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. 2019:26:2.
doi: 10.1051/parasite/2019002. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Dirofilaria and Wolbachia in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in central European Russia and on the Black Sea coast

Elena Shaikevich  1 , Anna Bogacheva  2 , Ludmila Ganushkina  3
Affiliations

Dirofilaria and Wolbachia in mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in central European Russia and on the Black Sea coast

Elena Shaikevich et al. Parasite. 2019.

Abstract
in English, French

Dirofilariasis is endemic in Russia, as well as in many other European countries. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of mosquitoes to transfer Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens in regions with temperate and subtropical climates. The possible impact of the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia on Dirofilaria transmission was also investigated. 5333 female mosquitoes were collected at 11 points in central European Russia and on the Black Sea coast during the period 2013-2017. Out of 20 mosquito species examined, 14 were infected with D. repens and 13 with D. immitis. Both species of Dirofilaria were found in different climatic regions. The total Dirofilaria spp. estimated infection rate (EIR) in the central part of Russia varied from 3.1% to 3.7% and, in the southern region, from 1.1% to 3.0%. The highest estimated infection rate was found in Anopheles messeae, the lowest in Culex pipiens. The greatest epidemiological danger was represented by Aedes aegypti, Ae. geniculatus, An. messeae and Ae. communis. Six out of 20 mosquito species were infected with Wolbachia. Pools of Aedes albopictus, Cx. pipiens and Coquillettidia richiardii were simultaneously infected with Dirofilaria and Wolbachia. After checking mosquitoes individually, it was found that there was no development of Dirofilaria to the infective larval stage in specimens infected with Wolbachia. Twenty-two Dirofilaria-infective pools were Wolbachia-free and only two mosquito pools were Wolbachia-infected. The potential for transmission of Dirofilaria in mosquito species naturally uninfected with the symbiotic bacterium Wolbachia is higher than in species infected with the bacterium.

La dirofilariose est endémique en Russie, ainsi que dans de nombreux autres pays européens. L’objectif de ce travail était d’étudier la capacité des moustiques à transférer Dirofilaria immitis et Dirofilaria repens dans les régions à climat tempéré et subtropical. L’impact possible de la bactérie symbiotique Wolbachia sur la transmission de Dirofilaria a également été étudié. 5333 moustiques femelles ont été collectés en 11 points en Russie centrale et sur la côte de la mer Noire au cours de la période 2013–2017. Sur les 20 espèces de moustiques examinées, 14 étaient infectées par D. repens et 13 par D. immitis. Les deux espèces de Dirofilaria ont été trouvées dans différentes régions climatiques. Le taux total d’infection estimé des Dirofilaria spp. dans la partie centrale de la Russie variait de 3,1 à 3,7 % et de 1,1 à 3,0 % dans le sud. Le taux d’infection estimé le plus élevé a été observé chez Anopheles messeae et le plus faible chez Culex pipiens. Le plus grand danger épidémiologique était représenté par Aedes aegypti, Ae. geniculatus, An. messeae et Ae. communis. Six espèces de moustiques sur 20 étaient infectées par Wolbachia. Des pools d’Aedes albopictus, Cx. pipiens et Coquillettidia richiardii étaient infectés simultanément par Dirofilaria et Wolbachia. Après avoir examiné les moustiques individuellement, il a été trouvé que les Dirofilaria ne se sont pas développés au stade larvaire infectant chez les spécimens infectés par Wolbachia. Vingt-deux pools infectés par Dirofilaria étaient indemnes de Wolbachia et seulement deux pools de moustiques étaient infectées par Wolbachia. Le potentiel de transmission de Dirofilaria chez les espèces de moustiques naturellement non infectées par la bactérie symbiotique Wolbachia est plus élevé que chez les espèces infectées par la bactérie.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Map of mosquito sample sites and Dirofilaria infection rates (EIRs). EIR values for total D. immitis and D. repens are indicated in red. The exact names and geographical coordinates of the places of collection #1–11 are presented in SM1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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