RNA interference to combat the Asian tiger mosquito in Europe: A pathway from design of an innovative vector control tool to its application.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is currently spreading across Europe, facilitated by climate change and global transportation. It is a vector of arboviruses causing human diseases such as chikungunya, dengue hemorrhagic fever and Zika fever. For the majority of these diseases, no vaccines or therapeutics are available.

Infection with acanthocephalans increases tolerance of Gammarus roeselii (Crustacea: Amphipoda) to pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin.

Crustacean amphipods serve as intermediate hosts for parasites and are at the same time sensitive indicators of environmental pollution in aquatic ecosystems. The extent to which interaction with the parasite influences their persistence in polluted ecosystems is poorly understood. Here, we compared infections of Gammarus roeselii with two species of Acanthocephala, Pomphorhynchus laevis, and Polymorphus minutus, along a pollution gradient in the Rhine-Main metropolitan region of Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Ticks on the move-climate change-induced range shifts of three tick species in Europe: current and future habitat suitability for Ixodes ricinus in comparison with Dermacentor reticulatus and Dermacentor marginatus.

Tick-borne diseases are a major health problem worldwide and could become even more important in Europe in the future. Due to changing climatic conditions, ticks are assumed to be able to expand their ranges in Europe towards higher latitudes and altitudes, which could result in an increased occurrence of tick-borne diseases.There is a great interest to identify potential (new) areas of distribution of vector species in order to assess the future infection risk with vector-borne diseases, improve surveillance, to develop more targeted monitoring program, and, if required, control measures.

Gene expression and allergenic potential of Pseudoterranova bulbosa L3 from different infection sites in North Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).

The recent advances in molecular methods and data processing have facilitated research on anisakid nematodes. While most research efforts were made regarding the genus Anisakis, since this genus is held responsible for the majority of reported clinical signs, there is still a demand for data on the genus Pseudoterranova. Several case studies of severe invasive anisakidosis affecting various organs caused by species of the P.

Parasites of Three Closely Related Antarctic Fish Species (Teleostei: Nototheniinae) from Elephant Island.

Background: Studies of parasite communities and patterns in the Antarctic are an important knowledge base with the potential to track shifts in ecological relations and study the effects of climate change on host-parasite systems. Endemic Nototheniinae is the dominant fish group found in Antarctic marine habitats. Through their intermediate position within the food web, Nototheniinae link lower to higher trophic levels and thereby also form an important component of parasite life cycles.

Insights into the Urogymnid whiprays (Chondrichthyes: Batoidea) in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, with an amendment of their diagnostic characteristics and dispersal range.

Correct identification of elasmobranch species is crucial for taxonomic and parasitological research. Although molecular barcoding may be the fastest choice to determine the identity of a given species, robust and fast species level identification in the field using morphological characters is essential. During this study, 389 specimens representing seven stingray species (Brevitrygon walga, Himantura leoparda, H.

Bats as putative Zaire ebolavirus reservoir hosts and their habitat suitability in Africa.

The genus Ebolavirus comprises some of the deadliest viruses for primates and humans and associated disease outbreaks are increasing in Africa. Different evidence suggests that bats are putative reservoir hosts and play a major role in the transmission cycle of these filoviruses. Thus, detailed knowledge about their distribution might improve risk estimations of where future disease outbreaks might occur.

Modelling the climatic suitability of Chagas disease vectors on a global scale.

The Triatominae are vectors for , the aetiological agent of the neglected tropical Chagas disease. Their distribution stretches across Latin America, with some species occurring outside of the Americas. In particular, the cosmopolitan vector, , has already been detected in many Asian and African countries.

Mitochondrial DNA-Based Identification of Forensically Important Flesh Flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) in Thailand.

Flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) are necrophagous insects initially colonizing on a corpse. The species-specific developmental data of the flies collected from a death scene can be used to estimate the minimum postmortem interval (PMI). Thus, the first crucial step is to correctly identify the fly species.

Global occurrence data improve potential distribution models for Aedes japonicus japonicus in non-native regions.

Background: There is great interest in modelling the distribution of invasive species, particularly from the point of view of management. However, distribution modelling for invasive species using ecological niche models (ENMs) involves multiple challenges. Owing to the short time span since the introduction or arrival of a non-indigenous species and the associated dispersal limitations, applying regular ENMs at an early stage of the invasion process may result in an underestimation of the potential niche in the new ranges.

Vector distribution and transmission risk of the Zika virus in South and Central America.

Background: Zika is of great medical relevance due to its rapid geographical spread in 2015 and 2016 in South America and its serious implications, for example, certain birth defects. Recent epidemics urgently require a better understanding of geographic patterns of the Zika virus transmission risk. This study aims to map the Zika virus transmission risk in South and Central America.

