Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) can discriminate by blood sugar: new insights into comorbidity of dengue and diabetes

Abstract

Purpose Aedes aegypti (L.,1762) is a primary vector of arboviral infections like dengue, yellow fever, Zika. Female mosquitoes are influenced by various physical and chemical cues from host when blood feeding, e.g., they find some individuals with certain blood types or certain conditions more attractive than others. This study determined whether Ae. aegypti shows a preference when offered blood from a patient with diabetes mellitus (DM), an endocrine disorder associated with abnormal glucose metabolism, compared to healthy blood from non-DMs Methods In the dual feeding experiments, forty newly emerged female mosquitoes were provided with two blood feeding systems with blood from a non-diabetic (healthy) and diabetic patient using artificial feeders. Blood from 12 diabetic and 12 non-diabetic patients was matched by ABO blood type (e.g., diabetic type O blood was compared with non-diabetic type O blood). The number of mosquitoes that landed and fed from each membrane was counted every 2 minutes for thirty minutes. Results Ae. aegypti species significantly preferred for blood from non-diabetic individuals (50-65% among the different blood type groups) compared to blood from diabetic individuals. Using multiplex allele-specific PCR it was also determined that, Ae. aegypti significantly preferred the O blood group regardless of blood sugar level compared to others. Conclusion Ae. aegypti has less preference for diabetic blood to non-diabetics. Regardless people affected with this condition need to take preventive measures to reduce mosquito bites as they tend to have weaker immune systems and can experience more severe cases of dengue.