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studies on filariasis transmission in kwale, a tanzanian coastal village, and the results of mosquito control measures.the main vectors of bancroftian filariasis in kwale, tanzania, were anopheles gambiae complex and culex p. quinquefasciatus. after vector control by the insecticides dursban (chlorpyrifos) or abate (temephos), the number of all man-biting mosquitoes was reduced by 94.8%, and that of house-resting mosquitoes by 95.3%. anopheles gambiae complex were highly exophilic, possibly due to a high proportion of anopheles merus in this village. the infection rate of a. gambiae complex rose significantly in ...197991349
temperature-dependent variation in anopheles merus larval head capsule width and adult wing length: implications for anopheline taxonomy.seasonal variations in mosquito larval head capsule width and adult female wing length were investigated in a field population of anopheles merus dönitz at nceswana lake, ophansi, within the endemic malaria area of natal, south africa. an inverse relationship was detected between each of these morphological characters and seasonal fluctuations in air/water temperatures. mean head capsule width in all larval instars decreased by 4.8-7.9% in summer, while mean wing length decreased by 19.6%. these ...19911768901
dna probes for species identification of mosquitoes in the anopheles gambiae complex.identification of species within the anopheles gambiae giles species complex is essential for the correct evaluation of malaria vector ecology studies and control programmes. the development of dna probes to distinguish species of the an.gambiae complex is described. genomic libraries were prepared for four members of the an.gambiae complex. these were screened using radiolabelled dna from different species of an.gambiae sensu lato and a number of clones selected on the basis of their species sp ...19872979526
[morphological identification of the alate forms of anopheles merus in mozambique in a zone sympatric with an. gambiae and an. arabiensis]. 19863752797
taxonomic value of spermatheca size for distinguishing four members of the anopheles gambiae complex in east africa.measurements of spermatheca diameter and wing length were made on 8 east african mosquito populations comprising anopheles merus and a. gambiae species a, species b, and the "bwamba cytotype" (=species d). the results showed that, on average, the spermatheca in species a females is larger than in species b. in each of two tanzanian localities harbouring sympatric populations of a and b an overlap of 20% was observed between the frequency distributions of spermatheca diameter in this pair of spec ...19724538540
biting activity and resting behaviour of anopheles merus donitz (diptera: culicidae) on the kenya coast.behavioural studies on an. merus were conducted during a period of 11 months in jimbo, a village on the kenya coast. the biting activity of an. merus both outdoors and indoors attained a peak between 24.00 and 01.00 hours. the mosquito showed a stronger tendency to bite outdoors than indoors and was markedly exophilic. various outdoor resting sites were also identified.19846721614
separation of anopheles merus from freshwater anopheles gambiae by salinity tolerance test and morphological characters.the separation methods for anopheles merus from freshwater a. gambiae s.l. involving the use of salinity tolerance test, sensilla coeloconica, palpal ratio and palpal bands were evaluated for a period of one year on a total of about 340 mosquitoes. the salinity tolerance test method was found to be quite simple and reliable but unsuitable in disease transmission studies due to an interval of 2-3 days between the collection and dissection periods and also due to the fact that only a fraction of t ...19826926942
salivary apyrase in african and new world vectors of plasmodium species and its relationship to malaria transmission.the salivary gland activities of apyrase, an enzyme that prevents platelet aggregation by eliminating adp, were compared among five members of the anopheles gambiae species complex and an. albimanus. within the an. gambiae group, an. quadriannulatus exhibited the lowest amount of enzyme activity at all ph levels measured. apyrase activity could be separated into three groups at ph 7.5 and 8.0. the two most anthropophilic species (an. gambiae and an. arabiensis) exhibited higher activity at ph 9. ...19948116818
the polymerase chain reaction method as a tool for identifying members of the anopheles gambiae complex (diptera:culicidae) in northeastern tanzania.polymerase chain reaction (pcr) primers developed at the centers for disease control in atlanta for the identification of members of the anopheles (cellia) gambiae giles complex were tested on material collected in the bagamoyo and muheza districts of northeastern tanzania. part of the sample from bagamoyo was chromosomally identified and correlated with the pcr identifications. this sample contained 170 anopheles arabiensis, 328 an. gambiae, and 58 anopheles merus, of which 121, 237, and 54 spe ...19968827604
ribosomal dna-polymerase chain reaction assay discriminates between anopheles quadriannulatus and an. merus (diptera: culicidae).a ribosomal dna polymerase chain reaction technique (rdna-pcr) that distinguishes the 5 more common and widespread members of the anopheles gambiae complex failed to consistently identify specimens of anopheles merus dönitz collected in south africa and tanzania. when the original rdna-pcr assay was applied to field-collected specimens or specimens from laboratory colonies established from these populations, bands diagnostic of both an. merus and an. quadriannulatus (theobald) were amplified fro ...19979379465
a description and morphometric comparison of eggs of species of the anopheles gambiae complex.eggs of the 6 named species of the anopheles gambiae complex are described from scanning electron micrographs of specimens obtained from laboratory colonies or wild-caught females. morphometric measurements of eggs from 5 sources of anopheles arabiensis, 2 of anopheles gambiae, one of anopheles quadriannulatus, 2 of anopheles bwambae, 2 of anopheles merus, and one of anopheles melas are compared, and relationships are analyzed by multivariate statistics. no morphologic characters were species-di ...199910412112
when genetic distance matters: measuring genetic differentiation at microsatellite loci in whole-genome scans of recent and incipient mosquito species.genetic distance measurements are an important tool to differentiate field populations of disease vectors such as the mosquito vectors of malaria. here, we have measured the genetic differentiation between anopheles arabiensis and anopheles gambiae, as well as between proposed emerging species of the latter taxon, in whole genome scans by using 23-25 microsatellite loci. in doing so, we have reviewed and evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of standard parameters of genetic distance, f(st) ...200111553812
observations on the swarming and mating behaviour of anopheles funestus from southern mozambique.control of malaria by the release of genetically modified mosquitoes refractory to transmission is now becoming a possibility. in many areas of africa, anopheles gambiae is found together with an equally important vector, an. funestus. given their sympatry and the likelihood of a similar mating period some aspects of the mating behaviour of an. gambiae s.l. and an. funestus are likely to differ. we therefore attempted to characterise the swarming behaviour of an. funestus and to determine if any ...200312636875
'a mate or a meal'--pre-gravid behaviour of female anopheles gambiae from the islands of são tomé and príncipe, west africa.malaria prevalence differs between the two islands that comprise the archipelago of são tomé and príncipe. this may be due to differences in the biology of local anopheles gambiae, the only vector on the islands. survival rate and feeding frequency are two factors influencing vectorial capacity. anophelines generally feed just once per gonotrophic (oviposition) cycle. newly emerged insects, however, may feed two or more times during their first oviposition cycle thus increasing the likelihood of ...200312801421
semipermeable species boundaries between anopheles gambiae and anopheles arabiensis: evidence from multilocus dna sequence variation.attempts to reconstruct the phylogenetic history of the anopheles gambiae cryptic species complex have yielded strongly conflicting results. in particular, an. gambiae, the primary african malaria vector, is variously placed as a sister taxon to either anopheles arabiensis or anopheles merus. the recent divergence times for members of this complex complicate phylogenetic analysis, making it difficult to unambiguously implicate interspecific gene flow, versus retained ancestral polymorphism, as t ...200312947038
expression of functional anopheles merus alpha-amylase in the baculovirus/spodoptera frugiperda system.the anopheles merus (diptera, nematocera, culicoidea) alpha-amylase gene (ameramy, genbank accession number u01210) was amplified with its own or with the zabrotes subfasciatusalpha-amylase signal peptide (zsameramy, genbank accession number ay270183) by pcr, using designed primers. the ameramy gene was sequenced from its promotor to the tga codon. as a positive control, the z. subfasciatusalpha-amylase gene with its own signal peptide (zsamy, genbank accession number af255722) was also amplifie ...200312974946
distribution of the species of the anopheles gambiae complex and first evidence of anopheles merus as a malaria vector in madagascar.background: members of the anopheles gambiae complex are amongst the best malaria vectors in the world, but their vectorial capacities vary between species and populations. a large-scale sampling of an. gambiae sensu lato was carried out in various bioclimatic domains of madagascar. local abundance of an unexpected member of this complex raised questions regarding its role in malaria transmission. methods: sampling took place at 38 sites and 2,067 females were collected. species assessment was p ...200314609436
malaria transmission in southern madagascar: influence of the environment and hydro-agricultural works in sub-arid and humid regions. part 1. entomological investigations.a 4-year entomological study was carried out in southern madagascar to identify malaria vectors, evaluate the transmission and compare the influence of irrigation in the sub-arid and adjacent humid regions. three villages were involved in this entomological survey: androvasoa (located in the natural sub-arid ecosystem), pépiniére (sited at the centre of an irrigated rice scheme in the sub-arid region) and esana (bordered with rice fields in the humid region). mosquitoes were collected inside and ...200414732241
malaria panel assay versus pcr: detection of naturally infected anopheles melas in a coastal village of equatorial guinea.a study was carried out in a village of the mainland region of equatorial guinea in order to ascertain a) which members of anopheles gambiae complex could be involved in malaria transmission and b) the rate of infectivity for anopheles melas comparing two different methods, a pcr able to detect sporozoite-dna and an immunochromatographic assay mpr (malaria rapid dipstick panel assay).200415238168
weather-based prediction of plasmodium falciparum malaria in epidemic-prone regions of ethiopia i. patterns of lagged weather effects reflect biological mechanisms.malaria epidemics due to plasmodium falciparum are reported frequently in the east african highlands with high case fatality rates. there have been formal attempts to predict epidemics by the use of climatic variables that are predictors of transmission potential. however, little consensus has emerged about the relative importance and predictive value of different factors. understanding the reasons for variation is crucial to determining specific and important indicators for epidemic prediction. ...200415541174
an active transposable element, herves, from the african malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae.transposable elements have proven to be invaluable tools for genetically manipulating a wide variety of plants, animals, and microbes. some have suggested that they could be used to spread desirable genes, such as refractoriness to plasmodium infection, through target populations of anopheles gambiae, thereby disabling the mosquito's ability to transmit malaria. to achieve this, a transposon must remain mobile and intact after the initial introduction into the genome. endogenous, active class ii ...200515545643
weather-based prediction of plasmodium falciparum malaria in epidemic-prone regions of ethiopia ii. weather-based prediction systems perform comparably to early detection systems in identifying times for interventions.timely and accurate information about the onset of malaria epidemics is essential for effective control activities in epidemic-prone regions. early warning methods that provide earlier alerts (usually by the use of weather variables) may permit control measures to interrupt transmission earlier in the epidemic, perhaps at the expense of some level of accuracy.200415555061
habitat characterization and spatial distribution of anopheles sp. mosquito larvae in dar es salaam (tanzania) during an extended dry period.by 2030, more than 50% of the african population will live in urban areas. controlling malaria reduces the disease burden and further improves economic development. as a complement to treated nets and prompt access to treatment, measures targeted against the larval stage of anopheles sp. mosquitoes are a promising strategy for urban areas. however, a precise knowledge of the geographic location and potentially of ecological characteristics of breeding sites is of major importance for such interv ...200515649333
relationships between body size of anopheles mosquitoes and plasmodium falciparum sporozoite rates along the kenya coast.the influence of body size of anopheles gambiae s.s., anopheles arabiensis, anopheles merus, and anopheles funestus on the transmission of plasmodium falciparum was studied at 3 sites along the kenyan coast. adult mosquitoes were collected inside houses by pyrethrum spray collection (psc) from april to september 2001. wing length was measured microscopically to the nearest 0.01 mm as an index of mosquito body size. the p. falciparum circumsporozoite protein (csp) was detected by enzyme-linked im ...200415669379
entomological characteristics of malaria transmission in manhiça, a rural area in southern mozambique.from october 1997 to september 1998, an entomological survey was carried out in manhiça, mozambique, to describe the anopheline population and intensity of malaria transmission. ten different huts were randomly selected for entomological surveillance throughout the year. cdc light trap collections were conducted during three nights each month. additional knockdown spraying catches were carried out in the morning, after the last catch. a total of 17,245 culicinae and 1,251 anophelinae were collec ...200515799528
anopheles gambiae s.l. and anopheles funestus mosquito distributions at 30 villages along the kenyan coast.this study investigated whether anopheles gambiae s.l. and anopheles funestus giles mosquito populations were distributed randomly among houses on the coast of kenya. sample means and variances of mosquitoes were estimated from bimonthly pyrethrum spray collections at 30 villages from july 1997 through may 1998. in total, 5,476 an. gambiae s.l. and 3,461 an. funestus were collected. the number of an. gambiae s.l. collected was highest in november/december and lowest in may. the number of an. fun ...200515962770
consequences of reproductive barriers for genealogical discordance in the european corn borer.speciation involves the origin of trait differences that limit or prevent gene exchange and ultimately results in daughter populations that form monophyletic or exclusive genetic groups. however, for recently diverged populations or species between which reproductive isolation is often incomplete, gene genealogies will be discordant, and most regions of the genome will display nonexclusive genealogical patterns. in these situations, genome regions for which one or both species are exclusive grou ...200516204000
hypersensitivity to forcipomyia taiwana (biting midge): clinical analysis and identification of major for t 1, for t 2 and for t 3 allergens.forcipomyia taiwana is a tiny, blood-sucking midge that cause intense pruritus and swelling in sensitive individuals. it is distributed island-wide in rural taiwan and southern china. objective: this study aimed to study the allergic immune responses and identify f. taiwana allergens.200516266384
evaluation of environmental data for identification of anopheles (diptera: culicidae) aquatic larval habitats in kisumu and malindi, kenya.this research evaluates the extent to which use of environmental data acquired from field and satellite surveys enhances predictions of urban mosquito counts. mosquito larval habitats were sampled, and multispectral thermal imager (mti) satellite data in the visible spectrum at 5-m resolution were acquired for kisumu and malindi, kenya, during february and march 2001. all entomological parameters were collected from january to may 2001, june to august 2002, and june to august 2003. in a poisson ...200516365996
low autochtonous urban malaria in antananarivo (madagascar).the study of urban malaria is an area undergoing rapid expansion, after many years of neglect. the problem of over-diagnosis of malaria, especially in low transmission settings including urban areas, is also receiving deserved attention. the primary objective of the present study was to assess the frequency of malaria among febrile outpatients seen in private and public primary care facilities of antananarivo. the second aim was to determine, among the diagnosed malaria cases, the contribution o ...200616573843
breakpoint structure reveals the unique origin of an interspecific chromosomal inversion (2la) in the anopheles gambiae complex.paracentric chromosomal inversions are major architects of organismal evolution and have been associated with adaptations relevant to malaria transmission in anopheline mosquitoes. the processes responsible for their origin and maintenance, still poorly understood, can be illuminated by analysis of inversion breakpoint sequences. here, we report the breakpoint structure of chromosomal inversion 2la from the principal malaria vector anopheles gambiae and its relatives in the a. gambiae complex. t ...200616606844
hat element population genetics in anopheles gambiae s.l. in mozambique.herves is a functional class ii transposable element in anopheles gambiae belonging to the hat superfamily of elements. class ii transposable elements are used as gene vectors in this species and are also being considered as genetic drive agents for spreading desirable genes through natural populations as part of an effort to control malaria transmission. in this study, herves was investigated in populations of anopheles gambiae s.s., anopheles arabiensis and anopheles merus in mozambique over a ...200616850223
identification of field caught anopheles gambiae s.s. and anopheles arabiensis by taqman single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping.identification of anopheles gambiae s.s. and anopheles arabiensis from field-collected anopheles gambiae s.l. is often necessary in basic and applied research, and in operational control programmes. the currently accepted method involves use of standard polymerase chain reaction amplification of ribosomal dna (rdna) from the 3' 28s to 5' intergenic spacer region of the genome, and visual confirmation of amplicons of predicted size on agarose gels, after electrophoresis. this report describes dev ...200717326831
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 ...200817532467
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 ...200717697325
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 ...200717786196
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.200717880679
identification of the main malaria vectors in the anopheles gambiae species complex using a taqman real-time pcr assay.the anopheles gambiae sensu lato species complex comprises seven sibling species of mosquitoes that are morphologically indistinguishable. rapid identification of the two main species which vector malaria, anopheles arabiensis and an. gambiae sensu stricto, from the non-vector species anopheles quadriannulatus is often required as part of vector control programmes. currently the most widely used method for species identification is a multiplex pcr protocol that targets species specific differenc ...200718034887
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.200818218148
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 ...200818325105
transmission blocking immunity in the malaria non-vector mosquito anopheles quadriannulatus species a.despite being phylogenetically very close to anopheles gambiae, the major mosquito vector of human malaria in africa, anopheles quadriannulatus is thought to be a non-vector. understanding the difference between vector and non-vector mosquitoes can facilitate development of novel malaria control strategies. we demonstrate that an. quadriannulatus is largely resistant to infections by the human parasite plasmodium falciparum, as well as by the rodent parasite plasmodium berghei. by using genetics ...200818497855
competency of anopheles stephensi mysorensis strain for plasmodium vivax and the role of inhibitory carbohydrates to block its sporogonic cycle.despite the abundance of studies conducted on the role of mosquitoes in malaria transmission, the biology and interaction of plasmodium with its insect host still holds many mysteries. this paper provides the first study to follow the sporogonic cycle of plasmodium vivax in a wild insecticide-resistant mysorensis strain of anopheles stephensi, a major vector of vivax malaria in south-eastern iran. the study subsequently demonstrates that host-parasite sugar binding interactions are critical to t ...200818627630
abundance of immature anopheles and culicines (diptera: culicidae) in different water body types in the urban environment of malindi, kenya.in this study we 1) describe the abundance of anopheles and culicine immatures in different water body types in urban malindi, kenya, 2) compare anopheles immature density in relation to culicine immature density, and 3) identify characteristics that influence the likelihood of water bodies being co-colonized by anopheles and culicines. entomological and environmental cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002 were used in the analysis. a total of 889 anopheles and 7,217 culicine immatur ...200818697313
pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector anopheles arabiensis from gwave, a malaria-endemic area in zimbabwe.insecticide resistance can present a major obstacle to malaria control programmes. following the recent detection of ddt resistance in anopheles arabiensis in gokwe, zimbabwe, the underlying resistance mechanisms in this population were studied.200819038063
the multiplicity of malaria transmission: a review of entomological inoculation rate measurements and methods across sub-saharan africa.plasmodium falciparum malaria is a serious tropical disease that causes more than one million deaths each year, most of them in africa. it is transmitted by a range of anopheles mosquitoes and the risk of disease varies greatly across the continent. the "entomological inoculation rate" is the commonly-used measure of the intensity of malaria transmission, yet the methods used are currently not standardized, nor do they take the ecological, demographic, and socioeconomic differences across popula ...200919166589
inferring selection in the anopheles gambiae species complex: an example from immune-related serine protease inhibitors.mosquitoes of the anopheles gambiae species complex are the primary vectors of human malaria in sub-saharan africa. many host genes have been shown to affect plasmodium development in the mosquito, and so are expected to engage in an evolutionary arms race with the pathogen. however, there is little conclusive evidence that any of these mosquito genes evolve rapidly, or show other signatures of adaptive evolution.200919497100
the role of anopheles merus in malaria transmission in an area of southern mozambique. 200919502697
comparative evaluation of the ifakara tent trap-b, the standardized resting boxes and the human landing catch for sampling malaria vectors and other mosquitoes in urban dar es salaam, tanzania.frequent, sensitive and accurate sampling of anopheles mosquitoes is a prerequisite for effective management of malaria vector control programmes. the most reliable existing means to measure mosquito density is the human landing catch (hlc). however, the hlc technique raises major ethical concerns because of the necessity to expose humans to vectors of malaria and a variety of other pathogens. furthermore, it is a very arduous undertaking that requires intense supervision, which is severely limi ...200919674477
male mating biology.before sterile mass-reared mosquitoes are released in an attempt to control local populations, many facets of male mating biology need to be elucidated. large knowledge gaps exist in how both sexes meet in space and time, the correlation of male size and mating success and in which arenas matings are successful. previous failures in mosquito sterile insect technique (sit) projects have been linked to poor knowledge of local mating behaviours or the selection of deleterious phenotypes during colo ...200919917078
loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp) for rapid identification of anopheles gambiae and anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes.the main malaria vectors of sub-saharan africa, anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and anopheles arabiensis are morphologically indistinguishable, but often occur in sympatry and differ in feeding preference and vector competence. it is important to assess vector species identity for understanding the vectorial system and establishing appropriate vector control measures. the currently available species diagnosis methods for an. gambiae sensu latu require equipment to which public health practitione ...200919996433
distribution of the main malaria vectors in kenya.a detailed knowledge of the distribution of the main anopheles malaria vectors in kenya should guide national vector control strategies. however, contemporary spatial distributions of the locally dominant anopheles vectors including anopheles gambiae, anopheles arabiensis, anopheles merus, anopheles funestus, anopheles pharoensis and anopheles nili are lacking. the methods and approaches used to assemble contemporary available data on the present distribution of the dominant malaria vectors in k ...201020202199
anopheles culicifacies breeding in brackish waters in sri lanka and implications for malaria control.anopheles culicifacies is the major vector of both falciparum and vivax malaria in sri lanka, while anopheles subpictus and certain other species function as secondary vectors. in sri lanka, an. culicifacies is present as a species complex consisting of species b and e, while an. subpictus exists as a complex of species a-d. the freshwater breeding habit of an. culicifacies is well established. in order to further characterize the breeding sites of the major malaria vectors in sri lanka, a limit ...201020409313
high-resolution cytogenetic map for the african malaria vector anopheles gambiae.cytogenetic and physical maps are indispensible for precise assembly of genome sequences, functional characterization of chromosomal regions, and population genetic and taxonomic studies. we have created a new cytogenetic map for anopheles gambiae by using a high-pressure squash technique that increases overall band clarity. to link chromosomal regions to the genome sequence, we attached genome coordinates, based on 302 markers of bacterial artificial chromosome, cdna clones, and pcr-amplified g ...201020609021
spatial heterogeneity and temporal evolution of malaria transmission risk in dakar, senegal, according to remotely sensed environmental data.the united nations forecasts that by 2050, more than 60% of the african population will live in cities. thus, urban malaria is considered an important emerging health problem in that continent. remote sensing (rs) and geographic information systems (gis) are useful tools for addressing the challenge of assessing, understanding and spatially focusing malaria control activities. the objectives of the present study were to use high spatial resolution spot (satellite pour l'observation de la terre) ...201020815867
predators of anopheles gambiae sensu lato (diptera: culicidae) larvae in wetlands, western kenya: confirmation by polymerase chain reaction method.polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to determine whether mosquito predators in wetland habitats feed on anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) larvae. aquatic mosquito predators were collected from six wetlands near lake victoria in mbita, western kenya. this study revealed that the whole positive rate of an. gambiae s.l. from 330 predators was 54.2%. the order of positive rate was the highest in odonata (70.2%), followed by hemiptera (62.8%), amphibia (41.7%), and coleoptera (18%). th ...201020939371
breakpoint structure of the anopheles gambiae 2rb chromosomal inversion.alternative arrangements of chromosome 2 inversions in anopheles gambiae are important sources of population structure, and are associated with adaptation to environmental heterogeneity. the forces responsible for their origin and maintenance are incompletely understood. molecular characterization of inversion breakpoints provides insight into how they arose, and provides the basis for development of molecular karyotyping methods useful in future studies.201020974007
a physical map for an asian malaria mosquito, anopheles stephensi.physical mapping is a useful approach for studying genome organization and evolution as well as for genome sequence assembly. the availability of polytene chromosomes in malaria mosquitoes provides a unique opportunity to develop high-resolution physical maps. we report a 0.6-mb-resolution physical map consisting of 422 dna markers hybridized to 379 chromosomal sites of the anopheles stephensi polytene chromosomes. this makes an. stephensi second only to anopheles gambiae in density of a physica ...201021036831
patterns and seasonality of malaria transmission in the forest-savannah transitional zones of ghana.knowledge of the local pattern of malaria transmission and the effect of season on transmission is essential for the planning and evaluation of malaria interventions. therefore, entomological surveys were carried out in the forest-savannah transitional belt of ghana (kintampo) from november 2003 to november 2005 in preparation for drug and vaccine trials.201021054895
the dominant anopheles vectors of human malaria in africa, europe and the middle east: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis.abstract:201021129198
unexpected anthropophily in the potential secondary malaria vectors anopheles coustani s.l. and anopheles squamosus in macha, zambia.abstract anopheles coustani s.l. and anopheles squamosus are sub-saharan mosquito species that have been implicated in malaria transmission. although generally believed to be of negligible importance due to their overwhelmingly zoophilic behavior, an. coustani s.l. and an. squamosus made up a large proportion of the anophelines collected by human landing catches during the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 rainy seasons in macha, zambia. further, polymerase chain reaction-based blood meal identification s ...201021142969
identification of a fibrinogen-related protein (fbn9) gene in neotropical anopheline mosquitoes.malaria has a devastating impact on worldwide public health in many tropical areas. studies on vector immunity are important for the overall understanding of the parasite-vector interaction and for the design of novel strategies to control malaria. a member of the fibrinogen-related protein family, fbn9, has been well studied in anopheles gambiae and has been shown to be an important component of the mosquito immune system. however, little is known about this gene in neotropical anopheline speci ...201121288344
exceptional diversity, maintenance of polymorphism, and recent directional selection on the apl1 malaria resistance genes of anopheles gambiae.the three-gene apl1 locus encodes essential components of the mosquito immune defense against malaria parasites. apl1 was originally identified because it lies within a mapped qtl conferring the vector mosquito anopheles gambiae natural resistance to the human malaria parasite, plasmodium falciparum, and apl1 genes have subsequently been shown to be involved in defense against several species of plasmodium. here, we examine molecular population genetic variation at the apl1 gene cluster in spati ...201121408087
comparative analyses reveal discrepancies among results of commonly used methods for anopheles gambiae molecular form identification.abstract: background: anopheles gambiae m and s molecular forms, the major malaria vectors in the afro-tropical region, are ongoing a process of ecological diversification and adaptive lineage splitting, which is affecting malaria transmission and vector control strategies in west africa. these two incipient species are defined on the basis of single nucleotide differences in the igs and its regions of multicopy rdna located on the x-chromosome. a number of pcr and pcr-rflp approaches based on f ...201121810255
Comparative susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum of the molecular forms M and S of Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis.The different taxa belonging to Anopheles gambiae complex display phenotypic differences that may impact their contribution to malaria transmission. More specifically, their susceptibility to infection, resulting from a co-evolution between parasite and vector, might be different. The aim of this study was to compare the susceptibility of M and S molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis to infection by Plasmodium falciparum.201121929746
Impact of insecticide-treated bed nets on malaria transmission indices on the south coast of Kenya.ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Besides significantly reducing malaria vector densities, prolonged usage of bed nets has been linked to decline of Anopheles gambiae s.s. relative to Anopheles arabiensis, changes in host feeding preference of malaria vectors, and behavioural shifts to exophagy (outdoor biting) for the two important malaria vectors in Africa, An. gambiae s.l. and Anopheles funestus. In southern coastal Kenya, bed net use was negligible in 1997-1998 when Anopheles funestus and An. gambiae s ...201122165904
global climate change and its potential impact on disease transmission by salinity-tolerant mosquito vectors in coastal zones.global climate change can potentially increase the transmission of mosquito vector-borne diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and dengue in many parts of the world. these predictions are based on the effects of changing temperature, rainfall, and humidity on mosquito breeding and survival, the more rapid development of ingested pathogens in mosquitoes and the more frequent blood feeds at moderately higher ambient temperatures. an expansion of saline and brackish water bodies (water wi ...201222723781
an updated checklist of mosquito species (diptera: culicidae) from madagascar.an updated checklist of 235 mosquito species from madagascar is presented. the number of species has increased considerably compared to previous checklists, particularly the last published in 2003 (178 species). this annotated checklist provides concise information on endemism, taxonomic position, developmental stages, larval habitats, distribution, behavior, and vector-borne diseases potentially transmitted. the 235 species belong to 14 genera: aedeomyia (3 species), aedes (35 species), anophel ...201627101839
biological differences between brackish and fresh water-derived aedes aegypti from two locations in the jaffna peninsula of sri lanka and the implications for arboviral disease transmission.the mainly fresh water arboviral vector aedes aegypti l. (diptera: culicidae) can also undergo pre-imaginal development in brackish water of up to 15 ppt (parts per thousand) salt in coastal areas. we investigated differences in salinity tolerance, egg laying preference, egg hatching and larval development times and resistance to common insecticides in ae. aegypti collected from brackish and fresh water habitats in jaffna, sri lanka. brackish water-derived ae. aegypti were more tolerant of salin ...201425170879
comparative studies on the stenogamous and eurygamous behavior of eight anopheles species of the hyrcanus group (diptera: culicidae) in thailand.establishment of laboratory colony is essential for mosquito-borne-disease research. mating behavior of stenogamous anopheles peditaeniatus and seven eurygamous species (anopheles argyropus, anopheles crawfordi, anopheles nigerrimus, anopheles nitidus, anopheles paraliae (=an. lesteri), anopheles pursati and anopheles sinensis), were investigated and compared in this study. the self-mating success of adult mosquitoes in different size cages at two density resting surface (drs) values, 3.6 and 7. ...201627023618
variations in salinity tolerance of malaria vectors of the anopheles subpictus complex in sri lanka and the implications for malaria transmission.anopheles subpictus sensu lato, a widespread vector of malaria in asia, is reportedly composed of four sibling species a-d based on distinct cytogenetic and morphological characteristics. however an. subpictus species b specimens in sri lanka are termed an. subpictus b/ an. sundaicus because of recent genetic data. differences in salinity tolerance and coastal/inland prevalence of an. subpictus sibling species that were not previously established in sri lanka are presented here.201121702917
larvicidal efficacy of ethiopian ethnomedicinal plant juniperus procera essential oil against afrotropical malaria vector anopheles arabiensis (diptera: culicidae).to screen the essential oil of juniperus procera (j. procera) (cupressaceae) for larvicidal activity against late third instar larvae of anopheles arabiensis (an. arabiensis) patton, the principle malaria vector in ethiopia.025183156
transmission indices and microfilariae prevalence in human population prior to mass drug administration with ivermectin and albendazole in the gomoa district of ghana.the lymphatic filariasis elimination programme in ghana involves annual mass drug administration (mda) of ivermectin and albendazole to persons living in endemic areas. this is repeated annually for 4-6 years to span across the reproductive lifespan of adult worms. in order to stimulate participation of community members in the mda programme, this study was carried out to understand local views on transmission, management and prevention of the disease. the study also presents baseline transmissi ...201526503363
the persistence and ecological impacts of a cyanobacterium genetically engineered to express mosquitocidal bacillus thuringiensis toxins.the cyanobacterium anabaena pcc 7120#11 has been genetically engineered to act as a delivery vehicle for bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis mosquitocidal toxins. to address ecological concerns about releasing this genetically engineered microorganism into the environment for mosquito larva control, the persistence and ecological impacts of pcc 7120#11 was evaluated using multi-species, standardized aquatic microcosms.201627165108
ecophysiology of anopheles gambiae s.l.: persistence in the sahel.the dry-season biology of malaria vectors is poorly understood, especially in arid environments when no surface waters are available for several months, such as during the dry season in the sahel. here we reappraise results on the dry-season physiology of members of the anopheles gambiae s.l. complex in the broad context of dormancy in insects and especially in mosquitoes. we examine evidence on seasonal changes in reproduction, metabolism, stress tolerance, nutrition, molecular regulation, and ...201424933461
key knowledge gaps for plasmodium vivax control and elimination.there is inadequate understanding of the biology, pathology, transmission, and control of plasmodium vivax, the geographically most widespread cause of human malaria. during the last decades, study of this species was neglected, in part due to the erroneous belief that it is intrinsically benign. in addition, many technical challenges in culturing the parasite also hampered understanding its fundamental biology and molecular and cellular responses to chemotherapeutics. research on vivax malaria ...201627430544
diversification of the genus anopheles and a neotropical clade from the late cretaceous.the anopheles genus is a member of the culicidae family and consists of approximately 460 recognized species. the genus is composed of 7 subgenera with diverse geographical distributions. despite its huge medical importance, a consensus has not been reached on the phylogenetic relationships among anopheles subgenera. we assembled a comprehensive dataset comprising the coi, coii and 5.8s rrna genes and used maximum likelihood and bayesian inference to estimate the phylogeny and divergence times o ...201526244561
mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene of anophelines and their association with resistance to pyrethroids - a review.constant and extensive use of chemical insecticides has created a selection pressure and favored resistance development in many insect species worldwide. one of the most important pyrethroid resistance mechanisms is classified as target site insensitivity, due to conformational changes in the target site that impair a proper binding of the insecticide molecule. the voltage-gated sodium channel (nav) is the target of pyrethroids and ddt insecticides, used to control insects of medical, agricultur ...201425292318
