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Immunological cross-reactivity of hemoglobins in the Diptera family Chironomidae.

Polyclonal human IgE antibodies of patients sensitized to one species of the Diptera family Chironomidae as well as polyclonal rabbit anti-Chi t I hyperimmune serum recognize antigenic sites present in nearly all of the 33 species of this insect family. Evolutionary distantly related genera usually show weaker antibody binding. According to the pattern of reactivity of rabbit anti-Chi t I-component III, expression of the epitopes of this molecule varies considerably in the genera Chironomus and Glyptotendipes; it appears to be almost totally absent in all other species. Of five monoclonal antibodies raised against Chi t I-component III, two recognize an epitope which is expressed in nearly all closely related species. Three monoclonal antibodies recognize epitopes which are expressed in only a few species of the same genus. Our results demonstrate the presence of common as well as species-specific epitopes in chironomid hemoglobins which behave as potent inhalant allergens.

Animals↗

Ascogregarina saraviae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae) in Lutzomyia lichyi (Diptera: Psychodidae).

Ascogregarina saraviae n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Lecudinidae) is described from wild-caught Lutzomyia lichyi (Diptera: Psychodidae) females. Gametocysts adhered to the hemocoel side of the genital accessory gland walls and oocysts were injected into their lumina. Sporulated oocysts were ellipsoidal, 12.4 x 5.8 (11.6-13.1 x 5.6-5.9) micrometers, contained eight sporozoites and a refractile residuum. The elongate form of A. saraviae n. sp. oocysts, and their more delicate walls, clearly distinguish them from oocysts of A. chagasi (Adler & Mayrink, 1961).

Animals↗

Bluetongue virus isolations from midges belonging to the Obsoletus complex (Culicoides, Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Italy.

Between July and September 2002 there were outbreaks of bluetongue on three sheep holdings in the communities of San Gregorio Magno (Salerno, Campania), Laviano (Salerno, Campania) and Carpino (Foggia, Puglia), and the involvement of bluetongue virus (btv) was confirmed serologically and virologically. The mortality rate was at least 11 per cent and involved btv serotype 2 (btv-2) and serotype 9 (btv-9). These holdings were also surveyed for the Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) vectors; approximately 10,000 midges belonging to 15 species were captured, but they did not include a single specimen of the classical Afro-Asiatic bluetongue vector, Culicoides imicola. Species belonging to the Obsoletus complex dominated the light-trap collections, and Culicoides obsoletus Meigen, Culicoides scoticus Downes and Kettle and Culicoides dewulfi Goetghebuer constituted 90 per cent of all the Culicoides species captured. Fifty-six pools of the Obsoletus complex (excluding C dewulfi), each containing 100 individual midges and containing only parous and gravid females, were assayed for virus. btv-2 was isolated from three pools from San Gregorio Magno and Carpino, and btv-9 was isolated from one pool from Laviano. These results indicate that a species other than C imicola is involved in the current re-emergence of bluetongue in the Mediterranean Basin, but whether it is C obsoletus sensu stricto or C scoticus, or both, is uncertain.

Animals↗

Lipase and antibacterial activities of a recombinant protein from the accessory glands of female Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The reproductive accessory glands of the adult female have a functional versatility in insects, contributing to reproduction in various ways. The major protein secreted by the accessory glands of female Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera, Psychodidae) has already been characterised and named PhpaLIP (for P. papatasi lipase) because, in terms of its amino-acid sequence, it is very similar to a wide range of vertebrate lipases. The gene coding for PhpaLIP has now been cloned into a pQE30 vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. When the recombinant PhpaLIP was tested in vitro, it was found to have not only lipase-like activity (when p-nitrophenyl caprylate was used as the substrate) but also specific antibacterial activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The possible physiological roles of PhpaLIP in P. papatasi are discussed, in the light of these results.

Actinomycetales↗

Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the Atlantic forest in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil: the species coming to human bait, and their seasonal and monthly variations over a 2-year period.

In a study of the phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in a forest reserve in Recife, Pernambuco state, north-eastern Brazil, the sandflies landing on human bait between 1.00 and 1.42 h after sunset were collected weekly for 2 years. Although 10,287 sandflies of 10 Lutzomyia species were collected, almost all (96.5%) of the sandflies caught were Lu. umbratilis. This species and several others caught are potential vectors of some of the Leishmania parasites that cause human disease. The recorded landing rate for Lu. umbratilis peaked, at the high level of 333.3 flies/person-hour, during the collections made in May 2003.The relative rarity in the collections of males of some of the species caught probably indicates that these species do not lek on their bloodmeal sources. It is likely that the sizes of the local populations of species that are not very anthrophilic, such as Lu. flaviscutellata, are much larger than indicated by the collections made on human bait.

Animals↗

Maintenance of the K+ activity gradient in insect muscle compared in diptera and lepidoptera: contributions of metabolic and exchanger mechanisms

Using a comparative approach, the mechanisms involved in maintenance of the transmembrane K+ activity gradients in the larval body-wall muscles of two insects, Phormia terraenovae (Diptera) and Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera), have been investigated. Double-barrelled K+-selective microelectrodes were used to obtain simultaneous measurements of intracellular K+ activity and membrane potential, whilst ordinary microelectrodes were used to monitor input resistance. By application of a variety of general metabolic blockers, the K+ gradients in both P. terraenovae and S. exigua muscle were found to be maintained, at least in part, by a metabolic component. Differences in sensitivity to dinitrophenol of the two insects suggested that the ATP-dependence of maintenance of the K+ gradient was significantly higher in P. terraenovae than in S. exigua. Vanadate sensitivity suggested that both insects possess P-type ATPases. The K+ activity gradient in P. terraenovae muscles was also found to be ouabain-sensitive, indicating the involvement of a Na+/K+-ATPase. In contrast, the K+ gradient in S. exigua muscles proved to be totally insensitive to ouabain but sensitive to amiloride. Application of the H+/K+-ATPase-specific inhibitor SCH 28080 suggested the presence of an H+/K+ pump similar to the mammalian gastric H+/K+-ATPase in the lepidopteran muscles. P. terraenovae muscles, however, were found to be totally insensitive to this inhibitor. Using the anion (Cl-)-dependent transport inhibitors bumetanide and SITS (4-acetamide-4-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2-disulphonic acid), P. terraenovae muscles were shown not to possess a Cl--dependent K+ transport mechanism. In contrast, a bumetanide-sensitive K+/Cl- cotransporter was likely to be involved in maintenance of the K+ gradient in S. exigua muscle. An additional SITS-sensitive Cl-/HCO3- exchanger could also have some indirect involvement in K+ maintenance through regulation of the inward Cl- gradient. The results are integrated in two ionic models, one for each insect, which could account for the bulk of K+ transport in the body-wall muscles of these insects.

Journal Article↗

Regulation of swimming in the Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae) pupa: kinematics and locomotory trajectories.

High-speed videography was used to investigate swimming kinematics and locomotory trajectories during escape responses in the pupa of Culex pipiens (Diptera, Culicidae). The pupa can perform straight-line motion despite undergoing backward and forward somersaults through 400 degrees at a rate of 20 s(-)(1). For linear motion to occur, the effective stroke of the abdomen must be delivered during the part of each cycle when the body is facing forwards, allowing passive rotation to carry the body round to the correct position for the start of the next half-stroke. On-off motion of the abdomen is regulated by a click mechanism based on stressed integumentary plates which buckle at strategic points in the cycle. The importance of self-inertia as a component in positional regulation was demonstrated by increasing the kinematic viscosity of the medium: this retarded rotation and resulted in somersaulting on the spot. Whereas normally the pupa invariably directs its swimming downwards, reversal of the usual light gradient produced upward paths as well. It is concluded that straight-line motion is generated automatically by the locomotory machine without any need for sensory feedback about body orientation during each cycle, but that swimming direction can be influenced by sensory cues such as light.

Animals↗

[Studies on the massive flights of chironomid midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) as nuisance insects and plans for their control in the Lake Suwa area, central Japan. 1. Occurrence of massive flights of Tokunagayusurika akamusi].

