Detecting the mechanism of sucking and transmission of deadly flies of tsetse flies

The idea of ​​midges was a terrible threat, who suspected that the tsetse fly also caused even more horrific death in Africa.

One of us is in a state of fear when dengue fever caused by mosquito spread on a large scale threatens health and human life.

However, you can temporarily comfort yourself that at least dengue patients can be cured. In Africa, there is a disease caused by a blood-sucking species that transmits the disease, but people with this disease are more likely to die. And African Tsetse fly is the culprit causing this disease.

African Tsetse fly (or tsetse fly) is a blood-sucking fly that can transmit disease in humans and animals.

And recently, scientists at Bristol University have learned the exact mechanism of the bite and sucking blood of this tsetse fly.

Flies tsetse possess very sharp teeth and files, they use these sky weapons to bite and chew through the skin, tearing the capillaries under the skin to suck blood.

The apparatus punctured the fly's skin tsetse under an optical microscope.It can be seen that the tip of this species has teeth and files used to penetrate the skin and suck blood.Figure (b) is a picture of a snap from the side.

In the latest study, scientists used high-power scanning electron microscopes to get a closer look at the hose of this species. When sucking blood, after "ripping" the skin of humans and animals, to avoid blood clotting, the fly tsetse "injects" saliva containing its anticoagulant through a narrow saliva secretion tube inside the tap.

The researchers were surprised to find out that the head of this tube is equipped with complex structures that are finger-shaped. Suction pumps are attached at the top of these structures.

The fly tsetse "injects" saliva containing its anticoagulant through a narrow saliva secretion tube located inside the tap.

Head of the research group - Dr. Wendy Gobson - Bristol University School of Biology professor shared: "This is an unexpected finding, so far, textbooks only show images of these tubes. with a slippery head.

We are not entirely sure what these sophisticated finger structures are used for, other blood-sucking species like mosquitoes or flies don't own the same thing. "

The salivary tube is located inside the fly's tsetse tube with finger-shaped structures attached to the suction tube at the end of the tube.

Tsetse flies carry parasites that contain pathogens that cause human sleeping sickness and nagana disease in animals. Animals with nagana will have symptoms of fever, weakness and weight loss. Normally, pets with nagana will gradually die.

Human sleeping sickness has been recorded in 36 countries in Africa - the area where the fly tsetse is active. The disease is caused by a parasite called trypanosome.

It can be seen that these structures are extremely complex.

In the early stages of the disease, trypanosome parasites will proliferate in cells under the skin, blood and lymphocytes, causing symptoms such as fever, headache, joint pain and itching.

Going to stage 2, the parasites begin to cross the blood brain barrier (brain cells act as a barrier to prevent the element from harming the central nervous system).

And then, the infected person will begin to have clearer and more dangerous manifestations of the disease: changes in behavior, anxiety, restlessness, confusion and sleep disorders.

After that, the patient will fall into a deep coma and this will soon lead to death. This is considered a deadly dangerous disease if not diagnosed early and treated promptly.