susceptibility status of anopheles arabiensis (diptera: culicidae) commonly used as biological materials for evaluations of malaria vector control tools in madagascar.madagascar is a malaria-endemic country with an increase in cases in recent years. in vector control using insecticide, a susceptible strain is necessary to evaluate insecticide efficacy, either for spraying or on nets. the susceptibility of anopheles arabiensis from antananarivo, madagascar to two organophosphate, three pyrethroid, two carbamate, and one organochlorine insecticides was investigated. since 2010, an. arabiensis strain has been maintained away from insecticide source during 110 ge ...201627364163
long non-coding rna discovery across the genus anopheles reveals conserved secondary structures within and beyond the gambiae complex.long non-coding rnas (lncrnas) have been defined as mrna-like transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that lack significant protein-coding potential, and many of them constitute scaffolds for ribonucleoprotein complexes with critical roles in epigenetic regulation. various lncrnas have been implicated in the modulation of chromatin structure, transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation, and regulation of genomic stability in mammals, caenorhabditis elegans, and drosophila melanogast ...201525903279
the vector population monitoring tool (vpmt): high-throughput dna-based diagnostics for the monitoring of mosquito vector populations.regular monitoring of mosquito vector populations is an integral component of most vector control programmes. contemporary data on mosquito species composition, infection status, and resistance to insecticides are a prerequisite for effective intervention. for this purpose we, with funding from the innovative vector control consortium (ivcc), have developed a suite of high-throughput assays based on a single "closed-tube" platform that collectively comprise the "vector population monitoring tool ...201022347668
field study site selection, species abundance and monthly distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in the northern kruger national park, south africa.knowledge of the ecology and behaviour of a target species is a prerequisite for the successful development of any vector control strategy. before the implementation of any strategy it is essential to have comprehensive information on the bionomics of species in the targeted area. the aims of this study were to conduct regular entomological surveillance and to determine the relative abundance of anopheline species in the northern kruger national park. in addition to this, the impact of weather c ...201424460920
an analysis of two island groups as potential sites for trials of transgenic mosquitoes for malaria control.considerable technological advances have been made towards the generation of genetically modified mosquitoes for vector control. in contrast, less progress has been made towards field evaluations of transformed mosquitoes which are critical for evaluating the success of, and hazards associated with, genetic modification. oceanic islands have been highlighted as potentially the best locations for such trials. however, population genetic studies are necessary to verify isolation. here, we used a p ...201323789035
mario coluzzi (1938-2012). 201424498979
multigene phylogenetics reveals temporal diversification of major african malaria vectors.the major vectors of malaria in sub-saharan africa belong to subgenus cellia. yet, phylogenetic relationships and temporal diversification among african mosquito species have not been unambiguously determined. knowledge about vector evolutionary history is crucial for correct interpretation of genetic changes identified through comparative genomics analyses. in this study, we estimated a molecular phylogeny using 49 gene sequences for the african malaria vectors an. gambiae, an. funestus, an. ni ...201424705448
efficient method for establishing f1 progeny from wild populations of anopheles mosquitoes.the changing malaria situation in madagascar requires additional knowledge on the physiology and behaviour of local mosquito vectors. however, the absence of established colonies for several anopheline species present in madagascar constitutes a limiting factor. to avoid labour intensive work and uncertainty for success of establishing anopheles colonies from malagasy species, field collections of blood-fed females and in-tube forced oviposition were combined to reliably produce large numbers of ...201728069024
malaria case in madagascar, probable implication of a new vector, anopheles coustani.indoor spraying of insecticides and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets are key strategies for national malaria vector control in the central highlands of madagascar. during the year 2013, malaria outbreaks were reported by the national malaria control programme in the highlands, including the district of ankazobe.201526620552
new insights into the population structure of anopheles gambiae s.s. in the gulf of guinea islands revealed by herves transposable elements.transposable elements (tes) are mobile portions of dna that are able to replicate and spread in the genome of many organisms. tes can be used as a means to insert transgenes in insects, being stably inherited throughout generations. anopheles gambiae is the main vector of human malaria in sub-saharan africa. given the extraordinary burden this disease imposes, the mosquito became a choice target for genetic control approaches with the purpose of reducing malaria transmission. in this study, we i ...201323638171
survey of the mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) of mayotte.a transversal survey of immature mosquitoes was conducted on mayotte island (france) in the comoros archipelago, western indian ocean, with the aim to inventory the culicidae and to document inter-species relationships in different habitats. in total 420 habitats were sampled for larvae and/or pupae mosquitoes, resulting in more than 6,000 specimens. forty species belonging to 15 genera were collected, with eight taxa integrated for the first time to the mayotte mosquito list. the most frequentl ...201425004163
radical remodeling of the y chromosome in a recent radiation of malaria mosquitoes.y chromosomes control essential male functions in many species, including sex determination and fertility. however, because of obstacles posed by repeat-rich heterochromatin, knowledge of y chromosome sequences is limited to a handful of model organisms, constraining our understanding of y biology across the tree of life. here, we leverage long single-molecule sequencing to determine the content and structure of the nonrecombining y chromosome of the primary african malaria mosquito, anopheles g ...201627035980
