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Forced Salivation As a Method to Analyze Vector Competence of Mosquitoes

Forced Salivation As a Method to Analyze Vector Competence of Mosquitoes

Published on: August 7, 2018

A spatial model of mosquito host-seeking behavior.

Bree Cummins¹, Ricardo Cortez, Ivo M Foppa

¹Mathematics Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. bcummins@tulane.edu

Plos Computational Biology

|May 23, 2012

Summary

Mosquitoes find hosts most effectively by flying across the wind to intercept odor plumes. Host aggregation reduces the biting rate per mosquito, impacting disease transmission models.

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Area of Science:

Mathematical modeling
Vector ecology
Epidemiology

Background:

Mosquito-borne disease transmission depends on host-seeking behavior and host distribution.
Spatial heterogeneity significantly influences mosquito-host contact rates.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and analyze a mathematical model of mosquito host-seeking behavior.
To investigate the impact of spatial heterogeneity and host aggregation on mosquito contact rates.

Main Methods:

Developed a mathematical model incorporating host odor plumes, wind velocity, and mosquito behavior.
Compared different plume-finding and plume-tracking strategies.
Assessed the effect of host aggregation on host-finding success.

Main Results:

Host finding is optimized by flying across the wind to intercept odor plumes.
Tighter host aggregation results in narrower odor plumes and decreased biting rates per host.
Larger host groups experience a lower biting rate per host due to aggregation effects.

Conclusions:

Mathematical modeling can elucidate mosquito behavior and its impact on disease dynamics.
Findings can inform parameter choices for compartmental models of mosquito-borne diseases.
The model provides a framework for exploring larger spatial scales and alternative mosquito behavior models.