Avian Plasmodium in Eastern Austrian mosquitoes

Abstract

BackgroundInsect vectors, namely mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), are compulsory for malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) to complete their life cycle. Despite this, little is known about vector competence of different mosquito species for the transmission of avian malaria parasites.MethodsIn this study, nested PCR was used to determine Plasmodium spp. occurrence in pools of whole individuals, as well as the diversity of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences in wild-caught mosquitoes sampled across Eastern Austria in 2013–2015.ResultsA total of 45,749 mosquitoes in 2628 pools were collected, of which 169 pools (6.43%) comprising 9 mosquito species were positive for avian Plasmodium, with the majority of positives in mosquitoes of Culex pipiens s.l./Culex torrentium. Six different avian Plasmodium lineages were found, the most common were Plasmodium vaughani SYAT05, Plasmodium sp. Linn1 and Plasmodium relictum SGS1. In 2014, mosquitoes of the Culex pipiens complex were genetically identified and Culex pipiens f. pipiens presented with the highest number of avian Plasmodium positives (n = 37; 16.74%). Despite this, the minimum infection rate (MIR) was highest in Culex torrentium (5.36%) and Culex pipiens f. pipiens/f. molestus hybrids (5.26%). During 2014 and 2015, seasonal and annual changes in Plasmodium lineage distribution were also observed. In both years P. vaughani SYAT05 dominated at the beginning of the sampling period to be replaced later in the year by P. relictum SGS1 (2014) and Plasmodium sp. Linn1 (2015).ConclusionsThis is the first large-scale study of avian Plasmodium parasites in Austrian mosquitoes. These results are of special interest, because molecular identification of the taxa of the Cx. pipiens complex and Cx. torrentium enabled the determination of Plasmodium prevalence in the different mosquito taxa and hybrids of this complex. Since pools of whole insects were used, it is not possible to assert any vector competence in any of the examined mosquitoes, but the results are nonetheless valuable in providing an overview of avian Plasmodium species and lineages present in Austria.

Geographic and host distribution of haemosporidian parasite lineages from birds of the family Turdidae

“…However, only two canaries were exposed, and estimating the virulence is difficult based on the available data. Culex pipiens f. pipiens might be a vector of pLINN1, which was reported in this mosquito, but sporogonic stages were not studied and it remains unclear if the sporogony completes and sporozoites develop in this mosquito species [64,81]. pLINN1 was found also in 30% of T. merula and 22% of T. philomelos specimens investigated in the present study.…”

“…Plasmodium vaughani pSYAT05, was also the most common Plasmodium-lineage isolated from Cx. pipiens f. pipiens in Eastern Austria besides P. matutinum pLINN1 and P. relictum pSGS1 [64], but no proof was provided that sporozoites of P. vaughani (pSYAT05) developed in this mosquito. Culex pipiens might be the vector of pSYAT05, but the American P. vaughani strain does not complete sporogony in this Culex species according to [58], raising the question of whether pSYAT05 and the strain studied by [58] belong to the same Plasmodium species.…”

DNA-aided identification of Culex mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) reveals unexpected diversity in underground cavities in Austria

“…Mosquitoes (Culicidae) include vectors of human and veterinary pathogens such as arboviruses, haemosporidians and filarioid nematodes (Norris 2004 ; Schoener et al 2017 ; Übleis et al 2018 ). Distribution and transmission of these pathogens are regulated through communities of potential vector organisms (Zittra et al 2017a ).…”

Autogeny in Culiseta longiareolata (Culicidae: Diptera) Mosquitoes in Laboratory Conditions in Iran

“…Culiseta longiareolata is a species of the family Culicidae, the Culicinae subfamily [13] and a vector of avian malaria [14], tularemia [15], and arboviruses such as West Nile fever [16][17][18]. This multivoltine, thermophilic, and ornithophilic species is distributed in Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea [19].…”