Open AccessTransovum Transmission of Trypanosomatid Cysts in the Milkweed Bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus
Author(s) -
Felipe de Almeida Dias,
Luiz Ricardo da Costa Vasconcellos,
Alexandre Romeiro,
Márcia Attias,
Thaïs Souto-Padrón,
Angela H. Lopes
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0108746
Subject(s) - biology , parasite hosting , insect , zoology , host (biology) , obligate parasite , nymph , population , eggshell , hemiptera , transmission (telecommunications) , larva , botany , ecology , demography , engineering , sociology , world wide web , computer science , electrical engineering
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.