Blood-feeding ecology of mosquitoes in two zoological gardens in the United Kingdom

Parasites & Vectors

Amber Maddox¹  Freya Townsend¹  Kenneth Sherlock¹  Emily Lomax¹  Matthew Baylis²  Arturo Hernandez-Colina³  Merit Gonzalez-Olvera³  Jenny C. Hesson⁴  Dawn Ward⁵  Mark Vercoe⁶  Javier Lopez⁶  Lindsay Eckley⁶ 

[1] Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, CH64 7TE, Neston, Cheshire, UK;Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, CH64 7TE, Neston, Cheshire, UK;Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK;Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst Campus, Chester High Road, CH64 7TE, Neston, Cheshire, UK;North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, CH2 1LH, Chester, UK;Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Zoonosis Science Centre, Uppsala University, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden;Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton, YO17 6UX, Malton, UK;North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, CH2 1LH, Chester, UK;

关键词: Blood meal;    Culex pipiens;    Culiseta annulata;    Mosquito control;    Mosquito dispersal;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13071-021-04735-0

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundZoological gardens contain unique configurations of exotic and endemic animals and plants that create a diverse range of developing sites and potential sources of blood meals for local mosquitoes. This may imply unusual interspecific pathogen transmission risks involving zoo vertebrates, like avian malaria to captive penguins. Understanding mosquito ecology and host feeding patterns is necessary to improve mosquito control and disease prevention measures in these environments.MethodsMosquito sampling took place in Chester Zoo for 3 years (2017, 2018, and 2019) and for 1 year in Flamingo Land (2017) using different trapping methods. Blood-fed mosquitoes were identified and their blood meal was amplified by PCR, sequenced, and blasted for host species identification.ResultsIn total, 640 blood-fed mosquitoes were collected [Culex pipiens (n = 497), Culiseta annulata (n = 81), Anopheles maculipennis s.l. (n = 7), An. claviger (n = 1), and unidentifiable (n = 55)]. Successful identification of the host species was achieved from 159 blood-fed mosquitoes. Mosquitoes fed on birds (n = 74), non-human mammals (n = 20), and humans (n = 71). There were mixed blood meals from two hosts (n = 6). The proportions of blood-fed mosquitoes varied across sampling seasons and sites within the zoos. The use of resting traps and aspiration of vegetation were more efficient techniques for capturing blood-fed mosquitoes than traps for host-seeking or gravid mosquitoes. By relating the locations of zoo vertebrates to where fed mosquitoes were trapped, the minimum travelling distances were calculated (13.7 to 366.7 m). Temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, proximity to zoo vertebrate exhibits, and vegetation level were found to be significantly associated with the proportion of captured blood-fed mosquitoes by generalized linear modelling.ConclusionsMosquito feeding behaviour in zoos is mainly influenced by time, location (sampling area), temperature, and host availability, which highlights the value of mosquito monitoring in complex settings to plan control strategies and potentially reduce inherent disease transmission risks for humans and threatened zoo vertebrates.Graphical Abstract

【 授权许可】

CC BY