Gametocytemia and Attractiveness of Plasmodium falciparum–Infected Kenyan Children to Anopheles gambiae Mosquitoes
| dc.contributor.author | Busula, Annette O. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mweresa, Collins K. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Masiga, Daniel | |
| dc.contributor.author | Logan, James G. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Sauerwein, Robert W. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Verhulst, Niels O. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Takken, Willem | |
| dc.contributor.author | De Boe, Jetske G. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-04-07T05:49:42Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-04-07T05:49:42Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2017-06-13 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://ir.jooust.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/9357 | |
| dc.description.abstract | It has been suggested that Plasmodia manipulate their vertebrate hosts to enhance parasite transmission. Using a dual-choice olfactometer, we investigated the attraction of Anopheles gambiae to 50 Kenyan children (aged 5–12 years) who were naturally infected with Plasmodium falciparum or non-infected controls. Microscopic gametocyte carriers attracted almost 2 times more mosquitoes than children who were parasite free, harboured asexual stages, or had gametocytes at submicroscopic densities. By using highly sensitive stage-specific molecular methods to detect P. falciparum, we show that gametocytes and not their non-infectious asexual progenitors—induce increased attractiveness of humans to mosquitoes. Our findings therefore support the parasite host manipulation hypothesis. | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | The Journal of Infectious Diseases | en_US |
| dc.subject | Chemical ecology | en_US |
| dc.subject | Olfactory behavior | en_US |
| dc.subject | Malaria transmission | en_US |
| dc.subject | Vector control | en_US |
| dc.subject | Host finding | en_US |
| dc.title | Gametocytemia and Attractiveness of Plasmodium falciparum–Infected Kenyan Children to Anopheles gambiae Mosquitoes | en_US |
| dc.type | Technical Report | en_US |
