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Oestridae is a family of flies, which includes species whose larvae are internal parasites of several species of mammals. Some species settle in the host's flesh, while others occur in the viscera. This study objective to report the characteristics of the Glossinidae Family. The research was carried out in studies related to quantitative aspects of the Family, Subfamily and Species (taxonomic groups) and conceptual aspects such as: biology, geographical distribution, species, life cycle, damage, laboratory creation, economic importance, medicinal importance, biological aspects, monitoring, control, and reproduction. A literature search was carried out containing articles published from 1950 to 2021. The mini-review was prepared in Goiânia, Goiás, from September to October 2021, through the Online Scientific Library (Scielo), internet, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Frontiers, Publons, Qeios, Portal of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences, Pubmed, Online Scientific Library (Scielo), internet, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, Frontiers, Biological Abstract, Publons, Qeios, Portal of Scientific Journals in Health Sciences, and Pubmed, Dialnet, World, Wide Science, Springer, RefSeek, Microsoft Academic, Science, ERIC, Science Research.com, SEEK education, Periódicos CAPES, Google Academic, Bioline International and VADLO.

The effect of human-associated habitat degradation on tsetse populations is well established. However, more insights are needed into how gradual human encroachment into tsetse fly belts affect tsetse populations. This study investigated how wing vein length, wing fray categories, and hunger stages, taken as indicators of body size, age, and levels of access to hosts, respectively, in Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae) and Glossina pallidipes Austen (Diptera: Glossinidae), varied along a transect from the edge into inner parts of the tsetse belt, in sites that had human settlement either concentrated at the edge of belt or evenly distributed along transect line, in north-eastern Zambia. Black-screen fly round and Epsilon traps were used in a cross-sectional survey on tsetse flies at three sites, following a transect line marked by a road running from the edge into the inner parts of the tsetse belt, per site. Two sites had human settlement concentrated at or close to the edge of the tsetse belt, whereas the third had human settlement evenly distributed along the transect line. Where settlements were concentrated at the edge of tsetse belt, increase in distance from the settlements was associated with increase in wing vein length and a reduction in the proportion of older, and hungry, tsetse flies. Increase in distance from human settlements was associated with improved tsetse well-being, likely due to increase in habitat quality due to decrease in effects of human activities.

A population model for tsetse species was used to assess the optimal number and spacing of airborne sprays to reduce or eradicate a tsetse population. It was found that the optimal spray spacing was determined by the time (days) from adult emergence to the first larviposition and, for safety, spacing was assigned to that duration minus 2 days. If sprays killed all adults, then the number of sprays required for eradication is determined by a simple formula. If spray efficiency is less than 100% kill per spray, then a simulation was used to determine the optimal number, which was strongly affected by spray efficiency, mean daily temperature, pupal duration, age to first larviposition and the acceptance threshold for control, rather than eradication. For eradication, it is necessary to have a spray efficiency of greater than 99.9% to avoid requiring an excessive number of sprays. Output from the simulation was compared with the results of two aerial spraying campaigns against tsetse and a least squares analysis estimated that, in both cases, the kill efficiency of the sprays was not significantly less than 100%.

Background Tsetse control is considered an effective and sustainable tactic for the control of cyclically transmitted trypanosomosis in the absence of effective vaccines and inexpensive, effective drugs. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is currently used to eliminate tsetse fly populations in an area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) context in Senegal. For SIT, tsetse mass rearing is a major milestone that associated microbes can influence. Tsetse flies can be infected with microorganisms, including the primary and obligate Wigglesworthia glossinidia, the commensal Sodalis glossinidius, and Wolbachia pipientis. In addition, tsetse populations often carry a pathogenic DNA virus, the Glossina pallidipes salivary gland hypertrophy virus (GpSGHV) that hinders tsetse fertility and fecundity. Interactions between symbionts and pathogens might affect the performance of the insect host. Methods In the present study, we assessed associations of GpSGHV and tsetse endosymbionts under field conditions to decipher the possible bidirectional interactions in different Glossina species. We determined the co-infection pattern of GpSGHV and Wolbachia in natural tsetse populations. We further analyzed the interaction of both Wolbachia and GpSGHV infections with Sodalis and Wigglesworthia density using qPCR. Results The results indicated that the co-infection of GpSGHV and Wolbachia was most prevalent in Glossina austeni and Glossina morsitans morsitans, with an explicit significant negative correlation between GpSGHV and Wigglesworthia density. GpSGHV infection levels > 103.31 seem to be absent when Wolbachia infection is present at high density (> 107.36), suggesting a potential protective role of Wolbachia against GpSGHV. Conclusion The result indicates that Wolbachia infection might interact (with an undefined mechanism) antagonistically with SGHV infection protecting tsetse fly against GpSGHV, and the interactions between the tsetse host and its associated microbes are dynamic and likely species specific; significant differences may exist between laboratory and field conditions. Graphical Abstract

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are pupiparous insects that transmit African trypanosomes to humans and animals. Using three species of tsetse flies belonging to two subgenera, Nemorhina and Glossina, our data provide a first answer to the following question: do the juvenile stages of tsetse flies provide metric traits allowing reliable species and/or sex identification? We compared three species using their wings and their pupae: Glossina palpalis gambiensis, Glossina tachinoides and Glossina morsitans submorsitans. To separate size and shape information, 11 landmarks per wing were submitted to the Generalised Procrustes Analysis (GPA). The contour of the pupae was processed by elliptic Fourier analysis (EFA).A validated reclassification method was used to compare the taxonomic power of each organ, as well as its utility for sex recognition. The contour of the pupae did not provide a satisfactory species signal (75 %), relative to the one obtained from wing landmarks (99 %). However, the overall pupae size was much more satisfactory than the wings size (93 % versus 57 %). In spite of a lower taxonomic signal, the morphometric variation observed on pupae was in agreement with known phylogenetic relationships. Contrary to the wings, sexual dimorphism was much reduced in pupae and not strong enough to allow any reliable sex identification.

Occurrence of nutritional stress (due to depletion of fat reserves) in tsetse flies, associated with inadequate levels of access to blood meals, enhances susceptibility of the flies to trypanosome infection. Thus, in a tsetse-infested area, a spatial gradient of reducing tsetse habitat quality is potentially a gradient of increasing prospects for occurrence of stress in tsetse flies. This study investigated prevalence of trypanosome infection in Glossina morsitans morsitans and G. pallidipes along a transect line hypothesised to represent such a gradient, in relation to the edge of the tsetse belt and distribution of human settlements. This was undertaken in three sites located in Lundazi, Mpika and Rufunsa districts, respectively, in north-eastern Zambia. Human settlement was concentrated at the edge of the tsetse belt in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites and evenly distributed along transect line in the Lundazi site. Tsetse fly samples were collected using black-screen fly rounds and Epsilon traps. Detection of trypanosome infection was by dissection and microscopy in Lundazi and Mpika sites and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test in Rufunsa site. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to determine whether the following factors, 'change in distance from edge of tsetse belt', 'tsetse sampling method' and 'sex of tsetse fly', had effect on 'prevalence of trypanosome infection' in the tsetse flies. Only 'increase in distance from the edge of tsetse belt' for G. m. morsitans was significantly associated with 'prevalence of trypanosome infection' in the flies, in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites. Distance was associated with reduced likelihood of infection with 'one or more subgenera of trypanosomes' and with 'Nannomonas trypanosomes', in the case of 'all sites collectively', 'Lundazi and Mpika sites collectively', Mpika site alone, and Rufunsa site alone. Per site, increase in distance entailed reduced prospects for Trypanozoon infection but only in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites. We conclude that in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites, increase in distance from human settlements entailed reduced likelihood of trypanosome infection, likely due to reducing tsetse habitat degradation, increasing availability of hosts, and hence increasing levels of nutrition and fat reserves, thus enhancing tsetse immunity against trypanosome infection.

Background Glossina austeni and Glossina brevipalpis (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the sole cyclical vectors of African trypanosomes in South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique. These populations represent the southernmost distribution of tsetse flies on the African continent. Accurate knowledge of infested areas is a prerequisite to develop and implement efficient and cost-effective control strategies, and distribution models may reduce large-scale, extensive entomological surveys that are time consuming and expensive. The objective was to develop a MaxEnt species distribution model and habitat suitability maps for the southern tsetse belt of South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique. Methodology/Principal findings The present study used existing entomological survey data of G. austeni and G. brevipalpis to develop a MaxEnt species distribution model and habitat suitability maps. Distribution models and a checkerboard analysis indicated an overlapping presence of the two species and the most suitable habitat for both species were protected areas and the coastal strip in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa and Maputo Province, Mozambique. The predicted presence extents, to a small degree, into communal farming areas adjacent to the protected areas and coastline, especially in the Matutuíne District of Mozambique. The quality of the MaxEnt model was assessed using an independent data set and indicated good performance with high predictive power (AUC > 0.80 for both species). Conclusions/Significance The models indicated that cattle density, land surface temperature and protected areas, in relation with vegetation are the main factors contributing to the distribution of the two tsetse species in the area. Changes in the climate, agricultural practices and land-use have had a significant and rapid impact on tsetse abundance in the area. The model predicted low habitat suitability in the Gaza and Inhambane Provinces of Mozambique, i.e., the area north of the Matutuíne District. This might indicate that the southern tsetse population is isolated from the main tsetse belt in the north of Mozambique. The updated distribution models will be useful for planning tsetse and trypanosomosis interventions in the area., Author summary The two tsetse species transmitting nagana in South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique represent the southernmost distribution of this genus on the African continent. Distribution models were developed to support tsetse control. These models indicated that the main factors contributing to tsetse distribution in the area are the presence of host animals, variation in climate and vegetation mostly observed in protected areas, agricultural practises and land-use also had a significant and rapid impact on tsetse abundance in the area. Application of the model to areas north of the southern distribution predict a low presence of suitable habitats in the Gaza and Inhambane Provinces of Mozambique, thereby indicating that this southern population is geographically isolated from the main tsetse belt starting in the north of Mozambique.

Occurrence of nutritional stress (due to depletion of fat reserves) in tsetse flies, associated with inadequate levels of access to blood meals, enhances susceptibility of the flies to trypanosome infection. Thus, in a tsetse-infested area, a spatial gradient of reducing tsetse habitat quality is potentially a gradient of increasing prospects for occurrence of stress in tsetse flies. This study investigated prevalence of trypanosome infection in Glossina morsitans morsitans and G. pallidipes along a transect line hypothesised to represent such a gradient, in relation to the edge of the tsetse belt and distribution of human settlements. This was undertaken in three sites located in Lundazi, Mpika and Rufunsa districts, respectively, in north-eastern Zambia. Human settlement was concentrated at the edge of the tsetse belt in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites and evenly distributed along transect line in the Lundazi site. Tsetse fly samples were collected using black-screen fly rounds and Epsilon traps. Detection of trypanosome infection was by dissection and microscopy in Lundazi and Mpika sites and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test in Rufunsa site. Multiple logistic regression models were applied to determine whether the following factors, 'change in distance from edge of tsetse belt', 'tsetse sampling method' and 'sex of tsetse fly', had effect on 'prevalence of trypanosome infection' in the tsetse flies. Only 'increase in distance from the edge of tsetse belt' for G. m. morsitans was significantly associated with 'prevalence of trypanosome infection' in the flies, in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites. Distance was associated with reduced likelihood of infection with 'one or more subgenera of trypanosomes' and with 'Nannomonas trypanosomes', in the case of 'all sites collectively', 'Lundazi and Mpika sites collectively', Mpika site alone, and Rufunsa site alone. Per site, increase in distance entailed reduced prospects for Trypanozoon infection but only in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites. We conclude that in the Mpika and Rufunsa sites, increase in distance from human settlements entailed reduced likelihood of trypanosome infection, likely due to reducing tsetse habitat degradation, increasing availability of hosts, and hence increasing levels of nutrition and fat reserves, thus enhancing tsetse immunity against trypanosome infection.

Glossina spp. (Diptera: Glossinidae) vector trypanosomes, the causal pathogens of trypanosomiasis in humans and animals. Glossina spp. chemosensory mechanism is relevant to understanding the behavioral responses of these insects to environmental cues. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are involved in either olfactory or nonolfactory cue sensation depending on their spatial and temporal expression. In most insects, the OBPs are ubiquitously expressed, although the levels are higher in the antennae. This study was aimed at determining the differential gene expression patterns of OBP genes in the developmental stages (larval, pupal, teneral) and differentially starved adults of Glossina brevipalpis (Newstead) collected from Shimba Hills National Park, Kenya. Five OBP genes, GbrOBP2, GbrOBP6, GbrOBP7, GbrOBP8, and GbrOBP13, were selected for quantitative PCR expression analysis as representatives of the three OBP classes in Glossina spp. (classic, minus-C, classic-dimers). Antennal samples from the ne...

Due to their high impact on public health, human blood-feeding arthropods are one of the most relevant animal groups. Bacterial symbionts have been long known to play a role in the metabolism, and reproduction of these arthropod vectors. Nowadays, we have a more complete picture of their functions, acknowledging the wide influence of bacterial symbionts on processes ranging from the immune response of the arthropod host to the possible establishment of pathogens and parasites. One or two primary symbiont species have been found to co-evolve along with their host in each taxon (being ticks an exception), leading to various kinds of symbiosis, mostly mutualistic in nature. Moreover, several secondary symbiont species are shared by all arthropod groups. With respect to gut microbiota, several bacterial symbionts genera are hosted in common, indicating that these bacterial groups are prone to invade several hematophagous arthropod species feeding on humans. The main mechanisms underlying bacterium-arthropod symbiosis are discussed, highlighting that even primary symbionts elicit an immune response from the host. Bacterial groups in the gut microbiota play a key role in immune homeostasis, and in some cases symbiont bacteria could be competing directly or indirectly with pathogens and parasites. Finally, the effects climate change, great human migrations, and the increasingly frequent interactions of wild and domestic animal species are analyzed, along with their implications on microbiota alteration and their possible impacts on public health and the control of pathogens and parasites harbored in arthropod vectors of human parasites and pathogens.

Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the main vectors of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), or sleeping sickness and Animal African Trypanosomiasis, (AAT) or Nagana in Sub Saharan Africa. In Ghana, whilst HAT is no longer a major public health issue, AAT is still widely reported and causes considerable losses in the livestock sector resulting in major impacts on agricultural production, livelihoods and food security in the country. Application of morphometric techniques can reveal the existing level of population differentiation in tsetse flies, providing guidance on the distribution of genetically defined subpopulations. Morphometric techniques were used to compare size and shape of three tsetse fly species- G. m. morsitans, G. p. palpalis and G. tachinoides of Ghana, and also compare populations of G. p. palpalis collected from three geographical regions (Northern, Eastern and Western) of Ghana. Flies were sampled from four sites in the Western, one site in the Eastern and three sites in the Northern Region using standard un-baited biconical traps. Right wings and right hind legs of selected flies from different collection sites were removed and mounted on microscope slides using glycerin as the mounting medium. Images of the prepared slides were captured under a Leica EZ4 D microscope with an inbuilt camera connected to a laptop. Linear and proportions of wing and hind tibia measurements were arcsine-root transformed before analyzing with a general linear model in analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multivariate statistical analyses were used to detect any possible variations. Results of the GLM analyses of linear and ratio data revealed that different linear combinations can be used to characterize tsetse species of different populations. The ratio value hind tibia/wing length (th/at) significantly distinguished fly populations into four groups, Northern, Eastern, Western and the lab colony; this is an indication that hind tibia/wing length is a good morphometric feature which can be used to discriminate flies from different regions of Ghana. The principal components and canonical variates as well as Mahalanobis squared distances confirmed linear and ratio separations. Therefore based on these differences in morphometric characters observed, the three tsetse species were distinguished from each other. Similar work on morphometrics needs to be done to include more regions and many other body parts such as proboscis length, antennal length, thorax and abdomen length and width in order to establish stronger morphometric tools for discriminating different tsetse fly species.

Background: Changes in climate and land use can alter risk of transmission of parasites between domestic hosts and wildlife, particularly when mediated by vectors that can travel between populations. Here we focused on tsetse flies (genus Glossina), the cyclical vectors for both Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT). The aims of this study were to investigate three issues related to G. palldipes from Kenya: 1) the diversity of vertebrate hosts that flies fed on; 2) whether host feeding patterns varied in relation to type of hosts, tsetse feeding behaviour, site or tsetse age and sex; and 3) if there was a relationship between trypanosome detection and host feeding behaviours or host types. Methods: Sources of blood meals of Glossina pallidipes were identified by sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and analyzed in relationship with previously determined trypanosome detection in the same flies. Results: In an area dominated by wildlife but with seasonal presence of livestock (Nguruman), 98% of tsetse fed on single wild host species, whereas in an area including a mixture of resident domesticated animals, humans and wildlife (Shimba Hills), 52% of flies fed on more than one host species. Multiple Correspondence Analysis revealed strong correlations between feeding pattern, host type and site but these were resolved along a different dimension than trypanosome status, sex and age of the flies. Conclusions: Our results suggest that individual G. pallidipes in interface areas may show higher feeding success on wild hosts when available but often feed on both wild and domesticated hosts. This illustrates the importance of G. pallidipes as a vector connecting the sylvatic and domestic cycles of African trypanosomes.

Recently, aerial delivery of sterilized adult tsetse flies has been developed based on the release of chilled adult sterile males. The long-distance transport of irradiated male tsetse pupae for chilled adult release systems requires exposure of the mature pupae to irradiation and to low temperatures for both the pupae and adults. The effect of these treatments on mating of adult Glossina palpalis gambiensis (Vanderplank, Diptera: Glossinidae) males was investigated. Male G. p. gambiensis pupae were stored at 10°C for 5 d and irradiated with 110 Gy within the first 24 h of cold storage. In addition, to simulate a chilled adult release environment, 6-d-old adult males were stored at 5.1 ± 0.4°C for 6 or 30 h. Mating performance was compared to untreated controls in walk-in field cages. A significantly lower proportion of males that had been irradiated and stored at low temperature succeeded in securing a mating compared to untreated males. Premating time, copulation duration and spermathecal fill were similar. Insemination levels were slightly lower for adult males stored at low temperature for 30 h compared to 6 h or control. Although the mating behavior of the males was affected by the treatments given, the data presented confirm the suitability of using long-distance transport of chilled and irradiated male G. p. gambiensis pupae followed by releasing the emerged adult male flies using a chilled adult release system. However, the data indicate that the chilling duration of the adults should be minimized.

Tsetse flies are obligate blood-sucking flies of medical and veterinary importance because they transmit trypanosomes that cause African sleeping sickness in humans and cause nagana in livestock. Glossinidae includes the single genus Glossina with 23 species, 6 of which are further divided into 14 subspecies. Glossina species are tan or brown flies that range in length from 6─14 mm, excluding the proboscis. Tsetse adults are characterized by several distinctive morphological features. These include the shape of the proboscis, the position and branching of the fringe on the arista of their antenna, and the wing venation and folding pattern. Tsetse adults of both sexes bite vertebrates and imbibe blood. These flies have had a great impact on human health in Africa, both causing extreme human suffering in the form of African sleeping sickness and killing nonnative animals, thereby preventing the development of animal domestication. The approaches that are used to control these flies include: (1) intensive treatment and isolation of infected human and domestic animal hosts to try to break transmission cycles, (2) use of trypanotolerant animals for agricultural purposes, (3) laboratory research on development of vaccines for human and nonhuman hosts, and (4) chemical and ecological attacks on the tsetse flies themselves.

Human African trypanosomiasis became a neglected disease after the 1960s, when case numbers dropped dramatically. It again became a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of the 1990s, when new cases were reported, notably in Central Africa, and specifically in Gabon, where historic foci existed and new cases have been reported. Therefore, the present study reports on an entomological survey conducted in May 2012 to determine the pathogenic trypanosome infection rate in tsetse flies and characterize the diversity of Trypanosoma species in the Ivindo National Park (INP) in northeastern Gabon. Nine Vavoua traps were used to catch tsetse over a 7-days period. All tsetse flies captured were identified to species, dissected, and trypanosome species identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In total, 160 tsetse flies were analyzed, including Glossina palpalis palpalis, Glossina fusca congolense , and Glossina tachinoides . The trypanosome infection rate of the flies was 6.3 and 31.9% using microscopy and PCR, respectively. The species identified were Trypanosoma congolense savannah type, Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, Trypanosoma vivax , and Trypanosoma congolense forest type. Trypanosoma risk index was 0.75 and 7.05 for humans and for animals, respectively. This study illustrates the diversity of Trypanosoma species infecting the tsetse flies in the INP. The simultaneous occurrence of Trypanosoma and tsetse from the palpalis group may suggest that the reservoirs of African animal trypanosomiasis should be carefully monitored in this area.

Glossina pallidipes, a widely but discontinuously distributed African savanna species, is one of the economically important tsetse flies because it is a vector of trypanosomiasis, a lethal disease of cattle and other domestic animals. DNA sequences of ribosomal (r16S2, 249 bp) and cytochrome oxidase I (COI, 421 bp) concatenated mitochondrial genes were analysed in 23 geographically diverse samples ofG. pallidipesfrom Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Among 873 flies, we detected 181 composite haplotypes and found that their spatial diversities and frequency distributions were heterogeneous. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities were greatest in Ethiopia and least in southern Africa. We observed little haplotype and nucleotide diversity among regions, and detected severely limited maternal gene flow among the sampled populations (ΦST= 0.42). Tests for demographic stability and analysis of mismatch distributions revealed regionally contrasting demographic histories. The Ethiopian populations were phylogenetically the oldest and genetically the most diverse, and exhibited successive waves of contraction and expansion. The southern African populations were phylogenetically the youngest and genetically the least diverse, and showed only a single, recent expansion. Likely ecological correlates of historical tsetse fly demography include population suppression trials in East Africa and recurring rinderpest epizootics in southern Africa, beginning in the late nineteenth century that reduced host mammalian populations.

Tsetse flies (Glossina) are obligate bloodsucking medical and veterinary important vectors of trypanosome which causes African sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in live stocks. There are 31 Glossina species in Africa of which Glossina pallidipes, G. morsitans, G. fuscipes, G. tachinoides and G. longipennis are found in different regions of Ethiopia particularly, in Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Gambella, Oromia and Southern part of Ethiopia. The distribution of the genus Glossina is restricted to lowland rainforest and wooded savannah regions and not uniform but often patchy. The fly has a significant impact on human health and rural development, probably capable of transmitting pathogenic trypanosomes that affect humans and domestic animals. In advance to any tsetse control operation, surveys are required to identify which flies are present in the area and determine their distribution. Towards designing suitable control methods and monitoring of Tsetse flies, it is important to first understand the behavior of the fly. Though there are human Trypanosomiasis studies and reports in Ethiopia, there are no current evidences on the extent of the disease, vector distribution and the magnitude of the problem. Therefore this review provides some background information on the taxonomical distribution of tsetse flies, their unique way of reproduction, and how their ecological affinities, their distribution and population dynamics influence and dictate control efforts. The paper also discusses the vector importance and the different strategies for tsetse control. Recommendations and future research needs are also suggested based on the reviewed literature.

Background The management of the tsetse species Glossina pallidipes (Diptera; Glossinidae) in Africa by the sterile insect technique (SIT) has been hindered by infections of G. pallidipes production colonies with Glossina pallidipes salivary gland hypertrophy virus (GpSGHV; Hytrosaviridae family). This virus can significantly decrease productivity of the G. pallidipes colonies. Here, we used three highly diverged genes and two variable number tandem repeat regions (VNTRs) of the GpSGHV genome to identify the viral haplotypes in seven Glossina species obtained from 29 African locations and determine their phylogenetic relatedness. Results GpSGHV was detected in all analysed Glossina species using PCR. The highest GpSGHV prevalence was found in G. pallidipes colonized at FAO/IAEA Insect Pest Control Laboratory (IPCL) that originated from Uganda (100%) and Tanzania (88%), and a lower prevalence in G. morsitans morsitans from Tanzania (58%) and Zimbabwe (20%). Whereas GpSGHV was detected in 25–40% of G. fuscipes fuscipes in eastern Uganda, the virus was not detected in specimens of neighboring western Kenya. Most of the identified 15 haplotypes were restricted to specific Glossina species in distinct locations. Seven haplotypes were found exclusively in G. pallidipes. The reference haplotype H1 (GpSGHV-Uga; Ugandan strain) was the most widely distributed, but was not found in G. swynnertoni GpSGHV. The 15 haplotypes clustered into three distinct phylogenetic clades, the largest contained seven haplotypes, which were detected in six Glossina species. The G. pallidipes-infecting haplotypes H10, H11 and H12 (from Kenya) clustered with H7 (from Ethiopia), which presumably corresponds to the recently sequenced GpSGHV-Eth (Ethiopian) strain. These four haplotypes diverged the most from the reference H1 (GpSGHV-Uga). Haplotypes H1, H5 and H14 formed three main genealogy hubs, potentially representing the ancestors of the 15 haplotypes. Conclusion These data identify G. pallidipes as a significant driver for the generation and diversity of GpSGHV variants. This information may provide control guidance when new tsetse colonies are established and hence, for improved management of the virus in tsetse rearing facilities that maintain multiple Glossina species. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1297-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae) are the cyclical vectors of the causative agents of African Trypanosomosis, which has been identified as a neglected tropical disease in both humans and animals in many regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The sterile insect technique (SIT) has shown to be a powerful method to manage tsetse fly populations when used in the frame of an area-wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) program. To date, the release of sterile males to manage tsetse fly populations has only been implemented in areas to reduce transmission of animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT). The implementation of the SIT in areas with Human African Trypanosomosis (HAT) would require additional measures to eliminate the potential risk associated with the release of sterile males that require blood meals to survive and hence, might contribute to disease transmission. Paratransgenesis offers the potential to develop tsetse flies that are refractory to trypanosome infection by modifying their associated bacteria (Sodalis glossinidius) here after referred to as Sodalis. Here we assessed the feasibility of combining the paratransgenesis approach with SIT by analyzing the impact of ionizing radiation on the copy number of Sodalis and the vectorial capacity of sterilized tsetse males. Results Adult Glossina morsitans morsitans that emerged from puparia irradiated on day 22 post larviposition did not show a significant decline in Sodalis copy number as compared with non-irradiated flies. Conversely, the Sodalis copy number was significantly reduced in adults that emerged from puparia irradiated on day 29 post larviposition and in adults irradiated on day 7 post emergence. Moreover, irradiating 22-day old puparia reduced the copy number of Wolbachia and Wigglesworthia in emerged adults as compared with non-irradiated controls, but the radiation treatment had no significant impact on the vectorial competence of the flies. Conclusion Although the radiation treatment significantly reduced the copy number of some tsetse fly symbionts, the copy number of Sodalis recovered with time in flies irradiated as 22-day old puparia. This recovery offers the opportunity to combine a paratransgenesis approach – using modified Sodalis to produce males refractory to trypanosome infection – with the release of sterile males to minimize the risk of disease transmission, especially in HAT endemic areas. Moreover, irradiation did not increase the vector competence of the flies for trypanosomes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1283-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Arthropod-borne diseases and ectoparasite infestation of livestock remain a serious veterinary and economic problem worldwide. Furthermore, nuisance biting by haematophagous arthropods can result in a significant disruption to livestock behaviour and production. Existing tools for managing pest arthropods have so far not been successful in providing elimination or effective control of many pest arthropod species. The rapid emergence and re-emergence of pathogens and the on-going burden of those currently circulating mean that the need to develop new tools and interventions for pest management is urgent. A vast array of host-derived, arthropod-derived and environmental semiochemicals regulate the behaviour of pest arthropods and, therefore, many of these present promising targets for control interventions. This chapter details the principles of semiochemical-based approaches to arthropod surveillance and control and the major arthropod behavioural targets (host-seeking, sugar-feeding and oviposition/larviposition behaviour) that need to be understood to enable successful interventions to take place. The chapter then reviews current progress towards semiochemical-based approaches for the surveillance and control of major arthropod pests: tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae), mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae), black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae), horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae), horn flies and stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae), and ticks (Ixodida: Ixodoidea).

Salivary gland hytrosaviruses (SGHVs, family Hytrosaviridae) are non-occluded dsDNA viruses that are pathogenic to some dipterans. SGHVs primarily replicate in salivary glands (SG), thereby inducing overt salivary gland hypertrophy (SGH) symptoms in their adult hosts. SGHV infection of non-SG tissues results in distinct pathobiologies, including reproductive dysfunctions in tsetse fly, Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) and house fly. Infection with the G. pallidipes virus (GpSGHV) resulted in the collapse of several laboratory colonies, which hindered the implementation of area wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programs that had a sterile insect technique (SIT) component. Although the impact of GpSGHV infection has been studied in some detail in G. pallidipes, the impact of the virus infection on other tsetse species remains largely unknown. In the current study, we assessed the susceptibility of six Glossina species (G. pallidipes, G. brevipalpis, G. m. morsitans, G. m. centralis, G. f. fuscipes, and G. p. gambiensis) to GpSGHV infections, and the impact of the viral infection on the fly pupation rate, adult emergence, and virus replication and transmission from the larval to adult stages. We also evaluated the ability of the virus to infect conspecific Glossina species through serial passages. The results indicate that the susceptibility of Glossina to GpSGHV varied widely amongst the tested species, with G. pallidipes and G. brevipalpis being the most susceptible and most refractory to the virus, respectively. Further, virus injection into the hemocoel of teneral flies led to increased viral copy number over time, while virus injection into the third instar larvae delayed adult eclosion. Except in G. pallidipes, virus injection either into the larvae or teneral adults did not induce any detectable SGH symptoms, although virus infections were PCR-detectable in the fly carcasses. Taken together, our results indicate that although GpSGHV may only cause minor damage in the mass-rearing of tsetse species other than G. pallidipes, preventive control measures are required to avoid viral contamination and transmission in the fly colonies, particularly in the facilities where multiple tsetse species are reared.

