Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it>
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>is being considered as a biocontrol agent for adult African malaria vectors. In the laboratory, work was carried out to assess whether horizontal transmission of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2004-11-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
| Online Access: | http://www.malariajournal.com/content/3/1/45 |
| _version_ | 1818120419807330304 |
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| author | Knols Bart GJ Scholte Ernst-Jan Takken Willem |
| author_facet | Knols Bart GJ Scholte Ernst-Jan Takken Willem |
| author_sort | Knols Bart GJ |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>is being considered as a biocontrol agent for adult African malaria vectors. In the laboratory, work was carried out to assess whether horizontal transmission of the pathogen can take place during copulation, as this would enhance the impact of the fungus on target populations when compared with insecticides.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Virgin female <it>Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto </it>were exposed to conidia whilst resting on fungus-impregnated paper. These females were then placed together for one hour with uncontaminated males in proportions of either 1:1 or 1:10 shortly before the onset of mating activity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Males that had acquired fungal infection after mating indicate that passive transfer of the pathogen from infected females does occur, with mean male infection rates between 10.7 ± 3.2% and 33.3 ± 3.8%. The infections caused by horizontal transmission did not result in overall differences in survival between males from test and control groups, but in one of the three experiments the infected males had significantly shorter life spans than uninfected males (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that autodissemination of fungal inoculum between <it>An. gambiae s.s</it>. mosquitoes during mating activity is possible under laboratory conditions. Field studies are required next, to assess the extent to which this phenomenon may augment the primary contamination pathway (i.e. direct contact with fungus-impregnated targets) of vector populations in the field.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:25:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aae4a1a4f6c441cdaf48be7b79d7fb2a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T05:25:48Z |
| publishDate | 2004-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-aae4a1a4f6c441cdaf48be7b79d7fb2a2022-12-22T01:19:34ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752004-11-01314510.1186/1475-2875-3-45Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it>Knols Bart GJScholte Ernst-JanTakken Willem<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>is being considered as a biocontrol agent for adult African malaria vectors. In the laboratory, work was carried out to assess whether horizontal transmission of the pathogen can take place during copulation, as this would enhance the impact of the fungus on target populations when compared with insecticides.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Virgin female <it>Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto </it>were exposed to conidia whilst resting on fungus-impregnated paper. These females were then placed together for one hour with uncontaminated males in proportions of either 1:1 or 1:10 shortly before the onset of mating activity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Males that had acquired fungal infection after mating indicate that passive transfer of the pathogen from infected females does occur, with mean male infection rates between 10.7 ± 3.2% and 33.3 ± 3.8%. The infections caused by horizontal transmission did not result in overall differences in survival between males from test and control groups, but in one of the three experiments the infected males had significantly shorter life spans than uninfected males (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that autodissemination of fungal inoculum between <it>An. gambiae s.s</it>. mosquitoes during mating activity is possible under laboratory conditions. Field studies are required next, to assess the extent to which this phenomenon may augment the primary contamination pathway (i.e. direct contact with fungus-impregnated targets) of vector populations in the field.</p>http://www.malariajournal.com/content/3/1/45 |
| spellingShingle | Knols Bart GJ Scholte Ernst-Jan Takken Willem Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it> Malaria Journal |
| title | Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it> |
| title_full | Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it> |
| title_fullStr | Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it> |
| title_short | Autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus <it>Metarhizium anisopliae </it>amongst adults of the malaria vector <it>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</it> |
| title_sort | autodissemination of the entomopathogenic fungus it metarhizium anisopliae it amongst adults of the malaria vector it anopheles gambiae s s it |
| url | http://www.malariajournal.com/content/3/1/45 |
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