Adult Chironomidae (Diptera, particularly Chironomus plumosus and Tokunagayusurika akamusi) emerging from eutrophic lakes or polluted bodies of water in Japan have become intolerable because they pose a severe nuisance and cause economic problems. In the Lake Suwa area, massive flights of adult midges of T. akamusi have occurred frequently, and caused problems in the daily life of local residents or for the tourist business. The author tried to clarify the biological and hygienic problems involved in these massive flights. In order to control adult midges, the distribution of larvae in the lake, the period and quantity of emergence from water, the time of flight, and the dispersal range of T. akamusi midges were studied. The results obtained are as follows: 1. Larvae of T. akamusi are distributed over the whole lake, especially in the east and southeast part with high densities. Mean biomass was about 100 g wet weight/m2 in Lake Suwa. On the shore near these areas, dense swarms of adult midges were found. 2. Emergence of T. akamusi from Lake Suwa was observed at the end of September and lasted till the middle of November. The emergence peaked in the middle of October. The time of flight was mainly at 17: 30-19: 30. 3. The dispersal ranges of adult midges were confirmed with two methods, i.e. the ordinary light trap method and a questionnaire survey of 544 residents. The result obtained with the questionnaire survey was consistent with that of the light trap method and the questionnaire survey made it possible to collect information in a wider area than the usual one. 4. T. akamusi midges reached areas over 3 km from the lake, but more than 90 percent of the midges flew within 500 m of the lake's shoreline. However, even in the more distant places where there was a source of bright light there were many adult midges. 5. The wind (at 18: 30) was the main factor which expanded the dispersal range of adults. We observed that many adults appeared after a strong wind (6-7 m/s). 6. Many adult midges were collected by light trap at the top of a building with a height of 45 meters.

Animals↗

Application of deterministic model of isothermals for population dynamics of Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera, Muscidae).

The isothermal deterministic model adherence was studied to evaluate the population dynamic of Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera, Muscidae). The linear form of equation obtained for the experiments in the several phases, were for Egg: 1/D = -0.18 + 0.02. T; Larva: 1/D = -0.028 + 0.01. T; Pupa: 1/D = -0.069 + 0.01. T; and Adult: 1/D = -0.4178 + 0.02. T. In function of temperature, S. nudiseta can present from 4.18 to 8.95 and from 4.91 to 8.99 generations per year, when calculated through the equations of development and through the simulations, respectively. And the higher the temperature the larger the generation number. Through variance analysis it was verified the significance for the regression equations in relation to the annual generation number (Ng/year) of S. nudiseta in function of the isothermals, for two studied situations. It was obtained a significance of 0,1%. The regression equations obtained for these situations were: Ng/year = 5.4 + 0.5. T and Ng/year = 5.1 + 0.52. T. The number of generations of S. nudiseta varies linearly with the isothermal. Besides that, the number of annual generations for each isothermal does not differ statistically when calculated through the development equations or through the simulations. Such conditions suggest the adaptation of the deterministic model adopted.

Analysis of Variance↗

[Culicidae (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Perus river basin, Acre, Amazonia (Brazil)].

Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) collections were made on the Pedro Peixoto Colonization Project in the State of Acre, Brazil. Four thousand, five hundred and eighty-eight (4,588) specimens were collected and fifty-three (53) species or group recognised. The occurrence of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) oswaldoi is given special emphasis.

Animals↗

Description of Lutzomyia (Pifanomyia) robusta n. sp. (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) from Peruvian Equadorean interandean areas.

Description of Lutzomyia robusta, n. sp. (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) from interandean areas of Peru and Equador. Lutzomyia robusta, n. sp., probable vector of human bartonellosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis, is described and illustrated. This species presents strong affinity with L. serrana (Damasceno & Arouck, 1949) but they can be distinguished by variance analysis of four male characteristics and only one female characteristic. In the variance analysis, populations of L. serrana, of Amazonian areas of Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, the coast of Equador and other areas of Brazil were studied. The synonymy of Lutzomyia guayasi (Rodriguez) and L. serrana was corroborated.

Analysis of Variance↗

[Geographic distribution of Lutzomyia verrucarum (Townsend, 1913) (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae), vector of human bartonellosis in Peru].

Lutzomyia verrucarum (Townsend, 1913) (Diptera: Psychodidae); the natural vector of Bartonella bacilliformis, agent of human bartonellosis (peruvian verruga or Carrion's disease), is a native species of Peru; its geographic distribution occurrs between latitudes 5 degrees and 13 degrees 25' South: in the Occidental and Interandean valleys of the Andean. The altitudinal distribution of Lu. verrucarum in the different valleys is as follows: Occidental between 1100 and 2980 m sea level and Interandean from 1200 to 3200 m sea level. Some discrepancies between the distribution of Carrion's disease and Lu. verrucarum suggest the existence of secondary vectors in certain areas where Lu. verrucarum is not present.

Animals↗

Parasitoids of Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Muscidae): fly of medical-sanitary importance collected in State of Goiás, Brazil.

The objective of the study was to report the first occurrence of the parasitoid Brachymeria podagrica in pupae of Ophyra aenescens, a fly of medical-sanitary importance. Human feces was used as bait to collect the insects. In the study 20 pupae of Ophyra aenescens (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Muscidae) were obtained, of which 20% of the total yielded the parasitoid Brachymeria podagrica (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae).

Animals↗

[Effect of several extracts derived from plants on the survival of larvae of Aedes fluviatilis (Lutz) (Diptera: Culicidae) in the laboratory].

The larvicidal properties of 34 plant extracts were tested against Aedes fluviatilis (Lutz) (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae, at 100, 10 and 1 ppm concentrations; 26.6% of the extracts enhanced larval mortality (alpha = 0.05) at 100 ppm (Anacardium occidentale, Agave americana, Allium sativum, Coriandrum sativum, Nerium oleander, Spatodea campanulata, Tibouchina scrobiculata and Vernonia salzmanni). Anacardic acid (A. occidentale) was effective at 10 ppm and A. sativum (crude extract) at 1 ppm.

Aedes↗

Astronotus ocellatus (Cichlidae:Pisces) and Macropodus opercularis (Anabatidae:Pisces) as predators of immature Aedes fluviatilis (Diptera:Culicidae) and Biomphalaria glabrata (Mollusca:Planorbidae).

Two fish species, Astronotus ocellatus (Cichlidae) and Macropodus opercularis (Anabatidae) were tested for predacious behavior toward immature mosquitoes (Aedes fluviatilis, Diptera:Culicidae) and schistosomiasis snail hosts (Biomphalaria glabrata, Mollusca:Planorbidae), in the presence or absence of non-living food and in laboratory conditions. A. ocellatus, a species indigenous to Brazil, was a very efficient predator of both organisms (alpha = 0.05); M. opercularis, an exotic species, preyed well on immature mosquitoes, but small snails and snail egg-masses were ingested only irregularly. Both fish species seemed to prefer live to non-living food.

Aedes↗

Limnomermis subtropicalis n. sp. (Nematoda:Mermithidae) a parasite of larvae of Simulium orbitale Lutz (Diptera:Simuliidae) in Argentina.

Limnomermis subtropicalis n. sp. (Nematoda:Mermithidae) a parasite of Simulium orbitale Lutz (Diptera:Simuliidae) found in Argentina is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by having medium sized amphids, pocket-shaped, medium sized vagina, sculptured spicule, and by having 9 preanal, 7 postanal papillae in the ventral row, and 12 papillae in the lateral rows.

Animals↗

Screening of Asteraceae (Compositae) plant extracts for larvicidal activity against Aedes fluviatilis (Diptera:Culicidae).

Ethanol extracts of 83 plants species belonging to the Asteraceae (Compositae) family, collected in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were tested for larvicidal activity against the mosquito Aedes fluviatilis--Diptera: Culicidae). The extract from Tagetes minuta was the most active with a LC90 of 1.5 mg/l and LC50 of 1.0 mg/l. This plant has been the object of several studies by other groups and its active components have already been identified as thiophene derivatives, a class of compounds present in many Asteraceae species. The extract of Eclipta paniculata was also significantly active, with a LC90 of 17.2 mg/l and LC50 of 3.3 mg/l and no previous studies on its larvicidal activity or chemical composition could be found in the literature. Extracts of Achryrocline satureoides, Gnaphalium spicatum, Senecio brasiliensis, Trixis vauthieri, Tagetes patula and Vernonia ammophila were less active, killing more than 50% of the larvae only at the higher dose tested (100 mg/l).

Aedes↗