Metabolism and immune responses of striped hamsters to ectoparasite challenges: insights from transcriptomic analysis.

Introduction: The striped hamster, often parasitized by ectoparasites in nature, is an ideal model for studying host-ectoparasite molecular interactions. Investigating the response to ectoparasites under laboratory conditions helps elucidate the mechanism of host adaptations to ectoparasite pressure.

Methods: Using transcriptome sequencing, we analyzed gene expression in striped hamsters after short-term (3 days) and long-term (28 days) flea () parasitism.

Transcriptome analysis of Kunming mice responses to the bite of Xenopsylla cheopis.

Background: Flea bites could trigger a series of complex molecular responses in the host. However, our understanding of the responses at the molecular level is still relatively limited. This study quantifies the changes in gene expression in mice after flea bites by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from their spleens, revealing the potential biological effects of host response to flea bites.

Long-term trends in housefly (Musca domestica L.) insecticide resistance in China.

Controlling housefly populations relies on the use of insecticides, which inevitably leads to the development of resistance. A better and more comprehensive understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of resistance could guide the control of houseflies. However, most studies on housefly resistance in China are scattered and poorly coordinated.

Mutations and intron polymorphisms in voltage-gated sodium channel genes of different geographic populations of Culex pipiens pallens/Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus in China.

Background: Culex pipiens pallens and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus are the dominant species of Culex mosquitoes in China and important disease vectors. Long-term use of insecticides can cause mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene of mosquitoes, but little is known about the current status and evolutionary origins of vgsc gene in different geographic populations. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the current status of vgsc genes in Cx.

Effects of the source of information and knowledge of dengue fever on the mosquito control behavior of residents of border areas of Yunnan, China.

Background: Strengthening the mosquito control measures undertaken by residents of an area where dengue fever is present can significantly decrease the spread of this disease. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the source of information and knowledge of dengue fever on the mosquito control behavior of residents of areas at high risk of this disease to determine effective ways of enhancing this behavior.

Methods: A survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews or questionnaires between March and May 2021 in three regions of the province of Yunnan, China.

A novel strategy for screening mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene of Aedes albopictus based on multiplex PCR-mass spectrometry minisequencing technology.

Background: The current prevention and control strategy for Aedes albopictus heavily relies on comprehensive management, such as environmental management and chemical control. However, the wide application of pyrethroids has facilitated the development of insecticide resistance, primarily via mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene. This study aims to develop a novel strategy for detecting mutations in the VGSC gene in Ae.

Knockdown resistance mutations distribution and characteristics of field populations within eleven dengue local epidemic provinces in China.

Background: , commonly known as the tiger mosquito, has attracted global attention because its bite can transmit several viruses, such as dengue virus. With the absence of an effective therapy and vaccine, mosquito control is the sole method for dengue fever control. However, has developed resistance to most insecticides, especially pyrethroids.

Genetic structure of (Diptera: Culicidae) based on COI DNA barcodes.

Gile is a major vector of Japanese encephalitis in China. The population genetics study is crucial as it helps understanding the epidemiological aspects of mosquito-brone diseases and improving vector control measures. Here, the genetic population structure of in the mainland China were estimated using the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) DNA barcodes region.

Epidemiological characteristics and temporal-spatial analysis of overseas imported dengue fever cases in outbreak provinces of China, 2005-2019.

Background: Overseas imported dengue fever is an important factor in local outbreaks of this disease in the mainland of China. To better prevent and control such local outbreaks, the epidemiological characteristics and temporal-spatial distribution of overseas imported dengue fever cases in provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) where dengue fever is outbreak in the mainland of China were explored.

Methods: Using the Chinese National Notifiable Infectious Disease Reporting Information System (CNNDS), we identified overseas imported dengue fever cases in dengue fever outbreak areas in the mainland of China from 2005 to 2019 to draw the epidemic curve and population characteristic distribution of overseas imported cases in each PLAD.

Variation in the microbiota across different developmental stages of Aedes albopictus is affected by ampicillin exposure.

