Antibody response against Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae) salivary protein as a measure of mosquito bite exposure in Haiti

J Med Entomol. 2010 Nov;47(6):1156-63. doi: 10.1603/me09240.

Abstract

Antibodies against arthropod saliva have shown to be a good marker of bite exposure. Because Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann (Diptera: Culicidae) is the principal malaria vector in Haiti, we evaluated the immune response against salivary gland extract (SGE) of this species in malaria-positive and malaria-negative subjects from this country. The results showed that the level of anti-SGE immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies was higher in patients with clinical malaria than those in malaria uninfected people living in the same region. In addition, a significant positive correlation between the level of anti-An. albimanus IgG and IgM antibody levels was observed. These results suggest that antibodies against An. albimanus saliva, especially IgG, are useful markers of mosquito bite exposure in Haiti.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anopheles / immunology*
  • Antibodies / blood*
  • Haiti / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Insect Bites and Stings*
  • Malaria / blood
  • Malaria / epidemiology
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides / immunology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides