Josué Martínez-de la Puente

• PhD
• Tenured Scientist at Doñana Biological Station

The study of host-parasite relationships involving vector-borne parasites requires understanding interactions between parasites and vectors. The capacity of haemosporidians to infect insects has clear evolutionary consequences for the transmission of diseases. Here, we investigated (i) the associations between blood parasites, biting midges and bir...

Mosquito community composition plays a central role in the transmission of zoonotic vector-borne pathogens. We evaluated how the mosquito community a ects the seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) in house sparrows along an urbanisation gradient in an area with the endemic circulation of this virus. We sampled 2544 birds and 340829 mosquitoes in...

Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors affect the capacity of mosquitoes for the transmission of vector-borne pathogens. Among them, mosquito microbiota may play a key role determining the development of pathogens in mosquitoes and the cost of infections. Here, we used a wild avian malaria-mosquito assemblage model to experimentally test the role of...

Introduction Recently, as the effects of anthropogenic climate change (ACC) become evident, vector-borne diseases (VBD) are spreading and establishing in temperate regions of the world. We investigated whether these two phenomena are related. We hypothesized that ACC has turned many areas, previously considered “unsuitable” for sustaining VBD cycle...

Overview Understanding patterns of biota diversity at the different geographical scales is one of the major challenges of biogeography [1] and macroecology [2], especially for parasites, one of the most diverse groups on earth [3]. The order Haemosporida includes parasites of wildlife which are among the most studied in ecology and evolution [4,5]....

Background West Nile Virus (WNV) exemplifies the complexities of managing vector-borne diseases, expanding globally due to human activities and ecological changes. Originating from Africa and transmitted by Culex mosquitoes, WNV is now reported across multiple continents. The aim of this study was to identify the environmental, ecological, and indi...

El objetivo de esta nota de campo es documentar la presencia de nuevas especies de mosquitos (Diptera: Culicidae) en la provincia de Segovia y discutir su papel potencial en la transmisión de patógenos. En agosto de 2024 se capturaron dos mosquitos hembra que fueron identificados como Aedes geniculatus (Olivier, 1791) y Anopheles petragnani (Del Ve...

The common house mosquito Culex pipiens s.l., widely distributed in Europe, Africa, and North America has two recognized biotypes, Cx. pipiens biotype pipiens and Cx. pipiens biotype molestus, which hybridize. Despite their morphological similarities, these biotypes may exhibit ecological differences. This complex ecological mosaic may affect the i...

West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus naturally circulating between mosquito vectors and birds, occasionally infecting horses and humans and causing epidemiologically relevant outbreaks. In Spain, the first big WNV outbreak was recorded in 2020, resulting in 77 people infected and 8 fatalities, most of them in southern Spain. Culex perexiguus was i...

The migratory culling hypothesis posits that infected individuals are less likely to survive long-distance migration due to physiological and behavioral effects, but this lacks empirical evidence. Here, we tested this hypothesis by sampling 357 passerines from 11 species during their autumn migration to wintering grounds in two different areas, i)...

The Wildlife Malaria Network (WIMANET) is a groundbreaking multinational collaboration focused on studying vector-borne haemosporidian parasites in wildlife. Unlike human malaria, wildlife malaria is found on all continents except Antarctica, with parasites being transmitted by a range of vectors. The complexity and diversity of these parasites mak...

Sexual differences in pathogen prevalence in wildlife often arise from varying susceptibility influenced by factors such as sex hormones and exposure to pathogens. In the case of vector-borne pathogens, host selection by insect vectors determines the exposure of hosts to infections, largely affecting the transmission of these infectious diseases. W...

Background Aedes albopictus is catalogued as one of the 100 most dangerous species worldwide. Native to Asia, the species has drastically increased its distribution range, reaching all continents except Antarctica. The presence of Ae. albopictus in Spain was first reported in 2004 in Cataluña (NE Spain), and it is spreading in the country. Methods...

Background Culicoides midges have been well-studied in Spain, particularly over the last 20 years, mainly because of their role as vectors of arboviral diseases that affect livestock. Most studies on Culicoides are conducted using suction light traps in farmed environments, but studies employing alternative trapping techniques or focusing on natura...

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a genetic region in jawed vertebrates that contains key genes involved in the immune response. Associations between the MHC and avian malaria infections in wild birds have been observed and mainly explored in the Northern Hemisphere, while a general lack of information remains in the Southern Hemisphere...

Simple Summary Aedes albopictus is an invasive mosquito species with a currently broad distribution range. In this article, we address the role of this mosquito species in the transmission of avian malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium. To do that, we review the literature and compile existing information on Ae. albopictus–avian Plasmodium inte...

Background. Culicoides midges have been well-studied in Spain, particularly over the last 20 years, mainly because of their role as vectors of arboviral diseases that affect livestock. Most studies on Culicoidesare conducted using suction light traps in farmed environments, but studies employing alternative trapping techniques or focusing on natura...

¿Conoces a los responsables de los estornudos del 30 % de la población mundial? ¿Qué tipo de bicho perseguido hasta la muerte está siendo clave en los estudios biomédicos? ¿Sabías que la revolución de la escritura en Occidente fue posible gracias a unas avispas con muchas agallas? ¿Has oído hablar de un fósil viviente con varios récords Guinness? ¿...

ABSTRACT West Nile virus (WNV) is the most widely distributed mosquito-borne flavivirus in the world. This flavivirus can infect humans causing in some cases a fatal neurological disease and birds are the main reservoir hosts. WNV is endemic in Spain, and human cases have been reported since 2004. Although different studies analyse how climatic co...

Malaria remains one of the most important infectious diseases globally due to its high incidence and mortality rates. The influx of infected cases from endemic to non-endemic malaria regions like Europe has resulted in a public health concern over sporadic local outbreaks. This is facilitated by the continued presence of competent Anopheles vectors...

Avian malaria parasites provide an important model for studying host-pathogen interactions, yet understanding their dynamics in vectors under natural conditions is limited. We investigated the effect of vector abundance, species richness and diversity, and habitat characteristics on avian Plasmodium prevalence and lineage richness in Culex pipiens...

Urbanization is increasing worldwide, producing severe environmental impacts. Biodiversity is affected by the expansion of cities, with many species being unable to cope with the different human-induced stressors present in these landscapes. However, this knowledge is mainly based on research from taxa such as plants or vertebrates, while other org...

Background The emergence of diseases of public health concern is enhanced by factors associated with global change, such as the introduction of invasive species. The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), considered a competent vector of different viruses and parasites, has been successfully introduced into Europe in recent decades. Molecular scr...

Mosquitoes are primary vectors of pathogens impacting humans, wildlife, and livestock. Among them, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, stands out as an invasive species with a global distribution, having established populations on every continent except Antarctica. Recent findings incriminate Ae. albopictus in the local transmission of seve...

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by protozoans of the genus Plasmodium that affects both humans and wildlife. The fitness consequences of infections by avian malaria are well known in birds, however, little information exists on its impact on mosquitoes. Here we study how Culex pipiens mosquitoes transcriptionally respond to infection by...

Hematophagous dipterans such as black flies of the genus Simulium or biting midges of the genus Culicoides are common ectoparasites attacking birds in their nests. In addition to their deleterious effects as blood-suckers, these insects are vectors of avian malaria-like parasites of the genera Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus, respectively. In spite...

Citation: Garrigós, M.; Garrido, M.; Panisse, G.; Veiga, J.; Martínez-de la Puente, J. Interactions between West Nile Virus and the Microbiota of Culex pipiens Vectors: A Literature Review. Pathogens 2023, 12, 1287. Abstract: The flavivirus West Nile virus (WNV) naturally circulates between mosquitoes and birds, potentially affecting humans and hor...

The ability of mosquitoes to transmit a pathogen is affected, among other factors, by their survival rate, which is partly modulated by their microbiota. Mosquito microbiota is acquired during the larval phase and modified during their development and adult feeding behavior, being highly dependent on environmental factors. Pharmaceutical residues i...

The invasive Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is nowadays broadly distributed with established populations in all continents except Antarctica. In the invaded areas, this species represents an important nuisance for humans and, more relevant, it is involved in the local transmission of pathogens relevant under a public health perspective. Aede...

