Culicoides adersi Ingram and Macfie, 1923, a Presumed Vector of Hepatocystis (= Plasmodium) kochi (Laveran, 1899)

Abstract

MONKEYS of tropical Africa are well known to harbour a malaria parasite Hepatocystis (= Plasmodium) kochi, characterized by the presence of gametocytes only in the blood, and by the occurrence of schizogony in the form of macroscopic merocysts in the liver. As a malaria parasite, its vector was suspected for a long time as being a mosquito and several attempts were made experimentally and in Nature to incriminate these insects^1,2. All failed, not altogether unexpectedly, when it was shown³ that the parasite-belonged not to the family Plasmodiidae but to the Haemoproteidae in which the sporogonic cycle was known to take place in Simulium, Culicoides and hippoboscids, but never in mosquitoes. The search was therefore widened to include other arthropods and a range of species was examined³, but again with negative results. There was a slight indication that midges might be concerned, and in July 1959 an attempt was made to test this hypothesis in East Africa in a place where the monkeys were heavily infected with the parasite. We selected Port Reitz on the mainland near Mombasa, and worked at a small field laboratory conveniently situated in the middle of the area.