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1 October 2004 Influence of age and previous diet of Anopheles gambiae on the infectivity of natural Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from human volunteers
Bernard A. Okech, Louis C. Gouagna, Ephantus W. Kabiru, John C. Beier, Guiyun Yan, John I. Githure
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Abstract

The effect of age and dietary factors of Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) on the infectivity of natural Plasmodium falciparum parasites was studied. Mosquitoes of various ages (1–3, 4–7 and 8–11 day old) and those fed blood (either single or double meals) and sugar meals were experimentally co-infected with P. falciparum gametocytes obtained from different naturally infected human volunteers. On day 7, midguts were examined for oocyst infection to determine whether mosquito age or diets have significant effects on parasite infectivity. The age of the mosquitoes did not significantly influence the oocyst infection rates (χ2 = 48.32, df = 40, P = 0.172) or oocyst load (# of oocysts/midgut) (P = 0.14) observed. Oocyst load between groups was not significantly different. Similarly, the type of diet (either blood or sugar) did not influence oocyst infection rates (χ2 = 16.52, df = 19, P = 0.622). However, an increase in oocyst infection rates resulted after previous feeding on double blood meals (35%) compared to single blood meals (25%), with comparable oocyst load. These observations are in agreement with those reported in previous studies suggesting that increased mosquito nutritional reserves resulting from increased dietary resources is favorable for malaria infectivity. This field-based study indicates that vector competence of An. gambiae to natural P. falciparum parasites does not vary with age and that nutritional resources acquired prior to an infectious blood meal plays a crucial role in mosquito-parasite relationships.

oocyst load

number of oocysts per midgut

oocyst infection rates

percent of midguts with oocysts

Bernard A. Okech, Louis C. Gouagna, Ephantus W. Kabiru, John C. Beier, Guiyun Yan, and John I. Githure "Influence of age and previous diet of Anopheles gambiae on the infectivity of natural Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from human volunteers," Journal of Insect Science 4(33), 1-8, (1 October 2004). https://doi.org/10.1673/031.004.3301
Received: 3 February 2003; Accepted: 1 July 2004; Published: 1 October 2004
KEYWORDS
An. gambiae
blood sugar feeding
malaria infectivty
mosquito age
oocysts
P. falciparum
sporogony
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