Researcher finds several UK mosquito species are potential carriers of avian malaria
Mosquito species which are present in the UK have the potential to transmit avian malaria to British birds, according to a new study.
Mosquitoes are widely known for transmitting diseases such as malaria and dengue fever to humans, but less is known about the diseases they can transmit to wild birds. The Plasmodium parasite which causes avian malaria is common in wild birds around the world, including in the UK, but we know very little about which mosquito species are responsible for transmitting them.
But new research led by Keele’s Dr Jenny Dunn has found that multiple mosquito species which are present in the UK have the potential to carry deadly diseases such as this, presenting a potential threat to UK wildlife.
Dr Dunn carried out the research over the course of two years at sites in Lincolnshire, collecting mosquitoes from the wild and studying them to confirm their species and the presence of any bird blood parasites they might carry.
Over 1,000 insects were sampled throughout the course of the research, with 12 different species identified. Out of the mosquitoes examined in detail, nine species carried traces of bird parasites in their salivary glands, which is the part of the mosquito involved in transmitting infections through bites. Genetic analysis also revealed several different types or “lineages” of these parasites.
The study identified, for the first time, which mosquito species may be capable of spreading specific bird malaria parasites in the UK. Dr Dunn’s analysis showed that Ochlerotatus detritus mosquitoes may transmit Plasmodium vaughani, which is commonly found in UK blackbirds, while Ochlerotatus annulipes and Anopheles messeae may transmit another lineage of bird Plasmodium parasite that is commonly found in a range of wild bird species, including robins, goldfinches and whitethroats.
These findings, published in the journal Parasitology, show multiple species of mosquito might transmit bird blood parasites between birds in the UK. Understanding the role of different mosquito species in transmission will help us better understand how these parasites spread between birds, which can therefore inform conservation efforts and work to protect animal health.
Dr Jenny Dunn said: “We know that avian malaria and other blood parasites are common in UK birds, but this is the first study to look in more depth at which species of mosquito might transmit them. Avian malaria can have negative impacts on the birds it infects, so it is important to understand how it is transmitted and which mosquito species might be responsible.”
