Christopher D Paddock, Maria L Zambrano, James R Clover, Stephen Ladd-Wilson, Elizabeth A Dykstra, Amy Salamone, David Kangiser, Bryan N Ayres, Savannah L Shooter, Sandor E Karpathy, Anne M Kjemtrup, Lorenza Beati, Michael L Levin, Robert S Lane, Oscar E Zazueta
{"title":"Rickettsia species identified in adult, host-seeking Dermacentor occidentalis (Acari: Ixodidae) from Baja California, Mexico, and Oregon and Washington, United States.","authors":"Christopher D Paddock, Maria L Zambrano, James R Clover, Stephen Ladd-Wilson, Elizabeth A Dykstra, Amy Salamone, David Kangiser, Bryan N Ayres, Savannah L Shooter, Sandor E Karpathy, Anne M Kjemtrup, Lorenza Beati, Michael L Levin, Robert S Lane, Oscar E Zazueta","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae023","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae023","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Pacific Coast tick (Dermacentor occidentalis Marx, 1892) is a frequently encountered and commonly reported human-biting tick species that has been recorded from most of California and parts of southwestern Oregon, southcentral Washington, and northwestern Mexico. Although previous investigators have surveyed populations of D. occidentalis for the presence of Rickettsia species across several regions of California, populations of this tick have not been surveyed heretofore for rickettsiae from Baja California, Oregon, or Washington. We evaluated 1,367 host-seeking, D. occidentalis adults collected from 2015 to 2022 by flagging vegetation at multiple sites in Baja California, Mexico, and Oregon and Washington, United States, using genus- and species-specific assays for spotted fever group rickettsiae. DNA of Rickettsia 364D, R. bellii, and R. tillamookensis was not detected in specimens from these regions. DNA of R. rhipicephali was detected in D. occidentalis specimens obtained from Ensenada Municipality in Baja California and southwestern Oregon, but not from Washington. All ompA sequences of R. rhipichephali that were amplified from individual ticks in southwestern Oregon were represented by a single genotype. DNA of the Ixodes pacificus rickettsial endosymbiont was amplified from specimens collected in southwestern Oregon and Klickitat County, Washington; to the best of our knowledge, this Rickettsia species has never been identified in D. occidentalis. Collectively, these data are consistent with a relatively recent introduction of Pacific Coast ticks in the northernmost extension of its recognized range.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139975169","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}
Waheed Bajwa, Ashley Kennedy, Zachary Vincent, Garrett Heck, Shamim Riaj, Zahir Shah, Leonid Tsynman, Cory Casal, Scott Haynes, Hannah Cornman, Andrea Egizi, Ellen Stromdahl, Robyn Nadolny
{"title":"Earliest records of the Asian longhorned tick (Acari: Ixodidae) in Staten Island, New York, and subsequent population establishment, with a review of its potential medical and veterinary importance in the United States.","authors":"Waheed Bajwa, Ashley Kennedy, Zachary Vincent, Garrett Heck, Shamim Riaj, Zahir Shah, Leonid Tsynman, Cory Casal, Scott Haynes, Hannah Cornman, Andrea Egizi, Ellen Stromdahl, Robyn Nadolny","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae019","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae019","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Three Asian longhorned ticks (Haemaphysalis longicornis) were collected on Staten Island, Richmond County, New York, in 2014-2015 as part of a tick-borne disease surveillance program conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Defense Centers of Public Health - Aberdeen Tick-Borne Disease Laboratory. These records mark the earliest known occurrence of H. longicornis in New York State outside of quarantine areas, predating previously reported detections by several years. Robust populations of H. longicornis were collected in subsequent years at the Staten Island site where these few ticks were found, demonstrating that small infestations have the potential to proliferate quickly. Haemaphysalis longicornis is a 3-host ixodid tick native to eastern Asia but now established in the United States, as well as Australasia and several Pacific islands. Although H. longicornis has not yet been associated with human disease transmission in the United States, it warrants attention as a potential vector, as it is demonstrated to harbor various pathogens of medical and veterinary interest across its native and introduced range.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139984877","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}
Stephanie N Hurd, Laura S Kenefic, Jessica E Leahy, Carly C Sponarski, Allison M Gardner
