Transgenerational effect of infection in Plasmodium-infected mosquitoes.

ABSTRACT: Transgenerational effects of infection have a huge potential to influence the prevalence and intensity of infections in vectors and, by extension, disease epidemiology. These transgenerational effects may increase the fitness of offspring through the transfer of protective immune factors. Alternatively, however, infected mothers may transfer the costs of infection to their offspring. Although transgenerational immune protection has been described in a dozen invertebrate species, we still lack a complete picture of the incidence and importance of transgenerational effects of infection in most invertebrate groups. The existence of transgenerational infection effects in mosquito vectors is of particular interest because of their potential for influencing parasite prevalence and intensity and,

SUBMITTER: Pigeault R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4387496 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature