Korean J Parasitol.  2016 Jun;54(3):265-272. 10.3347/kjp.2016.54.3.265.

Finding Wolbachia in Filarial larvae and Culicidae Mosquitoes in Upper Egypt Governorate

• Dyab AK
• Galal LA
• Mahmoud AE
• Mokhtar Y

• KMID: 2348267
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2016.54.3.265

Abstract

Wolbachia is an obligatory intracellular endosymbiotic bacterium, present in over 20% of all insects altering insect reproductive capabilities and in a wide range of filarial worms which is essential for worm survival and reproduction. In Egypt, no available data were found about Wolbachia searching for it in either mosquitoes or filarial worms. Thus, we aimed to identify the possible concurrent presence of Wolbachia within different mosquitoes and filarial parasites, in Assiut Governorate, Egypt using multiplex PCR. Initially, 6 pools were detected positive for Wolbachia by single PCR. The simultaneous detection of Wolbachia and filarial parasites (Wuchereria bancrofti, Dirofilaria immitis, and Dirofilaria repens) by multiplex PCR was spotted in 5 out of 6 pools, with an overall estimated rate of infection (ERI) of 0.24%. Unexpectedly, the highest ERI (0.53%) was for Anopheles pharoensis with related Wolbachia and W. bancrofti, followed by Aedes (0.42%) and Culex (0.26%). We also observed that Wolbachia altered Culex spp. as a primary vector for W. bancrofti to be replaced by Anopheles sp. Wolbachia within filaria-infected mosquitoes in our locality gives a hope to use bacteria as a new control trend simultaneously targeting the vector and filarial parasites.

Keyword

Wuchereria bancrofti; Dirofilaria immitis; Dirofilaria repens; Wolbachia; filaria; Culicidae; single PCR; multiplex PCR

MeSH Terms

Aedes
Anopheles
Bacteria
Culex
Culicidae*
Dirofilaria
Dirofilaria immitis
Dirofilaria repens
Egypt*
Hope
Insects
Larva*
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Parasites
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Reproduction
Wolbachia*
Wuchereria bancrofti