Benjamin L. Makepeace
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View article: Cappable-Seq reveals the transcriptional landscape of stress responses in the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia
Cappable-Seq reveals the transcriptional landscape of stress responses in the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia Open
An erratum of this article has been published full details can be found at https://doi.org/10.1099/mgen.0.001584 Bacterial endosymbionts are highly prevalent among invertebrate animals, in which they can confer fitness benefits such as pat…
View article: Vaccination against Onchocerca volvulus induces IgG-mediated protective immunity dependent on neutrophils and complement
Vaccination against Onchocerca volvulus induces IgG-mediated protective immunity dependent on neutrophils and complement Open
Onchocerciasis remains a significant cause of morbidity and economic loss in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the existence of effective therapeutics, a prophylactic vaccine targeting the etiologic agent, Onchocerca volvulus , is needed to cont…
View article: Ghosts of symbionts past: the hidden history of the dynamic association between filarial nematodes and their <i>Wolbachia</i> endosymbionts
Ghosts of symbionts past: the hidden history of the dynamic association between filarial nematodes and their <i>Wolbachia</i> endosymbionts Open
Many, but not all, parasitic filarial nematodes (Onchocercidae) carry intracellular, maternally transmitted, alphaproteobacterial Wolbachia symbionts. The association between filarial nematodes and Wolbachia is often portrayed as mutualist…
View article: New tick and insect cell line resources for vector-borne disease research from the Tick Cell Biobank
New tick and insect cell line resources for vector-borne disease research from the Tick Cell Biobank Open
Background: Arthropod cell lines play an important role in research on the control of vector-borne pathogens of veterinary, medical and agricultural importance. The Tick Cell Biobank (TCB) at the University of Liverpool is the world’s only…
View article: Molecular species delimitation analysis of <i>Leptotrombidium</i> spp. and other chigger species parasitizing birds in Malaysia
Molecular species delimitation analysis of <i>Leptotrombidium</i> spp. and other chigger species parasitizing birds in Malaysia Open
Trombiculid mites (Acariformes) are unique among arthropods of medical importance in that only the larval instar (chigger) is parasitic, which can result in the transmission of zoonotic scrub typhus. The use of molecular approaches for chi…
View article: Ghosts of symbionts past: The hidden history of the dynamic association between filarial nematodes and their<i>Wolbachia</i>endosymbionts
Ghosts of symbionts past: The hidden history of the dynamic association between filarial nematodes and their<i>Wolbachia</i>endosymbionts Open
Many, but not all, parasitic filarial nematodes (Onchocercidae) carry intracellular, maternally-transmitted Wolbachia symbionts, and these alphaproteobacteria are targets for anti-filarial chemotherapeutic interventions for human disease. …
View article: Ehrlichia ruminantium (Ehrlichiaceae) infection rates and genotyping in Amblyomma species from southern Africa
Ehrlichia ruminantium (Ehrlichiaceae) infection rates and genotyping in Amblyomma species from southern Africa Open
Ticks are haematophagous ectoparasites of domestic and wild animals. With their vast geographical distribution and aptitude as vectors of a large variety of pathogens, they are ranked amongst the top two arthropod families of veterinary an…
View article: Intra- and interspecific variation of Amblyomma ticks from southern Africa
Intra- and interspecific variation of Amblyomma ticks from southern Africa Open
View article: Cappable-Seq reveals the transcriptional landscape of stress responses in the bacterial endosymbiont<i>Wolbachia</i>
Cappable-Seq reveals the transcriptional landscape of stress responses in the bacterial endosymbiont<i>Wolbachia</i> Open
Bacterial endosymbionts are highly prevalent among invertebrate animals, in which they can confer fitness benefits such as pathogen defence and/or act as reproductive manipulators, inducing phenotypes including cytoplasmic incompatibility …
View article: Infection Rates and Characterisation of Rickettsia africae (Rickettsiaceae) Detected in Amblyomma Species from Southern Africa
Infection Rates and Characterisation of Rickettsia africae (Rickettsiaceae) Detected in Amblyomma Species from Southern Africa Open
