Journal of medical entomology最新文献

{"title":"Household insecticide use and metabolic resistance mechanisms in Anopheles gambiae s.l. from Central-Western and Eastern Côte d'Ivoire.","authors":"Armand Kouassi Ekra, Constant Victorien Ako Edi, Christabelle Gba Sadia, Romaric Landry Gballet, France Paraudie Kouadio, Kouadio Fodjo Behi, Assamoi Jean-Baptiste, Danho Mathias, Benjamin Guibehi Koudou","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The widespread use of household insecticides represents a potential but often overlooked source of selection pressure contributing to insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. In Côte d'Ivoire, resistance to pyrethroids is widespread; however, the role of domestic insecticide practices in shaping metabolic resistance mechanisms remains poorly documented. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in 3 urban localities of Côte d'Ivoire (Abengourou, Daloa, and Gagnoa) to characterize insecticide use patterns, frequencies, and application practices. In parallel, larvae of Anopheles gambiae s.l. were collected from the same localities, reared to adulthood, and analyzed for the expression of 8 detoxification genes (CYP6P3, CYP6M2, CYP9K1, CYP6P4, CYP6Z1, GSTE2, CYP6P1, and CYP4G16) using quantitative real-time PCR. Gene expression levels were compared with those of the insecticide-susceptible reference strain Anopheles gambiae Kisumu using REST software. Overall, 63.0% of households reported regular use of insecticides, with marked heterogeneity between sites Pyrethroid-based formulations, predominantly permethrin-transfluthrin combinations, were the most commonly used products. Household insecticide consumption was highest in Abengourou, exceeding 2 aerosol cans (300 ml) per week. Molecular analyses revealed significant overexpression of CYP6P1 in An. gambiae s.l. from Abengourou and CYP6Z1 in populations from Daloa and Gagnoa compared with the Kisumu reference strain. The intensive and recurrent use of household insecticides is associated with the presence of metabolic resistance markers; however, causality cannot be established. These findings highlight the need to integrate domestic insecticide practices into national insecticides resistance management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147877020","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":"Natural sugar-source associations of Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in a Kansas tallgrass prairie.","authors":"Chip F Markwardt, Cassandra Olds, Phillip Shults, Bethany L McGregor","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Culicoides Latreille is a diverse genus of approximately 1,300 species of small biting flies found across the globe, containing numerous species of medical and veterinary importance. Many diseases associated with Culicoides have no specific treatment or vaccine, necessitating prevention through vector control. Current surveillance and control methods are limited by a lack of ecological knowledge about most Culicoides species, including phytophagous (sugar-feeding) behavior. The plants fed on by wild Culicoides are largely unknown, as are the driving forces behind selection of specific plants. To determine which plants midges are sugar-feeding on in nature, Culicoides were collected from five sites within a tallgrass prairie ecosystem in northeastern Kansas. Molecular sugar meal analysis was performed to detect plant DNA within field-collected midges. DNA was extracted from a total of 788 biting midge individuals, with 321 (40.7%) of these successfully amplifying and just 78 (9.9%) producing a sequence with a successful host match. Most matches were only identified to the plant family level with high confidence. Culicoides were found to feed on a diverse assemblage of families, including the Amaranthaceae, Cupressaceae, Solanaceae, and Verbenaceae; however, no significant association was found between Culicoides species and plant family. These results suggest that multiple sugar sources, including plant nectar and fruit, are utilized by biting midges under natural conditions. This information is vital for improving ecologically based control strategies, such as attractive toxic sugar baits, that can reduce disease burden on livestock and wildlife.