Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ucla-cs!rwc%ilmarin.c3@lanl.gov
From: rwc%ilmarin.c3@lanl.gov (Robert W. Cox)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: Re: (2328) Aids from mosquitoes
Message-ID: <37651@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 2 Aug 90 20:17:46 GMT
References: <37612@shemp.CS.UCLA.EDU>
Sender: news@CS.UCLA.EDU
Lines: 32
Approved: phil@wubios.wustl.edu
Note:	Copyright 1990 by Daniel R. Greening.  Permission granted for
Note:	non-commercial reproduction.
Archive-number: 2334

>>I have earlier been convinced that aids is not transmitted by mosquitoes.
>>However, it there any conclusive information?
> 
> .... the amount of blood entering the human bloodstream
> while a mosquito "bites" it isn't sufficient for transmission.

 I thought that the animal-mosquito-animal malaria type of infection
 went something like this:

   mosquito ingests animal blood into its stomach
   malaria infects mosquito, especially its salivary glands
   mosquito bites next animal, in the process injecting some
     saliva, which now contain malaria

 I don't think that there is any reinjection of previously
 ingested blood -- it's a moderatlely complicated process.
 The malaria bug has evolved to infect animals and insects
 both -- the mosquito isn't just a passive carrier.

 Based on this model, I would think it highly unlikely that
 HIV would pass through mosquitoes, since it presumably hasn't
 evolved (yet?) to infect the insects in such a way as to
 facilitate transmission.

 Some people have speculated about ticks, since they apparently
 DO put a little blood back into the next victim.  But it's
 probably not very much, and considering how unlikely AIDS transmission
 is even with needle sticks, I'd guess that we have other things to
 worry about.

 Bob Cox
 cox@lanl.gov