Abstract
Field evidence for manipulation of mosquito host selection by the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum
Highlights
There is mounting evidence that malaria parasites affect phenotypic traits of their vectors and hosts in ways that increase contacts between them, favouring parasite transmission (Hurd, 2003; Koella, 2005; Lefèvre & Thomas, 2008)
Statistical analyses Experiment 1: Mosquito host preference -The anthropophily index (AI) was expressed as the number of Anopheles gambiae s.l. caught in the human-baited trap over the total number of mosquitoes caught in both human- and calf- baited traps
The anthropophily index (AI) was expressed as the number of Anopheles gambiae s.l. caught in the human-baited trap over the total number of mosquitoes caught in both human- and calfbaited traps
Summary
There is mounting evidence that malaria parasites affect phenotypic traits of their vectors and hosts in ways that increase contacts between them, favouring parasite transmission (Hurd, 2003; Koella, 2005; Lefèvre & Thomas, 2008). Mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium sporozoites (the mosquito to human transmission stage) can display increased (i) responses to host odours Mosquitoes infected with oocysts (the immature nontransmissible stage of the parasite), are less likely to attempt to feed Since biting is risky (e.g., host defensive behaviours can kill the vector and its parasite), reduced feeding attempts would be beneficial to the parasite during the non-transmissible stage as this would reduce mortality before the parasite reaches maturity and is ready to be transmitted (Schwartz & Koella, 2001)
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