| Abstract: | The melanization response against intrathoracically inoculated Brugia pahangi and Dirofilaria immitis microfilariae (mff) isolated from vertebrate host blood was evaluated in both uninfected Aedes aegypti black-eyed Liverpool strain and in mosquitoes harboring a developing B. pahangi infection. The immune response against inoculated mff of either species was significantly reduced by 28-47% in infected as compared with uninfected mosquitoes. Attempts to passively transfer this suppression factor(s) by inoculating naive mosquitoes with 0.1-0.2 microliter of hemolymph from B. pahangi-infected mosquitoes produced equivocal results. The role this parasite-induced immune suppression might play in aiding parasite survival in compatible vectors is discussed. |
