Advances In Disease Vector Research

This series explores how vectors (carriers of disease agents, such as insects) acquire, carry and subsequently transmit pathogens to hosts. It covers the spectrum of vectors, including carriers of plant pathogens as well as medically related pathogens. The Chapters in Volume 7 include: 1. "K. Gibb, J.W. Randles: " Transmission of velvet tobacco mottle virus and related viruses by the mirid Cyrto- peltis nicotianae. 2. "N. Carter, R. Harrington: " Factors influencing aphid population dynamics and behavior and the consequences for virus spread. 3. "R.H. Bagnall: " Cyclic epidemics of aphid-borne potato viruses in Northern seed-potato-growing areas. 4. "C.J. Andrews, R.C. Sinha: " Interactions between barley yellow dwarf virus infection and winter-stress tolerance in cereals. 5. "J.R. DeLoach, G. " "Spates: " Artificial diets for blood feeding insects: a review. 6. "I. Maudlin: " Transmission of African trypanosomiasis: interactions among Tsetse immune system, symbionts, and parasites. 7. "C. Chastel, I. Humphery-Smith: " Mosquito spiroplasmas. The first four chapters cover topics in plant virus transmission by insects. The final three chapters focus on human and animal disease associations with bollid-feeding flies.

Entomology, plant pathology and virology are a few of the disciplines covered by this well-reviewed series. It also covers the spectrum of vectors from mosquitos and leafhoppers to nematodes, and pathogens from viruses to mycoplasmas to protozoa. Articles deal with the emerging science of vector ecology, and consider both biotic and abiotic environmental influences on disease transmission. As a form to present current thinking in this field, the series is an important resource for researchers and students involved in understanding and overcoming the many vector-borne diseases of plants, animals, and humans.

Volume 10 of Advances in Disease Vector Research consists of seven chapters on vectors that affect human or animal health and six chapters on plant pathogens and their vectors. In Chapter 1, Yasuo Chinzei and DeMar Taylor discuss hormonal regulation of vitellogenesis in ticks. Many blood sucking insects and ticks transmit pathogens by engorgement, which induces vitellogenesis and oviposition in adult animals. To investigate the pathogen transmission mechanism in vector animals, information on the host physiological and endocrinological conditions after engorgement is useful and important because pathogen development or proliferation occurs in the vector hosts at the same time as the host reproduction. Chinzei and Taylor have shown that in ticks, juvenile hormone (JH) is not involved in the endocrinological processes inducing vitellogenin biosynthesis. Synganglion (tick brain) factor(s) (vitellogenesis inducing factor, VIF) is more important to initiate vitellogenesis after engorgement, and ecdysteroids are also related to induction of vitellogenin synthesis. In their chapter, based mainly on their own experimental data, the authors discuss the characterization of main yolk protein, vitellogenin (Vg) , biosynthesis and processing in the fat body, and hormonal regulation of Vg synthesis in tick systems, including ixodid and argasid ticks.

Entomology, plant pathology and virology are a few of the disciplines covered by this well-reviewed series. It also covers the spectrum of vectors from mosquitos and leafhoppers to nematodes, and pathogens from viruses to mycoplasmas to protozoa. Articles deal with the emerging science of vector ecology, and consider both biotic and abiotic environmental influences on disease transmission. As a form to present current thinking in this field, the series is an important resource for researchers and students involved in understanding and overcoming the many vector-borne diseases of plants, animals, and humans.

Volume 9 in this series consists of four chapters on vectors that affect human or animal health and six chapters on plant pathogens and their vectors. In Chapter 1, Alex S. Raikhel discusses vitellogenesis in mosquitoes: the cornerstone of the reproductive cycle involving massive production of yolk precursors by the fat body and their accumulation in developing oocytes. In anautogeneous mosquitoes, vitellogenesis is dependent on the availability of a blood meal and, as a consequence, is linked to transmission of pathogens. Therefore, elucidation of mechanisms governing the mosquito vitellogenesis is critical for the successful development of novel strategies in vector and disease management. Previous reviews on mosquito vitellogenesis have dealt predominantly with hormonal control. The goal of this review, however, is to summarize significant progress which has been achieved in understanding mosquito vitellogenesis at the cellular, biochemical and molecular levels. It is with these disciplines that we expect to fully understand the mechanisms governing this key process in mosquito reproduction.

With contributions by numerous experts

Current Topics in Vector Research is based on the premise that to un derstand the whole, one must first understand the component parts and how they interact. Here in Volume 4, as well as in future volumes, vector, pathogen, and host will be treated both individually and as integral parts of multifaceted transmission systems. It is our intention to present up-to date, coherent syntheses of the latest findings in vector research, suggest promising frontiers for future research, and call attention to possible prac tical applications of our present understandings of pathogen-vector-host interactions. To realize our goals, we invite world-renowned, veteran sci entists as well as neophytes to report on their individual areas of expertise. Where appropriate, authors are encouraged to draw conclusions and pro pose hypotheses that stimulate additional thinking and research or oth erwise further our understanding of vector transmission cycles and how such cycles might be interrupted. It is our hope that readers will agree that we are serving these objectives and creating a milieu for specialists and generalists in vector research to maintain rapport and understanding.