| challenges in malaria research: core science and innovation. | | 2014 | 25252873 |
| insecticide-treated net wall hangings for malaria vector control: an experimental hut study in north-eastern tanzania. | alternative long-lasting, practical and effective tools for applying insecticides on home walls against malaria vectors need to be developed. the use of wall hangings made from netting on interior walls for aesthetic purposes is a common practice in rural communities. insecticide-treated net wall hangings can be produced in a long-lasting format and used in an approach that simulates indoor residual spraying (irs). | 2014 | 25231168 |
| evaluation of universal coverage of insecticide-treated nets in western kenya: field surveys. | mass distribution of insecticide-treated nets (itns) is a cost-effective way to achieve universal coverage, but maintaining this coverage is more difficult. in addition to commonly used indicators, evaluation of universal coverage should include coverage of effective nets and changes in coverage over time. | 2014 | 25187326 |
| molecular characterization of ddt resistance in anopheles gambiae from benin. | insecticide resistance in the mosquito vector is the one of the main obstacles against effective malaria control. in order to implement insecticide resistance management strategies, it is important to understand the genetic factors involved. in this context, we investigated the molecular basis of ddt resistance in the main malaria vector from benin. | 2014 | 25175167 |
| functional specialization among members of knickkopf family of proteins in insect cuticle organization. | our recent study on the functional analysis of the knickkopf protein from t. castaneum (tcknk), indicated a novel role for this protein in protection of chitin from degradation by chitinases. knk is also required for the laminar organization of chitin in the procuticle. during a bioinformatics search using this protein sequence as the query, we discovered the existence of a small family of three knk-like genes (including the prototypical tcknk) in the t. castaneum genome as well as in all insect ... | 2014 | 25144557 |
| persistently high estimates of late night, indoor exposure to malaria vectors despite high coverage of insecticide treated nets. | it has been speculated that widespread and sustained use of insecticide treated bed nets (itns) for over 10 years in asembo, western kenya, may have selected for changes in the location (indoor versus outdoor) and time (from late night to earlier in the evening) of biting of the predominant species of human malaria vectors (anopheles funestus, anopheles gambiae sensu stricto, and anopheles arabiensis). | 2014 | 25141761 |
| preventive effect of permethrin-impregnated long-lasting insecticidal nets on the blood feeding of three major pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors in western kenya. | since the world health organization (who) adopted the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) as a principal strategy for effective malaria prevention and control, pyrethroids have been the only class of insecticides used for llins. the dramatic success of insecticide-treated nets (itns) and llins in african countries, however, has been threatened by the rapid development of pyrethroid resistance in vector mosquitoes. itns and llins are still used as effective self-protection measures, but ... | 2014 | 25141947 |
| evaluation of textile substrates for dispensing synthetic attractants for malaria mosquitoes. | the full-scale impact of odour-baited technology on the surveillance, sampling and control of vectors of infectious diseases is partly limited by the lack of methods for the efficient and sustainable dispensing of attractants. in this study we investigated whether locally-available and commonly used textiles are efficient substrates for the release of synthetic odorant blends attracting malaria mosquitoes. | 2014 | 25129505 |
| human exposure to early morning anopheles funestus biting behavior and personal protection provided by long-lasting insecticidal nets. | a shift towards early morning biting behavior of the major malaria vector anopheles funestus have been observed in two villages in south benin following distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins), but the impact of these changes on the personal protection efficacy of llins was not evaluated. data from human and an. funestus behavioral surveys were used to measure the human exposure to an. funestus bites through previously described mathematical models. we estimated the personal prote ... | 2014 | 25115830 |
| adherence to artemether-lumefantrine drug combination: a rural community experience six years after change of malaria treatment policy in tanzania. | adherence to multidosing is challenging worldwide. this study assessed the extent of adherence to multidosing artemether-lumefantrine (alu) in a rural community in tanzania, six years after switching from single dose policy of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine. | 2014 | 25011682 |
| activity of ocimum basilicum, ocimum canum, and cymbopogon citratus essential oils against plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of anopheles funestus s.s. | the biological activities of essential oils from three plants grown in cameroon: ocimum basilicum, ocimum canum, and cymbopogon citratus were tested against plasmodium falciparum and mature-stage larvae of anopheles funestus. gas chromatography and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry analyses showed that the main compounds are geranial, 1,8-cineole and linalool in c. citratus, o. canum and o. basilicum, respectively. larvicidal tests carried out according to the protocol recommended by the wo ... | 2014 | 24995776 |
| cutprotfam-pred: detection and classification of putative structural cuticular proteins from sequence alone, based on profile hidden markov models. | the arthropod cuticle is a composite, bipartite system, made of chitin filaments embedded in a proteinaceous matrix. the physical properties of cuticle are determined by the structure and the interactions of its two major components, cuticular proteins (cps) and chitin. the proteinaceous matrix consists mainly of structural cuticular proteins. the majority of the structural proteins that have been described to date belong to the cpr family, and they are identified by the conserved r&r region (reb ... | 2014 | 24978609 |
| underpinning sustainable vector control through informed insecticide resistance management. | there has been rapid scale-up of malaria vector control in the last ten years. both of the primary control strategies, long-lasting pyrethroid treated nets and indoor residual spraying, rely on the use of a limited number of insecticides. insecticide resistance, as measured by bioassay, has rapidly increased in prevalence and has come to the forefront as an issue that needs to be addressed to maintain the sustainability of malaria control and the drive to elimination. zambia's programme reported ... | 2014 | 24932861 |
| ecological niche and potential distribution of anopheles arabiensis in africa in 2050. | the future distribution of malaria in africa is likely to be much more dependent on environmental conditions than the current distribution due to the effectiveness of indoor and therapeutic anti-malarial interventions, such as insecticide-treated nets (itns), indoor residual spraying for mosquitoes (irs), artemisinin-combination therapy (act), and intermittent presumptive treatment (ipt). future malaria epidemiology is therefore expected to be increasingly dominated by anopheles arabiensis, whic ... | 2014 | 24888886 |
| how the malaria vector anopheles gambiae adapts to the use of insecticide-treated nets by african populations. | insecticide treated bed nets have been recommended and proven efficient as a measure to protect african populations from malaria mosquito vector anopheles spp. this study evaluates the consequences of bed nets use on vectors resistance to insecticides, their feeding behavior and malaria transmission in dielmo village, senegal, were llins were offered to all villagers in july 2008. | 2014 | 24892677 |
| ex vivo anti-malarial drugs sensitivity profile of plasmodium falciparum field isolates from burkina faso five years after the national policy change. | the recent reports on the decreasing susceptibility of plasmodium falciparum to artemisinin derivatives along the thailand and myanmar border are worrying. indeed it may spread to india and then africa, repeating the same pattern observed for chloroquine resistance. therefore, it is essential to start monitoring p. falciparum sensitivity to artemisinin derivatives and its partner drugs in africa. efficacy of al and asaq were tested by carrying out an in vivo drug efficacy test, with an ex vivo s ... | 2014 | 24885950 |
| genetic polymorphism at an odorant receptor gene (or39) among mosquitoes of the anopheles gambiae complex in senegal (west africa). | olfaction plays a significant role in insect behavior during critical steps of their life-cycle, such as host-seeking during foraging or the search for a mate. here, we explored genetic polymorphism within and divergence between sibling species of the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae sensu lato in the gene sequence and encoded peptides of an odorant receptor, or39. this study included sympatric specimens of an. gambiae sensu stricto, an. coluzzii and an. arabiensis sampled together in ... | 2014 | 24886539 |
| molecular and functional characterization of anopheles gambiae inward rectifier potassium (kir1) channels: a novel role in egg production. | inward rectifier potassium (kir) channels play essential roles in regulating diverse physiological processes. although kir channels are encoded in mosquito genomes, their functions remain largely unknown. in this study, we identified the members of the anopheles gambiae kir gene family and began to investigate their function. notably, we sequenced the a. gambiae kir1 (agkir1) gene and showed that it encodes all the canonical features of a kir channel: an ion pore that is composed of a pore helix ... | 2014 | 24855023 |
| rnai-mediated knockdown of serine protease inhibitor genes increases the mortality of plutella xylostella challenged by destruxin a. | destruxin a is a mycotoxin that is secreted by entomopathogenic fungi which has a broad-spectrum insecticidal effect. previous transcript and protein profiling analysis showed that destruxin a has significant effects on the expression of serine protease inhibitor genes (serpin-2, 4, 5) in the larvae of plutella xylostella. in the current study, we aimed to understand the role of serpins under application of destruxin a. we obtained two full-length cdna sequences of p. xylostella serpins, named s ... | 2014 | 24837592 |
| community knowledge and acceptance of larviciding for malaria control in a rural district of east-central tanzania. | the use of microbial larvicides, a form of larval source management, is a less commonly used malaria control intervention that nonetheless has significant potential as a component of an integrated vector management strategy. we evaluated community acceptability of larviciding in a rural district in east-central tanzania using data from 962 household surveys, 12 focus group discussions, and 24 in-depth interviews. most survey respondents trusted in the safety (73.1%) and efficacy of larviciding, ... | 2014 | 24830448 |
| acceptance of illness and satisfaction with life among malaria patients in rivers state, nigeria. | health condition is one of the basic factors affecting satisfaction with life, and the level of illness acceptance. the purpose of the study was to analyse the level of illness acceptance, the level of satisfaction with life among malaria patients, and the level of trust placed in the physician and the nurse. | 2014 | 24885562 |
| insecticidal and repellent activities of pyrethroids to the three major pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors in western kenya. | the dramatic success of insecticide treated nets (itns) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) in african countries has been countered by the rapid development of pyrethroid resistance in vector mosquitoes over the past decade. one advantage of the use of pyrethroids in itns is their excito-repellency. use of the excito-repellency of pyrethroids might be biorational, since such repellency will not induce or delay the development of any physiological resistance. however, little is known about ... | 2014 | 24885499 |
| effective autodissemination of pyriproxyfen to breeding sites by the exophilic malaria vector anopheles arabiensis in semi-field settings in tanzania. | malaria vector control strategies that target adult female mosquitoes are challenged by the emergence of insecticide resistance and behavioural resilience. conventional larviciding is restricted by high operational costs and inadequate knowledge of mosquito-breeding habitats in rural settings that might be overcome by the juvenile hormone analogue, pyriproxyfen (ppf). this study assessed the potential for anopheles arabiensis to pick up and transfer lethal doses of ppf from contamination sites t ... | 2014 | 24779515 |
| molasses as a source of carbon dioxide for attracting the malaria mosquitoes anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus. | most odour baits for haematophagous arthropods contain carbon dioxide (co2). the co2 is sourced artificially from the fermentation of refined sugar (sucrose), dry ice, pressurized gas cylinders or propane. these sources of co2 are neither cost-effective nor sustainable for use in remote areas of sub-saharan africa. in this study, molasses was evaluated as a potential substrate for producing co2 used as bait for malaria mosquitoes. | 2014 | 24767543 |
| high burden of malaria following scale-up of control interventions in nchelenge district, luapula province, zambia. | malaria control interventions have been scaled-up in zambia in conjunction with a malaria surveillance system. although substantial progress has been achieved in reducing morbidity and mortality, national and local information demonstrated marked heterogeneity in the impact of malaria control across the country. this study reports the high burden of malaria in nchelenge district, luapula province, zambia from 2006 to 2012 after seven years of control measures. | 2014 | 24755108 |
| an environmental data set for vector-borne disease modeling and epidemiology. | understanding the environmental conditions of disease transmission is important in the study of vector-borne diseases. low- and middle-income countries bear a significant portion of the disease burden; but data about weather conditions in those countries can be sparse and difficult to reconstruct. here, we describe methods to assemble high-resolution gridded time series data sets of air temperature, relative humidity, land temperature, and rainfall for such areas; and we test these methods on th ... | 2014 | 24755954 |
| central projections of gustatory receptor neurons in the medial and the lateral sensilla styloconica of helicoverpa armigera larvae. | food selection behavior of lepidopteran larvae is predominantly governed by the activation of taste neurons present in two sensilla styloconica located on the galea of the maxilla. in this study, we present the ultrastructure of the sensilla styloconica and the central projection pattern of their associated receptor neurons in larvae of the heliothine moth, helicoverpa armigera. by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the previous findings of two morphologically fairly sim ... | 2014 | 24740428 |
| blood feeding induces hemocyte proliferation and activation in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae giles. | malaria is a global public health problem, especially in sub-saharan africa, where the mosquito anopheles gambiae giles serves as the major vector for the protozoan plasmodium falciparum welch. one determinant of malaria vector competence is the mosquito's immune system. hemocytes are a critical component as they produce soluble immune factors that either support or prevent malaria parasite development. however, despite their importance in vector competence, understanding of their basic biology ... | 2013 | 24363411 |
| cuticular differences associated with aridity acclimation in african malaria vectors carrying alternative arrangements of inversion 2la. | principal malaria vectors in africa, an. gambiae and an. coluzzii, share an inversion polymorphism on the left arm of chromosome 2 (2la/2l+a) that is distributed non-randomly in the environment. genomic sequencing studies support the role of strong natural selection in maintaining steep clines in 2la inversion frequency along environmental gradients of aridity, and physiological studies have directly implicated 2la in heat and desiccation tolerance, but the precise genetic basis and the underlyi ... | 2014 | 24721548 |
| comparative susceptibility to permethrin of two anopheles gambiae s.l. populations from southern benin, regarding mosquito sex, physiological status, and mosquito age. | to investigate what kind of mosquito sample is necessary for the determination of insecticide susceptibility in malaria vectors. | 0 | 25182557 |
| monitoring, characterization and control of chronic, symptomatic malaria infections in rural zambia through monthly household visits by paid community health workers. | active, population-wide mass screening and treatment (msat) for chronic plasmodium falciparum carriage to eliminate infectious reservoirs of malaria transmission have proven difficult to apply on large national scales through trained clinicians from central health authorities. | 2014 | 24678631 |
| estimating the annual entomological inoculation rate for plasmodium falciparum transmitted by anopheles gambiae s.l. using three sampling methods in three sites in uganda. | the plasmodium falciparum entomological inoculation rate (pfeir) is a measure of exposure to infectious mosquitoes. it is usually interpreted as the number of p. falciparum infective bites received by an individual during a season or annually (apfeir). in an area of perennial transmission, the accuracy, precision and seasonal distribution (i.e., month by month) of apfeir were investigated. data were drawn from three sites in uganda with differing levels of transmission where falciparum malaria i ... | 2014 | 24656206 |
| transmission of malaria in relation to distribution and coverage of long-lasting insecticidal nets in central côte d'ivoire. | the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) is an effective malaria control strategy. however, there are challenges to achieve high coverage, such as distribution sustainability, and coverage keep-up. this study assessed the effect of llins coverage and contextual factors on entomological indicators of malaria in rural côte d'ivoire. | 2014 | 24645751 |