In community assembly processes, interspecific interactions play an important role in shaping community diversity, especially at the local scale. Changes in species richness or abundance can modify local infectious disease dynamics, either reducing or increasing the risk of transmission within the community. This study evaluates the effects of bird...

La malaria aviar es una enfermedad propia de las aves producida por protozoos del orden Haemosporida (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus y Leucocytozoon), que son transmitidos por dípteros hematófagos como las moscas del género Simulium. Se desconocen qué factores hacen que en un nido entren más o menos ejemplares de estos dípteros. El objetivo de este estud...

Mosquitoes, including invasive species like the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, alongside native species Culex pipiens s.l., pose a significant nuisance to humans and serve as vectors for mosquito-borne diseases in urban areas. Understanding the impact of water infrastructure characteristics, climatic conditions, and management strategies on...

recent outbreak in 2020 in Spain with 77 human cases and eight fatalities. However, the factors explaining the observed changes in the incidence of WNV in Europe are not completely understood. Longitudinal monitoring of WNV in wild animals across Europe is a useful approach to understand the eco-epidemiology of WNV in the wild and the risk of spill...

Aim The increasing spread of vector‐borne diseases has resulted in severe health concerns for humans, domestic animals and wildlife, with changes in land use and the introduction of invasive species being among the main possible causes for this increase. We explored several ecological drivers potentially affecting the local prevalence and richness...

The human modification of the landscape and subsequent changes in biotic variables, such as community structure and composition, can alter host-parasite dynamics. In addition, a beneficial effect of wildlife diversity on zoonotic disease risk and transmission has been proposed. Here, we studied the effects of the bird community on the prevalence an...

Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease caused by protozoans of the genus Plasmodium that affects both humans and wildlife. The fitness consequences of infections by avian malaria are well known in birds, however, little information exists on its impact on mosquitoes. Here we study how Culex pipiens mosquitoes transcriptionally respond to infection by...

Emerging infectious diseases are one of the most important global health challenges because of their impact on human and animal health. The vector-borne West Nile virus (WNV) is transmitted between birds by mosquitos, but it can also infect humans and horses causing disease. The local circulation of WNV in Spain has been known for decades, and sinc...

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a pesticide that was commonly used for decades worldwide. The use of DDT was banned decades ago in Europe due to its high toxicity and persistence in the environment, bioaccumulation in living organisms and biomagnification through food webs. However, monitoring using both invasive and non‐invasive methods h...

The risk of autochthonous transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) in Europe greatly depends on the capacity of Aedes albopictus to transmit ZIKV. Experimental studies of the vector competence of European populations of this invasive mosquito species provided contrasting results, that may suggest differences between mosquito populations in ZIKV competence...

Living organisms are exposed to a wide range of substances - internal and external - which act like reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative damage accurs when the balance between ROS and antioxidant defenses is altered. Urbanization and parasite infection are both important sources of ROS with different harmful effects on wildlife health, but the...

Reports of West Nile virus (WNV) associated disease in humans were scarce in Spain until summer 2020, when 77 cases were reported, eight fatal. Most cases occurred next to the Guadalquivir River in the Sevillian villages of Puebla del Río and Coria del Río. Detection of WNV disease in humans was preceded by a large increase in the abundance of Cule...

Culicoides biting midges are blood-sucking insects that play a key role in the transmission of different parasites to wildlife. Birds are hosts of Culicoides from as early on as the nesting stage, when constrained to their nests, and they may impact their body condition. However, the ecological factors that determine the abundance and composition o...

Mosquitoes play a central role in the transmission of pathogens causing important diseases to humans and other animals. The incidence of zoonotic diseases has increased in recent decades, many of them caused by pathogens transmitted by mosquitoes. Due to the relevance of these diseases in public and animal health, medical and veterinary entomologis...

The identification of the vertebrate blood meal sources of mosquitoes allows insight to better understand the dynamics of vector-borne pathogens. To do so, different approaches have been used, based on the use of the remains of blood present in the abdomen of recently engorged mosquito females. Among others, different authors have used serological...

Traditionally, mosquitoes have been studied given their relevance as vectors of pathogens that affect humans. However, in recent decades, their relevance as vectors of pathogens that affect wildlife has become evident. For this reason, multidisciplinary research disciplines have been developed focusing on the ecology, epidemiology and evolution of...

Control of rodent populations is a big challenge because of the rapid evolution of resistance to commonly used rodenticides and the collateral negative impacts that these products may have on biodiversity. Second-generation anticoagulants are very efficient but different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Vkorc1 gene may confer resistanc...

Los mosquitos desempeñan un importante papel en los ecosistemas ya que actúan como vectores (transmisores) de numerosos patógenos que circulan en la naturaleza y causan enfermedades en los humanos y otros animales. El mosquito común (Culex pipiens), por ejemplo, es un buen transmisor del parásito causante de la malaria aviar, Plasmodium relictum, y...

En las últimas décadas, los cambios de origen antrópico en los ecosistemas han alterado la incidencia de las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes. Entre otras causas, el calentamiento global está favoreciendo la expansión y la redistribución de ciertos vectores de patógenos de relevancia en salud pública y animal. Este es el caso de los mosquitos, e...

Wild birds are hosts of Culicoides from as early on as the nesting stage when constrained to their nests. However, the environmental factors which determine the abundance and composition of Culicoides species within each bird nest are still understudied. We sampled Culicoides from Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nests found in two types of...

Haemosporidian parasites are common in birds but are seldom reported in seabirds. The absence of vectors or genetic resistance to infection have been proposed to explain this pattern. However, screening of blood parasites in many seabirds has been done only by visual inspection of blood smears, which can miss low-intensity infections, and molecular...

Anthropogenic activities such as intensification of agriculture, animal husbandry and expansion of cities can negatively impact wildlife through its influence on the availability of high-quality food resources and pathogen transmission. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus), an urban exploiter, is undergoing a population decline. Nutritional constr...

Haemosporidian parasites are common in birds, but often are not in seabirds. The absence of vectors/genetic resistance to infection have been proposed to explain this pattern. Examination of different host populations is required to confirm the absence of blood parasites in widespread host species, which could be differently exposed to blood parasi...

Humans and wildlife are at risk from certain vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and West Nile and yellow fevers. Factors linked to global change, including habitat alteration, landuse intensification, the spread of alien species, and climate change, are operating on a global scale and affect both the incidence and distribution of many v...

The Dilution Effect Hypothesis (DEH) argues that greater biodiversity lowers the risk of disease and reduces the rates of pathogen transmission since more diverse communities harbour fewer competent hosts for any given pathogen, thereby reducing host exposure to the pathogen. DEH is expected to operate most intensely in vector-borne pathogens and w...

The uropygial gland of birds produces an oily secretion with different functions, mainly related to plumage protection. In addition, the volatile compounds of this secretion may act as chemical signals that provide information to conspecifics, but it is also possible that those compounds may further attract hematophagous insect vectors such as thos...

Urbanization is an important human-driven process that leads to biodiversity loss and alters the interactions between organisms, including disease transmission. Although urbanization affects both host and vector communities, the effects on vector-borne pathogens are still poorly understood. Here, we monitored variation in prevalence and richness of...

Mosquito host utilization is a key factor in the transmission of vector-borne pathogens given that it greatly influences host-vector contact rates. Blood-feeding patterns of mosquitoes are not random, as some mosquitoes feed on particular species and/or individuals more than expected by chance. Mosquitoes use a number of cues including visual, olfa...

The environment, directly and indirectly, affects many mosquito traits in both the larval and adult stages. The availability of food resources is one of the key factors influencing these traits, although its role in mosquito fitness and pathogen transmission remains unclear. Larvae nutritional status determines their survivorship and growth, having...

According to the host manipulation hypothesis, parasites modify the hosts' phenotype to maximise their transmission success. Avian malaria parasites and related haemosporidians are vector-borne parasites infecting birds worldwide. Recent studies have reported a greater attraction of mosquitoes to infected birds, supporting the host manipulation hyp...

