Letter
Immunology
Ayman Ahmed, Patricia Pignatelli, Arwa Elaagip, Muzamil M. Abdel Hamid, Omnia Fateh Alrahman, David Weetman
Summary: Research has identified the emergence of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes in eastern Sudan, suggesting potential distinct invasions from neighboring countries.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Vincent Pommier de Santi, Bouh Abdi Khaireh, Thomas Chiniard, Bruno Pradines, Nicolas Taudon, Sebastien Larreche, Abdoulraouf Bourhan Mohamed, Franck de Laval, Franck Berger, Florian Gala, Madjid Mokrane, Nicolas Benoit, Lionel Malan, Abdoulilah Ahmed Abdi, Sebastien Briolant
Summary: Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes in Djibouti are potentially causing a rise in malaria incidence by sharing breeding sites with Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Additionally, there is documented resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine in this country.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Catherine E. Oke, Sarah E. Reece, Petra Schneider
Summary: This study developed a non-destructive assay to quantify sporozoites of two rodent malaria species from sugar-soaked feeding substrates. However, the detection rate of expelled sporozoites was low, likely due to the variable and infrequent nature of sporozoite expulsion. Further investigations into the biological causes underlying the low detection rate are needed.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Alia Zayed, Manal Moustafa, Reham Tageldin, James F. Harwood
Summary: This study discusses the impact of seasonal meteorologic variations and rainfall events on Anopheles stephensi mosquito populations at a US military base in Djibouti. Targeting surveillance and risk mitigation efforts for An. stephensi mosquitoes during optimal climatic conditions can contribute to malaria prevention and control in eastern Africa.
EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charles Whittaker, Arran Hamlet, Ellie Sherrard-Smith, Peter Winskill, Gina Cuomo-Dannenburg, Patrick G. T. Walker, Marianne Sinka, Samuel Pironon, Ashwani Kumar, Azra Ghani, Samir Bhatt, Thomas S. Churcher
Summary: The invasion of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in the Horn of Africa poses a threat to malaria control efforts across the continent. This study finds that the seasonal dynamics of An. stephensi are not well predicted by rainfall patterns, but are associated with temperature and land use. Timing entomological surveys to coincide with rainy periods is unlikely to improve the detection of An. stephensi, and indoor residual spraying campaigns during peak rainfall offer little improvement in reducing disease burden.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Kathrin Witmer, Farah A. Dahalan, Michael J. Delves, Sabrina Yahiya, Oliver J. Watson, Ursula Straschil, Darunee Chiwcharoen, Boodtee Sornboon, Sasithon Pukrittayakamee, Richard D. Pearson, Virginia M. Howick, Mara K. N. Lawniczak, Nicholas J. White, Arjen M. Dondorp, Lucy C. Okell, Kesinee Chotivanich, Andrea Ruecker, Jake Baum
Summary: Resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in the Plasmodium falciparum parasite threatens recent progress in reducing global malaria deaths. Under artemisinin drug pressure, resistant parasites have a selective advantage in transmission, potentially leading to the spread of multidrug-resistant malaria beyond Southeast Asia.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Pilate N. Kwi, Elvis E. Ewane, Marcel N. Moyeh, Livinus N. Tangi, Vincent N. Ntui, Francis Zeukeng, Denis D. Sofeu-Feugaing, Eric A. Achidi, Fidelis Cho-Ngwa, Alfred Amambua-Ngwa, Jude D. Bigoga, Tobias O. Apinjoh
Summary: The vectorial diversity, dynamics, and infectivity of mosquitoes in the slopes of Mount Cameroon vary across different seasons and altitudes, which has implications for malaria transmission and control.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Hossein Dehghan, Seyed Hassan Mosa-Kazemi, Bagher Yakhchali, Naseh Maleki-Ravasan, Hassan Vatandoost, Mohammad Ali Oshaghi
Summary: The wild-type and genetically modified strains of Enterobacter cloacae were found to significantly disrupt the development of Plasmodium berghei in the midgut of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. This suggests that these bacteria have the potential to provide a barrier or release effector molecules to combat malaria infection.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Priscille Barreaux, Hilary Ranson, Geraldine M. M. Foster, Philip J. J. McCall
Summary: The blood feeding behavior of female mosquitoes, which affects their ability to transmit malaria, is not well understood in the presence of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). This study examines how both insecticide resistant and susceptible mosquitoes interact with different types of nets while attempting to blood feed on a human arm. The results showed that ITNs did not effectively prevent host searching but significantly reduced blood feeding success and volume for all mosquitoes, although the resistant mosquitoes were able to compensate for the decrease by accelerating their rate of blood ingestion.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Biology
Tony Nolan
Summary: This article discusses the application of gene drive technology in controlling disease-transmitting mosquitoes. While some progress has been made, there are still barriers in technical development and field deployment.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Ayman Ahmed, Rua Khogali, Mohammed-Ahmed B. Elnour, Ryo Nakao, Bashir Salim
Summary: The Asian invasive malaria vector Anopheles stephensi has been confirmed in Khartoum, Sudan. A national entomological survey is urgently recommended to determine its distribution and susceptibility to malaria control measures.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Arran Hamlet, Dereje Dengela, J. Eric Tongren, Fitsum G. Tadesse, Teun Bousema, Marianne Sinka, Aklilu Seyoum, Seth R. Irish, Jennifer S. Armistead, Thomas Churcher
Summary: Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced a reduction in malaria cases and deaths in recent years, but this progress may be at risk due to the invasion of Anopheles stephensi. A modeling study found that without additional interventions, malaria cases could increase by 50%. Scaling up vector control interventions would be necessary to prevent a major public health emergency, but it would come with significant costs.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Himmat Singh, Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, Kumar Vikram, Rekha Saxena, Amit Sharma
Summary: By providing proper metal lids or replacing damaged lids on underground water storage tanks as an environmental management approach, the breeding of the malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi, was successfully prevented in a desert village in western Rajasthan, leading to a significant reduction in mosquito density and improved community awareness and involvement.
Article
Remote Sensing
Fahimeh Youssefi, Mohammad Javad Valadan Zoej, Ahmad Ali Hanafi-Bojd, Alireza Borahani Dariane, Mehdi Khaki, Alireza Safdarinezhad
Summary: This study identifies high-risk depressions with the potential for Anopheles larval habitats by fusing remote sensing data with land-use and soil type maps, and creates a high-risk map of malaria based on these habitats.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Nasrollah Saberi, Ahmad Raeisi, Mohammad Amin Gorouhi, Hassan Vatandoost, Minoo Mashayekhi, Fatemeh Nikpour, Faramarz Bozorg Omid, Abbas Rahimi Foroushani, Ahmad Ali Hanafi-Bojd
Summary: This study investigated the current situation of malaria in Kerman Province of Iran and the insecticide resistance of main vectors. It found that the majority of malaria cases in the region were due to indigenous transmission, with Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum being the main causative agents. The highest incidence of the disease was reported in the southern areas of the province. The study also revealed resistance of Anopheles stephensi to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and potential resistance to dieldrin, bendiocarb, and deltamethrin. Anopheles dthali showed resistance to bendiocarb. Both species had less than 98% mortality against bendiocarb and deltamethrin insecticides commonly used in malaria vector control in Iran. The study suggests the use of larviciding with temephos for vector control in the area.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Joshua Xin De Ang, Katherine Nevard, Rebekah Ireland, Deepak-Kumar Purusothaman, Sebald A. N. Verkuijl, Lewis Shackleford, Estela Gonzalez, Michelle A. E. Anderson, Luke Alphey
Summary: This study reports the effects of sequence mismatches and donor template forms on gene integration rates and infers the mechanism responsible for gene integration in this species. These findings will guide future construct designs for optimal homology-directed repair rates in mosquitoes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vanessa Bottino-Rojas, Igor Ferreira-Almeida, Rodrigo D. Nunes, Xuechun Feng, Thai Binh Pham, Adam Kelsey, Rebeca Carballar-Lejarazu, Valentino Gantz, Pedro L. Oliveira, Anthony A. James
Summary: Mutations in the ommochrome biosynthesis pathway have varying effects on the survival and reproduction of mosquitoes, as well as compromising the permeability barrier function of the midgut in some species. Surprisingly, these mutations lead to an increase in microbiota without a general induction of immune genes. Antibiotic treatment can rescue some deleterious traits, and supplementation of xanthurenic acid can limit microbiota proliferation. These findings are important for the development of genetic strategies targeting vector mosquitoes.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rebeca Carballar-Lejarazu, Taylor Tushar, Thai Binh Pham, Anthony A. James
Summary: CRISPR/Cas9 technologies are important for controlling the transmission of pathogens by modifying mosquito populations. However, a challenge in current drive systems is the generation of drive-resistant alleles. This study finds that potential drive-resistant mutant alleles are mostly generated during embryonic development, likely due to the deposition of Cas9 endonuclease and guide RNAs by gene-drive mothers.
