Experimental reduction of host Plasmodium infection load affects mosquito survival.

ABSTRACT: Plasmodium transmission success depends upon the trade-off between the use of host resources to favour parasite reproduction and the negative effects on host health, which can be mediated by infection intensity. Despite its potential influence on parasite dynamics, the effects of infection intensity on both, birds and vectors, and on Plasmodium transmission success are still poorly understood. Here, we experimentally reduced the Plasmodium load in naturally infected wild house sparrows with the antimalarial primaquine to assess the effects of intensity of infection in the vertebrate hosts on Plasmodium transmission to and by mosquitoes. We monitored the survival of Culex pipiens mosquitoes throughout the development of the parasite and the infection status of the mosquitoes by analysing th

SUBMITTER: Gutierrez-Lopez R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6584735 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature