Complete sporogony of Plasmodium relictum (lineage pGRW4) in mosquitoes Culex pipiens pipiens, with implications on avian malaria epidemiology

Avian malaria has historically played an important role as a model in the study of human malaria, being a stimulus for the development of medical parasitology. Avian malaria has recently come back to the research scene as a unique animal model to understand the ecology and evolution of the disease, both in the field and in the laboratory. Avian malaria is highly prevalent in birds and mosquitoes around the world and is amenable to laboratory experimentation at each stage of the parasite's life cycle. Here, we take stock of 5 years of experimental laboratory research carried out using Plasmodium relictum SGS1, the most prevalent avian malaria lineage in Europe, and its natural vector, the mosquito Culex pipiens . For this purpose, we compile and analyse data obtained in our laboratory in 14 different experiments. We provide statistical relationships between different infection-related parameters, including parasitaemia, gametocytaemia, host morbidity (anaemia) and transmission rates to mosquitoes. This analysis provides a wide-ranging picture of the within-host and between-host parameters that may bear on malaria transmission and epidemiology.

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The Susceptibility of Autogenous and Anautogenous Races of Culex pipiens to Infection with Avian Malaria (Plasmodium relictum)

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182000023830 ◽

1934 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 512-522 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

P. Tate ◽

M. Vincent

Keyword(s):

Infection Rate ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Avian Malaria ◽

Infection Rates ◽

Chronic Infections ◽

Seasonal Influence ◽

Plasmodium Relictum ◽

The Difference ◽

Different Strains

1. Anautogenous English and autogenous Greek, Hungarian, Maltese and cross-bred strains of C. pipiens were infected with an Algerian and a German strain of P. relictum.2. The different strains of C. pipiens behaved similarly as regards susceptibility and transmission towards the same strain of P. relictum.3. The two strains of malaria differ in the infection rate produced in mosquitoes. The Algerian strain produces an infection rate of about 89 per cent., while that of the German strain is only about 43 per cent.4. The difference in the infection rates of the two strains is not due merely to differences in the number of gametocytes formed.5. In general C. pipiens fed on birds infected with the Algerian strain of malaria became more heavily infected than those fed on birds infected with the German strain.6. C. pipiens were infected in some cases by feeding on birds with chronic infections of the Algerian strain of P. relictum, but not when fed on birds with chronic infections of the German strain.7. No seasonal influence was found as regards the infection of C. pipiens by P. relictum.8. The Algerian strain of malaria was successfully transmitted by English, Greek, Hungarian, Maltese and Greek-Hungarian strains of C. pipiens, and the German strain of malaria by English, Greek, Maltese and Greek-English strains of C. pipiens.

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Plasmodium relictum (lineages pSGS1 and pGRW11): Complete synchronous sporogony in mosquitoes Culex pipiens pipiens

Experimental Parasitology ◽

10.1016/j.exppara.2013.01.008 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 133 (4) ◽

pp. 454-461 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Rita Kazlauskienė ◽

Rasa Bernotienė ◽

Vaidas Palinauskas ◽

Tatjana A. Iezhova ◽

Gediminas Valkiūnas

Keyword(s):

Culex Pipiens ◽

Plasmodium Relictum ◽

Culex Pipiens Pipiens

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Gonoactivity of Culex (Culex) (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes During Winter in Temperate Argentina

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjaa295 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

María Florencia Branda ◽

Magdalena Laurito ◽

Andrés Mario Visintin ◽

Walter Ricardo Almirón

Keyword(s):

Developmental Stage ◽

Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽

Culex Pipiens ◽

Life Cycles ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Dry Ice ◽

Culex Pipiens Pipiens ◽

Host Seeking ◽

Baited Traps ◽

The City

Abstract The subgenus Culex L. includes species involved in summer–autumn arbovirus transmission but studies during winter are scarce in temperate Argentina. Female specimens were collected host-seeking at dry-ice-baited traps during autumn–winter–spring at two sites in Córdoba City during 2016 and 2017. The specimens were morphologically identified and dissected to determine the follicular developmental stage (gonotrophic activity). Females with advanced follicular stages (≥III) were subjected to molecular procedures to confirm or re-identify previous morphological identification. Five species (Culex apicinus Philippi (Diptera: Culicidae), Culex dolosus (Lynch-Arribálzaga) (Diptera: Culicidae), Culex maxi Dyar (Diptera: Culicidae), Culex pipiens pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae), and Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae)) were collected and found gonoactive during winter; showing that a high proportion of Culex (Culex) females remain reproductively active during the unfavorable season for mosquito populations. Among them, it is worth noting the collection of Cx. quinquefasciatus, vector of the St. Louis encephalitis virus (endemic in the city), a specimen of Cx. p. pipiens, and a hybrid of Cx. p. pipiens/Cx. quinquefasciatus (during autumn). The study of this community during winter should continue because a high gonoactive female proportion with advanced follicular stages was found: 29.12 and 13.07% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Local studies such as this one provide evidence about ornithophilic Culex species with active year-round life cycles, species that could favor arbovirus overwintering.

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