title: Gut microbiota and parasite transmission by insect vectors.
abstract: In the gut of some insect vectors, parasites ingested with the bloodmeal decrease in number before coming into contact with host tissues. Many factors could be responsible for this reduction in parasite number but the potentially important role of the large communities of naturally occurring microorganisms that exist alongside the newly ingested parasites in the vector midgut has been largely overlooked. Some previous reports exist of the inhibition of parasite development by vector gut microbiota and of the killing of Trypanosoma cruzi and Plasmodium spp. by prodigiosin produced by bacteria. Based on this evidence, we believe that the microbiota present in the midgut of vector insects could have important roles as determinants of parasite survival and development in insect vector hosts and, therefore, contribute to the modulation of vector competence for many important diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21045-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azambuja
authors.forename: Eloi S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Norman A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ratcliffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010691:Phlebotomus / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D011353:Prodigiosin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012239:Rhodnius / Q000469:parasitology; D014224:Triatoma / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D003603:Cytotoxins; D011353:Prodigiosin