The microbiota plays an important role in the growth of mosquitoes and the transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens. The effects of changes in aquatic habitats in which mosquitoes live, as one of the major factors closely associated with the microbial communities of mosquitoes, on the microbiota of different developmental stages remain to be elucidated. Here, we compared the microbiota of larvae and pupae of Aedes albopictus exposed to different ampicillin concentrations and investigated the bacterial composition of adult females.

Forecast of Dengue Cases in 20 Chinese Cities Based on the Deep Learning Method.

Dengue fever (DF) is one of the most rapidly spreading diseases in the world, and accurate forecasts of dengue in a timely manner might help local government implement effective control measures. To obtain the accurate forecasting of DF cases, it is crucial to model the long-term dependency in time series data, which is difficult for a typical machine learning method. This study aimed to develop a timely accurate forecasting model of dengue based on long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural networks while only considering monthly dengue cases and climate factors.

Climate factors driven typhus group rickettsiosis incidence dynamics in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture of Yunnan province in China, 2005-2017.

Background: Typhus group rickettsiosis (TGR), which is a neglected vector-borne infectious disease, including epidemic typhus and endemic typhus. We explored the lag effects and nonlinear association between meteorological factors and TGR incidence in Xishuangbanna Dai autonomous prefecture from 2005 to 2017, China.

Methods: A Poisson regression with a distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was utilized to analyze TGR cases data and the contemporaneous meteorological data.

Establishment of an innovative and sustainable PCR technique for 1534 locus mutation of the knockdown resistance (kdr) gene in the dengue vector Aedes albopictus.

Background: Mutation of the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene, or knockdown resistance (kdr) gene, is an important resistance mechanism against DDT and pyrethroids for dengue vector Aedes albopictus. A phenylalanine to serine (F1534S), leucine (F1534L) and cysteine (F1534C) substitution were detected in many Ae. albopictus populations around the world, and the mutant allele frequencies have been increasing in recent years.

Comparison of Two New Traps To the Biogents BG-Sentinel Trap For Collecting Aedes albopictus In North Florida.

Multiple surveillance traps are currently available for adult mosquito surveillance. In this study, 2 new types, the Maxttrac™ Uno and Maxttrac™ Breeze mosquito traps, were compared against the BioGents™-Sentinel trap (BGS) for overall success in collecting Aedes albopictus in a 1,027-m vehicle enclosure and in the field. The enclosure test results showed both traps collected significantly fewer Ae.

A Survey of Insecticide Resistance in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) During a 2014 Dengue Fever Outbreak in Guangzhou, China.

A dengue fever outbreak in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, in 2014 resulted in ∼37,000 cases and five deaths. Insecticides were sprayed to control the vector of this outbreak, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), a species of mosquito. Aedes albopictus specimens collected from Huadu District (HD), Huangpu District (HP), Luogang District (LG), and Nansha District (NS) in Guangzhou were evaluated using WHO-recommended bioassays for both larvae and adult mosquitoes to determine population resistance to deltamethrin, beta-cypermethrin, cypermethrin, permethrin, dichlorvos, temephos, propoxur, and DDT.

The mitochondrial genomes of Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) and comparison analysis with two other Culex species.

Background: Culex tritaeniorhynchus and Culex pipiens pallens are the major vectors of the Japanese encephalitis virus and Wuchereria bancrofti, the causative agent of filariasis. The knowledge of mitochondrial genomes has been widely useful for the studies on molecular evolution, phylogenetics and population genetics.

Methods: In this study, we sequenced and annotated the mitochondrial (mt) genomes of Cx.

Influence of Bloodmeal Host on Blood Feeding, Egg Production, and Offspring Sex Ratio of Ctenocephalides felis felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouché), feeds on different host species, causing annoyance or transmitting disease agents. In this study, the influence of the host of the cat flea on blood feeding, egg production, and sex ratio of the offspring was investigated. Two strains of C.

