THE EFFECT OF HEPATOZOON SP.INFECTION ON SOME BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF THE MOSQUITO CULEX PIPIENS COMPLEX

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Departments of Entomology, Faculties of Science, Cairo University

2 Departments of Entomology, Faculties of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

Abstract

Hepatozoon is a very diverse genus with more than 300 species currently assigned to it, based
largely on morphological characters, host specify and life cycle patterns. Peripheral blood smears
of naturally infected vipers Cerastes cerastes cerastes (hornless) showed intracytoplassmic
banana-shaped gametocytes in the erythrocytes. Upon initial examination in 12% out of 100 collected
vipers harbored Hepatozoon sp. Effect of Hepatozoon sp. infection on some biological parameters
of Culex pipiens complex showed no significant difference between longevity of noninfected
and infected ones, and between mortality rate, and pre-oviposition period of both. Fertility
female mosquitoes were significantly affected. Infected females produced significantly
fewer eggs/female as compared to those deposited by non-infected ones, without significant difference
incubation periods of eggs deposition. The mean oviposition rate of fully engorged infected
Cx. pipiens complex female was highly significant less than that of non-infected female
ones. Statistical analysis revealed a highly significant difference (P<0.0001) between the larval
mortality from infected and non-infected female ones.

Keywords

Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology
Volume 51, Issue 1
April 2021
Pages 163-168

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