Does Cattle Milieu Provide a Potential Point to Target Wild ExophilicAnophelesarabiensis(Diptera: Culicidae) with Entomopathogenic Fungus? A Bioinsecticide Zooprophylaxis Strategy for Vector Control

[摘要] Background.Anopheles arabiensisis increasingly dominating malaria transmission in Africa.The exophagy in mosquitoes threatens the effectiveness of indoor vector control strategies.This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of fungus againstAn. arabiensiswhen applied on cattle and their environments.Methods. Experiments were conducted under semi-field and small-scale field conditions within Kilombero valley.The semi-field reared females of 5–7 days oldAn. arabiensiswere exposed to fungus-treated and untreated calf.Further, wildAn. arabiensiswere exposed to fungus-treated calves, mud-huts, and their controls.Mosquitoes were recaptured the next morning and proportion fed, infected, and survived were evaluated.Experiments were replicated three times using different individuals of calves.Results. A high proportion ofAn. arabiensiswas fed on calves (>0.90) and become infected (0.94) while resting on fungus-treated mud walls than on other surfaces.However, fungus treatments reduced fecundity and survival of mosquitoes.Conclusion.This study demonstrates for the first time the potential of cattle and their milieu for controllingAn. arabiensis.Most ofAn. arabiensiswere fed and infected while resting on fungus-treated mud walls than on other surfaces.Fungus treatments reduced fecundity and survival of mosquitoes.These results suggest deployment of bioinsecticide zooprophylaxis against exophilicAn. arabiensis.

[学科分类] 神经科学