First blood-meal record of Simulium asakoae (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Malaysia, with notes on its distribution in Asia and status as a potential vector
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2024
Abstract
Simulium asakoae Takaoka and Davies has been confirmed to bite humans and has been incriminated as a vector of blood protozoan parasites of the genera Leucocytozoon and Trypanosoma, as well as an unknown filarial parasite in Thailand. However, its attraction to humans has remained uninvestigated in Malaysia. Recently, 27 black flies were collected in Pahang, Malaysia, of which 25 were captured in CO2-baited Malaise traps and two were collected from humans during trapping activity. All specimens were morphologically identified as S. asakoae. Cytochrome c oxidase I sequences of the two specimens caught on humans showed 100% similarity with those of S. asakoae in the NCBI GenBank, confirming their morphological identity. Blood-meal analysis using a HALHARTM kit did not show the presence of domestic or wild animal DNA. However, human DNA was amplified from one engorged fly in the cytochrome b gene amplification assay, providing the first evidence of blood-feeding by S. asakoae in Malaysia.
Keywords
Public health, Malaise trap, infectious diseases, Onchocerca sp., zoonosis
Divisions
InstituteofBiologicalSciences,tidrec
Funders
Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia under the Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) niche area vector and vector-borne diseases (MO002-2019) ; (TIDREC-2023),Program Dana Langganan Sukuk Pakej Rangsangan Ekonomi Prihatin Rakyat (MO002-2021)
Publication Title
Tropical Biomedicine
Volume
41
Issue
3
Publisher
Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine
Publisher Location
21-5-2, BLOCK, E, DIAMOND SQUARE, JALAN 3-50, OFF JALAN GOMBAK, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA