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Mosquito-borne viruses are well recognized as a global public health burden amongst humans, but the effects on non-human vertebrates is rarely reported. Australia, houses a number of endemic mosquito-borne viruses, such as Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus, and Murray Valley encephalitis virus. In this review, we synthesize the current state of mosquito-borne viruses impacting non-human vertebrates in Australia, including diseases that could be introduced due to local mosquito distribution. Given the unique island biogeography of Australia and the endemism of vertebrate species (including macropods and monotremes), Australia is highly susceptible to foreign mosquito species becoming established, and mosquito-borne viruses becoming endemic alongside novel reservoirs. For each virus, we summarize the known geographic distribution, mosquito vectors, vertebrate hosts, clinical signs and treatments, and highlight the importance of including non-human vertebrates in the assessment of future disease outbreaks. The mosquito-borne viruses discussed can impact wildlife, livestock, and companion animals, causing significant changes to Australian ecology and economy. The complex nature of mosquito-borne disease, and challenges in assessing the impacts to non-human vertebrate species, makes this an important topic to periodically review.
Oselyne Ong; Eloise Skinner; Brian Johnson; Julie Old. Mosquito-Borne Viruses and Non-Human Vertebrates in Australia: A Review. Viruses 2021, 13, 265 .
AMA StyleOselyne Ong, Eloise Skinner, Brian Johnson, Julie Old. Mosquito-Borne Viruses and Non-Human Vertebrates in Australia: A Review. Viruses. 2021; 13 (2):265.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOselyne Ong; Eloise Skinner; Brian Johnson; Julie Old. 2021. "Mosquito-Borne Viruses and Non-Human Vertebrates in Australia: A Review." Viruses 13, no. 2: 265.
Background In the absence of vaccines or drugs, insecticides are the mainstay of Aedes-borne disease control. Their utility is challenged by the slow deployment of resources, poor community compliance and inadequate household coverage. Novel application methods are required. Methodology and principal findings A 10% w/w metofluthrin “emanator” that passively disseminates insecticide from an impregnated net was evaluated in a randomized trial of 200 houses in Mexico. The devices were introduced at a rate of 1 per room and replaced at 3-week intervals. During each of 7 consecutive deployment cycles, indoor resting mosquitoes were sampled using aspirator collections. Assessments of mosquito landing behaviours were made in a subset of houses. Pre-treatment, there were no differences in Aedes aegypti indices between houses recruited to the control and treatment arms. Immediately after metofluthrin deployment, the entomological indices between the trial arms diverged. Averaged across the trial, there were significant reductions in Abundance Rate Ratios for total Ae. aegypti, female abundance and females that contained blood meals (2.5, 2.4 and 2.3-times fewer mosquitoes respectively; P Conclusions/Significance This is the first randomized control trial to evaluate the entomological impact of any volatile pyrethroid on urban Ae. aegypti. It demonstrates that volatile pyrethroids can have a sustained impact on Ae. aegypti population densities and human-vector contact indoors. These effects occur despite the presence of pyrethroid-resistant alleles in the target population. Formulations like these may have considerable utility for public health vector control responses.
Gregor J. Devine; Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec; Wilbert Bibiano-Marín; Norma Pavia-Ruz; Azael Che-Mendoza; Anuar Medina-Barreiro; Josue Villegas; Gabriela Gonzalez-Olvera; Mike W. Dunbar; Oselyne Ong; Scott A. Ritchie; Thomas S. Churcher; Oscar D. Kirstein; Pablo Manrique-Saide. The entomological impact of passive metofluthrin emanators against indoor Aedes aegypti: A randomized field trial. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 2021, 15, e0009036 .
AMA StyleGregor J. Devine, Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, Wilbert Bibiano-Marín, Norma Pavia-Ruz, Azael Che-Mendoza, Anuar Medina-Barreiro, Josue Villegas, Gabriela Gonzalez-Olvera, Mike W. Dunbar, Oselyne Ong, Scott A. Ritchie, Thomas S. Churcher, Oscar D. Kirstein, Pablo Manrique-Saide. The entomological impact of passive metofluthrin emanators against indoor Aedes aegypti: A randomized field trial. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2021; 15 (1):e0009036.
Chicago/Turabian StyleGregor J. Devine; Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec; Wilbert Bibiano-Marín; Norma Pavia-Ruz; Azael Che-Mendoza; Anuar Medina-Barreiro; Josue Villegas; Gabriela Gonzalez-Olvera; Mike W. Dunbar; Oselyne Ong; Scott A. Ritchie; Thomas S. Churcher; Oscar D. Kirstein; Pablo Manrique-Saide. 2021. "The entomological impact of passive metofluthrin emanators against indoor Aedes aegypti: A randomized field trial." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15, no. 1: e0009036.
An ability to characterize the age of mosquito populations could provide cost-effective and compelling entomological evidence for the potential epidemiological impacts of vector control. The average age of a mosquito population is the most important determinant of vectorial capacity and the likelihood of disease transmission. Yet, despite decades of research, defining the age of a wild-caught mosquito remains a challenging, impractical, and unreliable process. Emerging chemometric and existing transcriptional approaches may overcome many of the limitations of current morphological techniques, but their utility in terms of field-based monitoring programmes remains largely untested. Herein, we review the potential advantages and disadvantages of new and existing age-grading tools in an operational context.
Brian J. Johnson; Leon Hugo; Thomas S. Churcher; Oselyne Ong; Gregor J. Devine. Mosquito Age Grading and Vector-Control Programmes. Trends in Parasitology 2019, 36, 39 -51.
AMA StyleBrian J. Johnson, Leon Hugo, Thomas S. Churcher, Oselyne Ong, Gregor J. Devine. Mosquito Age Grading and Vector-Control Programmes. Trends in Parasitology. 2019; 36 (1):39-51.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBrian J. Johnson; Leon Hugo; Thomas S. Churcher; Oselyne Ong; Gregor J. Devine. 2019. "Mosquito Age Grading and Vector-Control Programmes." Trends in Parasitology 36, no. 1: 39-51.
Marsupials and eutherians are mammals that differ in their physiological traits, predominately their reproductive and developmental strategies; eutherians give birth to well-developed young, while marsupials are born highly altricial after a much shorter gestation. These developmental traits also result in differences in the development of the immune system of eutherian and marsupial species. In eutherians, B-cells are the key to humoral immunity as they are found in multiple lymphoid organs and have the unique ability to mediate the production of antigen-specific antibodies in the presence of extracellular pathogens. The development of B-cells in marsupials has been reported and hypothesised to be similar to that of eutherians, except that haematopoiesis occurs in the liver, postpartum, until the bone marrow fully matures. In eutherians, specific genes are linked to specific stages in B-cell development, maturation, and differentiation processes, and have been identified including immunoglobulins (heavy and light chains), cluster of differentiation markers (CD10, 19, 34 and CD79α/β), signal transduction molecules (BTK, Lyn and Syk) and transcriptional regulators (EBF1, E2A, and Pax5). This review aims to discuss the known similarities and differences between marsupial and eutherian B-cells, in regards to their genetic presence, homology, and developmental stages, as well as to highlight the areas requiring further investigation. By enhancing our understanding of the genes that are involved with B-cells in the marsupial lineage, it will, in turn, aid our understanding of the marsupial immune system and support the development of specific immunological reagents for research and wildlife conservation purposes.
Andrea L. Schraven; Hayley Stannard; Oselyne Ong; Julie M. Old. Immunogenetics of marsupial B-cells. Molecular Immunology 2019, 117, 1 -11.
AMA StyleAndrea L. Schraven, Hayley Stannard, Oselyne Ong, Julie M. Old. Immunogenetics of marsupial B-cells. Molecular Immunology. 2019; 117 ():1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAndrea L. Schraven; Hayley Stannard; Oselyne Ong; Julie M. Old. 2019. "Immunogenetics of marsupial B-cells." Molecular Immunology 117, no. : 1-11.
Outdoor, early-biting, zoophagic behaviours by Anopheles farauti (s.s.) can compromise the effectiveness of bed nets for malaria control. In the Western Pacific region, pigs and dogs represent significant alternative blood sources for mosquitoes. Treating these animals with endectocides may impact mosquito survival and complement control measures. This hypothesis was explored using membrane feeding assays (MFAs), direct feeds on treated pigs, pharmacokinetic analyses and a transmission model. Ivermectin was 375-fold more mosquitocidal than moxidectin (24 h LC50 = 17.8 ng/ml vs 6.7 µg/ml) in MFAs, and reduced mosquito fecundity by > 50% at ≥ 5 ng/ml. Treatment of pigs with subcutaneous doses of 0.6 mg/kg ivermectin caused 100% mosquito mortality 8 days after administration. Lethal effects persisted for up to 15 days after administration (75% death within 10 days). The application of these empirical data to a unique malaria transmission model that used a three-host system (humans, pigs and dogs) predicts that the application of ivermectin will cause a significant reduction in the entomological inoculation rate (EIR = 100 to 0.35). However, this is contingent on local malaria vectors sourcing a significant proportion of their blood meals from pigs. This provides significant insights on the benefits of deploying endectocides alongside long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) to address residual malaria transmission.
Cielo J. Pasay; Laith Yakob; Hannah R. Meredith; Romal Stewart; Paul C. Mills; Milou H. Dekkers; Oselyne Ong; Stacey Llewellyn; R. Leon E. Hugo; James S. McCarthy; Gregor J. Devine. Treatment of pigs with endectocides as a complementary tool for combating malaria transmission by Anopheles farauti (s.s.) in Papua New Guinea. Parasites & Vectors 2019, 12, 124 .
AMA StyleCielo J. Pasay, Laith Yakob, Hannah R. Meredith, Romal Stewart, Paul C. Mills, Milou H. Dekkers, Oselyne Ong, Stacey Llewellyn, R. Leon E. Hugo, James S. McCarthy, Gregor J. Devine. Treatment of pigs with endectocides as a complementary tool for combating malaria transmission by Anopheles farauti (s.s.) in Papua New Guinea. Parasites & Vectors. 2019; 12 (1):124.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCielo J. Pasay; Laith Yakob; Hannah R. Meredith; Romal Stewart; Paul C. Mills; Milou H. Dekkers; Oselyne Ong; Stacey Llewellyn; R. Leon E. Hugo; James S. McCarthy; Gregor J. Devine. 2019. "Treatment of pigs with endectocides as a complementary tool for combating malaria transmission by Anopheles farauti (s.s.) in Papua New Guinea." Parasites & Vectors 12, no. 1: 124.
Baseline haematology, blood chemistry and acute phase protein parameters have not previously been published for free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Eight eastern grey kangaroos, including three adult males, three adult females and two subadult males from two different populations, were examined. Assays assessed the antibacterial activity of kangaroo serum against one Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria. The kangaroo serum had a strong antibacterial response to Klebsiella pneumoniae, and moderate responses to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The presence and level of acute phase proteins, haptoglobin and serum amyloid A in kangaroos was investigated. Haptoglobin and serum amyloid A were present in kangaroo serum, but only haptoglobin was elevated in a kangaroo with capture myopathy and necrotic wounds. The findings of this study provide preliminary data on health parameters of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos. These parameters can be used to assist in assessing health in free-ranging populations.
Jai M. Green-Barber; Oselyne Ong; Anusha Kanuri; Hayley J. Stannard; Julie M. Old. Blood constituents of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Australian Mammalogy 2018, 40, 136 .
AMA StyleJai M. Green-Barber, Oselyne Ong, Anusha Kanuri, Hayley J. Stannard, Julie M. Old. Blood constituents of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Australian Mammalogy. 2018; 40 (2):136.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJai M. Green-Barber; Oselyne Ong; Anusha Kanuri; Hayley J. Stannard; Julie M. Old. 2018. "Blood constituents of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus)." Australian Mammalogy 40, no. 2: 136.
Antimicrobial substances in serum include circulating complement proteins and acute phase proteins (APPs). We identified gene sequences for APPs, haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) in marsupial genomes. Hp and SAA levels were measured in red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) sera using commercially available assays. Hp levels were higher in males than females, while SAA levels suggest the phascogales used in this study were healthy. Serum was co-cultured with four bacterial species. Bacterial growth was inhibited after incubation at 37°C, however effectiveness differed with bacteria and incubation time. The least amount of bacterial growth was noticed after introduction to K. pneumoniae, and most when introduced to P. aeruginosa. Despite marsupials not having mature immune tissues at birth, and unable to mount specific immune responses, this study suggests other immune strategies, such as APPs in serum likely aid marsupials in their defence against pathogens.
Oselyne Ong; Jai Green-Barber; Anusha Kanuri; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. Antimicrobial activity of red-tailed phascogale ( Phascogale calura ) serum. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 2017, 51, 41 -48.
AMA StyleOselyne Ong, Jai Green-Barber, Anusha Kanuri, Lauren Young, Julie M. Old. Antimicrobial activity of red-tailed phascogale ( Phascogale calura ) serum. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. 2017; 51 ():41-48.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOselyne Ong; Jai Green-Barber; Anusha Kanuri; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. 2017. "Antimicrobial activity of red-tailed phascogale ( Phascogale calura ) serum." Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 51, no. : 41-48.
Reference genes serve an important role as an endogenous control/standard for data normalisation in gene expression studies. Although reference genes have recently been suggested for marsupials, independent analysis of reference genes on different immune tissues is yet to be tested. Therefore, an assessment of reference genes is needed for the selection of stable, expressed genes across different marsupial tissues. The study was conducted on red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura) using five juvenile and five adult males. The stability of five reference genes (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, GAPDH; β-actin, ACTB; 18S rRNA, 18S; 28S rRNA, 28S; and ribosomal protein L13A, RPL13A) was investigated using SYBR Green and analysed with the geNorm application available in qBasePLUS software. Gene stability for juvenile and adult tissue samples combined show that GAPDH was most stable in liver and lung tissue, and 18S in small intestine and spleen. While all reference genes were suitable for small intestine and spleen tissues, all reference genes except 28S were stable for lung and only 18S and 28S were stable for liver tissue. Separating the two age groups, we found that two different reference genes were considered stable in juveniles (ACTB and GAPDH) and adults (18S and 28S), and RPL13A was not stable for juvenile small intestine tissue. Except for 28S, all reference genes were stable in juvenile and adult lungs, and all five reference genes were stable in spleen tissue. Based on expression stability, ACTB and GAPDH are suitable for all tissues when studying the expression of marsupials in two age groups, except for adult liver tissues. The expression stability between juvenile and adult liver tissue was most unstable, as the stable reference genes for juveniles and adults were different. Juvenile and adult lung, small intestine and spleen share similar stable reference genes, except for small intestine tissues where all reference genes were stable in adults but RPL13A was not suitable in juveniles.
Oselyne Ong; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. Evaluation of reference genes for gene expression in red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) liver, lung, small intestine and spleen. PeerJ 2016, 4, 1 .
AMA StyleOselyne Ong, Lauren Young, Julie M. Old. Evaluation of reference genes for gene expression in red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) liver, lung, small intestine and spleen. PeerJ. 2016; 4 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOselyne Ong; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. 2016. "Evaluation of reference genes for gene expression in red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) liver, lung, small intestine and spleen." PeerJ 4, no. : 1.
Marsupials are born immunologically premature, relying on cells and molecules in maternal milk for immune protection. Both immunoglobulin and complement proteins have been identified in marsupial milk, but the expression of specific complement proteins remains largely unexplored. We report partial cDNA sequences for two complement-activating proteins, C3, C1r, CFP and MASP2, in liver tissues from red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura). Conservation of functionally relevant motifs were identified in the translated cDNA sequences from phascogale C3, CFP and MASP2 and their eutherian homologues. Gene expression of representative molecules from each of the major complement pathways was also investigated in whole body tissues from 1 to 18 day old animals and liver tissues from 31-day to 14-month old animals. Average complement expression in whole bodies and liver tissues of C1r, CFP, MASP2 and C3 increased significantly in juveniles compared to pouch young, presumably due to the maturation of the young's own complement system. Comparing expression in liver tissues only, we found that the average CFP expression were higher in pouch young compared to juveniles, while results were still statistically similar to the average expression of all tissues for C1r, MASP2 and C3. The average complement expression then significantly decreased as the animals aged into adulthood.
Oselyne Ong; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. Sequences and expression of pathway-specific complement components in developing red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura). Developmental & Comparative Immunology 2016, 65, 314 -320.
AMA StyleOselyne Ong, Lauren Young, Julie M. Old. Sequences and expression of pathway-specific complement components in developing red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura). Developmental & Comparative Immunology. 2016; 65 ():314-320.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOselyne Ong; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. 2016. "Sequences and expression of pathway-specific complement components in developing red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura)." Developmental & Comparative Immunology 65, no. : 314-320.
The complement system is a major mediator of the vertebrate immune system, which functions in both innate and specific immune responses. It comprises more than 30 proteins working to remove foreign cells by way of anaphylatoxins, opsonins or the membrane attack complex. Over the last few years, whole genome sequences of non-eutherian mammals (marsupials and a monotreme), the gray short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica), tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii), Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) and platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), have become publicly available. Using these sequences, we have identified an array of complement components in non-eutherians using online search tools and algorithms. Of 57 complement and complement-related genes investigated, we identified 46 in the gray short-tailed opossum genome, 27 in the tammar wallaby genome, 44 in the Tasmanian devil genome, 47 in the koala genome and 40 in the platypus genome. The results of this study confirm the presence of key complement components in the immune repertoire of non-eutherian mammals and provide a platform for future studies on immune protection in young marsupials.
Oselyne T. W. Ong; Lauren J. Young; Julie M. Old; And. Preliminary genomic survey and sequence analysis of the complement system in non-eutherian mammals. Australian Mammalogy 2016, 38, 80 .
AMA StyleOselyne T. W. Ong, Lauren J. Young, Julie M. Old, And. Preliminary genomic survey and sequence analysis of the complement system in non-eutherian mammals. Australian Mammalogy. 2016; 38 (1):80.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOselyne T. W. Ong; Lauren J. Young; Julie M. Old; And. 2016. "Preliminary genomic survey and sequence analysis of the complement system in non-eutherian mammals." Australian Mammalogy 38, no. 1: 80.
Very few assays that are used to assess the status of mammalian immunity have proved useful for assessment of marsupial health and/or diagnosis of disease. This is largely due to the lack of species cross-reactive reagents that underpin such experiments. To begin to address this deficit, we describe the activation of classical and alternative complement pathways of red-tailed phascogales (RTP; Phascogale calura). Using standard haemolytic assays, the existence of both complement pathways were established in RTP serum based on its ability to lyse unsensitised rabbit erythrocytes (RbE) and sensitised sheep erythrocytes (SE), respectively. The alternative complement pathway assays were conducted using pooled serum of male and female RTPs, and the remaining RTP sera were opportunistically used to test the presence of a functional classical complement system in individual animals, a first in non-eutherian animals. Observations from this study suggest that the activation of these two complement pathways in RTPs are comparable to that seen in other mammals. Since this assay was able to be used on very small samples of blood, it could serve as a useful tool to gather data for comparative immunological studies and to further our knowledge of the mechanisms of immunity available to marsupial young.
Oselyne Ong; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. Detection of an active complement system in red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura). Comparative Clinical Pathology 2015, 24, 1527 -1534.
AMA StyleOselyne Ong, Lauren Young, Julie M. Old. Detection of an active complement system in red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura). Comparative Clinical Pathology. 2015; 24 (6):1527-1534.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOselyne Ong; Lauren Young; Julie M. Old. 2015. "Detection of an active complement system in red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura)." Comparative Clinical Pathology 24, no. 6: 1527-1534.
This paper reports successful breeding by 4-year-old female red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura) and that they can survive until at least 5 years of age in captivity, whilst males can survive until at least 2 years of age in captivity. These findings have implications for captive breeding programs, providing evidence that older females can be successfully bred. In the longer term we hope these findings may aid conservation efforts of this endangered dasyurid.
Hayley J. Stannard; Casey R. Borthwick; Oselyne Ong; Julie M. Old; And. Longevity and breeding in captive red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura). Australian Mammalogy 2013, 35, 217 .
AMA StyleHayley J. Stannard, Casey R. Borthwick, Oselyne Ong, Julie M. Old, And. Longevity and breeding in captive red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura). Australian Mammalogy. 2013; 35 (2):217.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHayley J. Stannard; Casey R. Borthwick; Oselyne Ong; Julie M. Old; And. 2013. "Longevity and breeding in captive red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura)." Australian Mammalogy 35, no. 2: 217.