Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites
The hemoflagellate parasite <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> is transmitted by triatomine kissing bugs and may co-infect humans together with its Chagas disease-causing congener <i>T. cruzi</i>. Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and antimicrobial assa...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Sanam Meraj Phillip Phung Kelvin Lau Carl Lowenberger Gerhard Gries |
| author_facet | Sanam Meraj Phillip Phung Kelvin Lau Carl Lowenberger Gerhard Gries |
| author_sort | Sanam Meraj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The hemoflagellate parasite <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> is transmitted by triatomine kissing bugs and may co-infect humans together with its Chagas disease-causing congener <i>T. cruzi</i>. Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and antimicrobial assays, we studied (<i>i</i>) the temporal and spatial distribution of <i>T. rangeli</i> in common bed bugs, <i>Cimex lectularius</i>, following oral ingestion and hemocoelic injection of <i>T. rangeli,</i> and (<i>ii</i>) the immune responses of bed bugs induced by <i>T. rangeli</i> infections. Irrespective of infection mode, no live <i>T. rangeli</i> were present in the bed bugs’ hemolymph, salivary glands, or feces. On day 1 following infection, the bed bugs strongly upregulated the antimicrobial peptide CL-defensin. Following hemocoelic injection of <i>T. rangeli</i>, live parasites were absent in any bed bug tissues examined throughout the 10-day study period. The ingestion of <i>T. rangeli</i>-infected blood had no significant effect on bed bug survival. Our findings indicate that bed bugs disable the development of <i>T. rangeli</i> within their body, in stark contrast to triatomine kissing bugs, which allow the development and transmission of <i>T. rangeli</i>. Our findings help unravel the intricate relationships between bed bugs and trypanosomes, and they contribute to our understanding of vector biology. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2073-4409 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-01cc672e9f0e452db90e652c0fe69e1c2025-08-20T02:55:56ZengMDPI AGCells2073-44092024-12-011324204210.3390/cells13242042Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> ParasitesSanam Meraj0Phillip Phung1Kelvin Lau2Carl Lowenberger3Gerhard Gries4Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, CanadaThe hemoflagellate parasite <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> is transmitted by triatomine kissing bugs and may co-infect humans together with its Chagas disease-causing congener <i>T. cruzi</i>. Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and antimicrobial assays, we studied (<i>i</i>) the temporal and spatial distribution of <i>T. rangeli</i> in common bed bugs, <i>Cimex lectularius</i>, following oral ingestion and hemocoelic injection of <i>T. rangeli,</i> and (<i>ii</i>) the immune responses of bed bugs induced by <i>T. rangeli</i> infections. Irrespective of infection mode, no live <i>T. rangeli</i> were present in the bed bugs’ hemolymph, salivary glands, or feces. On day 1 following infection, the bed bugs strongly upregulated the antimicrobial peptide CL-defensin. Following hemocoelic injection of <i>T. rangeli</i>, live parasites were absent in any bed bug tissues examined throughout the 10-day study period. The ingestion of <i>T. rangeli</i>-infected blood had no significant effect on bed bug survival. Our findings indicate that bed bugs disable the development of <i>T. rangeli</i> within their body, in stark contrast to triatomine kissing bugs, which allow the development and transmission of <i>T. rangeli</i>. Our findings help unravel the intricate relationships between bed bugs and trypanosomes, and they contribute to our understanding of vector biology.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/24/2042<i>Cimex lectularius</i><i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i>Chagas disease<i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i>vector competenceimmune response |
| spellingShingle | Sanam Meraj Phillip Phung Kelvin Lau Carl Lowenberger Gerhard Gries Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites Cells <i>Cimex lectularius</i> <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Chagas disease <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> vector competence immune response |
| title | Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites |
| title_full | Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites |
| title_fullStr | Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites |
| title_full_unstemmed | Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites |
| title_short | Common Bed Bugs: Non-Viable Hosts for <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Parasites |
| title_sort | common bed bugs non viable hosts for i trypanosoma rangeli i parasites |
| topic | <i>Cimex lectularius</i> <i>Trypanosoma rangeli</i> Chagas disease <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> vector competence immune response |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/24/2042 |
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