Salivary gland analysis of different species of Anopheles mosquitoes from Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac, Philippines for the presence of Plasmodium sp. sporozoites.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the presence of Plasmodium sporozoites in Anopheles mosquitoes in Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac from November 2012 to January 2013. A total of 5,401 mosquitoes were using a commercial CO2 trap that utilized titanium oxide photocatalysis. Of this total, 2,633 Anopheles sp. mosquitoes were identified and only 278 females were identified to the species level, dissected and assessed for the presence of Plasmodium sporozoites in their salivary glands. Results showed that the common Anopheles sp. identified were the A. subpictus (18.29%), A. litoralis (6.89%), A. vagus limosus (5.70%) and A. gigas formosus (5.23%), A. ludlowae ludlowae (3.33%), A. philippinensis (3.09%), A. vagus vagus (2.14%), A. minimus flavirostris (1.43%) A. maculatus (1.19%), A. mangyanus (0.95%), A. balabacensis (0.48%), A. annularis (0.24%) and A. tessellatus (0.24%). No Plasmodium sporozoites were seen in any of the dissected specimens’ salivary glands.