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Le Infezioni in Medicina Jun 2016Malaria, the most common parasitic disease in the world, is transmitted to the human host by mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. The transmission of malaria requires the... (Review)
Review
Malaria, the most common parasitic disease in the world, is transmitted to the human host by mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. The transmission of malaria requires the interaction between the host, the vector and the parasite.The four species of parasites responsible for human malaria are Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium vivax. Occasionally humans can be infected by several simian species, like Plasmodium knowlesi, recognised as a major cause of human malaria in South-East Asia since 2004. While P. falciparum is responsible for most malaria cases, about 8% of estimated cases globally are caused by P. vivax. The different Plasmodia are not uniformly distributed although there are areas of species overlap. The life cycle of all species of human malaria parasites is characterised by an exogenous sexual phase in which multiplication occurs in several species of Anopheles mosquitoes, and an endogenous asexual phase in the vertebrate host. The time span required for mature oocyst development in the salivary glands is quite variable (7-30 days), characteristic of each species and influenced by ambient temperature. The vector Anopheles includes 465 formally recognised species. Approximately 70 of these species have the capacity to transmit Plasmodium spp. to humans and 41 are considered as dominant vector capable of transmitting malaria. The intensity of transmission is dependent on the vectorial capacity and competence of local mosquitoes. An efficient system for malaria transmission needs strong interaction between humans, the ecosystem and infected vectors. Global warming induced by human activities has increased the risk of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. Recent decades have witnessed changes in the ecosystem and climate without precedent in human history although the emphasis in the role of temperature on the epidemiology of malaria has given way to predisposing conditions such as ecosystem changes, political instability and health policies that have reduced the funds for vector control, combined with the presence of migratory flows from endemic countries.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Climate; Climate Change; Disease Reservoirs; Endemic Diseases; Female; Global Health; Hominidae; Humans; Insect Vectors; Life Cycle Stages; Malaria; Plasmodium; Population Dynamics; Primate Diseases; Species Specificity; Urbanization
PubMed: 27367318
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2022Malaria remains a vector-borne infectious disease that is still a major public health concern worldwide, especially in tropical regions. Malaria is caused by a protozoan... (Review)
Review
Malaria remains a vector-borne infectious disease that is still a major public health concern worldwide, especially in tropical regions. Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus and transmitted through the bite of infected female mosquitoes. The control interventions targeting mosquito vectors have achieved significant success during the last two decades and rely mainly on the use of chemical insecticides through the insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Unfortunately, resistance to conventional insecticides currently being used in public health is spreading in the natural mosquito populations, hampering the long-term success of the current vector control strategies. Thus, to achieve the goal of malaria elimination, it appears necessary to improve vector control approaches through the development of novel environment-friendly tools. Mosquito microbiota has by now given rise to the expansion of innovative control tools, such as the use of endosymbionts to target insect vectors, known as "symbiotic control." In this review, we will present the viral, fungal and bacterial diversity of mosquitoes, including the bacteriophages. This review discusses the likely interactions between the vector microbiota and its fitness and resistance to insecticides.
PubMed: 35668761
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.891573 -
Frontiers in Genetics 2020The principles and function of chromatin and nuclear architecture have been extensively studied in model organisms, such as . However, little is known about the role of... (Review)
Review
The principles and function of chromatin and nuclear architecture have been extensively studied in model organisms, such as . However, little is known about the role of these epigenetic processes in transcriptional regulation in other insects including mosquitoes, which are major disease vectors and a worldwide threat for human health. Some of these life-threatening diseases are malaria, which is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus and transmitted by mosquitoes; dengue fever, which is caused by an arbovirus mainly transmitted by ; and West Nile fever, which is caused by an arbovirus transmitted by spp. In this contribution, we review what is known about chromatin-associated mechanisms and the 3D genome structure in various mosquito vectors, including , , and spp. We also discuss the similarities between epigenetic mechanisms in mosquitoes and the model organism , and advocate that the field could benefit from the cross-application of state-of-the-art functional genomic technologies that are well-developed in the fruit fly. Uncovering the mosquito regulatory genome can lead to the discovery of unique regulatory networks associated with the parasitic life-style of these insects. It is also critical to understand the molecular interactions between the vectors and the pathogens that they transmit, which could hold the key to major breakthroughs on the fight against mosquito-borne diseases. Finally, it is clear that epigenetic mechanisms controlling mosquito environmental plasticity and evolvability are also of utmost importance, particularly in the current context of globalization and climate change.
