Publications

complexity of the malaria vectorial system in cameroon: contribution of secondary vectors to malaria transmission.	malaria transmission in africa is a dynamic and complex system that is so far superficially understood. further knowledge is required to improve control of the disease. in the present report, we highlight the contribution of the so-called "secondary" malaria vectors to the overall parasite transmission intensity in several sites across cameroon, through a retrospective analysis of surveys from the organisation de coordination pour la lutte contre les endémies en afrique centrale database. in tot ...	2006	17162956
malaria epidemics and interventions, kenya, burundi, southern sudan, and ethiopia, 1999-2004.	quantitative data on the onset and evolution of malaria epidemics are scarce. we review case studies from recent african plasmodium falciparum epidemics (kisii and gucha districts, kenya, 1999; kayanza province, burundi, 2000-2001; aweil east, southern sudan, 2003; gutten and damot gale, ethiopia, 2003-2004). we highlight possible epidemic risk factors and review delays in epidemic detection and response (up to 20 weeks), essentially due to poor case reporting and analysis or low use of public f ...	2006	17176560
novel acetylcholinesterase target site for malaria mosquito control.	current anticholinesterase pesticides were developed during world war ii and are toxic to mammals because they target a catalytic serine residue of acetylcholinesterases (aches) in insects and in mammals. a sequence analysis of aches from 73 species and a three-dimensional model of a malaria-carrying mosquito (anopheles gambiae) ache (agache) reported here show that c286 and r339 of agache are conserved at the opening of the active site of aches in 17 invertebrate and four insect species, respec ...	2006	17183688
feeding and indoor resting behaviour of the mosquito anopheles longipalpis in an area of hyperendemic malaria transmission in southern zambia.	anopheles longipalpis (theobald) (diptera: culicidae) is a predominantly zoophilic mosquito that has not been implicated in malaria transmission. however, this species was collected indoors with an. funestus s.l. in southern zambia, where transmission of plasmodium falciparum is hyperendemic, and we initially misidentified it morphologically and molecularly as an. funestus s.l. the indoor resting density and blood-feeding behaviour of an. longipalpis were investigated during the 2004-05 and 2005 ...	2006	17199758
identification and analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the mosquito anopheles funestus, malaria vector.	single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) are the most common source of genetic variation in eukaryotic species and have become an important marker for genetic studies. the mosquito anopheles funestus is one of the major malaria vectors in africa and yet, prior to this study, no snps have been described for this species. here we report a genome-wide set of snp markers for use in genetic studies on this important human disease vector.	2007	17204152
update of the anopheles gambiae pest genome assembly.	the genome of anopheles gambiae, the major vector of malaria, was sequenced and assembled in 2002. this initial genome assembly and analysis made available to the scientific community was complicated by the presence of assembly issues, such as scaffolds with no chromosomal location, no sequence data for the y chromosome, haplotype polymorphisms resulting in two different genome assemblies in limited regions and contaminating bacterial dna.	2007	17210077
the epidemiology of malaria in adults in a rural area of southern mozambique.	epidemiological studies of malaria in adults who live in malaria endemic areas are scarce. more attention to the natural history of malaria affecting adults is needed to understand the dynamics of malaria infection and its interaction with the immune system. the present study was undertaken to investigate the clinical, parasitological and haematological status of adults exposed to malaria, and to characterize parasites in these individuals who progressively acquire protective immunity.	2007	17233881
malaria vectors and transmission dynamics in coastal south-western cameroon.	malaria is a major public health problem in cameroon. unlike in the southern forested areas where the epidemiology of malaria has been better studied prior to the implementation of control activities, little is known about the distribution and role of anophelines in malaria transmission in the coastal areas.	2007	17233883
apolipocrustacein, formerly vitellogenin, is the major egg yolk precursor protein in decapod crustaceans and is homologous to insect apolipophorin ii/i and vertebrate apolipoprotein b.	in animals, the biogenesis of some lipoprotein classes requires members of the ancient large lipid transfer protein (lltp) superfamily, including the cytosolic large subunit of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (mtp), vertebrate apolipoprotein b (apob), vitellogenin (vtg), and insect apolipophorin ii/i precursor (apolp-ii/i). in most oviparous species, vtg, a large glycolipoprotein, is the main egg yolk precursor protein.	2007	17241455
an insight into the sialome of anopheles funestus reveals an emerging pattern in anopheline salivary protein families.	anopheles funestus, together with anopheles gambiae, is responsible for most malaria transmission in sub-saharan africa, but little is known about molecular aspects of its biology. to investigate the salivary repertoire of this mosquito, we randomly sequenced 916 clones from a salivary-gland cdna library from adult female f1 offspring of field-caught an. funestus. thirty-three protein sequences, mostly full-length transcripts, are predicted to be secreted salivary proteins. we additionally descr ...	2007	17244545
mapping a quantitative trait locus (qtl) conferring pyrethroid resistance in the african malaria vector anopheles funestus.	pyrethroid resistance in anopheles funestus populations has led to an increase in malaria transmission in southern africa. resistance has been attributed to elevated activities of cytochrome p450s but the molecular basis underlying this metabolic resistance is unknown. microsatellite and snp markers were used to construct a linkage map and to detect a quantitative trait locus (qtl) associated with pyrethroid resistance in the fumoz-r strain of an. funestus from mozambique.	2007	17261170
determining areas that require indoor insecticide spraying using multi criteria evaluation, a decision-support tool for malaria vector control programmes in the central highlands of madagascar.	the highlands of madagascar present an unstable transmission pattern of malaria. the population has no immunity, and the central highlands have been the sites of epidemics with particularly high fatality. the most recent epidemic occurred in the 1980s, and caused about 30,000 deaths. the fight against malaria epidemics in the highlands has been based on indoor insecticide spraying to control malaria vectors. any preventive programme involving generalised cover in the highlands will require very ...	2007	17261177
