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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 81(3), 2009, pp. 534-537
Copyright © 2009 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT


Assessing Mosquito Feeding Patterns on Nestling and Brooding Adult Birds Using Microsatellite Markers

Russell A. Ligon, Nathan D. Burkett-Cadena, Mark Liu, Geoffrey E. Hill, Hassan K. Hassan, AND Thomas R. Unnasch*
Department of Biology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama; Global Health Infectious Disease Research, Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

 

ABSTRACT

The role that different age classes of birds play in the amplification of arthropod-borne viruses depends critically on the feeding choices made by mosquitoes. To determine if mosquitoes are more likely to feed on nestling or adult birds, we introduced Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes into eastern bluebird Sialia sialis nest boxes after dark and recaptured them the following morning. We collected blood from each nestling and brooding mother and used molecular genotyping methods to trace the blood meals of individual mosquitoes to the individual bird fed upon (mothers or chicks). Of the 14 recaptured mosquitoes, whose blood meals were identified to the species level, 10 fed only on nestlings, three fed only on an adult, and one mosquito fed on an adult and two nestlings. These preliminary data show that microsatellite genotyping may be used to answer important questions concerning mosquito feeding patterns on different age classes of birds.

Received January 13, 2009. Accepted for publication May 27, 2009.

Acknowledgments: We thank V. Rebal for her dedicated assistance in the field. We also thank H. L. Mays Jr. and members of the Hill and Grand lab groups for helpful comments on this manuscript.

Financial support: This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, project no. R01AI049724 to TRU and GEH.

* Address correspondence to Thomas R. Unnasch, Global Health Infectious Disease Research Program, Department of Global Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 304, Tampa, FL 33612. E-mail: tunnasch{at}health.usf.edu

Authors’ addresses: Russell A. Ligon, Mark Liu, and Geoffrey E. Hill, Department of Biological Sciences, 331 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, Tel: 334-844-9269, Fax: 334-844-9234. Nathan Burkett-Cadena, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, 301 Funchess Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, Tel: 334-844-5006, Fax: 334-844-5005. Hassan K. Hassan, Global Infectious Disease Research Program, Department of Global Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 304, Tampa, FL 33612, Tel: 813-974-5233, Fax: 813-974-0992. Thomas R. Unnasch, Global Health Infectious Disease Research Program, Department of Global Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd., Suite 304, Tampa, FL 33612, Tel: 813-974-0507, Fax: 813-974-0992, E-mail: tunnasch{at}health.usf.edu.






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Copyright © 2009 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.