{
  "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.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America",
    "Gulu University Multifunctional Research Laboratories, Gulu, Uganda",
    "Department of Biology and Biotechnology “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy",
    "Insect Pest Control Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, Austria"
  ],
  "article_type": "Review",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Serap Aksoy"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Brian L. Weiss"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Daniel J. Bruzzese"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Fabian Gstöttenmayer"
    },
    {
      "name": "Richard Echodu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Giulia Fiorenza"
    },
    {
      "name": "Riccardo Piccinno"
    },
    {
      "name": "Anna Rodolfa Malacrida"
    },
    {
      "name": "Adly M. M. Abd-Alla"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/eq0xhwqkfk8nv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pntd.0014698",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014698",
  "id": "eq0xhwqkfk8nv",
  "issns": [
    "1935-2735"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014698",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1109|Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Germ cells/Sperm"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Bacteria/Mollicutes/Spiroplasma"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Invertebrates/Arthropoda/Insects/Glossina"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Protozoans/Parasitic protozoans/Trypanosoma"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Reproductive physiology"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Behavior/Animal behavior/Animal sexual behavior/Mating behavior"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animal behavior/Animal sexual behavior/Mating behavior"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Invertebrates/Arthropoda/Insects/Glossina"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Entomology/Insects/Glossina"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Parasitic diseases"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Pathogenesis/Host-pathogen interactions"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Social sciences/Psychology/Behavior/Animal behavior/Animal sexual behavior/Mating behavior"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212123750",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014698&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-10",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/eq0xhwqkfk8nv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pntd.0014698",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0014698"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:animal behavior",
      "subfield": "zoology-behaviour"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Friends or foes: Unraveling the tsetse fly-Spiroplasma symbiosis",
  "title_text": "Friends or foes: Unraveling the tsetse fly-Spiroplasma symbiosis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/eq0xhwqkfk8nv",
  "venue": "PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases",
  "versions": []
}