How mosquitoes carry malaria
Anopheles' unique ability to transmit malaria to humans is only possible because they are able to support the malaria causing bacteria. There are several factors that come together to allow female Anopheles mosquitoes to be the only ones that can spread the disease.
New research has come forward that suggests that this ability is likely because the male Anopheles produces a mating plug (Mitchell et al. 2015). A mating plug is a gelatinous male secretion that is designed to temporarily prevent the female from mating again. Part of this mating plug is male 20-hydroxyecysone (20E), a steroid hormone that is sexually transferred to the female. The female has adapted to 20E synthesis in the male by producing a protein that interacts with 20E to promote and support oogenesis. In doing so, it also creates an environment that is more suitable for the malaria bacteria (Mitchell et al. 2015).
Thus, when the mosquito bites an infected individual the bacteria can easily transfer to the mosquito. Anopheles are unique in their reliance on the steroid hormone to activate oogenesis which also explains why only female mosquitoes carry malaria and infect humans. It has been found that mosquitoes with the most elaborate mosquito plugs are found in areas with the highest malaria transmission rates (Mitchell et al. 2015).
New research has come forward that suggests that this ability is likely because the male Anopheles produces a mating plug (Mitchell et al. 2015). A mating plug is a gelatinous male secretion that is designed to temporarily prevent the female from mating again. Part of this mating plug is male 20-hydroxyecysone (20E), a steroid hormone that is sexually transferred to the female. The female has adapted to 20E synthesis in the male by producing a protein that interacts with 20E to promote and support oogenesis. In doing so, it also creates an environment that is more suitable for the malaria bacteria (Mitchell et al. 2015).
Thus, when the mosquito bites an infected individual the bacteria can easily transfer to the mosquito. Anopheles are unique in their reliance on the steroid hormone to activate oogenesis which also explains why only female mosquitoes carry malaria and infect humans. It has been found that mosquitoes with the most elaborate mosquito plugs are found in areas with the highest malaria transmission rates (Mitchell et al. 2015).