Interpreting mosquito feeding patterns in Australia through an ecological lens: an analysis of blood meal studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mosquito-borne pathogens contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, infecting millions of people each year. Mosquito feeding is critical to the transmission dynamics of pathogens, and thus it is important to understanding and interpreting mosquito feeding patterns. In this paper we explore mosquito feeding patterns and their implications for disease ecology through a meta-analysis of published blood meal results collected across Australia from more than 12,000 blood meals from 22 species. To assess mosquito-vertebrate associations and identify mosquitoes on a spectrum of generalist or specialist feeders, we analysed blood meal data in two ways; first using a novel odds ratio analysis, and secondly by calculating Shannon's diversity scores.

Results

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SUBMITTER: Stephenson EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6448275 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature