Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-frp75 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-31T08:55:12.633Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The relationship of host size to feeding by mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae Giles complex (Diptera: Culicidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

G. R. Port ,
P. F. L. Boreham  and
Joan H. Bryan
G. R. Port*
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, Imperial College of Science & Techonology, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
P. F. L. Boreham
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, Imperial College of Science & Techonology, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Joan H. Bryan
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, The Gamdia
*
1Address for correspondence: Department of Zoology and Applied Entomology, Imperial College Field Station, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berks. SL5 7PY, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Attention has recently been focussed on the problem of why mosquitoes feed on some people more than others. In this paper, investigations of selective feeding by mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae Giles complex conducted in two villages in the Gambia are reported. Fed mosquitoes were collected from the bed nets of 35 groups of people who normally sleep together, for example mothers and infants or two children or two adults. A total of 2339 meals was analysed using haptoglobin or ABO typing to determine from which individual each meal had been obtained. The results showed that the proportion of feeds upon an individual in a group can be associated with the proportion of the total surface area or weight of the group contributed by that individual. The incidence of multiple feeding was between 3 and 6%. The results are discussed in relation to host selection by mosquitoes and their significance for models of malaria epidemiology.

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 70 , Issue 1 , March 1980 , pp. 133 - 144
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Anderson, J. R. & DeFoliart, G. R. (1961). Feeding behaviour and host preferences of some black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Wisconsin.—Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 54, 716–729.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blackmore, J. S. & Dow, R. P. (1958). Differential feeding of Culex tarsalis on the nestling and adult birds.—Mosquito News 18, 15–17.Google Scholar
Boreham, P. F. L. & Lenahan, J. K. (1976). Methods for detecting multiple blood-meals in mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae).—Bull. ent. Res. 66, 671–679.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boreham, P. F. L., Chandler, J. A. & Jolly, J. (1978). The incidence of mosquitoes feeding on mothers and babies at Kisumu, Kenya.—J. trop. Med. Hyg. 81, 63–67.Google ScholarPubMed
Boreham, P. F. L., Lenahan, J. K., Boulzaquet, R., Storey, J., Ashkar, T. S., Nambier, R.. & Matsushima, T. (1979). Studies on multiple feeding by Anopheles gambiae s. 1. in Garki district, Northern Nigeria.—Trans. R. Soc. trop. Med. Hyg. 73, 418–423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryan, J. H.. & Smalley, M. E. (1978). The use of ABO blood groups as markers for mosquito biting studies.—Trans. R. Soc. trop. Med. Hyg. 72, 357–360.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carnevale, P., Frézil, J. L., Bosseno, M. F., Le Pont, F. & Lancien, J. (1978). Étude de I’agressivite d’ Anopheles gambiae A en function de I’âge et du sexe des sujets humains.—Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 56, 147–154.Google Scholar
Clyde, D. F.. & Shute, G. T. (1958). Selective feeding habits of anophelines amongst Africans of different ages.—Am. J. trop. Med. Hyg. 7, 543–545.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Coluzzi, M. (1964). Morphological divergences in the Anopheles gambiae complex.—Riv. Malar. 43, 197–232.Google ScholarPubMed
Coluzzi, M. (1968). Cromosomi politenici delle cellule nutrici ovariche nel complesso gambiae de genere Anopheles.—Parassitologia 10, 179–183.Google Scholar
Davidson, G. & Draper, C. C. (1953). Field studies on some of the basic factors concerned in the transmission of malaria.—Trans. R. Soc. trop. Med. Hyg. 47, 522–535.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Diem, K. (1962). Documenta Geigy. Scientific tables.—6th edn, 778 pp. Manchester, Geigy Pharmaceutical Co.Google Scholar
Downe, A. E. R. (1960). Blood-meal sources and notes on host preferences of some Aedes mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae).—Can. J. Zool. 38, 689–699.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Downe, A. E. R. (1962). Some aspects of host selection by Mansonia perturbans (Walk.) (Diptera: Culicidae).—Can. J. Zool. 40, 725–732.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Draper, N. R. & Smith, H. (1966). Applied regression analysis.—420 pp. New York, Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Edman, J. D. & Webber, L. A. (1975). Effect of vertebrate size and density on host-selection by caged Culex nigripalpus.—Mosquito News. 35, 508–512.Google Scholar
Freyvogel, T. A. (1961). Ein Beitrag zu den Problemen um die Blutmahlzeit von Stechmücken.—Acta trop. 18, 201–251.Google Scholar
Gillies, M. T. & Wilkes, T. J. (1969). A comparison of the range of attraction of animal baits and of carbon dioxide for some West African mosquitoes.—Bull. ent. Res. 59, 441–456.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kale, H. W., Edman, J. D.. & Webber, L. A. (1972). Effect of behaviour and age of individual ciconiiform birds on mosquito feeding success.—Mosquito News 32, 343–350.Google Scholar
Khan, A. A., Maibach, H. I., Strauss, W. G. & Fenley, W. R. (1966). Quantitation of effect of several stimuli on the approach of Aedes aegypti.—J. econ. Ent. 59, 690–694.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MacDonald, G. (1952). The analysis of equilibrium in malaria.—Trop. Dis. Bull. 49, 813–829.Google ScholarPubMed
MacDonald, G. (1957). The epidemiology and control of malaria.—201 pp. London, Oxford Univ. Press.Google Scholar
Muirhead-Thomson, R. C. (1951). The distribution of anopheline mosquito bites among different age groups.—Br. Med. J. 1, 1114–1117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pull, H. H. & Grab, B. (1974). A simple epidemiological model for evaluating the malaria inoculation rate and the risk of infection in infants.—Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 51, 507–516.Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, A. (1956). The attractiveness of an adult and child to A. gambiae.—E. Afr. med. J. 33, 409–410.Google ScholarPubMed
Spencer, M. (1967). Anopheline attack on mother and infact pairs, Fergusson Island.—Papua New Guin. med. J. 10, 75.Google Scholar
Thomas, T. C. E. (1951). Biting activity of Anopheles gambiae.—Br. med. J. 2, 1402.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
White, G. B. (1975). Notes on a catalogue of Culicidae of the Ethiopian origin.—Mosq. Syst. 7, 303–344.Google Scholar
Wright, R. H. & Kellogg, F. E. (1964). Host size as a factor in the attraction of malaria mosquitoes.—Nature, Lond. 202, 321–322.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed