Here, we provide the first mass molecular screening of medically important mosquitoes for Bartonella species using multiple genetic markers. We examined a total of 72,115 mosquito specimens, morphologically attributed to Aedes vexans (61,050 individuals), Culex pipiens (10,484 individuals) and species of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (581 individuals) for Bartonella spp. The initial screening yielded 63 Bartonella-positive A. vexans mosquitoes (mean prevalence 0.1%), 34 Bartonella-positive C. pipiens mosquitoes (mean prevalence 0.3%) and 158 Bartonella-positive A. maculipennis group mosquitoes (mean prevalence 27.2%). Several different Bartonella ITS sequences were recovered. This study highlights the need for molecular screening of mosquitoes, the most important vectors of arthropod-borne pathogens, for potential bacterial agents.
- MeSH
- Genes, Bacterial genetics MeSH
- Bartonella classification genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Culicidae classification microbiology MeSH
- DNA, Bacterial genetics MeSH
- Epidemiological Monitoring MeSH
- Bartonella Infections epidemiology transmission MeSH
- Mosquito Vectors classification microbiology MeSH
- DNA, Ribosomal Spacer genetics MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
- MeSH
- Anoplura growth & development drug effects MeSH
- Argas growth & development MeSH
- Ctenocephalides growth & development drug effects MeSH
- Culicidae growth & development MeSH
- Mite Infestations * nursing transmission prevention & control MeSH
- Ixodes growth & development drug effects MeSH
- Mosquito Vectors classification pathogenicity drug effects MeSH
- Insect Bites and Stings nursing prevention & control MeSH
- Tick Bites prevention & control MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Pediculus growth & development drug effects MeSH
- Mites anatomy & histology classification pathogenicity MeSH
- Sarcoptes scabiei growth & development MeSH
- Bedbugs growth & development MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Review MeSH
BACKGROUND: Despite long-term research on dirofilariosis in Slovakia, little attention has thus far been paid to Dirofilaria vectors. The particular aim of the present study was molecular screening for filarioid parasites in two different habitats of Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia. In addition, the effect of urbanisation on mosquito species abundance and composition, associated with the risk of mosquito-borne infections, was studied and discussed. METHODS: Mosquitoes were identified by morphological features, and molecular methods were also used for determination of selected individuals belonging to cryptic species from the Anopheles maculipennis and Culex pipiens complexes. The presence of filarioid DNA (Dirofilaria repens, Dirofilaria immitis and Setaria spp.) was detected using standard PCR approaches and sequencing. RESULTS: A total of 6957 female mosquitoes were collected for the study. Overall, the most abundant mosquito species was Aedes vexans, closely followed by unidentified members of the Cx. pipiens complex and the less numerous but still plentiful Ochlerotatus sticticus species. Further investigation of mosquito material revealed 4.26% relative prevalence of Dirofilaria spp., whereby both species, D. repens and D. immitis, were identified. The majority of positive mosquito pools had their origin in a floodplain area on the outskirts of the city, with a relative prevalence of 5.32%; only two mosquito pools (1.26%) were shown to be positive in the residential zone of Bratislava. Setaria spp. DNA was not detected in mosquitoes within this study. CONCLUSIONS: The study presented herein represents initial research focused on molecular mosquito screening for filarioid parasites in urban and urban-fringe habitats of Bratislava, Slovakia. Molecular analyses within the Cx. pipiens complex identified two biotypes: Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and Cx. pipiens biotype molestus. To our knowledge, Dirofilaria spp. were detected for the first time in Slovakia in mosquitoes other than Ae. vexans, i.e. D. repens in Anopheles messeae and unidentified members of An. maculipennis and Cx. pipiens complexes, and D. immitis in Coquillettidia richiardii and Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens. Both dirofilarial species were found in Och. sticticus. The suitable conditions for the vectors' biology would represent the main risk factor for dirofilariosis transmission.
- MeSH
- Anopheles anatomy & histology classification genetics growth & development MeSH
- Culex anatomy & histology classification genetics growth & development MeSH
- Dirofilaria immitis genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Dirofilaria repens genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Dirofilariasis epidemiology transmission MeSH
- Risk Assessment MeSH
- Mosquito Vectors anatomy & histology classification genetics growth & development MeSH
- Population Dynamics * MeSH
- Setaria Nematode genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Setariasis epidemiology transmission MeSH
- Urbanization * MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Slovakia epidemiology MeSH
V předjaří 2010 byl ve sledovaných oblastech našich nížinných řek zaznamenán běžný výskyt larev komárů. Lokální povodně na soutoku Moravy a Dyje, Vltavy a Labe nezpůsobily významné přemnožení komárů. Katastrofální záplavy v druhé polovině května na severu Moravy znamenaly kalamitní výskyt komárů v Moravskoslezském, Olomouckém, Zlínském a Jihomoravském kraji. 7.srpna postihly bleskové povodně sever Čech, naštěstí bez kalamitního výskytu komárů. Začátkem října zjištěn neobvykle pozdní výskyt larev komárů na Mělnicku. Larvy komárů přežily až konce listopadu. Ve sledovaných oblastech zjištěn výskyt 30 druhů komárů: Anopheles messea, An. maculipennis s.str., An. claviger, An. plumbeus, An. hyrcanus, Ochlerotatus cantans, Oc. annulipes, Oc.excrucians, Oc. flavescens, Oc. caspius, Oc. dorsalis, Oc. communis, Oc.leucomelas, Oc. cataphyla, Oc. sticticus, Oc. intrudens, Oc. rusticus, Oc. refiki, Oc. geniculatus, Aedes cinereus, Ae.rossicus, Ae.geminus, Culex pipiens, Cx. torrentium, Cx. territans, Cx. modestu, Culiseta annulata, Culiseta morsitans, Uranotaenia unguiculata, Coquillettidia richiardii. Povodně významným způsobem neovlivnily druhovou rozmanitost fauny komárů, významě ovlivnily kvantitu výskytu zvl. takzvaných kalamitních druhů Oc. sticticus a Ae.vexans.
In the early spring 2010, the usual seasonal occurrence of mosquito larvae was observed in the monitored lowland river areas. Local floods at the confluences of the Morava and Dyje rivers and the Vltava and Labe rivers were not associated with high mosquito abundance levels. Catastrophic floods in northern Moravia in the second half of May caused critical mosquito abundance levels in the Moravian-Silesian, Olomouc, Zlín and South Moravian Regions. On August 7, flash floods affected northern Bohemia; luckily they were not followed by high mosquito infestation. In early October, an unusual late occurrence of mosquito larvae was observed in the Mělník area. They survived until late November. In the monitored areas, as many as 30 mosquito species were identified: Anopheles messeae, An. maculipennis s.str., An. claviger, An. plumbeus, An. hyrcanus, Ochlerotatus cantans, Oc. annulipes, Oc. excrucians, Oc. flavescens, Oc. caspius, Oc. dorsalis, Oc. communis, Oc. leucomelas, Oc. cataphyla, Oc. sticticus, Oc. intrudens, Oc. rusticus, Oc. refiki, Oc. geniculatus, Aedes cinereus, Ae. rossicus, Ae.geminus, Culex pipiens, Cx. torrentium, Cx. territans, Cx. modestu, Culiseta annulata, Cs. morsitans, Uranotaenia unguiculata, and Coquillettidia richiardii. The floods had no major impact on mosquito species diversity, but were significantly associated with critical mosquito abundance of the disastrous species Oc. Sticticus and Ae. vexans.