reticulate speciation and barriers to introgression in the anopheles gambiae species complex.speciation as a process remains a central focus of evolutionary biology, but our understanding of the genomic architecture and prevalence of speciation in the face of gene flow remains incomplete. the anopheles gambiae species complex of malaria mosquitoes is a radiation of ecologically diverse taxa. this complex is well-suited for testing for evidence of a speciation continuum and genomic barriers to introgression because its members exhibit partially overlapping geographic distributions as wel ...201526615027
remarkable diversity of intron-1 of the para voltage-gated sodium channel gene in an anopheles gambiae/anopheles coluzzii hybrid zone.genomic differentiation between anopheles gambiae and anopheles coluzzii--the major malaria vectors in sub-saharan africa--is localized into large "islands" toward the centromeres of chromosome-x and the two autosomes. linkage disequilibrium between these genomic islands was first detected between species-specific polymorphisms within ribosomal dna genes (igs-rdna) on the x-chromosome and a single variant at position 702 of intron 1 (int-1702) of the para voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene ...201525604888
population genetics of anopheles coluzzii immune pathways and genes.natural selection is expected to drive adaptive evolution in genes involved in host-pathogen interactions. in this study, we use molecular population genetic analyses to understand how natural selection operates on the immune system of anopheles coluzzii (formerly a. gambiae "m form"). we analyzed patterns of intraspecific and interspecific genetic variation in 20 immune-related genes and 17 nonimmune genes from a wild population of a. coluzzii and asked if patterns of genetic variation in the i ...201425552603
mosquito genomics. extensive introgression in a malaria vector species complex revealed by phylogenomics.introgressive hybridization is now recognized as a widespread phenomenon, but its role in evolution remains contested. here, we use newly available reference genome assemblies to investigate phylogenetic relationships and introgression in a medically important group of afrotropical mosquito sibling species. we have identified the correct species branching order to resolve a contentious phylogeny and show that lineages leading to the principal vectors of human malaria were among the first to spli ...201425431491
dose and developmental responses of anopheles merus larvae to salinity.saltwater tolerance is a trait that carries both ecological and epidemiological significance for anopheles mosquitoes that transmit human malaria, as it plays a key role in determining their habitat use and ecological distribution, and thus their local contribution to malaria transmission. here, we lay the groundwork for genetic dissection of this trait by quantifying saltwater tolerance in three closely related cryptic species and malaria vectors from the afrotropical anopheles gambiae complex ...023966587
a review of new challenges and prospects for malaria elimination in mutare and mutasa districts, zimbabwe.this review outlines and discusses the new challenges in malaria control and prospects for its elimination in mutare and mutasa districts, zimbabwe. the burden of malaria has declined significantly over the past 5 years in most regions in zimbabwe, including mutare and mutasa districts. the nationwide malaria reduction has been primarily linked to scaled-up vector control interventions and early diagnosis and treatment with effective anti-malarial medicines. the successes recorded have prompted ...201627411705
implications of low-density microfilariae carriers in anopheles transmission areas: molecular forms of anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus populations in perspective.previous studies have shown a general reduction in annual transmission potential (atp) of anopheles species after mass drug administration (mda) in lymphatic filariasis endemic communities. whereas results obtained from a monitoring programme after three years of mda revealed a decrease in atp of anopheles funestus this was not the same for an. gambiae s.s. in ghana. in this study, the ability of these vectors in transmitting wuchereria bancrofti in nine lymphatic filariasis endemic communities ...201424690378
change in composition of the anopheles gambiae complex and its possible implications for the transmission of malaria and lymphatic filariasis in north-eastern tanzania.a dramatic decline in the incidence of malaria due to plasmodium falciparum infection in coastal east africa has recently been reported to be paralleled (or even preceded) by an equally dramatic decline in malaria vector density, despite absence of organized vector control. as part of investigations into possible causes for the change in vector population density, the present study analysed the anopheles gambiae s.l. sibling species composition in north-eastern tanzania.201222681999
shifts in malaria vector species composition and transmission dynamics along the kenyan coast over the past 20 years.over the past 20 years, numerous studies have investigated the ecology and behaviour of malaria vectors and plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission on the coast of kenya. substantial progress has been made to control vector populations and reduce high malaria prevalence and severe disease. the goal of this paper was to examine trends over the past 20 years in anopheles species composition, density, blood-feeding behaviour, and p. falciparum sporozoite transmission along the coast of kenya.201323297732
sampling host-seeking anthropophilic mosquito vectors in west africa: comparisons of an active human-baited tent-trap against gold standard methods.in this study, we characterize the ability of the previously described infoscitex tent (ist) to capture mosquitoes in comparison to either the centers for disease control light trap hung next to individuals under a bed net (ltc) or to human landing catches (hlc). in senegal, the ist caught 6.14 times the number of anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.), and 8.78 times the culex group v mosquitoes as ltc. in one of two locations in burkina faso, the ist caught an. gambiae at a rate not significantly ...201425422393
wind direction and proximity to larval sites determines malaria risk in kilifi district in kenya.studies of the fine-scale spatial epidemiology of malaria consistently identify malaria hotspots, comprising clusters of homesteads at high transmission intensity. these hotspots sustain transmission, and may be targeted by malaria-control programmes. here we describe the spatial relationship between the location of anopheles larval sites and human malaria infection in a cohort study of 642 children, aged 1-10-years-old. our data suggest that proximity to larval sites predict human malaria infec ...201222334077
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