{"title":"Cascading impacts of overstory structure in managed forests on understory structure, microclimate conditions, and Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) densities.","authors":"Stephanie N Hurd, Laura S Kenefic, Jessica E Leahy, Carly C Sponarski, Allison M Gardner","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae030","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Forest management practices designed to meet varied landowner objectives affect wildlife habitat and may interrupt the life-cycle stages of disease vectors, including the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae). Ixodes scapularis transmits multiple pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, which is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States. There is evidence that a range of active forest management practices (e.g., invasive plant removal, prescribed burning) can alter tick densities and pathogen transmission. However, few studies have investigated relationships between forest stand structural variables commonly manipulated by timber harvesting and tick ecology. Foresters may harvest timber to create certain forest structural conditions like the mean number of trees, or basal area, per hectare. This study used a spatially replicated experiment in a blocked design to compare forest stands with a range of overstory structures and document variations in the midstory, understory, and forest floor, as well as microclimate conditions within tick off-host habitat. Greater numbers of trees or basal area per hectare correlated with greater canopy closure but less understory cover, stabilized microclimate temperature, higher microclimate humidity, and greater I. scapularis nymph densities. A random forest model identified understory forest structure as the strongest predictor of nymph densities. There was no relationship between the number of trees or basal area per hectare and daily deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann) activity or nymphal infection prevalence. These findings provide a deeper understanding of tick-habitat associations within a forest stand and have the potential to inform forest management decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140141283","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}
Ajeet Kumar Mohanty, Abhishek Govekar, Charles de Souza, Abhipsa Mohapatra, Malapati Kuppuswamy Janarthanam, Raja Vukanti, Justin J Montemarano, Praveen Balabaskaran Nina
{"title":"Evaluating the carnivorous efficacy of Utricularia aurea (Lamiales: Lentibulariaceae) on the larval stages of Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).","authors":"Ajeet Kumar Mohanty, Abhishek Govekar, Charles de Souza, Abhipsa Mohapatra, Malapati Kuppuswamy Janarthanam, Raja Vukanti, Justin J Montemarano, Praveen Balabaskaran Nina","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae038","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The emergence of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes necessitates the exploration and validation of sustainable biological strategies for controlling mosquitoes in their natural habitats. We assessed the predatory effect of Utricularia aurea Lour (Lamiales: Lentibulariaceae), an aquatic carnivorous plant found in the Indian subcontinent, Japan, and Australia, on 4 instars of Anopheles stephensi Liston, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, and Aedes aegypti Linn (Diptera: Culicidae), in the laboratory and field settings. In the laboratory setting, predation of larvae by U. aurea was highest during the first hour when it predated 45%, 61%, and 58% of first instars of An. stephensi, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and, Ae. aegypti, respectively, and, within 12 h, U. aurea preyed upon ~95% of the first, second, and third instars of the 3 mosquito species, ~80% of the fourth instars of An. stephensi and Ae. aegypti, and ~60% of fourth instars of Cx. quinquefasciatus. The predatory effect of U. aurea varied with mosquito species and instar. Broadly, predation risk declined with the increase of the instar size. In the field setting, at the end of 16 days, U. aurea predated 76% and 71% of the immature An. stephensi and Ae. aegypti, respectively. Our findings suggest U. aurea can be utilized as a potential biocontrol agent for controlling mosquito larvae in natural habitats; however, the current claim warrants additional investigations in a variety of natural habitats.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140195377","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":"Experimental demonstration of the transmission of Spiroplasma between different arthropod taxa.","authors":"Shohei Ogata, Naoki Hayashi, Yuki Eshita, Yasuha Nagasawa, Nariaki Nonaka, Ryo Nakao","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae020","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae020","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Spiroplasma (Mycoplasmatales: Spiroplasmataceae) is one of the most widely distributed symbionts of arthropods. Spiroplasma species can infect their hosts via vertical or horizontal transmission. However, the mode of transmission of Spiroplasma between different arthropod taxa has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the potential for the transmission of Spiroplasma to non-native arthropod species, using 2 Spiroplasma spp. isolated from ticks, namely Spiroplasma ixodetis and Spiroplasma mirum, and 3 species of mosquito laboratory colonies, namely Aedes albopictus, Aedes aegypti, and Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae). After