Parasite transmission by insects: a female affair?
Understanding the relationship between the gender of insects and their ability to act as vectors of insect-borne diseases (IBDs) could provide clues as to the origin of the intimate interplay among insect, pathogen and vertebrate hosts. The vector activity of several species of blood-feeding insects is linked to adult females. Interestingly, the only known exception is the transmission of canine and human thelaziosis by a male dipteran fly. This biological difference raises the question as to whether the parasitic behaviour of male and female insects transmitting IBDs is an expression of a co-evolution of vectors and pathogens.
Otranto
Domenico
D
Department of Veterinary Public Health, University of Bari, 70010, Valenzano (Bari), Italy. d.otranto@veterinaria.uniba.it
Stevens
Jamie R
JR
Cantacessi
Cinzia
C
Gasser
Robin B
RB
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D004463:Ecology; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000469:parasitology*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity