Demonstration of Mosquito Midgut Antigen for the Effective Control of Mosquito Population

Mosquito-borne diseases can be reduced drastically with the aid of vaccines which provoke mosquitocidal or mosquito-killing effect. The midgut of mosquito performs a fundamental role in the development and the transmission of ailment. Anti-midgut antibodies show the extensive variety of activity, blockading the development of pathogen in various species of mosquitoes. In addition to reducing the egg-laying ability of mosquitoes and survivorship also block the transmission activity of pathogen. Mitsuhashi and Maramorosch media was used to culture the mosquito midgut cells. The cells were formalin inactivated and injected into the rabbits in plain and adjuvanted form to raise hyperimmune serum. The serum was processed for IHA and serum showing high titre were selected for blood feeding assay. The blood from the rabbits was fed to the mosquitos to observe the mosquitocidal effect of the antigen. In blood feeding assay killing of mosquitoes was also observed after regular interval of time. The overall results proved that mosquito midgut contains antigenic peptides that may be able to induce the antibody response. These antigenic peptides somehow irritate digestive mucosa of the mosquitoes on blood feeding and have the potential to kill or reduce the mosquito population.