Abstract Laboratory and field-based studies of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus demonstrate its competency to transmit over twenty different pathogens linked to a broad range of vertebrate hosts. The vectorial capacity of Ae. albopictus to transmit these pathogens remains unclear, partly due to knowledge gaps regarding its feeding behavior. Blood meal analyses from field-captured specimens have shown vastly different feeding patterns, with a wide range of anthropophagy (human feeding) and host diversity. To address this knowledge gap, we asked whether differences in innate host preference may drive observed variation in Ae. albopictus feeding patterns in nature. Low generation colonies (F2–F4) were established with field-collected mosquitoes from three populations with high reported anthropophagy (Thailand, Cameroon, and Florida, USA) and three populations in the United States with low reported anthropophagy (New York, Maryland, and Virginia). The preference of these Ae. albopictus colonies for human versus non-human animal odor was assessed in a dual-port olfactometer along with control Ae. aegypti colonies already known to show divergent behavior in this assay. All Ae. albopictus colonies were less likely (p < 0.05) to choose the human-baited port than the anthropophilic Ae. aegypti control, instead behaving similarly to zoophilic Ae. aegypti . Our results suggest that variation in reported Ae. albopictus feeding patterns are not driven by differences in innate host preference, but may result from differences in host availability. This work is the first to compare Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti host preference directly and provides insight into differential vectorial capacity and human feeding risk.
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Sugar feeding patterns of New York Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are affected by saturation deficit, flowers, and host seeking
Sugar feeding is an important behavior which may determine vector potential of female mosquitoes. Sugar meals can reduce blood feeding frequency, enhance survival, and decrease fecundity, as well as provide energetic reserves to fuel energy intensive behaviors such as mating and host seeking. Sugar feeding behavior can be harnessed for vector control (e.g. attractive toxic sugar baits). Few studies have addressed sugar feeding of
Using the cold anthrone fructose assay with robust sample sizes, we demonstrated that a large percentage of both male (49.6%) and female (41.8%)
Our results provide the first evidence of
- Award ID(s):
- 1852141
- PAR ID:
- 10484431
- Editor(s):
- Kittayapong, Pattamaporn
- Publisher / Repository:
- PLOS
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 10
- ISSN:
- 1935-2735
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- e0008244
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract Background Effectively controlling heartworm disease—a major parasitic disease threatening animal health in the US and globally—requires understanding the local ecology of mosquito vectors involved in transmission. However, the key vector species in a given region are often unknown and challenging to identify. Here we investigate (i) the key vector species associated with transmission of the parasite,
Dirofilaria immitis , in California and (ii) the climate and land cover drivers of vector presence.Methods To identify key mosquito vectors involved in transmission, we incorporated long-term, finely resolved mosquito surveillance data and dog heartworm case data in a statistical modeling approach (fixed-effects regression) that rigorously controls for other unobserved drivers of heartworm cases. We then used a flexible machine learning approach (gradient boosted machines) to identify the climate and land cover variables associated with the presence of each species.
Results We found significant, regionally specific, positive associations between dog heartworm cases and the abundance of four vector species:
Aedes aegypti (Central California),Ae. albopictus (Southern California),Ae. sierrensis (Central California), andCuliseta incidens (Northern and Central California). The proportion of developed land cover was one of the most important ecological variables predicting the presence or absence of the putative vector species.Conclusion Our results implicate three previously under-recognized vectors of dog heartworm transmission in California and indicate the land cover types in which each putative vector species is commonly found. Efforts to target these species could prioritize surveillance in these land cover types (e.g. near human dwellings in less urbanized settings for
Ae. albopictus andCs. incidens ) but further investigation on the natural infection prevalence and host-biting rates of these species, as well as the other local vectors, is needed.Graphical Abstract -
Christofferson, Rebecca C (Ed.)more » « less
Background Anopheles stephensi is an invasive malaria vector in Africa that threatens to put an additional 126 million people at risk of malaria if it continues to spread. The island nation of Mauritius is highly connected to Asia and Africa and is at risk of introduction due to this connectivity. For early detection ofAn .stephensi , the Vector Biology and Control Division under the Ministry of Health in Mauritius, leveraged a well-establishedAedes program, asAn .stephensi is known to shareAedes habitats. These efforts triggered multisectoral coordination and cascading benefits of integrated vector and One Health approaches.Methods Beginning June 2021, entomological surveys were conducted at points of entry (seaport, airport) and on ships transporting livestock in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Department, the Mauritian Port Authority and National Veterinary Services.
A total of 18, 39, 723 mosquito larval surveys were respectively conducted in the airport, seaport, and other localities in Mauritius while two, 20, and 26 adult mosquito surveys were respectively conducted in the airport, seaport, and twenty-six animal assembly points. Alongside adult mosquito surveys, surveillance of vectors of veterinary importance (e.g.-
Culicoides spp.) was also carried out in collaboration with National Parks and Conservation Service and land owners.Results A total of 8,428 adult mosquitoes were collected and 1,844 larval habitats were positive for mosquitoes. All collected mosquitoes were morphologically identified and 151
Anopheles and 339Aedes mosquitoes were also molecularly characterized. Mosquito species detected wereAedes albopictus ,Anopheles arabiensis ,An .coustani ,An .merus ,Culex quinquefasciatus ,Cx .thalassius andLutzia tigripes .Anopheles stephensi was not detected. The One Health approach was shared with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), strengthening collaboration between Mauritius and Réunion Island on vector surveillance at entry points and insecticide resistance monitoring. The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) was also alerted to the risk ofAn .stephensi , leading to regional efforts supporting trainings and development of a response strategy toAn .stephensi bringing together stakeholders from Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion Island and Seychelles.Conclusions Mauritius is a model system showing how existing public health entomology capabilities can be used to enhance vector surveillance and control and create multisectoral networks to respond to any emerging public and veterinary health vector-borne disease threat.
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Abstract Background West Nile virus (WNV), primarily vectored by mosquitoes of the genus
Culex , is the most important mosquito-borne pathogen in North America, having infected thousands of humans and countless wildlife since its arrival in the USA in 1999. In locations with dedicated mosquito control programs, surveillance methods often rely on frequent testing of mosquitoes collected in a network of gravid traps (GTs) and CO2-baited light traps (LTs). Traps specifically targeting oviposition-seeking (e.g. GTs) and host-seeking (e.g. LTs) mosquitoes are vulnerable to trap bias, and captured specimens are often damaged, making morphological identification difficult.Methods This study leverages an alternative mosquito collection method, the human landing catch (HLC), as a means to compare sampling of potential WNV vectors to traditional trapping methods. Human collectors exposed one limb for 15 min at crepuscular periods (5:00–8:30 am and 6:00–9:30 pm daily, the time when
Culex species are most actively host-seeking) at each of 55 study sites in suburban Chicago, Illinois, for two summers (2018 and 2019).Results A total of 223 human-seeking mosquitoes were caught by HLC, of which 46 (20.6%) were mosquitoes of genus
Culex . Of these 46 collectedCulex specimens, 34 (73.9%) wereCx. salinarius , a potential WNV vector species not thought to be highly abundant in upper Midwest USA. Per trapping effort, GTs and LTs collected > 7.5-fold the number of individualCulex specimens than HLC efforts.Conclusions The less commonly used HLC method provides important insight into the complement of human-biting mosquitoes in a region with consistent WNV epidemics. This study underscores the value of the HLC collection method as a complementary tool for surveillance to aid in WNV vector species characterization. However, given the added risk to the collector, novel mitigation methods or alternative approaches must be explored to incorporate HLC collections safely and strategically into control programs.
Graphical Abstract -
Abstract Mosquitoes pose an increasing risk in urban landscapes, where spatial heterogeneity in juvenile habitat can influence fine-scale differences in mosquito density and biting activity. We examine how differences in juvenile mosquito habitat along a spectrum of urban infrastructure abandonment can influence the adult body size of the invasive tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae). Adult Ae. albopictus were collected across 3 yr (2015–2017) from residential blocks in Baltimore, MD, that varied in abandonment level, defined by the proportion of houses with boarded-up doors. We show that female Ae. albopictus collected from sites with higher abandonment were significantly larger than those collected from higher income, low abandonment blocks. Heterogeneity in mosquito body size, including wing length, has been shown to reflect differences in important traits, including longevity and vector competence. The present work demonstrates that heterogeneity in female size may reflect juvenile habitat variability across the spatial scales most relevant to adult Aedes dispersal and human exposure risk in urban landscapes. Previous work has shown that failure to manage abandonment and waste issues in impoverished neighborhoods supports greater mosquito production, and this study suggests that mosquitoes in these same neighborhoods could live longer, produce more eggs, and have different vector potential.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008244
