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Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya

Phlebotomine sand flies transmit many viral protozoan and bacterial pathogens of public health importance. Knowledge of the ecologic factors influencing their distribution at local scale can provide insights into disease epidemiology and avenues for targeted control. Animal sheds, termite mounds and...

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Autores principales: Hassaballa, Iman B., Torto, Baldwyn, Sole, Catherine L., Tchouassi, David P.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7877749/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33524028
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009062
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author Hassaballa, Iman B.
Torto, Baldwyn
Sole, Catherine L.
Tchouassi, David P.
author_facet Hassaballa, Iman B.
Torto, Baldwyn
Sole, Catherine L.
Tchouassi, David P.
author_sort Hassaballa, Iman B.
collection PubMed
description Phlebotomine sand flies transmit many viral protozoan and bacterial pathogens of public health importance. Knowledge of the ecologic factors influencing their distribution at local scale can provide insights into disease epidemiology and avenues for targeted control. Animal sheds, termite mounds and houses are important peri-domestic and domestic habitats utilized by different sand flies as resting or breeding habitats. However, our knowledge for selection of these habitats by sand flies remains poor. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these habitat types harbor different composition of sand fly species and differ in their volatile chemistry that could influence sand fly selection. To achieve this, we employed CDC light traps following a cross-sectional survey to investigate the distribution of sand flies in the three habitats in an endemic site for leishmaniasis in Kenya. The study was carried out during the dry season, when sand flies are optimally abundant in 2018 and 2020. Sand fly abundance did not vary between the habitats, but species-specific differences in abundance was evident. Measures of sand fly community structure (Shannon diversity and richness) were highest in animal shed, followed by termite mound and lowest inside human dwelling (house). This finding indicates broader attraction of both sexes of sand flies and females of varying physiological states to animal sheds potentially used as breeding or resting sites, but also as a signal for host presence for a blood meal. Furthermore, gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of volatiles collected from represented substrates associated with these habitats viz: human foot odor on worn socks (houses indoors), cow dung (animal sheds) and termite mounds (enclosed vent), revealed a total of 47 volatile organic compounds. Of these, 26, 35 and 16 were detected in human socks, cow dung and enclosed termite vent, respectively. Of these volatiles, 1-octen-3-ol, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, α-pinene, benzyl alcohol, m-cresol, p-cresol and decanal, previously known as attractants for sandflies and other blood-feeding insects, were common to the habitats. Our results suggest that habitat volatiles may contribute to the composition of sand flies and highlight their potential for use in monitoring sand fly populations.
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spelling pubmed-78777492021-02-19 Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya Hassaballa, Iman B. Torto, Baldwyn Sole, Catherine L. Tchouassi, David P. PLoS Negl Trop Dis Research Article Phlebotomine sand flies transmit many viral protozoan and bacterial pathogens of public health importance. Knowledge of the ecologic factors influencing their distribution at local scale can provide insights into disease epidemiology and avenues for targeted control. Animal sheds, termite mounds and houses are important peri-domestic and domestic habitats utilized by different sand flies as resting or breeding habitats. However, our knowledge for selection of these habitats by sand flies remains poor. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these habitat types harbor different composition of sand fly species and differ in their volatile chemistry that could influence sand fly selection. To achieve this, we employed CDC light traps following a cross-sectional survey to investigate the distribution of sand flies in the three habitats in an endemic site for leishmaniasis in Kenya. The study was carried out during the dry season, when sand flies are optimally abundant in 2018 and 2020. Sand fly abundance did not vary between the habitats, but species-specific differences in abundance was evident. Measures of sand fly community structure (Shannon diversity and richness) were highest in animal shed, followed by termite mound and lowest inside human dwelling (house). This finding indicates broader attraction of both sexes of sand flies and females of varying physiological states to animal sheds potentially used as breeding or resting sites, but also as a signal for host presence for a blood meal. Furthermore, gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of volatiles collected from represented substrates associated with these habitats viz: human foot odor on worn socks (houses indoors), cow dung (animal sheds) and termite mounds (enclosed vent), revealed a total of 47 volatile organic compounds. Of these, 26, 35 and 16 were detected in human socks, cow dung and enclosed termite vent, respectively. Of these volatiles, 1-octen-3-ol, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, α-pinene, benzyl alcohol, m-cresol, p-cresol and decanal, previously known as attractants for sandflies and other blood-feeding insects, were common to the habitats. Our results suggest that habitat volatiles may contribute to the composition of sand flies and highlight their potential for use in monitoring sand fly populations. Public Library of Science 2021-02-01 /pmc/articles/PMC7877749/ /pubmed/33524028 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009062 Text en © 2021 Hassaballa et al http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
spellingShingle Research Article
Hassaballa, Iman B.
Torto, Baldwyn
Sole, Catherine L.
Tchouassi, David P.
Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya
title Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya
title_full Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya
title_fullStr Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya
title_short Exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, Kenya
title_sort exploring the influence of different habitats and their volatile chemistry in modulating sand fly population structure in a leishmaniasis endemic foci, kenya
topic Research Article
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7877749/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33524028
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009062
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