Work

Host-feeding patterns of mosquitoes across land use types and regions in Vietnam and its implications for mosquito-borne disease transmission

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: • The study investigated mosquito host-feeding patterns across different land use types in Vietnam using DNA barcoding techniques. • Chickens, humans, and dogs were identified as the most frequent hosts among 18 mammal and 4 bird species detected. • Mixed blood meals were found in 23% of analyzed specimens, suggesting potential for bridge vector transmission between host groups. • No significant effect of land use on host-feeding patterns was observed for the three dominant mosquito species. Understanding mosquito host-feeding patterns is essential for elucidating the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne pathogens and informing targeted control strategies. In this study, we investigated the host-feeding patterns of mosquitoes collected in 2022 and 2023 across three land use types (urban, rural, and forest) in four geographical regions of Vietnam (North, South, Central Coast, and Central Highlands). Mosquitoes were sampled using BG-Pro traps, and host identification was performed via DNA barcoding of the cytochrome b and 16S rRNA genes. A total of 349 blood-fed mosquito specimens, representing 13 species and three undifferentiated taxa, were analyzed. The dominant species were Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. quinquefasciatus , and Cx. vishnui . Host-DNA was successfully identified in 267 specimens (77%), revealing blood meals from 18 mammal and 4 bird species. Chickens (45%), humans (28%), and dogs (12%) were the most frequent hosts. Mixed blood meals were detected in 23% of successfully analyzed specimens, indicating potential for bridge vector transmission between host groups. No statistically significant effect of land use on host-feeding patterns was observed for the three dominant mosquito species. These findings highlight the diverse feeding behaviour of mosquitoes in Vietnam, characterize by broad host species and frequent mixed blood meals, and emphasize the need for continued research to better understand mosquito-host interactions and their implications for vector-borne pathogen transmission.

Source: Acta Tropica

DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2026.108001

Authors: Do Huy Loc, Tatiana Șuleşco, Felix G. Sauer, Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit, Thirumalaisamy P. Velavan, Renke Lühken