Differential effects of azithromycin, doxycycline and co-trimoxazole in ingested blood on the vectorial capacity of malaria mosquitoes
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
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. Here, we examine the effects of doxycycline, azithromycin and co-trimoxazole. All three 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 three antibiotics significantly affected the mosquito microbiota. Azithromycin decreased P. falciparum infection load and mosquito lifespan, while 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, while additional, larger scale investigations are required before conclusions can be drawn about doxycycline.
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. Here, we examine the effects of doxycycline, azithromycin and co-trimoxazole. All three 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 three antibiotics significantly affected the mosquito microbiota. Azithromycin decreased P. falciparum infection load and mosquito lifespan, while 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, while additional, larger scale investigations are required before conclusions can be drawn about doxycycline.
Date Issued
2016-04-13
Date Acceptance
2016-04-03
Citation
Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 2016, 3 (2)
ISSN
2328-8957
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Journal / Book Title
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
Volume
3
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases
Society of America. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reproduction and distribution of the work, in any
medium, provided the original work is not altered or transformed in any way, and that the work
is properly cited.
Society of America. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial reproduction and distribution of the work, in any
medium, provided the original work is not altered or transformed in any way, and that the work
is properly cited.
License URL
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
Grant Number
223736
BB/k009338/1
Publication Status
Published