First isolation of Enterobacter, Enterococcus, and Acinetobacter spp. as inhabitants of the tsetse fly ( Glossina palpalis palpalis) midgut

• Published in: Infection, genetics and evolution genetics and evolution, 2009-12, Vol.9 (6), p.1364-1370
• Main Authors: Geiger, Anne, Fardeau, Marie-Laure, Grebaut, Pascal, Vatunga, Gedeao, Josénando, Théophile, Herder, Stéphane, Cuny, Gérard, Truc, Philippe, Ollivier, Bernard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acinetobacter; Acinetobacter - cytology; Acinetobacter - isolation & purification; Acinetobacter - physiology; Acinetobacter spp; Angola; Animals; Bacterial isolation; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Bacterial - isolation & purification; Enterobacter; Enterobacter - cytology; Enterobacter - isolation & purification; Enterobacter - physiology; Enterococcus; Enterococcus - cytology; Enterococcus - isolation & purification; Enterococcus - physiology; Gastrointestinal Tract - microbiology; Glossina midgut; Glossina palpalis palpalis; Human African trypanosomiasis; Humans; Insect Vectors - microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - analysis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Sodalis glossinidius; Symbiosis; Taxonomy; Trypanosomiasis, African - transmission; Tsetse Flies - microbiology; Tsetse Flies - physiology; Vector competence; Wolbachia
• ISSN: 1567-1348; 1567-7257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2009.09.013

This paper reports the first evidence of the presence of bacteria, other than the three previously described as symbionts, Wigglesworthia glossinidia, Wolbachia, and Sodalis glossinidius, in the midgut of Glossina palpalis palpalis, the tsetse fly, a vector of the chronic form of human African trypanosomiasis in sub-Saharan African countries. Based on the morphological, nutritional, physiological, and phylogenetic results, we identified Enterobacter, Enterococcus, and Acinetobacter spp. as inhabitants of the midgut of the tsetse fly from Angola. Enterobacter spp. was the most frequently isolated. The role of these bacteria in the gut, in terms of vector competence of the tsetse fly, is discussed, as is the possibility of using these bacteria to produce in situ trypanolytic molecules.