Acta tropica最新文献

{"title":"First molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Echinococcus granulosus (sensu stricto) genotype 1 in human in Saudi Arabia","authors":"Yosra Hussein Alam-Eldin ,&nbsp;Amany Mamdouh Abdulaziz ,&nbsp;Heba AbdElkader Aminou","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Echinococcosis is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease caused by <em>Echinococcus granulosus</em>. Currently, little information is available on the genetic figure of <em>Echinococcus</em> species among human in Saudi Arabia. In the present study, 60 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPT) hydatid cysts that were confirmed and collected from Taif hospitals between 2019 and 2023. Deparaffinization was followed by DNA extraction. PCR protocol was used to amplify the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. The amplified PCR products were sequenced, and subsequent phylogenetic tree was constructed and analyzed. Fifty-four (90 %) of FFPTs cysts yielded specific DNA fragments, the rest gave no reaction. 100 % of the FFPTs samples that gave clear reaction were of G1 genotype indicating the predominance of this genotype in Saudi Arabia, especially in Taif governorate. This report has provided, for the first time, an insight of the molecular genotyping of hydatidosis in human cases in Saudi Arabia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107960"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145877449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metatranscriptomic insights into feeding preferences, bacterial diversity, and insect-specific viruses genomics in Aedes aegypti populations from Ibagué, Colombia","authors":"Weimar David Briñez Zabaleta ,&nbsp;Juan David Rojas Gomez ,&nbsp;Laura Fernanda Santofimio Villa ,&nbsp;Natalia Barrera Angarita ,&nbsp;Juan Fernando Alzate ,&nbsp;Yurany Eresbey Granada Garzón ,&nbsp;Omar Cantillo-Barraza ,&nbsp;Omar Triana-Chavez ,&nbsp;Paola Andrea Ortiz Vargas ,&nbsp;Daniel Alfonso Urrea","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107941","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107941","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Aedes aegypti</em> is not only the primary vector of medically important arboviruses worldwide, but also a host of a wide range of arthropod-specific viruses (ISVs), whose genomic and biological diversity remains largely unknown across most regions of Colombia. Investigating its associated microbiota including viruses and bacteria is essential, as these interactions can influence vector competence. Metatranscriptomic analysis of this vector provides quantitative insights into the presence of such microorganisms and their potential links to blood meal sources. In this study, we analyzed 320 blood-fed female <em>A. aegypti</em> mosquitoes collected from urban areas of Ibagué, Colombia, using RNA-Seq to identify eukaryotic, prokaryotic, and viral sequences, with particular emphasis on insect-specific viruses (ISVs). This approach allowed us to assess the diversity and relative abundance of microorganisms across four mosquito populations, infer potential feeding sources, identify and recover complete viral genomes, and detect parasite families. Despite inherent limitations related to taxonomic classification based on databases, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the ecological and epidemiological characteristics of <em>A. aegypti</em> populations circulating in Ibagué, Colombia, and their vector–pathogen–host interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107941"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145740489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"EBV and CMV DNAemia across surgical, nephrological and neurological cohorts","authors":"Adnan A. Mubaraki ,&nbsp;Abdullah S. Alqahtani ,&nbsp;Anas A. Alshamrani ,&nbsp;Hussain R. Barnawi ,&nbsp;Mohammed M. Algethami ,&nbsp;Mohammed A Alabdalli ,&nbsp;Ahmed N. Alghamdi ,&nbsp;Naifa Alenazi ,&nbsp;Ahmed S. Abdel-Moneim","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107953","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107953","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are common herpesviruses implicated in various diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of EBV and CMV DNAemia across diverse medical conditions, including neurological disorders.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study comprised a retrospective cohort including 2463 patients with various medical conditions screened for either CMV (<em>n</em> = 2090) or EBV (<em>n</em> = 373) using quantitative PCR (qPCR) between 2020 and 2024. Additionally, it also included prospective cohort of 119 patients with diverse neurological disorders who were screened for CMV and EBV by qPCR. Data was analyzed to assess EBV and CMV DNAemia and associations with demographic and clinical factors.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>EBV DNAemia was detected in 57/373 patients (15.3 %), significantly associated with age (<em>p</em> = 0.032) and clinical category (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Highest positivity was observed in surgical patients (46.9 %) and children &lt;12 years (31.6 %). Viral loads were predominantly low to moderate, with high-level DNAemia in 28.1 % of cases. CMV DNAemia was found in 239/2090 patients (11.4 %), clustered by clinical category (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), with highest absolute numbers among “Other” (55.2 %) and nephrology patients (30.5 %). Low-level CMV DNAemia predominated (70 %), high-level replication was rare (4.5 %), and age or sex were not significant predictors. In the neurological cohort, EBV or CMV was detected in 7/119 cases (5.9 %), all low-level, with no significant associations with age, sex, or diagnosis.