title: A preliminary study of natural and experimental infection of the lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) with Histomonas meleagridis (Protozoa: Sarcomastigophora).
abstract: Histomonas meleagridis is a protozoan parasite causing histomoniasis (histomonosis), a disease of gallinaceous fowl. In order to determine whether the lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus, is capable of harbouring H. meleagridis, the presence of the parasite was tested by polymerase chain reaction in lesser mealworms collected in the field. Parasite DNA was detected in two larvae from two farms undergoing an outbreak of histomoniasis. Insects were also artificially infected, killed after incubation and analysed by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of parasite DNA. After 4 days, two larvae (out of 20) remained positive. In another experimental infection to investigate the viability of histomonads in the larvae, living parasites were detected in five of 20 larvae 4 days after infection. These results indicate that although A. diaperinus can become infected with H. meleagridis it appears to have a low susceptibility to infection and would probably not be a major route of contamination between flocks.
authors.affiliation: UMR 958 Protozoaires Entéricoles des Volailles, INRA-ENVL, Marcy L'Etoile, France. k.huber@vet-lyon.fr
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gouilloud
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zenner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014422:Turkeys
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan