Abstract
The study of mosquitoes and analysis of their behavior are of crucial importance in the on-going efforts to control the alarming increase in mosquito-borne diseases. Furthermore, a non-destructive and real-time imaging technique to study the anatomical features of mosquito specimens can greatly aid the study of mosquitoes. In this study, we demonstrate the three-dimensional imaging capabilities of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for structural analysis of Anopheles sinensis mosquitoes. The anatomical features of An. sinensis head, thorax, and abdominal regions, along with the morphology of internal structures, such as foregut, midgut, and hindgut, were studied using OCT imaging. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional OCT images, used in conjunction with histological images, proved useful for anatomical analysis of mosquito specimens. By presenting this work as an initial study, we demonstrate the applicability of OCT for future mosquito-related entomological research, and also in identifying changes in mosquito anatomical structure.
Highlights
Mosquitoes are recognized as one of the major vectors of tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile virus, yellow fever, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, Zika fever, and many other blood-transmittable diseases [1]
We have demonstrated the benefits of high-resolution implementation and the three-dimensional imaging capability of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for structural analysis of An. sinensis mosquitoes
The results presented in this study will be helpful for researchers in non-destructive visualization of internal anatomical structures of An. sinensis mosquitoes and structural features and continuity of the foregut in the thorax region and midgut in the abdomen region will be helpful for researchers in respective fields of interest
Summary
Mosquitoes are recognized as one of the major vectors of tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, West Nile virus, yellow fever, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, Zika fever, and many other blood-transmittable diseases [1]. These vector-borne diseases are considered major threats for vast populations worldwide. Many of the mosquito-transmitted diseases pose high-level risks if not treated promptly. The pathogens causing these diseases are transmitted from the mosquito to the host during blood feeding. Many medical and research teams have been studying the feeding habitats [5,6], probing behavior [7], feeding persistence [8], life cycle, growth stages, and other important aspects of mosquitoes [9], thereby contributing to a reduction in the rapidly growing prevalence of mosquito-borne disease
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