Host-specific effects of a generalist parasite of mosquitoes

Abstract

Abstract Microsporidians are obligate parasites of many animals, including mosquitoes. Some microsporidians have been proposed as potential agents for the biological control of mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit due to their detrimental impact on larval survival and adult lifespan. To get a more complete picture of their potential use as agents of biological control, we measured the impact of Vavraia culicis on several life-history traits of Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. We measured the infection dynamics and clearance rate for the two species, and we assessed sexual dimorphism in infection dynamics within each species. Our results show differences in infection dynamics, with Ae. aegypti life-history traits being more affected during its aquatic stage and exhibiting higher clearance of the infection as adults. In contrast, An. gambiae was unable to clear the infection. Additionally, we found evidence of sexual dimorphism in parasite infection in An. gambiae, with males having a higher average parasite load. These findings shed light and improve our knowledge of the infection dynamics of V. culicis, a microsporidian parasite previously recognized as a potential control agent of malaria.