Tick-borne rickettsioses are considered among the oldest known vector-borne zoonotic diseases. Among the rickettsiae, Rickettsia africae is the most reported and important in Africa, as it is the aetiological agent of African tick bite fev…
View article: Establishment and partial characterisation of a new cell line derived from adult tissues of the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans
Establishment and partial characterisation of a new cell line derived from adult tissues of the tsetse fly Glossina morsitans morsitans Open
View article: Microbiome and mitogenomics of the chigger mite Pentidionis agamae: potential role as an Orientia vector and associations with divergent clades of Wolbachia and Borrelia
Microbiome and mitogenomics of the chigger mite Pentidionis agamae: potential role as an Orientia vector and associations with divergent clades of Wolbachia and Borrelia Open
Background Trombiculid mites are globally distributed, highly diverse arachnids that largely lack molecular resources such as whole mitogenomes for the elucidation of taxonomic relationships. Trombiculid larvae (chiggers) parasitise verteb…
View article: Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Indicates Potential Cryptic Speciation in the Chigger Mite Neoschoengastia gallinarum (Hatori, 1920) Parasitising Birds in Asia
Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis Indicates Potential Cryptic Speciation in the Chigger Mite Neoschoengastia gallinarum (Hatori, 1920) Parasitising Birds in Asia Open
Neoschoengastia gallinarum is widely distributed in Asia, preferentially parasitising birds, and heavy infestations have clinical impacts on domestic fowl. In common with other trombiculid mites, the genetic diversity and potential variati…
View article: Microbiome and mitogenomics of the chigger mite Pentidionis agamae: Potential role as an Orientia vector and associations with divergent clades of Wolbachia and Borrelia
Microbiome and mitogenomics of the chigger mite Pentidionis agamae: Potential role as an Orientia vector and associations with divergent clades of Wolbachia and Borrelia Open
Background Trombiculid mites are globally distributed, highly diverse arachnids that largely lack molecular resources such as whole mitogenomes for the elucidation of taxonomic relationships. Trombiculid larvae (chiggers) parasitise verteb…
View article: Intra- and Interspecific variation of Amblyomma ticks from southern Africa
Intra- and Interspecific variation of Amblyomma ticks from southern Africa Open
Amblyomma spp. ticks, known for their bright ornate appearance and aggressive hunting behaviour, are vectors of a number of important pathogens. In southern Africa, 17 Amblyomma spp. are currently documented. Of these species, Amblyomma he…
View article: Referee report. For: Spatio-temporal occurrence, burden, risk factors and modelling methods for estimating scrub typhus burden from global to subnational resolutions: a systematic review protocol [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]
Referee report. For: Spatio-temporal occurrence, burden, risk factors and modelling methods for estimating scrub typhus burden from global to subnational resolutions: a systematic review protocol [version 2; peer review: 2 approved] Open
View article: Ehrlichia Ruminantium (Ehrlichiaceae) Infection Rates and Genotyping in Amblyomma Species from Southern Africa
Ehrlichia Ruminantium (Ehrlichiaceae) Infection Rates and Genotyping in Amblyomma Species from Southern Africa Open
View article: On the taxonomy of chigger mites (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) parasitizing birds in Thailand and Malaysia, with the description of a new species
On the taxonomy of chigger mites (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) parasitizing birds in Thailand and Malaysia, with the description of a new species Open
Chigger mites were collected from 65 bird species in different regions of Thailand and Malaysia. In total, 21 species were recorded. The previously unknown fauna of chiggers parasitizing shorebirds of Thailand included one new species, Nea…
View article: Predicting the distribution of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus in Europe: a comparison of climate niche modelling approaches
Predicting the distribution of Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus in Europe: a comparison of climate niche modelling approaches Open
View article: On the Taxonomy of Chigger Mites (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) Parasitizing Birds in Thailand and Malaysia, with the Description of a New Species
On the Taxonomy of Chigger Mites (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) Parasitizing Birds in Thailand and Malaysia, with the Description of a New Species Open
