Micro-CT visualisation of the parasite-host interface in sandflies and blackflies

29 Jan 2020
Dr Martin Hall, Brett Clark, Dr Matthew Rogers, Dr Daniel Martín-Vega, Debashis Ghosh, Professor Robert Cheke, Francis Veriegh, Tony Tetteh-Kumah, Dr Mike Yaw Osei-Atweneboana

Leishmaniasis and onchocerciasis are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) vectored by sandflies and blackflies, respectively. Both NTDs are associated with poverty and impose a significant health, welfare and economic burden on many tropical countries. Current methods to visualise infections within the vectors rely on invasive methods. However, using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) techniques, without interference from tissue manipulation, this study visualised in 3-D for the first time:

  • Leishmania mexicana infections and their impact on laboratory reared Lutzomia longipalpis sandflies;
  • an L1 larva of an Onchocerca species within the thoracic musculature of a blackfly, Simulium damnosum, naturally infected in Ghana.