Changes in body tissues and hemolymph composition of Culex pipiens in response to infection by Romanomermis culicivorax

Hemolymph composition of fourth instar larvae of an autogenous strain of Culex pipiens was examined to determine the effects of parasitism by a mermithid nematode, Romanomermis culicivorax. Mosquitoes were reared under two different pH regimens: 4.5 and 7.3. Wet and dry weight of infected mosquitoes reared at either pH were significantly lower than controls. The effects of parasitism in the development of C. pipiens were evaluated from paraffin sections of mosquito larvae 2, 4, and 6 days postinfection. At 2 days postinfection, the infected larvae showed no apparent effects of parasitism; at day 4, the fat body tissue was reduced and imaginal disc development was retarded; and at day 6, parasitized mosquitoes were smaller in cross section, fat body tissue was found only in isolated clumps, and there was a complete absence of imaginal discs. Concentrations of total carbohydrates in hemolymph from infected fourth instar mosquitoes reared at pH 7.3 were reduced. Trehalose and glucose were each reduced by more than half. Total α-amino nitrogen was significantly lower in infected mosquitoes reared at pH 7.3. However, total amino acid concentrations for hemolymph from control and infected larvae reared at pH 7.3 were the same. Methionine sulfoxide decreased 63% and proline increased 2.5 times in infected mosquitoes. Hemolymph protein concentrations were reduced 80% in infected mosquitoes reared at both pHs. The number of hemolymph proteins also declined from 35 to 22 during infection. Two host proteins, 82,000 and 158,000 daltons, remained prominent throughout the mermithid infection.