BACKGROUND: Pest management has been facing the spread of invasive species, insecticide resistance phenomena, and concern for the impact of chemical pesticides on human health and the environment. It has tried to deal with them by developing technically efficient and economically sustainable solutions to complement/replace/improve traditional control methods. The renewal has been mainly directed towards less toxic pesticides or enhancing the precision of their delivery to reduce the volume employed and side effects through lure-and-kill approaches based on semiochemicals attractants. However, one of the main pest management problems is that efficacy depends on the effectiveness of the attractant system, limiting its successful employment to semiochemical stimuli-responsive insects. Biomaterial-based and bioinspired/biomimetic solutions that already guide other disciplines (e.g., medical sciences) in developing precision approaches could be a helpful tool to create attractive new strategies to liberate precision pest management from the need for semiochemical stimuli, simplify their integration with bioinsecticides, and foster the use of still underemployed solutions. APPROACH PROPOSED: We propose an innovative approach, called "biomimetic lure-and-kill". It exploits biomimetic principles and biocompatible/biodegradable biopolymers (e.g., natural hydrogels) to develop new substrates that selectively attract insects by reproducing specific natural environmental conditions (biomimetic lure) and kill them by hosting and delivering a natural biopesticide or through mechanical action. Biomimetic lure-and-kill-designed substrates point to provide a new attractive system to develop/improve and make more cost-competitive new and conventional devices (e.g. traps). A first example application is proposed using the tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus as a model. CONCLUSIONS: Biomaterials, particularly in the hydrogel form, can be a useful tool for developing the biomimetic lure-and-kill approach because they can satisfy multiple needs simultaneously (e.g., biomimetic lure, mechanical lethality, biocompatibility, and bioinsecticide growth). Such an approach might be cost-competitive, and with the potential for applicability to several pest species. Moreover, it is already technically feasible, since all the technologies necessary to design and configure materials with specific characteristics are already available on the market.

Updated occurrence and bionomics of potential malaria vectors in Europe: a systematic review (2000-2021).

Despite the eradication of malaria across most European countries in the 1960s and 1970s, the anopheline vectors are still present. Most of the malaria cases that have been reported in Europe up to the present time have been infections acquired in endemic areas by travelers. However, the possibility of acquiring malaria by locally infected mosquitoes has been poorly investigated in Europe, despite autochthonous malaria cases having been occasionally reported in several European countries. Here we present an update on the occurrence of potential malaria vector species in Europe. Adopting a systematic review approach, we selected 288 papers published between 2000 and 2021 for inclusion in the review based on retrieval of accurate information on the following Anopheles species: An. atroparvus, An. hyrcanus sensu lato (s.l.), An. labranchiae, An. maculipennis sensu stricto (s.s.), An. messeae/daciae, An. sacharovi, An. superpictus and An. plumbeus. The distribution of these potential vector species across Europe is critically reviewed in relation to areas of major presence and principal bionomic features, including vector competence to Plasmodium. Additional information, such as geographical details, sampling approaches and species identification methods, are also reported. We compare the information on each species extracted from the most recent studies to comparable information reported from studies published in the early 2000s, with particular reference to the role of each species in malaria transmission before eradication. The picture that emerges from this review is that potential vector species are still widespread in Europe, with the largest diversity in the Mediterranean area, Italy in particular. Despite information on their vectorial capacity being fragmentary, the information retrieved suggests a re-definition of the relative importance of potential vector species, indicating An. hyrcanus s.l., An. labranchiae, An. plumbeus and An. sacharovi as potential vectors of higher importance, while An. messeae/daciae and An. maculipennis s.s. can be considered to be moderately important species. In contrast, An. atroparvus and An. superpictus should be considered as vectors of lower importance, particularly in relation to their low anthropophily. The presence of gaps in current knowledge of vectorial systems in Europe becomes evident in this review, not only in terms of vector competence but also in the definition of sampling approaches, highlighting the need for further research to adopt the appropriate surveillance system for each species.