feeding the adult mosquitoes with Spiroplasma-containing artificial meals, they were kept at 25 °C for 10 days. Homogenates prepared from Spiroplasma-fed mosquitoes were used to re-isolate Spiroplasma using the in vitro culture method. Nine weeks after culture initiation, the presence of Spiroplasma was tested using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results revealed that only S. ixodetis was detected from all 3 species of mosquitoes and re-isolated from 2 of them. The differences in the infection ability of different Spirolasma species could be attributed to several factors, including environmental effects. Nevertheless, this is the first experimental demonstration of Spiroplasma transmission among different arthropod taxa. Further studies are needed to elucidate the evolutionary mechanism that supports the survival of Spiroplasma in nature.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139934831","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}
Áine Lehane, Casey Parker-Crockett, Edmund Norris, Sarah S Wheeler, Laura C Harrington
{"title":"Measuring insecticide resistance in a vacuum: exploring next steps to link resistance data with mosquito control efficacy.","authors":"Áine Lehane, Casey Parker-Crockett, Edmund Norris, Sarah S Wheeler, Laura C Harrington","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae029","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae029","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Insecticide resistance is a great challenge facing mosquito operational control agencies across the United States, where few active ingredients with unique modes of action are available for use, increasing resistance pressure and further hampering resistance management strategies. Emergence and expansion of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes can be detected by resistance monitoring programs; however, there are gaps in our knowledge regarding the link between resistance bioassay results and operational control outcomes. Here, we review both public health and agricultural studies on pesticide resistance bioassays and control outcomes. A discussion on the main gaps in our knowledge of insecticide resistance and a review of resistance management practices is also presented. We conclude with research questions that can advance our understanding of resistance monitoring and control.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140013854","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}
William J Piwowarek, Decyo McDuffie, Edwin R Burgess
{"title":"Identification, seasonality, and body attachment location and nomenclature of parasitic water mites (Trombidiformes: Arrenuridae) on Anopheles crucians sensu lato, Anopheles quadrimaculatus sensu lato, and Culex erraticus (Diptera: Culicidae) from a North Florida botanical garden.","authors":"William J Piwowarek, Decyo McDuffie, Edwin R Burgess","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae036","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae036","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Water mites (Hydrachnidia) commonly parasitize mosquitoes; however, the nature of these parasitic interactions remains poorly understood. We sampled mites collected from mosquitoes taken from CDC light traps placed in a botanical garden in Northern Florida from April to November 2022. Mites were found almost exclusively parasitizing the mosquitoes, Anopheles crucians sensu lato (Wiedemann, 1828), Anopheles quadrimaculatus sensu lato (Say, 1824), and Culex erraticus (Dyar and Knab, 1906). All sampled mites were of the genus Arrenurus. Further identification proved to be impossible given the available resources. Seasonality of the mites corresponded with the seasonality of their hosts, with the highest numbers being recorded in May and September. Nomenclature for mite attachment sites on mosquitoes was developed and provided. Mites most commonly attached to the second abdominal segments of all sampled mosquitoes with varied positions around the segment depending on mosquito species. We found significance for the relationship between the abdominal segment mites attached to and what position on the segment mites would take for Cx. erraticus, which indicates a preference of attaching directly underneath the second and fourth abdominal segments. Such a relationship was not found for either Anopheles species.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140190525","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}
Cecilia G Torres, Darren A Pollock, Zachary A Mitchell, Kenwyn R Cradock
{"title":"The effects of insect repellent on initial Dipteran colonization of decomposing pig remains.","authors":"Cecilia G Torres, Darren A Pollock, Zachary A Mitchell, Kenwyn R Cradock","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjad148","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjad148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Numerous factors influence insect colonization and development on decomposing remains and can influence postmortem interval (PMI) estimations when insects are used in investigations of suspicious deaths. This study aimed to determine whether insect repellent influences insect colonization of decomposing remains. Pig feet were divided into 4 groups: a control not sprayed with repellent, 40% DEET repellent, 98% DEET repellent, and lemon eucalyptus repellent. The feet were placed in containers, and insect visitation was observed over the course of 3 days, then insects were collected at the end of the third day. This was repeated twice a month from April through November 2022. The analysis focused on the order Diptera. Pairwise comparison determined that there was a significant delay in visitation time for remains with 98% DEET compared to remains with no repellent and 40% DEET. There were significantly fewer adult Diptera collected and more remains with no larvae or eggs present among remains treated with 98% DEET. It was concluded that low concentrations of DEET and lemon eucalyptus repellent did not delay colonization, but that high concentrations of DEET delayed visitation, reduced the number of adult flies collected from the remains, and reduced the likelihood of collecting eggs or larvae from the remains. This contributes to the understanding of factors that can influence insect colonization and development that allow for more accurate PMI estimations by suggesting that insect repellent does not need to be accounted for in PMI estimation, but a high concentration of DEET can deter insects in the short term.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134650701","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}
Kristin E Sloyer, Lawrence E Reeves, Nathan D Burkett-Cadena
{"title":"Host associations of Culex panocossa (Diptera: Culicidae) in southern Florida and its implications for arbovirus transmission.","authors":"Kristin E Sloyer, Lawrence E Reeves, Nathan D Burkett-Cadena","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae021","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae021","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Culex panocossa, Dyar and Knab, an important enzootic vector of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus subtype ID in Central and South America, was found to have invaded and become established in southern Florida in 2016. No information is currently available regarding the ecology of this invasive mosquito in the United States. Here, we use PCR-based blood meal analysis to investigate vertebrate host associations of Cx. panocossa from Florida to provide information necessary for determining the potential importance of this mosquito for arbovirus transmission in the United States. Culex panocossa fed mainly upon birds (49.5%) but took a substantial fraction of blood meals from mammals (33.3%) and reptiles (17.1%). By feeding upon amplifying hosts of Everglades virus (hispid cotton rat) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (wading birds) and humans, Cx. panocossa could act as a bridge vector for these pathogenic Alphaviruses in Florida, potentially resulting in increased human disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139901096","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}
Sean A McKay, Conner J McKay, Christopher S Bibbs, Jeffrey R Bloomquist, Phillip E Kaufman
{"title":"Fecundity decline is male derived following transfluthrin exposures in a field strain of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae).","authors":"Sean A McKay, Conner J McKay, Christopher S Bibbs, Jeffrey R Bloomquist, Phillip E Kaufman","doi":"10.1093/jme/tjae022","DOIUrl":"10.1093/jme/tjae022","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Volatile pyrethroids are effective in reducing mosquito populations and repelling vectors away from hosts. However, many gaps in knowledge exist for the sublethal impacts of volatile pyrethroids on mosquitoes. To that end, transfluthrin exposures were conducted on a field strain of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) held as a laboratory colony. Dose-response analysis was conducted on both sexes at either 1-4 days old or 5-10 days old. Resultant concentration data were used to evaluate the LC20 and LC50 values in various mate pairings of treatments and controls in which either the male or female was from a selectively treated group and mated with a counterpart that was treated independently. Blood feeding proportion, delayed mortality after a 24-h recovery period, egg collection totals, and F1 larval survival were determined following transfluthrin treatment in the F0, but outcomes were not significant. In contrast, sterility was predicated on male treatment, with treated females resulting in higher overall egg viability. Treated males in the mating pair resulted in significantly lower egg viability and accelerated larval hatch in the F1. Additionally, the presence of sperm in female spermathecae was significantly diminished in test groups containing treated male mosquitoes. Male sublethal effects may be a critical determinant of a mixed population's reproductive success.</p>","PeriodicalId":94091,"journal":{"name":"Journal of medical entomology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139747896","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}