Publications by authors named "Rafael Argiles-Herrero"

Article Synopsis
  • Tsetse flies transmit harmful trypanosomes that cause Human African Trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan Africa, leading to disease in both humans and livestock.
  • A control program was initiated in Maro, Chad in 2018 to reduce the tsetse fly population, specifically targeting the species Glossina fuscipes fuscipes.
  • Genetic analysis revealed that while most flies were local, some had different genetic profiles, indicating ongoing gene flow and suggesting that control efforts may have had limited effectiveness; continuous monitoring is advised, especially near the border with the Central African Republic.
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Chemical control of disease vectoring mosquitoes Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti is costly, unsustainable, and increasingly ineffective due to the spread of insecticide resistance. The Sterile Insect Technique is a valuable alternative but is limited by slow, error-prone, and wasteful sex-separation methods. Here, we present four Genetic Sexing Strains (two for each Aedes species) based on fluorescence markers linked to the m and M sex loci, allowing for the isolation of transgenic males.

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Tsetse flies are the cyclical vectors of African trypanosomes and one of several methods to manage this vector is the sterile insect technique (SIT). The ability to determine the sex of tsetse pupae with the objective to separate the sexes before adult emergence has been a major goal for decades for tsetse management programmes with an SIT component. Tsetse females develop faster and pharate females inside the pupae melanise 1-2 days before males.

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Article Synopsis
  • Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a disease caused by the Trypanosoma brucei gambiense parasite, transmitted by tsetse flies in sub-Saharan Africa, primarily in Chad's Mandoul focus.
  • A control project using the sterile insect technique (SIT) to eliminate tsetse flies is underway, but the release of sterile males could temporarily increase parasite transmission risk.
  • Experimental results show that sterile male tsetse flies are unlikely to transmit the T. b. brucei parasite, indicating that they may not pose a significant risk of cyclical transmission.
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The sterile insect technique (SIT) application, as an alternative tool for conventional mosquito control methods, has recently gained prominence. Nevertheless, some SIT components require further development, such as protocols under large-scale conditions, focusing on packing and shipping mosquitoes, and considering transporting time. Immobilization of males was tested at temperatures 4, 7, 10, and 14 °C, and each temperature was assessed for 60, 90, and 120 min.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on enhancing the sterile insect technique (SIT) by standardizing the quality control flight test device (FTD) to ensure a reliable release of high-quality sterile male mosquitoes.
  • Key factors that affect mosquito escape rates were identified as tube color, the use of lures and fans, mosquito species, age, and density, while factors like test duration and fan speed were found to be less significant.
  • A new, more affordable version of the FTD (version 2.0) was developed and successfully tested, proving effective for evaluating mosquito flight ability for SIT and similar programs.
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Integrated vector control programs that use a Sterile Insect Technique approach require the production and release of large numbers of high quality, sterile male insects. In pilot projects conducted worldwide, sterile males are usually kept in containers at low densities until their manual release on the ground. Although the quality of the released insects is high, these containers are only suitable for small-scale projects, given the fact that the manual labor required for release is significant and therefore untenable in large-scale projects.

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and are the main vectors of arboviral diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses. About a third of the world population is currently at risk of contracting -borne epidemics. In recent years, has drastically increased its distribution in many countries.

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is the primary vector of arthropod-borne viruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Vector population control methods are reviving to impede disease transmission. An efficient sex separation for male-only releases is crucial for area-wide mosquito population suppression strategies.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The new MRC produced over a million eggs with minimal loss and demonstrated good measures for tracking adult survival rates.
  • * Results indicate that the new MRC is effective for mass-rearing in SIT programs, although further adjustments are needed to reduce egg collection escape issues. *
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Microsatellite loci still represent valuable resources for the study of the population biology of non-model organisms. Discovering or adapting new suitable microsatellite markers in species of interest still represents a useful task, especially so for non-model organisms as tsetse flies (genus Glossina), which remain a serious threat to the health of humans and animals in sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we present the development of new microsatellite loci for four species of Glossina: two from the Morsitans group, G.

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Article Synopsis
  • Resistance to insecticides for controlling Aedes mosquitoes is increasing, making traditional methods ineffective, and highlighting the need for alternative techniques like the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT).
  • A prototype low-cost plexiglass mass-rearing cage was developed to improve the egg production and hatch rates when compared to existing stainless-steel options, alongside an adult-index to estimate mosquito survival rates.
  • The prototype cage outperformed the stainless-steel cage in egg production and hatch rates, is more affordable, easy to handle, and supports more efficient mosquito rearing.
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Progressive control pathways (PCPs) are stepwise approaches for the reduction, elimination, and eradication of human and animal diseases. They provide systematic frameworks for planning and evaluating interventions. Here we outline a PCP for tsetse-transmitted animal trypanosomosis, the scourge of poor livestock keepers in tropical Africa.

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Background: Tsetse flies (Genus: Glossina) are the sole cyclical vectors of African trypanosomoses. Despite their economic and public health impacts in sub-Saharan Africa, it has been decades since the latest distribution maps at the continental level were produced. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is trying to address this shortcoming through the Atlas of tsetse and African animal trypanosomosis.

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