Entomological Research最新文献

Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are an emerging concern to humans and animals in the Republic of Korea, especially within the military zones of Gangwon Province, a mountainous region abundant with wild fauna and ticks. This study aimed to detect six TBPs in military working dogs (MWDs) and ticks in this region using Nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) and sequencing. The targeted pathogens included Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella henselae, Borrelia spp., Orientia tsutsugamushi, Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). A total of 164 serum samples from MWDs were collected at the Korean Army Military working dog training center and 1418 ticks were collected at various training sites between June 2021 and August 2022. Haemaphysalis longicornis was identified as the predominant species (98.3%, n = 1394), followed by Haemaphysalis flava (1.6%, n = 22) and Ixodes nipponensis (0.1%, n = 2). This study detected A. phagocytophilum and Borrelia theileri in 1.4% (1/72) of the tick pools and detected SFTSV in 0.6% (1/164) of MWD serum samples. The MWD found to be infected with SFTS was a German Shepherd, but showed no significant clinical signs, with a normal complete blood count (CBC). In the phylogenetic analysis, three sequences were acquired. One sequence (OR865211) exhibited 100% homology with 16S rRNA of A. phagocytophilum identified from animals and human patients in the Republic of Korea. Another sequence (OR865152) displayed 99.34%–100% sequence similarity with 16S rRNA of B. theileri fragments. The third sequence (OR865115), which belongs to the SFTS B-1 genotype, showed 94.7% sequence similarity to a strain identified in the Republic of Korea (KY789441).

Dung beetles are considered a key element in ecosystems as they are involved in many ecological processes, being one of the main decomposers of organic matter in the landscape. They can be classified into 3 subfamilies: Aphodiinae, Geotrupinae and Scarabaeinae, with each subfamily exhibiting specific adaptations and evolutionary strategies that have developed over time. The global patterns of dung beetle diversity are influenced by ecological factors, such as climatic (temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure) and time-related variables. Thus, the aim of the study is to see how these variables affect a dung beetle community and whether there are different responses among the subfamilies. The study was carried out in Mataelpino, a town located in Central Spain (Madrid, Spain). Monthly sampling was conducted from May 2018 to February 2020. According to the results the variables considered exert an effect on dung beetles, with differences observed among the subfamilies. To our knowledge, atmospheric pressure has been considered for the first time in a study of this type, with a greater effect being observed in the Aphodiinae subfamily than in the rest of the dung beetle groups. Regarding the other subfamilies, it has been observed that temperature is a determining factor for Scarabaeinae species, whereas humidity seems to have a greater effect on Geotrupinae species.

Anti-inflammatory protein (AIP)-1 and AIP-2, identified as parasite excretory/secretory (ES) proteins, play a crucial role in promoting the survival of the parasite and evading the host immunological response. Both proteins inhibit inflammatory reactions, induce apoptosis in effector cells, and influence the phenotype of the immune response. Numerous parasite-derived proteins have shown promise as therapeutic targets for inflammatory and allergic diseases. Despite this, the precise biological roles, and molecular characteristics of many such proteins remain unclear.

In this study, AIP-1 and AIP-2 were produced in the baculovirus-insect cell expression system (BEVS). The multiplicity of infection (MOI) and the duration of infection conditions for AIP-1 and AIP-2 protein expression were successfully optimized to induce the highest expression levels of AIP-1 and AIP-2 proteins in insect cells. The insect cell-derived AIP-1 and AIP-2 exhibited inhibitory functions against human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). This study demonstrates that insect cell-derived AIP-1 and AIP-2 have the potential as therapeutic proteins for MMP-TIMP (Metalloprotease-Tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease) axis related disease.

Dengue fever disease is an important health issue in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Chemical pesticides play a vital role in dengue control, through combating the mosquito vector Aedes aegypti L. Standard methods recommended by the World Health Organization were applied in the current work to conduct resistance experiments in both adult and larval stages of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes against eight types of pyrethroid and organophosphorus pesticides used in control programs in Jeddah. The results prove that Ae. aegypti is resistant against the pesticides deltamethrin 0.05%, α-cypermethrin 0.05%, fenitrothion 1% and temephos, is tolerant with some degree of resistance against cyfluthrin 0.15% and λ-cyhalothrin 0.5%, as well as tolerant against malathion 5% and pirimiphos-methyl 0.25%. On the other hand, the bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis (Bti) demonstrated high activity against the field strain of Aedes aegypti larvae, with a resistance ratio (RR) of 1.25. In general, we conclude from these findings that the continuous and frequent application of synthetic pesticides induces resistance in mosquitoes against pesticides. This, of course, forces us to reconsider the pesticides currently used in control programs and do our best towards finding alternative means to combat mosquitoes and the diseases that they can transmit.

This study investigated the in vivo efficacy of a chromium derivative extracted from date palms pit against Aedes aegypti the third instar larvae, the known vector of dengue fever in Saudi Arabia. Chromone 1, a flavonoid chromone component, was isolated from the alcoholic extract of date palm pits (DPP) using High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that exposure of A. aegypti larvae to whole DPP extract and chromone 1 for 24 h resulted in significant insecticidal efficacy with LC₅₀ values of 132.82 and 54.64 ppm, respectively. The same concentrations also effectively inhibited AChE (acetylcholinesterase) activity up to −56.83 and −58.58%, respectively, compared to controls. The acetylcholine bromide test further confirmed the interaction between chromone 1 and AChE. The results also revealed that the chromone 1 treatment altered Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and protein content. It also exhibited that the extract of date palm pits DPP can effectively serve as sustainable ingredients for the control management of A. aegypti.

Recent reports have disclosed the occurrence of Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti. Our study detected Wolbachia infection in Ae. aegypti by screening wild adult mosquitoes using two Wolbachia-specific molecular markers. Overall, 444 adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected from April 2022 to October 2022 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Each individual sample was processed and screened for the presence of Wolbachia using selected markers, the Wolbachia-specific 16S rDNA and the Wolbachia surface protein gene (wsp), under optimized polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions, and sequenced. In total, 39 (8.78%) and 48 (10.81%) individual mosquito samples were determined to be infected with Wolbachia using the wsp and 16S rDNA markers, respectively. By utilizing two Wolbachia-specific molecular markers, our study demonstrated the presence of Wolbachia from individual Ae. aegypti samples. Our results showed a low rate of Wolbachia infection and inferred that the detected strain belongs to supergroup B.

Alam A, Abbas S, Ali J et al. (2024) Diet suitability through biological parameters in Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) clades. Entomological Research 54(6), e12751.

In the published article, the ‘Author Contribution’ section was incorrect. This should have read:

Aleena Alam: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing— original draft preparation, and Writing— review & editing. Sohail Abbas, Wang Liangzhu, Feng Xiao, QinWeibo, Wu Haichao, Liu Jiali, Arzlan Abbas: Data curation and Writing— review & editing. Jamin Ali, Muhammad Shakeel, Farman Ullah, Khalid Ali Khan, Hamed A. Ghramh: Writing— review & editing. Xie Zhiming: Funding acquisition. Chen Ri Zhao: Conceptualization, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Resources, Project administration, Methodology, Writing-review & editing and Funding acquisition. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

We apologize for this error.

Ensemble species distribution modeling offers a robust approach to reduce the inherent uncertainties associated with single models, and ultimately providing more accurate predictions of regions with a heightened probability of occurrence. As Corythucha ciliata (Say) damages deciduous trees in diverse environments, including urban, suburban and forested regions, the objective of this study was to predict the potential distribution of C. ciliata by developing an ensemble model that comprehensively considered the biological and habitat traits of the pest using the CLIMEX and MaxEnt models. Although the ensemble model did not have significantly improved performance, compared with the single MaxEnt model, it was robust compared with distribution data. Our predictions suggest that C. ciliata will gradually expand its range from its current distribution in response to climate change, necessitating focused monitoring and pest-control efforts in the predicted regions. This study not only evaluates pest distribution but also provides crucial insights into effective control strategies, which are adaptable to other pest management scenarios.

To improve the prediction accuracy of Dendrolimus punctatus larvae of overwintering, first and second generation and to provide a scientific basis for effective prevention and control of D. punctatus, six mathematical models of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method were used to predict accumulative amount with the data of 1989–2014. The cumulative amount for the overwintering and the first generation was predicted in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The forecasted results of six models were all level 1, which was consistent with the actual results. Five forecasted results of six models and the actual results were level 1. The actual accumulative amount of D. punctatus for the second generation was level 1 in 2015, 2016, and 2017, which were consistent with the six models' forecasted results.

The Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a significant threat to corn crops, necessitates comprehensive research on its populations, across multiple clades. This study addresses the efficacy of various diets, such as an antibiotic mixed diet of amoxicillin mixed with artificial diet, wheat germ flour artificial diet and fresh corn leaves, for the successful mass rearing of three clades of O. furnacalis, and investigates variations among the insects reared under laboratory conditions. We validate these findings for O. furnacalis clades using biological attributes. Notably, clade III demonstrated enhanced biological characteristics with an antibiotic mixed diet, in contrast to clades I and II, with higher growth indexes observed during mass rearing. Through revealing a suitable diet for the clade, this research advances our understanding of O. furnacalis dynamics and offers valuable insights for practical applications in an integrated pest management program.