Leishmania tarentolae and Leishmania infantum in humans, dogs and cats in the Pelagie archipelago, southern Italy.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by Leishmania infantum is endemic in the Mediterranean basin with most of the infected human patients remaining asymptomatic. Recently, the saurian-associated Leishmania tarentolae was detected in human blood donors and in sheltered dogs. The circulation of L. infantum and L. tarentolae was investigated in humans, dogs and cats living in the Pelagie islands (Sicily, Italy) by multiple serological and molecular testing. Human serum samples (n = 346) were tested to assess the exposure to L. infantum by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot (WB) and to L. tarentolae by IFAT. Meanwhile, sera from dogs (n = 149) and cats (n = 32) were tested for both Leishmania species by IFAT and all blood samples, including those of humans, by specific sets of real time-PCR for L. infantum and L. tarentolae. The agreement between serological tests performed for human samples, and between serological and molecular diagnostic techniques for both human and animal samples were also assessed. Overall, 41 human samples (11.8%, 95% CI: 8.9-15.7) were positive to L. infantum (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.3-8.1), L. tarentolae (5.2%, 95% CI: 3.3-8.1) and to both species (1.4%, 95% CI: 0.6-3.3) by serology and/or molecular tests. A good agreement among the serological tests was determined. Both Leishmania spp. were serologically and/or molecularly detected in 39.6% dogs and 43.7% cats. In addition to L. infantum, also L. tarentolae circulates in human and animal populations, raising relevant public health implications. Further studies should investigate the potential beneficial effects of L. tarentolae in the protection against L. infantum infection.

Detection of Leishmania tarentolae in lizards, sand flies and dogs in southern Italy, where Leishmania infantum is endemic: hindrances and opportunities.

BACKGROUND: Leishmania tarentolae is a protozoan isolated from geckoes (Tarentola annularis, Tarentola mauritanica), which is considered non-pathogenic and is transmitted by herpetophilic Sergentomyia spp. sand flies. This species occurs in sympatry with Leishmania infantum in areas where canine leishmaniasis is endemic. In the present study, we investigated the circulation of L. tarentolae and L. infantum in sand flies, dogs and lizards in a dog shelter in southern Italy, where canine leishmaniasis by L. infantum is endemic. METHODS: Sheltered dogs (n = 100) negative for Leishmania spp. (March 2020) were screened by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) using promastigotes of both species at two time points (June 2020 and March 2021). Whole blood from dogs, tissues of Podarcis siculus lizards (n = 28) and sand flies (n = 2306) were also sampled and tested by a duplex real-time PCR (dqPCR). Host blood meal was assessed in sand flies by PCR. RESULTS: Overall, 16 dogs became positive for L. infantum and/or L. tarentolae by IFAT at one or both sampling periods. One canine blood sample was positive for L. infantum, whilst two for L. tarentolae by dqPCR. At the cytology of lizard blood, Leishmania spp. amastigote-like forms were detected in erythrocytes. Twenty-two tissue samples, mostly lung (21.4%), scored molecularly positive for L. tarentolae, corresponding to 10 lizards (i.e., 35.7%). Of the female Sergentomyia minuta sampled (n = 1252), 158 scored positive for L. tarentolae, four for L. infantum, and one co-infected. Two Phlebotomus perniciosus (out of 29 females) were positive for L. tarentolae. Engorged S. minuta (n = 10) fed on humans, and one P. perniciosus, positive for L. tarentolae, on lagomorphs. CONCLUSIONS: Dogs and lacertid lizards (Podarcis siculus) were herein found for the first time infected by L. tarentolae. The detection of both L. tarentolae and L. infantum in S. minuta and P. perniciosus suggests their sympatric circulation, with a potential overlap in vertebrate hosts. The interactions between L. tarentolae and L. infantum should be further investigated in both vectors and vertebrate hosts to understand the potential implications for the diagnosis and control of canine leishmaniasis in endemic areas.

Intraspecific Transcriptome Variation and Sex-Biased Expression in Anopheles arabiensis.

