Local prevalence and transmission of avian malaria in the Alakai Plateau of Kauai, Hawaii, U.S.A.

Abstract

Avian malaria is among the most important threats to native Hawaiian forest birds. It is caused by the parasite Plasmodium relictum and is transmitted by the introduced mosquito vector Culex quinquefasciatus. Temperature increases and precipitation declines due to climate change over the last decade may be responsible for the observed recent expansion in the range and prevalence of avian malaria on the Alakai Plateau, Kauai Island. To examine the hypothesis that conditions are now favorable for transmission of malaria on the Plateau, mosquitoes were sampled with CO 2 and Reiter oviposition traps at three sites (Kawaikoi, Halepa'akai, and Koke'e) on several occasions between October, 2013 and April, 2014. P. relictum infection was assessed by PCR or dissection under a microscope. We also surveyed mosquito larvae along Halepa'akai and Kawaikoi streams. We observed that Cx. quinquefasciatus is well established on the Alakai Plateau, as mosquitoes were caught on all field trips, except in April at Halepa'akai, and larvae were found throughout the year. We observed differences in adult abundance among sites and microhabitats (stream vs ridge lines). Journal of Vector Ecology 40 (2): 221-229. 2015.

Host species, and not environment, predicts variation in blood parasite prevalence, distribution, and diversity along a humidity gradient in northern South America

“…One limitation of this study in relation to water availability and infection patterns is the lack of information on vector ecology. Because we did not characterize the seasonal distribution, abundance, or diversity of dipteran vectors across our sampling locations, we cannot evaluate whether the precipitation gradient affected vector assemblages (Hijmans et al., ; Wilson & Jetz, ; Zomer et al., ), nor whether changes in vector assemblages affect parasite prevalence patterns (Glad & Crampton, ; Loaiza & Miller, ; Okanga et al., ; Svensson & Ricklefs, ). We found, however, that the proportion of individuals infected was similar between wet and dry seasons, suggesting little influence of seasonality on prevalence patterns.…”

Activity of Artemisia pallens leaf extracts against Culex quinquefasciatus larva and in silico docking of selected compounds against Acetylcholinesterase

“…They cause a devastating impact on human health, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) is the vector for the fastest spreading disease lymphatic filariasis affecting more than 146 million people in the tropics [1] , tropical pulmonary eosinophilia in Pakistan [2] and transmitting malaria in birds [3] . Culex quinquefasciatus widely spread and breeds in stagnant water bodies like pools, marshes, wells, ponds, ditches, and river margins [4,5,6] .…”