Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases最新文献

{"title":"Serological and molecular insights into tick-borne pathogens in wild donkeys from an unexplored Mediterranean nature reserve","authors":"Luca Villa ,&nbsp;Alessandra Cafiso ,&nbsp;Chiara Cialini ,&nbsp;Emanuela Olivieri ,&nbsp;Carolina Allievi ,&nbsp;Elisabetta Pintore ,&nbsp;Giovanni Garippa ,&nbsp;Maria Teresa Manfredi ,&nbsp;Chiara Bazzocchi","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Island of Asinara (Sardinia, Italy) is a unique protected ecosystem in the Mediterranean basin. Its climate provides a favorable environment for a wide variety of flora and fauna, including ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) of medical and veterinary importance. In this context, wild donkeys (<em>Equus asinus</em>), i.e. the Sardinian grey donkey and the characteristic white Asinara donkey, serve as hosts for several tick species. This study aimed to increase the knowledge of the TBPs circulating on the Island of Asinara by assessing the seroprevalence and risk factors for <em>Babesia caballi</em> and <em>Theileria equi</em> infections in donkeys and the molecular prevalence of the aetiological agents of piroplasmosis, anaplasmosis, and rickettsiosis in ticks collected from donkeys. In this study, 110 wild donkeys and 197 adult ticks (<em>Rhipicephalus bursa</em>, <em>Haemaphysalis punctata</em>, <em>Hyalomma marginatum</em>) from the Asinara National Park were tested for the presence of TBPs. Serological analysis in donkeys revealed a seroprevalence of 23.6% for <em>B. caballi</em> and 39.1% for <em>T. equi</em>, with 11.8% of individuals showing co-infections. The likelihood of protozoan infection was associated with tick infestation for <em>B. caballi</em> and land cover type for <em>T. equi</em>. Molecular analysis of ticks detected <em>T. equi</em> in 15.7% of the samples and <em>Babesia</em> spp. in 3.5% of the samples. <em>Rickettsia</em> spp., including the zoonotic <em>R. aeschlimannii</em>, were identified in 8.1% of the ticks. No <em>Anaplasma</em> spp. positives were detected. In addition, 2% of ticks showed co-infections with multiple pathogens, highlighting the potential for co-transmission. An association with tick species and sex was demonstrated for <em>Rickettia</em> spp. infection. These findings confirm the circulation of piroplasms and zoonotic agents within the Asinara National Park, underscoring potential health risks for both animals and humans, particularly in a tourist-attractive area, and thus emphasize the need for integrated “One Health” surveillance strategies to monitor and manage TBPs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100267"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144123628","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":"Mapping of snail intermediate host habitats reveals variability in schistosome and non-schistosome trematode transmission in an endemic setting","authors":"Teckla Angelo ,&nbsp;Naima Camilla Starkloff ,&nbsp;David James Civitello ,&nbsp;Moses Paul Mahalila ,&nbsp;Safari Kinung’hi","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100299","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100299","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intermediate snail host of <em>Schistosoma haematobium</em>, the etiological agent of urogenital schistosomiasis, serves as a critical sentinel for tracking the spread of associated disease risks. In addition to <em>S. haematobium</em>, <em>Bulinus</em> spp<em>.</em> snails also transmit <em>S. bovis</em> to cattle as well as several non-schistosome trematodes to cattle and wildlife. Identifying transmission foci of these multi-parasite hosts is critical for targeted and effective One Health intervention. We investigated 467 waterbodies in 86 villages across six districts in northwestern Tanzania. A total of 43,348 <em>Bulinus nasutus</em> were collected across three survey phases from November 2020 to August 2021. Across all snails, 0.63% were emitting schistosome cercariae. There was a significant increase in schistosome prevalence during the year, with a peak in the dry season (June-August 2021). Furthermore, of the 25,052 snails collected in the latter two phases (March to August 2021), 4.9% were infected with non-schistosome trematodes, exceeding prevalences of schistosomes at all spatial scales. Co-infections were uncommon, with only 0.05% of snails concurrently emitting both schistosome and non-schistosome parasites. These infection patterns were consistent across village and district levels. Waterbodies used by cattle had higher schistosome prevalence than waterbodies isolated for human use. Surprisingly, non-schistosome prevalence was equal in both of these waterbody types. This suggests that cattle have an indirect role in schistosome transmission, requiring the separation of waterbody usage between cattle and humans and extending snail control in dry season to waterbodies used by cattle. By contrast, water permanence and school proximity did not impact snail or parasite presence. Targeted interventions should focus on local water use dynamics, with attention to the potential indirect role of cattle in schistosome transmission.