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147847995","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":"Acarological investigation and detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) in field-collected chiggers (Acari: Trombiculidae) and small mammals from scrub typhus positive localities in Pahang, West Malaysia.","authors":"Ernieenor Faraliana Che Lah, Wan Norqariatul Akidah Wan Abdullah, Nurhanani Ibrahim, Fadillah Ahmad, Ariana Ace John, Ellyncia Bd-Bilin, Ernna George, Muhamad Al 'Azim Baharudin, Yoggendran Indiran, Mariana Ahamad","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Scrub typhus (ST) is an acute febrile illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi (Hayashi, 1920) that is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected chiggers. In recent years, ST has re-emerged as a public health concern in Malaysia. In 2024, more than 50 laboratory-confirmed human cases of ST were reported in Pahang. A collaborative investigation was undertaken on a subset of 26 cases to identify potential vector sources and animal hosts associated with O. tsutsugamushi transmission. Chigger-based sampling was conducted by trapping small mammals in suspected infection hotspots, including residential surroundings, frequently visited locations, and work areas of confirmed cases. A total of 95 small mammals were captured, of which 65.3% infested with chiggers (Chigger index, CI = 40.3). Overall, 3,831 on-host chiggers were collected and identified morphologically, with Leptotrombidium deliense (Walch, 1922) being the most frequently collected species (46.7%), followed by Ascoschoengastia indica (Hirst, 1915) (33.9%), Leptotrombidium spp. (18.4%), and Helenicula mutabilis (Gater, 1932) (1.0%). DNA was extracted from 188 pooled chigger samples (N = 3,450) as well as from blood and spleen tissues of captured animals, and screened for O. tsutsugamushi using nested PCR targeting the 56-kDa TSA gene. Notably, O. tsutsugamushi was detected in 13 (6.9%) chigger pools solely of L. deliense, and in 11 spleens and six blood samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed high nucleotide similarity (97-100%), with the Karp genotype predominating, followed by Gilliam, Kato, and TA763 genotypes. These findings confirm the presence of O. tsutsugamushi in vectors and animal hosts in Pahang, highlighting the region as a potential ST hotspot, and underscoring the need for continued monitoring and control efforts.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147848046","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":"Seventy years of hemorrhagic disease research in North America.","authors":"Kristen Hirst, Mark Ruder, Sonja Christensen","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Culicoides sp. are the primary vectors of two hemorrhagic disease (HD) viruses, Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) and bluetongue virus (BTV). In North America, Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and Bluetongue disease (BT) cause significant morbidity and mortality in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations and can cause morbidity in farmed animals, resulting in restricted agricultural trade. Originally, HD was limited to southeastern and southcentral North America but has expanded in distribution to the north and west, resulting in severe disease outbreaks in naïve wildlife populations. To better understand these disease systems in North America, we performed a literature review. Of 2,295 peer-reviewed sources, 422 articles were included in our review. We found most research focused on the host species (n = 206), such as disease prevalence, disease progression, and epidemiology in domestic and wildlife hosts. Vector research covered a range of topics (n = 102) but was limited in distribution, with most field studies conducted in California and Florida, and few in the northeast. Viral research consisted of two topics, virus characterization (n = 58) and diagnostic techniques (n = 23). Relative to the existing literature on this disease system in Europe, where climate change is one of the primary drivers of expansion, the effect climate has on this disease system in North America is still uncertain. The information in our review describes what we know of the vector, host, virus, climatological impacts, and other aspects of HD in North America in relation to other countries and can help researchers identify gaps in our understanding of the HD system.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876940","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":"Harnessing antimicrobial peptides to engineer mosquito immunity against emerging vector-borne diseases.","authors":"Yuchen Wang, Jianan Hao, Yixuan Huang, Raghda Nasser, Xiaotian Tang","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag068","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A variety of emerging and re-emerging mosquito-borne infectious diseases, including malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika are expanding their geographic range and imposing an escalating burden on global public health. Effective vaccines or targeted therapeutics remain unavailable for most of these diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), a class of naturally occurring polypeptides, exhibit potent antiparasitic, antiviral, and antibacterial activities. Their unique modes of action, low toxicity, high target specificity, and broad-spectrum activity, make them as promising candidates for therapeutic development. Here, we review AMPs with demonstrated activity against mosquito-borne pathogens and evaluate their translational potential. We further outline next-generation intervention strategies that leverage artificial-intelligence-driven