Search results for "infectious disease"
showing 10 items of 2822 documents
Genetic and phenotypic variation of the malaria vector Anopheles atroparvus in southern Europe
2011
Abstract Background There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Methods Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatell…
An optimised multi-host trematode life cycle: fishery discards enhance trophic parasite transmission to scavenging birds
2016
Overlapping distributions of hosts and parasites are critical for successful completion of multi-host parasite life cycles and even small environmental changes can impact on the parasite's presence in a host or habitat. The generalist Cardiocephaloides longicollis was used as a model for multi-host trematode life cycles in marine habitats. This parasite was studied to quantify parasite dispersion and transmission dynamics, effects of biological changes and anthropogenic impacts on life cycle completion. We compiled the largest host dataset to date, by analysing 3351 molluscs (24 species), 2108 fish (25 species) and 154 birds (17 species) and analysed the resultant data based on a number of …
Host manipulation in the face of environmental changes: Ecological consequences
2015
Several parasite species, particularly those having complex life-cycles, are known to induce phenotypic alterations in their hosts. Most often, such alterations appear to increase the fitness of the parasites at the expense of that of their hosts, a phenomenon known as “host manipulation”. Host manipulation can have important consequences, ranging from host population dynamics to ecosystem engineering. So far, the importance of environmental changes for host manipulation has received little attention. However, because manipulative parasites are embedded in complex systems, with many interacting components, changes in the environment are likely to affect those systems in various ways. Here, …
III. Biochemistry of S-layers
1997
During evolution prokaryotes have developed different envelope structures exterior to the cell wall proper. Among these surface components are regularly arranged S-layers and capsules. The structural characterization and the detailed chemical analysis of these surface molecules is a prerequisite to understand their biosynthesis and functional role(s) at the molecular level. Of particular interest are the glycosylated S-layer proteins which belong to the first prokaryotic glycoproteins ever described. Their characterization was performed on strains belonging to the thermophilic Bacillaceae and included structural studies and experiments to learn about the pathways for the glycan biosynthesis…
Root fungal endophytes: identity, phylogeny and roles in plant tolerance to metal stress.
2021
International audience; Metal trace elements accumulate in soils mainly because of anthropic activities, leading living organisms to develop strategies to handle metal toxicity. Plants often associate with root endophytic fungi, including nonmycorrhizal fungi, and some of these organisms are associated with metal tolerance. The lack of synthetic analyses of plant-endophyte-metal tripartite systems and the scant consideration for taxonomy led to this review aiming (1) to inventory non-mycorrhizal root fungal endophytes described with respect to their taxonomic diversity and (2) to determine the mutualistic roles of these plant-fungus associations under metal stress. More than 1500 species in…
Eimeria-parasites are associated with a lowered mother's and offspring's body condition in island and mainland populations of the bank vole.
2006
This study, based on correlative data, tests the hypothesis that infections withEimeriaspp. parasites exert a significant loss of fitness of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) reflected in lower reproductive success and survival, declining host population densities and are associated positively with population size. The study was conducted in 20 mainland and 27 island populations in central Finland during May–September in 1999. Faecal samples showed that 28% of 767 individuals were infected withEimeriaspp. The presence ofEimeriaparasites was higher in dense mainland populations than in sparsely populated islands. Eimerian infections increased during the course of the breeding season, prob…
Intraspecific variability in host manipulation by parasites
2011
8 pages; International audience; Manipulative parasites have the capacity to alter a broad range of phenotypic traits in their hosts, extending from colour, morphology and behaviour. While significant attention has been devoted to describing the diversity of host manipulation among parasite clades, and testing the adaptive value of phenotypic traits that can be manipulated, there is increasing evidence that variation exists in the frequency and intensity of the changes displayed by parasitized individuals within single host-manipulative parasite systems. Such variability occurs within individuals, between individuals of a same population, and across populations. Here we review the non-genet…
Patterns of intermediate host use and levels of association between two conflicting manipulative parasites.
2002
For many parasites with complex life cycles, manipulation of intermediate host phenotypes is often regarded as an adaptation to increase the probability of successful transmission. This phenomenon creates opportunities for either synergistic or conflicting interests between different parasite species sharing the same intermediate host. When more than one manipulative parasite infect the same intermediate host, but differ in their definitive host, selection should favour the establishment of a negative association between these manipulators. Both Polymorphus minutus and Pomphorhynchus laevis exploit the amphipod Gammarus pulex as intermediate host but differ markedly in their final host, a f…
Experimental evidence for a cost of resistance to the fungal pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, for the palmate newt, Lissotriton helveticus
2013
Background Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of chytridiomycosis, is decimating amphibians worldwide. Unsurprisingly, the majority of studies have therefore concentrated on documenting morbidity and mortality of susceptible species and projecting population consequences as a consequence of this emerging infectious disease. Currently, there is a paucity of studies investigating the sub-lethal costs of Bd in apparently asymptomatic species, particularly in controlled experimental conditions. Here we report the consequences of a single dose of B. dendrobatidis zoospores on captive adult palmate newts (Lissotriton helveticus) for morphological and behavioural traits that …
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PLASMODIUM RELICTUM INFECTION IN THE HOUSE SPARROW.
2014
International audience; : Abstract In vertebrates, multiple host characteristics and environmental factors are known to influence infectious disease dynamics. Here, we investigated variability in prevalence and parasitemia of Plasmodium relictum in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), across a large number of rural and urban populations (n = 16). We found that prevalence was not predicted by any of the host traits investigated (age, sex, body mass or wing length). However, parasitemia was significantly higher in females when compared to males and in 1-yr-olds as compared to older individuals. Neither prevalence nor parasitemia differed according to habitat type (urban vs. rural). These re…