Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology
Abstract Background The biting behaviour and dispersal of insect vectors in the field underlies the transmission of many diseases. Here, a novel collection methodology coupled with the molecular analysis of blood-meal sources and digestion rates is introduced with the aim of aiding the understanding...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-019-3401-3 |
| _version_ | 1818217904848502784 |
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| author | James Orsborne Luis Furuya-Kanamori Claire L. Jeffries Mojca Kristan Abdul Rahim Mohammed Yaw A. Afrane Kathleen O’Reilly Eduardo Massad Chris Drakeley Thomas Walker Laith Yakob |
| author_facet | James Orsborne Luis Furuya-Kanamori Claire L. Jeffries Mojca Kristan Abdul Rahim Mohammed Yaw A. Afrane Kathleen O’Reilly Eduardo Massad Chris Drakeley Thomas Walker Laith Yakob |
| author_sort | James Orsborne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The biting behaviour and dispersal of insect vectors in the field underlies the transmission of many diseases. Here, a novel collection methodology coupled with the molecular analysis of blood-meal sources and digestion rates is introduced with the aim of aiding the understanding of two critical and relatively understudied mosquito behaviours: plasticity in blood-host choice and vector dispersal. Results A collection strategy utilising a transect of mosquito traps placed at 50 m intervals allowed the collection of blood-fed Anopheles coluzzii from a malaria-endemic village of southern Ghana where human host availability ranged from zero (a cattle pen), increasing until humans were the dominant host choice (the middle of the village). Blood-meal analysis using PCR showed statistically significant variation in blood-meal origins for mosquitoes collected across the 250 m transect: with decreasing trend in Bovine Blood Index (OR = 0.60 95% CI: 0.49–0.73, P < 0.01) and correspondingly, an increasing trend in Human Blood Index (OR = 1.50 95% CI: 1.05–2.16, P = 0.028) as the transect approached the village. Using qPCR, the host DNA remaining in the blood meal was quantified for field-caught mosquitoes and calibrated according to timed blood digestion in colony mosquitoes. Time since blood meal was consumed and the corresponding distance the vector was caught from its blood-host allowed the estimation of An. coluzzii dispersal rates. Within 7 hours of feeding, mosquitoes typically remained within 50 m of their blood-host but at 60 hours they had dispersed up to 250 m. Conclusions Using this methodology the remarkably small spatial scale at which An. coluzzii blood-host choice can change was demonstrated. In addition, conducting qPCR on host blood from field-caught mosquitoes and calibrating with timed experiments with colonised mosquitoes presents a novel methodology for investigating the dispersal behaviour of vectors. Future adaptations to this novel method to make it broadly applicable to other types of setting are also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:15:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9b420e99eb54b6d856bc10c54b3b201 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:15:17Z |
| publishDate | 2019-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9b420e99eb54b6d856bc10c54b3b2012022-12-22T00:33:31ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052019-03-011211810.1186/s13071-019-3401-3Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodologyJames Orsborne0Luis Furuya-Kanamori1Claire L. Jeffries2Mojca Kristan3Abdul Rahim Mohammed4Yaw A. Afrane5Kathleen O’Reilly6Eduardo Massad7Chris Drakeley8Thomas Walker9Laith Yakob10Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineDepartment of Population Medicine, College of Medicine, Qatar UniversityDepartment of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineDepartment of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineDepartment of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaDepartment of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of GhanaDepartment of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineSchool of Applied Mathematics, Fundacao Getulio VargasDepartment of Immunology & Infection, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineDepartment of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineDepartment of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineAbstract Background The biting behaviour and dispersal of insect vectors in the field underlies the transmission of many diseases. Here, a novel collection methodology coupled with the molecular analysis of blood-meal sources and digestion rates is introduced with the aim of aiding the understanding of two critical and relatively understudied mosquito behaviours: plasticity in blood-host choice and vector dispersal. Results A collection strategy utilising a transect of mosquito traps placed at 50 m intervals allowed the collection of blood-fed Anopheles coluzzii from a malaria-endemic village of southern Ghana where human host availability ranged from zero (a cattle pen), increasing until humans were the dominant host choice (the middle of the village). Blood-meal analysis using PCR showed statistically significant variation in blood-meal origins for mosquitoes collected across the 250 m transect: with decreasing trend in Bovine Blood Index (OR = 0.60 95% CI: 0.49–0.73, P < 0.01) and correspondingly, an increasing trend in Human Blood Index (OR = 1.50 95% CI: 1.05–2.16, P = 0.028) as the transect approached the village. Using qPCR, the host DNA remaining in the blood meal was quantified for field-caught mosquitoes and calibrated according to timed blood digestion in colony mosquitoes. Time since blood meal was consumed and the corresponding distance the vector was caught from its blood-host allowed the estimation of An. coluzzii dispersal rates. Within 7 hours of feeding, mosquitoes typically remained within 50 m of their blood-host but at 60 hours they had dispersed up to 250 m. Conclusions Using this methodology the remarkably small spatial scale at which An. coluzzii blood-host choice can change was demonstrated. In addition, conducting qPCR on host blood from field-caught mosquitoes and calibrating with timed experiments with colonised mosquitoes presents a novel methodology for investigating the dispersal behaviour of vectors. Future adaptations to this novel method to make it broadly applicable to other types of setting are also discussed.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-019-3401-3Blood-meal analysisHost preferenceMosquitoBiting preferenceBlood index |
| spellingShingle | James Orsborne Luis Furuya-Kanamori Claire L. Jeffries Mojca Kristan Abdul Rahim Mohammed Yaw A. Afrane Kathleen O’Reilly Eduardo Massad Chris Drakeley Thomas Walker Laith Yakob Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology Parasites & Vectors Blood-meal analysis Host preference Mosquito Biting preference Blood index |
| title | Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology |
| title_full | Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology |
| title_short | Investigating the blood-host plasticity and dispersal of Anopheles coluzzii using a novel field-based methodology |
| title_sort | investigating the blood host plasticity and dispersal of anopheles coluzzii using a novel field based methodology |
| topic | Blood-meal analysis Host preference Mosquito Biting preference Blood index |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-019-3401-3 |
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