title: Feeding and survival of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae on plants growing in Kenya.
abstract: The propensity of the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae Giles (Diptera: Culicidae) to ingest sugars from various plants, and subsequent survival rates, were assessed with laboratory-reared males and females offered eight species of plants commonly cultivated and/or growing wild in western Kenya. In cages (no-choice bioassay), mosquitoes given the opportunity to feed on castorbean (Ricinus communis L.) had the longest survival times (mean and median survival time of 6.99 +/- 0.23 and 5.67 +/- 0.17 days, respectively), comparable to mosquitoes given 6% glucose (mean and median survival time of 8.70 +/- 0.23 and 6.67 +/- 0.33 days, respectively). Survival rates of An. gambiae were low on the other plants, comparable to mosquitoes given only water. Three plants: sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), wild sage (Lantana camara L.) and castorbean provided levels of sugar ingestion by both sexes of An. gambiae detectable using the cold anthrone method, showing a positive correlation between median survival and sugar consumption (Spearman rank correlation coefficient = 0.905, P < 0.0001). Equal numbers of males and females were released in an enclosed semi-field screenhouse system containing a range of local plants, but no host for blood, and allowed to feed ad libitum: 6.7 +/- 0.5% (11/64) of those recaptured were found to contain detectable fructose (all females). Common plants are clearly a viable source of nutrition for adult female An. gambiae, as well as males, and may constitute and important resource for this important malaria vector.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University Health Sciences Centre, New Orleans, LA, USA. dimpoinv@newssun.med.miami.edu
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Impoinvil
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Kongere
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Njiru
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Killeen
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Githure
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassanali
authors.forename: B G J
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Knols
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D010944:Plants; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models