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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Parasitology

Multiple mosquito species are potential competent vectors of avian malaria in the UK

  • Jenny Claire Dunn1,2
  1. 1School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Joseph Banks Laboratories, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
  2. 2School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Newcastle, Staffordshire, UK
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Abstract

Avian Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon (Apicomplexa) are common parasites of birds that are highly prevalent around the globe. Despite their broad impacts on avian hosts, remarkably little is known about their transmission ecology, including the identity of competent vector species. Both Plasmodium and Haemoproteus are known to detrimentally impact mosquito survival but have generally been neglected in the consideration of mosquito ecology in the UK. Here, I sampled mosquitoes across 4 sites in Lincolnshire, east England, across 2 summers (April – July inclusive). 1026 mosquitoes were caught across 2 years, comprising 12 species, identified morphologically and confirmed genetically. Nine species (21 individuals; 5·8%; n = 363) had haemoparasite DNA in their salivary glands, with 2 lineages of Plasmodium, 3 of Haemoproteus and 1 of Leucocytozoon returning high-quality sequence. Ochlerotatus detritus is reported for the first time as a potential vector of Plasmodium vaughani (SYAT05), and Ochlerotatus annulipes and Anopheles messeae are reported for the first time as potential vectors of avian Plasmodium sp. (lineage LK06). Avian haemosporidians are diverse and widespread in UK birds and mosquitoes, and should be more widely considered in mosquito ecology in order to understand their complex transmission dynamics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{dunn2026multiple,
  title = {{Multiple mosquito species are potential competent vectors of avian malaria in the UK}},
  author = {Jenny Claire Dunn},
  journal = {Parasitology},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1017/s0031182026102303},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102303},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Multiple mosquito species are potential competent vectors of avian malaria in the UK
AU  - Jenny Claire Dunn
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/17
JO  - Parasitology
DO  - 10.1017/s0031182026102303
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182026102303
AB  - Avian Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon (Apicomplexa) are common parasites of birds that are highly prevalent around the globe. Despite their broad impacts on avian hosts, remarkably little is known about their transmission ecology, including the identity of competent vector species. Both Plasmodium and Haemoproteus are known to detrimentally impact mosquito survival but have generally been neglected in the consideration of mosquito ecology in the UK. Here, I sampled mosquitoes across 4 sites in Lincolnshire, east England, across 2 summers (April – July inclusive). 1026 mosquitoes were caught across 2 years, comprising 12 species, identified morphologically and confirmed genetically. Nine species (21 individuals; 5·8%; n = 363) had haemoparasite DNA in their salivary glands, with 2 lineages of Plasmodium, 3 of Haemoproteus and 1 of Leucocytozoon returning high-quality sequence. Ochlerotatus detritus is reported for the first time as a potential vector of Plasmodium vaughani (SYAT05), and Ochlerotatus annulipes and Anopheles messeae are reported for the first time as potential vectors of avian Plasmodium sp. (lineage LK06). Avian haemosporidians are diverse and widespread in UK birds and mosquitoes, and should be more widely considered in mosquito ecology in order to understand their complex transmission dynamics.
SN  - 0031-1820
SN  - 1469-8161
ER  -