title: Transovum transmission of trypanosomatid cysts in the Milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus.
abstract: Leptomonas wallacei is a trypanosomatid that develops promastigotes and cystic forms in the gut of the hemipteran insect Oncopeltus fasciatus. Insect trypanosomatids are thought to be solely transmitted from one host to another through the ingestion of parasite-contaminated feces. However, here we show that L. wallacei cysts present on the eggshells of eggs laid by O. fasciatus can also act as infective forms that are transmitted to the insect offspring. Newly hatched O. faciatus nymphs are parasite-free, but some of them become contaminated with L. wallacei after feeding on eggshell remnants. The present study is the first report of transovum transmission of a trypanosomatid, a process that may have a relevant role in parasite's within-host population dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe de Almeida
authors.initials: Fde A
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Ricardo da Costa
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romeiro
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Attias
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thais Cristina
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Souto-Padrón
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angela Hampshire
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056986:Euglenozoa Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D020062:Heteroptera / Q000469:parasitology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology*; D010063:Ovum / Q000469:parasitology*; D014351:Trypanosomatina