discovery, circular RNA expression platforms, CRISPR-based gene editing, engineered symbionts, and nanotechnology-enabled delivery systems, providing a roadmap for integrating AMP-based approaches into future public-health strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876997","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 field-collected intersex Aedes albopictus with female-like blood-feeding and a male genotype.","authors":"Qingdeng Feng, Jehangir Khan, Hui Yao, Zhongdao Wu, Kostas Bourtzis, Dongjing Zhang","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sexual dimorphism in Aedes albopictus is typically strict, with blood-feeding restricted to females. Here, we report a rare field-collected intersex Ae. albopictus captured by human-landing catch in Guangzhou, China. Morphological examination revealed a structurally intact piercing-sucking proboscis, intermediate antennal whorled setae, and male-type claspers, although maxillary palp asymmetry and other cephalic traits could not be conclusively assigned to female morphology due to tissue condition. Blood was visible in the abdomen at the time of capture; however, molecular identification of the blood meal was unsuccessful, likely due to limited blood volume and tissue partitioning during DNA extraction. DNA sequencing of the male-determining gene Nix confirmed a genotypic male individual. These observations indicate region-specific disruption of sexual differentiation and suggest that genotypic males may occasionally exhibit female-like blood-feeding under rare circumstances. This study highlights the developmental plasticity of sexually dimorphic traits in mosquitoes and provides insights into the potential limits of rigid sex-specific feeding behavior.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876963","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":"Microbial communities of the Southeast Asian black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) based on multiple hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA.","authors":"Soosai Peranathan Pavitra, Kim-Kee Tan, Tiong Kai Tan, Yi Xian Er, Wei Yin Vinnie-Siow, Zubaidah Ya'cob, Van Lun Low, Yvonne Ai Lian Lim","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag051","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) are important vectors of disease-causing agents, but little is known about their microbiome in Southeast Asia, highlighting the need for further investigation. In Malaysia, Simulium cheongi, Simulium jeffreyi, and Simulium vanluni are among the most abundant black fly species and are of potential medical importance, making them suitable representatives for microbiome studies. In this study, their bacterial communities were characterized using next-generation sequencing (NGS) targeting seven hypervariable regions (V2, V3, V4, V6 to V7, V8, and V9) of the 16S rRNA gene to enable comprehensive community profiling. The alpha diversity of the bacterial community showed the highest values of Shannon and Simpson indices in S. jeffreyi and increased values of observed species and Chao1 indices in S. cheongi. Males showed greater microbial diversity than females in the alpha diversity analysis, with all alpha rarefaction plots reaching a plateau. Moreover, the beta diversity of the microbial communities measured by Bray-Curtis distance indices revealed three PCs coordinates with 63.75% of the total variance. However, no significant differences in alpha and beta diversity indexes were found among the three species. The bacterial composition included six phyla, 15 classes, 37 orders, 78 families, 143 genera, and 216 bacterial species, with the V3 region having the highest taxonomic identification. The V9 region had the least detection at all taxonomic levels, emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate hypervariable regions to accurately assess the diversity of black fly bacterial communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147876979","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":"Population size and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii on São Tomé and Príncipe Islands based on mark-release-recapture.","authors":"Sureni Wickramasooriya, Melina Campos, Lisa Chamberland, Robert E Ditter, Maria Júlia M Corrêa, Brett Morgan, Danspaid P Mabuka, Ivan Mulongo Mugeni, Lodney Nazaré, Carla A Sousa, Claire M Egan, Robin Oriango, Aires Januário Fernandes da Moura, João Viegas, João Pinto, Anthony J Cornel, Gregory C Lanzaro","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mosquito-borne diseases continue to exact a heavy toll on human health, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet in many environments, fundamental aspects of mosquito behavior and population dynamics remain poorly characterized. Here, we employ a well-established method for directly measuring mosquito dispersal and estimating population size: mark-release-recapture (MRR). We focused on the key malaria vector Anopheles coluzzii and conducted experiments in São Tomé and Príncipe, an island nation in the Gulf of Guinea under consideration as a site for the first field trial using gene drive mosquitoes for malaria elimination. Understanding mosquito dispersal, population size, and responses to environmental factors is essential for planning such releases. To assess these parameters in An. coluzzii, a total of four MRR experiments were conducted across both São Tomé and Príncipe islands during both wet and dry seasons. Population size estimates were higher during the wet season in both study areas, but seasonal fluctuation was more pronounced in São Tomé. Seasonal patterns of mosquito dispersal differed by location, with greater dispersal in São Tomé during the wet season and in Príncipe during the dry season. Mosquito flight direction was biased toward broad-scale wind direction in São Tomé, but not in Príncipe. Together, these results enhance our understanding of An. coluzzii behavior in island ecosystems and support the design of effective vector control approaches in this biogeographical context.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147877000","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":"Field evaluation of efficacy and selectivity of select benzopyranone attractants for anthropophilic malaria vectors in Madagascar.","authors":"Sarah Vonisoa Ralimanana, Niry Hasinandrianina Ramarosandratana, Mbolatiana Tovo Andrianjafy, Ny Aina Harivony Rambala Rakotomena, Marie-Christine Duclos, Lala Harivelo Ravaomanarivo, Patrick Mavingui, Fenia Diane Ramiharimanana, Amadou Mbaye, Estelle Métay, Voahangy Vestalys Ramanandraibe, Marc Lemaire","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag045","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjag045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The fight against malaria vector mosquitoes is an essential strategy for eradicating this disease. Selective capture of anthropophilic Anopheles species is crucial for targeted vector control. In this study, the ability of synthetic attractants, 4-hydroxycoumarin and 7-decyloxychromone, and their combination with CO2 to selectively capture anthropophilic Anopheles species was evaluated in the field. To do this, nocturnal trappings were conducted using CDC light traps in rural area, in the highlands of Madagascar. Each night test, baited and unbaited traps were set up. The results confirm that 4-hydroxycoumarin efficiently and selectively attracts anthropophilic Anopheles (KI = 80%; SI = 5.1). 7-decyloxychromone has a similar attractive effect but with much lower selectivity (KI = 69%; SI = 1.6). The tested mixtures of products did not show any synergistic effect on selectivity for anthropophilic Anopheles species. A decrease or even elimination, in the number of anthropophilic Anopheles was observed during consecutive trapping nights. These results may indicate that using selective synthetic attractants in mass trapping could contribute to reducing malaria vector populations, offering a promising complementary approach for vector control programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147577355","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":"Estimated suitability distribution for Culicoides (Haematomyidium) paraensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in the contiguous United States and associated Caribbean territories.","authors":"Karen M Holcomb, James C Dunford, C Roxanne Connelly","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjag038","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjag038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The distribution of Culicoides paraensis, the primary reported vector for Oropouche virus (OROV), is poorly defined in the Caribbean and Contiguous United States (CONUS). These areas experienced a dramatic range expansion of the virus (Caribbean) or reported travel-associated human cases (CONUS) of OROV in recent years. Using a recently compiled collection of county-level presence reports of C. paraensis throughout CONUS, we fitted ecological niche models to estimate a conservative county-level distribution of C. paraensis in CONUS and the US Caribbean territories (Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands). We estimated high suitability across the southeastern United States with moderate suitability extending north to the Great Lakes and along the Atlantic coast. The western United States and Caribbean territories were estimated with low suitability. However, dramatic differences in environmental conditions in these areas relative to counties with reported collections limit our confidence in these estimates. While further surveillance is needed to refine these estimates, our risk maps provide an initial county-level estimate of suitability along with uncertainty.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":"63 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13034583/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147501177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}