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Behavioral Ecology Vol. 13 No. 6: 816-820
© 2002 International Society for Behavioral Ecology

Stage-specific manipulation of a mosquito's host-seeking behavior by the malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum

Jacob C. Koellaa, Linda Rieua and Richard E. L. Paulb

a Laboratoire de Parasitologie Evolutive, CNRS UMR 7103, Université P. & M. Curie, Paris, France b Unité de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire des Insectes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

Address correspondence to J.C. Koella, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Evolutive, CC237, Université P. & M. Curie, 7 quai Saint Bernard, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France. E-mail: jkoella{at}snv.jussieu.fr.

We present experimental evidence that different stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium gallinaceum differentially affect the host-seeking behavior of its mosquito vector Aedes aegypti. In uninfected mosquitoes, host-seeking behavior is continued if mosquitoes have ingested less than a threshold volume of blood, whereas a larger blood meal inhibits host seeking. We investigated the parasite's effect on this behavior by feeding infected and uninfected mosquitoes for variable amounts of time and assaying 30-45 min later whether they continued their attempts at blood-feeding. Mosquitoes infected with oocysts (which cannot be transmitted) had a smaller threshold volume and were less likely to return for further probing, whereas individuals infected with transmissible sporozoites increased the threshold volume required to inhibit host-seeking behavior. We conclude that the stage-specific effect of the parasite on host-seeking behavior is likely to be an active manipulation by the parasite to increase its transmission success.

Key words: Aedes aegypti, behavioral manipulation, host-seeking behavior, malaria, Plasmodium gallinaceum.


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