PCR-BASED SCREENING OF PLASMODIUM SPECIES IN MOSQUITO VECTORS OF FAISALABAD DISTRICT, PUNJAB, PAKISTAN Authors: K.Hayat, M.S.Sajid, Z.Iqbal, M.Saqib, F.A.Raza, W.Akram, H.Abbas Journal: Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (JAPS) ISSN: 1018-7081 (Print), 2309-8694 (Online) Volume: 29 Issue: 6 Pages: 1568-1574 Year: 2019 DOI: NA URL: https://doi.org/NA Publisher: Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum Abstract:

Plasmodium (P), mosquito-borne unicellular parasite, is responsible for “malaria”. Pakistan remains at risk of malaria and almost 1.6 million cases of malaria are reported every year. The present study was planned to screen the mosquito vectors for Plasmodium sp. in Faisalabad district, Punjab, Pakistan using nested PCR. For this purpose, convenient sampling of adult mosquitoes was done from different places including: animal populated areas, lavatories, water storage tanks, livestock farms and road-side ditches in 70% ethanol. DNA extraction was done after stereomicroscopic identification of the specimens. Species identification of P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae was done through universal forward and species-specific reverse primers in the nested PCR. Prevalence of Culex mosquitoes was higher as compared to Anopheles. Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax were found higher as compared to other species of Plasmodium. The overall prevalence of Plasmodium sp. in mosquito vectors was 46% (14 out of 30 pools for Plasmodium sp.). Results were analyzed through chi-square analyses. Present study may explore the vectorial capacity of mosquitoes which can be an indicator of Plasmodium sp. distribution in an area for large scale metagenomics.

Keywords: PCR, Mosquito, Plasmodium, Faisalabad, Molecular epidemiology