The temporal dynamics of Plasmodium density through the sporogonic cycle within Anopheles mosquitoes☆
Received 2 March 2009; received in revised form 6 March 2009; accepted 6 March 2009.
Summary
The impact of parasite density on malaria transmission remains unclear. We investigated sporogony temporal dynamics and the effect of parasite density on these dynamics. A series of experiments was conducted in which cages of mosquitoes were fed on blood containing a range of ookinete densities. Samples of surviving mosquitoes were dissected over time post-feeding to count oocyst and sporozoite numbers. Results reveal a humped (convex) pattern of oocyst numbers and suggest that transition rates between sporogony stages are density dependent. This has implications for the design of parasite–mosquito interface studies and the development of transmission-blocking strategies.
aDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, St Mary's Campus, Norfolk Place, London W2 1PG, UK
bDepartment of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 020 7594 3229.
☆ Based on a presentation to the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene Research in Progress meeting on 18 December 2008. This poster presentation was awarded second prize at the meeting.
ABSTRACT