Gametocytemia and COI for <i>P</i>. <i>falciparum</i> field isolates.

P. falciparum parasites were collected from six different gametocyte carriers (p1-p6 and used for infections in An. coluzzii and An. gambiae females. Prior to infection, a blood smear was used to count the number of gametocytes present in each sample. Gametocytes were counted per 1,000 leukocytes and then, using an estimated conversion factor of 8,000 leukocytes per μl of blood, converted to gametocytes per μl of blood (Gams/μl). MSP1-typing was performed on dried blood spots or recently thawed frozen blood samples and used to determine the (minimum) number of unique parasite genotypes, or complexity of infection (COI), present in each isolate.