Aquatic macroinvertebrate communities and Mycobacterium ulcerans across geographic regions of the Americas

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

1:30 PM – 1:42 PM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 220

Presenting Author(s)

MB

M. Eric Benbow

Professor
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Co-Author(s)

Alexandra Bauer

Graduate Research Assistant
Michigan State University
Okemos, Michigan
SP

Sophie Picq

Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Jennifer Pechal

Assistant Professor
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
MD

Magdalene Dogbe

Mississippi State University
Starkville, Mississippi
Heather Jordan

Associate Professor
Mississippi State University
Starkville, Mississippi
AR

Alex Rakestraw

University of West Alabama
Livingston, Alabama
MS

Michael Sandel

University of West Alabama
Livingston, Alabama
JG

Jean-François Guégan

Centre national de la recherche scientifique
Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
CC

Christine Chevillon

Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement
Montpellier, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Buruli ulcer (BU) disease is caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU) a mycobacterium related to pathogens of tuberculosis and leprosy. The disease causes severe morbidity in over 33 countries. While the mode of transmission remains unresolved, aquatic macroinvertebrates have been implicated as vectors and reservoirs in waterbodies that harbor MU. To determine the role of macroinvertebrates in BU disease, we employed macroinvertebrate bioassessments of lentic aquatic habitats in the southern USA, where MU has not been confirmed, compared to those of French Guiana, a BU endemic region of South America. We also assayed plant macrophyte biofilms, sediment and water column seston for MU to provide background pathogen habitat contamination. Over three sampling events and nine sites across Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana family richness varied 3 – 44, while in French Guiana it ranged 8–31 across 28 habitats within river floodplains and isolated waterbodies. In both regions there was considerable variation in macroinvertebrate total abundance with coefficient of variation of 1.6 in USA and 2.4 in French Guiana habitats. All functional groups were represented in both regions where Odonata and Crustacea were most abundant, with Trichoptera nearly absent and Palaemonidae spatially aggregated. In the USA, for the first time we confirmed MUat all sites, while in French Guiana MU positive sites were restricted to habitats connected to major river floodplains. Assays of MU associated with the macroinvertebrates are still underway and will be used to test relationships of pathogen abundance with biotic communities to better understand reservoir ecology.