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Insects
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Impacts of Ecological Perturbations at the Host-Vector-Pathogen Interface under Global...
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Impacts of Ecological Perturbations at the Host-Vector-Pathogen Interface under Global Change

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Behavior and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 25052

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Matteo Marcantonio

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Guest Editor
Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: invasive mosquito ecology; species dispersal theory and application; invasive species dynamics; remote sensing; species distribution modelling; functional ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Agustín Estrada-Peña

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: ticks; climate; epidemiology; tick–host ecological interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Adriana Troyo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Vectors Research Laboratory, Tropical Diseases Research Center and Medical Entomology Section, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica
Interests: medical entomology; mosquito ecology; epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases; ticks; fleas; rickettsial diseases; entomological surveillance; vector management; ectoparasites
Dr. Andres Mauricio Lopez-Perez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: diseases ecology; medical entomology; ecology and evolution of pathogen–vector–host; landscape ecology; human–wildlife interactions
Dr. Emily L. Pascoe

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
Interests: pathogen ecology; invasive species; vector ecology; ticks; tick-borne pathogens; species distribution models; vector–host–pathogen interactions and ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Global Change, resulting from human-driven processes such as land-use change, species translocations, and extreme climatic variability is exerting unprecedented effects on natural systems. Host–vector–pathogen (HVP) systems are a major threat to human and animal health and may be prone to dramatic alterations associated with Global Change. Many arthropod vectors and reservoir hosts of pathogens are generalist species that occupy a range of niches, allowing them to rapidly adapt to changing conditions. Consequently, existing HVP interactions may restructure, or novel interactions may form in the face of Global Change, with consequences on the broader ecosystem as well as human and animal health. Implementing disease risk mitigation is difficult without adequate knowledge on how HVP systems respond to Global Change. Studies on HVP systems often focus on a single facet and fail to place pathogen, vector, and host interactions into a broader ecological or evolutionary context. Such a context is valuable in understanding the cause–effect mechanisms of HVP interactions, providing us with a better framework to mitigate the subsequent consequences for animal and human health.

In this Special Issue, we welcome manuscripts which investigate changes in host–vector–pathogen systems due to anthropogenic disturbances; in particular, we strongly encourage the submission of studies which investigate interactions within HVP systems whilst integrating environmental, ecological, and evolutionary perspectives.

Dr. Matteo Marcantonio
Prof. Dr. Agustín Estrada-Peña
Prof. Dr. Adriana Troyo
Dr. Andres Mauricio Lopez-Perez
Dr. Emily L. Pascoe
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • anthropogenic disturbance
  • climate change
  • habitat fragmentation
  • Global Change
  • vector ecology
  • invasive species
  • eco-evolutionary aspects of natural system
  • arthropods
  • vectors
  • dispersal
  • fleas
  • ticks
  • mosquitoes

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 9549 KiB  
Article
Spatial Distribution of Aedes aegypti Oviposition Temporal Patterns and Their Relationship with Environment and Dengue Incidence
by Verónica Andreo, Ximena Porcasi, Claudio Guzman, Laura Lopez and Carlos M. Scavuzzo
Insects 2021, 12(10), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12100919 - 09 Oct 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2324
Abstract
Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species transmitting dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever viruses, is fully adapted to thrive in urban areas. The temporal activity of this mosquito, however, varies within urban areas which might imply different transmission risk. In this work, we [...] Read more.
Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species transmitting dengue, zika, chikungunya and yellow fever viruses, is fully adapted to thrive in urban areas. The temporal activity of this mosquito, however, varies within urban areas which might imply different transmission risk. In this work, we hypothesize that temporal differences in mosquito activity patterns are determined by local environmental conditions. Hence, we explore the existence of groups of temporal patterns in weekly time series of Ae. aegypti ovitraps records (2017–2019) by means of time series clustering. Next, with the aim of predicting risk in places with no mosquito field data, we use machine learning classification tools to assess the association of temporal patterns with environmental variables derived from satellite imagery and predict temporal patterns over the city area to finally test the relationship with dengue incidence. We found three groups of temporal patterns that showed association with land cover diversity, variability in vegetation and humidity and, heterogeneity measured by texture indices estimated over buffer areas surrounding ovitraps. Dengue incidence on a neighborhood basis showed a weak but positive association with the percentage of pixels belonging to only one of the temporal patterns detected. The understanding of the spatial distribution of temporal patterns and their environmental determinants might then become highly relevant to guide the allocation of prevention and potential interventions. Further investigation is still needed though to incorporate other determinants not considered here. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Ecological Perturbations at the Host-Vector-Pathogen Interface under Global Change)
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12 pages, 1191 KiB  
Article
Serosurvey of Nonhuman Primates in Costa Rica at the Human–Wildlife Interface Reveals High Exposure to Flaviviruses
by Andrea Chaves, Martha Piche-Ovares, Carlos N. Ibarra-Cerdeña, Eugenia Corrales-Aguilar, Gerardo Suzán, Andres Moreira-Soto and Gustavo A. Gutiérrez-Espeleta
Insects 2021, 12(6), 554; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12060554 - 15 Jun 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3803
Abstract
Arthropod-borne viruses belonging to the flavivirus genus possess an enormous relevance in public health. Neotropical non-human primates (NPs) have been proposed to be susceptible to flavivirus infections due to their arboreal and diurnal habits, their genetic similarity to humans, and their relative closeness [...] Read more.
Arthropod-borne viruses belonging to the flavivirus genus possess an enormous relevance in public health. Neotropical non-human primates (NPs) have been proposed to be susceptible to flavivirus infections due to their arboreal and diurnal habits, their genetic similarity to humans, and their relative closeness to humans. However, the only known flavivirus in the American continent maintained by sylvatic cycles involving NPs is yellow fever virus (YFV), and NPs’ role as potential hosts of other flaviviruses is still unknown. Here, we examined flavivirus exposure in 86 serum samples including 83.7% samples from free-range and 16.3% from captive NPs living in flavivirus-endemic regions of Costa Rica. Serum samples were opportunistically collected throughout Costa Rica in 2000–2015. We used a highly specific micro-plaque reduction neutralization test (micro-PRNT) to determine the presence of antibodies against YFV, dengue virus 1–4 (DENV), Zika virus, West Nile virus (WNV), and Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV). We found evidence of seropositive NPs with homotypic reactivity to SLEV 11.6% (10/86), DENV 10.5% (9/86), and WNV 2.3% (2/86). Heterotypic reactivity was determined in 3.5% (3/86) of individuals against DENV, 1.2% (1/86) against SLEV, and 1.2% (1/86) against WNV. We found that 13.9% (12/86) of NPs were positive for an undetermined flavivirus species. No antibodies against DENV-3, DENV-4, YFV, or ZIKV were found. This work provides compelling serological evidence of flavivirus exposure in Costa Rican NPs, in particular to DENV, SLEV, and WNV. The range of years of sampling and the region from where positives were detected coincide with those in which peaks of DENV in human populations were registered, suggesting bidirectional exposure due to human–wildlife contact or bridging vectors. Our work suggests the continuous exposure of wildlife populations to various flaviviruses of public health importance and underscores the necessity of further surveillance of flaviviruses at the human–wildlife interface in Central America. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Ecological Perturbations at the Host-Vector-Pathogen Interface under Global Change)
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Review

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44 pages, 735 KiB  
Review
The Impact of Deforestation, Urbanization, and Changing Land Use Patterns on the Ecology of Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases in Central America
by Diana I. Ortiz, Marta Piche-Ovares, Luis M. Romero-Vega, Joseph Wagman and Adriana Troyo
Insects 2022, 13(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13010020 - 23 Dec 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 9295
Abstract
Central America is a unique geographical region that connects North and South America, enclosed by the Caribbean Sea to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. This region, encompassing Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, is highly [...] Read more.
Central America is a unique geographical region that connects North and South America, enclosed by the Caribbean Sea to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. This region, encompassing Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, is highly vulnerable to the emergence or resurgence of mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases due to a combination of key ecological and socioeconomic determinants acting together, often in a synergistic fashion. Of particular interest are the effects of land use changes, such as deforestation-driven urbanization and forest degradation, on the incidence and prevalence of these diseases, which are not well understood. In recent years, parts of Central America have experienced social and economic improvements; however, the region still faces major challenges in developing effective strategies and significant investments in public health infrastructure to prevent and control these diseases. In this article, we review the current knowledge and potential impacts of deforestation, urbanization, and other land use changes on mosquito-borne and tick-borne disease transmission in Central America and how these anthropogenic drivers could affect the risk for disease emergence and resurgence in the region. These issues are addressed in the context of other interconnected environmental and social challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Ecological Perturbations at the Host-Vector-Pathogen Interface under Global Change)
28 pages, 20593 KiB  
Review
Likely Geographic Distributional Shifts among Medically Important Tick Species and Tick-Associated Diseases under Climate Change in North America: A Review
by Abdelghafar Alkishe, Ram K. Raghavan and Andrew T. Peterson
Insects 2021, 12(3), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12030225 - 05 Mar 2021
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 8669
Abstract
Ticks rank high among arthropod vectors in terms of numbers of infectious agents that they transmit to humans, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Increasing temperature is suspected to affect tick [...] Read more.
Ticks rank high among arthropod vectors in terms of numbers of infectious agents that they transmit to humans, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, human monocytic ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Increasing temperature is suspected to affect tick biting rates and pathogen developmental rates, thereby potentially increasing risk for disease incidence. Tick distributions respond to climate change, but how their geographic ranges will shift in future decades and how those shifts may translate into changes in disease incidence remain unclear. In this study, we have assembled correlative ecological niche models for eight tick species of medical or veterinary importance in North America (Ixodes scapularis, I. pacificus, I. cookei, Dermacentor variabilis, D. andersoni, Amblyomma americanum, A. maculatum, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus), assessing the distributional potential of each under both present and future climatic conditions. Our goal was to assess whether and how species’ distributions will likely shift in coming decades in response to climate change. We interpret these patterns in terms of likely implications for tick-associated diseases in North America. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Ecological Perturbations at the Host-Vector-Pathogen Interface under Global Change)
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