Influences of larval environmental conditions on Dirofilarial immitis (Rhabditida: Onchocercidae) transmission in Aedes albopictus and Ae. triseriatus

The dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis, is a complex transmission network with at least 26 mosquito vectors in the United States alone. Within these known vectors, competence and immune responses vary. Larval growth conditions, like nutrient availability, and temperature, can alter adult wingspan and body mass, which we hypothesize affects vector competency for dog heartworm. For this study, we have selected two species of interest: Aedes albopictus and Aedes triseriatus, due to their container breeding behavior and association with residential locations. In this study, rearing conditions will be manipulated in the lab with 4 temperatures and 2 nutrition levels in a factorial design to see how variation in larval conditions influence adult size for each species. Adult females from each replicate will be offered either an uninfected or infected bloodmeal. For each female, I will analyze wingspan, body mass, fecundity, infection rate, vector efficiency index, and observations of tolerance or resistance.