Aedes invasive mosquitoes (AIMs) play a key role as vectors of several pathogens of public health relevance. Four species have been established in Europe, including Aedes aegypti, Aedesalbopictus, Aedes japonicus and Aedes koreicus. In addition, Aedes atropalpus has been repeatedly recorded although it has not yet been established. In spite of thei...

Broadening the field of classical parasitology research by integrating it with ecoimmunology has allowed us a better understanding of the effect of haemo-sporidians and to identify the most relevant factors that affect the health of birds. Despite the recent advances in avian malaria studies, the lack of experimentation remains the main obstacle fo...

Background: Culicoides obsoletus is an abundant and widely distributed Holarctic biting midge species, involved in the transmission of bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) to wild and domestic ruminants. Females of this vector species are often reported jointly with two morphologically very close species, C. scoticus and C. montanus...

Zoological gardens are home to a large number of vertebrate species and as such are suitable sites for both mosquito breeding and maintenance. They are excellent places for entomological studies of mosquito phenology, diversity, and blood-feeding patterns, as well as for xenomonitoring. During 2016, we sampled mosquitoes in Barcelona Zoo and used m...

Do islands harbour less diverse disease communities than mainland? The island biogeography theory predicts more diverse communities on mainland than on islands due to more niches, more diverse habitats and availability of greater range of hosts. We compared bacteria prevalences of Campylobacter, Chlamydia and Salmonella in cloacal samples of a smal...

Vector‐borne diseases, especially those transmitted by mosquitoes, have severe impacts on public health and economy. West Nile virus (WNV) and avian malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium, are mosquito‐borne pathogens that may produce severe disease and illness in humans and birds, respectively, and circulate in an endemic form in southern Europ...

Mosquito borne diseases are a group of infections that affect humans. Emerging or reemerging diseases are those that (re)occur in regions, groups or hosts that were previously free from these diseases: dengue virus; chikungunya virus; Zika virus; West Nile fever and malaria. In Europe, these infections are mostly imported; however, due to the prese...

The transmission dynamics of malaria parasites depends on the parasites and vectors interactions, which are influenced by the environmental conditions where are developed. Therefore, in order to understand the ecology and evolution of the transmission of these diseases, it is essential to study the factors that determine the interactions between mo...

Parasites can manipulate their hosts to increase their transmission success. Avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium) are thought to alter the cues such as host odour, used by host-seeking mosquitoes. Bird odour is affected by secretions from the uropygial gland and may play a role in modulating vector-host interactions. We tested the hypothesis that m...

Changes in environmental conditions, whether related or not to human activities, are continuously modifying the geographic distribution of vectors, which in turn affects the dynamics and distribution of vector-borne infectious diseases. Determining the main ecological drivers of vector distribution and how predicted changes in these drivers may alt...

Background: Culicoides obsoletus is an abundant and widely distributed Holarctic biting midge species, involved in the transmission of bluetongue virus (BTV) and Schmallenberg virus (SBV) to wild and domestic ruminants. Females of this vector species are often reported jointly with two morphologically very close species, C. scoticus and C. montanu...

Alien mosquito and vertebrate host species may create novel epidemiological scenarios for the transmission of pathogens naturally circulating in the invaded area. The exotic Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) has established populations in Europe and is currently considered an invasive pest. Due to their high abundance in urban areas, Monk parakee...

Sexually selected signals reliably reflect individual phenotypic or genetic quality and, thus, survival prospects of holders. Telomere length is considered a good predictor of life expectancy and, consequently, exploring the links between telomere length and sexually selected traits is much needed to better understand the mechanisms that maintain t...

Factors such as the particular combination of parasite-mosquito species, their co- evolutionary history, and the host‟s parasite load greatly affect parasite transmission. However, the importance of these factors in the epidemiology of mosquito-borne parasites, such as avian malaria parasites, is largely unknown. Here, we assessed the competence of...

Molecular studies indicate that Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) blood feed on many vertebrate species, of which only a few are proven parasite reservoirs. Investigating sandfly vector feeding preferences is therefore important and requires taking into account the availability and accessibility of host species. In terms of the latter,...