Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42721180›Full record

ReviewPLoS neglected tropical diseases2026

Friends or foes: Unraveling the tsetse fly-Spiroplasma symbiosis.

Serap Aksoy, Brian L Weiss, Daniel J Bruzzese, Fabian Gstöttenmayer, Richard Echodu, Giulia Fiorenza, Riccardo Piccinno, Anna Rodolfa Malacrida, Adly M M Abd-Alla

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Serap AksoyDepartment of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Brian L WeissDepartment of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1576-3556
Daniel J BruzzeseDepartment of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Fabian GstöttenmayerDepartment of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
Richard EchoduGulu University Multifunctional Research Laboratories, Gulu, Uganda.
Giulia FiorenzaDepartment of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Riccardo PiccinnoDepartment of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Anna Rodolfa MalacridaDepartment of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Adly M M Abd-AllaInsect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria.

Funding

Evolutionary Genetics of Tsetse and Its SymbiontsR01AI068932 · NIAID · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI AKSOY, SERAP, CACCONE, ADALGISA · 2008 to 2018
$7.0M
Molecular Aspects of Tsetse and Trypanosome TransmissionR01AI139525 · NIAID · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI AKSOY, SERAP · 2019 to 2024
$4.1M
Neutralizing antibody effect on HIV-1 fitnessR21AI063969 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI GEFFIN, REBECA BENZAQUEN · 2005 to 2006
$449k
Spiroplasma effects on Tsetse FliesR21AI163969 · NIAID · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI AKSOY, SERAP, WEISS, BRIAN L · 2021 to 2022
$430k
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI068932NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI139525NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI063969NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI163969
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Tsetse flies (Glossina spp.) transmit African trypanosomes, the causative agents of human African and African animal trypanosomiases (HAT and AAT, respectively). These neglected tropical diseases impose significant public health and economic burdens across sub-Saharan Africa. Trypanosome transmission by tsetse flies is influenced by multiple factors, including host genetic background, ecological factors, and interactions with heritable microbial endosymbionts. Spiroplasma glossinidia has recently emerged as an important modulator of tsetse reproductive fitness and vector competence, making it a potential target for symbiont-based vector control strategies. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the tsetse-Spiroplasma symbiosis. We detail Spiroplasma's spatial and temporal infection dynamics in laboratory-reared and natural populations. Additionally, we highlight key aspects of the bacterium's genomics, phylogenetics, and physiological interactions with its tsetse host, including influences on host gene expression reproductive physiology, and vector competence. Finally, we discuss how the tsetse-Spiroplasma symbiosis could be harnessed to develop innovative, biological-based vector control and trypanosome transmission-blocking strategies, and we identify critical gaps that must be addressed to translate these findings into effective disease control interventions.

Indexed as

SpiroplasmaSymbiosisTsetse FliesAnimalsHumansInsect VectorsPhylogenyTrypanosomaTrypanosomiasis, African

Identifiers

PMID42721180
PMCPMC13561350

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.