-
Mycotoxin Research Nov 2021Novel protein sources for animal feed are needed, and the use of insects as feed ingredient is explored. The insect production sector offers opportunities for a circular... (Review)
Review
Novel protein sources for animal feed are needed, and the use of insects as feed ingredient is explored. The insect production sector offers opportunities for a circular and sustainable approach to feed production by upgrading waste or side streams into high-quality proteins. However, potential food or feed safety issues should be studied in advance. Mycotoxins, such as aflatoxin B1, are natural contaminants commonly found in agricultural crops and have proven to be detrimental to the agricultural industry, livestock, and human health. This systematic review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the published evidence on effects of mycotoxin exposure on insect growth and survival, mycotoxin accumulation within the insect body, and metabolization of various mycotoxins by insects. The review includes 54 scientific articles published in the past 55 years, in total covering 32 insect species. The main findings are the following: (1) Insects of the order Coleoptera show lower mortality after exposure to aflatoxin B1 when compared to Lepidoptera and Diptera; (2) effects of mycotoxins on larval growth and survival are less detrimental in later larval stages; (3) accumulation of mycotoxins was low in most insect species; (4) mycotoxins are metabolized within the insect body, the degree of which depends on the particular mycotoxin and insect species; (5) cytochrome P450s are the main family of enzymes involved in biotransformation of mycotoxins in some insect species. Results of this review support an optimistic outlook for the use of mycotoxin-contaminated waste streams as substrate for insect rearing.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Biotransformation; Food Contamination; Humans; Insecta; Larva; Mycotoxins
PubMed: 34618340
DOI: 10.1007/s12550-021-00441-z -
PloS One 2022Taenia solium is an important cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide and remains endemic in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Transmission of this parasite is still poorly...
Taenia solium is an important cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide and remains endemic in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Transmission of this parasite is still poorly understood despite the design of infection experiments to improve our knowledge of the disease, with estimates for critical epidemiological parameters, such as the probability of human-to-pig infection after exposure to eggs, still lacking. In this paper, a systematic review was carried out and eight pig infection experiments were analyzed to describe the probability of developing cysts. These experiments included different pathways of inoculation: with ingestion of proglottids, eggs, and beetles that ingested eggs, and direct injection of activated oncospheres into the carotid artery. In these experiments, different infective doses were used, and the numbers of viable and degenerated cysts in the body and brain of each pig were registered. Five alternative dose-response models (exponential, logistic, log-logistic, and exact and approximate beta-Poisson) were assessed for their accuracy in describing the observed probabilities of cyst development as a function of the inoculation dose. Dose-response models were developed separately for the presence of three types of cysts (any, viable only, and cysts in the brain) and considered for each of the four inoculation methods ("Proglottids", "Eggs", "Beetles" and "Carotid"). The exact beta-Poisson model best fit the data for the three types of cysts and all relevant exposure pathways. However, observations for some exposure pathways were too scarce to reliably define a dose-response curve with any model. A wide enough range of doses and sufficient sample sizes was only found for the "Eggs" pathway and a merged "Oral" pathway combining the "Proglottids", "Eggs" and "Beetles" pathways. Estimated parameter values from this model suggest that a low infective dose is sufficient to result in a 50% probability for the development of any cyst or for viable cyst infections. Although this is a preliminary model reliant on a limited dataset, the parameters described in this manuscript should contribute to the design of future experimental infections related to T. solium transmission, as well as the parameterization of simulation models of transmission aimed at informing control.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Cysticercosis; Cysts; Swine; Swine Diseases; Taenia solium
PubMed: 35286329
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264898 -
Insects Jun 2022Reitter, 1887 is a monotypic genus of the tenebrionid tribe Blaptini and is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, the genus was reviewed using a combination...
Systematic Review of the Genus Nalepa Reitter, 1887 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Blaptinae, Blaptini) from the Tibetan Plateau, with Description of Six New Species and Two Larvae.
Reitter, 1887 is a monotypic genus of the tenebrionid tribe Blaptini and is endemic to the Tibetan Plateau. In this study, the genus was reviewed using a combination of molecular and morphological datasets. Based on the results, six new species were described: , , , , , and In addition, the larvae of Reitter, 1887 and were described and associated with related adults using molecular approaches. This study provides valuable molecular and morphological data for phylogenetic studies.
PubMed: 35886774
DOI: 10.3390/insects13070598 -
International Journal of Food... Jan 2024Insects represent a sustainable and protein-rich food source. This new supply chain requires the study and monitoring of pathogens' presence and impact, as for other... (Review)
Review
Insects represent a sustainable and protein-rich food source. This new supply chain requires the study and monitoring of pathogens' presence and impact, as for other farmed animals. Among pathogens, Salmonella is of interest due to the well-established possibility for insects to harbor it. Since Acheta domesticus (cricket) and Tenebrio molitor (mealworm) are the most sold and farmed insect species, the present systematic review aimed to collect, select, and evaluate, in the available scientific literature, studies investigating the occurrence of Salmonella in these species sampled. All available studies published in peer-reviewed journals in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Spanish were considered. No time limits were imposed. We searched PUBMED, EMBASE, WEB of Science Core Collection, and Food Science and Technology Abstracts. The first date searched was May 10th, 2022; an update of the search was conducted on May 5th, 2023. The data synthesis was presented in tables reporting the number of positives on the number of total analyzed samples with other relevant characteristics of the study. The quality assessment was carried out considering relevant aspects for sampling and the method of analysis for Salmonella detection. At the end of the screening process, 10 and nine studies conducted on crickets and mealworms, respectively, were included for data extraction. The S. serovar Wandsworth and S. serovar Stanley were isolated only in one sample of ready-to-eat crickets. A second study detected OTUs related to S. enterica in cricket and mealworm powders. No studies detected Salmonella in mealworms according to cultural methods. The limitations of the present review are that few studies were retrieved and that included studies had important limitations in terms of study design as sampling was mostly based on convenience and not on a sound statistical basis. The present systematic review underlines the need to obtain reliable data about Salmonella presence in insects considering the growing market and the scaling up of existing farms. This research was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health - Ricerca Corrente IZSVe 03/21. The review protocol was published on the Systematic Reviews for Animals and Food (SYREAF) Web site (https://syreaf.org/protocols/).
Topics: Animals; Food; Gryllidae; Salmonella; Tenebrio; Edible Insects
PubMed: 37956634
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110464 -
ZooKeys 2024Indochinese species of the genus (Coleoptera, Geotrupidae, Bolboceratinae) are reviewed. Three new species, Wang & Li, , Li & Wang, and Li & Wang, , are described...
Indochinese species of the genus (Coleoptera, Geotrupidae, Bolboceratinae) are reviewed. Three new species, Wang & Li, , Li & Wang, and Li & Wang, , are described and illustrated. An annotated checklist and modified key to species of the genus are provided. Information for each species in the checklist includes literature review, synonymy, distribution and type locality.
PubMed: 38389585
DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1191.114021 -
PeerJ 2018Despite great progress in studies on infection in insects, the knowledge about its relations with beetle species, populations and individuals, and the effects of...
BACKGROUND
Despite great progress in studies on infection in insects, the knowledge about its relations with beetle species, populations and individuals, and the effects of bacteria on these hosts, is still unsatisfactory. In this review we summarize the current state of knowledge about occurrence and interactions with Coleopteran hosts.
METHODS
An intensive search of the available literature resulted in the selection of 86 publications that describe the relevant details about presence among beetles. These publications were then examined with respect to the distribution and taxonomy of infected hosts and diversity of found in beetles. Sequences of genes () were used for the phylogenetic analyses.
RESULTS
The collected publications revealed that has been confirmed in 204 beetle species and that the estimated average prevalence of this bacteria across beetle species is 38.3% and varies greatly across families and genera (0-88% infected members) and is much lower (c. 13%) in geographic studies. The majority of the examined and infected beetles were from Europe and East Asia. The most intensively studied have been two groups of herbivorous beetles: Curculionidae and Chrysomelidae. Coleoptera harbor belonging to three supergroups: F found in only three species, and A and B found in similar numbers of beetles (including some doubly infected); however the latter two were most prevalent in different families. A total of 59% of species with precise data were found to be totally infected. Single infections were found in 69% of species and others were doubly- or multiply-infected. caused numerous effects on its beetle hosts, including selective sweep with host mtDNA (found in 3% of species), cytoplasmic incompatibility (detected in c. 6% of beetles) and other effects related to reproduction or development (like male-killing, possible parthenogenesis or haplodiploidy induction, and egg development). Phylogenetic reconstructions for genes rejected cospeciation between these bacteria and Coleoptera, with minor exceptions found in some Hydraenidae, Curculionidae and Chrysomelidae. In contrast, horizontal transmission of bacteria has been suspected or proven in numerous cases (e.g., among beetles sharing habitats and/or host plants).
DISCUSSION
The present knowledge about infection across beetle species and populations is very uneven. Even the basic data about infection status in species and frequency of infected species across genera and families is very superficial, as only c. 0.15% of all beetle species have been tested so far. Future studies on diversity in Coleoptera should still be based on the Multi-locus Sequence Typing system, and next-generation sequencing technologies will be important for uncovering relations with host evolution and ecology, as well as with other, co-occurring endosymbiotic bacteria.
PubMed: 29568706
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4471 -
Carabid Beetles (Coleoptera) as Indicators of Sustainability in Agroecosystems: A Systematic Review.Sustainability Feb 2023The sustainability of agroecosystems is at risk owing to continuous anthropogenic disturbance. As such, there is a need to evaluate indicator taxa that may be used to...
The sustainability of agroecosystems is at risk owing to continuous anthropogenic disturbance. As such, there is a need to evaluate indicator taxa that may be used to monitor the health of agricultural management systems. Carabid beetles are ubiquitous and functionally crucial in agroecosystems while at the same time are sensitive to the changes caused by management practices. Their quick response to anthropogenic disturbances has been proposed as a practical and realistic tool for monitoring the sustainability of agricultural practices. However, there is still disagreement about carabids as possible indicators of agroecosystem sustainability. We conducted a systematic review of the responses of carabid beetles to agricultural systems in different biogeographical areas. We examined whether these beetles could serve as potential indicators of agroecosystem sustainability. The ISI Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus were used to search for papers published from 2000-2019. In total, we included 69 studies indicating the use of carabids to monitor the impact of management practices in agroecosystems. Most studies were conducted in European countries (n = 37), while Southern Africa and East Asia countries were significantly under-represented (n = 10). Carabid beetle response to agroecosystems varied between management practices, with biodiversity indices (n = 41: positive 60%, negative 19%, and neutral 19%) being the most measured response variable, followed by functional diversity (n = 28: positive 67%, negative 25%, and neutral 7%). Overall, our findings highlight the need for more research in underdeveloped countries, to investigate the potential of overlooked carabids and include response variables measuring functional diversity in assessing the sustainability of agricultural management. This will assist policy makers and land managers in making active and informed decisions about agroecological disturbances and management.
PubMed: 37680852
DOI: 10.3390/su15053936 -
Zoonoses and Public Health Aug 2010This systematic review considers the relationship between arthropods commonly found in and around livestock premises and zoonotic bacteria. The principal focus is upon... (Review)
Review
This systematic review considers the relationship between arthropods commonly found in and around livestock premises and zoonotic bacteria. The principal focus is upon insects and arachnids on poultry units, where houses, litter and manure provide good conditions for the growth, multiplication and protection of flies, beetles and mites, and where zoonotic pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter are prevalent. Other members of the Enterobacteriaceae and the taxa Clostridium, Helicobacter, Erysipelas and Chlamydiaceae are also discussed. Salmonella is widely distributed in the flies of affected livestock units and is detectable to a lesser degree in beetles and mites. Persistent carriage appears to be common and there is some field and experimental evidence to support arthropod-mediated transmission between poultry flocks, particularly carry-over from one flock to the next. Campylobacter may readily be isolated from arthropods in contact with affected poultry flocks, although carriage is short-lived. There appears to be a role for flies, at least, in the breaching of biosecurity around Campylobacter-negative flocks. The carriage of other zoonotic bacteria by arthropods has been documented, but the duration and significance of such associations remain uncertain in the context of livestock production.
Topics: Animals; Coleoptera; Diptera; Humans; Mites; Salmonella; Zoonoses
PubMed: 19486496
DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2008.01222.x -
International Journal of Medicinal... 2015Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis), well known as DongChongXiaCao (DCXC), is one of the most valuable traditional Chinese medicinal species. In this... (Review)
Review
Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis), well known as DongChongXiaCao (DCXC), is one of the most valuable traditional Chinese medicinal species. In this article, we provide a systematic review of natural enemies and diseases encountered in artificial cultivation of DCXC. Unfortunately, DCXC has been endangered over the past decades due to overharvesting and a worsening ecological environment. Therefore, the artificial cultivation of DCXC has been extensively investigated in recent years. Complete indoor artificial cultivation and semi-field cultivation are the two most common strategies used to cultivate DCXC. However, cultured DCXCs are often attacked by various natural enemies and diseases, which have resulted in substantial loss of the valuable medicinal resource. In this study, we have summarized the species of natural enemies and types of diseases confronted by DCXC. Twenty reported natural enemy species are categorized into four classes, one of which is reported for the first time in this study. Moreover, six microbial pathogens are also discussed. The recapitulation of the natural enemies and diseases in DCXC artificial cultivation not only promote the development of integrated pest management of DCXC cultivation but also provide important information to help preserve and develop this valuable resource.
Topics: Animals; China; Coleoptera; Endangered Species; Hypocreales; Larva; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Moths; Tibet
PubMed: 26559703
DOI: 10.1615/intjmedmushrooms.v17.i7.90 -
Parasitology Apr 2014Dung beetles are detrivorous insects that feed on and reproduce in the fecal material of vertebrates. This dependency on vertebrate feces implies frequent contact... (Review)
Review
Dung beetles are detrivorous insects that feed on and reproduce in the fecal material of vertebrates. This dependency on vertebrate feces implies frequent contact between dung beetles and parasitic helminths with a fecal component to their life-cycle. Interactions between dung beetles and helminths carry both positive and negative consequences for successful parasite transmission, however to date there has been no systematic review of dung beetle-helminth interactions, their epidemiological importance, or their underlying mechanisms. Here we review the observational evidence of beetle biodiversity-helminth transmission relationships, propose five mechanisms by which dung beetles influence helminth survival and transmission, and highlight areas for future research. Efforts to understand how anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity may influence parasite transmission must include the development of detailed, mechanistic understanding of the multiple interactions between free-living and parasitic species within ecological communities. The dung beetle-helminth system may be a promising future model system with which to understand these complex relationships.
Topics: Animals; Biodiversity; Coleoptera; Ecology; Feces; Helminthiasis; Helminths; Humans; Insect Vectors
PubMed: 24476794
DOI: 10.1017/S0031182013002011