Article
Virology
Liubov Cherkashchenko, Kai Rausalu, Sanjay Basu, Luke Alphey, Andres Merits
Summary: Alphaviruses, which are primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, induce resistance to superinfection in infected cells through the blockage of RNA replication. The replication proteins of alphaviruses, nsP1-4, are produced from nonstructural polyprotein precursors and are processed by the protease activity of nsP2. Studies on the effects of nsP2 on alphavirus RNA replication using trans-replicase systems and replicon vectors demonstrated that nsP2 reduces the RNA replicase activity of the homologous virus. This inhibitory effect is partially dependent on the protease active site of nsP2. Mutations in the replicase polyprotein that prevent its cleavage by nsP2 attenuate the negative effect of nsP2, indicating that nsP2-mediated inhibition of RNA replicase activity is primarily due to its protease activity. Moreover, co-expression of nsP2 also suppresses the replicase activity of heterologous alphaviruses. Overall, these findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying superinfection exclusion in alphaviruses and may facilitate the development of anti-alphavirus strategies.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yijie Zhao, Binbin Jin, Peiwen Liu, Xiaolin Xiao, Lijun Cai, Zhensheng Xie, Ling Kong, Tong Liu, Wenqiang Yang, Yang Wu, Jinbao Gu, Zhijian Tu, Anthony A. James, Xiao-Guang Chen
Summary: This study found that AalNix is the primary signal for male sex determination in Aedes albopictus and can convert females into phenotypically masculinized pseudo-males while still retaining their fertility and flight capability.
Article
Microbiology
Michelle A. Bui, Elena Dalla Benetta, Yuemei Dong, Yunchong A. Zhao, Ting W. Yang, Ming Li, Igor A. S. Antoshechkin, Anna Buchman, Vanessa A. Bottino-Rojas, Anthony A. James, Michael W. A. Perry, George Dimopoulos, Omar S. A. Akbari
Summary: The CRISPRa system developed in this study allows for the activation of target gene expression in Ae. aegypti. By pairing exogenous DNA and synthetic guide RNA with a specific gene promoter region, gene expression can be activated. This system can be used for research and for the development of innovative vector control tools.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vanessa Bottino-Rojas, Anthony A. James
Summary: Mosquito transgenesis and gene-drive technologies offer promising new tools for vector-borne disease prevention by suppressing mosquito populations or reducing pathogen transmission. Studies on regulatory DNA and gene promoters with specific expression profiles have supported the development of mosquito control strategies. However, only a limited set of regulatory elements can drive spatial-temporal gene expression reliably. This review highlights advances in the expression of beneficial genes in mosquitoes and the information needed for developing new mosquito-control and anti-disease strategies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Peiwen Liu, Wenqiang Yang, Ling Kong, Siyu Zhao, Zhensheng Xie, Yijie Zhao, Yang Wu, Yijia Guo, Yugu Xie, Tong Liu, Binbin Jin, Jinbao Gu, Zhijian Jake Tu, Anthony A. James, Xiao-Guang Chen
Summary: The potential primary signal for sex determination in the human filariasis vector mosquito, Ar. subalbatus, is a male-specific duplication of an autosomal gene of the Drosophila behaviour/human splicing (DBHS) gene family, called AsuMf. Ablations of AsuMf lead to feminization of males, indicating its essential role in male development in Ar. subalbatus. This study reveals a male-determining factor derived from duplication and neofunctionalization of a member of the conserved DBHS family.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Danilo O. Carvalho, Andre L. Costa-da-Silva, Vivian Petersen, Micael Santana de Souza, Rafaella S. Ioshino, Isabel C. S. Marques, Alexander W. E. Franz, Ken E. Olson, Anthony A. James, Margareth L. Capurro
