Diversity, Abundance and Host Blood Meal Analysis of Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from Cattle Pens in Different Land Use Types from Thailand

Abstract

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille are significant pests and vectors that transmit pathogens to humans and other animals. Cattle are among the important livestock that can potentially be severely affected by Culicoides. In this study, we examined the species diversity, abundance, and host blood meal identification of biting midges in cattle pens located in three different land use types: villages, agricultural areas, and the forest edge. A total of 12,916 biting midges were collected, and most of these were from cattle pens located in villages (34%) and agricultural land (52%). Morphological identification revealed 29 Culicoides species. The most common species were C. oxystoma, C. mahasarakhamense, C. peregrinus, and C. shortti; taken together, these species represented >80% of all specimens collected. Despite midges being less numerous (14% of the total collection), cattle pens located near the forest showed greater diversity (23) than those from villages and agricultural areas. More diverse immature habitats and host blood sources from wildlife in nearby forests possibly explain the greater diversity in the cattle pens near the forest edge. Host blood meal analysis revealed that most (65%) biting midges had fed on buffalo despite the fact that this animal was much less numerous than cows or chickens. Relatively larger size and black-colored skin could be factors that make buffalo more attractive to biting midges than other host species. In this study, we also provided 67 DNA barcoding sequences of 13 species, three of which (C. flaviscutatus, C. geminus, and C. suzukii) were first reported from Thai specimens. DNA barcode analysis indicated cryptic diversity within C. hegneri and C. flavescens in Thailand, and thus, further investigation is required to resolve their species status.

Nanopore-Based Surveillance of Leishmania Parasites in Culicoides Latrielle (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) Caught from the Affected Community and Tham Phra Cave in Chiang Rai Province, the Endemic Area of Leishmaniasis in Northern Thailand

“…This study also represents preliminary data identifying two common Meijerehelea species-namely C. guttifer and C. mahasarakhamense-as cave dwellers in Northern Thailand. However, these two species are not cave-specific and have also been reported to be widespread in various ecological habitats, i.e., villages, agricultural areas, and forest edges, throughout Thailand [48].…”

“…This greater diversity might be explained by the fact that the patient's house was adjacent to a forest edge, where certain types of soil and other environmental factors possibly favor the breeding, oviposition, and larval development of Culicoides species [45][46][47]. In the forest edge, the availability of blood meal sources from peridomestic animals and wildlife and low wind speed, which will not disperse midges away from the traps, are also important factors contributing to the increased diversity and abundance of Culicoides species [48][49][50][51]. This study also represents preliminary data identifying two common Meijerehelea species-namely C. guttifer and C. mahasarakhamense-as cave dwellers in Northern Thailand.…”

“…Apart from C. mahasarakhamense, which has formerly been reported as a putative leishmaniasis vector [31], our study represents the first molecular evidence of Leishmania in C. guttifer, C. (Trithecoides) spp., C. jacobsoni, C. oxystoma, and C. orientalis in Northern Thailand. However, these suspected vectors have been known to be livestock-associated species that mainly feed on peridomestic animals [48,[52][53][54][55][56]. This implies that autochthonous Leishmania parasites circulate in animal reservoirs, and the most likely mode of transmis-sion is therefore zoonotic rather than anthroponotic.…”

“…Unfortunately, no blood-engorged specimens were present in our midge collection. To our knowledge, only three Culicoides species in Thailand-namely C. brevitarsis [48], C. imicola [54], and C. oxystoma [54]-have thus far been recorded for their opportunistic behavior of human feeding, implicating them for potential participation in pathogen transmission to humans. Therefore, host preference analysis of blood-engorged specimens, particularly of prevalent midge species, from leishmaniasis-affected sites is further required to determine which vector species is mainly responsible for the transmission of human leishmaniasis in our investigation area.…”

An optical system to detect, surveil, and kill flying insect vectors of human and crop pathogens

“…It is estimated that 700,000 to 1 million new cases of leishmaniasis occur annually, primarily among the world’s poorest people 6 . The health of livestock, domestic animals and wildlife is also seriously affected by vector borne diseases, such as trypanosomiasis, Rift Valley Fever, and blue tongue virus 7 – 10 . With rapid globalization, ecological links within a native pathosystem can be replaced in a naïve area with new vectors and hosts, exacerbating efforts to limit disease spread 11 – 13 .…”