Trypanosomes and gut microbiota interactions in triatomine bugs and tsetse flies: A vectorial perspective

• Published in: Medical and veterinary entomology Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 253 - 268
• Main Authors: Omondi, Zeph Nelson, Caner, Ayşe, Arserim, Suha Kenan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2024; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: African trypanosomiasis; Animals; biofilm; Chagas disease; digestive system; Disease transmission; etiological agents; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - physiology; genus; Glossina; Gut microbiota; Host-Parasite Interactions; immunity; Insect Vectors - microbiology; Insect Vectors - physiology; Intestinal microflora; intestinal microorganisms; Latin America; medical and veterinary entomology; metabolism; Microbiota; Muscidae; Parasites; parasite–microbiota interactions; Protozoa; Sub-Saharan Africa; Triatominae; Triatominae - microbiology; Triatominae - parasitology; Triatominae - physiology; triatomine bug; Trypanosoma; Trypanosoma - physiology; Trypanosoma brucei; Trypanosoma brucei brucei - physiology; Trypanosoma cruzi; Trypanosoma cruzi - physiology; Tsetse Flies - microbiology; Tsetse Flies - parasitology; Tsetse Flies - physiology; tsetse fly; Vectors; Latin America; Sub-Saharan Africa; tsetse fly; Trypanosoma; triatomine bug; gut microbiota; parasite–microbiota interactions
• ISSN: 0269-283X; 1365-2915; 1365-2915
• DOI: 10.1111/mve.12723

Triatomines (kissing bugs) and tsetse flies (genus: Glossina) are natural vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei, respectively. T. cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, endemic in Latin America, while T. brucei causes African sleeping sickness disease in sub‐Saharan Africa. Both triatomines and tsetse flies are host to a diverse community of gut microbiota that co‐exist with the parasites in the gut. Evidence has shown that the gut microbiota of both vectors plays a key role in parasite development and transmission. However, knowledge on the mechanism involved in parasite–microbiota interaction remains limited and scanty. Here, we attempt to analyse Trypanosoma spp. and gut microbiota interactions in tsetse flies and triatomines, with a focus on understanding the possible mechanisms involved by reviewing published articles on the subject. We report that interactions between Trypanosoma spp. and gut microbiota can be both direct and indirect. In direct interactions, the gut microbiota directly affects the parasite via the formation of biofilms and the production of anti‐parasitic molecules, while on the other hand, Trypanosoma spp. produces antimicrobial proteins to regulate gut microbiota of the vector. In indirect interactions, the parasite and gut bacteria affect each other through host vector‐activated processes such as immunity and metabolism. Although we are beginning to understand how gut microbiota interacts with the Trypanosoma parasites, there is still a need for further studies on functional role of gut microbiota in parasite development to maximize the use of symbiotic bacteria in vector and parasite control. Trypanosoma sp. presence modulates or has zero effect on gut microbiota composition. Microbiota presence modulates or has zero effect on Trypanosoma sp. growth. Vector biology of triatomine bugs and tsetse flies influences their gut microbiota composition.