Effect of adult nutrition on the melanization immune response of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi

Abstract

Two dietary resources - blood and sugar - were assessed for effects on the melanization immune response of the mosquito Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae) towards inoculated Sephadex beads (negatively charged C-25). This melanization is conferred by genetic factors capable of making the mosquito refractory to malaria parasites. If An. stephensi females had obtained a bloodmeal one day before inoculation with a bead, the efficacy of their immune response increased with the concentration of sugar ingested. At the highest sugar concentration (6%) tested, 38% of the mosquitoes completely melanized their bead, whereas at the lowest sugar concentration (2%), none of the mosquitoes were able to melanize their bead completely. Among mosquitoes not having a bloodmeal, the immuno-competence was low (c. 9% of the mosquitoes completely melanized their bead) and independent of sugar concentration. The observed interaction between these two resources indicates that both resources are required for the Anopheles female to develop an effective melanization immune response.