| comparative analysis of response to selection with three insecticides in the dengue mosquito aedes aegypti using mrna sequencing. | mosquito control programmes using chemical insecticides are increasingly threatened by the development of resistance. such resistance can be the consequence of changes in proteins targeted by insecticides (target site mediated resistance), increased insecticide biodegradation (metabolic resistance), altered transport, sequestration or other mechanisms. as opposed to target site resistance, other mechanisms are far from being fully understood. indeed, insecticide selection often affects a large n ... | 2014 | 24593293 |
| preserving pyrethroids. | | 0 | 24700973 |
| multimodal integration of carbon dioxide and other sensory cues drives mosquito attraction to humans. | multiple sensory cues emanating from humans are thought to guide blood-feeding female mosquitoes to a host. to determine the relative contribution of carbon dioxide (co2) detection to mosquito host-seeking behavior, we mutated the aaeggr3 gene, a subunit of the heteromeric co2 receptor in aedes aegypti mosquitoes. gr3 mutants lack electrophysiological and behavioral responses to co2. these mutants also fail to show co2-evoked responses to heat and lactic acid, a human-derived attractant, suggest ... | 0 | 24581501 |
| insecticide resistance comes of age. | a new study integrates biochemistry, genetics and structural biology to reveal the mechanism of metabolic resistance in a vector mosquito in unprecedented detail. | 2014 | 25001377 |
| a single mutation in the gste2 gene allows tracking of metabolically based insecticide resistance in a major malaria vector. | metabolic resistance to insecticides is the biggest threat to the continued effectiveness of malaria vector control. however, its underlying molecular basis, crucial for successful resistance management, remains poorly characterized. | 2014 | 24565444 |
| an online tool for mapping insecticide resistance in major anopheles vectors of human malaria parasites and review of resistance status for the afrotropical region. | malaria control programmes across africa and beyond are facing increasing insecticide resistance in the major anopheline vectors. in order to preserve or prolong the effectiveness of the main malaria vector interventions, up-to-date and easily accessible insecticide resistance data that are interpretable at operationally-relevant scales are critical. herein we introduce and demonstrate the usefulness of an online mapping tool, ir mapper. | 2014 | 24559061 |
| is housing quality associated with malaria incidence among young children and mosquito vector numbers? evidence from korogwe, tanzania. | several studies conducted in northeast tanzania have documented declines in malaria transmission even before interventions were scaled up. one explanation for these reductions may be the changes in socio-environmental conditions associated with economic development, and in particular improvements in housing construction. | 2014 | 24505285 |
| synergist bioassays: a simple method for initial metabolic resistance investigation of field anopheles gambiae s.l. populations. | metabolic resistance and the potential role of permeability-glycoprotein (p-gp) efflux pumps were investigated in a pyrethroid-resistant wild anopheles gambiae s.l. tiassalé population, using who susceptibility assays with deltamethrin (0.05%), with and without pre-exposure to synergists. the synergists used included an inhibitor of p-glycoprotein efflux pumps (verapamil), an inhibitor of esterases (en 16-5), and an inhibitor of p450s and esterases (piperonyl butoxide). pre-exposure to verapamil ... | 2013 | 24191946 |
| long-lasting control of anopheles arabiensis by a single spray application of micro-encapsulated pirimiphos-methyl (actellic® 300 cs). | pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes are an increasing threat to malaria vector control. the global plan for insecticide resistance management (gpirm) recommends rotation of non-pyrethroid insecticides for indoor residual spraying (irs). the options from other classes are limited. the carbamate bendiocarb and the organophosphate pirimiphos-methyl (p-methyl) emulsifiable concentrate (ec) have a short residual duration of action, resulting in increased costs due to multiple spray cycles, and user fatig ... | 2014 | 24476070 |
| push by a net, pull by a cow: can zooprophylaxis enhance the impact of insecticide treated bed nets on malaria control? | mass insecticide treated bed net (itn) deployment, and its associated coverage of populations at risk, had "pushed" a decline in malaria transmission. however, it is unknown whether malaria control is being enhanced by zooprophylaxis, i.e., mosquitoes diverted to feed on hosts different from humans, a phenomenon that could further reduce malaria entomological transmission risk in areas where livestock herding is common. | 2014 | 24472517 |
