Determination of the foraging behaviour and blood meal source of malaria vector mosquitoes in Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka using a multiplex real time polymerase chain reaction assay.

Nayana Gunathilaka,Thanuja Denipitiya,Wimaladharma Abeyewickreme,Menaka Hapugoda,Rajitha Wickremasinghe

doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1279-5

Nayana Gunathilaka, Thanuja Denipitiya + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-016-1279-5

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Journal: Malaria journal	Publication Date: Apr 26, 2016
Citations: 35	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Kelaniya, University of Colombo

Abstract

BackgroundStudies of host preference patterns in blood-feeding anopheline mosquitoes are crucial to incriminating malaria vectors. However, little information is available on host preferences of Anopheles mosquitoes in Sri Lanka.MethodsAdult Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from five selected sentinel sites in Trincomalee District during June–September 2011. Each blood-fed mosquito was processed on filter papers. DNA was extracted using the dried blood meal protocol of the QIAmp DNA mini kit. A multiplexed, real-time PCR assay targeting eight animals was developed for two panels to identify the host meal of Anopheles. Human blood index (HBI), forage ratio (FR) and host feeding index (HFI) were calculated.ResultsA total of 280 field-caught, freshly engorged female mosquitoes belonging to 12 anopheline species were analysed. The overall HBI and HFI in the present study were low indicating that humans were not the preferred host for the tested anopheline species. Nevertheless, a small proportion engorged Anopheles aconitus, Anopheles culicifacies, Anopheles barbirostris, Anopheles annularis, Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles peditaeniatus, Anopheles pseudojamesi, and Anopheles barbumbrosus contained human blood.ConclusionThe presence of human blood in mosquito species indicates the possibility of them transmitting malaria. Further studies on vector competence are needed to determine the role of each of the above anopheline species as efficient vectors of malaria.

Highlights

Studies of host preference patterns in blood-feeding anopheline mosquitoes are crucial to incriminating malaria vectors
Anopheles species analysed for determination of blood meal origin Overall, 280 freshly engorged females mosquitoes belonging to 12 anopheline species: An. culicifacies (n = 20), An. subpictus (n = 30), An. annularis (n = 15), An. nigerrimus (n = 25), An. aconitus (n = 30), An. vagus (n = 26), An. pallidus (n = 29), Anopheles peditaeniatus (n = 26), Anopheles pseudojamesi (n = 25), Anopheles karwari (n = 1), An. barbirostris (n = 28), Anopheles barbumbrosus (n = 25) were analysed
Feeding behaviour of Anopheles mosquitoes The host preference of anophelines observed in this study was 86.27 % Bos taurus, 11.62 % Homo sapiens, 1.06 % Felis catus, and 0.35 % Sus scrofa

Summary

Introduction

Studies of host preference patterns in blood-feeding anopheline mosquitoes are crucial to incriminating malaria vectors. The National Malaria Control Programme of Sri Lanka, the Anti-Malaria Campaign (AMC), has once again achieved a steady reduction in malaria transmission rates in the country. These have been sustained for more than 10 years over a period that spanned a 30-year separatist war in the north and east of the country, areas that were previously highly malarious. In addition to An. culicifacies, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based evidence has shown a large number of anopheline species to be infected with malaria parasites These include Anopheles aconitus, Anopheles annularis, Anopheles barbirostris, Anopheles nigerrimus, Anopheles pallidus, Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles tessellatus, Anopheles vagus, and Anopheles varuna. Species to have been consistently incriminated as malarial vectors are An. annularis, An. subpictus, An. varuna, and An. tessellatus [4, 5]

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