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.
Highlights
Insect vectors, namely mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), are compulsory for malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) to complete their life cycle
Plasmodium parasites possess a sexual and an asexual part to their life cycle; the gametogony, fertilization, formation of zygotes, and the sporogony occur in the vector, while merogony and gametocytogony happen in the vertebrate host
The vector competence for transmitting these parasites varies between mosquito species, and each Plasmodium species may use a number of different mosquito species as vectors [10]
Summary
Namely mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae), are compulsory for malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) to complete their life cycle. Little is known about vector competence of different mosquito species for the transmission of avian malaria parasites. Avian Plasmodium parasites rely on arthropod vectors to complete their life cycle. Plasmodium parasites possess a sexual and an asexual part to their life cycle; the gametogony, fertilization, formation of zygotes, and the sporogony occur in the vector, while merogony and gametocytogony happen in the vertebrate host. If the vector is fully competent, Plasmodium parasites reach and fully develop in the salivary glands, from where they are transmitted to the vertebrate host during a blood meal. The genus Culex seems to provide the most successful vectors worldwide; in different studies it has been found that mosquitoes of this genus contained the biggest diversity of different Plasmodium strains [10, 12]
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