Density independent feeding success of malaria vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) in Tanzania | Bulletin of Entomological Research | Cambridge Core (original) (raw)

Abstract

The possibility of density dependent feeding success in the African malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae Giles (sensu lato) and A. funestus Giles was investigated by examining the gonotrophic status of mosquitoes from 423 collections made in a Tanzanian village. Up to 500 mosquitoes were caught in any single 35 minute indoor resting collection. Estimates of the total numbers of mosquitoes resting were made by removal sampling. These indicated that the efficiency of resting collections decreased with increasing mosquito population. Of 1904 mosquito blood meals tested by ELISA, 95% were of human origin. There was no decrease in the proportion of mosquitoes fully fed at high population densities and the only demonstrable avoiding action by hosts in response to high densities of mosquitoes was the increased use of bednets during the wet season. The late biting cycle of these mosquitoes precludes many other density-dependent host defence mechanisms because the hosts are asleep at the time of attack. African malaria vectors have evolved with man and perhaps their evasion of density-dependent host responses has reinforced their preference for human blood.

References

Beier, J.C., Perkins, P.V., Wirtz, R.A., Koros, J., Diggs, D., Gargan, T.P. & Koech, D.K. (1988) Bloodmeal identification by direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), tested on Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) in Kenya. Journal of Medical Entomology 25, 9–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Charlwood, J.D. & Alecrim, W. (1989) Capture-recapture exper-iments with Anopheles darlingi in Rondonia, Brasil. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 86, 569–576.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Charlwood, J.D., Dagaro, H. & Paru, R. (1985) Blood-feeding and resting behaviour in the Anopheles punctulatus Donitz complex (Diptera: Culicidae) from coastal Papua New Guinea. Bulletin of Entomological Research 75, 463–475.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Charlwood, J.D., Graves, P.M. & Alpers, M. (1986a) The ecology of the Anopheles punctulatus group of mosquitoes from Papua New Guinea: a review of recent work. Papua New Guinea Medical Journal 29, 19–27.Google ScholarPubMed

Charlwood, J.D., Paru, R., Dagaro, H. & Lagog, M. (1986b) The influence of moonlight and gonotrophic age on the biting activity of Anopheles farauti (Diptera: Culicidae) from Papua New Guinea. Journal of Medical Entomology 23, 313–320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Charlwood, J.D. & Wilkes, T.J. (1981) Observations on the biting activity of Anopheles triannulatus bachmanni from the Mato Grosso, Brasil. Acta Amazonica 11, 411–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Edman, J.D. & Kale, H.W., II (1970) Host behaviour: its influence on the feeding success of mosquitoes. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 64, 513–516.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Edman, J.D. & Scott, T.W. (1987) Host defensive behaviour and the feeding success of mosquitoes. Insect Science and its Application 8, 617–622.Google Scholar

Edman, J.D., Webber, L.A. & Kale, H.W., II (1972) Effect of mosquito density on the interrelationship of host behaviour and mosquito feeding success. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiëne 21, 487–491.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Edman, J.D., Webber, L.A. & Schmid, A.A. (1984) Effect of host defenses on the feeding pattern of Culex nigripalpus when offered a choice of blood sources. Journal of Parasitology 60, 874–883.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Gillies, M.T. & de Meillon, B. (1968) Anophelinae of Africa south of the Sahara, (Ethiopian Zoogeographical Regiem) 2nd edn.Johannesburg, Publication of the South African Institute for Medical Research no. 54.Google Scholar

Gillies, M.T. & Wilkes, T.J. (1965) A study of the age composition of populations of Anopheles gambiae Giles and A. funestus Giles in north-eastern Tanzania. Bulletin of Entomological Research 56, 237–262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Kilombero Malaria Project (1992) The level of anti-sporozoite antibodies in a highly endemic malaria area and its relationship with exposure to mosquitoes. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 86, 499–504.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Klowden, M.J. & Lea, A.O. (1979) Effect of defensive host behaviour on the blood meal size and feeding success of natural populations of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 15, 514–517.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Lindsay, S.W., Adiamah, H.A. & Armstrong, J.R.M. (1992) The effect of permethrin-impregnated bednets on house entry by mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in The Gambia. Bulletin of Entomological Research 82, 49–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

McCullagh, P. & Nelder, J.A. (1989) Generalized linear models. London, Chapman and Hall.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Randolf, S.E., Williams, B.G., Rogers, D.J. & Connor, H. (1992) Modelling the effect of feeding-related mortality on the feeding strategy of tsetse (Diptera: Glossinidae). Medical and Veterinary Entomology 6, 231–240.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Sella, M. (1920) Relazione della campagna antianofelica di Fiumiciono (1919) con speciale riguardo alla biologia delgi anofeli ed agli anofeli infetti. Annali di Igiene 30, Supplemento85.Google Scholar

Smith, T., Charlwood, J.D., Kihonda, J., Mwankusye, S., Billingsley, P., Meuwissen, J., Lyimo, E., Takken, W., Teuscher, T. & Tanner, M. (1993) Absence of seasonal variation in malaria parasitaemia in an area of intense seasonal transmission. Acta Tropica 54, 55–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Southwood, T.R.E. (1978) Ecological methods. 524 pp. London, Chapman and Hall.Google Scholar

Tanner, M., De Savigny, D., Mayombana, C., Hatz, C., Burnier, E., Tayari, S. & Degrémont, A. (1991) Morbidity and mortality at Kilombero, Tanzania, 1982–88. pp. 286–305 In: Feachem, R.G. & Jamison, D.T. (Eds) Disease and Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Oxford, Oxford University Press.Google Scholar

Teuscher, T. (1993) Household-based malaria control in a highly endemic area of Africa (Tanzania): determinants of transmission and disease and indicates for monitoring—Kilombero malaria project. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 87, Suppl. III, 121–130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Walker, E.D. & Edman, J.D. (1986) Influence of defensive behaviour of eastern chipmunks and grey squirrels (Rodentia: Sciuridae) on feeding success of Aedes triseriatus (Diptera: Culicidae). Journal of Medical Entomology 23, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed