Assessing the optimal virulence of malaria-targeting mosquito pathogens: a mathematical study of engineered Metarhizium anisopliae.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Metarhizium anisopliae is a naturally occurring fungal pathogen of mosquitoes. Recently, Metarhizium has been engineered to act against malaria by directly killing the disease agent within mosquito vectors and also effectively blocking onward transmission. It has been proposed that efforts should be made to minimize the virulence of the fungal pathogen, in order to slow the development of resistant mosquitoes following an actual deployment.

Results

Two mathematical models were developed and analysed to examine the efficacy of the fungal pathogen. It was found that, in many plausible scenarios, the best effects are achieved with a reduced or minimal pathogen virulence, even if the likelihood of resistance to the fungus is negligible. The results for both models dep

SUBMITTER: Konrad BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3893513 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature