PC3 facility Anopheles stephensi
We maintain three separate Anopheles stephensi colonies, with a new generation starting each week to be able to supply mosquitoes on any day needed for experiments inside a PC3 facility. The infection of female mosquitoes with the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum is studied, with novel strategies to interrupt this process, as well as the testing of new control measures aimed at the mosquito vector. Anopheles stephensi eggs can also be supplied to be used inside other registered PC2 and PC3 facilities.
For transmission studies in a clinical trial up to 4500 females of a specific age are used in membrane feeding assays over a two-week period, for which approximately 18 000 mosquito larvae are maintained at 29°C. Plasmodium falciparum infected blood is given to mosquitoes whereafter they are maintained at a constant temperature and humidity inside an environmental chamber. There are 12 glass membrane feeders available for the feeding of Plasmodium infected blood to the mosquitoes. The female mosquitoes are dissected to determine infectivity at oocyst and sporozoite level.
Our World Class facilities and Equipment include:
- a surgical suite with surgical microscope and heated recovery rack
- irradiation facilities
- ventilated cage racks and change stations
- Transnetyx TAG Center collection point for genotyping
- IVIS in vivo imaging system
- Visualsonics Vevo3100 ultrasound equipment with injection mount.
Services
Anopheles stephensi services
Supplying Anopheles stephensi for use in malaria studies inside a PC3 facility and equipment for infecting the mosquitoes with the parasite as well as maintaining the infected mosquito until dissection.
Key Features
- temperature and humidity controlled room for rearing of larvae at 29°C and 70% Rh
- temperature and humidity controlled room for keeping of adult cages at 26°C and 75% Rh
- temperature and humidity controlled room that can be set up at different settings if needed
- plastic cages for keeping up to 800 mosquitoes per cage. 12 glass feeders for membrane feeding of female mosquitoes with Plasmodium infected blood
- Anopheles stephensi can also be supplied for other studies that can be maintained in the normal temperature controlled rooms if mosquitoes are not infected
- infected mosquitoes are maintained in the environmental chamber set at 27°C and 75%Rh, with a dusk and dawn period set with place for up 24 cages
- net cages for keeping 2-4 pots of infected female mosquitoes double contained inside the environmental chamber
- Anopheles stephensi eggs can be supplied to registered PC2 and PC3 facilities.
Animal Services
- qualified animal care staff with a strong QA program
- veterinary services
- Insectary
- PC2 and PC3 housing
- import/export assistance
- SoftMouse data management software
- Quarantine facilities registered with DAFF