Efficacy of Oral Metronidazole and Potassium Sorbate Against Two Gregarine Parasites, Protomagalhaensia granulosae and Gregarina cubensis (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida), Infecting the Death's Head Cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis

Smith, Autumn; Clopton, Richard E.

doi:10.1654/4109

Cited by 12 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Vertebrates and insects share substantial biochemical and cellular physiology as well as some common immune response features (Salzet, 2001;Schmid-Hempel, 2005); compounds that inhibit grasshopper pathogens might also inhibit those same types of pathogens in vertebrates. Hence, insects can be exploited, not only to examine arthropod pathogens, but also to screen new drugs for potential vertebrate use (Guhl, 1999;Clopton and Smith, 2002;Smith and Clopton, 2003). Indeed, our results, using grasshoppers, are similar to those of previous studies using vertebrates as hosts (Diesenhouse et al, 1993;Rosberger et al, 1993;Wilkins et al, 1994;Franssen et al, 1995;Katiyar and Edlind, 1997;Molina et al, 2002).…”

Section: Grasshoppers As a Model System For Testing Antibioticssupporting

confidence: 88%

New Insect System for Testing Antibiotics

Johny

Lange

Solter

et al. 2007

Journal of Parasitology

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New and efficient methods to screen antibiotics are needed to counter increased antibiotic resistance in pathogens and the emergence of new diseases. Here we report a new insect model for screening antibiotics in vivo using the grasshopper Romalea microptera. The system is inexpensive, efficient, and flexible, avoids animal-welfare problems, and can be used to test against most major pathogenic groups. We employed this system to test 11 commercial antibiotics against a pathogenic Encephalitozoon species (Microsporidia). Oral treatment with fumagillin or thiabendazole significantly reduced pathogen spore counts, whereas spore counts of grasshoppers fed with albendazole, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, griseofulvin, metronidazole, sulfadimethoxine, or tetracycline were not significantly different from the infected controls. Quinine produced a distinct, but nonsignificant, reduction in spores, and streptomycin a nonsignificant increase in spores. Although 2 antibiotics significantly reduced spore counts, in no case was the pathogen totally eliminated. This study demonstrates the validity of this system as a method to screen antibiotics. It also corroborates the difficulty researchers and physicians have had in treating microsporidia infections, and suggests that quinine and related alkaloid compounds should be further examined as possible therapeutic agents against this group of ubiquitous pathogens. In addition, streptomycin and related compounds should be tested to determine if this widely used antibiotic enhances microsporidiosis.

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Section: Grasshoppers As a Model System For Testing Antibioticssupporting

confidence: 88%

New Insect System for Testing Antibiotics

Johny

Lange

Solter

et al. 2007

Journal of Parasitology

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“…1). Gregarine parasites are historically viewed as relatively benign but more recently have been shown to affect fecundity and mortality of invertebrates (15). Infected L. pulchella males show no external symptoms or internal lesions but have poor territoriality and mating success and lose the ability to adjust their flight-muscle energy consumption according to the magnitude of their body fat reserves (16).…”

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confidence: 99%

Metabolic syndrome and obesity in an insect

Schilder

Marden

2006

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Dragonflies infected with noninvasive gregarine gut parasites (Microsporidia, Apicomplexa) have reduced flight-muscle performance, an inability to metabolize lipid in their muscles, twofold-elevated hemolymph carbohydrate concentrations, and they accumulate fat in their thorax in a manner analogous to mammalian obesity. Gregarine infection is associated with inappropriate responses of hemolymph carbohydrate concentration to insulin and with chronic activation in the flight muscles of p38 MAP kinase, a signaling molecule involved in immune and stress responses. Short-term exposure to gregarine excretory/secretory products caused elevated blood carbohydrate and p38 MAPK activation in healthy individuals. These characteristics comprise a set of symptoms and processes that are known in mammals as metabolic syndrome but which have not previously been described in other animal taxa. In addition to expanding the known taxonomic breadth of metabolic disease, these results indicate that insects may be useful experimental models for studying its underlying biology and mechanisms.

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“…Gregarines (phylum Apicomplexa) are among the most ubiquitous and diverse protozoan parasites (Schreurs and Janovy 2008;Smith and Clopton 2003) infecting a variety of invertebrates, particularly annelids, nematodes, echinoderms, molluscs, and insects (Bush et al 2001;Clopton 2002;Manwell 1961;Roberts and Janovy 2005;Smith and Clopton 2003). More than 1,600 gregarine species have been described, but only a small percentage of invertebrates have been surveyed for these apicomplexan parasites (Roberts and Janovy 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of gregarine parasitism in dragonflies: host, habitat, and seasonality

Locklin

Vodopich

2010

Parasitol Res

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Gregarines are ubiquitous protozoan parasites that infect arthropods worldwide. More than 1,600 gregarine species have been described, but only a small percentage of invertebrates have been surveyed for these apicomplexan parasites. Adult dragonfly populations were surveyed for gregarines at two reservoirs in Texas, USA for 2 years. Gregarine prevalence and intensity were compared intraspecifically between host genders and reservoirs, among wing loads, and through time. Of the 29 dragonfly species collected, 41% hosted gregarines. Nine of these dragonfly species were previously undocumented as hosts. Among the commonly collected hosts, prevalence ranged from 18 to 52%. Parasites were aggregated among hosts and had a median intensity of five parasites per host. Gregarines were found only in hosts exceeding a minimum wing load, indicating that gregarines are likely not transferred from the naiad to adult during emergence. Prevalence and intensity increased during both years, suggesting that gregarine oocyst viability parallels increasing host population densities and may be short-lived. Prevalence and intensity also differed between dragonfly populations at two reservoirs. Regression analyses revealed that host species, host gender, month, and year were significant explanatory variables related to gregarine prevalence and intensity. Abundant information on odonate distributions, diversity, and mating activities makes dragonfly-gregarine systems excellent avenues for ecological, evolutionary, and parasitological research. Our results emphasize the importance of considering season, hosts, and habitat when studying gregarine-dragonfly ecology.

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Efficacy of Oral Metronidazole and Potassium Sorbate Against Two Gregarine Parasites, Protomagalhaensia granulosae and Gregarina cubensis (Apicomplexa: Eugregarinida), Infecting the Death's Head Cockroach, Blaberus discoidalis

Cited by 12 publications

References 13 publications

New Insect System for Testing Antibiotics

New Insect System for Testing Antibiotics

Metabolic syndrome and obesity in an insect

Patterns of gregarine parasitism in dragonflies: host, habitat, and seasonality

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