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>EBV and CMV infections were infrequent but showed selective distribution in certain clinical subgroups, particularly paediatric, surgical, and nephrology patients. Limited evidence of EBV/CMV involvement was observed in specific neurological disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107953"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145809211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence of eurythermal behavior and microbiota differentiation in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus from the Colombian Amazon biome","authors":"Alejandro Castañeda Espinosa,&nbsp;Rafael J. Vivero Gómez,&nbsp;Daniela Duque-Granda,&nbsp;Gloria E. Cadavid-Restrepo,&nbsp;Howard Junca,&nbsp;Claudia Ximena Moreno-Herrera","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107951","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107951","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Temperature is one of the most important factors influencing mosquito development, vector competence, and microbiome composition, affecting the disease transmission cycle by either facilitating or inhibiting pathogen establishment. This study aimed to estimate temperature preference and its correlation with bacterial communities in populations of <em>Ae. aegypti</em> and <em>Ae. albopictus</em> from the urban area of Leticia, Amazonas. Temperature preference profiles were obtained by introducing 50 individuals of each species and sex in six replicates for one hour into a device with a temperature gradient of 19–36 °C. Subsequently, a metataxonomic analysis of bacterial communities was performed using DNA extracted from whole mosquito body groups associated with temperature ranges defined by their statistical significance. First, it was determined that females of both species preferred temperatures between 23 and 28 °C. Meanwhile, <em>Ae. aegypti</em> males showed a larger temperature preference range (21–28 °C) than <em>Ae. albopictus</em> males (25–28 °C). Regarding bacterial communities, an increase in diversity was observed in males of both species with rising temperatures, whereas the opposite occurred in females. The Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) associated with <em>Asaia</em> (2.88%), <em>Cedecea</em> (45.80%), <em>Elizabethkingia</em> (77.78%), and <em>Klebsiella</em> (8.90%) were the most abundant genera in <em>Ae. aegypti</em>. In comparison, <em>Ae. albopictus</em> exhibited a high abundance of <em>Elizabethkingia</em> (36.34%), <em>Pseudomonas</em> (95.08%), and <em>Wolbachia</em> (12.73%). Interestingly, <em>Elizabethkingia</em> varied in abundance according to sex and temperature in both species. It was determined that the structure of <em>Aedes</em> bacterial communities in the Amazon was influenced by sex, species, and temperature, indicating high plasticity and ubiquity according to temperature profiles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107951"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145800382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges to malaria vaccine availability and successful implementation of malaria vaccine program in Africa","authors":"Rotimi J. Ojo ,&nbsp;Yusuff D. Igbayilola ,&nbsp;Gideon A. Gyebi","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107959","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107959","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The approval of malaria vaccines was a significant milestone towards malaria eradication in Africa which bear the major burden of the disease. Ensuring availability and access to these vaccines across Africa however, presents complex challenges that limit their immediate impact. This review looks at the main obstacles to malaria vaccine availability and successful implementation of malaria vaccine program in Africa using academic and health databases. Supply constraints appear to be the major factor, as the current manufacturing capacity was insufficient to meet the high demand across endemic regions in Africa. Moreover, vaccine coverage in Africa is also impacted by limited national health budget that pose constraints to acquire, transport, store and conduct immunization activities. Lack of confidence in healthcare system, misinformation and conspiracy theory about vaccine efficacy and safety frequently propagated through social networks, community and religious leaders greatly affect public confidence about vaccine in societies where past experiences with Western-led health initiatives have led many to question new interventions. Programmatic and logistical hurdles, such as cold chain requirements and multiple-dose schedules further complicate delivery in remote area while shortages in skilled health workers and weak pharmacovigilance systems limit programme effectiveness. Finally, inequities in allocation risk leaving high-burden but resource-constrained regions underserved. Addressing these challenges require coordinated global and regional action, including scaling up manufacturing capacity, continuous research to enhance vaccine effectiveness, stable funding for production and distribution, strengthening health systems and fostering community trust to ensure that the potential of malaria vaccines to eliminate malaria from Africa is achieved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107959"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145852863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The dynamic of Trypanosoma cruzi transmissibility in field-caught Mepraia spinolai (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) of contrasting seasons: A developmental stage-dependent study","authors":"Nicol Quiroga ,&nbsp;Francisca Farías ,&nbsp;Angélica López ,&nbsp;Carezza Botto-Mahan ,&nbsp;Aldo Solari","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107948","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107948","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A