title: Antibiotics in ingested human blood affect the mosquito microbiota and capacity to transmit malaria.
abstract: Malaria reduction is most efficiently achieved by vector control whereby human populations at high risk of contracting and transmitting the disease are protected from mosquito bites. Here, we identify the presence of antibiotics in the blood of malaria-infected people as a new risk of increasing disease transmission. We show that antibiotics in ingested blood enhance the susceptibility of Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes to malaria infection by disturbing their gut microbiota. This effect is confirmed in a semi-natural setting by feeding mosquitoes with blood of children naturally infected with Plasmodium falciparum. Antibiotic exposure additionally increases mosquito survival and fecundity, which are known to augment vectorial capacity. These findings suggest that malaria transmission may be exacerbated in areas of high antibiotic usage, and that regions targeted by mass drug administration programs against communicable diseases may necessitate increased vector control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gendrin
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Faye H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, 01 BP 545, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Rakiswendé S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Yerbanga
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, 01 BP 545, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Jean Bosco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ouédraogo
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK.
authors.forename: María-Gloria
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Basáñez
authors.affiliation: 1] Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, 01 BP 545, Bobo-Dioulasso 01, Burkina Faso [2] Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Unité MIVEGEC, 34394 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cohuet
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK [2] The Cyprus Institute, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Christophides
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000635:transmission*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010961:Plasmodium; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D013307:Streptomycin