Detection of tick blood parasites in Egypt using PCR assay II- Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato

The prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato [s.l.], the etiologic agent of Lyme borrelosis [LB], was determined for the first time in Egypt by using polymerase chain reaction [PCR]. Questing 5243 hard and soft ticks were collected from animal farms throughout Giza Governorate. DNA from 500 individual tick species was extracted and PCR was performed. Primers verified from the sequence of German strain Pko of Borrelia afzelii were used. Fragments of 642 bp were generated and sequenced. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato [s.l.] was 28 % of examined soft and hard ticks. High infection rate [66%] of B. burgdorferi s.l. was observed in both nymph and adult soft ticks Ornithodoros savignyi. Besides, the role of hard ticks as potential vectors of Lyme disease in Egypt, where the infection rate was between 0.0-50.0%. Sequence analysis of PCR product of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato shares high degree of similarity in sequence compared to similar species in GenBank

Experimental transmission of hepatozoon gracilis [wenyon, 1909] com. nov., in ts natural host the bean skink lizard [Mabuya quinquetaeniata quinquetaeniata] and vector culex [c.] pipiens [diptera: culicidae]

The bean skink lizard Mabuya quinquetaeniata quinquetaeniata [Family: Scincidae] collected from Abu-Rawash, Giza was infected with the protozoon Hepatozoon gracilis. The mean percent of infection rate all over the year was 12.57% with the highest peak was in October [33%], meanwhile the lowest infection rate was detected in June [2.1%] and no infection was detected in February. Microscopical examination of experimentally infected Culex / [C.] pipiens L smears revealed the presence of gamogony and sporogony stages of H. gracilis in their haemoceal. Cx. pipiens was capable to transmit H. gracilis to non-infected M. q. quinquetaeniata under laboratory conditions [21 +/- 1 and 60-70% R.H.] after a prepatent period of 32 +/- 1 days from the infective bite. Various developmental schizogony stages were detected both in the lung endothelial cells and liver parenchymal cells. Developmental stages of H. gracilis in both vector or vertebrate host were described. Cx.pipiens was unable to transmit H. gracilis to snake, Psammophis schokari present in the same area of the bean skink lizard

effects of lobarotory Hepatozoon gracilis infection on the fecundity, mortality and longevity of Culex [Culex] pipiens hinneans [Diptera: Culicidae] in Egypt

Laboratory observations on the effect of Hepatozoon gracilis on the egg production of the mosquito Cx. [Cx.] pipiens Linnaeus under laboratory conditions revealed that H. Gracilis infected mosquitos produced significantly fewer eggs than the uninfected ones. The egg production decreased as the parasite burdens increased. The reduction in blood meal size in infected females did not reduce fecundity. No size difference was detected between oocyst-infected and uninfected females, although sporozoite positive females were significantly large. The preoviposition period was significantly affected, while the incubation period and percentage of egg hatching showed no significant changes. The longevity of female infected mosquitos decreased insignificantly than in the uninfected ones

Effect of feeding different diets on the crude protein content and free amino acids in the haemolymph of Lucilia sericata [Meigen] and chrysomya albiceps [wied] prepupae [diptera-calliphoridae]

Larvae of both blowflies Lucilia sericata and Chrysomya albiceps were fed bovine meat, bovine liver, fish and chicken. The content of crude protein in the haemolymph of L. sericata prepupae when its larvae were fed on the four different diets, showed higher concentration when fed on bovine liver, than when fed on chicken and bovine meat. The least protein content recorded was when larvae were offered fish as diet. Meanwhile the protein content in the haemolymph of C. albiceps prepupae showed slightly higher concentration when larvae were fed on bovine liver than when fed on bovine meat, chicken and fish. Using [HPLC], the concentration of histidine was the most predominant amino acid in haemolymph of L. sericata prepupae when its larvae were fed on bovine liver followed by threonine when its larvae were fed on fish. While the amino acid leucine and serine were significantly low when larvae were fed bovine liver. The amino acid threonine in haemolymph of C. albiceps prepupae was high when its larvae were fed bovine meat and chicken and cysteine was significantly high in case of larvae fed on bovine liver and fish. The concentration of the amino acid glutamic acid was the least when fish was offered as diet and the amino acid isoleucine and leucine were significantly low when larvae were fed bovine liver

