Journal of medical entomology最新文献

{"title":"Mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences help identify North American ticks in the genus Argas (Acari: Argasidae).","authors":"Tom G Schwan, Brandi N Williamson, Lance A Durden","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Argas (Acari: Argasidae) ticks in the United States include 8 species that parasitize domestic fowl and numerous wild avian species. Ticks infesting a single nest tree of a bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus) in southern Arizona (United States) were received for identification and included 2 species, Argas (Persicargas) radiatus Railliet (Acari: Argasidae) and Argas (Persicargas) ricei Hoogstraal, Kaiser, Clifford & Keirans (Acari: Argasidae). Their identities were based on key morphological characters supported by mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences compared to museum reference specimens. DNA sequences of Argas ticks collected from rocky cliffs in northwestern Arizona identified a novel species most closely related to Argas (Argas) monolakensis Schwan, Corwin & Brown (Acari: Argasidae). Another collection from a communal enclosure containing California condors, Gymnogyps californianus (Shaw) in the San Diego Zoo, California (United States) consisted of all active stages of A. (P.) ricei. The examination of these ticks led to an expanded analysis of other Argas species in the United States with a review of their current status.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144532037","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larval competition between invasive Aedes albopictus and resident Culex pipiens mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from Türkiye in the presence of an insect growth regulator.","authors":"Barry Wilmer Alto, Alina Denis Kizgin, Ahsen Meliha Toroslu, Batuhan Askim Arslanhan, Samba Deguene Diop, Gökmen Zafer Pekmezci, Yesenia Sanchez, Osman İbiş, Abdullah Inci, Alparslan Yildirim","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The spread of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus in Türkiye may influence other vectors and traits related to their ability to transmit arboviruses. Interspecific competition between Ae. albopictus and the resident vector of West Nile virus (WNV), Culex pipiens can influence WNV transmission through changes in the abundance of Cx. pipiens and the phenotypic traits of adults. Furthermore, environmental factors can modify interspecific competition, especially if the factor differentially impinges upon the superior competitor. To improve our understanding of competition's influence on traits of mosquitoes that relate to arbovirus transmission, we tested 2 hypotheses: Exposure to the insecticide pyriproxyfen alters interspecific competition among larval Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens, and competitive asymmetry favoring Ae. albopictus over Cx. pipiens alters survival of adult females. Interspecific and intraspecific larval competition were evaluated with 2 detritus types and in the presence or absence of pyriproxyfen. Higher intra- and interspecific competition reduced survivorship to adulthood, lengthened development, and yielded smaller sized adults of Ae. albopictus and Cx. pipiens. The presence of pyriproxyfen had minimal impact on the competitive outcomes. Interspecific interactions exhibited competitive asymmetry with Ae. albopictus being competitively dominant over Cx. pipiens. Survival of adult females was differentially compromised under high competition conditions. Adult survival was lengthened for Ae. albopictus and shortened for Cx. pipiens derived from interspecific conditions relative to intraspecific treatments. These results demonstrate how competitive asymmetry among the larvae of an invasive and resident mosquito can influence recruitment of adults and their survival, factors predicted to be important to transmission of arboviruses.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144532036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Laboratory and semifield data indicate that vector Culicoides spp. in Florida are susceptible to permethrin.","authors":"Vilma M Cooper, Eva A Buckner, Juan M Campos-Krauer, Samantha M Wisely, Nathan Burkett-Cadena","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The genus Culicoides includes numerous species that are biting nuisances and vectors of pathogens affecting humans, livestock, and wildlife. For instance, Culicoides paraensis is the primary vector of Oropouche virus to humans, while other species, such as Culicoides sonorensis, Culicoides insignis, and Culicoides venustus transmit viruses causing hemorrhagic disease in ruminants, particularly bovids and cervids. Current control practices for biting midges rely heavily on chemical insecticides, yet their efficacy and potential for insecticide resistance in biting midges remain poorly documented. We conducted laboratory and semifield experiments to evaluate permethrin susceptibility in wild biting midges collected on 5 Florida deer farms, including known and suspected hemorrhagic diseasevector species, using lab-reared mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) as a susceptible reference. The Culicoides species tested included: C. insignis (n = 944), C. stellifer (n = 269), C. debilipalpis (n = 68), C. venustus (n = 16), C. edeni (n = 5), C. furens (n = 5). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bottle bioassays using 10.75 µg permethrin per bottle resulted in 100% mortality within 30 min across all Culicoides spp. Similarly, semifield cage trials with ultra-low volume permethrin-based space sprays applied at maximum label rate caused 100% mortality of all Culicoides spp. and susceptible Ae. aegypti within 1 h after exposure. Our findings confirm the effectiveness of permethrin for controlling biting midges and suggest that significant resistance to permethrin has not developed in the Culicoides populations tested. This study provides a foundation for optimizing vector control strategies against biting midges by demonstrating their susceptibility to permethrin and emphasizing the need for informed, evidence-based practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144510146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The microbiome of the sucking louse Linognathus stenopsis (Phthiraptera, Anoplura, Linognathiidae).","authors":"Francisco J Márquez, José E Granados, Luz M Canet, Manuel de Rojas, Antonio J Caruz, Jesús M Pérez","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf060","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144510147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High burdens of Ixodes scapularis ticks and surveillance for Babesia spp. in Carolina Wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) in Missouri, USA.","authors":"Derek McFarland, Kayla Wallace, Bessie H Blocher, William L Nicholson, Letícia Soares, Solny A Adalsteinsson","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The incidence of human tick-borne diseases is rising globally. Birds are ecologically significant hosts, capable of local or widespread dispersal for ticks and their associated pathogens, including agents of babesiosis. Despite its emerging importance, surveillance for zoonotic Babesia spp. ((Starcovici, 1893) Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) remains lacking, particularly in avian hosts. This study investigates the prevalence of Babesia spp. in a population of Carolina Wrens ((Latham, 1790) Passeriformes: Troglodytidae Thryothorus ludovicianus) in Missouri, USA. Due to their ground-foraging behavior and documented high tick burdens, we hypothesized that Carolina Wrens would have Babesia spp. infections. Birds were captured using mist nets, examined for ticks, and phlebotomized for blood samples. We prepared blood smears which were analyzed via microscopy for the presence of Babesia spp. parasites. During June and July 2018, we captured 70 birds from 14 species and collected 156 ticks, of which 152 were Ixodes scapularis ((Say, 1821) Acari: Ixodidae). Carolina Wrens accounted for the highest tick burdens (130 ticks total) with juvenile birds having significantly higher nymphal tick burdens than adults. Despite examining the blood smears of 23 Carolina Wrens and 5 Louisiana Waterthrushes (Parkesia motacilla) for Babesia spp., we found no evidence of infection. Our findings emphasize the notably high tick burdens in Carolina Wrens while underscoring the need for broader and more sensitive surveillance for Babesia spp. in bird populations. Understanding the role of avian hosts in the ecology of tick-borne pathogens is key for anticipating and mitigating public health risks associated with tick-borne disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144487570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of deer exclusion fencing on host-seeking blacklegged ticks on suburban residential properties in southern New England.","authors":"Neeta P Connally, Victoria L Hornbostel, Megan C Dyer, Andrias Hojgaard, Lynn M Osikowicz, Dorothy A Christopher, Thomas N Mather","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recommendations to use deer-excluding fencing as a method to reduce blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say) in residential settings are based primarily upon studies excluding deer from large areas (≥3.5 hectares), often in undeveloped woodland settings. Evidence is still needed on the efficacy of deer-excluding fences for tick management at smaller suburban residential properties common to tick-endemic areas of the northeastern United States. We measured I. scapularis abundance at 16 fenced and 16 unfenced properties in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Westchester County, New York, and Washington County, Rhode Island. Overall, adult and nymphal I. scapularis encounter rates (ticks per sampling meter) were slightly higher on unfenced properties compared to within fenced properties, but differences were not significant (P > 0.05). Among fenced properties alone, tick encounter rates were significantly higher in areas immediately outside of fences compared with inside of fences for nymphs (P = 0.005), but not for adults (P > 0.05). Prevalence of tick pathogen infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia miyamotoi, Babesia microti, Babesia odocoilei, or Anaplasma phagocytophilum did not differ significantly between fenced and unfenced properties (P > 0.05). Irrespective of fencing, adult tick abundance was higher at properties with stonewalls, dense herbaceous ecotone vegetation, and an absence of bird feeders. Nymphal tick encounter rates were associated with stonewalls, an absence of bird feeders, and presence of dense herbaceous understory vegetation. Household survey data revealed that deer were observed within some fenced areas. Our findings do not provide strong evidence that deer-excluding fences at properties smaller than 3.5 hectares surpress blacklegged ticks.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144532038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus exposure probability: a period cross-sectional study in wild and domestic ungulates.","authors":"Sara Baz-Flores, Raúl Cuadrado-Matías, Cesar Herraiz, Alfonso Peralbo-Moreno, Isabel G Fernández de Mera, Francisco Ruiz-Fons","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an emerging tick-borne human disease in Spain. Although CCHF is mainly confined to humans, the CCHF virus (CCHFV) can infect several vertebrate species. To predict high-risk exposure areas for public health interventions, it is essential to understand the factors that determine the risk of exposure to CCHFV through animal models. We conducted a cross-sectional study over a defined period (1999 to 2022) on various wild and domestic ungulate species in Castilla-La Mancha (CLM), south-central Spain. We analyzed 6,236 sera of ungulates using a specific double-antigen ELISA to assess CCHFV exposure spatial distribution. We modeled exposure probability with host and environmental predictors using generalized linear mixed models with a binomial distribution. Anti-CCHFV antibodies were detected in 3,531 sera (56.6%; 95% CI: 55.4 to 57.9%), with the greatest exposure rates in western and southern CLM. The red deer (Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758) exhibited the highest seroprevalence (76.45%; 95%CI: 75.1 to 77.7%), and the best-fit statistical model indicated that it was the species with the highest risk of exposure. The most relevant predictors of virus exposure risk were shrubland cover, small ruminant density, wild ungulate density, and woodland cover. The spatial projection of the best-fit model identified high-risk foci in most of western and southwestern CLM but also in limited areas across the region. Our results demonstrate that serological surveys conducted on various CCHFV vector hosts serve as a potent, robust, and highly informative resource for public health authorities to address and prevent human CCHF cases in enzootic and emergency situations.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144512986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of toxic sugar bait on a natural predator, Toxorhynchites rutilus rutilus (Diptera: Culicidae).","authors":"Yi-Ting Liu, Rui-De Xue, Whitney A Qualls, Kok-Boon Neoh","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Toxic sugar baits with boric acid have emerged as an alternative for reducing mosquito vector populations due to their low toxicity to nontarget organisms. We investigated the effects of boric acid-containing toxic sugar baits (1% w/w) on Toxorhynchites rutilus rutilus (Coquillett), a natural predator of mosquito larvae, and compared it to Aedes aegypti (L.). We determined the lethal dose of boric acid causing mortality in test mosquitoes. Additionally, the survival of Tx. r. rutilus exposed to toxic sugar baits applied to nonflowering and flowering plant foliage were compared. The results showed no significant difference in survival probability between females and males of Tx. r. rutilus after exposure to toxic sugar baits. However, female mortality occurred at a higher rate on days 1 and 2 compared to males. The amount of boric acid in the gut of Ae. aegypti was significantly lower (6×) than that in Tx. r. rutilus. The results may explain the rapid mortality of Ae. aegypti after exposure to toxic sugar bait compared to that of Tx. r. rutilus on day 1 and day 2. The flowering status of the plants to which the toxic sugar bait was applied significantly affected Tx. r. rutilus's survival. The survival in toxic sugar baits-treated flowering shaggy dwarf morning glory was higher than that of the nonflowering counterparts on the first 2 d. The results indicate low toxicity of boric acid toward Tx. r. rutilus compared to target Aedes mosquito. We suggested that the application timing during the flowering season may delay the effect of toxic sugar baits on Tx. r. rutilus.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144513018","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A study of current and future distribution modeling of scorpion sting of deadly scorpion, Hemiscorpius acanthocercus (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae) in southern Iran under climate change.","authors":"Mahboubeh Sadat Hosseinzadeh","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Scorpion stings represent a major public health issue, especially in tropical and subtropical regions like Iran, scorpion stings are commonly ignored and under-reported. Hemiscorpius is medically important genus in the family Hemiscorpiidae, comprising approximately 19 described species. This study aims to estimate the potential distribution of Hemiscorpius acanthocercus, identify suitable habitats, examine environmental constraints on its range, and provide insights into the species' ecology and areas at increased risk of scorpion stings. Using MaxEnt, I analyzed 63 occurrence records of H. acanthocercus with 4 temperature, 2 precipitation variables, and vegetation cover. The most influential predictors in the best-fitting distribution model were BIO4 (Temperature seasonality; 67.5%), BIO7 (Annual temperature range; 13.6%). The models indicate that the species is currently distributed along the Persian Gulf, particularly in Hormozgan, Kerman, Fars, and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces. Future projections under RCP 8.5 suggest slight northward shifts into higher latitudes, particularly into northern Hormozgan and Kerman provinces, with areas in Bushehr and Sistan and Baluchestan also predicted as highly suitable. The persistence and expansion of this medically significant species under future climate scenarios underline the importance of ongoing monitoring, public awareness campaigns, and proactive sting prevention-particularly to protect children, who are most at risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144512979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An ecological and social approach to the distribution of vector and nuisance mosquito species across residential land use types.","authors":"Megan Schierer, Sandra De Urioste-Stone, Allison M Gardner","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjaf056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaf056","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mosquito abundance and distribution are related to environmental variables like rainfall and land cover which shape available aquatic habitat for oviposition and juvenile development. Many mosquito species rely on natural water sources for oviposition and juvenile development. However, others have evolved to occupy urban niches and artificial habitats associated with urbanization and human-dominated environments, like tires or storm drains. Additionally, as land cover changes over rural-urban gradients, mosquito species richness decreases via reduced habitat heterogeneity. Human exposure to mosquitoes is a product of environmental processes, and human behaviors related to mosquito control and personal protection. To understand mosquito distribution from both perspectives, we conducted a study with paired entomological and behavioral science data collection. We collected mosquitoes at 40 sites across a rural-urban gradient of 30 residential properties and 10 recreational forest sites in Bangor, Maine, and conducted a juvenile habitat assessment on the residential properties. Additionally, a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice survey was administered among property owners to understand factors that affect engagement in mosquito control and protective behaviors. Mosquito abundance was highest in forested and rural residential sites. Nuisance species abundance was highest at rural residential sites, while vector species abundance was highest in urban residential sites. Despite 54% respondents reporting mosquitoes as a nuisance, only 10.5% and 5.3% reported frequent engagement in preventative behaviors such as wearing mosquito repellent or protective clothing, respectively. This study builds on literature demonstrating patterns of vector mosquito abundance in residential areas and exploration of resident mosquito control practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144512980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}