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Ferguson, Heather M.; Read, Andrew F.

doi:10.1186/1475-2875-3-12

Cited by 43 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…For the rodent-to-vector assays, mosquitoes infected by feeding on infected mice while INFECTRA ® -Kit and conventionally restrained developed oocysts which were in agreement with other similar studies (Heather & Andrew, 2004). However, there was no significant difference in the oocyst production between the two methods which therefore demonstrates the validity of the INFECTRA ® -Kit in restraining mice allowing natural mosquitoes infection from an infected rodent without use of chemical anesthesia.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Validation of the Infectra®-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using Plasmodium Berghei

Jahangir¹

2017

AJLM

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Pre-clinical transmission assays are essential for proof-of-concept for transmission blocking strategies but are hazardous to laboratory personnel and animal hosts as it entails exposure of live rodents to infected vectors. Conventional transmission assay methods include the use of anesthesia (associated with undesired side effects). In addition, animal handlers risk being bitten by experimental animals and vectors during anesthesia due to a lack of safe and effective alternatives. Robustness of rodent to vector transmission was determined by comparing the number of oocysts. Vector-to-rodent transmission was determined by measuring parasitemia, gametocytemia, changes in body weight and survival time. A completely randomized design was used in this study. Rodent-to-vector transmission was analyzed by log linear model. Fecundity, gametocytemia, parasitaemia and changes in body weight were analyzed by regression analysis. Survival times were analyzed Kaplan-Meier method for determination of survival distribution function. Rank test of homogeneity were used to determine the effect of restraining method infection on survival times. There was no significant difference (p<0.001) in fecundity of mosquitoes fed on anesthetized mice; 122±22.1 eggs compared to INFECTRA®-Kit group with 110±14.1 eggs. Oocyst production increased gradually though not significantly (p<0.001) in both groups of mice with the number of mosquitoes. The INFECTRA®-Kit group increased from 2.7%±0.3 (1 mosquito) to 9.3%±0.3 (6 mosquitoes), the conventional group was 3.7%±0.3 to 8.6%±0.3 (6 mosquitoes). Parasitemia progression was characterized by two waves in INFECTRA®-Kit and three waves in the conventional group. The highest parasitaemia peak was 22% attained on 22dpi for the INFECTRA®-Kit and 17.8% attained on 26 dpi for the conventional group. Gametocytes were detected on 16 dpi in both groups and thereafter increased significantly (p<0.001) with dpi. In the INFECTRA®-Kit group, gametocytemia was represented by two oscillations while the conventional group was three cycles with peak gametocytes increasing with each subsequent peak. Disease progression was higher and survival times shorter with INFECTRA ® -Kit than with anesthetized mice and there was no significant difference (p<0.05) between the two methods in body weight and gametocytemia. INFECTRA ® -Kit is equivalent to that of anesthesia method but more advantageous given the more ethical and humane treatment of animals.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Validation of the Infectra®-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using Plasmodium Berghei

Jahangir¹

2017

AJLM

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“…However, mosquitoes are well known to exploit hosts based on additional features, including age [31,32], sex [19,33], and species [34][35][36]. Also, vector preferences for the same individual can change over a trajectory of infection [37][38][39], and can be dependent on the composition of microbiota living on the skin of hosts [40]. Selectivity means that some groups of hosts may be disproportionately responsible for transmission dynamics of vector-borne parasites [34][35][36].…”

Section: (A) Stress Hormones and Host Traitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host stress hormones alter vector feeding preferences, success, and productivity

et al. 2016

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Stress hormones might represent a key link between individual-level infection outcome, population-level parasite transmission, and zoonotic disease risk. Although the effects of stress on immunity are well known, stress hormones could also affect host-vector interactions via modification of host behaviours or vector-feeding patterns and subsequent reproductive success. Here, we experimentally manipulated songbird stress hormones and examined subsequent feeding preferences, feeding success, and productivity of mosquito vectors in addition to defensive behaviours of hosts. Despite being more defensive, birds with elevated stress hormone concentrations were approximately twice as likely to be fed on by mosquitoes compared to control birds. Moreover, stress hormones altered the relationship between the timing of laying and clutch size in blood-fed mosquitoes. Our results suggest that host stress could affect the transmission dynamics of vector-borne parasites via multiple pathways.

