Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance
Abstract Background The exact number of mosquito species relevant to human health is unknown, posing challenges in understanding the scope and breadth of vector–pathogen relationships, and how resilient mosquito vector–pathogen networks are to targeted eradication of vectors. Methods We performed an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05333-4 |
| _version_ | 1818256892792668160 |
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| author | Donald A. Yee Catherine Dean Bermond Limarie J. Reyes-Torres Nicole S. Fijman Nicole A. Scavo Joseph Nelsen Susan H. Yee |
| author_facet | Donald A. Yee Catherine Dean Bermond Limarie J. Reyes-Torres Nicole S. Fijman Nicole A. Scavo Joseph Nelsen Susan H. Yee |
| author_sort | Donald A. Yee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The exact number of mosquito species relevant to human health is unknown, posing challenges in understanding the scope and breadth of vector–pathogen relationships, and how resilient mosquito vector–pathogen networks are to targeted eradication of vectors. Methods We performed an extensive literature survey to determine the associations between mosquito species and their associated pathogens of human medical importance. For each vector–pathogen association, we then determined the strength of the associations (i.e., natural infection, lab infection, lab dissemination, lab transmission, known vector). A network analysis was used to identify relationships among all pathogens and vectors. Finally, we examined how elimination of either random or targeted species affected the extinction of pathogens. Results We found that 88 of 3578 mosquito species (2.5%) are known vectors for 78 human disease-causing pathogens; however, an additional 243 species (6.8%) were identified as potential or likely vectors, bringing the total of all mosquitos implicated in human disease to 331 (9.3%). Network analysis revealed that known vectors and pathogens were compartmentalized, with the removal of six vectors being enough to break the network (i.e., cause a pathogen to have no vector). However, the presence of potential or likely vectors greatly increased redundancies in the network, requiring more than 41 vectors to be eliminated before breaking the network. Conclusion Although < 10% of mosquitoes are involved in transmitting pathogens that cause human disease, our findings point to inherent robustness in global mosquito vector–pathogen networks. Graphical Abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:34:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64ad2aa89c9e4459892ef38dc03f4e4d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:34:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-64ad2aa89c9e4459892ef38dc03f4e4d2022-12-22T00:17:13ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052022-06-011511910.1186/s13071-022-05333-4Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importanceDonald A. Yee0Catherine Dean Bermond1Limarie J. Reyes-Torres2Nicole S. Fijman3Nicole A. Scavo4Joseph Nelsen5Susan H. Yee6School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern MississippiSchool of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern MississippiSchool of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern MississippiSchool of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern MississippiSchool of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern MississippiSchool of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern MississippiGulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling Division, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAbstract Background The exact number of mosquito species relevant to human health is unknown, posing challenges in understanding the scope and breadth of vector–pathogen relationships, and how resilient mosquito vector–pathogen networks are to targeted eradication of vectors. Methods We performed an extensive literature survey to determine the associations between mosquito species and their associated pathogens of human medical importance. For each vector–pathogen association, we then determined the strength of the associations (i.e., natural infection, lab infection, lab dissemination, lab transmission, known vector). A network analysis was used to identify relationships among all pathogens and vectors. Finally, we examined how elimination of either random or targeted species affected the extinction of pathogens. Results We found that 88 of 3578 mosquito species (2.5%) are known vectors for 78 human disease-causing pathogens; however, an additional 243 species (6.8%) were identified as potential or likely vectors, bringing the total of all mosquitos implicated in human disease to 331 (9.3%). Network analysis revealed that known vectors and pathogens were compartmentalized, with the removal of six vectors being enough to break the network (i.e., cause a pathogen to have no vector). However, the presence of potential or likely vectors greatly increased redundancies in the network, requiring more than 41 vectors to be eliminated before breaking the network. Conclusion Although < 10% of mosquitoes are involved in transmitting pathogens that cause human disease, our findings point to inherent robustness in global mosquito vector–pathogen networks. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05333-4ArbovirusCulicidaeExtinction curvesNetwork analysisPathogenVector |
| spellingShingle | Donald A. Yee Catherine Dean Bermond Limarie J. Reyes-Torres Nicole S. Fijman Nicole A. Scavo Joseph Nelsen Susan H. Yee Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance Parasites & Vectors Arbovirus Culicidae Extinction curves Network analysis Pathogen Vector |
| title | Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance |
| title_full | Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance |
| title_fullStr | Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance |
| title_short | Robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance |
| title_sort | robust network stability of mosquitoes and human pathogens of medical importance |
| topic | Arbovirus Culicidae Extinction curves Network analysis Pathogen Vector |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05333-4 |
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