Effects of Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis infection on Anopheles stephensi egg development and resorption

It has been shown previously that infection with Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis reduces the number of eggs produced by female Anopheles stephensi. Here we examine the mechanism underlying fecundity reduction. Ovaries from infected and uninfected (control) female mosquitoes were examined 12, 24 or 36h after blood-feeding during the first gonotrophic cycle (replicated) or the second gonotrophic cycle (unreplicated). Follicular development was assessed according to Christophers' stages and the proportions of developing and resorbing follicles per ovary were determined. Resorption of some follicles commenced within 12 h of blood-feeding, affecting significantly more follicles in the infected females: 1.1% v. 3.2%. The difference was greatest 36h after blood-feeding: 25% reduction (10 v. 35%) in the first cycle; 16% reduction (9 v. 25%) in the second gonotrophic cycle. The mean speed of oogenesis was also found to be significantly retarded in infected mosquitoes. During the second gonotrophic cycle, for example, only 92-94% of follicles reached stage III by 24h and stage IV by 36h in infected females, whereas all the developing follicles of uninfected females reached these stages more or less synchronously in the time specified.