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“…They host the sexual reproduction of Plasmodium parasites responsible for malaria, leading to infectious sporozoite stages that reach the mosquito salivary glands, ready to be transmitted to a vertebrate host. Plasmodium infection is costly for mosquitoes, affecting (for instance) feeding behaviour [1, 2], resistance to nutritional stress [3], fecundity [4] and survival [5]. Yet, modifications of vector life history traits might occur due to the ingestion of a Plasmodium -infected blood meal only, even if the parasite does not develop.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exposure of the mosquito vector Culex pipiens to the malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum: effect of infected blood intake on immune and antioxidant defences, fecundity and survival

et al. 2016

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BackgroundThe intake of a Plasmodium-infected blood meal may affect mosquito physiology and a series of trade-offs may occur, in particular between immune defences, reproduction and self-maintenance. We evaluated the cost of exposure to Plasmodium in the mosquito vector by investigating the effect of exposure on fecundity and survival and the implication of immune and antioxidant defences in mediating this cost.MethodsWe used the natural Culex pipiens-Plasmodium relictum association. We exposed female mosquitoes to increasing levels of parasites by allowing them to feed either on uninfected canaries, Serinus canaria, (unexposed mosquitoes) or on infected canaries with low (low exposure) or high (high exposure) parasitaemia. We recorded blood meal size, fecundity (laying probability and clutch size) and survival. We quantified the expression of genes involved in immune and antioxidant defences (nitric oxide synthase, NOS; superoxide dismutase, SOD; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, G6PDH).ResultsWe found that the laying probability of exposed females decreased with increasing exposure to the parasite and with increasing SOD expression. Clutch size of exposed females was higher compared to unexposed ones for similar blood meal size and was positively correlated to the NOS expression. We found no effect of exposure on survival. After blood meal intake, SOD increased in the three groups, NOS increased in exposed females and G6PDH increased in highly exposed females only.ConclusionsOur results illustrated a trade-off between fight against the parasite and reproduction and a cost of exposure which might be mediated by the investment in immune and/or antioxidant defences. They also showed that this trade-off could lead to opposed outcome, potentially depending on the vector physiological status. Finally, they highlighted that the ingestion of a Plasmodium-infected blood meal may affect mosquito life history traits in a complex way.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1905-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Abstract: Background: Arthropod vectors of disease may encounter more than one infected host during the course of their lifetime. The consequences of super-infection to parasite development are rarely investigated, but may have substantial epidemiological and evolutionary consequences.

Cited by 43 publications

References 40 publications

Validation of the Infectra<sup>®</sup>-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using <i>Plasmodium Berghei</i>

Validation of the Infectra<sup>®</sup>-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using <i>Plasmodium Berghei</i>

Host stress hormones alter vector feeding preferences, success, and productivity

Exposure of the mosquito vector Culex pipiens to the malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum: effect of infected blood intake on immune and antioxidant defences, fecundity and survival

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Untitled

Abstract: Background: Arthropod vectors of disease may encounter more than one infected host during the course of their lifetime. The consequences of super-infection to parasite development are rarely investigated, but may have substantial epidemiological and evolutionary consequences.

Cited by 43 publications

References 40 publications

Validation of the Infectra&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt;-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using &lt;i&gt;Plasmodium Berghei&lt;/i&gt;

Validation of the Infectra&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt;-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using &lt;i&gt;Plasmodium Berghei&lt;/i&gt;

Host stress hormones alter vector feeding preferences, success, and productivity

Exposure of the mosquito vector Culex pipiens to the malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum: effect of infected blood intake on immune and antioxidant defences, fecundity and survival

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Product

Resources

About

Validation of the Infectra<sup>®</sup>-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using <i>Plasmodium Berghei</i>

Validation of the Infectra<sup>®</sup>-Kit in Malaria Transmission Studies Using <i>Plasmodium Berghei</i>