Performance evaluation of nine reference centers and comparison of DNA extraction protocols for effective surveillance of Leishmania-infected Phlebotomine sand flies: Basis for technical recommendations.

Background: Leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania protozoan parasites transmitted by Phlebotomine sand flies, is a significant public health concern in the Mediterranean basin. Effective monitoring of Leishmania-infected sand flies requires standardized tools for comparing their distribution and infection prevalence. Consistent quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) parameters and efficient DNA extraction protocols are crucial for reliable results over time and across regions.

Interindividual variation among Culex pipiens larvae in terms of thermal response.

This study aims to determine the phenological characteristics of thermal responses in the larvae of a Culex pipiens complex field population at the individual level under the influence of thermal regime of its habitat. The analysis is based on a structured population model quantifying the thermal responses of development time and survival under variable conditions and characterising the variety between the larvae (interindividual variety). During the study performed in Turkish Thrace on a monthly basis between May 2021 and June 2022, a total of 3744 larvae were reared as peer larval cohorts and 2330 larvae as siblings in artificial containers to be fully exposed to the natural thermal condition that was recorded hourly.

Entomological surveillance and spatiotemporal risk assessment of sand fly-borne diseases in Cyprus.

Visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases are important public health concerns in Cyprus. Although the diseases, historically prevalent on the island, were nearly eradicated by 1996, an increase in frequency and geographical spread has recently been recorded. Upward trends in leishmaniasis prevalence have largely been attributed to environmental changes that amplify the abundance and activity of its vector, the phlebotomine sand flies.

Reconstructing the post-glacial spread of the sand fly Phlebotomus mascittii Grassi, 1908 (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Europe.

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) are the principal vectors of Leishmania spp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae). In Central Europe, Phlebotomus mascittii is the predominant species, but largely understudied.

VectorNet: collaborative mapping of arthropod disease vectors in Europe and surrounding areas since 2010.

BackgroundArthropod vectors such as ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies and biting midges are of public and veterinary health significance because of the pathogens they can transmit. Understanding their distributions is a key means of assessing risk. VectorNet maps their distribution in the EU and surrounding areas.

Differential expression of Phlebotomus tobbi Adler, Theodor & Lourie, 1930 (Diptera: Psychodidae) genes under different environmental conditions.

Phlebotomus tobbi is a widely distributed sand fly species in Turkey and is the proven vector of Leishmania infantum and several Phleboviruses. Information regarding the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity is crucial for managing vector-borne diseases, as the changing environmental conditions have consequences for the survival of arthropods and the disease agents they transmit. However, limited data is available on the impacts of environmental conditions on the traits associated with sand fly survival, reproduction, and vectorial competence.

Analysis of tripartite Synaptotagmin-1-SNARE-complexin-1 complexes in solution.

Characterizing interactions of Synaptotagmin-1 with the SNARE complex is crucial to understand the mechanism of neurotransmitter release. X-ray crystallography revealed how the Synaptotagmin-1 C B domain binds to the SNARE complex through a so-called primary interface and to a complexin-1-SNARE complex through a so-called tripartite interface. Mutagenesis and electrophysiology supported the functional relevance of both interfaces, and extensive additional data validated the primary interface.

Assessment of expertise in morphological identification of mosquito species (Diptera, Culicidae) using photomicrographs.

Accurate identification of insect species is an indispensable and challenging requirement for every entomologist, particularly if the species is involved in disease outbreaks. The European MediLabSecure project designed an identification (ID) exercise available to any willing participant with the aim of assessing and improving knowledge in mosquito taxonomy. The exercise was based on high-definition photomicrographs of mosquitoes (26 adult females and 12 larvae) collected from the western Palaearctic.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in Kosovo: First record.

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is an invasive mosquito species that is considered a potential vector of about 22 arboviruses, among which dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Here we report the first record of Aedes albopictus in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. The first finding, in July 2020, was driven by a photo of an adult mosquito published by a citizen in social media.

Updated checklist of Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) of Turkey with ten new records.

We investigated the fauna in Turkey during the years 2016-2019 in the process of entomological surveillance for arboviral diseases. The entomological survey was conducted at 104 sampling stations in 51 provinces in Turkey during four consecutive years. There were approximately 450,000 specimens and 59 identified species collected during the surveillance.

Presynaptic mechanisms underlying GABA-receptor-mediated inhibition of spontaneous neurotransmitter release.

Inhibition of neurotransmitter release by neurotransmitter substances constitutes a fundamental means of neuromodulation. In contrast to well-delineated mechanisms that underlie inhibition of evoked release via suppression of voltage-gated Ca channels, processes that underlie neuromodulatory inhibition of spontaneous release remain unclear. Here, we interrogated inhibition of spontaneous glutamate and GABA release by presynaptic metabotropic GABA receptors.

