Understanding mosquito host-choice behaviour: a new and low-cost method of identifying the sex of human hosts from mosquito blood meals

Abstract

Background Mosquito-borne diseases are a global health problem, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths per year. Pathogens are transmitted by mosquitoes feeding on the blood of an infected host and then feeding on a new host. Monitoring mosquito host-choice behaviour can help in many aspects of vector-borne disease control. Currently, it is possible to determine the host species and an individual human host from the blood meal of a mosquito by using genotyping to match the blood profile of local inhabitants. Epidemiological models generally assume that mosquito biting behaviour is random; however, numerous studies have shown that certain characteristics, e.g. genetic makeup and skin microbiota, make some individuals more attractive to mosquitoes than others. Analysing blood meals and illuminating host-choice behaviour will help re-evaluate and optimise disease transmission models. Methods We describe a new blood meal assay that identifies the sex of the person that a mosquito has bitten. The amelogenin locus (AMEL), a sex marker located on both X and Y chromosomes, was amplified by polymerase chain reaction in DNA extracted from blood-fed Aedes aegypti and Anopheles coluzzii. Results AMEL could be successfully amplified up to 24 h after a blood meal in 100% of An. coluzzii and 96.6% of Ae. aegypti, revealing the sex of humans that were fed on by individual mosquitoes. Conclusions The method described here, developed using mosquitoes fed on volunteers, can be applied to field-caught mosquitoes to determine the host species and the biological sex of human hosts on which they have blood fed. Two important vector species were tested successfully in our laboratory experiments, demonstrating the potential of this technique to improve epidemiological models of vector-borne diseases. This viable and low-cost approach has the capacity to improve our understanding of vector-borne disease transmission, specifically gender differences in exposure and attractiveness to mosquitoes. The data gathered from field studies using our method can be used to shape new transmission models and aid in the implementation of more effective and targeted vector control strategies by enabling a better understanding of the drivers of vector-host interactions.

Forensic analysis of mosquito blood meal digestion process and the impact of heroin opiate: determination of the post-feeding interval as a PMI estimation

“…In the event that the victim's body has been removed, this individual blood-fed mosquito would be the link between the victim, or the suspect, and the crime scene. Even if it was fed on both the suspect and the victim or other vertebrate hosts (Takken and Verhulst 2013, Santos et al 2019), certain forensically valuable conclusions could still be made (Reeves et al 2018, Teltscher et al 2021). Evidence supporting the validity of this hypothetical scenario has already been provided from mosquitoes captured at the crime scene (Curic et al 2014) or from the open field (Srisawat et al 2013, Santos et al 2019).…”

“…Several studies proved that the blood meals of blood-sucking insects at the crime scene provide forensic traces that are useful for forensic analysis (Spitaleri et al 2006, Dayananda and Kiran 2013, Lah et al 2015, Santos et al 2019, Teltscher et al 2021). In the forensic context, it is well known that blood, saliva, vaginal fluid, seminal fluid, sweat, and urine are the most common fluids found at crime scenes and constitute valuable sources of human DNA (Virkler and Lednev 2009).…”

Diversity analysis, distribution and abundance of mosquito assemblages Diptera: Culicidae at urban sector from southwestern Colombia.

“…The Culicidae family (mosquitoes) has great relevance worldwide, due to generation of several diseases (WHO 2020, Teltscher et al 2021). This family has 41 genera and around 3500 species (Cavalcente et al 2018, Foster & Walker 2019.…”