Adult blood-feeding tsetse flies, trypanosomes, microbiota and the fluctuating environment in sub-Saharan Africa

Geiger, Anne; Ponton, Fleur; Simo, Gustave

doi:10.1038/ismej.2014.236

Cited by 51 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 109 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although a decrease in plant and animal diversity with increasing elevation is a widely documented pattern in ecology, it has been suggested that the biogeographical patterns exhibited by bacteria may be fundamentally different from those of plants and animals [79]. Our findings do not support this hypothesis but are in line with the idea that microbiota diversity decreases with increasing distance from the host’s environmental optimum, such as at a host’s range edge or during torpor [80]. Similarly, we observed changes in microbial beta diversity with elevation, particularly in female ticks, and a significantly larger group dispersion in microbial beta diversity at lower elevations.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 76%

Human pathogen co-occurrence in Ixodes ricinus ticks: effects of landscape topography, climatic factors and microbiota interactions

Aivelo

Norberg

Tschirren

2019

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 76%

Human pathogen co-occurrence in Ixodes ricinus ticks: effects of landscape topography, climatic factors and microbiota interactions

Aivelo

Norberg

Tschirren

2019

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We reported infections between 26° C to 36° C with the highest infection rates at around 31° C. There could be two reasons for this observation; first, there is the rapid differentiation and proliferation of trypanosome species at temperatures between 26° C and 37° C as suggested by laboratory studies; second, nutritional stress could affect these patterns where high temperatures induced quick digestion of blood meals in the tsetse fly leading to more frequent feeding events, and hence increased risk of infection. Other exo‐endogenous factors might also play an important role, such as quality of blood source, type of tsetse fly midgut enzymes, and quality of parasite surface coat, though they were beyond the scope of this study (Kubi 2006, Akoda et al , Geiger et al ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal variation of tsetse fly species abundance and prevalence of trypanosomes in the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania

Nnko

Ngonyoka

Salekwa

et al. 2017

Journal of Vector Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tsetse flies, the vectors of trypanosomiasis, represent a threat to public health and economy in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite these concerns, information on temporal and spatial dynamics of tsetse and trypanosomes remain limited and may be a reason that control strategies are less effective. The current study assessed the temporal variation of the relative abundance of tsetse fly species and trypanosome prevalence in relation to climate in the Maasai Steppe of Tanzania in 2014-2015. Tsetse flies were captured using odorbaited Epsilon traps deployed in ten sites selected through random subsampling of the major vegetation types in the area. Fly species were identified morphologically and trypanosome species classified using PCR. The climate dataset was acquired from the African Flood and Drought Monitor repository. Three species of tsetse flies were identified: G. swynnertoni (70.8%), G. m. morsitans (23.4%), and G.pallidipes (5.8%). All species showed monthly changes in abundance with most of the flies collected in July. The relative abundance of G. m. morsitans and G. swynnertoni was negatively correlated with maximum and minimum temperature, respectively. Three trypanosome species were recorded: T. vivax (82.1%), T. brucei (8.93%), and T. congolense (3.57%). The peak of trypanosome infections in the flies was found in October and was three months after the tsetse abundance peak; prevalence was negatively correlated with tsetse abundance. A strong positive relationship was found between trypanosome prevalence and temperature. In conclusion, we find that trypanosome prevalence is dependent on fly availability, and temperature drives both tsetse fly relative abundance and trypanosome prevalence.

show abstract

“…The colonization of the gut by microbial communities may or may not increase tsetse fly resistance against trypanosome invasion. Previous work suggests that Sodalis and Wigglesworthia (both maternally transmitted symbionts of tsetse flies) can modulate trypanosome development 22 . Wigglesworthia must be present in the larval stage during the maturity of tsetse flies for their immune system to properly develop and function 23 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Blood meal sources and bacterial microbiome diversity in wild-caught tsetse flies

Gaithuma

Yamagishi

Hayashida

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tsetse flies are the vectors of African trypanosomiasis affecting 36 sub-Saharan countries. Both wild and domestic animals play a crucial role in maintaining the disease-causing parasites (trypanosomes). Thus, the identification of animal reservoirs of trypanosomes is vital for the effective control of African trypanosomiasis. Additionally, the biotic and abiotic factors that drive gut microbiome diversity in tsetse flies are primarily unresolved, especially under natural, field conditions. In this study, we present a comprehensive DNA metabarcoding approach for individual tsetse fly analysis in the identification of mammalian blood meal sources and fly bacterial microbiome composition. We analyzed samples from two endemic foci, Kafue, Zambia collected in June 2017, and Hurungwe, Zimbabwe sampled in April 2014 (pilot study) and detected DNA of various mammals including humans, wild animals, domestic animals and small mammals (rat and bat). The bacterial diversity was relatively similar in flies with different mammalian species DNA, trypanosome infected and uninfected flies, and female and male flies. This study is the first report on bat DNA detection in wild tsetse flies. This study reveals that small mammals such as bats and rats are among the opportunistic blood meal sources for tsetse flies in the wild, and the implication on tsetse biology and ecology needs to be studied. also detected some that are commonly found in soil and water, indicating surface contaminating bacteria (from the environment). These bacteria, however, accounted for less than 0.1% of the total read count. Owing to the low read numbers obtained for non-symbiotic bacteria, and limited samples, we could not correlate any genus with blood meal source, sex, or status of trypanosome infection. Our results seem to indicate that blood meal sources from different hosts have little effect on the general gut microbiome composition of tsetse flies. However, the imposing abundance of the three symbiotic bacteria hampers the accurate detection and analysis of other bacteria; thus, the difficulty in identifying any significant associations. Studies on other vectors indicate changes in bacterial flora with different blood meals, as has been demonstrated recently in mosquitos (Aedes aegypti) 55 . Future studies should focus on more sensitive detection and analysis of non-symbiotic bacteria in tsetse flies to shed light on the relationship between bacterial microbiome, trypanosome infection, blood meal source, and other factors and their importance in aspects such as vector competence, immunity, reproduction, etc.

show abstract

Adult blood-feeding tsetse flies, trypanosomes, microbiota and the fluctuating environment in sub-Saharan Africa

Cited by 51 publications

References 109 publications

Human pathogen co-occurrence in Ixodes ricinus ticks: effects of landscape topography, climatic factors and microbiota interactions

Human pathogen co-occurrence in Ixodes ricinus ticks: effects of landscape topography, climatic factors and microbiota interactions

Seasonal variation of tsetse fly species abundance and prevalence of trypanosomes in the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania

Blood meal sources and bacterial microbiome diversity in wild-caught tsetse flies

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About