Exploring RNA viruses in edible insects: a case study using cockroaches, termites
- Our understanding of RNA viruses from edible insects is minimal at best, with studies largely focusing on model insect species and those associated with obvious signs of disease. This represents a considerable gap in understanding, given the growing role of insects as a source of food and feed, as well as the more general relevance of insects in agriculture and health. Illness due to entomophagy is rare but well documented, including fatal cases following the consumption of termites. Termites are eaten commonly in tropical Asia, Africa and South America, and are among the insects with the highest recorded fat content. There are many species of termites, with a wide range of diets and habitats centering around the consumption of wood and soil substrates. In this study, we report the results from a survey of more than 30 cockroach and termite transcriptomes, with the aim of understanding the diversity and evolution of RNA viruses as well as other potentially pathogenic organisms that areOur understanding of RNA viruses from edible insects is minimal at best, with studies largely focusing on model insect species and those associated with obvious signs of disease. This represents a considerable gap in understanding, given the growing role of insects as a source of food and feed, as well as the more general relevance of insects in agriculture and health. Illness due to entomophagy is rare but well documented, including fatal cases following the consumption of termites. Termites are eaten commonly in tropical Asia, Africa and South America, and are among the insects with the highest recorded fat content. There are many species of termites, with a wide range of diets and habitats centering around the consumption of wood and soil substrates. In this study, we report the results from a survey of more than 30 cockroach and termite transcriptomes, with the aim of understanding the diversity and evolution of RNA viruses as well as other potentially pathogenic organisms that are associated with this relevant but somewhat overlooked group of insects. We discuss our results in the context of the possible zoonotic risk posed by insects, as well as in the context of emerging viral and other disease threats that may face insects being reared at industrial scales.…
Autor*innen: | Dino Peter McMahon |
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Dokumenttyp: | Vortrag |
Veröffentlichungsform: | Präsentation |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2018 |
Organisationseinheit der BAM: | 4 Material und Umwelt |
4 Material und Umwelt / 4.0 Abteilungsleitung und andere | |
DDC-Klassifikation: | Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / Ingenieurwissenschaften / Sanitär- und Kommunaltechnik; Umwelttechnik |
Freie Schlagwörter: | Cockroach; Edible insects; Emerging; Pathogen; Termite; Virus |
Themenfelder/Aktivitätsfelder der BAM: | Umwelt |
Veranstaltung: | 4th International INSECTA 2018 Conference |
Veranstaltungsort: | Giessen, Germany |
Beginndatum der Veranstaltung: | 05.09.2018 |
Enddatum der Veranstaltung: | 07.09.2018 |
Verfügbarkeit des Dokuments: | Datei im Netzwerk der BAM verfügbar ("Closed Access") |
Datum der Freischaltung: | 09.01.2019 |
Referierte Publikation: | Nein |
Eingeladener Vortrag: | Nein |