AUTHOR=Sadlova Jovana , Bacikova Dominika , Becvar Tomas , Vojtkova Barbora , England Marion , Shaw Jeffrey , Volf Petr 

TITLE=Porcisia transmission by prediuresis of sand flies

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.981071

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2022.981071

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>Parasites of the genus <italic>Porcisia</italic>, together with the genus <italic>Endotrypanum</italic>, form a sister clade to the species-rich and medically important genus <italic>Leishmania</italic>. Both <italic>Porcisia</italic> species, <italic>P. hertigi</italic> and <italic>P. deanei</italic>, are dixenous parasites of Neotropical porcupines. Almost 50 years after their first discovery, knowledge of their life cycle remains poor and their insect vectors are unknown. Because competent vectors of their closest phylogenetic relatives, genera <italic>Endotrypanum</italic> and <italic>Leishmania</italic>, are phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) and/or biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), we examined here the potential of both sand flies and biting midges to transmit <italic>Porcisia</italic> parasites. The insects (<italic>Lutzomyia longipalpis, L. migonei</italic> and <italic>Culicoides sonorensis</italic>) were exposed to parasites through the chicken skin membrane and dissected at various time intervals post bloodmeal. Potentially infected females were also allowed to feed on the ears of anaesthetized BALB/c mice and the presence of parasite DNA was subsequently confirmed in the mice by PCR. <italic>Porcisia hertigi</italic> did not survive defecation in <italic>L. longipalpis</italic> or <italic>L. migonei</italic>, suggesting that these sand fly species are unlikely to serve as natural vectors of this parasite. Similarly, <italic>P. hertigi</italic> infections were lost in <italic>Culicoides</italic> midges. In contrast, mature <italic>P. deanei</italic> infections developed in 51-61% of <italic>L. longipalpis</italic> females, 7.3% of <italic>L. migonei</italic> females and 7.7% of <italic>Culicoides sonorensis</italic> females. In all three vector species, <italic>P. deanei</italic> colonized predominantly Malpighian tubules and produced metacyclic infective forms. Transmission of <italic>P. daenei</italic> to BALB/c mice was demonstrated <italic>via</italic> the prediuresis of <italic>L. longipalpis</italic> females. This mode of transmission, as well the colonization of Malpighian tubules as the dominant tissue of the vector, is unique among trypanosomatids. In conclusion, we demonstrated the vector competence of <italic>L. longipalpis</italic> for <italic>P. deanei</italic> but not for <italic>P. hertigi</italic>, and further studies are needed to evaluate competence of other Neotropical vectors for these neglected parasites.</p>