Description of microsporidia in simulids: molecular and morphological characterization of microsporidia in the larvae of Simulium pertinax Kollar (Diptera: Simuliidae)

Author(s)

Vicente Guedes de Carvalho, Isabel Maria ^[1] ; Lopo de Queiroz, Artur Trancoso ^[2] ; de Moraes, Rosiane Brito ^[3] ; Gil, Helio Benites ^[4] ; Alves, Rafael ^[5] ; Pinto Viviani, Andrea de Barros ^[6] ; Becnel, James John ^[7] ; Pereira da Cunha de Araujo-Coutinho, Carlos Jose ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Inst Butantan, Parasitol Lab, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Ctr Pesquisa Goncalo Moniz, Lab Imunoparasitol, Salvador, BA - Brazil

^[3] Superintendencia Controle Endemias Estado Sao Paul, Lab Entomol Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Disciplina Infectol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Disciplina Gastroenterol, Dept Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[6] Superintendencia Controle Endemias, Lab Simulideos, Caraguatatuba, SP - Brazil

^[7] USDA, Mosquito & Fly Res Unit, Gainesville, FL - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical; v. 47, n. 5, p. 624-631, SEP-OCT 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Introduction: Microsporidia constitute the most common black fly pathogens, although the species' diversity, seasonal occurrence and transmission mechanisms remain poorly understood. Infections by this agent are often chronic and non-lethal, but they can cause reduced fecundity and decreased longevity. The objective of this study was to identify microsporidia infecting Simulium (Chirostilbia) pertinax (Kollar, 1832) larvae from Caraguatatuba, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, by molecular and morphological characterization. Methods: Larvae were collected at a single point in a stream in a rural area of the city and were kept under artificial aeration until analysis. Polydispyrenia spp. infection was characterized by the presence of at least 32 mononuclear spores measuring 6.9 +/- 1.0 x 5.0 +/- 0.7 mu m in persistent sporophorous vesicles. Similarly, Amblyospora spp. were characterized by the presence of eight uninucleate spores measuring 4.5 x 3.5 mu m in sporophorous vesicles. Results: The molecular analysis confirmed the presence of microsporidian DNA in the 8 samples (prevalence of 0.51%). Six samples (Brazilian larvae) were related to Polydispyrenia simulii and Caudospora palustris reference sequences but in separate clusters. One sample was clustered with Amblyospora spp. Edhazardia aedis was the positive control taxon. Conclusions: Samples identified as Polydispyrenia spp. and Amblyospora spp. were grouped with P. simulii and Amblyospora spp., respectively, corroborating previous results. However, the 16S gene tree showed a considerable distance between the black fly-infecting Amblyospora spp. and the mosquito-infecting spp. This distance suggests that these two groups are not congeneric. Additional genomic region evaluation is necessary to obtain a coherent phylogeny for this group. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/23947-0 - Entomopathogenic microorganisms for the control of vectors Diptera: molecular characterization, pathology and epidemiology
• Grantee: Carlos José Pereira da Cunha de Araújo Coutinho
• Support type: Regular Research Grants