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Updated: Aug 3, 2025

Propagation of the Microsporidian Parasite Edhazardia aedis in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes
Published on: August 13, 2020
Three Aedes species infested by mermithids in France
Jean-Philippe Martinet1, Issam Aatif2, Jérôme Depaquit2
1Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Faculté de Pharmacie, ANSES, SFR Cap Santé, EA7510 ESCAPE - USC VECPAR, 51 rue Cognacq-Jay, 51096 Reims CEDEX, France - Institut Pasteur, Department of Virology, Arboviruses and Insect Vectors, 25-28 Rue du Dr Roux, 75015 Paris, France.
Abstract:
Mermithid nematodes (Nematoda, Mermithidae) parasitising mosquitoes could be useful as biological agents for the control of host populations. Nine female mosquitoes belonging to the species Aedes cantans, Ae. communis, and Ae. rusticus were found parasitised by mermithids in Northern France. Sequencing of partial 18S rDNA showed 100% sequence homology for all processed specimens. The mermithid sequences were closely related to specimens previously recorded from Anopheles gambiae in Senegal. However, 18S sequences do not allow for identification of nematodes at the genus or species level. Our specimens could also be related to Strelkovimermis spiculatus, or belong to other genera not yet sequenced such as Empidomermis, the only mermithid genus recorded from mosquitoes in France.

