title: Differential Effects of Azithromycin, Doxycycline, and Cotrimoxazole in Ingested Blood on the Vectorial Capacity of Malaria Mosquitoes.
abstract: Background.  The gut microbiota of malaria vector mosquitoes grows after a blood meal and limits Plasmodium infection. We previously showed that penicillin and streptomycin in the ingested blood affect bacterial growth and positively impact mosquito survival and permissiveness to Plasmodium. In this study, we examine the effects of doxycycline, azithromycin, and co-trimoxazole. All 3 antibiotics are used in mass drug administration programs and have antimicrobial activities against bacteria and various stages of malaria parasites. Methods.  The effects of blood meal supplementation with antibiotics on the mosquito microbiota, lifespan, and permissiveness to Plasmodium falciparum were assessed. Results.  Ingestion of any of the 3 antibiotics significantly affected the mosquito microbiota. Azithromycin decreased P falciparum infection load and mosquito lifespan, whereas at high concentrations, doxycycline increased P falciparum infection load. Co-trimoxazole negatively impacted infection intensity but had no reproducible effect on mosquito lifespan. Conclusions.  Our data suggest that the overall effect of antibiotic treatment on parameters critical for mosquito vectorial capacity is drug specific. The negative effect of azithromycin on malaria transmission is consistent with current efforts for disease elimination, whereas additional, larger scale investigations are required before conclusions can be drawn about doxycycline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences , Imperial College London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gendrin
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé , Bobo-Dioulasso , Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Rakiswendé Serge
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Yerbanga
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé , Bobo-Dioulasso , Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Jean Bosco
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ouedraogo
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Unité Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lefèvre
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Unité Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs : Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cohuet
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences , Imperial College London , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: George K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Christophides
keywords: Anopheles; Plasmodium falciparum; antibiotics; azithromycin; microbiota