PubMed: 33365050
DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.602949 -
Microorganisms Jun 2019Malaria is a severe disease caused by parasites of the genus , which is transmitted to humans by a bite of an infected female mosquito of the species . Malaria remains... (Review)
Review
Malaria is a severe disease caused by parasites of the genus , which is transmitted to humans by a bite of an infected female mosquito of the species . Malaria remains the leading cause of mortality around the world, and early diagnosis and fast-acting treatment prevent unwanted outcomes. It is the most common disease in Africa and some countries of Asia, while in the developed world malaria occurs as imported from endemic areas. The sweet sagewort plant was used as early as the second century BC to treat malaria fever in China. Much later, quinine started being used as an antimalaria drug. A global battle against malaria started in 1955, and Croatia declared 1964 to be the year of eradication of malaria. The World Health Organization carries out a malaria control program on a global scale, focusing on local strengthening of primary health care, early diagnosis of the disease, timely treatment, and disease prevention. Globally, the burden of malaria is lower than ten years ago. However, in the last few years, there has been an increase in the number of malaria cases around the world. It is moving towards targets established by the WHO, but that progress has slowed down.
PubMed: 31234443
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7060179 -
Microbiology Spectrum Nov 2016Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, transmitted through the bites of female anopheles flies. Plasmodium falciparum causes severe malaria... (Review)
Review
Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, transmitted through the bites of female anopheles flies. Plasmodium falciparum causes severe malaria with undulating high fever (malaria tropica). Literary evidence of malarial infection dates back to the early Greek period, when Hippocrates described the typical undulating fever highly suggestive of plasmodial infection. Recent immunological and molecular analyses describe the unambiguous identification of malarial infections in several ancient Egyptian mummies and a few isolated cases in Roman and Renaissance Europe. Although the numbers of cases are low, there is evidence that the overall infection rates may have been relatively high and that this infectious disease may have had a significant impact on historical populations.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; DNA, Ancient; Egypt, Ancient; Europe; Female; History, Ancient; Humans; Malaria; Malaria, Falciparum; Mummies; Paleopathology; Plasmodium; Plasmodium falciparum
PubMed: 27837743
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.PoH-0006-2015 -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2022Getah virus (GETV) is a zoonotic virus transmitted by mosquitoes, belonging to the family, genus. It was first isolated from mosquitoes in Malaysia in 1955, being... (Review)
Review
Getah virus (GETV) is a zoonotic virus transmitted by mosquitoes, belonging to the family, genus. It was first isolated from mosquitoes in Malaysia in 1955, being widespread in island countries in the South Pacific region. Since the beginning of the 21st century, GETV expanded its range and geographical distribution from low-latitude tropical regions to 60° north latitude, being isolated from 17 different species of mosquitoes belonging to five genera of Culicidae (, , , and ), as well as from midges in Eurasia. Molecular genetic evolution analysis revealed large molecular differences between the mosquitoes currently circulating Eurasia and those in the South Pacific in 1950s. The number of disease outbreaks caused by GETV in animals is increasing alongside the types of animals infected, from horses and pigs to cattle, blue foxes and red pandas. The disease burden is severely underestimated, and the economic cost to livestock production remains unknown. Herein, we review GETV temporal and spatial distribution, molecular genetic evolution, transmission and data on disease outbreaks. This work provides a reference for public health workers engaged in GETV research and zoonotic disease prevention and control.
PubMed: 36015065
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11080945 -
PloS One 2015The Anopheles genus is a member of the Culicidae family and consists of approximately 460 recognized species. The genus is composed of 7 subgenera with diverse...
The Anopheles genus is a member of the Culicidae family and consists of approximately 460 recognized species. The genus is composed of 7 subgenera with diverse geographical distributions. Despite its huge medical importance, a consensus has not been reached on the phylogenetic relationships among Anopheles subgenera. We assembled a comprehensive dataset comprising the COI, COII and 5.8S rRNA genes and used maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference to estimate the phylogeny and divergence times of six out of the seven Anopheles subgenera. Our analysis reveals a monophyletic group composed of the three exclusively Neotropical subgenera, Stethomyia, Kerteszia and Nyssorhynchus, which began to diversify in the Late Cretaceous, at approximately 90 Ma. The inferred age of the last common ancestor of the Anopheles genus was ca. 110 Ma. The monophyly of all Anopheles subgenera was supported, although we failed to recover a significant level of statistical support for the monophyly of the Anopheles genus. The ages of the last common ancestors of the Neotropical clade and the Anopheles and Cellia subgenera were inferred to be at the Late Cretaceous (ca. 90 Ma). Our analysis failed to statistically support the monophyly of the Anopheles genus because of an unresolved polytomy between Bironella and A. squamifemur.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Electron Transport Complex IV; Evolution, Molecular; Genetic Variation; Insect Proteins; Mitochondrial Proteins; Phylogeny; Protein Subunits; RNA, Ribosomal, 5.8S; Species Specificity; Time Factors
PubMed: 26244561
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134462 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jun 2022Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arboviral pathogen in the genus Alphavirus that is circulating in South America with potential to spread to naïve regions. MAYV is also one of...
Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arboviral pathogen in the genus Alphavirus that is circulating in South America with potential to spread to naïve regions. MAYV is also one of the few viruses with the ability to be transmitted by mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles, as well as the typical arboviral transmitting mosquitoes in the genus Aedes. Few studies have investigated the infection response of Anopheles mosquitoes. In this study we detail the transcriptomic and small RNA responses of An. stephensi to infection with MAYV via infectious bloodmeal at 2, 7, and 14 days post infection (dpi). 487 unique transcripts were significantly regulated, 78 putative novel miRNAs were identified, and an siRNA response is observed targeting the MAYV genome. Gene ontology analysis of transcripts regulated at each timepoint shows a number of proteases regulated at 2 and 7 dpi, potentially representative of Toll or melanization pathway activation, and repression of pathways related to autophagy and apoptosis at 14 dpi. These findings provide a basic understanding of the infection response of An. stephensi to MAYV and help to identify host factors which might be useful to target to inhibit viral replication in Anopheles mosquitoes.
Topics: Alphavirus; Alphavirus Infections; Animals; Anopheles; Arboviruses; MicroRNAs; Transcriptome
PubMed: 35763539
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010507 -
Parasites & Vectors Sep 2021Despite the medical importance of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles in the transmission of malaria and other human diseases, its phylogenetic relationships are not...
BACKGROUND
Despite the medical importance of mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles in the transmission of malaria and other human diseases, its phylogenetic relationships are not settled, and the characteristics of mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) are not thoroughly understood.
METHODS
The present study sequenced and analyzed the complete mitogenomes of An. peditaeniatus and An. nitidus, investigated genome characteristics, and inferred the phylogenetic relationships of 76 Anopheles spp.
RESULTS
The complete mitogenomes of An. peditaeniatus and An. nitidus are 15,416 and 15,418 bp long, respectively, and both include 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, two tRNAs and one control region (CR). Mitogenomes of Anopheles spp. are similar to those of other insects in general characteristics; however, the trnR and trnA have been reversed to "trnR-trnA," as has been reported in other mosquito genera. Genome variations mainly occur in CR length (493-886 bp) with six repeat unit types identified for the first time that demonstrate an evolutionary signal. The subgenera Lophopodomyia, Stethomyia, Kerteszia, Nyssorhynchus, Anopheles and Cellia are inferred to be monophyletic, and the phylogenetic analyses support a new phylogenetic relationship among the six subgenera investigated, in that subgenus Lophopodomyia is the sister to all other five subgenera, and the remaining five subgenera are divided into two clades, one of which is a sister-taxon subgenera Stethomyia + Kerteszia, and the other consists of subgenus Nyssorhynchus as the sister to a sister-group subgenera Anopheles + Cellia. Four series (Neomyzomyia, Pyretophorus, Neocellia and Myzomyia) of the subgenus Cellia, and two series (Arribalzagia and Myzorhynchus) of the subgenus Anopheles were found to be monophyletic, whereas three sections (Myzorhynchella, Argyritarsis and Albimanus) and their subdivisions of the subgenus Nyssorhynchus were polyphyletic or paraphyletic.
CONCLUSIONS
The study comprehensively uncovered the characteristics of mitogenome and the phylogenetics based on mitogenomes in the genus Anopheles, and provided information for further study on the mitogenomes, phylogenetics and taxonomic revision of the genus.
Topics: Animals; Anopheles; Base Sequence; Evolution, Molecular; Genome, Mitochondrial; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Species Specificity
PubMed: 34488869
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04963-4