The Effects of Human and Rhesus Macaque Blood Meal Sources on Mosquito Reproduction and Adult Survival Under Laboratory Conditions

Mass rearing of mosquitoes as required to fulfil research studies is a technically challenging endeavor. Blood meal source has been recognized as a key consideration in mass rearing of mosquitoes that affects colony health and fecundity. Four species of laboratory-colonized mosquitoes from the Department of Entomology, US Army Medical Directorate – Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (USAMD-AFRIMS); Anopheles cracens, An. dirus, An. minimus and An. sawadwongporni were fed blood meals from human and rhesus macaque sources using an artificial membrane feeder. The effects of different blood meal sources were evaluated concerning blood-feeding, survival and reproduction (fecundity and hatching rates). Adult survival was monitored at days 7, 14 and 21 post blood-feeding. Although the mosquitoes fed on human blood exhibited higher rates of engorgement, there were no significant differences in blood-feeding rates in An. cracens (P=0.08) and An. dirus (P=0.91) between rhesus macaque and human blood sources. Twenty-one days post-feeding, no significant differences were observed in the survival rates of mosquitoes fed on human versus rhesus macaque blood except for An. dirus, which had better survival rates with human blood. All mosquito species fed on human blood produced significantly more eggs when compared to those fed on rhesus macaque blood. However, there was no statistical difference in hatching rates between blood sources, except for An. dirus, which had better hatching rates with human blood. These results indicate that human and rhesus macaque blood may be a viable alternative for maintaining Anopheles mosquitoes in colony.