The effect of Brugia pahangi infection on survival of susceptible and refractory species of the Aedes scutellaris complex

Abstract. . Life table statistics were used to examine the survival functions of filarial susceptible and refractory species of the Aedes scutellaris (Walker) group of mosquitoes, following infection with high and moderate doses of Brugia pahangi (Buckley & Edeson). Survivorship curves and hazard function curves were generated, and the median survival times and the proportions of mosquitoes surviving beyond the extrinsic incubation period of the parasite were determined. In the susceptible populations of Aedes polynesiensis Marks, Ae.pseudo‐scutellaris (Theobald) and Ae. tabu Ramalingam & Belkin a dose‐response relationship was detected between parasite load and mortality. This relationship was characterized by a significant reduction in the proportions of infected female mosquitoes surviving at days 1 and 9 postinfection, reduction in the median survival times and an increase in the hazard rates as the infectious dose increased. The survival of the refractory species, Ae.alcasidi Huang and Ae.katherinensis Woodhill was not significantly affected by the infection. A positive correlation between microfilaraemia in the vertebrate host and parasite load in the susceptible mosquito populations was also observed. Regression analysis of the number of parasites recovered from susceptible mosquitoes at the time of death showed that mosquitoes at highest risk of dying harboured from 11.6 to 19.4 infective larvae when fed on a gerbil with sixty‐five microfilariae per 20,μl blood; this resulted in 34.4–40.2% mortality by day 9 postinfection. A mean number of 32.6–46.9 infective larvae was observed when these populations were exposed to a gerbil with a microfilaraemia of 150 mf/20 μl and resulted in 72.8% to 80% mortality in these populations. Viable infective larvae were recovered from infected mosquitoes up to 50 days postinfection.