Chigger mites were collected from 65 bird species in different regions of Thailand and Malaysia. In total, 21 species were recorded. The previously unknown fauna of chiggers parasitizing shorebirds of Thailand included one new species, Nea…
View article: Sympatry of Amblyomma eburneum and Amblyomma variegatum on African buffaloes and prevalence of pathogens in ticks
Sympatry of Amblyomma eburneum and Amblyomma variegatum on African buffaloes and prevalence of pathogens in ticks Open
View article: Adjuvanted Fusion Protein Vaccine Induces Durable Immunity to Onchocerca volvulus in Mice and Non-Human Primates
Adjuvanted Fusion Protein Vaccine Induces Durable Immunity to Onchocerca volvulus in Mice and Non-Human Primates Open
Onchocerciasis remains a debilitating neglected tropical disease. Due to the many challenges of current control methods, an effective vaccine against the causative agent Onchocerca volvulus is urgently needed. Mice and cynomolgus macaque n…
View article: Metagenomics of culture isolates and insect tissue illuminate the evolution of Wolbachia, Rickettsia and Bartonella symbionts in Ctenocephalides spp. fleas
Metagenomics of culture isolates and insect tissue illuminate the evolution of Wolbachia, Rickettsia and Bartonella symbionts in Ctenocephalides spp. fleas Open
While fleas are often perceived simply as a biting nuisance and a cause of allergic dermatitis, they represent important disease vectors worldwide, especially for bacterial zoonoses such as plague (transmitted by rodent fleas) and some of …
View article: The chigger microbiome: big questions in a tiny world
The chigger microbiome: big questions in a tiny world Open
'Chiggers' (trombiculid mite larvae) are best known as vectors of rickettsial pathogens, Orientia spp., which cause a zoonosis, scrub typhus. However, several other pathogens (e.g., Hantaan orthohantavirus, Dabie bandavirus, Anaplasma spp.…
View article: <i>Wolbachia</i> springs eternal: symbiosis in Collembola is associated with host ecology
<i>Wolbachia</i> springs eternal: symbiosis in Collembola is associated with host ecology Open
Wolbachia are endosymbiotic alpha-proteobacteria infecting a wide range of arthropods and nematode hosts with diverse interactions, from reproductive parasites to obligate mutualists. Their taxonomy is defined by lineages called supergroup…
View article: Distribution of ticks in the Western Palearctic: an updated systematic review (2015–2021)
Distribution of ticks in the Western Palearctic: an updated systematic review (2015–2021) Open
View article: Metagenomics of culture isolates and insect tissue illuminate the evolution of<i>Wolbachia</i>,<i>Rickettsia</i>and<i>Bartonella</i>symbionts in<i>Ctenocephalides</i>spp. fleas
Metagenomics of culture isolates and insect tissue illuminate the evolution of<i>Wolbachia</i>,<i>Rickettsia</i>and<i>Bartonella</i>symbionts in<i>Ctenocephalides</i>spp. fleas Open
While fleas are often perceived simply as a biting nuisance and cause of allergic dermatitis, they represent important disease vectors worldwide, especially for bacterial zoonoses such as plague (transmitted by rodent fleas) and some of th…
View article: Molecular Detection of <i>Candidatus</i> Orientia chuto in Wildlife, Saudi Arabia
Molecular Detection of <i>Candidatus</i> Orientia chuto in Wildlife, Saudi Arabia Open
Scrub typhus is a zoonosis caused by 3 species of Orientia bacteria, including Candidatus Orientia chuto. This species is known only from a human case in Dubai and infections in wildlife in Kenya. We report molecular detection of Candidatu…
View article: Molecular Surveillance for Vector-Borne Bacteria in Rodents and Tree Shrews of Peninsular Malaysia Oil Palm Plantations
Molecular Surveillance for Vector-Borne Bacteria in Rodents and Tree Shrews of Peninsular Malaysia Oil Palm Plantations Open
Many human clinical cases attributed to vector-borne pathogens are underreported in Malaysia, especially in rural localities where healthcare infrastructures are lacking. Here, 217 small mammals, consisting of rodents and tree shrews, were…
View article: Additions to the chigger mite fauna (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) of Saudi Arabia, with the description of a new species
Additions to the chigger mite fauna (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) of Saudi Arabia, with the description of a new species Open
Collections of chigger mites from murid rodents were performed in two bordering provinces of southwestern Saudi Arabia, Al Bahah and ‘Asir. A total of 561 chiggers belonging to 19 species were collected in 2020 and 2021 from 54 rodents of …