Field surveys in Croatia and North Macedonia reveal two novel phleboviruses circulating in sandflies.

Sandfly-borne phleboviruses are distributed widely throughout the Mediterranean Basin, presenting a threat to public health in areas where they circulate. However, the true diversity and distribution of pathogenic and apathogenic sandfly-borne phleboviruses remains a key issue to be studied. In the Balkans, most published data rely on serology-based studies although virus isolation has occasionally been reported.

Sand fly fauna of South-Eastern Romania, with the description of Phlebotomus (Transphlebotomus) simonahalepae n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae).

Background: An entomological study was conducted in the Canaraua Fetii Special Protection Area in the Dobrogea region, South-Eastern Romania. Four sand fly species were recorded at this location between 1968 and 1970: Phlebotomus neglectus, Ph. balcanicus, Ph.

A subthreshold synaptic mechanism regulating BDNF expression and resting synaptic strength.

Recent studies have demonstrated that protein translation can be regulated by spontaneous excitatory neurotransmission. However, the impact of spontaneous neurotransmitter release on gene transcription remains unclear. Here, we study the effects of the balance between inhibitory and excitatory spontaneous neurotransmission on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulation and synaptic plasticity.

Phlebotomine sand fly survey in the Republic of Moldova: species composition, distribution and host preferences.

Background: Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodiae) in the Republic of Moldova have been understudied for decades. Our study provides a first update on their occurrence, species composition and bloodmeal sources after 50 years.

Methods: During 5 seasons (2013-2017), 58 localities from 20 regions were surveyed for presence of sand flies using CDC light traps and manual aspirators.

Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in eight Balkan countries: historical review and region-wide entomological survey.

Background: Sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) are medically important vectors of human and veterinary disease-causing agents. Among these, the genus Leishmania (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae), and phleboviruses are of utmost importance. Despite such significance, updated information about sand fly fauna is missing for Balkan countries where both sand flies and autochtonous leishmaniases are historically present and recently re-emerging.

Role of Aberrant Spontaneous Neurotransmission in SNAP25-Associated Encephalopathies.

SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) complex, composed of synaptobrevin, syntaxin, and SNAP25, forms the essential fusion machinery for neurotransmitter release. Recent studies have reported several mutations in the gene encoding SNAP25 as a causative factor for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies of infancy and childhood with diverse clinical manifestations. However, it remains unclear how SNAP25 mutations give rise to these disorders.

Overcoming presynaptic effects of VAMP2 mutations with 4-aminopyridine treatment.

Clinical and genetic features of five unrelated patients with de novo pathogenic variants in the synaptic vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) reveal common features of global developmental delay, autistic tendencies, behavioral disturbances, and a higher propensity to develop epilepsy. For one patient, a cognitively impaired adolescent with a de novo stop-gain VAMP2 mutation, we tested a potential treatment strategy, enhancing neurotransmission by prolonging action potentials with the aminopyridine family of potassium channel blockers, 4-aminopyridine and 3,4-diaminopyridine, in vitro and in vivo. Synaptic vesicle recycling and neurotransmission were assayed in neurons expressing three VAMP2 variants by live-cell imaging and electrophysiology.

Altitude and hillside orientation shapes the population structure of the Leishmania infantum vector Phlebotomus ariasi.

Despite their role in Leishmania transmission, little is known about the organization of sand fly populations in their environment. Here, we used 11 previously described microsatellite markers to investigate the population genetic structure of Phlebotomus ariasi, the main vector of Leishmania infantum in the region of Montpellier (South of France). From May to October 2011, we captured 1,253 Ph.

The initial detection of Toscana virus in phlebotomine sandflies from Turkey.

Toscana virus (TOSV) is a prominent arthropod-borne viral agent of human central nervous system infections occurring in the Mediterranean region. The main transmission route to susceptible individuals involves sandflies as vectors. Despite several reports revealing widespread TOSV activity in Turkey, vectors remained unidentified.

Practical management plan for invasive mosquito species in Europe: I. Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus).

Aedes albopictus, also known as the "Asian Tiger Mosquito", is an invasive mosquito species to Europe causing high concern in public health due to its severe nuisance and its vectorial capacity for pathogens such as dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika. Consequently, the responsible authorities implement management activities to reduce its population density, possibly to below noxious and epidemiological thresholds. In urban areas, these aims are difficult to achieve because of the species' ability to develop in a wide range of artificial breeding sites, mainly private properties.