Salivary gland hytrosaviruses (SGHVs, family Hytrosaviridae) are non-occluded dsDNA viruses that are pathogenic to some dipterans. SGHVs primarily replicate in salivary glands (SG), thereby inducing overt salivary gland hypertrophy (SGH) symptoms in their adult hosts. SGHV infection of non-SG tissues results in distinct pathobiologies, including reproductive dysfunctions in tsetse fly, Glossina pallidipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) and house fly. Infection with the G. pallidipes virus (GpSGHV) resulted in the collapse of several laboratory colonies, which hindered the implementation of area wide integrated pest management (AW-IPM) programs that had a sterile insect technique (SIT) component. Although the impact of GpSGHV infection has been studied in some detail in G. pallidipes, the impact of the virus infection on other tsetse species remains largely unknown. In the current study, we assessed the susceptibility of six Glossina species (G. pallidipes, G. brevipalpis, G. m. morsitans, G. m. centralis, G. f. fuscipes, and G. p. gambiensis) to GpSGHV infections, and the impact of the viral infection on the fly pupation rate, adult emergence, and virus replication and transmission from the larval to adult stages. We also evaluated the ability of the virus to infect conspecific Glossina species through serial passages. The results indicate that the susceptibility of Glossina to GpSGHV varied widely amongst the tested species, with G. pallidipes and G. brevipalpis being the most susceptible and most refractory to the virus, respectively. Further, virus injection into the hemocoel of teneral flies led to increased viral copy number over time, while virus injection into the third instar larvae delayed adult eclosion. Except in G. pallidipes, virus injection either into the larvae or teneral adults did not induce any detectable SGH symptoms, although virus infections were PCR-detectable in the fly carcasses. Taken together, our results indicate that although GpSGHV may only cause minor damage in the mass-rearing of tsetse species other than G. pallidipes, preventive control measures are required to avoid viral contamination and transmission in the fly colonies, particularly in the facilities where multiple tsetse species are reared.

Our earlier studies on the comparative behavioural responses of caged savanna tsetse ( Glossina morsitans morsitans and Glossina pallidipes ) on a preferred host (ox) and a non-host (waterbuck) suggested the presence of allomonal constituents on the latter. Follow up comparison of the compositions of odours of waterbuck with those of ox and buffalo led to the identification of a series of compounds (15) specific to waterbuck, including straight chain carboxylic acid (C 5 –C 10 ), phenols (guaiacol and carvacrol), 2-alkanone homologues (C 8 –C 12 ), geranylacetone and δ-octalactone. Behavioural studies in a windtunnel in the laboratory suggested that G. m. morsitans was repelled by a synthetic blend of waterbuck-specific constituents. In the present study, the effects of different blends of these compounds on catches of mixed sexes of G. pallidipes in attractant-baited NG2G traps were evaluated in the field. Each multicomponent class of constituents (acids, ketones and phenols) was found to reduce fly catches, but a 14-component blend of all these compounds was more effective (reduced catches by 79–85%), indicating that each of these classes of compounds contributes incrementally to the repellency of the waterbuck odour. However, subtractive assays showed some redundancy within each class of compounds, with some even demonstrating attractive properties. Addition of (RS)-δ-octalactone to the 14-component significantly increased the repellency of the resulting blend. A 5-component blend of compounds selected on the basis of their relative performance in subtractive assays (δ-octalactone, guaiacol, geranylacetone, hexanoic and pentanoic acid) showed substantial reduction in fly catches (84%) relative to the baited control. In separate sets of experiments involving an ox tethered in the middle of an incomplete ring of electric screens in the presence or absence of 15-component or 5-component blends, comparable levels in the reduction of fed flies (94 and 96%, respectively) were obtained with the two blends. The chemo-ecological significance and practical implication of these results are highlighted.

International audience; Tsetse flies are the cyclical vectors of African animal trypanosomosis (AAT) and human African trypanosomosis (HAT). In March 2010, the Government of Ghana initiated a large scale integrated tsetse eradication campaign in the Upper West Region (UWR) (approximate to 18,000 km(2)) under the umbrella of the Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC). We investigated the structuring of Glossina tachinoides populations within and between the three main river basins of the target area in the UWR. Out of a total sample of 884 flies, a sub-sample of 266 was genotyped at nine microsatellite loci. The significance of the different hierarchical levels was tested using Yang's parameters estimated with Weir and Cockerham's method. A significant effect of traps within groups (pooling traps no more than 3 km distant from each other), of groups within river basins and of river basins within the whole target area was observed. Isolation by distance between traps was highly significant. A local density of 0.48-0.61 flies/m(2) was estimated and a dispersal distance that approximated 11 m per generation [CI 9, 17]. No significant sex-biased dispersal was detected. Dispersal distances of G. tachinoides in the UWR were relatively low, possibly as a result of the fragmentation of the habitat and the seasonality of the Kulpawn and Sissili rivers. Moreover, very high fly population densities were observed in the sample sites, which potentially reduces dispersal at constant habitat saturation, because the probability that migrants can established is reduced (density dependent dispersal). However, the observed spatial dispersal was deemed sufficient for a G. tachinoides-cleared area to be reinvaded from neighboring populations in adjacent river basins. These data corroborate results from other population genetics studies in West Africa, which indicate that G. tachinoides populations from different river basins cannot be considered isolated.

Objective This study aimed to identify isolated population(s) of Glossina palpalis in Ghana using geometric morphometrics to evaluate variations in wing-shape and size between populations of the fly from three regions. Results Wing shape of G. palpalis tsetse flies from the Northern, Western and Eastern Regions varied significantly between each other. Populations from the Northern and Western Regions varied the most (Mahalanobis Distance = 54.20). The least variation was noticed between populations from the Western and Eastern Regions (MD = 1.99). On morphospace, the Northern population clearly separated from the Eastern and Western populations both of which overlapped. Wing centroid size also significantly varied among populations. Reclassification scores were satisfactory reaching 100% for the Northern population. The Northern population of G. palpalis is possibly isolated from the Western and Eastern Region populations. Meanwhile, a panmictic relationship could be on-going between the Western and Eastern populations. We speculate that geographical distance and subspecific difference between populations are among factors responsible for observed pattern of wing shape variations among the studied populations. The implications of results regarding choice of control strategy and limitations of the study are discussed.

A 2-year tsetse field survey was conducted in Kajo-keji County South Sudan to determine factors influencing the seasonal abundance of ＂Glossina fuscipes fuscipes＂. A total of 13,323 tsetse flies of both sexes were collected in the dry and wet seasons. Dry season catches were significantly higher than those of the wet season (DF=10, t (2011)=3.477, P (2011)=0.006; DF=10, t (2012)=7.943, P (2012)=0.0001). The number of male flies was significantly higher (DF=15, t (2011)=4.260, P (2011)=0.0001; DF=15, t (2012)=5.492, P (2012=0.000) than the female ones during the study period. The mean apparent density of the flies/trap/day in the dry season was significantly higher (DF=92, t (2011)=2.147, P (2011)=0.003; DF=92, t (2012)=3.764 and P (2012)=0.0003. Average infection rate revealed 4.9% and 9.0 in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. An overall infection rate was 4.9% which varied significantly with the season (X^2=602, p＜0.000). Positive associations were observed for atmospheric temperature, rain fall and relative humidity with monthly fly apparent density at R=0.72, 0.71 and 0.82, respectively in 2011. However, in 2012 rainfall and relative humidity showed significantly negative association with the monthly fly apparent density at R=-0.85, P=0.000 and R=-0.55, P=0.031, respectively, whereas atmospheric temperature showed no statistical significant association at p＜0.05 with the monthly fly density (R=0.311, P=0.163). Atmospheric temperature, rainfall and relative humidity seem to be influencing the seasonal abundance of ＂G. f. fuscipes＂ in the study area. These ecological factors could be used in developing tsetse control strategies.

La trypanosomose est une maladie qui affecte à la fois l’homme et les animaux. Elle est provoquée par Trypanosoma sp. et cycliquement transmise par un vecteur, la glossine. Bien que cette maladie soit essentiellement endémique dans l’aire de distribution de son vecteur, les zones endémiques qui présentent une transmission active des deux types de la maladie ont rarement été décrites. Dans la présente étude, des enquêtes épidémiologique et entomologique ont été menées, puis les échantillons obtenus ont été analysés par la technique d’amplification en chaîne par polymérase (PCR). Au total, 13 410 personnes ont été examinées et 132 cas diagnostiqués. L’examen de 144 bovins par PCR a révélé l’infection de 33 d’entre eux, soit par Trypanosoma brucei (39 p. 100 des infections), soit par T. vivax (55 p. 100 des infections), soit par une coïnfection (deux animaux). Trois familles d’insectes (Glossinidae, Stomoxyinae et Tabanidae) ont été capturées à des densités variables. Glossina fuscipes fuscipes a été capturée uniquement dans la partie sud du foyer et la plus forte densité apparente (DAP = 0,56 glossine/piège/jour) a été observée dans la forêt galerie bordant les villages où a été diagnostiqué le plus grand nombre de malades. Les Tabanidae ont été présentes dans toutes les zones prospectées mais la plus forte densité (DAP = 15,55 tabanidés/piège/jour) a été observée dans la partie nord du foyer. Les stomoxes ont été absents de la zone prospectée la plus éloignée de la rivière. L’identification des trypanosomes chez l’homme et le bétail, et la présence du vecteur cyclique et des vecteurs mécaniques potentiels ont confirmé l’endémie de trypanosomose animale et humaine dans ce foyer. Seule une stratégie globale d’élimination permettrait de la contrôler durablement.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the diversity and composition of glossines, tabanids and stomoxes in the dry and rainy seasons at the Douala-Edea Game Reserve (DEGR) using Biconical, Vavoua and Nzi traps. Three traps i.e. one of each type was pitched in the sampled sites with collection carried out three days per month from January to May 2017. A total of 1028 flies were caught among which 49.61% of them belonged to the family Stomoxyidae, Tabanidae (34.63%) and Glossinidae (15.76%). Fourteen species were caught and grouped under the following genera: Glossina (02), Stomoxys (04), but Tabanidae was represented by three genera: Tabanus consisting of three species, Chrysops (03) and Haematopota (2) with the genus Tabanus highly represented. Glossina, Stomoxys and Chrysops were abundant in the rainy season while Tabanus and Haematopota were abundant in the dry season. 50.88% of the catches were from the Vavoua trap, followed by Nzi (39.3%) and Biconical (9.2%).

The Glossinavirus (Glossina pallidipes salivary gland hypertrophy virus (GpSGHV)) is a rod-shaped enveloped insect virus containing a 190,032 bp-long, circular dsDNA genome. The virus is pathogenic for the tsetse fly Glossina pallidipes and has been associated with the collapse of selected mass-reared colonies. Maintenance of productive fly colonies is critical to tsetse and trypanosomiasis eradication in sub-Saharan Africa using the Sterile Insect Technique. Proteomics, an approach to define the expressed protein complement of a genome, was used to further our understanding of the protein composition, morphology, morphogenesis and pathology of GpSGHV. Additionally, this approach provides potential targets for novel and sustainable molecular-based antiviral strategies to control viral infections in tsetse colonies. To achieve this goal, identification of key protein partners involved in virus transmission is required. In this review, we integrate the available data on GpSGHV proteomics to assess the impact of viral infections on host metabolism and to understand the contributions of such perturbations to viral pathogenesis. The relevance of the proteome findings to tsetse and trypanosomiasis management in sub-Sahara Africa is also considered.

An unpredicted outbreak of African animal trypanosomosis or nagana in 1990 in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal necessitated an emergency control programme, utilising the extensive cattledipping system in the area, as well as a reassessment of the tsetse and trypanosomosis problem in the province. Since 1990, sporadic blood sampling of cattle at the dip tanks in the naganainfested areas were undertaken to identify trypanosome species involved and to determine the infection prevalence in cattle. The distribution and species composition of the tsetse populations in the area were also investigated. From November 2005 to November 2007 selected dip tanks were surveyed for trypanosome infection prevalence. During April 2005 to August 2009 the distribution and abundance of tsetse populations were assessed with odour-baited H traps. The tsetse and trypanosome distribution maps were updated and potential correlations between tsetse apparent densities (ADs) and the prevalence of trypanosomosis were assessed. Glossina brevipalpis Newstead and Glossina austeni Newstead were recorded in locations where they have not previously been collected. No significant correlation between tsetse relative abundance and nagana prevalence was found, which indicated complex interactions between tsetse fly presence and disease prevalence. This was epitomised by data that indicated that despite large differences in the ADs of G. austeni and G. brevipalpis, trypanosome infection prevalence was similar in all three districts in the area. This study clearly indicated that both tsetse species play significant roles in trypanosome transmission and that it will be essential that any control strategy, which aims at sustainable management of the disease, should target both species.Keywords: Tsetse distribution; Glossina brevipalpis; Glossina austeni; trypanosome infection prevalence

Male Seminal Fluid Proteins (SFPs) transferred during copulation modulate female reproductive physiology and behavior, impacting sperm storage/use, ovulation, oviposition and remating receptivity. These capabilities make them ideal targets for developing novel methods of insect disease vector control. Little is known about the nature of SFPs in the viviparous tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossinidae), vectors of Human and Animal African trypanosomiasis. In tsetse, male ejaculate is assembled into a capsule-like spermatophore structure visible post-copulation in the female uterus. We applied high-throughput approaches to uncover the composition of the spermatophore in Glossina morsitans morsitans. We found that both male accessory glands and testes contribute to its formation. The male accessory glands produce a small number of abundant novel proteins with yet unknown functions, in addition to enzyme inhibitors and peptidase regulators. The testes contribute sperm in addition to a diverse array of less abundant proteins associated with binding, oxidoreductase/transferase activities, cytoskeletal and lipid/carbohydrate transporter functions. Proteins encoded by female-biased genes are also found in the spermatophore. About half of the proteins display sequence conservation relative to other Diptera and low similarity to SFPs from other studied species, possibly reflecting both their fast evolutionary pace and the divergent nature of tsetse’s viviparous biology.

The louse flies belong to the order Diptera (subsection Brachycera). Various authors put them in the section Pupipara together with the Nycteribiidae (bat flies) and Streblidae, which all are permanent, obligate ectoparasites which suck blood frommammals and birds (Haupt and Haupt 1998; Hutson 1984; Schumann 2000). Both males and females stay on the host and mating occurs on the host. The females are larviparous and nurture single larvae internally within 3–8 days. The pupation takes place directly after the mature larvae are released by the females (Hutson 1984). The Hippoboscidae are closely related to the Glossinidae.

