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Biomedical subjects

P J McCall

Publications and source records attributed to P J McCall.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Cytotaxonomy, morphology and molecular systematics of the Bioko form of Simulium yahense (Diptera: Simuliidae).

Cytotaxonomic analysis of the polytene chromosomes from larvae of the Simulium damnosum Theobald complex from the island of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea is reported, and a new endemic cytoform is described. Chromosomally this cytoform is close to both S. squamosum (Enderlein) and S. yahense Vajime & Dunbar, but is not identical to either. However, it is morphologically and enzymatically identical to S. yahense. The Bioko form was also found to differ from other cytoforms of the S. damnosum complex in West Africa in the copy number or RFLP pattern of several different repetitive DNA sequences. It is clear that the Bioko form is genetically distinct from other populations of the S. damnosum complex, and whilst it is closest to S. yahense, it shows features that suggest a high degree of geographical and genetic isolation. Such isolation is an important consideration in the assessment of the potential for onchocerciasis vector eradication on Bioko.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Learning and memory in disease vectors.

All animals can learn to some extent and it should not be surprising to discover that important vectors can also be influenced by experience. The potential effect of memory on vector behaviour, particularly vectorial capacity, has barely been investigated. Yet, how a population of blood-feeding insects distributes between available resources has important epidemiological consequences. Several recent studies have shown that behaviour during oviposition site-selection, host location and even host choice can be influenced by the environment or by experience after eclosion. The significance of these studies and their consequences for epidemiology and control are considered here.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Arthropod dermatoses acquired in the UK and overseas.

International tourism to tropical and sub-tropical areas, both to resource-poor and developed countries, has almost trebled within the past 20 years. We examined the records of patients referred to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine over 6 years. 46 (63%) of infestations originated in the UK. Ticks were most common in the UK (19 cases, 41%) whereas myiasis was most common in travellers (18 cases, 67%). These records suggest that whereas many overseas acquired infestations are potentially dangerous if infections are transmitted, ticks constitute the greatest risk, and both domestic and exotic species may act as disease vectors.

Ectoparasitic Infestations↗
PubMed2001

Olfactory memory in the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus.

The cosmotropical urban mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) uses chemical cues to locate suitable water pools for oviposition. Although gravid females are innately attracted to or repelled by certain compounds, this study found that an individual mosquito's preferences for these odours could be altered greatly by prior experience. Mosquitoes reared in water containing skatole, at a level normally repellent to ovipositing females, preferred to oviposit in water containing that compound rather than in water with an otherwise attractive odour compound (P-cresol). This behaviour occurred regardless of whether mosquitoes were tested individually or in groups of up to 50 per cage. The F1 progeny of conditioned mosquitoes did not exhibit the parental preference, but were as susceptible to conditioning as their parents. Moreover, rearing mosquitoes in infusions of hay or animal (guinea-pig) faeces produced a similar although less dramatic change, such that the innate propensity for hay infusion could be cancelled by rearing in guinea-pig faeces infusion. The results demonstrated a change in odour preference by Cx. quinquefasciatus following exposure to the odour during development or pupal eclosion, suggesting that some form of larval conditioning or early adult imprinting occurred. Precisely when that conditioning occurred remains to be determined.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Interspecific competition between sibling species larvae of Anopheles arabiensis and An. gambiae.

Mosquito larvae of the sibling species Anopheles arabiensis Patton and An. gambiae Giles sensu stricto (Diptera: Culicidae) were investigated for interspecific competition. Single-species and mixed-species populations were reared at 27 degrees C from the first instar to pupation at different densities (100, 200 or 400 larvae/200 cm2 tray) with a constant amount of food, 0.2 mg/larva/day. Pupae obtained from mixed populations were identified to species using PCR. Both species had a 1:1 sex ratio at pupation. Development time to pupation averaged about one day less for An. arabiensis compared to An. gambiae, ranging from 0.93-1.49d for males and from 0.44-0.84 d for females in single populations. In mixed species populations the difference for males ranged from 0.99-1.58d and for females from 0.93-1.62d. Survival rates of An. gambiae s.s. were significantly higher than those of An. arabiensis in both the single-species and mixed-species populations. Mixed-species rearing did not have an effect on the survival of An. gambiae, whereas the mortality rate of An. arabiensis was significantly higher in mixed populations than when only this species was reared at the same densities, suggesting a competitive disadvantage for An. arabiensis in mixed populations. High proportions of larvae (4-35%) were lost during development; these losses could not be accounted for by corpses found in the rearing pans. The possibility of cannibalism was investigated by rearing each species separately in small containers (five per 50 ml), inspected every 6h, but no cannibalism was detected at any stage of development in either species. It was concluded that, under these experimental circumstances, interspecific competition between both species did occur but with a detrimental effect on An. arabiensis only. Relevance of these findings to the ecology of both species in the field is discussed briefly.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Distribution of the Simulium damnosum complex on Bioko island, Equatorial Guinea, and the potential for onchocerciasis elimination by vector eradication.

Onchocerciasis is endemic on the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea, where it is transmitted by the 'Bioko form' of the Simulium damnosum complex, a cytospecies unique to the island. To determine the distribution of vector breeding, three dry season and two wet season expeditions were made in 1989, 1996 and 1997, and 226 of the island's 247 rivers (91.5%) were visited. Of these 226 rivers, 130 (58%) were flowing during the dry season, forty-five (20%) supported aquatic stages of Simuliidae of any species and twenty-five (11%) contained larvae or pupae of the S. damnosum complex. The twenty-one rivers not prospected were in the mountainous south of the island, where an additional seventeen rivers were reached but not satisfactorily prospected. Of these thirty-eight rivers, twenty-nine were considered highly likely to support vector breeding, bringing the total number of rivers which could harbour the vector during the dry season to fifty-four (21.9% of the island's total). Breeding was believed to be limited to river stretches below 1000 m altitude, and during the dry season the total length of those stretches which could support breeding on Bioko was estimated to be 1020 km. A combination of factors, including low river discharges during the dry season, the relatively low water temperature on Bioko, the suitability of limited stretches of most rivers as vector breeding sites and the close proximity of many rivers within a small geographical area, render the vector vulnerable to eradication by aerial treatment of rivers with insecticide. The isolation of the Bioko form of the S. damnosum complex suggests that reinvasion following treatment would be unlikely, and eradication of the vector might be achieved by a dry season larviciding programme in one or two years.

Altitude↗
PubMed1996

Attraction and trapping of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) with host odors in the laboratory.

Volatile constituents of mouse odor were eluted from an adsorbent after collection within a closed-air system, and offered to host-seeking yellowfever mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti (L.), in the laboratory. Gas chromatographic analysis showed that individual mouse odors varied in blend, both quantitatively and qualitatively. In a 2-choice bioassay, sticky traps baited with individual mouse odors caught more female mosquitoes than controls (69% caught on baited traps) in all cases. When 2 traps baited with volatiles from the empty collection system were used, no preference occurred (46 and 54%), and fewer mosquitoes (22% of total) were caught overall than when a baited trap was present (46% of total). Equal numbers of male mosquitoes were caught on baited and control traps. Results demonstrated that Ae. aegypti can be attracted to entrained and eluted host odor without the addition of other attractants.

Aedes↗
PubMed1995

How caterpillar-damaged plants protect themselves by attracting parasitic wasps.

Parasitic and predatory arthropods often prevent plants from being severely damaged by killing herbivores as they feed on the plants. Recent studies show that a variety of plants, when injured by herbivores, emit chemical signals that guide natural enemies to the herbivores. It is unlikely that herbivore-damaged plants initiate the production of chemicals solely to attract parasitoids and predators. The signaling role probably evolved secondarily from plant responses that produce toxins and deterrents against herbivores and antibiotics against pathogens. To effectively function as signals for natural enemies, the emitted volatiles should be clearly distinguishable from background odors, specific for prey or host species that feed on the plant, and emitted at times when the natural enemies forage. Our studies on the phenomena of herbivore-induced emissions of volatiles in corn and cotton plants and studies conducted by others indicate that (i) the clarity of the volatile signals is high, as they are unique for herbivore damage, produced in relatively large amounts, and easily distinguishable from background odors; (ii) specificity is limited when different herbivores feed on the same plant species but high as far as odors emitted by different plant species and genotypes are concerned; (iii) the signals are timed so that they are mainly released during the daytime, when natural enemies tend to forage, and they wane slowly after herbivory stops.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Oviposition aggregation pheromone in the Simulium damnosum complex.

