Additional evidence on the efficacy of different Akirin vaccines assessed on Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae)

Background: Anopheles arabiensis is an opportunistic malaria vector that rests and feeds outdoors, circumventingcurrent indoor vector control methods. Furthermore, this vector will readily feed on both animals and humans. Target‑ing this vector while feeding on animals can provide an additional inte...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Fuente García, José de Jesús de la, Letinic, Blazenka Danica, Contreras Rojo, Marinela, Leah Dahan, Yael, Linnekugel, Ingrid, Koekemoer, Lizette
Format: article
Publication Date:2021
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repository:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/148
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04711-8
http://hdl.handle.net/10578/148
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Malaria
Inmunización
Vacunas
Description
Summary:Background: Anopheles arabiensis is an opportunistic malaria vector that rests and feeds outdoors, circumventingcurrent indoor vector control methods. Furthermore, this vector will readily feed on both animals and humans. Target‑ing this vector while feeding on animals can provide an additional intervention for the current vector control activi‑ties. Previous results have displayed the efficacy of using Subolesin/Akirin ortholog vaccines for the control of multipleectoparasite infestations. This made Akirin a potential antigen for vaccine development against An. arabiensis.Methods: The efficacy of three antigens, namely recombinant Akirin from An. arabiensis, recombinant Akirin fromAedes albopictus, and recombinant Q38 (Akirin/Subolesin chimera) were evaluated as novel interventions for An.arabiensis vector control. Immunisation trials were conducted based on the concept that mosquitoes feeding onvaccinated balb/c mice would ingest antibodies specific to the target antigen. The antibodies would interact with thetarget antigen in the arthropod vector, subsequently disrupting its function.Results: All three antigens successfully reduced An. arabiensis survival and reproductive capacities, with a vaccineefficacy of 68–73%.Conclusions: These results were the first to show that hosts vaccinated with recombinant Akirin vaccines coulddevelop a protective response against this outdoor malaria transmission vector, thus providing a step towards thedevelopment of a novel intervention for An. arabiensis vector control.