• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Pessoal
    • Webmail
    • Área de Docentes
    • Área de Não-Docentes
  • Estudantes
    • Webmail
    • Moodle
    • NetP@
    • Biblioteca
    • Escola Doutoral
    • Serviços Académicos
    • Trabalhar no IHMT

IHMT

Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical

  • O Instituto
    • Missão
    • História
    • Mensagem do Diretor
    • Órgãos de governo
    • Docentes e investigadores
    • Unidades de Ensino e de Investigação
    • Portal de Denúncias UNL
  • Ensino
    • Doutoramentos
    • Mestrados
    • Cursos de Especialização
    • Formação transversal
    • Cursos de Curta Duração
    • Ensino à Distância
    • Apoio ao Desenvolvimento
    • Serviços académicos
  • Investigação
    • Centro GHTM
    • Unidade de Clínica Tropical
    • Unidade de Microbiologia Médica
    • Unidade de Parasitologia Médica
    • Unidade de Saúde Pública Global
    • Serviço de Interesse Comum
    • Biobanco
    • Centro Colaborador da OMS
    • Publicações
  • Serviços e gestão
    • Biblioteca
    • Sistema de Qualidade
    • Estatutos e regulamentos
    • Relatório de Atividades
    • Relatório de Gestão
    • Contratos públicos
    • Recursos humanos
      • Concursos e bolsas
      • Contratos
      • Avaliação e Desempenho
        • Processo Eleitoral da Comissão Paritária
      • Mobilidade
  • Doenças Tropicais
    • Consulta do Viajante
    • Glossário
    • Museu
    • Vídeos
    • MosquitoWeb
  • Comunidade
    • Cooperação e Desenvolvimento
    • Formação
    • Parcerias
  • Contactos
  • Português
  • English
Home / Publicações / Feeding patterns of molestus and pipiens forms of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in a region of high hybridization

Feeding patterns of molestus and pipiens forms of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in a region of high hybridization

  • Autores: Almeida AP, Arez E, Calderón I, Donnelly MJ, Gomes B, Pinho L, Pinto J, Sousa CA, Vicente JL
  • Ano de Publicação: 2013
  • Journal: Parasites and Vectors
  • Link: http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/6/1/93

Background
Two biological forms of the mosquito Culex pipiens s.s., denoted pipiens and molestus, display behavioural differences that may affect their role as vectors of arboviruses. In this study, the feeding patterns of molestus and pipiens forms were investigated in Comporta (Portugal), where high levels of inter-form admixture have been recorded.

Methods
Indoor and outdoor mosquito collections were performed in the summer of 2010. Collected Cx. pipiens s.l. females were molecularly identified to species and form by PCR and genotyped for six microsatellites. The source of the blood meal in post-fed females was determined by ELISA and mitochondrial DNA sequencing.

Results
The distribution of the forms differed according to the collection method. The molestus form was present only in indoor collections, whereas pipiens and admixed individuals were sampled both indoors and outdoors. In both forms, over 90% of blood meals were made on avian hosts. These included blood meals taken from Passeriformes (Passer domesticus and Turdus merula) by females caught resting inside domestic shelters.

Conclusion
Genetic structure and blood meal analyses suggest the presence of a bird biting molestus population in the study area. Both forms were found to rest indoors, mainly in avian shelters, but at least a proportion of females of the pipiens form may bite outdoors in sylvan habitats and then search for anthropogenic resting sites to complete their gonotrophic cycle. This behaviour may potentiate the accidental transmission of arboviruses to humans in the region.

Feeding patterns of molestus and pipiens forms of Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) in a region of high hybridization

  • Autores: Almeida AP, Arez E, Calderón I, Donnelly MJ, Gomes B, Pinho L, Pinto J, Sousa CA, Vicente JL
  • Ano de Publicação: 2013
  • Journal: Parasites and Vectors
  • Link: http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/6/1/93

Background
Two biological forms of the mosquito Culex pipiens s.s., denoted pipiens and molestus, display behavioural differences that may affect their role as vectors of arboviruses. In this study, the feeding patterns of molestus and pipiens forms were investigated in Comporta (Portugal), where high levels of inter-form admixture have been recorded.

Methods
Indoor and outdoor mosquito collections were performed in the summer of 2010. Collected Cx. pipiens s.l. females were molecularly identified to species and form by PCR and genotyped for six microsatellites. The source of the blood meal in post-fed females was determined by ELISA and mitochondrial DNA sequencing.

Results
The distribution of the forms differed according to the collection method. The molestus form was present only in indoor collections, whereas pipiens and admixed individuals were sampled both indoors and outdoors. In both forms, over 90% of blood meals were made on avian hosts. These included blood meals taken from Passeriformes (Passer domesticus and Turdus merula) by females caught resting inside domestic shelters.

Conclusion
Genetic structure and blood meal analyses suggest the presence of a bird biting molestus population in the study area. Both forms were found to rest indoors, mainly in avian shelters, but at least a proportion of females of the pipiens form may bite outdoors in sylvan habitats and then search for anthropogenic resting sites to complete their gonotrophic cycle. This behaviour may potentiate the accidental transmission of arboviruses to humans in the region.

Footer

INSTITUTO DE HIGIENE E
MEDICINA TROPICAL
UNIVERSIDADE NOVA DE LISBOA
Rua da Junqueira, 100 1349-008 Lisboa
T +351 213 652 600
geral@ihmt.unl.pt

Consulta do Viajante e Medicina Tropical
T +351 213 652 630
T +351 213 652 690
T +351 91 182 37 48
T +351 91 182 44 67
medicina.viagens@ihmt.unl.pt

  • Ensino
  • Investigação
  • Medicina Tropical
  • Cooperação
  • Portal de Denúncias UNL

Siga-nos

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Receber a “newsletter”

© Copyright 2023 IHMT-UNL Todos os Direitos Reservados.
  • Universidade Nova de Lisboa
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

    Project UID/Multi/04413/2013