Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Jul 21;9(7):e0003941.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003941. eCollection 2015.

A Field Study in Benin to Investigate the Role of Mosquitoes and Other Flying Insects in the Ecology of Mycobacterium ulcerans

Barnabas Zogo  1 , Armel Djenontin  1 , Kevin Carolan  2 , Jeremy Babonneau  3 , Jean-François Guegan  2 , Sara Eyangoh  4 , Estelle Marion  5
Affiliations

A Field Study in Benin to Investigate the Role of Mosquitoes and Other Flying Insects in the Ecology of Mycobacterium ulcerans

Barnabas Zogo et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Buruli ulcer, the third mycobacterial disease after tuberculosis and leprosy, is caused by the environmental mycobacterium M. ulcerans. There is at present no clear understanding of the exact mode(s) of transmission of M. ulcerans. Populations affected by Buruli ulcer are those living close to humid and swampy zones. The disease is associated with the creation or the extension of swampy areas, such as construction of dams or lakes for the development of agriculture. Currently, it is supposed that insects (water bugs and mosquitoes) are host and vector of M. ulcerans. The role of water bugs was clearly demonstrated by several experimental and environmental studies. However, no definitive conclusion can yet be drawn concerning the precise importance of this route of transmission. Concerning the mosquitoes, DNA was detected only in mosquitoes collected in Australia, and their role as host/vector was never studied by experimental approaches. Surprisingly, no specific study was conducted in Africa. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the role of mosquitoes (larvae and adults) and other flying insects in ecology of M. ulcerans. This study was conducted in a highly endemic area of Benin.

Methodology/principal findings: Mosquitoes (adults and larvae) were collected over one year, in Buruli ulcer endemic in Benin. In parallel, to monitor the presence of M. ulcerans in environment, aquatic insects were sampled. QPCR was used to detected M. ulcerans DNA. DNA of M. ulcerans was detected in around 8.7% of aquatic insects but never in mosquitoes (larvae or adults) or in other flying insects.

Conclusion/significance: This study suggested that the mosquitoes don't play a pivotal role in the ecology and transmission of M. ulcerans in the studied endemic areas. However, the role of mosquitoes cannot be excluded and, we can reasonably suppose that several routes of transmission of M. ulcerans are possible through the world.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Location of the sites used for environmental sampling in the area of Buruli ulcer endemicity in the Oueme Valley in Benin.
A. Area of Buruli ulcer endemicity in the Oueme Valley in South-East Benin (red rectangle). B. Map indicating the sites at which flying insects and larvae were collected (red points) and aquatic sampling was carried out (green points). C. Map showing the locations along the Oueme River of Buruli ulcer patients, from 2010 to 2013 (cumulative cases in black points).
Fig 2
Fig 2. Schematic summary of the environmental sampling and detection of M. ulcerans by PCR.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Asiedu K, Etuaful S (1998) Socioeconomic implications of Buruli ulcer in Ghana: a three-year review. Am J Trop Med Hyg 59: 1015–1022. - PubMed
    1. Asiedu K, Sherpbier R, Raviglione MC (2000) Buruli Ulcer Mycobacterium ulcerans infection. W.H.O. Global Buruli Ulcer initiative. Report 2000 World Health Organisation Geneva Switzerland.
    1. Vincent QB, Ardant MF, Adeye A, Goundote A, Saint-Andre JP, Cottin J, et al. (2014) Clinical epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed Buruli ulcer in Benin: a cohort study. Lancet Glob Health 2: e422–430. 10.1016/S2214-109X(14)70223-2 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Marion E, Song OR, Christophe T, Babonneau J, Fenistein D, Eyer J, et al. (2014) Mycobacterial toxin induces analgesia in buruli ulcer by targeting the angiotensin pathways. Cell 157: 1565–1576. 10.1016/j.cell.2014.04.040 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Chauty A, Ardant MF, Adeye A, Euverte H, Guedenon A, Johnson C, et al. (2007) Promising clinical efficacy of streptomycin-rifampin combination for treatment of buruli ulcer (Mycobacterium ulcerans disease). Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51: 4029–4035. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources