Sezonska distribucija Borelija u krpeljima Ixodes ricinus na teritoriji Beograda

Green areas at four localities in the Belgrade region (Ada Ciganlija, Košutnjak, Miljakovac forest, and Mt. Avala) were investigated in 2004. The aim of the research was to clarify the faunistic composition, relative abundance, and population dynamics of ticks, as well as the seasonal distribution of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) in Ixodes ricinus. Two species of ticks were detected: Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulates. Relative abundance analysis revealed that the species Ixodes ricinus was predominant (97.41 %). Out of 942 Ixodes ricinus ticks, 188 (19.96 %) were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sl. The infection rate of adults by localities ranged from 19.16% to 30.99% (Mt. Avala and Ada Ciganlija, respectively).Zelene površine četiri lokaliteta na području Beograda obrađene su tokom 2004. godine: Ada Ciganlija, Košutnjak, Miljakovačka šuma i Avala. Istraživanja su obuhvatila: faunistički sastav, relativnu brojnost, dinamiku populacija krpelja i sezonsku distribuciju Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) u krpeljima Ixodes ricinus. Ustanovljene su dve vrste krpelja: Ixodes ricinus i Dermacentor reticulates. Analiza relativne brojnosti pokazuje da je vrsta Ixodes ricinus bila dominantna (97.41%). Od 942 krpelja Ixodes ricinus, 188 je bilo inficirano sa Borrelia burgdorferi sl. Procenat zaraženih adulta po lokalitetima se kretao od 19.16% na Avali do 30.99 % na Adi Ciganliji

APHIDIUS NEES (HYMENOPTERA, BRACONIDAE, APHIDIINAE) IN SERBIA: KEY TO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION INCLUDING PARASITOID – APHID HOST LIST

This study offers a comprehensive guide to the identification of 34 Aphidius species that were found in the territory of Serbia. Also, for all Aphidius species, a total of 97 aphid hosts were represented. Aphidius linosiphonis Tomanović & Starý and Aphidius balcanicus Tomanović & Petrović were described from Serbia. Aphidius ericaphidis Pike & Starý and A. banksae Kittel are allochthonous species in Serbia of North American and Asian origin, respectively. For both allochthonous species, the first records for the fauna of Europe were from Serbia

Development of a sampling plan for Myzus persicae (Hemiptera : Aphidoidea) and its predator Macrolophus costalis (Hemiptera : Miridae) on tobacco

A tobacco field in Greece was sampled during the 2001 and 2002 growing seasons to assess the seasonal trends in densities and spatial distributions of the aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and its predatory mirid Macrolophus costalis (Fieber). On repeated occasions between June Oust after the transplantation) and September Oust before harvest), 20 tobacco leaves (10 from the upper and 10 from the lower plant part) were taken from randomly chosen plants. These leaves were sampled for aphids and mirids. In both years, the highest aphid densities were recorded during July and August, while aphid numbers were low in September. In contrast, the majority of M costalis individuals were found during September when aphid numbers were low. Significantly more M persieae individuals were found in the upper part of the plants, whereas significantly more M costalis individuals were found in the lower part of the plants. As indicated by Taylor's Power Law estimates, both species were aggregated in their spatial distributions among sampling units (leaves). Wilson and Room's model, based on the Taylor's estimates, was used to calculate the mean number of aphids and mirids, from the proportion of sampling units (leaves) that had gt 0 individuals of each species. This model provided a satisfactory fit of the data for both the aphid and the mirid. In addition, Wilson and Room's model was successfully used to predict the mean number of aphids and mirids in a series of samples that were carried out in the same area between June and September 2003 for model validation. Finally, equations are given for the calculation of precision in estimating the mean number of aphids or mirids per sampling unit, and the required sample size for a given level of precision

Monoctonus leclanti sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) from high-montane areas of southeastern Europe, and key to related species

Monoctonus leclanti sp. n., a parasitoid of Delphiniobium junackianum Karsch. (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Aconitum toxicum bosniacum and Aconitum pentheri in the high mountains of the Balkans is described. The species is an additional member of the high-montane aphid parasitoid guild determined in the area. A key to related species is included

Assessment of the risk of contracting Lyme disease in areas with significant human presence

in order to describe seasonal changes in Lyme disease risk rate at three localities in Serbia, a total of 1,542 Ixodes ricinus ticks (493 nymphs; 525 females, and 524 males) were examined from 2003 to 2004. The prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes ricinus ticks at the Bovan Lake County was higher than the average for European localities (45.9% for adults and 18.8% for nymphs). In Mt. Avala and Kljajicevo counties, adults and nymphs were infected at the following percentages: 26.3 and 10.7; 16.2 and 7.6%, respectively. These outcomes indicate a relatively high risk of the contracting Lyme disease in all investigated areas

Exon variability of gene encoding glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase of ixodes ricinus ticks

We have previously found apparent differences in Gpdh allele frequences between borrelia infected and uninfected Ixodes riotous as revealed by native gel electrophoresis of allozyme polymorphisms. The present study deals with the genetic basis of the observed allozyme polymorphism. Multiple sequence alignment of 36 Gpdh open reading frames identified a total of 40 polymorphic nucleotide sites. Of the 40 polymorphic nucleotide sites, 34 were silent (did not result in amino acid residue change), while six were active causing a change in the amino acid chain. All polymorphic amino acid sites were situated within the N-terminal NAD-binding domain, whereas the C-terminal substrate-binding domain was highly conserved. Analysis of the obtained Gpdh sequences and GPDH allozyme polymorphisms for individual ticks pointed to amino acid changes at positions 61 (glycine-to-glutamic acid), 64 (serine-to-cysteine) and 102 (glycine-to-arginine) as a key for differential mobility of GPDH allozymes in an electric field. Our findings are discussed in the context of the molecular basis of I. ricinus host finding behavior

Coexistence of emerging bacterial pathogens in ixodes ricinus ticks in Serbia

The list of tick-borne pathogens is long, varied and includes viruses, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes. As all of these agents can exist in ticks, their co-infections hove been previously reported. We studied co-infections of emerging bacterial pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Ana plasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis) in Ixodes ricinus ticks in Serbia. Using PCR technique, we detected species-specific sequences, rrf-rrl rDNA intergenic spacer for B. burgdorferi s.l., p44/msp2 paralogs for A. phagocytophilum, and the 17 kDa lipoprotein gene, TUL4, for F tularensis, respectively, in total DNA extracted from the ticks. Common infections with more than one pathogen were detected in 42 (28.8 %) of 146 infected l. ricinus ticks. Co-infections with two pathogens were present in 39 (26.7 %) of infected ticks. Simultaneous presence of A. phagocytophilum and different genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l. complex was recorded in 16 ticks, co-infection with different B. burgdorferi s. l. genospecies was found in 15 ticks and eight ticks harbored mixed infections with F tularensis and B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies. Less common were triple pathogen species infections, detected in three ticks, one infected with A. phagocytophilum / B. burgdorferi s.s. / B. lusitaniae and two infected with F tularensis / B. burgdorferi s.s. / B. lusitaniae. No mixed infections of A. phagocytophilum and F. tularensis were detected

New internal primers targeting short fragments of the mitochondrial COI region for archival specimens from the subfamily Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae)

Archival specimens are a great resource for molecular research in population biology, taxonomy and conservation. A primary goal for researchers is to preserve specimens from collections by improving noninvasive methods for DNA extraction and to achieve successful amplification of the short fragments of a target gene in the event of DNA fragmentation. We tested the suitability of a noninvasive method of DNA extraction and amplification of the barcoding region of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidise subunit I from archival specimens of aphid parasitoids belonging to the genera Aphidius, Lysiphlebus and Praon (Aphidiinae, Braconidae, Hymenoptera). Using a commercial kit as a noninvasive method, we successfully extracted DNA from dry 7 to 41 year old samples of 26 different parasitoid species. However, amplification of the barcoding region failed using the standard primer pair LCO1490/HCO2198. In order to reconstruct DNA barcodes we designed internal genus-specific degenerative primers and a new amplification protocol to target the short fragments within the mitochondrial region. Novel primers were designed using as a template the reference sequences from congeners retrieved from the public database. The combination of standard primers with internal primers, in direct and nested amplification reactions, produced short overlapping subsequences, concatenated to recover long barcoding sequences. Additional analyses also confirmed that primers initially designed for Aphidius, Lysiphk.hus and Praon can be combined in a mixture, and successfully used to obtain short fragments of disintegrated DNA from archival specimens of several other braconid species from the genera Ephedrus and Monoctonus