{"title":"Impact of helminth infection on sexual morphology, reproduction and survival of the freshwater amphipod, Hyalella patagonica","authors":"Carlos Rauque, Verónica Flores","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Effects of helminth infection on sexual morphology and reproduction of the crustacean intermediate host are not well understood. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the effects of parasitic infections on the amphipod <em>Hyalella patagonica.</em> Specimens were collected from Lake Mascardi, Argentina, between spring 2018 and summer 2019. We focused on three parasites: the acanthocephalans <em>Pseudocorynosoma enrietti</em> and <em>Acanthocephalus tumescens</em> and the nematode <em>Hedruris suttonae</em>. Morphological alterations in sexual traits, pairing success, and survival rates were analyzed. Significant morphological alterations were induced by <em>P. enrietti</em>, including castration and mixed sexual characteristics. <em>Hedruris suttonae</em> was the parasite most frequently found in amphipods in precopula, indicating that this parasite does not affect pairing success. Reduced survival rates were found in amphipods infected with <em>H. suttonae</em> or co-infected with <em>P. enrietti</em> and <em>A. tumescens</em>. These findings underscore the varying pathogenic effects of parasites on amphipod hosts and highlight the importance of considering multiple factors when evaluating host-parasite interactions and their ecological consequences in aquatic ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108453"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145040381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Junjiang Liu , Lu Zhang , Xin Jia , Jinyu Yang , Mengqiang Wang
{"title":"Construction and optimization of a LAMP-based diagnostic platform for acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in Penaeus vannamei","authors":"Junjiang Liu , Lu Zhang , Xin Jia , Jinyu Yang , Mengqiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) poses a major threat to global shrimp aquaculture, especially impacting <em>Penaeus vannamei</em>. Given the high cost of prevention and the absence of effective treatments, the most efficient way to control AHPND is through early detection to quickly identify the pathogen. This study presents the development and optimization of a low-cost, portable diagnostic platform utilizing loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the rapid detection of AHPND. This platform integrates fluorescence detection with a smartphone-compatible device, providing a convenient and effective solution for on-site diagnosis. We also screened fluorescent nucleic acid dyes with optimal adaptability and developed an efficient, user-friendly tool to improve the performance of the isothermal amplification method. In addition, a deep learning-based infection detection algorithm was developed for automated diagnosis. The visualization technology showed high specificity and sensitivity for detecting AHPND in shrimp samples, with a detection limit of 1 copies/µL. These results highlight the potential of this method in resource-limited environments and provide a valuable tool for early detection and management of AHPND in shrimp aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108481"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145416886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Epidemiological investigation and whole genome of Vp AHPND CGVP22 isolated from an acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) outbreak in Korea","authors":"C.W.R. Gunasekara, L.G.T.G. Rajapaksha, S.H.M.P. Wimalasena, H.N.K.S. Pathirana, Gee-wook Shin","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>AHPN disease, caused by <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em>, poses a significant threat to global shrimp farming. Here, we investigated the epidemiological relationships of the AHPND- causing <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22, isolated from the 2016 AHPND outbreak in Pyeongtaek, Korea, through whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Initially, the presence of <em>pir<sup>AB</sup></em> genes was confirmed by PCR and nested PCR assays, which produced specific bands of 284 base pairs (bp) for <em>pir<sup>A</sup></em> and 392 bp for <em>pir<sup>B</sup></em>, and a 230 bp fragment in the AP4 nested PCR. The assembled whole-genome sequence of <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22 comprised of a total size of approximately 5.4 Mbp, consisting of 2 circular chromosomes (3.4 Mbp and 2.0 Mbp) and a 69 kbp plasmid. The RAST genome annotation identified 386 subsystems, including those related to virulence, motility, and iron acquisition. <em>In silico</em> multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) assigned <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22 to sequence type ST1166, and clustered with other ST1166 strains from Vietnam and China. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22 exhibited 52 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 99.96 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) relative to the 13028/A3 strain, and 973 SNPs with 99.87 % ANI compared to the 20130629002S01 strain. The plasmid of <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22 showed 99.94 % nucleotide identity to the pVPA3-1 plasmid of the 13028/A3 strain, suggesting a close phylogenetic relationship. Furthermore, <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22 and 13028/A3 shared identical prophages (12B12), antibiotic resistance genes, and virulence factors, while other ST1166 strains exhibit distinct profiles. Collectively, these results provide valuable insights into the genomic and evolutionary relationships of <em>Vp <sub>AHPND</sub></em> CGVP22, contributing to a better understanding of the epidemiology of AHPN disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108456"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Matthew Harwood , Josie South , Alison M. Dunn , Paul D. Stebbing , Amy Burgess , Jamie Bojko
{"title":"Pathogen diversity of the non-native narrow-clawed crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) in a UK water body","authors":"Matthew Harwood , Josie South , Alison M. Dunn , Paul D. Stebbing , Amy Burgess , Jamie Bojko","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biological invasions are intrinsically linked to introducing associated symbiotic organisms, some of which can be parasitic or pathogenic. The pathogenic risk of an ‘invasive parasite’ (aka. exotic pathogen) stems from its potential to infect native hosts and induce behavioural change or mortality, with the pathogen potentially presenting a greater risk than the host. Conversely, parasites translocated by invasive hosts may also reduce the impact of their host, indirectly curbing the hosts impact on the invaded ecosystem. In this study, we develop a pathogen profile for the narrow-clawed crayfish, <em>Pontastacus leptodactylus</em>. This is a non-native species in the United Kingdom, and poses a possible risk as a sink for invasive parasites. We use histopathology, metagenomics and metratranscriptomics to outline the symbiotic diversity harboured by a <em>P. leptodactylus</em> population from West Yorkshire, England.</div><div>We discovered several protozoan and bacterial species that appear to be putatively commensal with this invader, as well as several RNA viruses (<em>Hepelivirales</em>; <em>Picornavirales</em>; <em>Nodaviridae</em>, and others) that may be more pathogenic in nature. Microsporidia and <em>Nudiviridae</em> were absent in our population sample set, as were all metazoan obligate parasites, such as trematodes and acanthocephalans. Using the novel genomic and pathological data available to us, we have explored the evolutionary history of each symbiotic species and provided an initial assessment on the putative risk to native species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108458"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145086214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Boyu Qin , Donald Behringer , Abigail K. Scro , Erica Ross , Hajime Uchida , Satoshi Yoshimura , Jan Tebben , Tilmann Harder , Charles Derby , Michiya Kamio
{"title":"The smell of Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1) infection: Disease-induced changes in metabolites in urine and hemolymph of Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus","authors":"Boyu Qin , Donald Behringer , Abigail K. Scro , Erica Ross , Hajime Uchida , Satoshi Yoshimura , Jan Tebben , Tilmann Harder , Charles Derby , Michiya Kamio","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108446","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108446","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Caribbean spiny lobster <em>Panulirus argus</em> is a social species in which individuals aggregate for protection during the day using chemicals in their urine as guiding cues. This behavior changes when animals are infected by Panulirus argus virus 1 (PaV1), such that healthy animals avoid the urine of diseased conspecifics. The aim of this study was to identify the molecules responsible for this switch in aggregation behavior. Urine and hemolymph were collected from healthy and diseased animals, and their metabolites were identified and quantified using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (<sup>1</sup>H NMR) spectroscopy equipped with cryoprobe. Hemolymph was examined in addition to urine because it can infiltrate the urine of diseased animals and thus might be a source of the disease-specific cues. Overall differences in NMR spectra of urine and hemolymph of healthy and diseased animals were analyzed using principal component analysis of binned spectra. Differences in each chemical shift bins were identified by univariate analysis. Overall comparison of the spectra of healthy and diseased animals showed significant differences broadly across the spectra. Major compounds in the spectra were identified by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS) after high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation as amino acids, organic acids, nucleotides, nucleosides, amines, and betaines. Comparative analysis identified six molecules that differed quantitatively in urine of healthy and diseased animals: lactate was higher in urine of healthy animals, and citrate, homarine, 2′-deoxyadenosine, 2′-deoxycytidine, and thymidine were higher in urine of diseased animals. Earlier studies have demonstrated that these or related metabolites are sensed by the chemosensory systems of spiny lobsters or other marine crustaceans. Together, these findings suggest that these six molecules are candidate chemical cues that healthy lobsters might use to avoid diseased conspecifics and thus infection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108446"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shangning Yang , Zhichu Huang , Ruike Wei , Dandan Liu , Xiaoling Su , Huoqing Zheng
{"title":"Antiviral activity of curcumin against Israeli acute paralysis virus in Apis mellifera: Screening and mechanistic study","authors":"Shangning Yang , Zhichu Huang , Ruike Wei , Dandan Liu , Xiaoling Su , Huoqing Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), widespread in honeybee (<em>Apis mellifera</em>) colonies, causes paralysis, tremors, and eventual mortality, while strongly associated with colony collapse disorder (CCD). Currently, there are no widely approved antiviral therapies for IAPV infection; however, several natural compounds have shown promising antiviral efficacy. In this study, we evaluated the effects of eight natural compounds (myrcene, citral, menthol, chlorogenic acid, resveratrol, curcumin, quercetin, and tea polyphenols) on IAPV-infected honeybees. Bees were artificially or naturally infected with IAPV and subsequently fed sucrose solution supplemented with these compounds. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that curcumin was the most effective compound in reducing viral load. After seven days of treatment with 10 µM curcumin, IAPV levels decreased by 46.2 % in artificially infected bees and 84.0 % in naturally infected bees. Transcriptomic analysis showed that curcumin upregulated genes involved in nutritional metabolism (e.g., <em>Vg</em>) and the RNA interference (RNAi) pathways (e.g., <em>dicer</em>, <em>hsp90</em>), which play a critical role in antiviral defense. Interestingly, it downregulated antimicrobial peptide genes (<em>hymenoptaecin</em>, <em>abaecin</em>, <em>defensin 1</em>). These findings demonstrated that curcumin mediated a strategic immune reconfiguration in honeybees, concentrating more resources on the RNAi pathway, while reducing energetically costly antimicrobial peptide synthesis. This optimized antiviral defense, combined with improved <em>vitellogenin</em> expression, suggests a metabolic efficiency adaptation that preferentially directs resources toward more effective IAPV countermeasures. Our results suggest that curcumin is a dual-action therapeutic candidate that simultaneously strengthens crucial antiviral defenses and maintains host vitality, offering significant promise for sustainable honeybee health management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108483"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145401113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shengyan Xiao , Na Zhang , Xinhao Jiao , Wenwen Jiang , Feng Zhu , Shuyi Liu , Zi Liang , Ping Wu
{"title":"Nanomaterial ZIF8@ZIF67 may regulate ROS/BmRelish axis to enhance the silkworm resistance against Bacillus cereus","authors":"Shengyan Xiao , Na Zhang , Xinhao Jiao , Wenwen Jiang , Feng Zhu , Shuyi Liu , Zi Liang , Ping Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108476","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108476","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanomaterials have broad application prospects in biomedicine, environmental protection, improving agricultural production efficiency and pest control. Our previous study demonstrated that the nanomaterial ZIF-8@ZIF-67 improves the survival rate of silkworms following <em>Bacillus cereus</em> infection. However, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here, we elucidated the molecular basis of this enhanced resistance by employing integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. We propose that ZIF-8@ZIF-67 induces ROS generation, which could in turn activate BmRelish, a key immune pathway component, thereby strengthening host immunity. Transcriptomic profiling identified a total of 547 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, the short peptidoglycan recognition proteins PGRP-S7 and PGRP-S3 were significantly upregulated and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was notably enriched. PGRP-S3 expression in the ZIF8@ZIF67-treated group was elevated by 28.5-fold compared to the control, highlighting a strong immune-related transcriptional response to nanomaterial exposure. Furthermore, ZIF8@ZIF67 exposure induced a 3.8-fold upregulation of BmRelish, a critical downstream effector of the Imd signaling pathway, and concurrently activated multiple components of the Toll pathway—including PGRP-S7/S3, GNBP3, TLR3, and Dorsal. These transcriptional changes collectively promoted robust induction of antimicrobial peptides such as BmAttacin, BmCecA, and BmCecB1. Metabolomic analysis revealed 317 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), including key molecules such as α-linolenic acid and glutathione (GSH/GSSG), which collectively modulated antioxidant defense, energy metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Integrated omics analysis further identified that BmRelish may act as a central regulatory node, orchestrating the coordination between immune signaling pathways and metabolic homeostasis to establish a functional “immune-metabolic network”. This regulatory framework enhanced the antimicrobial capacity of silkworms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108476"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xin Jia , Yu Tao , Bingxin Shi , Junjiang Liu , Junjie Qin , Lu Zhang , Mengqiang Wang
{"title":"Development and application of SYBR Green-based qPCR method to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus causing translucent post-larvae disease in shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei","authors":"Xin Jia , Yu Tao , Bingxin Shi , Junjiang Liu , Junjie Qin , Lu Zhang , Mengqiang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a dominant species in global aquaculture, <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> not only represents one of the three most extensively farmed shrimp varieties, but had also emerged as a core economic species in many countries. However, shrimp farming operations have been persistently plagued by diseases and infections, with multiple highly contagious and lethal pathogens causing devastating economic losses. Among them, translucent post-larvae disease (TPD) was characterized as a novel pathology attributable to a distinct subtype of <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em> (<em>Vp</em>TPD), which harbors three virulence genes designated as <em>vhvp-1</em>, <em>vhvp-2</em> and <em>vhvp-3</em>. In this research, a series of SYBR Green-based qPCR methods were efficiently applied to detect and quantify the <em>vhvp-1</em>, <em>vhvp-2</em> and <em>vhvp-3</em> genes of <em>Vp</em>TPD. By designing 18 pairs of primers and screening the optimal combination, a highly specific amplification system with <em>vhvp-2</em>-F3/<em>vhvp-2</em>-<em>R</em>3 primer pair was successfully established. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the limit of detection in this assay for detecting <em>Vp</em>TPD (<em>vhvp-2</em>) was 4.46 × 10<sup>0</sup> copies/μL. Furthermore, the standard curve exhibited excellent linearity (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.992), and a single distinct peak was observed in the melting curve, indicating the absence of non-target products. Specificity tests confirmed that the method had no amplification reaction against any other common pathogens. In addition, the detection system remained stable at background shrimp DNA concentrations as high as 1500 ng/μL, and achieved 100 % detection rates in practical testing. Compared with traditional methods, these SYBR Green-based qPCR methods developed in this research possessed superior sensitivity, strong specificity and anti-interference ability, which could efficiently detect <em>Vp</em>TPD pathogens and provided reliable technical support for large-scale screening and early prevention in shrimp farming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108475"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jitao Zheng , Yuxuan Zhao , Qin Wu , Yuchen Chen , Yongchun Ge , Xiaozhen Yang , Yongxu Cheng
{"title":"Intestinal health deficits in precocious Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis): Integrated exploration of feeding behavior, histopathology, and microbiota","authors":"Jitao Zheng , Yuxuan Zhao , Qin Wu , Yuchen Chen , Yongchun Ge , Xiaozhen Yang , Yongxu Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sexual precocity is a common problem in the aquaculture of Chinese mitten crabs (<em>Eriocheir sinensis</em>), and can reduce the aquaculture performance. The healthy intestines play a vital role in sustaining aquaculture performance. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of sexual precocity on the feeding behavior, histopathology, and intestinal microbiota of <em>E. sinensis</em>. Based on the data obtained, precocious crabs showed a longer feeding response time (136.51 ± 41.51 min) and a shorter feeding duration (36.46 ± 11.86 s) than non-precocious crabs (13.37 ± 3.96 min and 49.33 ± 21.95 s). Meanwhile, histological abnormalities were also observed in the intestines of precocious crabs. The histopathological results of the precocious crabs’ intestine revealed a larger intestinal diameter (1.113 ± 0.071 mm) and luminal area (0.621 ± 0.037 mm2), a thicker peritrophic membrane (13.870 ± 3.236 μm), as well as broken-down hindgut glands and disordered-arranged columnar epithelial cells. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis revealed deeper changes related to intestinal health in precocious crabs, with greater abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as <em>Vibrio</em> and <em>Roseimarinus</em>. The potentially pathogenic bacteria in precocious crabs’ intestine such as <em>Mycoplasmataceae</em> and <em>Alphaproteobacteria</em> were found in greater abundance, while beneficial bacteria including <em>Rhizobiales</em> and <em>ZOR0006</em> were lower in abundance. Univariate correlation analysis revealed that <em>Rhizobiales</em> and <em>ZOR0006</em> had negative correlations with various potentially pathogenic bacteria including <em>Vibrio</em> and <em>Roseimarinus</em>. Based on the determination of microbiota in the water environment and SourceTrack analysis, the results indicated a decline in the proportion of intestinal microbiota derived from the water environment in precocious crabs. In conclusion, precocious crabs exhibit poorer intestinal health, which exacerbates aquaculture risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108493"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145488780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kelli J. McKeegan , Matthew L. Forister , Taylor Bradford , Mike B. Teglas , Angela M. Smilanich
{"title":"Diet quality improves survival and mediates larval response to densovirus infection in the Melissa blue butterfly","authors":"Kelli J. McKeegan , Matthew L. Forister , Taylor Bradford , Mike B. Teglas , Angela M. Smilanich","doi":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jip.2025.108497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Entomopathogenic viruses affect insect populations by reducing fitness and influencing other measures of performance such as development and longevity. Given the huge diversity of viruses, studies are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying how viruses affect their insect hosts. The Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDV) infects a wide range of Lepidoptera and can cause death in the larval and pupal stages. In this study, we used the Melissa blue butterfly (<em>Lycaeides melissa</em>: Lycaenidae) to describe infection progression at the individual level, the effects of infection on development, survival, and longevity, and whether plant diet influenced these factors. Caterpillars were infected with JcDV and reared on either a low-quality host plant (<em>Medicago sativa</em>) or one of two high-quality host plants (<em>Astragalus canadensis</em> or <em>Lotus nevadensis</em>). We found that average viral load was similar across six days post-inoculation with a slight peak on day four. Viral load was highest among individuals reared on the low-quality host plant. Infection resulted in faster development time compared to uninfected individuals, and diet-specific effects were evident in survival to adulthood, with the native host plant (<em>A. canadensis</em>) offering optimal conditions for survival. None of the infected individuals that reached adulthood successfully eliminated JcDV, but viral loads were much lower in adults than larvae, indicating individuals reduced or maintained low viral loads between life stages. These results suggest diet-dependent response to JcDV infection and have implications for understanding the mechanisms that facilitate or impede the colonization of novel host plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16296,"journal":{"name":"Journal of invertebrate pathology","volume":"214 ","pages":"Article 108497"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145549591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}