Showing papers by "Jefferson A. Vaughan published in 2012"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors summarized the current knowledge on the transmission ecology of neorickettsiae, both for pathogenic species and for unknown pathogenicity, as well as their possible evolutionary associations with various groups of digeneans.
Abstract: Digeneans are endoparasitic flatworms with complex life cycles and distinct life stages that parasitize different host species. Some digenean species harbour bacterial endosymbionts known as Neorickettsia (Order Rickettsiales, Family Anaplasmataceae). Neorickettsia occur in all life stages and are maintained by vertical transmission. Far from benign however, Neorickettsia may also be transmitted horizontally by digenean parasites to their vertebrate definitive hosts. Once inside, Neorickettsia can infect macrophages and other cell types. In some vertebrate species (e.g. dogs, horses and humans), neorickettsial infections cause severe disease. Taken from a mostly parasitological perspective, this article summarizes our current knowledge on the transmission ecology of neorickettsiae, both for pathogenic species and for neorickettsiae of unknown pathogenicity. In addition, we discuss the diversity, phylogeny and geographical distribution of neorickettsiae, as well as their possible evolutionary associations with various groups of digeneans. Our understanding of neorickettsiae is at an early stage and there are undoubtedly many more neorickettsial endosymbioses with digeneans waiting to be discovered. Because neorickettsiae can infect vertebrates, it is particularly important to examine digenean species that regularly infect humans. Rapid advances in molecular tools and their application towards bacterial identification bode well for our future progress in understanding the biology of Neorickettsia.
60 citations
TL;DR: No discernable differences were detected between the mitochondrial genome sequences of Wolbachia-dependent and independent species and in phylogenetic trees based on mitochondrial protein-coding sequences, species did not cluster according to Wolbachian dependence.
Abstract: Many species of filarial nematodes depend on Wolbachia endobacteria to carry out their life cycle. Other species are naturally Wolbachia-free. The biological mechanisms underpinning Wolbachia-dependence and independence in filarial nematodes are not known. Previous studies have indicated that Wolbachia have an impact on mitochondrial gene expression, which may suggest a role in energy metabolism. If Wolbachia can supplement host energy metabolism, reduced mitochondrial function in infected filarial species may account for Wolbachia-dependence. Wolbachia also have a strong influence on mitochondrial evolution due to vertical co-transmission. This could drive alterations in mitochondrial genome sequence in infected species. Comparisons between the mitochondrial genome sequences of Wolbachia-dependent and independent filarial worms may reveal differences indicative of altered mitochondrial function. The mitochondrial genomes of 5 species of filarial nematodes, Acanthocheilonema viteae, Chandlerella quiscali, Loa loa, Onchocerca flexuosa, and Wuchereria bancrofti, were sequenced, annotated and compared with available mitochondrial genome sequences from Brugia malayi, Dirofilaria immitis, Onchocerca volvulus and Setaria digitata. B. malayi, D. immitis, O. volvulus and W. bancrofti are Wolbachia-dependent while A. viteae, C. quiscali, L. loa, O. flexuosa and S. digitata are Wolbachia-free. The 9 mitochondrial genomes were similar in size and AT content and encoded the same 12 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs. Synteny was perfectly preserved in all species except C. quiscali, which had a different order for 5 tRNA genes. Protein-coding genes were expressed at the RNA level in all examined species. In phylogenetic trees based on mitochondrial protein-coding sequences, species did not cluster according to Wolbachia dependence. Thus far, no discernable differences were detected between the mitochondrial genome sequences of Wolbachia-dependent and independent species. Additional research will be needed to determine whether mitochondria from Wolbachia-dependent filarial species show reduced function in comparison to the mitochondria of Wolbachia-independent species despite their sequence-level similarities.
37 citations
TL;DR: Results of screening for Neorickettsia of an extensive collection of DNA extracts from adult and larval digeneans obtained from various vertebrates and mollusks in the United States suggest that current knowledge of the diversity, host associations and circulation of neorICKettsiae is far from satisfactory.
