Selim Sualp Caglar

Distribution and altitudinal structuring of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in southern Anatolia, Turkey: their relation to human cutaneous leishmaniasis

ABSTRACT The two Old World genera, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia, were both recorded in southern Anatolia in Turkey. Phlebotomus species predominated and comprised about 93% of the entire collection (3, 172 specimens). Out of the sixteen species identified, two belonged to the genus Sergentomyia: S. dentata and S. theodori. The remaining fourteen species in the genus Phlebotomus were grouped under four subgenera including some species that are elsewhere known to act as vectors of human cutaneous leishmaniasis. Most of the Phlebotomus were P. tobbi (32.5%), but P. papatasi, P. transcaucasicus, P. halepensis, P. galilaeus, P. sergenti, P. syriacus, P. neglectus, P. simici, P. alexandri, P. similis, P. jacusieli, P. perfiliewi, and P. brevis were also identified. There were two associations of sand fly fauna with altitudinal gradient; the first one at relatively higher altitudes and the second one at lower altitudes. The transition between these two assemblages was within the range of 800–1, 000 m. It is likely that Adana and Hatay provinces are transitional areas between western and eastern Anatolia. Mountains do not appear to be important geographical barriers for sand fly distribution. We also found that the proven vector P. sergenti is a widely distributed species throughout southern Anatolia and this species, together with its closely related species P. similis, shows sympatry in Konya Province.

Genetic and phenotypic variation of the malaria vector Anopheles atroparvus in southern Europe.

BackgroundThere is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission.MethodsGenetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks.ResultsLevels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004 <FST<0.086) and phenotypic differentiation were detected among An. atroparvus populations spanning over 3,000 km distance. Genetic differentiation (0.202 <FST<0.299) was higher between the sibling species An. atroparvus and Anopheles maculipennis s.s. Differentiation between sibling species was not so evident at the phenotype level.ConclusionsLevels of population differentiation within An. atroparvus were low and not correlated with geographic distance or with putative physical barriers to gene flow (Alps and Pyrenées). While these results may suggest considerable levels of gene flow, other explanations such as the effect of historical population perturbations can also be hypothesized.

Phenotypic variation among local populations of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in southern Turkey

ABSTRACT The wing-shape morphology of local populations of the medically important phlebotomine sand flies, Phlebotomus sergenti, P. papatasi, P. tobbi, and P. similis, were examined in both sexes by using geometric morphometrics. There are threemajor mountain ranges that may serve as geographical barriers for species distribution in the study area and four main gaps were recognized among these barriers. We found no statistically important differences in wing morphologWe morphology in all examined species in both sexes for all local populations. These results show that the barriers are not sufficient to stop gene flow among local populations of sand flies. The graphical depiction of PCA, CVA, and F-test confirmed our morphometric study suggesting that the difference in wing morphology between P. similis and P. sergenti indicates that these are clearly different species. These two show sympatric distribution in the Konya Plain of Anatolia.

Field Evaluation of an Area Repellent System (Thermacell) Against Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) and Ochlerotatus caspius (Diptera: Culicidae) in Sanlıurfa Province, Turkey

Abstract A field evaluation of a new area repellent system, Thermacell Mosquito Repellent (TMR, cis-trans allethrin), was conducted against phlebotomine sand flies and mosquitoes in Cunpolat village, Sanlıurfa Province, in southeastern Anatolia, Turkey, an area historically endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis and high sand fly populations. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy, duration of protection, and spatial characteristics of protection (downwind distance from point of release), of the TMR. Twelve adult volunteers (nine in the treatment and three controls) made collections from ankle to knee for 25 min every hour from 2100 to 0300 on six consecutive nights in August 2002. Treatment consisted of placing a TMR unit at the middle of the village and then placing human bait collectors at 2.3, 4.6, and 7.6 m away from the repellent unit. Results from the field tests showed highly significant protection provided by the TMR from attack by Phlebotomus papatasi (Scopoli) (P < 0.001) and Ochlerotatus caspius (Pallas) (P < 0.001) for up to 4 h postapplication. In the six nights that tests were done, a total of 949 sand flies and 1095 mosquitoes were collected from the untreated control sites. Only 86 sand flies and 83 mosquitoes were collected at all distances from the places treated with TMR. These results indicated that reduction in sand fly and mosquito biting rates in treated groups ranged from 87.5 to 97.7% (mean protection 92%) and 90.2–97.4% (mean protection 93%), respectively. The percentage reduction values were maintained above 90.0% for 6 h of the assessment period. Overall, the number of bites by the cutaneous leishmaniasis vector Ph. papatasi and also Oc. caspius was reduced >11-fold and 13-fold, respectively, by the TMR.