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100299"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144724465","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":"Cryptosporidium spp. in livestock in Brazil: An underestimated threat to animal and human health","authors":"Vinícius Longo Ribeiro Vilela ,&nbsp;Thais Ferreira Feitosa ,&nbsp;Welitânia Inácia Silva ,&nbsp;Frank Katzer","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100312","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100312","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptosporidium</em> spp. infections in livestock are a significant yet underrecognized threat to both animal and human health in Brazil. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize available data on the geographical distribution, host species, age groups, diagnostic methods, infection rates, and <em>Cryptosporidium</em> species and subtypes identified, as well as to assess potential associations with diarrhea and the zoonotic impact of infections in production animals. A total of 82 articles were included, comprising 78 epidemiological investigations and 4 case reports. The majority of studies were concentrated in the Southeast region, mainly in the State of São Paulo. Cattle were the most frequently studied species (<em>n</em> = 49 articles), followed by sheep (<em>n</em> = 12), horses (<em>n</em> = 8), pigs (<em>n</em> = 6), goats (<em>n</em> = 5), and buffaloes (<em>n</em> = 2). Diagnostic methods varied, with microscopy being the predominant technique, limiting species identification. Molecular methods, including nested PCR, were employed in a smaller subset of studies, providing more precise species identification. <em>Cryptosporidium parvum</em> subtype IIaA15G2R1 was the most prevalent. The findings underscore the need for standardized diagnostic approaches and enhanced surveillance to better understand the epidemiology of <em>Cryptosporidium</em> infections in Brazilian livestock. Addressing these gaps is crucial for implementing effective control measures and mitigating the zoonotic risks associated with these infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100312"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144911835","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":"Genotyping specimens of human lice from a centenary entomological collection","authors":"Laiz Skinner ,&nbsp;Márcio Felix ,&nbsp;Claudia Leal Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Alena Mayo Iñiguez","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100276","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100276","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Pediculus humanus</em> has been infesting humans since their origin. This obligatory hematophagous and monoxenic parasite has co-evolved with its hosts, carrying genetic information that reflects this long evolutionary history. The ecotypes of <em>P. humanus</em> are divided into six phylogenetic clades (A-F) with distinct geographical distributions. Paleoparasitological studies have revealed a high lice infestation rate in mummies from various chronological periods and cultures worldwide. In this study, we conducted a paleogenetic analysis of head lice specimens from the Entomological Collection of Oswaldo Cruz Institute, collected in Suriname in 1941, to investigate the <em>P. humanus</em> mitochondrial haplotypes that were circulating in that population at that time. Ancient DNA was extracted from adult lice specimens, and paleogenetic analysis was performed using PCR-Sanger sequencing targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome <em>b</em> (<em>cyt</em>b) gene. Our results identified sequences belonging to the cosmopolitan clade A, specifically the haplotype A17. A17 is the second largest cosmopolitan haplotype within clade A, with representatives found across all continents, but never found in South America. In 1941, Suriname, as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, experienced various socio-political changes and movements of populations due to World War II. This finding reflects both the colonial activities of that time and the global conflicts influencing human migrations. Specimens housed in collections for many decades often exhibit degraded DNA due to preservation techniques being inappropriate for molecular studies, posing challenges for genetic analysis. Our findings highlight the importance of biological collections as valuable repositories of genetic information that can shed light on the past distributions and interactions of parasitic