Juvenile hormone analogues: effect on eggs of aedes caspius pallas [Diptera: culicidae]

Eight chemicals of the arylterpenoid group were evaluated for juvenile hormone activity against Aedes caspius egg [less than 12-hr old]. Four compounds out of them were effective. At 1 ppm and 0.1 ppm treated eggs with compound VI and compound I showed reduction in the per cent of pupation respectively. At 0.1 ppm compound VI showed reduction in per cent of hatching and pupation with elimination of the males from population, while with compound VII at 0.1 ppm a delayed toxic effect on the larval stage was observed

Absence of radioresistance of culex pipiens molestus forsk [diptera, culicidae] exposed to substerilizing doses of gamma radiation for five and eleven generations

Populations of 1-day-old pupae of Culex pipiens molestus Forsk exposed to substerilizing doses of irradiation [500, 1000, and 2000r] and [500 and 1000r], each generation for as many as 5 and 11 generations respectively, were treated with two additional acute doses of 4000 and 8000r in the 6th and 12th generation. Selected populations [F[6]] exposed to additional acute dose of 4000r showed a slight significant decrease in adult emergence. Previously treated populations [F[12]] with dose of 500 and 1000r showed a slight significant decrease and a slight increase in adult emergence respectively when exposed to additional dose of 4000r, although this slight increase is less than the control. Selected populations [F[6]] and [F[12]] exposed to additional acute dose of 8000r showed a slight significant increase in adult emergence. Additional doses of 4000 and 8000r to [F[6]] and [F[12]] had no significant effect on sex ratio. Radiation selected populations of [F[6]] and [F[12]] exposed to additional acute doses of 4000 and 8000r showed distinct significant increase in the mean survival rate of both males and females than the unirradiated populations. A significant decrease in the reproductive capacity and an increase in sterility were observed among radiation selected populations [F[6]] and [F[12]] females exposed to additional acute dose of 4000r. This decrease is positively correlated with the size of the applied dose and with the number of ancestral generations treated. Complete sterility was observed in the radiation selected populations [F[6]] and [F[12]] when exposed to additional acute dose of 8000r. Therefore exposure of the selected populations to two additional acute doses of 4000 and 8000r revealed no evidence of increased resistance to acute radiation even after eleven generations of selection

effect of chronic irradiation on the biology of culex pipiens molestus forsk [Diptera, culicidae] through successive generations

One-day-old pupae Culex pipiens molestus Forsk from F[1], F[3], F[5], F[8],F[11] and F[14] were exposed to 4 doses of gamma irradiation namely 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000r. A reduction in the percentage of adult emergence through successive generations was noticed with no significant effect on the sex ratio. At higher and lower doses, the survival rates of both sexes resulting from radiation selected population were significantly longer than the control. Fecundity and fertility were also affected by the chronic exposure, reduction in egg production and egg hatchability were observed, the higher the dose the lower the percentage of hatchability. No resistance was developed to chronic exposure by the radiation selected population of the Egyptian mosquito C. P. molestus

Effect of juvenile hormone analogues on aedes caspius pallas [Diptera: culicidae]

Two juvenile hormone analogues, Benzene, l-[[6,10-dimethyl-4,9-undecadienyl] oxy]-2,3,5-trimethyl-, [Z] and 9-Ethoxy-5,9-dimethyl-l-[[3,4-methylenedioxy]] phenoxy-3-decene, were evaluated for the control of Aedes caspius Pallas. These 2 juvenile hormone analogues were tested against early 4th instar larvae and newly formed pupae under constant temperature of 30 °C and 100% R.H. A. caspius Pallas larvae exposed for short as well as for long period to JHAs throughout the 4th instar show high percent mortality whether in presence or absence of food. Pupae showed no adverse effects in response to treatment