Colonization and experimental infection of Anopheles litoralis King with malarial parasites.

Anopheles litoralis King, a brackish water breeder, was incriminated as a vector of malaria in the Visayas and Mindanao, Philippines. However, natural infection with sporozoites has not been reported in Luzon. This present study confirms the susceptibility of An litoralis from Sucat, Paranaque, Metro Manila to infection with malarial parasites under experimental conditions
A colony of An. litoralis "Sucat" or "Luzon" strain was established and maintained at the insectary of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) at 23 degree - 27 degree Celcius and 70% - 90% relative humidity. Laboratory bred mosquitoes were fed blood containing gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum from patients (Group A) and from in vitro culture via an artificial membrane-feeding device (Group B). Oocyst indices of 47% and 73% and sporozoite indices of 68.2% and 93% were obtained from Group A and Group B respectively, proving that An. litoralis from Luzon can support the sporogonous development of human plasmodia. (Author)