Simposio: Eco-Biología de vectores

SIMPOSIO

Eco-biología de vectores

COORDINA: Marcelo LORENZO

Biología de vectores

Este simposio reunirá a autores que representan a cinco países de América Latina, quienes presentarán sus avances recientes en diversos aspectos de la biología de vectores. Cuatro ponentes tienen la intención de participar de manera presencial, mientras que el tercero realizará su presentación de forma remota.

El evento comenzará con una breve introducción de 30 segundos a cargo del coordinador del subcomité, seguida de cinco presentaciones de 15 minutos cada una. Se destinarán dos minutos después de cada ponencia para que el público pueda plantear dudas, comentarios o ideas relacionadas. Finalmente, se dedicarán aproximadamente cuatro minutos al cierre para abordar preguntas comunes o sugerencias generales.

Exploring the triatomine-trypanosome interactions

Guarneri, A.A. 

Vector Behavior and Pathogen Interaction Group, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
alessandra.guarneri@fiocruz.br

Triatomines, commonly known as kissing bugs, are hematophagous insects that act as vectors for Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, a significant public health issue in Latin America. Our research has focused on deepening the understanding of the interactions between T. cruzi and their triatomine hosts, with a particular emphasis on physiological and behavioral aspects, as well as in the impact of environmental changes on these interactions. We have demonstrated that T. cruzi epimastigogenesis occurs in the posterior midgut of the insect and its development is mostly at the rectum. The parasite induces significant metabolic alterations and reduces microbiota diversity in the intestinal tract of the insect during the early stages of infection. Changes in microbiota composition also occur in chronic infections. Additionally, T. cruzi infection alters the activity patterns of the vector, decreasing locomotor activity in the absence of host cues. However, in the presence of a host, infected bugs exhibit an increase in approach behavior, which renders them more susceptible to predation compared to uninfected conspecifics. These behavioral changes possibly enhance the transmission rates of the parasite. The pathogenic effects of T. cruzi on the insect host depend on multiple factors, including the parasite strain, infection dose, the insect nutritional state, and environmental temperature. The latter two factors are key modulators of parasite development within the vector. 

Keywords: Triatomine, Trypanosoma, Interaction

A journey inside the endocrine glands of the mosquito

NORIEGA, Fernando G1, NOUZOVA, Marcela1.

1 Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
E-mail address: fnoriega@prf.jcu.cz

In the larvae of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, the three most important endocrine glands, the corpora allata (CA), the corpora cardiaca (CC), and the prothoracic gland (PG), together form the glandular complexes (GC). Using confocal laser scanning microscopy in combination with immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, ultrastructural expansion microscopy, and apoptosis studies, we were able to identify the different cell types of the GC and follow their fate during metamorphosis. Our studies revealed that the CC is not a well-defined organ but consists of individual cells randomly distributed within the GC and CA-CC complexes. Furthermore, imaging and in situ hybridization show that the CA is a compact organ composed of a single cell type. We observed that CA and CC survive during the larval-to-adult transition, while PG undergoes apoptosis and disappears within the first 24 h of adult life. We are employing single cell sequencing to further understand the biology of these three type of endocrine cells. This study lays the foundation for a more detailed understanding of the structure and changes in the major endocrine organs of mosquitoes, which are vectors of several important infectious diseases.

Keywords: mosquito, hormone, reproduction.

The biology and ecology of Culiciodes species in West-Central Colombia

Santamaria Erika1, Cabrera Olga Lucía1, Ahumada Martha1, Pardo Raul1.

1 Grupo de Entomología, Instituto Nacional de Salud, Bogotá,Colombia
E-mail address: corresponding author: esantamaria@ins.gov.co

Given the complaints of the community, and the reports from the health authorities of the western Boyacá, Colombia by the annoyance and dermatological problems caused by the continuous bites of the Culicoides, this study was proposed with the following phases: I. Conduct a preliminary diagnosis of the problematic, determining the affected area, the gravity of the annoyance, the species of Culicoides involved, and their abundance, II. Determine basic aspects of the biology and behavior of the most abundant Culicoides species, and III. Select and evaluate measures to reduce the bite-rate of Culicoides sp. In the preliminary diagnosis it was possible to determine that the annoyance is caused by the biting of Culicoides pachymerus, with abundances of up to 52 bites/person/5 min, and it is concentrated in the rural area of nine municipalities, in the slopes of the Central Magdalena valley on the Eastern Mountain Range, below 1,000 m.a.s.l. The affected population consists of about 15,000 people. As far as the biting behavior of C. pachymerus, the following aspects were established: 1) the periphery of the houses ‘peridomicilio’ (immediate surroundings of the houses: up to 30 m) is the habitat with greatest biting activity, and therefore the site of greater risk of human-Culicoides contact, 2) this species has a notorious biting rate throughout the year, with an apparent higher activity during the winter months (April and October) and 3) although C. pachymerus is active throughout the day, it presents a peak of  greater biting activity between 15:00 and 18:00 h. As far as the sites of rest for this species, within the periphery of the houses, there was evidence of resting on the internal and external walls of the houses, and on tree trunks around the house. Having the previous studies as basis, it was decided to evaluate the effectiveness of two personal protection measures, application of insect-repellant soap Nopikex® on the skin and the application of mineral oil (cosmetic degree), to diminish the bite rate of C. pachymerus. Both measures offered a high protection factor (>90%) against the bites of this insect and sustained reasonable protection in conditions of activity and perspiration. Finally, the results of the project will allow to direct the municipal plans for the education of the community and the handling of the annoyance caused by the Culicoides.

Keywords: Culicoides, Ecology, Colombia

Establishment of a data-driven tool to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying host competence in mosquito vectors

MOSQUERA, Katherine D.1, MORETTI, Nilmar S.2, RIOS-VELÁSQUEZ, Claudia M.3, BARRENÄS, Fredrik1,4 & ANKARKLEV, Johan1*

1 Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
2 Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
3 Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil.
4 Mavatar Ltd., Stockholm, Sweden.  
E-mail address: johan.ankarklev@su.se

Understanding how mosquitoes respond to infection at the molecular level is essential for controlling the spread of vector-borne diseases. Although genomic resources and transcriptomic datasets have grown rapidly in recent years, our ability to extract meaningful biological insight from them remains constrained by dependence on predefined annotations and conventional gene-by-gene differential expression approaches. To overcome these challenges, this study aims to identify key immune pathways and gene regulatory networks that shape pathogen susceptibility in mosquitoes. For this purpose, we integrate large-scale transcriptomic data with experimental infections involving symbiotic bacteria and malaria parasites. Specifically, we apply an unsupervised, gene network inference method, to a curated dataset of 1,747 transcriptomes from 10 mosquito species and 8 pathogens. These data include a variety of biological contexts, including infection status, immune activation, and tissue-specific responses. In parallel, we generate new RNA-seq datasets from midguts collected at defined timepoints following experimental infections in Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex mosquitoes. Combining public and newly generated data enables the construction of predictive immune modules linked to infection outcomes. By focusing on emergent network structures rather than predefined annotations, this systems-level approach advances mechanistic understanding of mosquito-pathogen interactions. The resulting knowledge can support vector control strategies that target immune bottlenecks or microbial interactions and enable the development of scalable, field-adaptable surveillance tools. Ultimately, this work contributes to efforts in predictive disease ecology, vector population management, and outbreak preparedness under shifting ecological conditions.

Keywords: Vector competence, Mosquito-microbe interactions, Network-based prediction

Créditos de las imágenes utilizadas en esta página web
Aedes dorsalis, imagen por bradenjudson, CC 1.0, Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aedes_dorsalis.png) | Las imágenes de las personas miembro de los distintos comités de LA SOVE RELCOV 2025 así como las imágenes de los/as oradores/as fueron provistas por las mismas personas para uso exclusivo en esta página web. Los/as autores/as de estas imágenes se reservan el derecho de uso y reproducción de las mismas.

Cronograma del evento (1)

Jueves 23
-