Refractoriness of Culex sitiens to Experimental Infection with Nocturnal Subperiodic Brugia malayi

Abstract

Abstract

Asurvey of 4 areas in the tsunami-affected area of Phang Nga Province, Thailand, found Culex sitiens to be the predominant species in freshwater sites that had changed into brackish-water. To determine the susceptibility of Cx. sitiens to Brugia malayi, 400 female mosquitoes were fed on a B. malayi-infected cat and were dissected at 14 days’ post-feeding. Cx. sitiens was found to be completely refractory to experimental infection with nocturnal subperiodic B. malayi. Thus, despite the presence of relatively high larval and biting densities of this species, it appears to play no role in B. malayi transmission in this area of southern Thailand.

Keywords : Culex sitiens, Brugia malayi, refractory, nocturnal subperiodic