Anti-mosquito midgut antibodies block development of Plasmodium falciparumand Plasmodium vivax in multiple species of Anopheles mosquitoes and reduce vector fecundity and survivorship

The mosquito midgut plays a central role in the sporogonic development of m alaria parasites. We have found that polyclonal sera, produced against mosq uito midguts, blocked the passage of Plasmodium falciparum ookinetes across the midgut, leading to a significant reduction of infections in mosquitoes . Anti-midgut mAbs were produced that display broad-spectrum activity, bloc king parasite development of both P, falciparum and Plasmodium vivax parasi tes in five different species of mosquitoes. In addition to their parasite transmission-blocking activity. these mAbs also reduced mosquito survivorsh ip and fecundity, These results reveal that mosquito midgut-based antibodie s have the potential to reduce malaria transmission in a synergistic manner by lowering both vector competence, through transmission-blocking effects on parasite development, and vector abundance, by decreasing mosquito survi vorship and egg laying capacity. Because the intervention can block transmi ssion of different malaria parasite species in various species of mosquitoe s, vaccines against such midgut receptors may block malaria transmission wo rldwide.