2024-07-30 09:45:48
The tiger mosquito, native to Asia, is an invasive species that is currently widely distributed. In addition to its annoying bites, this dipteran represents a public health problem because it is a host of viruses that cause diseases in humans, such as dengue or Zika. The change in their distribution area makes it possible to spread these diseases in invaded areas, where most studies have focused on those diseases that affect humans. However, its role in the transmission of diseases such as avian malaria, which affects wild birds, is not well studied.
Some scientists decided to review the available information in order to explain the role of the mosquito as a way of getting rid of these parasites.
This review of the research results is the work of the scientific team from the Doñana Biological Station (EBD, dependent on the High Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) in Spain); The University of Granada (UGR) in Spain and the Natural Research Institute in Lithuania.
The studies reviewed, which monitored the presence of avian malaria parasites in wild-caught mosquitoes, showed the existence of a low infection rate. This suggests that, although this dipteran is capable of interacting with these parasites, its role as their transmitter in nature is limited. “We suggest that it is possible because of their tendency to feed primarily on the blood of mammals, and not so much of birds,” explained Jesús Veiga, CSIC researcher in EBD and first author of the study. However, the number of studies exploring this possibility is small and, on a global scale, they have only been developed in a few countries in the current distribution area of this invasive mosquito.
Tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus). (Photo: James Gathany/CDC)
On the other hand, this work also reviews studies that analyze the importance of the development of avian malaria parasites, of the genus Plasmodium, in the laboratory, where we find a great difference depending on the type of parasite involved. While species such as Plasmodium vaughani and Plasmodium circumflexum do not seem to be able to develop in tiger smoke, others such as Plasmodium gallinaceum can complete their development and even transmit effectively from one bird to another. Plasmodium gallinaceum mainly affects poultry and causes serious economic losses due to the death of untreated birds, loss of meat quality and reduction in egg production. Therefore, special attention must be paid to the presence of tiger mosquitoes in these areas.
“However, the results obtained so far are limited to a small number of species and genetic lines of avian Plasmodium, which limits the conclusions that can be obtained for the role of this type of mosquito in the spread of avian malaria, ” Veiga warned. “This – adds the researcher – is especially important considering that there are more than 50 morphospecies and 1,500 genetic copies of avian Plasmodium.” Therefore, discovering the maximum number of species of these parasites in the tiger mosquito is important to predict how their introduction into new ecosystems can affect the epidemiology of avian malaria in nature.
The review is titled “Literature Review on the Role of Invasive Aedes albopictus in the Transmission of Avian Malaria Parasites.” And it was published in the journal Animal Science. (Source: EBD/CSIC)
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