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A non-destructive sugar-feeding assay for parasite detection and estimating the extrinsic incubation period of Plasmodium falciparum in individual mosquito vectors

Authors :
Edwige Guissou
Jessica L. Waite
Matthew Jones
Andrew S. Bell
Eunho Suh
Koudraogo B. Yameogo
Nicaise Djègbè
Dari F. Da
Domonbabele F. D. S. Hien
Rakiswende S. Yerbanga
Anicet G. Ouedraogo
Kounbobr Roch. Dabiré
Anna Cohuet
Matthew B. Thomas
Thierry Lefèvre
Source :
Scientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-14 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Nature Portfolio, 2021.

Abstract

Abstract Despite its epidemiological importance, the time Plasmodium parasites take to achieve development in the vector mosquito (the extrinsic incubation period, EIP) remains poorly characterized. A novel non-destructive assay designed to estimate EIP in single mosquitoes, and more broadly to study Plasmodium–Anopheles vectors interactions, is presented. The assay uses small pieces of cotton wool soaked in sugar solution to collect malaria sporozoites from individual mosquitoes during sugar feeding to monitor infection status over time. This technique has been tested across four natural malaria mosquito species of Africa and Asia, infected with Plasmodium falciparum (six field isolates from gametocyte-infected patients in Burkina Faso and the NF54 strain) and across a range of temperatures relevant to malaria transmission in field conditions. Monitoring individual infectious mosquitoes was feasible. The estimated median EIP of P. falciparum at 27 °C was 11 to 14 days depending on mosquito species and parasite isolate. Long-term individual tracking revealed that sporozoites transfer onto cotton wool can occur at least until day 40 post-infection. Short individual EIP were associated with short mosquito lifespan. Correlations between mosquito/parasite traits often reveal trade-offs and constraints and have important implications for understanding the evolution of parasite transmission strategies.

Subjects

Subjects :
Medicine
Science

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20452322
Volume :
11
Issue :
1
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Scientific Reports
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.014002f178e84aaba77de1b350b7cc11
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88659-w