Identification of mosquito avian-derived blood meals by polymerase chain reaction-heteroduplex analysis.
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) heteroduplex assay (HDA) was developed to identify avian derived mosquito blood meals to the species level. The assay used primers amplifying a fragment of the cytochrome B gene from vertebrate but not invertebrate species. In Culex tarsalis fed on quail, PCR products derived from the quail cytochrome B gene were detected seven days post-engorgement. In an analysis of wild-caught mosquitoes, 85% of blood-fed mosquitoes produced detectable PCR products. Heteroduplex patterns obtained from bird-derived PCR products were found to permit the unambiguous identification of all species examined. No intraspecific variation in HDA patterns was found. The PCR-HDA was used to characterize blood meals in wild caught Cx. tarsalis. Of the 67 blood meals analyzed, 60% were derived from avian sources. Of the avian blood meals, 65% were derived from a single host, the common grackle.
Division of Geographic Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
Joon Hak
JH
Lee
Hassan
H
Hassan
Geoff
G
Hill
Eddie W
EW
Cupp
Tarig B
TB
Higazi
Carl J
CJ
Mitchell
Marvin S
MS
Godsey
Thomas R
TR
Unnasch
D000407:Alabama; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003465:Culex / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D003573:Cytochrome b Group / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D020308:Songbirds / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D003573:Cytochrome b Group; D017931:DNA Primers; D019476:Insect Proteins; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes