Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, P.O. Box 8042-1, Statesboro, GA, 30460, USA.
Dev Comp Immunol. 2019 Sep;98:76-79. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.03.019. Epub 2019 Apr 16.
The immune response of arthropod vectors plays a key role in the spread and transmission of vector-borne diseases. Although fleas transmit several human pathogens (e.g., Bartonella henselae, Rickettsia felis, R. typhi, and Yersinia pestis), few studies have examined how these vectors respond to infection. In hematophagous arthropods, imbibed pathogens must survive the hostile environment of blood meal digestion, which includes proteolytic digestive enzymes, protease inhibitors and expression of genes associated with protection of epithelial linings. Additionally, insect epithelial cells exhibit local immune defense against ingested pathogens by producing antimicrobial peptides and reactive oxygen species. This review details these and other aspects of insect immunity as it relates to fleas, with an emphasis on the gut immune response to two blood-borne pathogens, R. typhi and Y. pestis.
节肢动物媒介的免疫反应在虫媒病的传播和传播中起着关键作用。尽管跳蚤传播几种人类病原体（例如，巴尔通体亨氏亚种、猫立克次体、伤寒杆菌和鼠疫耶尔森菌），但很少有研究检查这些媒介如何对感染做出反应。在吸血节肢动物中，被吸收的病原体必须在血液消化的恶劣环境中存活下来，其中包括蛋白水解消化酶、蛋白酶抑制剂和与保护上皮衬里相关的基因表达。此外，昆虫上皮细胞通过产生抗菌肽和活性氧来对摄入的病原体产生局部免疫防御。本综述详细介绍了与跳蚤有关的昆虫免疫的这些和其他方面，重点介绍了肠道对两种血源性病原体，伤寒杆菌和鼠疫耶尔森菌的免疫反应。
