The transmission potential of malaria-infected mosquitoes (An.gambiae-Keele, An.arabiensis-Ifakara) is altered by the vertebrate blood type they consume during parasite development

Emami, S. N., Ranford-Cartwright, L. C. and Ferguson, H. M. (2017) The transmission potential of malaria-infected mosquitoes (An.gambiae-Keele, An.arabiensis-Ifakara) is altered by the vertebrate blood type they consume during parasite development. Scientific Reports, 7, 40520. (doi: 10.1038/srep40520) (PMID:28094293) (PMCID:PMC5240107)

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Abstract

The efficiency of malaria parasite development within mosquito vectors (sporogony) is a critical determinant of transmission. Sporogony is thought to be controlled by environmental conditions and mosquito/parasite genetic factors, with minimal contribution from mosquito behaviour during the period of parasite development. We tested this assumption by investigating whether successful sporogony of Plasmodium falciparum parasites through to human-infectious transmission stages is influenced by the host species upon which infected mosquitoes feed. Studies were conducted on two major African vector species that generally are found to differ in their innate host preferences: Anopheles arabiensis and An. gambiae sensu stricto. We show that the proportion of vectors developing transmissible infections (sporozoites) was influenced by the source of host blood consumed during sporogony. The direction of this effect was associated with the innate host preference of vectors: higher sporozoite prevalences were generated in the usually human-specialist An. gambiae s.s. feeding on human compared to cow blood, whereas the more zoophilic An. arabiensis had significantly higher prevalences after feeding on cow blood. The potential epidemiological implications of these results are discussed.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Ranford-Cartwright, Dr Lisa and Ferguson, Professor Heather and Emami, Miss Seyedeh Noushin
Authors: Emami, S. N., Ranford-Cartwright, L. C., and Ferguson, H. M.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Journal Name:Scientific Reports
Publisher:Nature Research
ISSN:2045-2322
ISSN (Online):2045-2322
Published Online:17 January 2017
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The Authors
First Published:First published in Scientific Reports 7:40520
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
509071INFRAVECHeather FergusonEuropean Commission (EC)FP7 228421 INFRRI BIODIVERSITY ANIMAL HEALTH & COMPMED
425321A systems biology approach to infectious disease transmission - linking individuals, populations and ecosystemsHeather FergusonBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)BB/D020042/1RI BIODIVERSITY ANIMAL HEALTH & COMPMED
534421Genetic analysis of growth rates in Plasmodium falciparumLisa Ranford-CartwrightWellcome Trust (WELLCOME)091791/Z/10/ZIII - PARASITOLOGY
468051MALSIG - 'Signalling in major developmental stages of malaria parasites'Lisa Ranford-CartwrightEuropean Commission (EC)FP7 223044 MALSIII - PARASITOLOGY