Using infective mosquitoes to challenge monkeys with Plasmodium knowlesi in malaria vaccine studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

When rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are used to test malaria vaccines, animals are often challenged by the intravenous injection of sporozoites. However, natural exposure to malaria comes via mosquito bite, and antibodies can neutralize sporozoites as they traverse the skin. Thus, intravenous injection may not fairly assess humoral immunity from anti-sporozoite malaria vaccines. To better assess malaria vaccines in rhesus, a method to challenge large numbers of monkeys by mosquito bite was developed.

Methods

Several species and strains of mosquitoes were tested for their ability to produce Plasmodium knowlesi sporozoites. Donor monkey parasitaemia effects on oocyst and sporozoite numbers and mosquito mortality were documented. Methylparaben added to mosquito feed

SUBMITTER: Murphy JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4070636 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature