The Identification of Potential Immunogenic Antigens in Particular Active Developmental Stages of the Rice Weevil (Sitophilus oryzae).

BACKGROUND: The rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) originates from subtropical and tropical areas of Asia and Africa, but it also appears on other continents, mostly as a result of trade in rice. It may occur in grain fields as well as in storage facilities, and cause allergenic reactions. The aim of this study was to identify the potential antigens in all developmental stages of S. oryzae, which may cause an allergic response in humans. METHODS: Sera of 30 patients were tested for the presence of IgE antibodies to antigens from three life stages of the rice weevil. To identify protein fractions containing potential allergens, proteins collected from larvae, pupae, and adults separated by sex of S. oryzae were fractionated by SDS-PAGE. Then, they were probed with anti-human, anti-IgE monoclonal antibodies, fractionated by SDS-PAGE and detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: In total, 26 protein fractions of males and 22 fractions of other life stages of S. oryzae (larvae, pupae, and females) positively reacted with the examined sera. CONCLUSIONS: The conducted study showed that S. oryzae may be a source of many antigens which may cause the potential allergic reactions in humans.

Hippobosca equina L. (Hippoboscidae: Hippobosca)-An Old Enemy as an Emerging Threat in the Palearctic Zone.

Arthropods of the Hippoboscoidea superfamily are parasites of animals from various systematic groups. Mass appearances of these insects and their attacks on people are increasingly being recorded. Their parasitism has a negative effect on host well-being, as it causes feelings of agitation and irritation as well as skin itching and damage. It may result in weight loss and development of diseases in the long-term perspective. Parasites can be a potential epidemiological threat for their hosts as well. One of such parasites is a cosmopolitan species of the Hippoboscinae subfamily-Hippobosca equina. Studies have confirmed the presence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis equi, Bartonella spp., and Anaplasma spp. in the organism of these insects. The frequency of anaphylactic reactions caused by H. equina attacks has been increasing. The aim of the present paper was to summarize the up-to-date knowledge of Hippobosca equina Linnaeus, 1758 due to its significance in medical and veterinary sciences as a potential vector of pathogens. Given the increasing expansion of ectoparasites, mainly related to climate change, ensuring animal welfare and human health is a priority.

Two New Haplotypes of Bartonella sp. Isolated from Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) in SE Poland.

Insects of the genus Lipoptena are parasitic arthropods with a broad host range. Due to the type of parasitism (hematophagy), their potential role as vectors of pathogens, i.e., Bartonella sp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia burgdorferi is considered. As the range of their occurrence has been changing dynamically in recent years and infestations of humans have increasingly been reported, these organisms are now the subject of numerous studies. Our research aimed to present the molecular characteristics of Bartonella sp. detected in Lipoptena fortisetosa parasitizing wild cervids in south-eastern Poland. Adults of Lipoptena spp. were collected from carcasses of roe deer and red deer between spring and autumn in 2013. The PCR method was used to detect Bartonella sp. in the insects. We report two new haplotypes of the rpoB gene of Bartonella sp. isolated from L. fortisetosa feeding on wild cervids in south-eastern Poland and the presence of this invasive ectoparasitic species in the studied area since 2013. Phylogenetic analyses of newly obtained Bartonella sp. haplotypes confirmed their unique position on the constructed tree and network topology. The rpoB gene sequences found belonging to lineage B support the view that this phylogenetic lineage represents a novel Bartonella species.

Occurrence and Abundance of Dermacentor reticulatus in the Habitats of the Ecological Corridor of the Wieprz River, Eastern Poland.

Ecological corridors are zones of natural vegetation, which connect with other vegetation strips to create migration routes for animals and plants. The aim of our study was to investigate the occurrence and relative abundance of Dermacentor reticulatus in various habitats of the ecological corridor of the Wieprz River in eastern Poland. Ticks were collected using the flagging method in seven sites within the ecological corridor of the Wieprz River, i.e., one of the longest uninterrupted vegetation strips in eastern Poland. The presence of D. reticulatus adults was confirmed in each of the examined sites. The autumn peak of tick activity dominated in most plots. During this period, on average up to 309.7 individuals were collected within 30-min. The results of our study show that, due to the high abundance of local D. reticulatus populations, the habitats located in the ecological corridor of the Wieprz River can be regarded as preferred habitats of this tick species.

Exposure of Humans to Attacks by Deer Keds and Consequences of Their Bites-A Case Report with Environmental Background.

Insects of the genus Lipoptena, e.g., Lipoptena cervi and Lipoptena fortisetosa, are hematophagic ectoparasites mainly attacking deer, roe deer, moose, horses, and cattle. Humans may also be incidental hosts for these insects. The species are vectors of numerous pathogens, including Bartonella schoenbuchensis, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Due to the short time of feeding on humans, usually painless bites, and an initially small trace at the site of the bite, the symptoms reported by the patient may not be associated with deer ked infestation and infection with pathogens transmitted by these arthropods. The aim of the study was to describe the consequences of L. cervi bites in humans with detailed documentation of the development of skin lesions. The knowledge about skin lesions arising after deer ked bites may be useful in clinical practice for monitoring patients for the presence of pathogens transmitted by the parasites.

The level of habitat patchiness influences movement strategy of moose in Eastern Poland.

Spatio-temporal variation in resource availability leads to a variety of animal movement strategies. In the case of ungulates, temporally unpredictable landscapes are associated with nomadism, while high predictability in the resource distribution favours migratory or sedentary behaviours depending on the spatial and temporal scale of landscape dynamics. As most of the surveys on moose (Alces alces) movement behaviours in Europe have been conducted on Scandinavian populations, little is known about the movement strategies of moose at the southern edge of the species' range. We expected that decreasing habitat patchiness in central Europe would be associated with the prevalence of migratory behaviours. To verify this hypothesis, we analysed 32 moose fitted with GPS collars from two study areas in eastern Poland which differed in a level of habitat patchiness. We classified moose movements using the net squared displacement method. As presumed, lower patchiness in the Biebrza study site was associated with the predominance of individuals migrating short-distance, while in more patchy landscape of Polesie, resident moose dominated. At the individual level, the propensity of moose to migrate decreased with increasing abundance of forest habitats in their summer ranges. In addition, the parameters (migration distance, timing and duration) for migratory individuals varied substantially between individuals and years. Yet, in spring individual moose expressed a consistent migration timing across years. There was little synchronization of migration timing between individuals from the same population both in spring and autumn, which may have been related to mild weather conditions. We observed that moose postponed their migrations and started movement toward summer ranges at a similar time window in years when spring was delayed due to harsh weather. Hence, in light of global warming, we presume further changes in animal movements will arise.

Ascaridole-rich essential oil from marsh rosemary (Ledum palustre) growing in Poland exerts insecticidal activity on mosquitoes, moths and flies without serious effects on non-target organisms and human cells.

Marsh rosemary (Ledum palustre, Ericaceae) has been widely used in the traditional medicine of various regions worldwide, and as insect repellent. Little is known on its essential oil insecticidal potential. This study explored the insecticidal effects of the essential oil obtained from L. palustre growing in Poland on selected insect pests and vectors. GC-MS analysis evidenced an uncommon chemotype characterized by ascaridole (35.3% as sum of cis-ascaridole and isoascaridole) and p-cymene (25.5%). The essential oil was effective against Culex quinquefasciatus, Spodoptera littoralis and Musca domestica, showing LC50/LD50 of 66.6 mg L-1, 117.2 µg larva-1 and 61.4 µg adult-1, respectively. It was not toxic to non-target Eisenia fetida earthworms and moderately toxic to Daphnia magna microcrustaceans, over the positive control α-cypermethrin. The essential oil cytotoxicity on human keratinocytes and fibroblasts showed high IC50 values (71.3 and 84.4 µg mL-1, respectively). Comet assay data highlighted no DNA damages. Based on our findings, this essential oil, characterized by the ascaridole/p-cymene chemotype, could be a candidate for the formulation of botanical insecticides; large-scale production of green insecticides by this rare species may be assured by ex situ cultivation and biotechnological techniques.