Mass Isolation of Malaria Sporozoites from Mosquitoes by Density Gradient Centrifugation ∗

Abstract

Summary

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, infected with Plasmodium gallinaceum, were homogenized and the resulting brei was subjected to a series of filtration and centrifugation steps prior to being placed on a linear sucrose gradient. The mean density of the sporozoites isolated from the peak fraction was 1.157 g/cm³ and the number of sporozoites recovered per mosquito was estimated to be 45,000. The technique can readily be extended to the isolation of sporozoites of other plasmodial species and produces a greater yield than is possible by conventional dissection methods.