Enhancing Vector Refractoriness to Trypanosome Infection

Special issue on enhancing vector refractoriness to trypanosome infection-foreword

Authors: Adly M. M. Abd-Alla, George Tsiamis and Drion G. Boucias

Enhancing vector refractoriness to trypanosome infection: achievements, challenges and perspectives

With the absence of effective prophylactic vaccines and drugs against African trypanosomosis, control of this group of zoonotic neglected tropical diseases depends the control of the tsetse fly vector. When ap...

Authors: Henry M Kariithi, Irene K Meki, Daniela I Schneider, Linda De Vooght, Fathiya M Khamis, Anne Geiger, Guler Demirbaş-Uzel, Just M Vlak, ikbal Agah iNCE, Sorge Kelm, Flobert Njiokou, Florence N Wamwiri, Imna I Malele, Brian L Weiss and Adly M M Abd-Alla

Blood feeding tsetse flies as hosts and vectors of mammals-pre-adapted African Trypanosoma: current and expected research directions

Research on the zoo-anthropophilic blood feeding tsetse flies’ biology conducted, by different teams, in laboratory settings and at the level of the ecosystems- where also co-perpetuate African Trypanosoma- has a...

Authors: Anne Geiger, Imna Malele, Adly M Abd-Alla and Flobert Njiokou

Towards improving tsetse fly paratransgenesis: stable colonization of Glossina morsitans morsitans with genetically modified Sodalis

Tsetse flies (Glossina sp.) refractory to trypanosome infection are currently being explored as potential tools to contribute in the control of human and animal African trypanosomiasis. One approach to disrupt tr...

Authors: Linda De Vooght, Severien Van Keer and Jan Van Den Abbeele

Combining paratransgenesis with SIT: impact of ionizing radiation on the DNA copy number of Sodalis glossinidius in tsetse flies

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the cyclical vectors of the causative agents of African Trypanosomosis, which has been identified as a neglected tropical disease in both humans and animals in many regi...

Authors: Güler Demirbas-Uzel, Linda De Vooght, Andrew G. Parker, Marc J. B. Vreysen, Robert L. Mach, Jan Van Den Abbeele and Adly M. M. Abd-Alla

Analysis of the gut-specific microbiome from field-captured tsetse flies, and its potential relevance to host trypanosome vector competence

The tsetse fly (Glossina sp.) midgut is colonized by maternally transmitted and environmentally acquired bacteria. Additionally, the midgut serves as a niche in which pathogenic African trypanosomes reside within...

Authors: Bridget C Griffith, Brian L Weiss, Emre Aksoy, Paul O Mireji, Joana E Auma, Florence N Wamwiri, Richard Echodu, Grace Murilla and Serap Aksoy

Sodalis glossinidius presence in wild tsetse is only associated with presence of trypanosomes in complex interactions with other tsetse-specific factors

Susceptibility of tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) to trypanosomes of both humans and animals has been associated with the presence of the endosymbiont Sodalis glossinidius. However, intrinsic biological characterist...

Authors: Manun Channumsin, Marc Ciosi, Dan Masiga, C Michael R Turner and Barbara K Mable

Prevalence of symbionts and trypanosome infections in tsetse flies of two villages of the “Faro and Déo” division of the Adamawa region of Cameroon

Tsetse flies are vectors of human and animal African trypanosomiasis. In spite of many decades of chemotherapy and vector control, the disease has not been eradicated. Other methods like the transformation of ...

Authors: Ginette Irma Kame-Ngasse, Flobert Njiokou, Tito Trésor Melachio-Tanekou, Oumarou Farikou, Gustave Simo and Anne Geiger

Prevalence of trypanosomes, salivary gland hypertrophy virus and Wolbachia in wild populations of tsetse flies from West Africa

Tsetse flies are vectors of African trypanosomes, protozoan parasites that cause sleeping sickness (or human African trypanosomosis) in humans and nagana (or animal African trypanosomosis) in livestock. In add...

Authors: Gisele M. S. Ouedraogo, Güler Demirbas-Uzel, Jean-Baptiste Rayaisse, Geoffrey Gimonneau, Astan C. Traore, Antonios Avgoustinos, Andrew G. Parker, Issa Sidibe, Anicet G. Ouedraogo, Amadou Traore, Bale Bayala, Marc J. B. Vreysen, Kostas Bourtzis and Adly m. M. Abd-Alla

Bacterial diversity obtained by culturable approaches in the gut of Glossina pallidipes population from a non sleeping sickness focus in Tanzania: preliminary results

Glossina pallidipes is a haematophagous insect that serves as a cyclic transmitter of trypanosomes causing African Trypanosomiasis (AT). To fully assess the role of G. pallidipes in the epidemiology of AT, especi...

Authors: Imna Malele, Hamis Nyingilili, Eugen Lyaruu, Marc Tauzin, B. Bernard Ollivier, Jean-Luc Cayol, Marie-Laure Fardeau and Anne Geiger

Symbiotic microbes affect the expression of male reproductive genes in Glossina m. morsitans

Tsetse flies (Diptera, Glossinidae) display unique reproductive biology traits. Females reproduce through adenotrophic viviparity, nourishing the growing larva into their modified uterus until parturition. Mal...

Authors: Francesca Scolari, Geoffrey Michael Attardo, Emre Aksoy, Brian Weiss, Grazia Savini, Peter Takac, Adly Abd-Alla, Andrew Gordon Parker, Serap Aksoy and Anna Rodolfa Malacrida

Different laboratory populations similar bacterial profile? The case of Glossina palpalis gambiensis

Microbiota plays an important role in the biology, ecology and evolution of insects including tsetse flies. The bacterial profile of 3 Glossina palpalis gambiensis laboratory colonies was examined using 16S rRNA ...

Authors: Vangelis Doudoumis, Antonios Augustinos, Aggeliki Saridaki, Andrew Parker, Adly M M Abd-Alla, Kostas Bourtzis and George Tsiamis

High-sensitivity detection of cryptic Wolbachia in the African tsetse fly (Glossina spp.)

In African tsetse flies Glossina, spp. detection of bacterial symbionts such as Wolbachia is challenging since their prevalence and distribution are patchy, and natural symbiont titers can range at levels far bel...

Authors: Daniela I Schneider, Andrew G Parker, Adly M Abd-alla and Wolfgang J Miller

Effect of antibiotic treatment and gamma-irradiation on cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and mate choice in tsetse flies (Glossina m. morsitans)

Symbiotic microbes represent a driving force of evolutionary innovation by conferring novel ecological traits to their hosts. Many insects are associated with microbial symbionts that contribute to their host’...

Authors: Tobias Engl, Veronika Michalkova, Brian L. Weiss, Güler D. Uzel, Peter Takac, Wolfgang J. Miller, Adly M. M. Abd-Alla, Serap Aksoy and Martin Kaltenpoth

Diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Glossina populations in Nigeria and the Cameroonian border region

Tsetse flies are vectors of trypanosomes, parasites that cause devastating disease in humans and livestock. In the course of vector control programmes it is necessary to know about the Glossina species present in...

Authors: Stephen Saikiu Shaida, Judith Sophie Weber, Thaddeus Terlumun Gbem, Sen Claudine Henriette Ngomtcho, Usman Baba Musa, Mbunkha Daniel Achukwi, Mohammed Mamman, Iliya Shehu Ndams, Jonathan Andrew Nok and Soerge Kelm

Gene expression in reproductive organs of tsetse females – initial data in an approach to reduce fecundity

Tsetse flies are vectors of African trypanosomes, and their vectorial capacity results in a major public health emergency and vast economic losses in sub-Saharan Africa. Given the limited ability of trypanosom...

Authors: Emanuel Procházka, Veronika Michalková, Ivana Daubnerová, Ladislav Roller, Peter Klepsatel, Dušan Žitňan, George Tsiamis and Peter Takáč

Nuclear and Wolbachia-based multimarker approach for the rapid and accurate identification of tsetse species

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are solely responsible for the transmission of African trypanosomes, causative agents of sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock. Due to the lack of efficient va...

Authors: Antonios A. Augustinos, Irene K. Meki, Guler Demirbas-Uzel, Gisele M. S. Ouédraogo, Aggeliki Saridaki, George Tsiamis, Andrew G. Parker, Adly M. M. Abd-Alla and Kostas Bourtzis

Coevolution of hytrosaviruses and host immune responses

Hytrosaviruses (SGHVs; Hytrosaviridae family) are double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that cause salivary gland hypertrophy (SGH) syndrome in flies. Two structurally and functionally distinct SGHVs are recognized...

Authors: Henry M. Kariithi, Drion G. Boucias, Edwin K. Murungi, Irene K. Meki, Güler Demirbaş-Uzel, Monique M. van Oers, Marc J. B. Vreysen, Adly M. M. Abd-Alla and Just M. Vlak

Hytrosavirus genetic diversity and eco-regional spread in Glossina species

The management of the tsetse species Glossina pallidipes (Diptera; Glossinidae) in Africa by the sterile insect technique (SIT) has been hindered by infections of G. pallidipes production colonies with Glossina p...

Authors: Irene K. Meki, Henry M. Kariithi, Mehrdad Ahmadi, Andrew G. Parker, Marc J. B. Vreysen, Just M. Vlak, Monique M. van Oers and Adly M.M. Abd-Alla

Impact of Glossina pallidipes salivary gland hypertrophy virus (GpSGHV) on a heterologous tsetse fly host, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the vectors of African trypanosomosis, the causal agent of sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in animals. Glossina fuscipes fuscipes is one of the most important tsetse...

Authors: Güler Demirbas-Uzel, Andrew G. Parker, Marc J. B. Vreysen, Robert L. Mach, Jeremy Bouyer, Peter Takac and Adly M. M. Abd-Alla

RNA interference-based antiviral immune response against the salivary gland hypertrophy virus in Glossina pallidipes

Glossina pallidipes salivary gland hypertrophy virus (GpSGHV; Hytrosaviridae) is a non-occluded dsDNA virus that specifically infects the adult stages of the hematophagous tsetse flies (Glossina species, Diptera:...

Authors: Irene K. Meki, Henry M. Kariithi, Andrew G. Parker, Marc J B Vreysen, Vera I D Ros, Just M Vlak, Monique M van Oers and Adly M. M. Abd-Alla

Metarhizium anisopliae infection reduces Trypanosoma congolense reproduction in Glossina fuscipes fuscipes and its ability to acquire or transmit the parasite

Tsetse fly-borne trypanosomiasis remains a significant problem in Africa despite years of interventions and research. The need for new strategies to control and possibly eliminate trypanosomiasis cannot be ove...

Authors: Lawrence G Wamiti, Fathiya M Khamis, Adly M M Abd-alla, Fidelis L O Ombura, Komivi S Akutse, Sevgan Subramanian, Samuel O Odiwuor, Shem J Ochieng, Sunday Ekesi and Nguya K Maniania

What can a weevil teach a fly, and reciprocally? Interaction of host immune systems with endosymbionts in Glossina and Sitophilus

The tsetse fly (Glossina genus) is the main vector of African trypanosomes, which are protozoan parasites that cause human and animal African trypanosomiases in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the frame of the IAEA/FAO pr...

Authors: Anna Zaidman-Rémy, Aurélien Vigneron, Brian L Weiss and Abdelaziz Heddi