Improving species distribution models of zoonotic marine parasites.

Environmental niche modelling is an acclaimed method for estimating species' present or future distributions. However, in marine environments the assembly of representative data from reliable and unbiased occurrences is challenging. Here, we aimed to model the environmental niche and distribution of marine, parasitic nematodes from the Pseudoterranova decipiens complex using the software Maxent.

Leishmaniasis in Eurasia and Africa: geographical distribution of vector species and pathogens.

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease with a broad global occurrence and an increasing number of recorded cases; however, it is still one of the world's most neglected diseases. We here provide climatic suitability maps generated by means of an ecological niche modelling approach for 32 vector species with proven or suspected vector competence for five pathogens occurring in Eurasia and Africa. A GIS-based spatial overlay analysis was then used to compare the distributional patterns of vectors and pathogens to help evaluate the vector species-pathogen relationship currently found in the literature.

Mesopredatory fishes from the subtropical upwelling region off NW-Africa characterised by their parasite fauna.

Eastern boundary upwelling provides the conditions for high marine productivity in the Canary Current System off NW-Africa. Despite its considerable importance to fisheries, knowledge on this marine ecosystem is only limited. Here, parasites were used as indicators to gain insight into the host ecology and food web of two pelagic fish species, the commercially important species Linnaeus, 1758, and Johnson, 1865 Fish specimens of ( = 104) and ( = 91), sampled from the Canary Current System off the Senegalese coast and Cape Verde Islands, were examined, collecting data on their biometrics, diet and parasitisation.

Lighten up the dark: metazoan parasites as indicators for the ecology of Antarctic crocodile icefish (Channichthyidae) from the north-west Antarctic Peninsula.

Due to its remote and isolated location, Antarctica is home to a unique diversity of species. The harsh conditions have shaped a primarily highly adapted endemic fauna. This includes the notothenioid family Channichthyidae.

Niche conservatism of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti - two mosquito species with different invasion histories.

Biological invasions have been associated with niche changes; however, their occurrence is still debated. We assess whether climatic niches between native and non-native ranges have changed during the invasion process using two globally spread mosquitoes as model species, Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. Considering the different time spans since their invasions (>300 vs.

Spatial and temporal patterns of human Puumala virus (PUUV) infections in Germany.

Background: Worldwide, the number of recorded human hantavirus infections as well as the number of affected countries is on the rise. In Europe, most human hantavirus infections are caused by the Puumala virus (PUUV), with bank voles () as reservoir hosts. Generally, infection outbreaks have been related to environmental conditions, particularly climatic conditions, food supply for the reservoir species and land use.

Modeling the climatic suitability of leishmaniasis vector species in Europe.

Climate change will affect the geographical distribution of many species in the future. Phlebotomine sandflies are vector species for leishmaniasis, a tropical neglected disease. We applied an ensemble forecasting niche modeling approach to project future changes in climatic suitability for ten vector competent sandfly species in Europe.

Parasite fauna of the Antarctic dragonfish Parachaenichthys charcoti (Perciformes: Bathydraconidae) and closely related Bathydraconidae from the Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean.

Background: As members of the Notothenioidei - the dominant fish taxon in Antarctic waters - the family Bathydraconidae includes 12 genera and 17 species. The knowledge of these species inhabiting an isolated environment is rather fragmentary, including their parasite fauna. Studies on fish hosts and their associated parasites can help gain insights into even remote ecosystems and be used to infer ecological roles in food webs; however, ecological studies on the Bathydraconidae are scarce.

Aedes albopictus and Aedes japonicus - two invasive mosquito species with different temperature niches in Europe.

Background: Aedes albopictus and Ae. japonicus are two of the most widespread invasive mosquito species that have recently become established in western Europe. Both species are associated with the transmission of a number of serious diseases and are projected to continue their spread in Europe.

Aedes albopictus and Its Environmental Limits in Europe.

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, native to South East Asia, is listed as one of the worst invasive vector species worldwide. In Europe the species is currently restricted to Southern Europe, but due to the ongoing climate change, Ae. albopictus is expected to expand its potential range further northwards.

Environmental variables and definitive host distribution: a habitat suitability modelling for endohelminth parasites in the marine realm.

Marine nematodes of the genus Anisakis are common parasites of a wide range of aquatic organisms. Public interest is primarily based on their importance as zoonotic agents of the human Anisakiasis, a severe infection of the gastro-intestinal tract as result of consuming live larvae in insufficiently cooked fish dishes. The diverse nature of external impacts unequally influencing larval and adult stages of marine endohelminth parasites requires the consideration of both abiotic and biotic factors.