Parasites & Vectors最新文献

{"title":"The launch of the Pacific vector network: connecting Pacific Island Countries and areas to prevent and control vector-borne diseases.","authors":"Limb K Hapairai, Salanieta T Saketa, Amandeep Singh, Rosanna Y Rabago, Amanda K Murphy, Tessa B Knox, Nuha Mahmoud, Emi Chutaro, Anna Drexler","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06760-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06760-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Pacific Island Health Officers' Association, the World Health Organization, and the Pacific Community co-organized the launch of the Pacific Vector Network (PVN) to address challenges posed by mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue fever, Zika virus disease, chikungunya, malaria, and lymphatic filariasis. The PVN was created as a new initiative under the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN). This launch was a critical step in the build-up to PVN as a full-service network of PPHSN in the coming years. The Pacific Island Countries and areas (PIC)-led network comprises vector management leadership, officers, and technical partners dedicated to supporting information-sharing to promote evidence-based collective action and innovation. The setup of a Technical Working Body to ensure governance and to steer forward the work of the network was a key deliverable. This manuscript describes the proceedings and discussions of PIC representatives and several regional partners at the inaugural PVN meeting held 5-7 June 2023 in Hawai'i, USA.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"114"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11929161/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143693046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of the initial and residual speed of Amblyomma americanum kill on dogs treated with a single dose of Bravecto® Chew (25 mg/kg fluralaner) or Simparica TRIO® (1.2 mg/kg sarolaner, 24 µg/kg moxidectin, 5 mg/kg pyrantel).","authors":"Kathryn E Reif, Michael W Dryden, Dorothy M Normile, Qing Kang, Brian H Herrin, Jeba R J Jesudoss Chelladurai, Naemi P Bickmeier, Cameron J Sutherland, Mallory S Beltz","doi":"10.1186/s13071-024-06600-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-024-06600-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To manage tick infestations and reduce tick-borne pathogen transmission risk to dogs, compliant administration of a fast-acting ectoparasiticide is necessary. Isoxazoline-containing ectoparasiticide products provide systemic whole-body coverage; however, differences in tick kill have been observed between products and these differences may be more pronounced when controlling common dose-limiting tick species such as Amblyomma americanum.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Dogs were ranked by tick carrying capacity, randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups, and administered Bravecto® Chews (minimum 25 mg/kg fluralaner), Simparica TRIO® (minimum 1.2 mg/kg sarolaner, 24 µg/kg moxidectin, 5 mg/kg pyrantel), or no treatment. Dogs were infested with approximately 50 unfed adult (25 female, 25 male) A. americanum on days -2, 21, 28, and 35. Live tick counts were performed at 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment (day 0) and post-infestation on days 21, 28, and 35. At each tick count timepoint, product efficacy was determined by comparing geometric mean live tick counts for each product-treated group to the untreated group and a linear mixed model was used for between-group comparisons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with untreated dogs, significant control of existing A. americanum infestations began by 8 h post-treatment (81.6%) and reached 98.0% control by 12-h for Bravecto®-treated dogs. In comparison, significant control for Simparica TRIO®-treated dogs began by 24 h post-treatment (97.7%). When reinfested on day 21, A. americanum infestations were controlled more quickly for Bravecto® compared with Simparica TRIO®-treated dogs at 12 h (efficacy 95.3% versus 25.5%, P < 0.001) and 24 h (efficacy 99.7% versus 70.9%, P < 0.001) post-infestation. Similarly, when reinfested on day 28, faster A. americanum control occurred for Bravecto® compared with Simparica TRIO®-treated dogs at 12 h (efficacy 87.9% versus 18.3%, P < 0.001) and at 24 h (99.2% versus 59.3%, P < 0.001) post-infestation. Finally, when reinfested on day 35, time to ≥ 90% efficacy was achieved by 48 h for Bravecto®-treated dogs compared with 72 h post-infestation for Simparica TRIO®-treated dogs. Both products performed within label indications and no treatment-related adverse reactions occurred during the study.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Amblyomma americanum infestations are controlled more quickly immediately upon treatment and at 21, 28, and 35 days post-treatment for Bravecto® compared with Simparica TRIO®-treated dogs.