Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology (Dec 2021)

Infectivity of Symptomatic Malaria Patients to Anopheles farauti Colony Mosquitoes in Papua New Guinea

  • Lincoln Timinao,
  • Lincoln Timinao,
  • Rebecca Vinit,
  • Michelle Katusele,
  • Tamarah Koleala,
  • Elma Nate,
  • Cyrille Czeher,
  • Thomas R. Burkot,
  • Louis Schofield,
  • Ingrid Felger,
  • Ingrid Felger,
  • Ivo Mueller,
  • Ivo Mueller,
  • Ivo Mueller,
  • Moses Laman,
  • Leanne J. Robinson,
  • Leanne J. Robinson,
  • Leanne J. Robinson,
  • Leanne J. Robinson,
  • Stephan Karl,
  • Stephan Karl

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2021.771233
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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Plasmodium transmission from humans to mosquitoes is an understudied bottleneck in the transmission of malaria. Direct membrane feeding assays (DMFA) allow detailed malaria transmission studies from humans to mosquitoes. Especially for Plasmodium vivax, which cannot be cultured long-term under laboratory conditions, implementation of DMFAs requires proximity to P. vivax endemic areas. In this study, we investigated the infectivity of symptomatic Plasmodium infections to Anopheles farauti colony mosquitoes in Papua New Guinea (PNG). A total of 182 DMFAs were performed with venous blood collected from rapid diagnostic test (RDT) positive symptomatic malaria patients and subsequently analysed by light microscopy and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). DMFAs resulted in mosquito infections in 20.9% (38/182) of cases. By light microscopy and qPCR, 10 – 11% of P. falciparum and 32 – 44% of P. vivax positive individuals infected An. farauti. Fifty-eight percent of P. vivax and 15% of P. falciparum gametocytaemic infections infected An farauti.

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