Summary: Dengue viruses are mosquito-borne flaviviruses causing millions of human infections each year, posing a challenge for global public health systems. Aedes aegypti, the principal vector species, is difficult to control due to breeding site abundance and insecticide resistance. Developing new vector control strategies is crucial for reducing the disease burden.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Genwei Zhang, Guodong Niu, Diana Hooker-Romera, Sadeq Shabani, Julian Ramelow, Xiaohong Wang, Noah S. Butler, Anthony A. James, Jun Li
Summary: In this study, antibodies against human alpha-tubulin were found to significantly reduce the number of P. falciparum oocysts in mosquito midguts. Further investigation revealed that antibodies specifically against P. falciparum alpha-tubulin-1 also limited the transmission of P. falciparum to mosquitoes. Mouse monoclonal antibodies against recombinant P. falciparum alpha-tubulin-1 were generated, and two of them, A3 and A16, effectively blocked parasite transmission.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Yijia Guo, Ke Hu, Jingni Zhou, Zhensheng Xie, Yijie Zhao, Siyu Zhao, Jinbao Gu, Xiaohong Zhou, Guiyun Yan, Anthony A. James, Xiao-Guang Chen
Summary: This study reveals a possible mechanism for the evolution of deltamethrin resistance in Aedes albopictus. These findings will help guide practical strategies for insecticide use, resistance management and the prevention and control of mosquito-borne disease.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rebeca Carballar-Lejarazu, Yuemei Dong, Thai Binh Pham, Taylor Tushar, Rodrigo M. Corder, Agastya Mondal, Hector M. Sanchez, Hsu-Feng Lee, John M. Marshall, George Dimopoulos, Anthony A. James
Summary: Proposed genetic approaches for reducing human malaria through population modification have shown the potential of Cas9/gRNA-based gene-drive systems linked to dual antiparasite effector genes to rapidly spread through mosquito populations. These gene-drive systems achieved full introduction within 3 to 6 months and significantly reduced parasite prevalence and infection intensities. The data supported transmission modeling of field releases, showing meaningful epidemiological impacts in reducing malaria incidence.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Entomology
Ricardo de Melo Katak, Amanda Montezano Cintra, Bianca Correa Burini, Osvaldo Marinotti, Jayme A. Souza-Neto, Elerson Matos Rocha
Summary: Mosquitoes carry pathogens that cause various diseases and are responsible for a large number of deaths worldwide. Chemical insecticides have limitations and mosquitoes are developing resistance to them, highlighting the urgent need for alternatives. This review highlights the potential of using microorganisms for mosquito control and disease reduction, and emphasizes the importance of basic research and improved translational research methods.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ana Kormos, George Dimopoulos, Ethan Bier, Gregory C. Lanzaro, John M. Marshall, Anthony A. James
Summary: The field-testing and adoption of genetically-engineered mosquitoes (GEMs) to control disease transmission requires a comprehensive risk assessment. The University of California Malaria Initiative identified five risk areas and developed a preliminary hazards list (PHL) for internal project evaluation and regulatory use.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
R. Conway-Jones, A. James, M. J. Goldacre, O. O. Seminog
Summary: This national study in England confirms and quantifies the association between eating disorders and self-harm. Both men and women admitted to hospital with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa are at a significantly increased risk of subsequent self-harm. The risk is higher for individuals with bulimia nervosa compared to anorexia nervosa.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS
(2023)