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"112"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11927195/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi and anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in domestic dogs from Tremedal, Bahia: insights from the Oxente Chagas Bahia Project.","authors":"Tycha Bianca Sabaini Pavan, Larissa Carvalho Medrado Vasconcelos, Isabela Machado Serrano, Denis Augusto Argolo Campos, Ângelo Antônio Oliveira Silva, Randrin Queiroz Viana Ferreira, Daniel Dias Sampaio, Isadora Cristina de Siqueira, Fred Luciano Neves Santos","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06744-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06744-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Chagas disease (CD) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are two important zoonotic diseases that present significant public health challenges in Latin America. Domestic dogs, due to their close contact with humans, serve as key reservoirs for both Trypanosoma cruzi (the causative agent of CD) and Leishmania infantum (the causative agent of VL), making them important sentinels in disease surveillance. This study, conducted as part of the Oxente Chagas Bahia Project, aimed to assess the seroprevalence of anti-T. cruzi and anti-L. infantum antibodies in domestic dogs from Tremedal, Bahia, Brazil.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Serum samples from 17 dogs were analyzed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (using recombinant antigens (IBMP-8.1, IBMP-8.2, IBMP-8.3, IBMP-8.4) for T. cruzi and the TR DPP® rapid test and ELISA for L. infantum.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed that 5.9% (1/17) of the dogs tested were seropositive for T. cruzi, indicating the presence of the parasite in the region. Similarly, 5.9% (1/17) of the dogs were confirmed to be positive for L. infantum by ELISA, although the results of the TR DPP® test initially suggested a higher prevalence (41.2%), highlighting the risk of false-positive results.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings underscore the critical role of dogs in CD and VL surveillance, given their involvement in both domestic and peridomestic transmission cycles. The study also emphasizes the need for confirmatory testing to ensure diagnostic accuracy, which will contribute to more effective disease control strategies in endemic areas. This work highlights the importance of a One Health approach in which human and animal health are closely monitored to mitigate the transmission of zoonotic diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"113"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11929362/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lysinibacillus sphaericus exposure impedes Anopheles dirus's oviposition via downregulating vitellogenin.","authors":"Shasha Yu, Zhilong Liu, Jing Wang, Hong Zheng, Shiqian Han, Feifei Zheng, Dan Zheng, Caizhi Zhao, Xin Li, Tingting Liu, Xuesen Yang, Ying Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06745-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06745-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vector control using Lysinibacillus sphaericus is an effective strategy for preventing the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases. Our previous study demonstrated that exposure to L. sphaericus during the larval stage of Anopheles dirus significantly reduced the fecundity of surviving adult mosquitoes. However, the underlying mechanisms driving this reduction remain unclear. Sublethal doses of L. sphaericus, often resulting from insufficient or delayed application, can still impact mosquito populations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how sublethal doses of L. sphaericus inhibit the reproductive capacity of An. dirus mosquitoes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>First, the staining method was used to detect L. sphaericus in surviving adult mosquitoes that had been exposed to sublethal doses during the larval stage. Second, adult mosquitoes were fed a sucrose solution containing L. sphaericus, and the effects on the reproductive capacity were observed. Third, transcriptome sequencing and qPCR were employed to identify and validate genes associated with oviposition suppression in An. dirus following treatment with sublethal doses of L. sphaericus. Finally, we assessed the effects of sublethal doses and direct feeding of L. sphaericus on vitellogenin (Vg) expression and activation of the target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway using qPCR and Western blotting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings demonstrated that L. sphaericus persists in adult An. dirus mosquitoes that survived larval exposure to sublethal doses. Additionally, feeding adult female mosquitoes with L. sphaericus significantly suppressed their oviposition ability. Transcriptome analysis revealed substantial alterations in gene expression profiles among surviving mosquitoes exposed to sublethal doses of L. sphaericus. Notably, L. sphaericus inhibit lysosomal function and lipid metabolism, which are critical for mosquito physiology. Furthermore, L. sphaericus significantly downregulated the Akt-TOR signaling pathway and Vg expression in adult mosquitoes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Exposure An. dirus larvae to L. sphaericus resulted in the persistence of L. sphaericus in surviving adult mosquitoes and significantly suppressed female oviposition by downregulating Vg expression via inhibition of lysosomal function and the TOR signaling pathway. This study offers novel insights into the interaction between L. sphaericus and its mosquito host and identifies potential molecular targets for controlling mosquito population density by modulating oviposition behavior.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"111"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11927181/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Forecasting invasive mosquito abundance in the Basque Country, Spain using machine learning techniques.","authors":"Vanessa Steindorf, Hamna Mariyam K B, Nico Stollenwerk, Aitor Cevidanes, Jesús F Barandika, Patricia Vazquez, Ana L García-Pérez, Maíra Aguiar","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06733-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06733-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mosquito-borne diseases cause millions of deaths each year and are increasingly spreading from tropical and subtropical regions into temperate zones, posing significant public health risks. In the Basque Country region of Spain, changing climatic conditions have driven the spread of invasive mosquitoes, increasing the potential for local transmission of diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. The establishment of mosquito species in new areas, coupled with rising mosquito populations and viremic imported cases, presents challenges for public health systems in non-endemic regions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study uses models that capture the complexities of the mosquito life cycle, driven by interactions with weather variables, including temperature, precipitation, and humidity. Leveraging machine learning techniques, we aimed to forecast Aedes invasive mosquito abundance in the provinces of the Basque Country, using egg count as a proxy and weather features as key independent variables. A Spearman correlation was used to assess relationships between climate variables and mosquito egg counts, as well as their lagged time series versions. Forecasting models, including random forest (RF) and seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMAX), were evaluated using root mean squared error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) metrics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Statistical analysis revealed significant impacts of temperature, precipitation, and humidity on mosquito egg abundance. The random forest (RF) model demonstrated the highest forecasting accuracy, followed by the SARIMAX model. Incorporating lagged climate variables and ovitrap egg counts into the models improved predictions, enabling more accurate forecasts of Aedes invasive mosquito abundance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings emphasize the importance of integrating climate-driven forecasting tools to predict the abundance of mosquitoes where data are available. Furthermore, this study highlights the critical need for ongoing entomological surveillance to enhance mosquito spread forecasting and contribute to the development and assessment of effective vector control strategies in regions of mosquito expansion.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"109"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11909879/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143634329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of vector-borne avian pathogen occurrence in a mosaic of habitat fragmentation in California.","authors":"Wilmer Amaya-Mejia, Lucas Pavan, Marie Lilly, Andrea Swei, Rodolfo Dirzo, Ravinder N M Sehgal","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06742-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06742-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As habitat fragmentation increases, ecological processes, including patterns of vector-borne pathogen prevalence, will likely be disrupted, but ongoing investigations are necessary to examine this relationship. Here, we report the differences in the prevalence of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, s.l.) and haemoproteosis (Haemoproteus spp.) pathogens in avian populations of a fragmented habitat. B. burgdorferi s.l. is a generalist pathogen that is transmitted by Ixodes pacificus vectors in California, and Haemoproteus is an avian parasite transmitted by Culicoides vectors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To determine whether biotic (avian and mammalian abundance) or abiotic characteristics (patch size and water availability) correlated with infection prevalence change, we screened 176 birds sampled across seven sites in oak woodland habitat in northern California.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>While biotic factors correlated with an increase in both pathogens, infection prevalence of Haemoproteus spp. was only associated with individual-level traits, specifically foraging substrate and diet, and B. burgdorferi s.l. was associated with community-level characteristics, both total mammal and, specifically, rodent abundance. Proximity to water was the only abiotic factor found to be significant for both pathogens and reinforces the importance of water availability for transmission cycles. Larger patch sizes did not significantly affect infection prevalence of Haemoproteus, but did increase the prevalence of B. burgdorferi.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results highlight that while environmental factors (specifically habitat fragmentation) have a limited role in vector-borne pathogen prevalence, the indirect impact to biotic factors (community composition) can have consequences for both Haemoproteus and B. burgdorferi prevalence in birds. Given the pervasiveness of habitat fragmentation, our results are of broad significance.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"110"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11909916/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143634328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The efficacy of vector-proof accommodation for the protection of livestock against Culicoides biting midges.","authors":"Simon King, Melanie Nicholls, Jake Scales, Simon Gubbins, Paul Pearce-Kelly, Stefan Saverimuttu, Sarah Forsyth, Marion England","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06736-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06736-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Bluetongue virus serotype 3 emerged in northern Europe and the UK for the first time in 2023, causing significant losses of domestic ruminants. Vector-proof accommodation is considered a potential control measure to reduce host-vector contact, but this has not been investigated in northern Europe. This study investigates the efficacy of vector-proof accommodation to protect livestock from Culicoides biting midges in the UK.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four identical stables were fitted with various levels of vector-proofing, using readily available materials, and a CDC light trap in each. Two further CDC light traps were set outside the stables. For 19 nights during June and July 2024, two pygmy goats were placed into each stable and traps were run until the following morning to collect Culicoides. Trap catch comparisons for total Culicoides, Avaritia females and Culicoides obsoletus/scoticus were analysed using negative binomial generalised linear models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The use of brushes around closed doors resulted in a 14-fold reduction in the number of Culicoides collected from indoor traps. There was an additional effect of installing fine mesh over slatted windows, but this was not significant. Housing animals without shutting the door had no effect on the number of Culicoides collected compared to outside. Blood meal analysis confirmed Culicoides obsoletus/scoticus collected from inside stables were feeding on the goats.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study has shown that small animal housing can be cheaply and easily fitted with readily available vector-proof materials to effectively protect a small number of animals from Culicoides. The efficacy and suitability of vector-proof accommodation may vary with time of year, and consideration needs to be given to the welfare implications of housing animals during the summer.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"108"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11909808/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143634294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of a novel house (Star home) and toilet design on domestic fly densities in rural Tanzania.","authors":"Arnold S Mmbando, Amos J Ngonzi, Salum Mshamu, John Bradley, Thomas Chevalier Bøjstrup, Halfan S Ngowo, Jakob Knudsen, Lorenz von Seidlein, Fredros O Okumu, Steve W Lindsay","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06722-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06722-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Diarrhoeal disease is the third leading cause of death in children under 5 years old with domestic flies acting as important mechanical vectors of diarrhoeal pathogens. To assess the effectiveness of a novel house design, \"Star home\", and improved toilets in reducing the abundance of domestic flies, potential carriers of diarrhoeal pathogens, a randomized controlled trial was carried out in rural Tanzania.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Domestic fly populations were monitored in 28 randomly selected Star homes and 28 traditional thatched roofs and mud-walled houses over 2 years from January 2022 to December 2023. Flies were sampled in kitchens and toilets using baited-fly traps from 07.00 h to 17.30 h every 7 weeks. To assess the production of flies from toilets, traps were placed over drop holes to collect emerging flies. Duration of external door openings to the kitchens was recorded with data loggers.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Of the 1527 flies collected, 76% were Chrysomya putoria, 16% Musca domestica and 8% Sarcophaga spp. In kitchen collections, there were 46% fewer C. putoria flies [adjusted mean rate ratio (RR) = 0.54] and 69% fewer Sarcophaga spp. (RR = 0.31) in Star homes compared to traditional houses. There was no difference in the abundance of M. domestica in the two study groups. In toilets, there was 49% fewer C. putoria (RR = 0.51), but no difference was observed for other domestic fly species. No flies emerged from Star home toilets compared with a mean of 4.2 flies/trap/day in traditional toilets. During the day, the external doors od Star homes were open for an average of 13.0 min/h less than in traditional houses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Star homes reduced the abundance of domestic flies, apart from houseflies, in the kitchen and there were fewer C. putoria, a putative vector of diarrhoeal diseases, in Star home toilets compared to traditional houses. Changing the design of buildings can contribute to a decline in domestic flies and may lead to a reduction in diarrhoeal diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"106"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11908010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143625903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in Western Balkan.","authors":"Naida Kapo, Ivana Zuber Bogdanović, Ema Gagović, Daria Jurković Žilić, Ratko Sukara, Bojan Adžić, Përparim Kadriaj, Šimun Naletilić, Ani Vodica, Aleksandar Cvetkovikj, Igor Djadjovski, Aleksandar Potkonjak, Sara Savić, Snežana Tomanović, Jasmin Omeragić, Adnan Hodžić, Relja Beck","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06740-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06740-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ixodid ticks are present throughout the Western Balkan countries, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, with many species serving as vectors for pathogens of both veterinary and medical importance. We have conducted a thorough examination of existing literature, encompassing historical documents, to collect information on all documented non-zoonotic tick-borne pathogens found in ticks, pets, farm animals and wild animals across the Western Balkan region. A comprehensive review was necessary due to the scarcity and scattered nature of available data from this area. The tick fauna in the Western Balkans consists of 32 species across five genera: Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma. Various pathogens responsible for diseases in animals, including bacteria and parasites, have also been documented, many of which can cause important diseases and significant reductions in animal productivity. Initial efforts were directed towards pathogen surveillance and the characterisation of non-zoonotic tick-borne pathogens, resulting in the identification of Theileria orientalis, Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma marginale in cattle, although significant gaps remain in the current research. Studies on small ruminants have been sparse, with confirmed cases of Anaplasma ovis and Babesia ovis in sheep, but no comprehensive and systematic research on pathogens in goats. In contrast, research on canine piroplasms has identified several species, including Babesia canis and Babesia vulpes. Studies on wild animals, however, have predominantly focused on wild canines and carnivores, with limited attention given to non-zoonotic pathogens. Notably, only one study has reported non-zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in artiodactyl species and wild felids. This review is a much needed overview of existing research on non-zoonotic tick-borne diseases in the Western Balkans, including the historical context, current data and research gaps. Given the significant impact of these diseases on animal health and productivity, as well as their potential biodiversity, further comprehensive studies and the establishment of national surveillance systems for tick-borne diseases are essential for a better understanding and mitigation of their impact.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"107"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11907817/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143634269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic diversity of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in 1099 wild animals and 273 imported pastured donkeys in northern China.","authors":"Ziqi Wang, Nannan Cui, Jia Zhang, Zhixian Jiang, Ruiqi Song, Wenbo Tan, Meihua Yang, Sándor Hornok, Yuanzhi Wang","doi":"10.1186/s13071-025-06739-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13071-025-06739-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most frequently detected microsporidian species in humans, wildlife and domestic animals. In northern China, to the best of our knowledge, no information on E. bieneusi infection has been reported in wild animals. The aim of the present study was to survey the occurrence of and genetically characterize E. bieneusi from a broad spectrum of vertebrate species in this region.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 1372 small intestine or fecal specimens were collected from 1019 mammals, 121 reptiles and 232 birds in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), northern China. Each animal species was identified according to morphological characteristics and amplification of mitochondrial genes. Genotype analysis of E. bieneusi was performed by amplifying the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 68 wild animal species were identified, including 34 mammal species, six reptile species and 28 bird species. The average rate of infection with E. bieneusi was 9.7% (133/1372 specimens). Twelve genotypes of E. bieneusi, including BEB6, CHG7, D, E, EbpD, horse1, MWC_d1, NCF2, NCF6, PL14, SN45 and XJHT4, were identified in specimens from XUAR, IMAR and Kyrgyzstan. Phylogenetically, these genotypes belonged to four groups, namely Group 1, Group 2, Group 12 and Group 14.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To our knowledge, this study reports for the first time E. bieneusi genotype NCF2 in marbled polecats (Vormela peregusna), genotype NCF6 in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), genotype D in grey wolf (Canis lupus), genotypes CHG7, horse1 and PL14 in rodents and genotypes MWC_d1, PL14 and SN45 in wild birds. The results also indicate that genotypes horse1, NCF2 and NCF6 were acquired either by the fecal-oral transmission route or during predator-prey interaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":19793,"journal":{"name":"Parasites & Vectors","volume":"18 1","pages":"105"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11905730/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143625904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}