West Nile virus studies in the Sanliurfa Province of Turkey

ABSTRACT We attempted to isolate West Nile virus from mosquitoes collected in the field for the first time in Turkey. A total of 6, 457 mosquito specimens from Culex pipiens Linnaeus, Ochlerotatus caspius (Pallas) and Aedes spp. species were included in this study. Culex pipiens samples made up 56% of the total species, O. caspius 24% and Aedes spp 20%. There were no positive results after studying mosquito samples using Real-time PCR, VecTest, and Vero cell culture. In serological tests of 181 human serum samples, 29 (16%) were found to be West Nile positive. On the basis of these results, we intend to collect more mosquito samples especially from those areas from which positive serum samples were obtained.

Assessment of antimicrobial, insecticidal and genotoxic effects of Melia azedarach L. (chinaberry) naturalized in Anatolia.

In this study, antibacterial, antifungal, insecticidal and genotoxic activities of the fruit and leaf extracts of Melia azedarach of Turkish origin were evaluated for the first time. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against Gram (+) and ( − ) bacteria, four Candida species and three dermatophytic fungus (Trichophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum and Microsporum gypseum). The insecticidal activity of the methanolic fruit extract was performed against the larvae of Aedes aegpyti, Culex pipiens and Culex quinquefasciatus. The genotoxicity of this extract was evaluated against Drosophila melanogaster by somatic mutation and recombination test. The extracts showed higher antibacterial effect against Gram ( − ) strains (16–32 μg ml− 1 of minimal inhibition concentration, MIC), while the leaf extracts were more effective on Candida albicans (32 μg ml− 1 of MIC). The extracts did not exhibit insecticidal activity and genotoxicity. Total phenol and flavonoid contents of the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically, and the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves was the richest in total flavonoids.

Humidity and seasonality drives body size patterns in males of the bush cricket Isophya rizeensis Sevgili, 2003 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae)

Two primary patterns of body size variation have been recorded in ectotherms in relation to latitudinal/altitudinal shifts. In some, body size increases with increasing latitude/altitude whereas, in others, body size decreases with increasing latitude/altitude. This clinal variation is generally assumed to be caused by local adaptation to environmental conditions however the selective variable(s) (temperature, humidity, diet quality, etc.) is still heavily debated. Here we investigate geographic variation in body size of dark and pale color morphs of males of the bush‐cricket Isophya rizeensis collected from 15 locations along an elevation gradient ranging from 350 to 2 500 m. Using an information theoretical approach we evaluate the relative support of four different hypotheses (the temperature size rule, the moisture gradient hypothesis, the seasonal constraint hypothesis, and the primary productivity hypothesis) explaining body size variation along the altitudinal gradient. Body size variation in pale color morphs showed a curvilinear relationship with altitude while dark color morphs showed no variation in body size. Body size variation in pale color morphs was highly correlated with precipitation and temperature seasonality values thus giving strong support for the moisture gradient and seasonal constraint hypothesis. Our results reinforce the importance of gradients in humidity and seasonality over temperature in the creation of altitudinal body size clines and the role of selection for resistance to stress factors in the establishment of these clines. Whether a body size cline is observed or not might also depend on the phenotypic properties of the individuals, like coloration.

Yearly changes of insecticide susceptiblity and possible insecticide resistance mechanisms of Anopheles maculipennis Meigen (Diptera: Culicidae) in Turkey

To evaluate the adulticide susceptibility and yearly changes of Anopheles maculipennis Meigen (Diptera: Culicidae) in Thrace, five mosquito populations were evaluated against the resistance status of four different adulticides. Three biochemical resistance mechanisms and yearly changes of activities were investigated. All the strains were highly resistant to DDT, and all the strains were placed in the resistance surveillance category for malathion, permethrin and deltamethrin in 2007. Although DDT mortality rates had increased from 2007 to 2008 except in the Seremkoy strain, malathion, permethrin and deltamethrin mortality rates have decreased in all of the tested strains. High rates of increase were determined for nonspecific esterases (NSEs) activity by using the substrate p-NPA and these results showed correlation with malathion mortality rates. All the strains showed high level of glutathione S transferases (GSTs), and their activity level had significantly increased from 2007 to 2008. Different insecticide susceptibility statuses were observed between localities, and high DDT resistance was observed although DDT was banned in the 1980s. Biochemical assay results suggest that NSEs and GSTs could play a role insecticide resistance in all tested strains. Malathion susceptibility has decreased in all the tested strains and NSEs activity is possibly the main enzymatic mechanism related to the insecticide resistance. DDT resistance is at a high degree in all the strains and GSTs activity is probably related to this situation. GSTs activity could play an important role for permethrin and deltamethrin susceptibility but needs to be confirmed for molecular studies. Our results provide important data on insecticide susceptibility and change over time for the Anopheles maculipennis populations in Turkey.

The relation between melanism and thermal biology in a colour polymorphic bush cricket, Isophya rizeensis

According to the thermal melanism hypothesis, darker coloured melanic individuals heat up faster and to higher temperatures than lighter coloured individuals due to lower skin reflectance. Consequently, it is assumed that darker melanic types may be advantageous compared to light coloured types in colder regions. As temperature gradually decreases with elevation and latitude the degree of melanism is expected to increase along these gradients in ectothermic species. Isophya rizeensis, a colour polymorphic bush cricket species endemic to Northeastern Turkey is an interesting case since the degree of melanism decreases with elevation, contrary to the thermal melanism hypothesis. In order to investigate the relation between colouration and thermal biology of this species, body temperatures (Tb) of crickets from different colour morphs, environmental temperatures (Ta), solar radiation and vegetation height were measured to test the relation between these variables and thermoregulation. Field results showed that solar radiation was the most effective factor on temperature excess (Tex), the difference between body and ambient temperature. Additionally, Tex values showed negative correlation with vegetation height. Although Tex values did not differ significantly between colour morphs, paired experiments under sunlight showed that darker morphs heated up faster and attained higher body temperatures than light morphs. We conclude that, since higher Tex values at alpine short swards might also increase the risk of facing deleterious temperatures at high elevations, protection against overheating might be one of the factors responsible for this polymorphism.

Digital identification of ecosystem structure in the Fırtına Valley of the Kaçkar Mountains in the Rize City of Turkey

Identifying the structure of protected mountain ecosystems is an important task for understanding conservation sustainability. The study area, the Fırtına Valley, located in the Rize City on the Eastern Blacksea Coast, is one of the biological hotspots and a National Park of Turkey. In order to identify the structure of mountain ecosystems, we generated a GIS database for the main environmental parameters of the study area, including elevation, slope and aspect layers for topographic structure, 10 year mean values of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), data for vegetation structure, annual mean temperature and precipitation layers for climatic structure, main soil groups for soil structure and stream flow accumulation, stream flow length and stream order layers for hydrological structure.To identify the complex relations among environmental factors in the study area a data reduction method is applied with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). PCA is performed using data of 16 layers from Geographical Information Systems (GIS). PCA analysis reduced 16 dimensions into 5 dimensions containing 75% of the variation in all data. It is also revealed that the topographic structure, mainly altitude, dominates the ecosystems of the Fırtına Valley, but it should be considered that the interactions of environmental factors in an ecosystem dynamics are very complex. The ecosystem structure is determined by the environmental factors direct or indirect effects on energy regulation of an ecosystem. Therefore the relationship between topographic elements and other abiotic-biotic elements in the Fırtına Valley are important for environmental assessment and sustainability of a protected area, and these effects are explained in this study.