Anopheline mosquito saliva contains bacteria that are transferred to a mammalian host through blood feeding

Abstract

These data thus document the presence of bacteria in mosquito saliva, their transfer to, and growth in a mammalian host as well as possible interactions with <i>Plasmodium</i> transmission. Together they raise the possible role of mosquitoes as vectors of bacterial infection and the utility of commensal mosquito bacteria for the development of transmission-blocking strategies within a mammalian host.