species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100276"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144231841","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":"Unveiling the hemolymphatic miRNome composition of the schistosomiasis vector snail Biomphalaria glabrata","authors":"Sarah Dametto ,&nbsp;Benjamin Gourbal ,&nbsp;Cristian Chaparro ,&nbsp;Silvain Pinaud ,&nbsp;David Duval","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100262","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100262","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>MiRNAs are single-stranded short noncoding sequences which display crucial roles on gene transcription regulation in many biological processes especially such as embryonic development, cell proliferation or apoptosis. Also, they are recognized for triggering the host’s internal defence mechanisms and immune cell responses thereby playing crucial role in host-parasite interactions. In the present study, a snap-shot of miRNAs, referred to as the miRNome, is described from the hemolymph, the main immune-related compartment of <em>Biomphalaria glabrata</em> snails, one of the intermediate hosts of the trematode parasite <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em>, the causative agent of schistosomiasis. A high throughput sequencing approach of small RNAs has revealed the presence of 63 miRNAs in the hemolymphatic compartment. Mollusc-specific miRNAs including <em>bgl-miR-1985-</em>5p and <em>bgl-miR-1984-</em>5p were identified, along with 25 novel miRNAs. Bioinformatic predictions, thanks to multiple software tools, helped us to identify more than 6000 potential miRNA target gene candidates. Among them is BgTEP1, a complement-like factor involved in parasite clearance. Interestingly, this factor appeared to be targeted by a newly identified miRNA, named <em>bgl-miR-22707-5p</em>. Our study underscores the inherent diversity of miRNAs in the hemolymph of <em>B. glabrata</em> and discusses their potential role in the regulation of the snail’s innate immune response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100262"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143879294","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":"Comparative analysis of duck Tembusu virus Cluster 1 and Cluster 2.1 in Culex tritaeniorhynchus: Insights into viral characteristics, infectivity, and innate immune response","authors":"Chalida Sri-in ,&nbsp;Duangduean Prakairungnamthip ,&nbsp;Kanana Rungprasert ,&nbsp;Aunyaratana Thontiravong ,&nbsp;Lyric C. Bartholomay ,&nbsp;Sonthaya Tiawsirisup","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100274","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100274","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The disease caused by the duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is one of the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral diseases in poultry. DTMUV is classified into three distinct clusters based on significant genetic divergence: Cluster 1, Cluster 2 (subdivided into 2.1 and 2.2), and Cluster 3. The virulence of DTMUV in ducks is potentially associated with the virus genotype. The evaluation of different clusters of DTMUV is based predominantly on the characterization of infected duck hosts, and limited attention has been paid to understanding viral virulence toward the infected mosquito vectors. In this study, we explore the infectivity patterns of DTMUV Cluster 1 (DTMUV 1) and Cluster 2.1 (DTMUV 2.1) in the primary mosquito vector, <em>Culex tritaeniorhynchus</em>. Our objective was to explore the relationship between the mosquito vector and DTMUV genotype, intending to determine whether the mosquito vector alters viral biology, thereby influencing the consequential infectivity characteristics in the host cells. We found that variation in viral nonstructural protein-5 (an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) may influence the antigenicity process in <em>Cx. tritaeniorhynchus</em>. Our results revealed DTMUV1 underwent higher replication than DTMUV2.1 in mosquito salivary glands and saliva. Furthermore, DTMUV1 derived from mosquito saliva produced larger plaque sizes in baby hamster kidney-21 (BHK-21) cells than DTMUV2.1 derived from mosquito saliva. Interestingly, DTMUV2.1 was more efficient than DTMUV1 in inducing the production of mRNAs for macroglobulin complement-related factor, thioester-containing protein, and antimicrobial peptides (cecropin family) within the mosquito salivary gland. Our findings collectively suggest that <em>Cx. tritaeniorhynchus</em> can influence an environment conducive to modifying the amino acid composition of DTMUV1 and DTMUV2.1 in a manner that may affect the innate immune response, consequently augmenting viral virulence.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100274"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144167900","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":"Genetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum field isolates from Honduras in the malaria elimination phase","authors":"Alejandro Zamora ,&nbsp;Alejandra Pinto ,&nbsp;Denis Escobar ,&nbsp;Hugo O. Valdivia ,&nbsp;Lesly Chaver ,&nbsp;Gloria Ardón ,&nbsp;Erick Carranza ,&nbsp;Gustavo Fontecha","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Malaria continues to be a major threat to public health in tropical regions, primarily affecting sub-Saharan Africa but also Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Malaria cases in Honduras have seen a significant decline and the country aims to eliminate the disease by 2030. This study examines the genetic diversity of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> and <em>Plasmodium vivax</em> in Honduras using four molecular markers (<em>Pfama1</em>, <em>Pfglurp</em>, <em>Pvmsp3α</em>, and <em>Pvmsp3β</em>), and the chloroquine resistance marker <em>pfcrt</em> in the context of the elimination phase. Our findings indicate that <em>P. falciparum</em> populations in Honduras are more homogeneous compared to <em>P. vivax</em>. The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach, using four loci from <em>Pvmsp3α</em> and <em>Pvmsp3β</em>, proved more effective in assessing the genetic diversity of <em>P. vivax</em> than individual marker analyses. No geographical clustering was observed for <em>P. vivax</em> haplotypes, either within Honduras or globally. In Honduras, <em>P. falciparum</em> appears to be under more effective control, while <em>P. vivax</em> presents a greater challenge due to its higher genetic diversity. This requires enhanced surveillance, targeted control strategies, and measures to prevent the reintroduction of variants. The isolates of <em>P. falciparum</em> also displayed a wild-type <em>Pfcrt</em> phenotype, suggesting susceptibility to chloroquine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100230"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11699087/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142934276","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}

{"title":"ScannerVision: Scanner-based image acquisition of medically important arthropods for the development of computer vision and deep learning models","authors":"Song-Quan Ong ,&nbsp;Nathan Pinoy ,&nbsp;Min Hui Lim ,&nbsp;Kim Bjerge ,&nbsp;Francisco Javier Peris-Felipo ,&nbsp;Rob Lind ,&nbsp;Jordan P. Cuff ,&nbsp;Samantha M. Cook ,&nbsp;Toke Thomas Høye","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Computer vision methods offer great potential for rapid image-based identification of medically important arthropod specimens. However, imaging large numbers of specimens is time consuming, and it is difficult to achieve the high image quality required for machine learning models. Conventional imaging methods for identifying and digitizing arthropods, such as insects and spiders, use a stereomicroscope or macro lenses with a camera. This method is challenging due to the narrow field of view, especially when large numbers of arthropods need to be processed. In this paper, we present a high-throughput scanner-based method for capturing images of arthropods that can be used to generate large datasets suitable for training machine learning algorithms for identification. We demonstrate the ability of this approach to image arthropod samples collected with different sampling methods, such as sticky traps (unbaited, in different colors), baited mosquito traps as used by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and BioGents-Sentinel (BGS), and UV light traps with a sticky pad. Using different strategies to place the arthropods on a charge-coupled device (CCD) flatbed scanner and optimized settings that balance processing time and image quality, we captured high-resolution images of various arthropods and obtained morphological details with resolution and magnification similar to a stereomicroscope. We validate the method by comparing the performance of three different deep learning models (InceptionV3, ResNet and MobileNetV2) on two different datasets, namely the scanned images from this study and the images captured with a camera of a stereomicroscope. The results show that the performance of the models trained on the two datasets is not significantly different, indicating that the quality of the scanned images is comparable to that of a stereomicroscope.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100268"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143942655","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":"Unveiling hidden threats: Molecular surveillance of bacterial and protozoan infections in Asian water monitors (Varanus salvator) at Thailand’s Khao-zon Wildlife Breeding Station","authors":"Witchuta Junsiri ,&nbsp;Jitkamol Thanasak ,&nbsp;Tawewan Issarankura Na Ayudhaya ,&nbsp;Somjit Chaiwattanarungruengpaisan ,&nbsp;Piyanan Taweethavonsawat","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Asian water monitors (<em>Varanus salvator</em>) are often exposed to harmful microorganisms such as species of <em>Hepatozoon</em>, <em>Anaplasma</em>, <em>Rickettsia</em>, and <em>Borrelia</em>. These pathogens pose significant risks to wildlife and public health. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence and genetic diversity of pathogenic microorganisms in <em>V. salvator</em> from the Khao-zon Wildlife Breeding Station, Ratchaburi, Thailand. Sixteen <em>V. salvator</em> were collected, and thin blood smears and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays of the DNA isolated from blood were used to identify infections. Blood smear analysis revealed two positive samples (2/16; 12.5%) for <em>Hepatozoon</em> sp. PCR results confirmed the presence of <em>Hepatozoon</em> sp. (6/16; 37.5%), <em>Anaplasma</em> sp. (3/16; 18.75%), <em>Rickettsia</em> sp. (2/16; 12.5%), <em>Borrelia</em> sp. (4/16; 25.0%) and <em>Burkholderia</em> sp. (1/16; 6.25%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed 99.86% similarity of <em>Hepatozoon</em> sp. sequences with <em>Hepatozoon ophisauri</em> (GenBank: MN723845) in <em>Pseudopus apodus</em> from Iran, whereas the <em>gltA</em> gene of <em>Rickettsia</em> sp. was closely related to <em>Rickettsia conorii raoultii</em> (GenBank: MF002515) in <em>Dermacentor nuttalli</em> from China. This study represents the first detection of the five pathogens in <em>V. salvator</em> from Thailand and provides valuable insights into the genetic diversity of these microorganisms. Our findings suggest that <em>V. salvator</em> may serve as reservoir for multiple pathogens, posing potential threats to both wildlife and humans. The presence of zoonotic agents such as <em>Rickettsia</em> spp., <em>Anaplasma</em> spp., and <em>Borrelia</em> spp. underscores the importance of continued surveillance in wildlife populations to mitigate the risk of emerging infectious diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100250"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143600501","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}

{"title":"Diversity of filariae circulating in South Caucasian bats and their ectoparasites","authors":"Sarka Bednarikova ,&nbsp;Ondrej Danek ,&nbsp;Erik Bachorec ,&nbsp;Heliana Dundarova ,&nbsp;Astghik Ghazaryan ,&nbsp;Nadya Ivanova-Aleksandrova ,&nbsp;Sophio Maglakelidze ,&nbsp;Monika Nemcova ,&nbsp;Vladimir Piacek ,&nbsp;Katerina Zukalova ,&nbsp;Jan Zukal ,&nbsp;Jiri Pikula","doi":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crpvbd.2025.100304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recent research on chiropteran parasites suggests a high prevalence and diversity, and extensive spatial distribution of filarial species; however, ecological and phylogenetic studies are still in their infancy. We sampled blood from 78 bat specimens, collected 1181 ectoparasites at summer colonies in Armenia and Georgia, and used nested-PCR targeting the cytochrome <em>c</em> oxidase subunit 1 (<em>cox</em>1) gene to detect and genotype filarial parasites. The overall prevalence of filarial DNA was 17.9% in blood samples from <em>Myotis blythii</em>, <em>Myotis emarginatus</em>, <em>Miniopterus schreibersii</em>, and <em>Rhinolophus ferrumequinum</em>, and 8.5% in ectoparasites, including two mite species (<em>Eyndhovenia euryalis</em> and <em>Spinturnix myoti</em>) and two bat flies (<em>Nycteribia kolenatii</em> and <em>Penicillidia dufouri</em>). The prevalence of microfilarial infection was significantly higher in mite samples (13.8%) than in bat fly samples (4.1%). Bats with ectoparasites positive for filarial DNA had a significantly higher total number of ectoparasites. Phylogenetic analysis placed the 18 sequences obtained into different closely related clades of onchocercid nematodes, with four different species recorded: two belonging to the genus <em>Litomosa</em> and two to a newly observed genus of the family Onchocercidae. Additionally, two new species of these parasites, one <em>Litomosa</em> sp. and one Onchocercid sp., were genetically recognised. As predicted, the diversity of filarial parasites reflects the diversity of bat hosts in the Caucasus. Extending the sampling effort to more Caucasian bat species will likely reveal previously unknown filarial species. Non-lethal and non-invasive sampling of blood and ectoparasites for molecular screening proved effective for gaining insights into parasite diversity and phylogenetic relationships of bat-infecting filarial nematodes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":94311,"journal":{"name":"Current research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases","volume":"8 ","pages":"Article 100304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842743","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}