Molecular systematics of<i>Simulium squamosum</i>, the vector in the Kinsuka onchocerciasis focus (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo)

Mansiangi, Paul; Kiyombo, Guillaume Mbela; Mulumba, Paul; Josens, Guy; Krueger, Andreas

doi:10.1179/136485907x157013

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…To determine the relationships of the different species of black fly found around Loch Lomond, sequences for the COI gene of three species from other studies were included. Two species, S. venustum and S. vittatum are commonly found in the Nearctic 66 and one species, S. squamosum , is the species that was reported to carry Wolbachia in Ghana 34 , 67 . Leucocytozoon sequence IDs were confirmed using the MalAVI database (Supplementary Table S1 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vector species-specific association between natural Wolbachia infections and avian malaria in black fly populations

Woodford

Bianco

Ivanova

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Artificial infection of mosquitoes with the endosymbiont bacteria Wolbachia can interfere with malaria parasite development. Therefore, the release of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes has been proposed as a malaria control strategy. However, Wolbachia effects on vector competence are only partly understood, as indicated by inconsistent effects on malaria infection reported under laboratory conditions. Studies of naturally-occurring Wolbachia infections in wild vector populations could be useful to identify the ecological and evolutionary conditions under which these endosymbionts can block malaria transmission. Here we demonstrate the occurrence of natural Wolbachia infections in three species of black fly (genus Simulium), which is a main vector of the avian malaria parasite Leucocytozoon. Prevalence of Leucocytozoon was high (25%), but the nature and magnitude of its association with Wolbachia differed between black fly species. Wolbachia infection was positively associated with avian malaria infection in S. cryophilum, negatively associated in S. aureum, and unrelated in S. vernum. These differences suggest that Wolbachia interacts with the parasite in a vector host species-specific manner. This provides a useful model system for further study of how Wolbachia influences vector competence. Such knowledge, including the possibility of undesirable positive association, is required to guide endosymbiont based control methods.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%