Reproductive and developmental performance of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, fed on the Syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, immunized with a mosquito midgut lectin

ABSTRACT

Eco-friendly alternatives to unsafe conventional pesticides against disease vectors are currently needed. Host vaccination using an insect gut antigen is a feasible approach. Thus, the present study aimed to examine the effect of ingestion of antibodies from hamsters, raised via immunization of hamsters with a partially purified midgut lectin of Aedes aegypti, in a blood meal of this disease vector on the different biological parameters (mortality percentage, number of eggs/female (fecundity), longevity, egg incubation period, larval duration and larval weight). The biological parameters of the parental (P), first (F1) and second (F2) filial generations of Ae. aegypti adult females fed for 48 h on immunized hamsters were compared with those of the controls at each generation separately, and among the different generations. Mortality percentage, egg incubation period and larval duration were significantly higher than those of the controls at each generation tested. In contrast, fecundity, longevity and larval weight were significantly lower than those of the controls at each generation tested. The greatest change in all the biological parameters tested was observed in the F2 generation. The results obtained provide preliminary evidence for the potential of anti-mosquito antibodies to disrupt the development of mosquito vectors. Future studies using monoclonal antibodies as well as cytotoxicity will be evaluated.

KEYWORDS:

• Aedes aegypti
• midgut lectin
• antibodies
• fecundity
• development
• survival

Acknowledgments

This research project was supported by a grant from the “Research Center of the Female Scientific and Medical Colleges”, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The authors extend their appreciation to RDO-MOE postdoctoral fellowship program (PFP).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Center of the Female Scientific and Medical Colleges”, Deanship of Scientific Research, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.