Communal oviposition by the Simulium damnosum complex of Afrotropical blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions, using wild-caught flies in Sierra Leone. Volatile compounds emitted by Simulium eggs were trapped using a closed collection system, and their attractiveness to gravid flies was tested in a two-choice behavioural bioassay. Significantly more female blackflies oviposited on substrates baited with freshly laid eggs (100% chose the baited substrate), or with the volatiles collected from freshly laid eggs (85% chose the baited substrate), in preference to the relevant control substrates. Substrates baited with volatiles from 12-h-old eggs were not significantly more attractive than controls (only 31% chose the baited substrates; P = 0.33). Gas chromatographic analysis of the egg volatiles consistently showed two peaks emanating from fresh eggs, but significantly lower amounts from 12-h-old eggs (P < 0.05). A novel system for collecting the volatiles from this and other blackfly species, as they laid eggs on a substrate in flowing water, is described. Volatiles collected using this method showed identical gas chromatographic profiles to those of fresh eggs alone, indicating that the flies themselves produced no other volatile chemical signals during oviposition. Evidently communal oviposition by S. damnosum s.l. was mediated by a pheromone emanating from fresh eggs. The role of pheromone-mediated egg aggregation in blackfly ecology is discussed, and its possible manipulation is considered.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Response of adult sandflies, Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae), to sticky traps baited with host odour and tested in the laboratory.

The responses of adult Lutzomyia longipalpis Lutz and Neiva to sticky traps baited with entrained volatiles from a hamster were assessed in the laboratory. In a two-choice test, significantly more females and males were caught on odour-baited sticky traps than on control traps, and only a few adults remained alive and untrapped at the end of the experiments. In contrast, significantly fewer flies of both sexes were caught in a series of tests where both traps were unbaited. Twice as many males as females were caught in the control traps in the tests with odour, an observation in accordance with known male lekking behaviour around hosts. The results show that sandflies of both sexes are attracted to traps by host odour alone, in the absence of any other host cues or pheromones from the male flies.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Aggregated oviposition in the Simulium damnosum complex is mediated by eggs in a laboratory bioassay.

The phenomenon of aggregated oviposition in blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions, using wild-caught females of the Simulium damnosum complex in Sierra Leone. A method was developed for inducing Simulium females to lay eggs, and used as a bioassay to measure the responses of gravid S. damnosum s.l. to freshly laid eggs of the same species complex. In a series of two-choice tests, significantly more ovipositing flies chose substrates already containing eggs over control substrates (P = 0.004). The time from introduction of flies into the oviposition system to the onset of egg-laying was significantly less when eggs were already present (P = 0.049). Flies responded more quickly when more eggs were present and the relationship between egg-batch number and the time of this response was curvilinear (P = 0.012). Ecological advantages and disadvantages of such aggregation behaviour and the possible role of semiochemicals in its mediation are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Onchocerciasis in British cattle: a study of the transmission of Onchocerca sp. in north Wales.

The transmission of bovine Onchocerca spp. in Britain was investigated by studying the Ceratopogonidae and Simuliidae which attacked bait cattle between April and October at two sites in North Wales, where either Onchocerca lienalis and O. gutturosa (Cynwyd), or O. lienalis alone (Pentrefoelas) occurred. Based on the relative abundance of each species, their seasonal variation in abundance and preferential feeding sites on cattle, the presence of Onchocerca sp. infective larvae and the development of patent infections in bait cattle, vectors were identified as Simulium ornatum s.1. at Pentrefoelas and S. reptans at Cynwyd (0.5% and 1.5% of parous flies infective, respectively). There was no significant difference between the lengths of the infective larvae from vectors at either site (Pentrefoelas: mean = 543.5 microns, SD = 29.45; Cynwyd: mean = 550.86 microns, SD = 35.26; p > 0.1), which were consistent with descriptions of O. lienalis. The identity of a vector for O. gutturosa was not determined and the role of certain candidates is discussed. In this respect, the absence of Culicoides nubeculosus was notable. Transmission of Onchocerca sp. was limited to a short period of about 8 weeks, by a combination of vector abundance and parasite uptake from dermal skin layers, and a mean daily temperature requirement of 15 degrees C or more for complete parasite development in the vector. The effect of this temperature restriction in relation to the geographical distribution of the two species is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

On the possibility of bovine Onchocerca species infecting Simulium damnosum s.l. in the forest zone of Sierra Leone. I. Parasitological aspects.

As part of a study to assess to what extent Onchocerca-like infections in S. damnosum s.l. in the forest zone of Sierra Leone were likely to be of bovine origin, Onchocerca infections were studied by post mortem examination of cattle killed at Bo abattoir and by examination of skin biopsies from cattle born and reared at Njala, in the forest zone, and Musaia, in the savanna zone. Post mortem studies of 45 cattle which had originated from northern Sierra Leone and Guinea revealed a prevalence of infection with microfilariae (mff) of O. gutturosa of 87%, O. ochengi 18% and O. armillata 7%. Examination of indigenous cattle revealed transmission of O. gutturosa in both forest (Njala) and savanna (Musaia) areas, and age prevalence analysis at Njala indicated a high intensity of transmission. Autochthonous transmission of O. armillata occurred at Njala at low intensity. Onchocerca gutturosa from Sierra Leone resembled U.K. isolates of O. gutturosa in terms of glucose phosphate isomerase electrophoretic mobility and acid phosphatase activity of in situ-stained mff. Hide mapping of O. gutturosa revealed skin concentrations of mff dorsally at the withers area and also ventrally at the dewlap, brisket and upper forelegs. It was concluded that only O. gutturosa was transmitted at high intensity to cattle in the forest zone of Sierra Leone. Hence, subsequent studies were directed towards determining the vector of O. gutturosa.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Assessment of a silhouette trap for sampling zoophilic blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae).

A collapsible animal-type silhouette trap was designed to catch zoophilic female blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) which feed on the head or ventral surface of cattle. The trap was assessed for its ability to sample attacking blackflies by comparison with simultaneous manual catches from a bait cow, in an enzootic bovine onchocerciasis area in North Wales. In thirteen 1-hour collections, the trap provided a representative sample of the blackfly population in terms of the relative abundance of species. There was a strong correlation between the catch sizes from both methods (r = +0.73), and the body site feeding preferences for all species were similar with both trap and cow. There was no significant difference between the Onchocerca spp. infection rates of flies caught by either method.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The development of Onchocerca ochengi in surrogate temperate Simuliidae, with a note on the infective larva.

Laboratory reared nulliparous female flies of six temperate species of Simuliidae were examined for their susceptibility to infection with Onchocerca ochengi by intrathoracic injection of cryopreserved skin microfilariae obtained from cattle in Mali. Three species (S. equinum, S. ornatum and S. erythrocephalum) supported development to the infective stage, one species (S. variegatum) allowed partial development and the remaining two species (S. reptans and S. aureum) were insusceptible to infection. The most suitable surrogate vectors were S. equinum and S. ornatum which had survival rates of 44% and 49%, proportions of microfilariae developing to third stage larvae of 6.4% and 3%, and infection rates with infective larvae of 13.5% and 14% respectively. O. volvulus infective larvae, produced by intrathoracic microfilarial injection in S. ornatum, were 586-760 microns (mean 687 microns) long and were significantly shorter (p less than 0.02) than the O. ochengi infective larvae (645-880 microns, mean 756 microns). No constant differences in the posterior or anterior morphology, or in the acid phosphatase staining patterns between O. ochengi and O. volvulus, were seen. These results raise the possibility that the presence of O. ochengi in a population of infective larvae from vector flies in endemic onchocerciasis zones might be identifiable on the basis of their length alone.

Animals↗