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Cook, Darren, Pilotte, Nils, Minetti, Corrado 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7862-4874, Williams, Steven A. and Reimer, Lisa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9711-4981
(2017)
'A superhydrophobic cone to facilitate the xenomonitoring of filarial parasites, malaria, and trypanosomes using mosquito excreta/feces'. Gates Open Research, Vol 1, p. 7.
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Gates_Open_Research_A superhydrophobic cone_nov 2017.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (760kB) | Preview |
Abstract
Background: Molecular xenomonitoring (MX), the testing of insect vectors for the presence of human pathogens, has the potential to provide a non-invasive and cost-effective method for monitoring the prevalence of disease within a community. Current MX methods require the capture and processing of large numbers of mosquitoes, particularly in areas of low endemicity, increasing the time, cost and labour required. Screening the excreta/feces (E/F) released from mosquitoes, rather than whole carcasses, improves the throughput by removing the need to discriminate vector species since non-vectors release ingested pathogens in E/F. It also enables larger numbers of mosquitoes to be processed per pool. However, this new screening approach requires a method of efficiently collecting E/F.
Methods: We developed a cone with a superhydrophobic surface to allow for the efficient collection of E/F. Using mosquitoes exposed to either Plasmodium falciparum, Brugia malayi or Trypanosoma brucei brucei, we tested the performance of the superhydrophobic cone alongside two other collection methods.
Results: All collection methods enabled the detection of DNA from the three parasites. Using the superhydrophobic cone to deposit E/F into a small tube provided the highest number of positive samples (16 out of 18) and facilitated detection of parasite DNA in E/F from individual mosquitoes. Further tests showed that following a simple washing step, the cone can be reused multiple times, further improving its cost-effectiveness.
Conclusions: Incorporating the superhydrophobic cone into mosquito traps or holding containers could provide a simple and efficient method for collecting E/F. Where this is not possible, swabbing the container or using the washing method facilitates the detection of the three parasites used in this study.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | QU Biochemistry > Proteins. Amino Acids. Peptides > QU 58.5 DNA. QX Parasitology > Helminths. Annelida > QX 301 Filarioidea QX Parasitology > Protozoa > QX 50 Protozoa QX Parasitology > Insects. Other Parasites > QX 510 Mosquitoes |
| Faculty: Department: | Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department |
| Digital Object Identifer (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.12749.1 |
| SWORD Depositor: | JISC Pubrouter |
| Depositing User: | Stacy Murtagh |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Jan 2018 12:49 |
| Last Modified: | 09 Sep 2019 08:41 |
| URI: | https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/8145 |
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