Comparison of pyrethroid resistance in adults and larvae of Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) from four field populations in China.

The susceptibility of adults and larvae from four field populations of Culex pipiens pallens (Coguillett) (Diptera: Culicidae) in China to deltamethrin, beta-cypermethrin, and permethrin was investigated using the World Health Organization standard susceptibility test methods. One to 2 d old nonblood fed female mosquitoes emerged from pupae resulting from wild-caught larvae (F1 laboratory reared adults) were exposed to various doses of the pyrethroids. The larval bioassay was conducted using a range of concentrations to determine the LC50 values.

Identification of resistant carboxylesterase alleles in Culex pipiens complex via PCR-RFLP.

Background: Carboxylesterase overproduction is a frequently observed resistance mechanism of insects to organophosphate insecticides. As a major transmitter of human diseases, mosquitoes in the Culex pipiens complex have evolved 13 carboxylesterase alleles (Ester) that confer organophosphate resistance. Six alleles, Ester(B1), Ester², Ester⁸, Ester⁹, Ester(B10), and Ester¹¹, have been observed in field populations in China, sometimes co-existing in one population.

Small mammal investigation in spotted fever focus with DNA-barcoding and taxonomic implications on rodents species from Hainan of China.

Although mammals are a well-studied group of animals, making accurate field identification of small mammals is still complex because of morphological variation across developmental stages, color variation of pelages, and often damaged osteological and dental characteristics. In 2008, small mammals were collected for an epidemiological study of a spotted fever outbreak in Hainan, China. Ten species of small mammals were identified by morphological characters in the field, most using pelage color characters only.

[Molecular characteristics of the full-length genome of two new Japanese encephalitis virus isolated from mosquitoes in Hubei province].

Objective: To sequence and analyze the complete genome of two new Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) strains isolated from mosquitoes collected in Hubei province in 2008, and to understand the molecular biological characteristics of JEV in this area.

Methods: RT-PCR was used to amplify the fragments of HBZG08-09 strain and HBZG08-55 strain with 16 pairs overlapping primers after they had been recovered and identified, then the full-length genome was obtained by sequencing and splicing. Biological sequence alignment, nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis, phylogenetic analysis and analysis of amino acid differences were performed by the software of Clustal X (1.

An immunotherapeutic treatment against flea allergy dermatitis in cats by co-immunization of DNA and protein vaccines.

Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is considered a harmful and persistent allergic disease in cats, dogs and humans. Effective and safe antigen-specific treatments are lacking. Previously we reported that the simultaneous co-immunization with a DNA vaccine and its cognate coded protein antigen could induce antigen-specific iTreg cells (inducible Treg cells); demonstrating its potential to protect animals from FAD in a murine model.

Detection of bartonella species in small mammals from Zhejiang Province, China.

To estimate the prevalence of Bartonella in small mammals of different species, during different seasons, and at different study sites, and to provide baseline data for the risk assessment of human Bartonella infection, we captured small mammals using snap traps in Zhejiang Province, China. Bartonella species were detected in small-mammal samples by polymerase chain reaction and positive amplicons were sequenced. Bartonella DNA was detected in 47% (90/192) of Apodemus agrarius, 31% (14/45) of Rattus losea, 16% (7/43) of Rattus norvegicus, 24% (9/37) of Eothenomys melanogaster, 4% (1/28) of Niviventer confucianus, 30% (7/23) of Suncus murinus, 22% (2/9) of Microtus fortis, 27% (2/7) of Rattus tanezumi, and 29% (2/7) of Apodemus peninsulae.

Coinfection with four genera of bacteria (Borrelia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia) in Haemaphysalis longicornis and Ixodes sinensis ticks from China.

We studied coinfection with four genera of bacteria--Borrelia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia--in ticks collected between December 2005 and November 2006 from Zhejiang Province and Liaoning Province. Four hundred fifty Haemaphysalis longicornis and 86 Ixodes sinensis ticks were collected and divided into 236 groups. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or nested PCR was used to detect the bacteria.