transcription profiling of a recently colonised pyrethroid resistant anopheles gambiae strain from ghana.	mosquito resistance to the pyrethroid insecticides used to treat bednets threatens the sustainability of malaria control in sub-saharan africa. while the impact of target site insensitivity alleles is being widely discussed the implications of insecticide detoxification--though equally important--remains elusive. the successful development of new tools for malaria intervention and management requires a comprehensive understanding of insecticide resistance, including metabolic resistance mechanis ...	2007	17261191
sampling outdoor, resting anopheles gambiae and other mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in western kenya with clay pots.	clay pots were analyzed as devices for sampling the outdoor resting fraction of anopheles gambiae giles (diptera: culicidae) and other mosquito species in a rural, western kenya. clay pots (anopheles gambiae resting pots, herein agrepots), outdoor pit shelters, indoor pyrethrum spray collections (psc), and colombian curtain exit traps were compared in collections done biweekly for nine intervals from april to june 2005 in 20 housing compounds. of 10,517 mosquitoes sampled, 4,668 an. gambiae s.l. ...	2007	17294916
seasonality, blood feeding behavior, and transmission of plasmodium falciparum by anopheles arabiensis after an extended drought in southern zambia.	transmission of plasmodium falciparum is hyperendemic in southern zambia. however, no data on the entomologic aspects of malaria transmission have been published from zambia in more than 25 years. we evaluated seasonal malaria transmission by anopheles arabiensis and an. funestus s.s. and characterized the blood feeding behavior of an. arabiensis in two village areas. transmission during the 2004-2005 rainy season was nearly zero because of widespread drought. during 2005-2006, the estimated ent ...	2007	17297034
evidence for a population expansion in the west nile virus vector culex tarsalis.	population genetic structure of the west nile virus vector culex tarsalis was investigated in 5 states in the western united states using 5 microsatellite loci and a fragment of the mitochondrial reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase 4 (nd4) gene. nd4 sequence analysis revealed a lack of isolation by distance, panmixia across all populations, an excess of rare haplotypes, and a star-like phylogeny. microsatellites revealed moderate genetic differentiation and isolation ...	2007	17339636
indoor collections of the anopheles funestus group (diptera: culicidae) in sprayed houses in northern kwazulu-natal, south africa.	insecticide resistance in malaria vector mosquitoes presents a serious problem for those involved in control of this disease. south africa experienced a severe malaria epidemic during 1999/2000 due to pyrethroid resistance in the major vector anopheles funestus. subsequent monitoring and surveillance of mosquito populations were conducted as part of the malaria vector control programme.	2007	17359529
malaria transmission dynamics in niono, mali: the effect of the irrigation systems.	the type of water management and drainage system could be a potential reason for variation in malaria transmission in rice cultivation areas. to investigate this we have compared the population dynamics of anopheles mosquitoes (diptera, culicidae) in rice plots with controlled and uncontrolled water depth, i.e. casiers and hors-casiers, respectively in the office du niger, mali. we also compared malaria transmission in areas with mixed and casiers plots. larval collection was performed fortnight ...	2007	17362859
contributions of anopheles larval control to malaria suppression in tropical africa: review of achievements and potential.	malaria vector control targeting the larval stages of mosquitoes was applied successfully against many species of anopheles (diptera: culicidae) in malarious countries until the mid-20th century. since the introduction of ddt in the 1940s and the associated development of indoor residual spraying (irs), which usually has a more powerful impact than larval control on vectorial capacity, the focus of malaria prevention programmes has shifted to the control of adult vectors. in the afrotropical reg ...	2007	17373942
discriminative feeding behaviour of anopheles gambiae s.s. on endemic plants in western kenya.	anopheles gambiae giles s.s. (diptera: culicidae) is known to feed on plant sugars, but this is the first experimental study to consider whether it discriminates between plant species. thirteen perennial plant species were selected on the basis of their local availability within the vicinity of human dwellings and larval habitats of an. gambiae s.s. in western kenya. groups of 100 or 200 mosquitoes were released into cages either with a cutting of one plant type at a time (single-plant assay) or ...	2007	17373953
exceptionally high density of numts in the honeybee genome.	the available genome sequences of 4 insects (the fruit fly, the african malaria mosquito, the flour beetle, and the honeybee) are used to compare the amount of mitochondrial dna transferred to the nuclear genome (numts). the data from the beetle and the bee show frequent transfer of numts, whereas numts in the 2 other insects are rare. the density of numts in the honeybee (>1.0 bp transferred dna per 1 kb of the nuclear sequence) is the highest in any animal studied, about ten times higher than ...	2007	17383971
evaluation of two formulations of adjuvanted rts, s malaria vaccine in children aged 3 to 5 years living in a malaria-endemic region of mozambique: a phase i/iib randomized double-blind bridging trial.	previous trials of the rts, s malaria candidate vaccine have shown that this vaccine is safe, tolerated and immunogenic. the development plan for this vaccine aims at administering it in the first year of life through the expanded program on immunization (epi). the objective was to evaluate the safety and reactogenicity of rts, s/as02d (0.5 ml dose), a pediatric formulation of glaxosmithkline biologicals' current malaria candidate vaccine rts, s/as02a (0.25 ml dose). a 0.5 ml dose of as02d is co ...	2007	17386091
[presence and risk of transmission of wuchereria bancrofti is a reality in rural mali: the case of the town of bariambani in the cirle of kati].	previous studies on lymphatic filariasis in mali showed high infection rate in rural area. this study was aimed to find wuchereria bancrofti microfilaria in human peripheral blood and larvae in vectors. for that purpose we carried out an entomological, clinical and parasitological study in banambani a village located at 25 km from bamako the capital city. the parasitological and clinical study was a single cross sectional study including night blood thick smear and physical examination. the ento ...	2006	17390523
synergy between repellents and non-pyrethroid insecticides strongly extends the efficacy of treated nets against anopheles gambiae.	to manage the kdr pyrethroid-resistance in anopheline malaria vectors, new compounds or new strategies are urgently needed. recently, mixing repellents (deet) and a non-pyrethroid insecticide (propoxur) was shown to be as effective as deltamethrin, a standard pyrethroid, under laboratory conditions, because of a strong synergy between the two compounds. in the present study, the interactions between two repellents (deet and kbr 3023) and a non-pyrethroid insecticide (pyrimiphos methyl or pm) on ...	2007	17394646
an exploratory study of community factors relevant for participatory malaria control on rusinga island, western kenya.	capacity strengthening of rural communities, and the various actors that support them, is needed to enable them to lead their own malaria control programmes. here the existing capacity of a rural community in western kenya was evaluated in preparation for a larger intervention.	2007	17456231
larval habitats of anopheles gambiae s.s. (diptera: culicidae) influences vector competence to plasmodium falciparum parasites.	the origin of highly competent malaria vectors has been linked to productive larval habitats in the field, but there isn't solid quantitative or qualitative data to support it. to test this, the effect of larval habitat soil substrates on larval development time, pupation rates and vector competence of anopheles gambiae to plasmodium falciparum were examined.	2007	17470293
population genetic structure of plasmodium falciparum in the two main african vectors, anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus.	we investigated patterns of genetic diversity of plasmodium falciparum associated with its two main african vectors: anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus. we dissected 10,296 wild-caught mosquitoes from three tropical sites, two in cameroon (simbock and tibati, separated by 320 km) and one in kenya (rota, >2,000 km from the other two sites). we assayed seven microsatellite loci in 746 oocysts from 183 infected mosquito guts. genetic polymorphism was very high in parasites isolated from both ...	2007	17470800
malaria vector control by indoor residual insecticide spraying on the tropical island of bioko, equatorial guinea.	a comprehensive malaria control intervention was initiated in february 2004 on bioko island, equatorial guinea. this manuscript reports on the continuous entomological monitoring of the indoor residual spray (irs) programme during the first two years of its implementation.	2007	17474975
genomic and evolutionary analyses of tango transposons in aedes aegypti, anopheles gambiae and other mosquito species.	tango is a transposon of the tc1 family and was originally discovered in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. here we report a systematic analysis of the genome sequence of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti, which uncovered three distinct tango transposons. we name the only an. gambiae tango transposon agtango1 and the three ae. aegypti tango elements aetango1-3. like agtango1, aetango1 and aetango2 elements both have members that retain characteristics of autonomous elements ...	2007	17506852
randomized clinical trial of artemisinin versus non-artemisinin combination therapy for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in madagascar.	data concerning antimalarial combination treatment for uncomplicated malaria in madagascar are largely lacking. randomized clinical trial was designed to assess therapeutic efficacies of chloroquine (cq), amodiaquine (aq), sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp), amodiaquine plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine combination (aq+sp) and artesunate plus amodiaquine combination (aq+as).	2007	17519010
heavy metals in mosquito larval habitats in urban kisumu and malindi, kenya, and their impact.	concentrations and distribution of cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese and zinc in mosquito larval habitats in urban kisumu and malindi, kenya and their effect on the presence of anopheles gambiae, aedes aegypti, culex quinquefasciatus and anopheles funestus larvae were investigated. manganese and iron were the most prevalent heavy metals in water of larval habitats in urban kisumu and malindi, respectively. iron was the most prevalent heavy metal in bottom sediments in larval habit ...	2008	17532467
identification of four members of the anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) group and their role in plasmodium falciparum transmission in bagamoyo coastal tanzania.	the role of anopheles funestus group in malaria transmission was investigated in bagamoyo coastal tanzania, in the process of characterizing the area as a malaria vaccine testing site. mosquitoes were sampled inside houses and multiplex pcr was used to identify 649 specimens. the following species were found: a. funestus s.s. (84.3%), a. leesoni (13.6%), a. rivulorum (1.5%) and a. parensis (0.6%). multiplex pcr of 147 blood-fed specimens showed that over half (57.1%) of the identifiable blood me ...	2007	17537390
neuropeptide precursors in tribolium castaneum.	neuropeptides and neurohormones are among the more diverse and functionally important classes of cell-to-cell signaling molecules involved in animal development and behavior. less is known about the hormones and neuropeptides of the red flour beetle, tribolium castaneum, than many other insects. however, the genomic information becoming available from this organism presents an opportunity to identify multiple neuropeptide and hormone genes, and hence their associated protein precursors. using si ...	2007	17537543
evaluation of four sampling techniques for surveillance of culex quinquefasciatus (diptera: culicidae) and other mosquitoes in african rice agroecosystems.	field studies were conducted in a rice, oryza sativa l., agroecosystem in mwea kenya to compare the efficiency of co2-baited centers for disease control (cdc) light traps against nonbaited cdc light traps and gravid traps against oviposition traps in outdoor collection of culex quinquefasciatus say (diptera: culicidae) and other mosquitoes. collectively, 21 mosquito species from the genera culex, anopheles, mansonia, ficalbia, and aedes were captured during the 10-wk study period. cx. quinquefas ...	2007	17547238
molecular cloning and characterization of the complete acetylcholinesterase gene (ace1) from the mosquito aedes aegypti with implications for comparative genome analysis.	insensitive acetylcholinesterase (ache) has been shown to be responsible for resistance to organophosphates and carbamates in a number of arthropod species. some arthropod genomes contain a single ace gene, while others including mosquitoes contain two genes, but only one confers insecticide resistance. here we report the isolation of the full-length cdna and characterization of the complete genomic dna sequence for the ace1 gene in the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti. the ace1 homolog in o ...	2007	17550823
effect of meteorological factors on clinical malaria risk among children: an assessment using village-based meteorological stations and community-based parasitological survey.	temperature, rainfall and humidity have been widely associated with the dynamics of malaria vector population and, therefore, with spread of the disease. however, at the local scale, there is a lack of a systematic quantification of the effect of these factors on malaria transmission. further, most attempts to quantify this effect are based on proxy meteorological data acquired from satellites or interpolated from a different scale. this has led to controversies about the contribution of climate ...	2007	17559638
cr1 clade of non-ltr retrotransposons from maculinea butterflies (lepidoptera: lycaenidae): evidence for recent horizontal transmission.	non-long terminal repeat (non-ltr) retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements that propagate themselves by reverse transcription of an rna intermediate. non-ltr retrotransposons are known to evolve mainly via vertical transmission and random loss. horizontal transmission is believed to be a very rare event in non-ltr retrotransposons. our knowledge of distribution and diversity of insect non-ltr retrotransposons is limited to a few species - mainly model organisms such as dipteran genera droso ...	2007	17588269
age-adjusted plasmodium falciparum antibody levels in school-aged children are a stable marker of microgeographical variations in exposure to plasmodium infection.	amongst school-aged children living in malaria endemic areas, chronic morbidity and exacerbation of morbidity associated with other infections are often not coincident with the presence or levels of plasmodium parasitaemia, but may result from long-term exposure to the parasite. studies of hepatosplenomegaly associated with schistosoma mansoni infection and exposure to plasmodium infection indicate that differences that occur over 1-2 km in levels of plasmodium transmission are related to the de ...	2007	17603885
preventing childhood malaria in africa by protecting adults from mosquitoes with insecticide-treated nets.	malaria prevention in africa merits particular attention as the world strives toward a better life for the poorest. insecticide-treated nets (itns) represent a practical means to prevent malaria in africa, so scaling up coverage to at least 80% of young children and pregnant women by 2010 is integral to the millennium development goals (mdg). targeting individual protection to vulnerable groups is an accepted priority, but community-level impacts of broader population coverage are largely ignore ...	0	17608562
the juan non-ltr retrotransposon in mosquitoes: genomic impact, vertical transmission and indications of recent and widespread activity.	in contrast to dna-mediated transposable elements (tes), retrotransposons, particularly non-long terminal repeat retrotransposons (non-ltrs), are generally considered to have a much lower propensity towards horizontal transfer. detailed studies on site-specific non-ltr families have demonstrated strict vertical transmission. more studies are needed with non-site-specific non-ltr families to determine whether strict vertical transmission is a phenomenon related to site specificity or a more gener ...	2007	17620143
interspecific variation in diving activity among anopheles gambiae giles, an. arabiensis patton, and an. funestus giles (diptera: culicidae) larvae.	anopheline larvae generally inhabit the near-surface of aquatic habitats, but they dive and remain at the bottom of these habitats for some time. this study examined forced and voluntary diving behavior and submergence tolerance in the three major african malaria vectors, anopheles gambiae giles, an. arabiensis patton, and an. funestus giles. the former two species occur sympatrically in temporal and shallow water bodies, while the latter occurs in permanent deeper water bodies. anopheles funest ...	2007	17633431
vector control in a malaria epidemic occurring within a complex emergency situation in burundi: a case study.	african highlands often suffer of devastating malaria epidemics, sometimes in conjunction with complex emergencies, making their control even more difficult. in 2000, burundian highlands experienced a large malaria outbreak at a time of civil unrest, constant insecurity and nutritional emergency. because of suspected high resistance to the first and second line treatments, the provincial health authority and médecins sans frontières (belgium) decided to implement vector control activities in an ...	2007	17634116
severe falciparum malaria in young children of the kassena-nankana district of northern ghana.	severe falciparum malaria in children was studied as part of the characterization of the kassena-nankana district ghana for future malaria vaccine trials. children aged 6-59 months with diagnosis suggestive of acute disease were characterized using the standard who definition for severe malaria.	2007	17662142
genetic variation of male reproductive success in a laboratory population of anopheles gambiae.	for anopheline mosquitoes, the vectors of human malaria, genetic variation in male reproductive success can have important consequences for any control strategy based on the release of transgenic or sterile males.	2007	17663767
feeding and resting behaviour of malaria vector, anopheles arabiensis with reference to zooprophylaxis.	the most important factor for effective zooprophylaxis in reducing malaria transmission is a predominant population of a strongly zoophilic mosquito, anopheles arabiensis. the feeding preference behaviour of anopheline mosquitoes was evaluated in odour-baited entry trap (obet).	2007	17663787
assessing malaria control in the kassena-nankana district of northern ghana through repeated surveys using the rbm tools.	the goal of roll back malaria (rbm) is to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality by 50% by the year 2010, and still further thereafter until the disease becomes no more a threat to public health. to contribute to the monitoring and evaluation process of this goal, two surveys were carried out in 2000 and 2003 in households and health facilities in the kassena-nankana district, northern ghana using the rbm-who/afro monitoring and evaluation tools for malaria control activities.	2007	17683584
malaria mosquito control using edible fish in western kenya: preliminary findings of a controlled study.	biological control methods are once again being given much research focus for malaria vector control. this is largely due to the emerging threat of strong resistance to pesticides. larvivorous fish have been used for over 100 years in mosquito control and many species have proved effective. in the western kenyan highlands the larvivorous fish oreochromis niloticus l. (perciformes: cichlidae) (formerly tilapia nilotica) is commonly farmed and eaten but has not been previously tested in the field ...	2007	17688686
detection of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in anopheles gambiae: a comparison of two new high-throughput assays with existing methods.	knockdown resistance (kdr) is a well-characterized mechanism of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in many insect species and is caused by point mutations of the pyrethroid target site the para-type sodium channel. the presence of kdr mutations in anopheles gambiae, the most important malaria vector in africa, has been monitored using a variety of molecular techniques. however, there are few reports comparing the performance of these different assays. in this study, two new high-throughput as ...	2007	17697325
effect of discriminative plant-sugar feeding on the survival and fecundity of anopheles gambiae.	a previous study showed for anopheles gambiae s.s. a gradation of feeding preference on common plant species growing in a malaria holoendemic area in western kenya. the present follow-up study determines whether there is a relationship between the mosquito's preferences and its survival and fecundity.	2007	17711580
evaluation of antibody response to plasmodium falciparum in children according to exposure of anopheles gambiae s.l or anopheles funestus vectors.	in sub-saharan areas, malaria transmission was mainly ensured by anopheles. gambiae s.l. and anopheles. funestus vectors. the immune response status to plasmodium falciparum was evaluated in children living in two villages where malaria transmission was ensured by dissimilar species of anopheles vectors (an. funestus vs an. gambiae s.l.).	2007	17764568
gene analogue finder: a grid solution for finding functionally analogous gene products.	to date more than 2,1 million gene products from more than 100000 different species have been described specifying their function, the processes they are involved in and their cellular localization using a very well defined and structured vocabulary, the gene ontology (go). such vast, well defined knowledge opens the possibility of compare gene products at the level of functionality, finding gene products which have a similar function or are involved in similar biological processes without relyi ...	2007	17767718
participatory mapping of target areas to enable operational larval source management to suppress malaria vector mosquitoes in dar es salaam, tanzania.	half of the population of africa will soon live in towns and cities where it can be protected from malaria by controlling aquatic stages of mosquitoes. rigorous but affordable and scaleable methods for mapping and managing mosquito habitats are required to enable effective larval control in urban africa.	2007	17784963
malaria in africa: vector species' niche models and relative risk maps.	a central theoretical goal of epidemiology is the construction of spatial models of disease prevalence and risk, including maps for the potential spread of infectious disease. we provide three continent-wide maps representing the relative risk of malaria in africa based on ecological niche models of vector species and risk analysis at a spatial resolution of 1 arc-minute (9 185 275 cells of approximately 4 sq km). using a maximum entropy method we construct niche models for 10 malaria vector spe ...	2007	17786196
segmental duplication implicated in the genesis of inversion 2rj of anopheles gambiae.	the malaria vector anopheles gambiae maintains high levels of inversion polymorphism that facilitate its exploitation of diverse ecological settings across tropical africa. molecular characterization of inversion breakpoints is a first step toward understanding the processes that generate and maintain inversions. here we focused on inversion 2rj because of its association with the assortatively mating bamako chromosomal form of an. gambiae, whose distinctive breeding sites are rock pools beside ...	2007	17786220
end-sequencing and characterization of silkworm (bombyx mori) bacterial artificial chromosome libraries.	we performed large-scale bacterial artificial chromosome (bac) end-sequencing of two bac libraries (an ecori- and a bamhi-digested library) and conducted an in silico analysis to characterize the obtained sequence data, to make them a useful resource for genomic research on the silkworm (bombyx mori).	2007	17822570
constant temperature and time period effects on anopheles gambiae egg hatching.	anopheles gambiae giles sensu stricto (diptera: culicidae) egg development and its relation to environmental parameters is an understudied aspect of vector biology. although several studies have illustrated the dramatic effects of temperature on egg development, egg hatching dynamics remain unclear. the objective of this study was to expose an. gambiae eggs to various temperatures for different lengths of time and determine the impact on egg development and hatching count. batches of mosquito eg ...	2007	17847843
competitive displacement and reduction.		0	17853612
functional classification and central nervous projections of olfactory receptor neurons housed in antennal trichoid sensilla of female yellow fever mosquitoes, aedes aegypti.	mosquitoes are highly dependent on their olfactory system for, e.g. host location and identification of nectar-feeding and oviposition sites. odours are detected by olfactory receptor neurons (orns) housed in hair-shaped structures, sensilla, on the antennae and maxillary palps. in order to unravel the function of the olfactory system in the yellow fever vector, aedes aegypti, we performed single-sensillum recordings from trichoid sensilla on female antennae. these sensilla are divided into four ...	0	17880395
interdependence of domestic malaria prevention measures and mosquito-human interactions in urban dar es salaam, tanzania.	successful malaria vector control depends on understanding behavioural interactions between mosquitoes and humans, which are highly setting-specific and may have characteristic features in urban environments. here mosquito biting patterns in dar es salaam, tanzania are examined and the protection against exposure to malaria transmission that is afforded to residents by using an insecticide-treated net (itn) is estimated.	2007	17880679
varying efficacy of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in infants in two similar trials: public health implications.	intermittent preventive treatment (ipti) with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (sp) in infants resulted in different estimates of clinical malaria protection in two trials that used the same protocol in ifakara, tanzania, and manhiça, mozambique. understanding the reasons for the discrepant results will help to elucidate the action mechanism of this intervention, which is essential for rational policy formulation.	2007	17897454
functional evaluation of conserved basic residues in human phosphomevalonate kinase.	phosphomevalonate kinase (pmk) catalyzes the cation-dependent reaction of mevalonate 5-phosphate with atp to form mevalonate 5-diphosphate and adp, a key step in the mevalonate pathway for isoprenoid/sterol biosynthesis. animal pmk proteins belong to the nucleoside monophosphate (nmp) kinase family. for many nmp kinases, multiple basic residues contribute to the neutralization of the negatively charged pentacoordinate phosphate reaction intermediate. loss of basicity can result in catalytically ...	2007	17902708
environmental impact evaluation of the stem bark extract of maesa lanceolata used in democratic republic of congo.	this study has been carried out in order to evaluate new chemical drugs from plants for biocidal activity before use to avoid noxious effect on human beings and animals or plants and also to prevent the worsing of environment. in fact, many natural products endowed with biological active principles are obtained from plant material used in the holistic medicines. presently, scientists pay attention to the study of plant extracts hoping to discover cheaper and efficient new drugs for health care a ...	2007	17928180
genetic population structure of anopheles gambiae in equatorial guinea.	patterns of genetic structure among mosquito vector populations in islands have received particular attention as these are considered potentially suitable sites for experimental trials on transgenic-based malaria control strategies. in this study, levels of genetic differentiation have been estimated between populations of anopheles gambiae s.s. from the islands of bioko and annobón, and from continental equatorial guinea (eg) and gabon.	2007	17937805
molecular cloning, phylogeny and localization of agnha1: the first na+/h+ antiporter (nha) from a metazoan, anopheles gambiae.	we have cloned a cdna encoding a new ion transporter from the alimentary canal of larval african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae giles sensu stricto. phylogenetic analysis revealed that the corresponding gene is in a group that has been designated nha, and which includes (na+ or k+)/h+ antiporters; so the novel transporter is called agnha1. the annotation of current insect genomes shows that both agnha1 and a close relative, agnha2, belong to the cation proton antiporter 2 (cpa2) subfamily a ...	2007	17951426
cost-sharing strategies combining targeted public subsidies with private-sector delivery achieve high bednet coverage and reduced malaria transmission in kilombero valley, southern tanzania.	cost-sharing schemes incorporating modest targeted subsidies have promoted insecticide-treated nets (itns) for malaria prevention in the kilombero valley, southern tanzania, since 1996. here we evaluate resulting changes in bednet coverage and malaria transmission.	2007	17961211
monitoring the operational impact of insecticide usage for malaria control on anopheles funestus from mozambique.	indoor residual spraying (irs) has again become popular for malaria control in africa. this combined with the affirmation by who that ddt is appropriate for use in the absence of longer lasting insecticide formulations in some malaria endemic settings, has resulted in an increase in irs with ddt as a major malaria vector control intervention in africa. ddt was re-introduced into mozambique's irs programme in 2005 and is increasingly becoming the main insecticide used for malaria vector control i ...	2007	17973989
unexpected high losses of anopheles gambiae larvae due to rainfall.	immature stages of the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae experience high mortality, but its cause is poorly understood. here we study the impact of rainfall, one of the abiotic factors to which the immatures are frequently exposed, on their mortality.	2007	17987125
relative developmental and reproductive fitness associated with pyrethroid resistance in the major southern african malaria vector, anopheles funestus.	the effect of pyrethroid resistance on the fitness of a laboratory strain of anopheles funestus originating from southern mozambique was evaluated by comparing the developmental and reproductive characteristics of a pyrethroid resistant strain with an insecticide susceptible strain. fitness was evaluated in terms of fecundity, fertility, egg production, developmental time and life stage progression and survival. of the eggs laid by females of the resistant strain, 81.5% hatched while only 66.9% ...	2007	17997873
shifting patterns: malaria dynamics and rainfall variability in an african highland.	the long-term patterns of malaria in the east african highlands typically involve not only a general upward trend in cases but also a dramatic increase in the size of epidemic outbreaks. the role of climate variability in driving epidemic cycles at interannual time scales remains controversial, in part because it has been seen as conflicting with the alternative explanation of purely endogenous cycles exclusively generated by the nonlinear dynamics of the disease. we analyse a long temporal reco ...	2008	17999952
estimating dispersal and survival of anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus along the kenyan coast by using mark-release-recapture methods.	mark-release-recapture (mrr) experiments were conducted with emerging anopheles gambiae s.l. and anophelesfunestus giles at jaribuni and mtepeni in kilifi, along the kenyan coast. of 739 and 1246 anopheles released at jaribuni and mtepeni, 24.6 and 4.33% were recaptured, respectively. the daily survival probability was 0.96 for an. funestus and 0.95 for an. gambiae in jaribuni and 0.83 and 0.95, respectively, in mtepeni. the maximum flight distance recorded was 661 m. the high survival probabili ...	2007	18047189
anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) in a humid savannah area of western burkina faso: bionomics, insecticide resistance status, and role in malaria transmission.	an entomological survey was carried out in three humid savannah sites of western burkina faso (bama, lena, and soumousso) to (1) update the taxonomy of the anopheles funestus giles group, (2) examine the role of each species in malaria transmission, (3) characterize the insecticide resistance status of this malaria vector, and (4) determine the distribution of an. funestus chromosomal forms in these areas. polymerase chain reaction identification of the members showed the occurrence of an. leeso ...	2007	18047197
contributions of different mosquito species to the transmission of lymphatic filariasis in central nigeria: implications for monitoring infection by pcr in mosquito pools.	members of the anopheles gambiae complex are important vectors of lymphatic filariasis (lf) in sub-saharan africa, but little is known about the relative contributions of all mosquitoes to lymphatic filariasis transmission in this area.	2007	18047673
spatial targeted vector control in the highlands of burundi and its impact on malaria transmission.	prevention of malaria epidemics is a priority for african countries. the 2000 malaria epidemic in burundi prompted the government to implement measures for preventing future outbreaks. case management with artemisinin-based combination therapy and malaria surveillance were nationally improved. a vector control programme was initiated in one of the most affected highland provinces. the focal distribution of malaria vectors in the highlands was the starting point for designing a targeted vector co ...	2007	18053166
