Gut microbes influence fitness and malaria transmission potential of Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi

- Malaria vector Anopheles stephensi was fed with antibiotic to clear the midgut biota.
- Gut sanitized mosquitoes were found to short lived by median 2 days.
- Blood digestion was also affected in the gut-sanitized mosquitoes as evidenced by less hematin excretion by the mosquitoes.
- Gut sanitization reduced the fecundity but not the fertility of the malaria vector.
- Malaria transmission potential of the malaria vector was induced in the gut sanitized mosquitoes.