competent vector can harbor a pathogen and infect a high number of hosts. Scarce information is available on how triatomine vectors accomplish this task in nature, particularly without knowing the number of parasites they excrete. We study the dynamics of <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> transmissibility in the triatomine <em>Mepraia spinolai</em> collected in summer (December 2018) and winter (July 2019) of an austral endemic area. The insects received two feedings in the laboratory, the day after arrival and 45 days after the first feeding. Excreta samples were collected, DNA was extracted, and parasite loads were quantified by qPCR. After feeding, the parasite loads of the first and second excreta samples revealed differences between summer and winter insects. Overall, parasite load reductions and increases were detected in summer (51.2% and 32.5%) and in winter (9.1% and 15.2%) infected insects. The number of times the parasite load was reduced in summer insects revealed that early stage nymphs accomplished it at the highest ratio (× 740), middle stage nymphs (× 14), and late developmental stages with the lowest ratio (× 6.7). Therefore, fifth instar nymphs and adults have the maximal capacity to harbor <em>T. cruzi</em>, and those with the highest competence to transmit it, and early nymphs are the ones with minimal vectorial capacity. About 7% of the winter insects and 58.5% of the summer excreted quantifiable parasite loads right after collection. The amount of <em>T. cruzi</em> excreted in summer by <em>M. spinolai</em> reached medians between 950 and 2597 parasite equivalents/excreta, considering all developmental stages. Finally, molting during processes of <em>T. cruzi</em> load reduction and increase suggests that the exoskeleton shedding does not affect the excretion of <em>T. cruzi</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107948"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145766738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Epidemiological profile, parasitological study and molecular characterization of cystic echinococcosis cases in children and adolescents in Algeria","authors":"Meryem Benmarce ,&nbsp;AbdElkarim Laatamna ,&nbsp;Jenny Knapp ,&nbsp;Laurence Millon ,&nbsp;Alicja Jasinska ,&nbsp;Elise Roy ,&nbsp;Assia Haif","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107957","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107957","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a major public health problem in North African countries, including Algeria. The epidemiology of Human CE is poorly documented in Algeria. The present study is a retrospective survey investigating the epidemiological situation of this neglected disease in children and adolescents from Algeria and revealing its serious impact. Between 2020 and 2023, epidemiological data were collected on CE 92 cases from children and adolescents diagnosed in the pediatric surgery department of the Mother and Child Hospital, University Hospital of Setif, province of Setif, Algeria. Clinical profile of these CE cases and fertility assessment and molecular characterization of hydatid cysts surgically removed from patients were also reported in this study. Overall, CE cases were slightly more prevalent in children aged from three to nine years (<em>P</em> = 0.677; X² = 0.174). The number of CE cases recorded in males was statistically higher than in females (<em>P</em> = 0.007; X² = 7.348). Most of CE patients originated from rural areas compared to urban areas (<em>P</em> = 0.001; X² = 23.000). The lung localization of hydatid cysts was predominant compared to liver localization. The microscopic examination of collected hydatid cysts showed a fertility rate of 53.04%. PCR and sequence analysis of a partial fragment of the 12 small subunit ribosomal RNA gene from 44 cysts revealed the presence of <em>Echinococcus granulosus</em> sensu stricto<em>.</em> Cystic echinococcosis continues to be a serious health problem in Algerian children. Therefore, further investigations are needed to better understand its epidemiology, particularly with regard of parasite transmission dynamics to humans, and develop long-term preventive measures to control this important parasitic disease in Algeria.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107957"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145848731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Loss of tegumental papillae and spines during maturation of Clonorchis sinensis: Evidence from colchicine disruption","authors":"Eun-Min Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107945","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107945","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Clonorchis sinensis</em> is a foodborne liver fluke and Group 1 carcinogen endemic to East Asia. Its syncytial tegument mediates host–parasite interactions and serves as the primary target of praziquantel (PZQ), which exhibits reduced efficacy against juvenile stages. This study investigated whether tegumental papillae and spines are truly lost or internalized during the maturation of <em>C. sinensis</em>, and employed colchicine as a diagnostic perturbation to probe for subtegumental remnants. Excysted metacercariae, juvenile worms (10 days postinfection), and adult worms (4 weeks postinfection) were examined using scanning electron microscopy; a subset of adults was treated with colchicine (1 µM, 37°C, 6 h). Tegumental spines were quantified per 100 µm² on calibrated images. Spine density declined from 36 ± 2 / 100 µm² in metacercariae to 6 ± 1 / 100 µm² in juveniles (Welch’s t-test, P &lt; 0.05) and was below quantifiable limits in adults (0–2 / 100 µm², qualitative). Colchicine-treated adults exhibited distal surface fragmentation without revealing hidden spines or papillae. These findings provide quantitative morphological evidence that papillae and spines are progressively lost, rather than internalized, during maturation of <em>C. sinensis</em>, thereby clarifying a key aspect of tegumental remodeling across developmental stages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107945"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145754985","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium vivax malaria in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Yenesew Mihret Wondmagegn ,&nbsp;Abebaw Setegn ,&nbsp;Getu Girmay ,&nbsp;Muluneh Assefa ,&nbsp;Banchayehu Getnet ,&nbsp;Tena Cherkos ,&nbsp;Wagaw Abebe ,&nbsp;Nega Dessie ,&nbsp;Adane Derso ,&nbsp;Zufan Yiheyis ,&nbsp;Adane Adugna ,&nbsp;Tadesse Misganaw ,&nbsp;Aberham Abere ,&nbsp;Mebratu Tamir ,&nbsp;Mekuriaw Belayneh ,&nbsp;Azanaw Amare ,&nbsp;Agenagnew Ashagre ,&nbsp;Birhanu Malede ,&nbsp;Gashaw Azanaw Amare","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107947","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107947","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Plasmodium vivax</em> accounts for about 40% of malaria cases in Ethiopia, where chloroquine remains the first-line treatment. However, the emergence of chloroquine resistance threatens the effectiveness of treatment. This systematic review synthesizes current evidence on chloroquine-resistant <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> in Ethiopia. This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42024564745) and conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed in PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and African Journals Online. Data were extracted using Microsoft Excel and analyzed with STATA version 11. Random-effects models were used to estimate pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I-squared statistic, and publication bias was evaluated using Egger’s test and a funnel plot. Thirteen studies with 2,190 participants reported a pooled prevalence of chloroquine-resistant <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> of 7.32% (95% CI: 2.55–12.08; I² = 95.1%, p &lt; 0.001). Resistance prevalence was higher in studies using both microscopy and PCR 7.32% (95% CI: 2.55–12.08), during the 2003–2009 study period 10.70% (95% CI: −1.24–22.65), and in the Oromia region 9.58% (95% CI: −0.41–19.58), while a 42-day follow-up reported a pooled prevalence of 17.91% (95% CI: −9.34–45.15). Chloroquine-resistant <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> is present in Ethiopia, with an overall prevalence of about 7%. Although resistance remains moderate, it is clinically significant and underscores the importance of ongoing surveillance, regular treatment monitoring, and consideration of alternative therapeutic approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107947"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145773077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) from forest and peridomestic environments in the state of Rondônia, Brazil: diversity, blood feeding and natural infection by trypanosomatids","authors":"Tivian Raphaella Melo Munis ,&nbsp;Michelli Santos da Silva ,&nbsp;Kamila Pereira França ,&nbsp;Jansen Fernandes Medeiros","doi":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107943","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107943","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The transmission cycle of diseases associated with phlebotomine is generally zoonotic, involving mammals as reservoirs in forested areas. However, human occupation and the anthropization of these environments have favored the inclusion of humans as accidental hosts. This study aimed to assess the diversity of phlebotomine sand flies in different municipalities of the state of Rondônia, Brazil, as well as investigate trypanosomatid infections and identify the blood meal sources of these insects. Phlebotomine sand fly collections were conducted in peri‑urban areas of ten municipalities in Rondônia, using HP traps adapted with green LED light for 12 h over three consecutive nights in forest fragments and peridomestic environments. After mounting and identification, the specimens were subjected to molecular analyses targeting the 18S region to detect trypanosomatids and to determine the blood-feeding sources of engorged females. A total of 4886 phlebotomine sand flies were identified, distributed in 50 species belonging to 13 genera. This study is the first to report <em>Evandromyia teratodes</em> in the state of Rondônia. The most abundant species were females of <em>Nyssomyia antunesi</em> (complex) (2402), <em>Evandromyia walkeri</em> (753) and <em>Nyssomyia urbinattii</em> (428). A higher species diversity was observed in forest environments when compared to peridomestic areas. Molecular analyses targeting the V7V8 region of the 18S gene revealed the presence of <em>Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis</em> DNA in <em>Psychodopygus hirsutus</em> and <em>Evandromyia walkeri</em>. Additionally, <em>Trypanosoma minasense</em> DNA was detected in pooled females of the <em>Ny. antunesi</em> (complex) and in one pool belonging to the genus <em>Trichophoromyia</em> sp. Seven blood meal sources were identified in 24 engorged females, namely <em>Homo sapiens, Tapirus terrestris, Sus scrofa, gallus, Proechimys longicaudatus, Choloepus hoffmanni</em> and <em>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris</em>. These findings reinforce the importance of entomological surveillance in the face of environmental changes that influence the distribution and epidemiological significance of phlebotomine sand flies in the Amazon region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7240,"journal":{"name":"Acta tropica","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 107943"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145751471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}