The magnitude and functional patterns of intraspecific transcriptional variation in the anophelines, including those of sex-biased genes underlying sex-specific traits relevant for malaria transmission, remain understudied. As a result, how changes in expression levels drive adaptation in these species is poorly understood. We sequenced the female, male, and larval transcriptomes of three populations of Anopheles arabiensis from Burkina Faso. One-third of the genes were differentially expressed between populations, often involving insecticide resistance-related genes in a sample type-specific manner, and with the females showing the largest number of differentially expressed genes. At the genomic level, the X chromosome appears depleted of differentially expressed genes compared with the autosomes, chromosomes harboring inversions do not exhibit evidence for enrichment of such genes, and genes that are top contributors to functional enrichment patterns of population differentiation tend to be clustered in the genome. Further, the magnitude of variation for the sex expression ratio across populations did not substantially differ between male- and female-biased genes, except for some populations in which male-limited expressed genes showed more variation than their female counterparts. In fact, female-biased genes exhibited a larger level of interpopulation variation than male-biased genes, both when assayed in males and females. Beyond uncovering the extensive adaptive potential of transcriptional variation in An. Arabiensis, our findings suggest that the evolutionary rate of changes in expression levels on the X chromosome exceeds that on the autosomes, while pointing to female-biased genes as the most variable component of the An. Arabiensis transcriptome.

A PCR-RFLP method for genotyping of inversion 2Rc in Anopheles coluzzii.

BACKGROUND: Genotyping of polymorphic chromosomal inversions in malaria vectors such as An. coluzzii Coetzee & Wilkerson is important, both because they cause cryptic population structure that can mislead vector analysis and control and because they influence epidemiologically relevant eco-phenotypes. The conventional cytogenetic method of genotyping is an impediment because it is labor intensive, requires specialized training, and can be applied only to one gender and developmental stage. Here, we circumvent these limitations by developing a simple and rapid molecular method of genotyping inversion 2Rc in An. coluzzii that is both economical and field-friendly. This inversion is strongly implicated in temporal and spatial adaptations to climatic and ecological variation, particularly aridity. METHODS: Using a set of tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly correlated with inversion orientation, we identified those that overlapped restriction enzyme recognition sites and developed four polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays that distinguish alternative allelic states at the tag SNPs. We assessed the performance of these assays using mosquito population samples from Burkina Faso that had been cytogenetically karyotyped as well as genotyped, using two complementary high-throughput molecular methods based on tag SNPs. Further validation was performed using mosquito population samples from additional West African (Benin, Mali, Senegal) and Central African (Cameroon) countries. RESULTS: Of four assays tested, two were concordant with the 2Rc cytogenetic karyotype > 90% of the time in all samples. We recommend that these two assays be employed in tandem for reliable genotyping. By accepting only those genotypic assignments where both assays agree, > 99% of assignments are expected to be accurate. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed tandem PCR-RFLP assays for the accurate genotyping of inversion 2Rc in An. coluzzii. Because this approach is simple, inexpensive, and requires only basic molecular biology equipment, it is widely accessible. These provide a crucial tool for probing the molecular basis of eco-phenotypes relevant to malaria epidemiology and vector control.

Mosquitoes of the Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy.

The correct identification of mosquito vectors is often hampered by the presence of morphologically indiscernible sibling species. The Maculipennis complex is one of these groups that include both malaria vectors of primary importance and species of low/negligible epidemiological relevance, of which distribution data in Italy are outdated. Our study was aimed at providing an updated distribution of Maculipennis complex in Northern Italy through the sampling and morphological/molecular identification of specimens from five regions. The most abundant species was Anopheles messeae (2032), followed by Anopheles maculipennis s.s. (418), Anopheles atroparvus (28) and Anopheles melanoon (13). Taking advantage of ITS2 barcoding, we were able to finely characterize tested mosquitoes, classifying all the Anopheles messeae specimens as Anopheles daciae, a taxon with debated rank to which we referred as species inquirenda (sp. inq.). The distribution of species was characterized by Ecological Niche Models (ENMs), fed by recorded points of presence. ENMs provided clues on the ecological preferences of the detected species, with An. daciae sp. inq. linked to stable breeding sites and An. maculipennis s.s. more associated to ephemeral breeding sites. We demonstrate that historical Anopheles malaria vectors are still present in Northern Italy.