title: Competence of Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus as vector of Dirofilaria immitis after blood meal with different microfilarial density.
abstract: Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus were fed canine blood with different microfilarial density of Dirofilaria immitis ranging from 2500 to 25,000 mff/ml. Larval development in these two mosquito species did not differ significantly. Although C. quinquefasciatus ingested more microfilariae, the number of larvae which developed in A. albopictus was invariably greater than in C. quinquefasciatus. Mortality of the engorged A. albopictus was significantly greater than that of C. quinquefasciatus, and higher microfilarial density raised the mortality in both species. The vector efficiency index of A. albopictus was greater than C. quinquefasciatus at all microfilarial densities, but its survival time was much reduced. Thus, dogs with low microfilarial density are implicated as the main source for the transmission of D. immitis from dogs to mosquitoes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Road, ROC, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D003465:Culex / Q000469:parasitology*; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000635:transmission*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors; D013997:Time Factors