Tamuton Atoh Cedric Munu, Mfopit Youssouf Mouliom, Yusuf Aminu Bashir, Mahbou Peter Yunenui, Gouegni Edwige Flore, Amos Grace Amarachi, Mamman Mohammed, Adamu Auwal, Chechet Gloria Dada, Kabir Junaidu
Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 Aug 13;21(1):514. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04959-7.
Tsetse flies are vectors of African trypanosomiasis, a disease that affects both humans and animals. Trypanosomiasis remains a threat to lives and it is an impediment to socio-economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. In spite of decades of chemotherapy and vector control, the disease has not been eradicated. Parasitic drug resistance has been developed to existing drugs, while vector control strategies are expensive and unsustainable. Therefore, there is a need to explore other control approaches, such as the transformation of tsetse fly endosymbionts to render the fly refractory to trypanosome infection. This research focused on investigating the prevalence and triparty association of infection of trypanosomes with some endosymbionts of tsetse flies from Yankari Game Reserve.
Tsetse flies were captured using biconical traps, identified morphologically, dissected and their entire guts were isolated and used for DNA extraction. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used in confirming the identity of the tsetse flies by amplifying the cytochrome C oxidase-1 gene. PCR was also used to screen for the presence of endosymbionts (Sodalis glossinidius, Wolbachia, and Spiroplasma sp.) and trypanosomes.
Glossina tachinoides was the only vector species identified. Trypanosome infection rate was 10.70% with Trypanosoma grayi being the most prevalent (9.78%) amongst the three trypanosome species detected. The prevalence of Wolbachia and Spiroplasma species were 2.80% and 40.8% respectively in flies. Sodalis glossinidius was not detected. There was an association between the presence of trypanosomes and Wolbachia, while no association was depicted between trypanosomes and Spiroplasma.
It has been observed from this study that the presence of Wolbachia seems to favour trypanosome infections. Investigation on the Wolbachia genetic polymorphism in tsetse could help to better understand this association.
采采蝇是非洲锥虫病的传播媒介，这种疾病会影响人类和动物。锥虫病仍然对生命构成威胁，并且是撒哈拉以南非洲社会经济发展的一个障碍。尽管进行了数十年的化学疗法和病媒控制，但该疾病仍未根除。寄生虫对现有药物产生了耐药性，而病媒控制策略成本高昂且不可持续。因此，有必要探索其他控制方法，例如改造采采蝇内共生菌以使采采蝇对锥虫感染具有抗性。本研究的重点是调查扬卡里野生动物保护区采采蝇的一些内共生菌与锥虫感染的流行情况及三方关联。
使用双锥形诱捕器捕获采采蝇，进行形态学鉴定，解剖后分离出整个肠道并用于DNA提取。聚合酶链反应（PCR）通过扩增细胞色素C氧化酶-1基因来确认采采蝇的身份。PCR还用于筛选内共生菌（嗜蝇 Sodalis菌、沃尔巴克氏体和螺原体属）和锥虫的存在情况。
仅鉴定出拟寄蝇采采蝇这一传播媒介物种。锥虫感染率为10.70%，在检测到的三种锥虫物种中，格氏锥虫最为常见（9.78%）。采采蝇中沃尔巴克氏体和螺原体属的感染率分别为2.80%和40.8%。未检测到嗜蝇Sodalis菌。锥虫的存在与沃尔巴克氏体之间存在关联，而锥虫与螺原体之间未显示出关联。
从本研究中观察到，沃尔巴克氏体的存在似乎有利于锥虫感染。对采采蝇中沃尔巴克氏体基因多态性的研究有助于更好地理解这种关联。
