Assessing Diversity, Plasmodium Infection and Blood Meal Sources in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) from a Brazilian Zoological Park with Avian Malaria Transmission

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Guimaraes, Lilian de Oliveira ^[1] ; Simoes, Roseli Franca ^[2] ; Chagas, Carolina Romeiro Fernandes ^{[3, 4]} ; de Menezes, Regiane Maria Tironi ^[1] ; Silva, Fabiana Santos ^{[2, 1]} ; Monteiro, Eliana Ferreira ^[2] ; Holcman, Marcia Moreira ^[1] ; Bajay, Miklos Maximiliano ^[5] ; Pinter, Adriano ^[1] ; de Camargo-Neves, Vera Lucia Fonseca ^[1] ; Kirchgatter, Karin ^{[2, 1]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] SUCEN, Superintendence Endem Dis Control, BR-01027000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Med, Inst Trop Med, BR-05403000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Nat Res Ctr, LT-08412 Vilnius - Lithuania

^[4] Zool Pk Fdn, Dept Appl Res, BR-04301905 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Estado Santa Catarina, BR-88790000 Laguna, SC - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: INSECTS; v. 12, n. 3 MAR 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Simple Summary Zoological gardens in forest areas host a large diversity of vertebrate species (exotic and indigenous, free-living and captive, migrant and resident), resulting in an artificial proximity of animal species that would never share the same environment in natural conditions. The presence of mosquitoes enables the transmission of vector-borne pathogens, as is the case with avian malaria parasites. The mild infections in some bird species may become a serious threat to others that do not possess a natural resistance. Thus, the identification of the potential vectors of these parasites is important for future control of these agents, aiming at the bird species conservation. In this study, we collected over 2000 mosquitoes in Sao Paulo Zoo and analyzed them through molecular methods. Six different mosquito species yielded positive for the targeted parasite DNA. We demonstrated that these culicids had fed mainly on bird species and we reported three mosquito species that have never been previously incriminated as potential vectors of these parasites, enabling the use of more specific measures for vigilance and mosquito control. Avian malaria parasites are widespread parasites transmitted by Culicidae insects belonging to different genera. Even though several studies have been conducted recently, there is still a lack of information about potential vectors of Plasmodium parasites, especially in Neotropical regions. Former studies with free-living and captive animals in Sao Paulo Zoo showed the presence of several Plasmodium and Haemoproteus species. In 2015, a pilot study was conducted at the zoo to collect mosquitoes in order to find out (i) which species of Culicidae are present in the study area, (ii) what are their blood meal sources, and (iii) to which Plasmodium species might they be potential vectors. Mosquitoes were morphologically and molecularly identified. Blood meal source and haemosporidian DNA were identified using molecular protocols. A total of 25 Culicidae species were identified, and 6 of them were positive for Plasmodium/Haemoproteus DNA. Ten mosquito species had their source of blood meal identified, which were mainly birds, including some species that were positive for haemosporidian parasites in the former study mentioned. This study allowed us to expand the list of potential vectors of avian malaria parasites and to improve our knowledge of the evolutionary and ecological relationships between the highly diverse communities of birds, parasites, and vectors present at Sao Paulo Zoo. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/23407-0 - Mosquitos (Culicidae, Diptera) em área de transmissão de malária aviária: identificação de potenciais espécies vetoras
• Beneficiário: Roseli França Simões
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 17/50345-5 - Plano de desenvolvimento institucional em pesquisa e tecnologia para a vigilância e controle de vetores da Superintendência de Controle de Endemias - SUCEN (PDIp)
• Beneficiário: Vera Lucia Fonseca de Camargo Neves
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Programa Modernização de Institutos Estaduais de Pesquisa
• Processo FAPESP: 18/16232-1 - Hemosporídeos e arbovírus emergentes em culicídeos e culicoides do Parque Zoológico de São Paulo
• Beneficiário: Lilian de Oliveira Guimarães
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 12/51427-1 - Plasmodium spp. em aves silvestres da Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo: identificação de espécie por microscopia e código de barras de DNA
• Beneficiário: Karin Kirchgatter Hildebrand
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular