Impact of the microbiome on mosquito-borne diseases

Mosquito-borne diseases present a significant threat to human health,with the possibility of outbreaks of new mosquito-borne diseases always looming.Unfortunately,current measures to combat these diseases such as vaccines and drugs are often either unavailable or ineffective.However,recent studies on microbiomes may reveal promising strategies to fight these diseases.In this review,we examine recent advances in our understanding of the effects of both the mosquito and vertebrate microbiomes on mosquito-borne diseases.We argue that the mosquito microbiome can have direct and indirect impacts on the transmission of these diseases,with mosquito symbiotic microorganisms,particularly Wolbachia bacteria,showing potential for controlling mosquito-borne diseases.Moreover,the skin microbiome of vertebrates plays a significant role in mosquito preferences,while the gut microbiome has an impact on the progression of mosquito-borne diseases in humans.As researchers continue to explore the role of microbiomes in mosquito-borne diseases,we highlight some promising future directions for this field.Ultimately,a better understanding of the interplay between mosquitoes,their hosts,pathogens,and the microbiomes of mosquitoes and hosts may hold the key to preventing and controlling mosquito-borne diseases.

Zoonotic and antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter:a view through the One Health lens

As a pathogen of a major public health concern with animal health importance,Campylobacter constitutes a clear and present threat to One Health.This organism colonizes the intestinal tract and is widely distributed among various animal species,including livestock and poultry,companion animals,and wildlife.As a result of its broad distribu-tion,Campylobacter is exposed to antibiotics used in both human and veterinary medicine,which creates antibiotic selection pressure that has driven the development and rising prevalence of antibiotic resistant Campylobacter.This is particularly evident with the resistance to fluoroquinolone(FQ),which has become a great concern for public health.However,the increased prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter cannot be solely attributed to antibiotic usage,as interspecies transmission and subsequent clonal expansion also contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter.This is exemplified by the emergence and expansion of FQ-resistant Campylo-bacter clones in animal production systems where FQ antibiotics were never used,the transmission of extensively drug resistant Campylobacter from dogs to human patients,and the spread of antibiotic-resistant and hypervirulent Campylobacter from ruminants to humans.Another notable finding from recently published work is the emergence of antibiotic resistance genes of Gram-positive origin in Campylobacter,suggesting that genetic exchange between Campylobacter and Gram-positive bacteria occurs in the natural environment and is more frequent than previously realized.Once these“foreign”antibiotic resistance genes are presented in Campylobacter,they can further disseminate by clonal expansion or horizontal gene transfer among different Campylobacter species/strains.These findings indi-cate that the emergence and transmission of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter in the ecosystem are complex and multidirectional,and are affected by multiple factors.Thus,a holistic and One Health approach is necessary to fully comprehend and mitigate antibiotic resistant Campylobacter.