Changes in agricultural practices and the resulting extinction of wildlife have led to the reduction or disappearance of savannah tsetse species. Riparian tsetse such as Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank 1949 and Glossina tachinoides Westwood 1850 (Diptera: Glossinidae) continue to persist in peridomestic sites, transmitting trypanosomiasis. At present, little is known about interspecies differences in feeding behaviour in these two species in southeast Mali, or of the phenomenon of multiple bloodmeals. To study these topics, 279 samples of G. p. gambiensis and G. tachinoides containing host DNA, caught in the Sikasso region between November 2008 and April 2009, were analysed by applying host species-specific primers and sequencing. Human accounted for > 66% of G. p. gambiensis bloodmeals, whereas G. tachinoides contained in equal parts DNA of human, cattle or both, showing a significantly higher proportion of multiple host use. Further, the trypanosome infection rate was found to be three-fold higher in G. tachinoides. Logistic regression analysis revealed double-feeding and infection to be independent of one another, but showed infection to be correlated with engorgement in G. p. gambiensis and female sex in G. tachinoides. Enhanced host-seeking activities paired with the high trypanosome infection rate found in G. tachinoides would indicate that this species has a higher vectorial capacity than G. p. gambiensis.

We used a spatial model of a riverine tsetse fly species Glossina palpalis gambiensis life cycle to investigate the interaction between their dispersal and three control methods and to document these interactions using sensitivity analyses. The model is currently limited to gallery forest habitat inhabited by Glossina palpalis gambiensis in the dry season in the sub-humid zone of West Africa. The control methods modelled were traps and targets (TT), insecticide-treated livestock (ITL), and the sterile insect technique (SIT). Both distance dispersed (up to 800 m) and percent of flies dispersing each day (up to 60 %) increased the efficiency of control by TT. Most of this increase occurred for low values of both distance dispersed and percent dispersing, but the increase continued up to the limits tried. The daily movement of cattle assisted the control program and when movement was considerable (up to 600 m daily) the effects were greater than the effects of tsetse dispersal. Random dispersal decreased aggregation and equilibrium population size, and thus also increased the efficiency of SIT. Dispersal that was mostly oriented towards clumps was of much less value for SIT but acted on TT and ITL similarly to random dispersal.

The mating performance of Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank (Diptera: Glossinidae) mass-reared in Burkina Faso (BKF strain) was compared with that of target populations originating from the Bamako peri-urban area of the Niger River Basin, Mali (MLI strain) and the Niayes area, Senegal (SEN strain). The tests were carried out using a field cage either set up outdoors in Burkina Faso or inside the laboratory in Austria. The target population strains (MLI and SEN) were a few generations from the wild whereas the laboratory-reared flies (BKF) were adapted to laboratory rearing over many generations. The laboratory-reared BKF strain significantly out-competed the MLI strain in the mating tests, but showed close to equal competitiveness with the SEN strain. At least one-third of possible matings occurred during each observation period. The females from the two target populations readily mated with males from the BKF strain. The selected mating parameters and behaviour in the cage showed that there was mating compatibility between the strains and this absence of obvious mating barriers indicates the potential of using BKF strain males in programmes that have a sterile insect technique (SIT) component targeting the two G. p. gambiensis populations of Mali and Senegal. (Resume d'auteur)

The purpose of this application, under Article 23.9.3 of the Code, is to conserve the generic name Glossina Wiedemann, 1830 (Diptera, glossinidae), which is a widely used name for a well-established and medically important genus of tsetse flies. It is threatened by its infrequently used senior subjective synonym, Nemorhina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830. It is proposed that Glossina Wiedemann, 1830 be conserved by reversing the precedence relative to Nemorhina Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830 under the plenary power of the Commission, in the interest of nomenclatural stability.

Problem statement: A study to determine the composition of tsetse flies species was conducted between January and December, 2007 in Kamuku National Park, Nigeria, using Biconical and Nitse traps. Tsetse flies were trapped along gallery forest in five streams for two trapping days and were collected daily. Approach: All tsetse flies caught were identified to species level, sexed, separated into teneral and non-teneral, hunger staged and Mean Hunger Stage computed. Fly density were calculated, the age structure examined using wing fray techniques for males and ovarian technique for females; the reproductive status of female flies were assessed. Two species of tsetse flies (Glossina palpalis palpalis robineau-desvoidy and Glossina tachinoides Westwood) were caught in total of five hundred and two (502) flies. Out of these, 309(61.6%) Glossina tachinoides and 193(38.4%) G. palpalis were caught. Male catches (309, 61.6%) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than females (193, 38.4%) also, the teneral flies (289, 57.6%) were more than the non-teneral flies (213, 42.4%). The Mean Hunger Stage (MHS) of 3.6 obtained indicated a hungry fly population. Fly density was generally low (0.1fly/trap/day) and varied between months with highest density (3flies/trap/day) occurring in February and lowest (0.2 fly/trap/day) in July. Results: The estimated mean age for males was 11 days and females were 8 days. The insemination rate of 93.8% generally was high, G. tachinoides recorded 95.5% more than G. palpalis of 91.6%. Whereas parity rate (25.8%) was low; G. palpalis was 37.4% while G. tachinoides parity rate is 17.2%. Conclusion: The study shows that two species of tsetse flies abound in the park although at low densities their presence may bear semblance to Trypanosomiasis and its impact to ecotourism.

The sterile insect technique has been successfully used to eliminate tsetse populations in a number of programs. Program monitoring in the field relies on the ability to accurately differentiate released sterile insects from wild insects so that estimates can be made of the ratio of sterile males to wild males. Typically, released flies are marked with a dye, which is not always reliable. The difference in isotopic signatures between wild and factory-reared populations could be a reliable and intrinsic secondary marker to complement existing marking methods. Isotopic signatures are natural differences in stable isotope composition of organisms due to discrimination against the heavier isotopes during some biological processes. As the isotopic signature of an organism is mainly dependent on what it eats; by feeding factory-reared flies isotopically different diets to those of the wild population it is possible to intrinsically mark the flies. To test this approach unlabeled samples of Glossina pallidipes (Austen) (Diptera: Glossinidae) from a mass rearing facility and wild populations were analyzed to determine whether there were any natural differences in signatures that could be used as markers. In addition experiments were conducted in which the blood diet was supplemented with isotopically enriched compounds and the persistence of the marker in the offspring determined. There were distinct natural isotopic differences between factory reared and wild tsetse populations that could be reliably used as population markers. It was also possible to rear artificially isotopically labeled flies using simple technology and these flies were clearly distinguishable from wild populations with greater than 95% certainty after 85 days of "release". These techniques could be readily adopted for use in SIT programs as complimentary marking techniques.

Several species of haematophagous tsetse flies (genus Glossina) are vectors for trypanosomes, the parasitic protozoans that cause Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT). Although there was a reduced incidence of HAT in the mid 1960s, decreased disease surveillance has led to a resurgence of HAT in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite being efficient vectors for HAT transmission, the prevalence of G. morsitans infection by trypanosomes in the wild is surprisingly minimal. The precise mechanisms by which G. morsitans remain refractory to trypanosome infection are largely unknown although it has been demonstrated that G. morsitans mounts a strong immune response to invading pathogens. This study identifies G. morsitans immune-related CLIP domain serine proteases and their inhibitors, serine protease inhibitors (serpin) genes. It further establishes their evolutionary relationships with counterparts in Drosophila melanogaster, Anopheles gambiae, Bombyx mori, Manduca sexta and Culex quinquefasciatus. Multiple sequence alignments show conservation of most secondary structure elements for both CLIPs and serpins. Amino acid composition of the serpin reactive site loop (RSL) indicates that the G. morsitans serpins act through an inhibitory mechanism to the target serine protease. Similar to D. melanogaster and unlike A. gambiae, the transcriptome data suggest that G. morsitans does not contain gene expansions in their CLIP-domain serine protease and serpin families. The presence of alternatively spliced variants in the G. morsitans serpins transcriptome data mirrors that of the D. melanogaster transcriptome.

Glossina exhibit cyclic ((CYC)GE) or continuous gas exchange ((CON)GE) patterns at rest. However, the factors influencing the transition from one pattern to another are not well understood for these or other insect species. This study examines which factors could aid in predicting the presence or absence of (CYC)GE in adults of three Glossina species: G. palpalis, G. brevipalpis and G. austeni. We report the results of temperature effects on VCO(2), pattern type and the proportion of a population showing (CYC)GE, and the prediction of (CYC)GE versus (CON)GE in Glossina. First, we investigated the influence of temperature on VCO(2) and found significant elevation in resting metabolic rate (RMR) with higher temperature in all three species (P0.001). Temperature-induced increases in VCO(2) were modulated by increased burst volume and by cycle frequency, except in G. brevipalpis which only appeared to modulate burst volume. These results are largely in keeping with VCO(2) modulation reported for other Glossina species previously. Second, elevating temperature resulted in significantly reduced numbers of individuals showing (CYC)GE (P0.001 for all three species) contrary to previous reports for other Glossing species. Finally, we examined a range of variables as potential predictors of presence or absence of (CYC)GE in these three species. Using an information theoretic approach (Akaike weights) to select the best explanatory combination of variables which predicts likelihood of (CYC)GE, we found that results varied among species. When species were pooled, the simplest, best-fit model (ΔAIC2 from the best model, 44.4% probability of being the best model) for predicting pattern type variation was RMR. Overall these results suggest that RMR is a key variable driving pattern type and that elevated temperature reduces the number of individuals showing cyclic patterns through elevation of RMR in these species. This study supports the idea that an interaction between cellular metabolic demand, morphological features of the gas exchange system (e.g. tracheal and spiracular conductances), and CO(2) buffer capacity likely determine gas exchange pattern variation over short time-scales.

Recent studies of Palpalis group tsetse [Glossina fuscipes fuscipes (Diptera: Glossinidae) in Kenya] suggest that small (0.25 × 0.25 m) insecticide-treated targets will be more cost-effective than the larger (≥1.0 × 1.0 m) designs currently used to control tsetse. Studies were undertaken in Zimbabwe to assess whether small targets are also more cost-effective for the Morsitans group tsetse, Glossina morsitans morsitans and Glossina pallidipes. Numbers of tsetse contacting targets of 0.25 × 0.25 m or 1.0 × 1.0 m, respectively, were estimated using arrangements of electrocuting grids which killed or stunned tsetse as they contacted the target. Catches of G. pallidipes and G. m. morsitans at small (0.25 × 0.25 m) targets were, respectively, ∼1% and ∼6% of catches at large (1.0 × 1.0 m) targets. Hence, the tsetse killed per unit area of target was greater for the larger than the smaller target, suggesting that small targets are not cost-effective for use against Morsitans group species. The results suggest that there is a fundamental difference in the host-orientated behaviour of Morsitans and Palpalis group tsetse and that the former are more responsive to host odours, whereas the latter seem highly responsive to visual stimuli.

Tsetse exhibit a U-shaped age-mortality curve, with high losses after eclosion and a well-marked ageing process, which is particularly dramatic in males. A three-parameter (k(1) -k(3) ) model for age-dependent adult instantaneous mortality rates was constructed using mark-recapture data for the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood (Diptera: Glossinidae). Mortality changed linearly with k(1) over all ages; k(2) affected only losses in roughly the first week of adult life, and k(3) controlled the ageing rate. Mortality pooled over age was twice as sensitive to changes in k(3) as in k(1) . Population growth rate was, however, similarly affected by these two parameters, reflecting the disproportionate effect of k(3) on mortality in the oldest flies that contribute least to the growth rate. Pooled-age mortality and growth rate were insensitive to changes in k(2) . The same model also provided good fits to data for laboratory colonies of female G. m. morsitans and Glossina austeni Newstead and should be applicable to all tsetse of both sexes. The new model for tsetse mortality should be incorporated into models of tsetse and trypanosome population dynamics; it will also inform the estimation of adult female mortality from ovarian dissection data.

Homidium bromide is a broad-spectrum anti-microbial trypanocide likely to be encountered as a violative residue in blood collected from abattoirs destined for feeding laboratory-reared tsetse colonies. We investigated its effects on longevity of laboratoryreared Glossina morsitans morsitans Westwood. Four steers were intra-muscularly administered with 1 mg homidium bromide/kg of body weight and blood was aseptically collected from them between 15 and 30 min post-administration. This blood was defibrinated, analysed for homidium levels, screened for bacterial contamination, frozen and warmed to 37°C before feeding to tsetse flies. Teneral male (100) and female (220) G. m. morsitans flies were fed on homidium-treated diet, and control flies (99 males and 187 females) on untreated blood diet and their survival monitored for 163 days. Homidium, at 266.15 ng/ml blood diet, significantly (P < 0.05) improved fly survival. We concluded that homidium bromide has a beneficial effect on tsetse, probably attributable to its antimicrobial activity against unfavourable microbes mediated by the drug, and could be used as a tsetse diet additive.

The ground plan of the bot flies (Oestridae, part) is compared with those of Ephydroidea and Calyptratae. Comparative anatomy suggests that the bot flies are unlikely to have arisen from within Calyptratae and that their derivation from near the base of Ephydroidea is more probable. A large body of evidence is assembled to counter the theory that would place Oestridae within the Tachinidae family-group. It is shown that Hippoboscoidea is unlikely to be monophyletic. The fit of Glossinidae to the suggested ground plan profile of the Ephydroidea/bot flies is shown to be good.

Air flow rates may confound the investigation and classification of insect gas exchange patterns. Here we report the effects of flow rates (50, 100, 200, 400 ml min(-1)) on gas exchange patterns in wild-caught Glossina morsitans morsitans from Zambia. At rest, G. m. morsitans generally showed continuous or cyclic gas exchange (CGE) but no evidence of discontinuous gas exchange (DGE). Flow rates had little influence on the ability to detect CGE in tsetse, at least in the present experimental setup and under these laboratory conditions. Importantly, faster flow rates resulted in similar gas exchange patterns to those identified at lower flower rates suggesting that G. m. morsitans did not show DGE which had been incorrectly identified as CGE at lower flow rates. While CGE cycle frequency was significantly different among the four flow rates (p

Tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis poses a serious threat to human and animal health in sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) in a natural population will not develop a mature infection of either Trypanosoma congolense or Trypanosoma brucei sp. because of refractoriness, a phenomenon that is affected by different factors, including the tsetse fly's immune defence. Starvation of tsetse flies significantly increases their susceptibility to the establishment of a trypanosome infection. This paper reports the effects of nutritional stress (starvation) on (a) uninduced baseline levels of gene expression of the antimicrobial peptides attacin, defensin and cecropin in the tsetse fly, and (b) levels of expression induced in response to bacterial (Escherichia coli) or trypanosomal challenge. In newly emerged, unfed tsetse flies, starvation significantly lowers baseline levels of antimicrobial peptide gene expression, especially for attacin and cecropin. In response to trypanosome challenge, only non-starved older flies showed a significant increase in antimicrobial peptide gene expression within 5 days of ingestion of a trypanosome-containing bloodmeal, especially with T. brucei bloodstream forms. These data suggest that a decreased expression of immune genes in newly hatched flies or a lack of immune responsiveness to trypanosomes in older flies, both occurring as a result of fly starvation, may be among the factors contributing to the increased susceptibility of nutritionally stressed tsetse flies to trypanosome infection.