Mosquito Host Interaction

Blood acts as a source of metabolic energy in female mosquitoes and is also essential for viable egg production and higher reproductive fitness. In this context, the host-seeking behaviour of mosquitoes is essential for their survival as well as for the transmission of pathogens from one host to another. Although several mosquitoes show non-specific host preference, most of the disease-transmitting species are host specific and can be classified as opportunistic, mammophilic, ornithophilic, and specialized species. The mosquitoes search the host for blood-feeding through many potential cues, including exhaled carbon dioxide, skin odours, host’s visual and heat signatures, and moisture. Among different cues, the mosquitoes perceive odours through the olfactory receptors within the hair-like sensilla situated on the antenna and maxillary palps. The volatile skin odours of the host, specifically produced by the normal microbiota present on the skin, are known to serve as one of the important cues for host finding by the mosquitoes. On the other side, the pathogens (e.g. flavivirus, Plasmodium) present in the infected host can promote host attractiveness to the mosquitoes by reshaping the spectrum of host volatile odorants. The information regarding the relationship between host microbiota, mosquito attraction, and pathogen transmission can be crucial for developing targeted strategies to mitigate the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.