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
BACKGROUND: Mosquitoes are arthropods of major importance to animal and human health because they are able to transmit pathogenic agents such as filarioids (Spirurida), vector-borne nematodes, which reside in the tissues of vertebrates. In Europe, recent research has mostly focused on mosquito-borne zoonotic species, while others remain neglected. Mosquitoes are also vectors of avian malaria, which has an almost worldwide distribution, and is caused by several Plasmodium species and lineages, the most common being P. relictum. The Danube Delta region of Romania is one of the most important stopover sites for migratory birds. The local mosquito fauna is diverse and well represented, while filarial infections are known to be endemic in domestic dogs in this area. The aim of the present study was thus to assess the potential vector capacity for various filarial helminths and avian malaria of mosquitoes trapped in the Danube Delta. METHODS: In July 2015, mosquitoes were collected at seven sites located in and around a rural locality in the Danube Delta region of Romania, using CO2-baited traps and hand aspirators. Additionally, a trap was placed next to a microfilaremic dog co-infected with Dirofilaria repens and D. immitis. All randomly trapped mosquitoes were identified to the species level and pooled according to date, sampling site, and taxon. Three hundred individual mosquitoes sampled next to the microfilaremic dog were processed individually and divided into abdomen and thorax/head. Following DNA extraction, all samples were screened for the presence of DNA of filarioid helminths and avian malaria agents by PCR techniques. RESULTS: All 284 pools (a total of 5855 mosquitoes) were negative for filarioid DNA. One pool of Culex modestus mosquitoes was positive for Plasmodium sp. lineage Donana03. In the individually extracted mosquitoes, one abdomen of Aedes vexans was positive for D. repens DNA, one thorax/head of Ae. vexans was positive for DNA of Setaria labiatopapillosa, and two thorax/head of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens were positive for P. relictum lineage pSGS1. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests the vector competence of Cx. modestus and Cx. pipiens for avian Plasmodium including pathogenic species P. relictum and Ae. vexans for mammalian filarioids. Moreover, it indicates the role of Cx. pipiens f. pipiens as a potential natural vector of P. relictum lineage pSGS1 in nature.
- MeSH
- Aedes classification parasitology MeSH
- Culex classification parasitology MeSH
- Culicidae classification parasitology MeSH
- Dirofilaria immitis genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Dirofilaria repens genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Filarioidea genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Filariasis epidemiology parasitology MeSH
- Insect Vectors parasitology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Malaria, Avian epidemiology parasitology MeSH
- Plasmodium genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Dogs MeSH
- Setaria Nematode genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Dogs MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Romania epidemiology MeSH
- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents standards therapeutic use MeSH
- Bordetella pertussis isolation & purification drug effects MeSH
- Chemical Actions and Uses MeSH
- Culex classification microbiology growth & development MeSH
- Disinfection * trends legislation & jurisprudence MeSH
- Disinfectants classification therapeutic use MeSH
- Insect Control methods MeSH
- Ixodes MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Mosquito Control methods statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Insect Repellents classification therapeutic use MeSH
- Bedbugs MeSH
- Sterilization * instrumentation trends legislation & jurisprudence MeSH
- Ebolavirus MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
Klimatické změny ve střední Evropě stále častěji způsobují extrémy v počasí včetně katastrofálních povodní. Na konci června a začátkem července 2009 postihly ČR po přívalových deštích tzv. bleskové povodně, které způsobily ztráty na životech a značné škody na majetku. Nejhorší situace byla v Moravskoslezském, Jihočeském a Severočeském kraji. V Poodří na Novojičínsku, kde se komáří kalamity prakticky nevyskytují, se vyvinuly masové populace komárů Aedes vexans a Ochlerotatus (dříve Aedes) sticticus. Vývoj larev byl překotný, a tak bylo možno likvidovat přemnožené létající komáry pouze pozemní aplikací přípravku K. Othrin 25 SC tzv. dýmováním.
In Central Europe, global climate change entails increasingly frequent weather extremes. At the end of June and the beginning of July 2009, sudden torrential rainfalls followed by flash floods have caused twelve casualties and 8.5 billion Czech crowns of damage. The most severe floods struck some areas of Northern Moravia and Southern and Northern Bohemia. Massive mosquito populations (Aedes vexans and Ochlerotatus sticticus) developed in regions where mosquitoes rarely cause major problems (e.g. in the Odra basin in the Nový Jieín district). In the flooded areas, mosquito larvae development was so rapid that no larvicidal control measures were possible to organize in time. Therefore, adulticidal thermal fogging with K.Othrin 25 SC was used locally in ground application for human settlements where the mosquito landing counts exceeded bearable limits.
[Occurrence of mosquitoes after floods in the spring 2006]
