RT Journal Article
T1 Effects of host sex, body mass and infection by avian Plasmodium on the biting rate of two mosquito species with different feeding preferences
A1 Gutiérrez López, Rafael
A1 Martínez De la Puente, Josué
A1 Gangoso De La Colina, Laura Esther
A1 Soriguer, Ramón
A1 Figuerola, Jordi
AB BackgroundThe transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens is strongly influenced by the contact rates between mosquitoes and susceptible hosts. The biting rates of mosquitoes depend on different factors including the mosquito species and host-related traits (i.e. odour, heat and behaviour). However, host characteristics potentially affecting intraspecific differences in the biting rate of mosquitoes are poorly known. Here, we assessed the impact of three host-related traits on the biting rate of two mosquito species with different feeding preferences: the ornithophilic Culex pipiens and the mammophilic Ochlerotatus (Aedes) caspius. Seventy-two jackdaws Corvus monedula and 101 house sparrows Passer domesticus were individually exposed to mosquito bites to test the effect of host sex, body mass and infection status by the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium on biting rates.ResultsOchlerotatus caspius showed significantly higher biting rates than Cx. pipiens on jackdaws, but non-significant differences were found on house sparrows. In addition, more Oc. caspius fed on female than on male jackdaws, while no differences were found for Cx. pipiens. The biting rate of mosquitoes on house sparrows increased through the year. The bird infection status and body mass of both avian hosts were not related to the biting rate of both mosquito species.ConclusionsHost sex was the only host-related trait potentially affecting the biting rate of mosquitoes, although its effect may differ between mosquito and host species.
PB Springer Nature
SN 1756-3305
YR 2019
FD 2019
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/110796
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/110796
LA eng
NO Gutiérrez-López, R., Martínez-de la Puente, J., Gangoso, L. et al. Effects of host sex, body mass and infection by avian Plasmodium on the biting rate of two mosquito species with different feeding preferences. Parasites Vectors 12, 87 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3342-x
NO This study was funded by projects CGL2012-30759 and CGL2015-65055-P from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and European Regional Development’s funds (FEDER) and by project P11-RNM-7038 from the Junta de Andalucía. RGL was supported by a FPI grant (BES-2013-065274). JMP was partially supported by a Juan de la Cierva contract and a 2017 Leonardo Grant for Researchers and Cultural Creators, BBVA Foundation. The Foundation accepts no responsibility for the opinions, statements and contents included in the project and/or the results thereof, which are entirely the responsibility of the authors. LG was supported by a Marie Curie Fellowship of the European Commission (grant number 747729 “EcoEvoClim”).
NO Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
NO European Commission
NO Junta de Andalucía
NO Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España)
NO Fundación BBVA
DS Docta Complutense
RD 4 abr 2025