does the spillage of petroleum products in anopheles breeding sites have an impact on the pyrethroid resistance?	the emergence of anopheles populations capable of withstanding lethal doses of insecticides has weakened the efficacy of most insecticide based strategies of vector control and, has highlighted the need for further studies on the mechanisms of insecticide resistance and the various factors selecting resistant populations of mosquitoes. this research targeted the analysis of breeding sites and the oviposition behaviour of susceptible and resistant populations of anopheles in localities of spilled ...	2007	18053173
regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and flight performance by a hypertrehalosaemic hormone in the mosquito anopheles gambiae.	the role of adipokinetic hormones (akhs) in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and flight performance was evaluated for females of the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. injection of various dosages of synthetic anoga-akh-i increased carbohydrate levels in the haemolymph and reduced glycogen reserves in sugar-fed females but did not affect lipid levels. anoga-akh-i enhanced the flight performance of both intact and decapitated sugar-fed females, during a 4 h flight per ...	2008	18062987
malaria incidence and efficacy of intermittent preventive treatment in infants (ipti).	intermittent preventive antimalarial treatment in infants (ipti) is currently evaluated as a malaria control strategy. among the factors influencing the extent of protection that is provided by ipti are the transmission intensity, seasonality, drug resistance patterns, and the schedule of ipti administrations. the aim of this study was to determine how far the protective efficacy of ipti depends on spatio-temporal variations of the prevailing incidence of malaria.	2007	18067679
abandoning small-scale fish farming in western kenya leads to higher malaria vector abundance.	fishponds become abandoned due to lack of access to both young fish and technical support and faster economic returns from other activities. certain conditions found in abandoned fishponds, such as absence of fish and presence of aquatic vegetation, are conducive to the presence of malaria vectors. we conducted a district-wide fishpond census to determine the maintenance status and mosquito populations of fishponds in kisii central district in western kenya. two hundred and sixty one fishponds w ...	2008	18068136
bionomics of malaria vectors and relationship with malaria transmission and epidemiology in three physiographic zones in the senegal river basin.	following the implementation of two dams in the senegal river, entomological and parasitological studies were conducted in three different ecological zones in the senegal river basin (the low valley of senegal river, the guiers lake area and the low valley of ferlo) every 3 month in june 2004, september 2004, december 2004 and march 2005. the objective of this work was to study the influence of environmental heterogeneities on vector bionomics and malaria epidemiology. mosquitoes were collected ...	2008	18068685
humoral responses to plasmodium falciparum blood-stage antigens and association with incidence of clinical malaria in children living in an area of seasonal malaria transmission in burkina faso, west africa.	there is longstanding evidence that immunoglobulin g (igg) has a role in protection against clinical malaria, and human antibodies of the cytophilic subclasses are thought to be particularly critical in this respect. in this cohort study, 286 burkinabè children 6 months to 15 years old were kept under malaria surveillance in order to assess the protective role of antibody responses against four antigens which are currently being evaluated as vaccine candidates: apical membrane antigen 1 (ama1), ...	2008	18070896
diversity of preferred nucleotide sequences around the translation initiation codon in eukaryote genomes.	understanding regulatory mechanisms of protein synthesis in eukaryotes is essential for the accurate annotation of genome sequences. kozak reported that the nucleotide sequence gccgcc(a/g)ccaugg (aug is the initiation codon) was frequently observed in vertebrate genes and that this 'consensus' sequence enhanced translation initiation. however, later studies using invertebrate, fungal and plant genes reported different 'consensus' sequences. in this study, we conducted extensive comparative analy ...	2007	18086709
the antennal lobe of the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae - innervation and three-dimensional reconstruction.	antibody labelling and subsequent three-dimensional reconstructions of the primary olfactory centres, the antennal lobes, of male and female african malaria mosquitoes, anopheles gambiae, revealed 61 and 60 glomerular neuropils respectively. in addition to the small difference in number of glomeruli, sexual dimorphism was observed in both the size of the antennal lobe and of individual glomeruli. furthermore, sexual specificity was observed within the array. anterograde staining of afferents fro ...	2007	18089085
an epidemic of malaria in the kenya highlands transmitted by anopheles funestus.		1949	18148580
distribution of anopheles in vietnam, with particular attention to malaria vectors of the anopheles minimus complex.	the distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in vietnam was examined, with a particular interest for the two sibling species of the anopheles minimus complex (cellia: myzomyia), an. minimus and anopheles harrisoni, respectively former species a and c. because the morphological identification of both sibling species is difficult and may lead to misidentifications, accurate data on their respective distribution are missing. this is of fundamental importance since the two species seem to exhibit diffe ...	2008	18190697
evidence for divergent selection between the molecular forms of anopheles gambiae: role of predation.	the molecular forms of anopheles gambiae are undergoing speciation. they are characterized by a strong assortative mating and they display partial habitat segregation. the m form is mostly found in flooded/irrigated areas whereas the s form dominates in the surrounding areas, but the ecological factors that shape this habitat segregation are not known. resource competition has been demonstrated between species undergoing divergent selection, but resource competition is not the only factor that c ...	2008	18190719
an insight into the sialome of the blood-sucking bug triatoma infestans, a vector of chagas' disease.	triatoma infestans is a hemiptera, vector of chagas' disease that feeds exclusively on vertebrate blood in all life stages. hematophagous insects' salivary glands (sg) produce potent pharmacological compounds that counteract host hemostasis, including anticlotting, antiplatelet, and vasodilatory molecules. to obtain a further insight into the salivary biochemical and pharmacological complexity of this insect, a cdna library from its sg was randomly sequenced. also, salivary proteins were submitt ...	2007	18207082
rift valley fever outbreak with east-central african virus lineage in mauritania, 2003.	in october 2003, 9 human cases of hemorrhagic fever were reported in 3 provinces of mauritania, west africa. test results showed acute rift valley fever virus (rvfv) infection, and a field investigation found recent circulation of rvfv with a prevalence rate of 25.5% (25/98) and 4 deaths among the 25 laboratory-confirmed case-patients. immunoglobulin m against rvfv was found in 46% (25/54) of domestic animals. rvfv was also isolated from the mosquito species culex poicilipes. genetic comparison ...	2007	18214173
a tool box for operational mosquito larval control: preliminary results and early lessons from the urban malaria control programme in dar es salaam, tanzania.	as the population of africa rapidly urbanizes, large populations could be protected from malaria by controlling aquatic stages of mosquitoes if cost-effective and scalable implementation systems can be designed.	2008	18218148
snps and hox gene mapping in ciona intestinalis.	the tunicate ciona intestinalis (enterogona, ascidiacea), a major model system for evolutionary and developmental genetics of chordates, harbours two cryptic species. to assess the degree of intra- and inter-specific genetic variability, we report the identification and analysis of c. intestinalis snp (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers. a snp subset was used to determine the genetic distance between hox-5 and -10 genes.	2008	18221512
ovipositional periodicity of caged anopheles gambiae individuals.	abstract:	2008	18221544
clinical malaria in african pregnant women.	there is a widespread notion, based on limited information, that in areas of stable malaria transmission most pregnant women with plasmodium falciparum infection are asymptomatic. this study aim to characterize the clinical presentation of malaria in african pregnant women and to evaluate the adequacy of case management based on clinical complaints.	2008	18234078
over expression of a cytochrome p450 (cyp6p9) in a major african malaria vector, anopheles funestus, resistant to pyrethroids.	anopheles funestus giles is one of the major african malaria vectors. it has previously been implicated in a major outbreak of malaria in kwazulu/natal, south africa, during the period 1996 to 2000. the re-emergence of this vector was associated with monooxygenase-based resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. we have identified a gene from the monooxygenase cyp6 family, cyp6p9, which is over expressed in a pyrethroid resistant strain originating from mozambique. quantitative real-time pcr shows t ...	2008	18237281
malaria control in south africa - challenges and successes.	control measures have substantially reduced the historical distribution of malaria in south africa; the country's population currently at risk for contracting malaria is approximately 4.3 million, predominantly in the northern and eastern border areas. the major strategies for malaria control are vector control through indoor residual spraying, case management, disease surveillance, epidemic preparedness and response, and public awareness. there has been a significant and sustained decrease in m ...	2007	18250936
chikungunya fever, mauritius, 2006.		2008	18258136
genomic resources for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens, and the role of vectorbase.	high-throughput genome sequencing techniques have now reached vector biology with an emphasis on those species that are vectors of human pathogens. the first mosquito to be sequenced was anopheles gambiae, the vector for plasmodium parasites that cause malaria. further mosquitoes have followed: aedes aegypti (yellow fever and dengue fever vector) and culex pipiens (lymphatic filariasis and west nile fever). species that are currently in sequencing include the body louse pediculus humanus (typhus ...	2009	18262474
insulin regulates aging and oxidative stress in anopheles stephensi.	observations from nematodes to mammals indicate that insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (iis) regulates lifespan. as in other organisms, iis is conserved in mosquitoes and signaling occurs in multiple tissues. during bloodfeeding, mosquitoes ingest human insulin. this simple observation suggested that exogenous insulin could mimic the endogenous hormonal control of aging in mosquitoes, providing a new model to examine this phenomenon at the organismal and cellular levels. to this end, ...	2008	18281336
malaria in rural mozambique. part i: children attending the outpatient clinic.	malaria represents a huge burden for the health care services across africa. describing malaria attending health services contributes to quantify the burden and describe the epidemiology and clinical presentation.	2008	18302770
an experimental hut evaluation of olyset nets against anopheline mosquitoes after seven years use in tanzanian villages.	long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) are advocated by who for protection against malaria. of the three brands of llins currently approved by who, olyset(r) is the only one currently granted full recommendation. with this type of llin, the insecticide (permethrin) is incorporated into the polyethylene fibre during manufacture and diffuses from the core to the surface, thereby maintaining surface concentrations. it has not been determined for how long olyset nets remain protective against mosqui ...	2008	18307802
host choice and multiple blood feeding behaviour of malaria vectors and other anophelines in mwea rice scheme, kenya.	studies were conducted between april 2004 and february 2006 to determine the blood-feeding pattern of anopheles mosquitoes in mwea kenya.	2008	18312667
the molecular evolution of four anti-malarial immune genes in the anopheles gambiae species complex.	if the insect innate immune system is to be used as a potential blocking step in transmission of malaria, then it will require targeting one or a few genes with highest relevance and ease of manipulation. the problem is to identify and manipulate those of most importance to malaria infection without the risk of decreasing the mosquito's ability to stave off infections by microbes in general. molecular evolution methodologies and concepts can help identify such genes. within the setting of a comp ...	2008	18325105
multiple waves of recent dna transposon activity in the bat, myotis lucifugus.	dna transposons, or class 2 transposable elements, have successfully propagated in a wide variety of genomes. however, it is widely believed that dna transposon activity has ceased in mammalian genomes for at least the last 40 million years. we recently reported evidence for the relatively recent activity of hat and helitron elements, two distinct groups of dna transposons, in the lineage of the vespertilionid bat myotis lucifugus. here, we describe seven additional families that have also been ...	2008	18340040