Abstract: Neorickettsia is a genus of intracellular bacteria endosymbiotic in digeneans that may also invade cells of vertebrates and are known to cause diseases of wildlife and humans. Herein, we report results of screening for Neorickettsia of an extensive collection of DNA extracts from adult and larval digeneans obtained from various vertebrates and mollusks in the United States. Seven isolates of Neorickettsia were detected by PCR and sequenced targeting a 527 bp long region of 16S rRNA. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that four isolates matched published sequences of Neorickettsia risticii. Three other isolates, provisionally named “catfish agents 1 and 2” (obtained from Megalogonia ictaluri and Phyllodistomum lacustri, both parasitic in catfishes) and Neorickettsia sp. (obtained from cercariae of Diplostomum sp.), differed from previously known genotypes of Neorickettsia and are likely candidates for new species. All 7 isolates of Neorickettsia were obtained from digenean species and genera that were not previously reported as hosts of these bacteria. Members of four digenean families (Dicrocoeliidae, Heronimidae, Macroderoididae and Gorgoderidae) are reported as hosts of Neorickettsia for the first time. Our study reveals several new pathways of Neorickettsia circulation in nature. We have found for the first time a Neorickettsia from a digenean (dicrocoeliid Conspicuum icteridorum) with an entirely terrestrial life cycle. We found N. risticii in digeneans (Alloglossidium corti and Heronimus mollis) with entirely aquatic life cycles. Previously, this Neorickettsia species was known only from digeneans with aquatic/terrestrial life cycles. Our results suggest that our current knowledge of the diversity, host associations and circulation of neorickettsiae is far from satisfactory.
21 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of the establishment and rapid spread of West Nile virus (WNV) across the mid-western United States found that mosquitoes, WNV, and passerine MF do interact in nature, and closer attention should be paid to the potential of MF to enhance mosquito transmission of arboviruses.
Abstract: Vertebrate reservoirs of arboviruses are often infected with microfilariae (MF). Laboratory studies have shown that MF can enhance the infectivity of arboviruses to mosquitoes. Soon after being ingested, MF penetrate the mosquito midgut. If the host blood also contains virus (i.e., vertebrate is dually infected), penetrating MF may introduce virus into the hemocoel. This can transform otherwise virus-incompetent mosquito species into virus-competent species and simultaneously accelerate viral development, allowing mosquitoes to transmit virus sooner than normal. This phenomenon is termed microfilarial enhancement of arboviral transmission. The prevalence of MF is very high in many passerine populations in North America. Therefore, we investigated if microfilarial enhancement could have facilitated the establishment and rapid spread of West Nile virus (WNV) across the mid-western United States. Our investigations revealed that mosquitoes, WNV, and passerine MF do interact in nature because; 1) 17% of 54 common grackles (Quiscalus quiscula L.), 8% of 26 American robins (Turdus migratorius L.), and 33% of three eastern kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus L.) were concurrently microfilaremic and seropositive to WNV; 2) feeding activities of mosquitoes overlapped temporally with the appearance of MF in the blood of common grackles; 3) mosquitoes fed on common grackles and American robins in nature; and 4) mosquito ingestion of two taxonomically distant species of passerine MF (i.e., Chandlerella quiscali and Eufilaria spp.) resulted in penetration of mosquito midguts. To estimate the theoretical effect that MF enhancement could have on WNV transmission in areas of high MF prevalence, vectorial capacity values were calculated for Culex mosquitoes feeding on common grackles, whereby MF enhancement was either invoked or ignored. For Cx. pipiens, vectorial capacity increased over three-fold when potential effects of MF were included in the calculations. For Cx. tarsalis, the effect was less (i.e., 1.4-fold increase). Closer attention should be paid to the potential of MF to enhance mosquito transmission of arboviruses.
9 citations