| insecticide resistance mechanisms associated with different environments in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae: a case study in tanzania. | resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides is a growing concern in africa. since only a few insecticides are used for public health and limited development of new molecules is expected in the next decade, maintaining the efficacy of control programmes mostly relies on resistance management strategies. developing such strategies requires a deep understanding of factors influencing resistance together with characterizing the mechanisms involved. among factors likely to influence insecticide resistan ... | 2014 | 24460952 |
| control of malaria and other vector-borne protozoan diseases in the tropics: enduring challenges despite considerable progress and achievements. | vector-borne protozoan diseases represent a serious public health challenge, especially in the tropics where poverty together with vector-favorable climates are the aggravating factors. each of the various strategies currently employed to face these scourges is seriously inadequate. despite enormous efforts, vaccines-which represent the ideal weapon against these parasitic diseases-are yet to be sufficiently developed and implemented. chemotherapy and vector control are therefore the sole effect ... | 2014 | 24401663 |
| assessing the optimal virulence of malaria-targeting mosquito pathogens: a mathematical study of engineered metarhizium anisopliae. | metarhizium anisopliae is a naturally occurring fungal pathogen of mosquitoes. recently, metarhizium has been engineered to act against malaria by directly killing the disease agent within mosquito vectors and also effectively blocking onward transmission. it has been proposed that efforts should be made to minimize the virulence of the fungal pathogen, in order to slow the development of resistant mosquitoes following an actual deployment. | 2014 | 24397503 |
| needs for monitoring mosquito transmission of malaria in a pre-elimination world. | as global efforts to eliminate malaria intensify, accurate information on vector populations and transmission dynamics is critical for directing control efforts, developing new control tools, and predicting the effects of these interventions under various conditions. currently available sampling tools for mosquito population monitoring suffer from well-recognized limitations. as reported in this workshop summary, a recent gathering of medical entomologists, modelers, and malaria experts reviewed ... | 2013 | 24277786 |
| 2d and 3d chromosome painting in malaria mosquitoes. | fluorescent in situ hybridization (fish) of whole arm chromosome probes is a robust technique for mapping genomic regions of interest, detecting chromosomal rearrangements, and studying three-dimensional (3d) organization of chromosomes in the cell nucleus. the advent of laser capture microdissection (lcm) and whole genome amplification (wga) allows obtaining large quantities of dna from single cells. the increased sensitivity of wga kits prompted us to develop chromosome paints and to use them ... | 2014 | 24429496 |
| clinical signs and symptoms cannot reliably predict plasmodium falciparum malaria infection in pregnant women living in an area of high seasonal transmission. | malaria in pregnancy is a major public health problem in endemic countries. though the signs and symptoms of malaria among pregnant women have been already described, clinical presentation may vary according to intensity of transmission and local perceptions. therefore, determining common signs and symptoms among pregnant women with a malaria infection may be extremely useful to identify those in need of further investigation by rapid diagnostic test or microscopy. | 2013 | 24373481 |
| selection for chloroquine-sensitive plasmodium falciparum by wild anopheles arabiensis in southern zambia. | the emergence of parasite drug resistance, especially plasmodium falciparum, persists as a major obstacle for malaria control and elimination. to develop effective public health containment strategies, a clear understanding of factors that govern the emergence and spread of resistant parasites in the field is important. the current study documents selection for chloroquine-sensitive malaria parasites by wild anopheles arabiensis in southern zambia. | 2013 | 24354640 |
| amodiaquine-artesunate versus artemether-lumefantrine against uncomplicated malaria in children less than 14 years in ngaoundere, north cameroon: efficacy, safety, and baseline drug resistant mutations in pfcrt, pfmdr1, and pfdhfr genes. | background. in cameroon, both artesunate-amodiaquine (as/aq) and artemether-lumefantrine (al) are used as first-line treatment against uncomplicated malaria in line with the who recommendations. we compared the efficacy and safety of both therapeutic combinations and determined the prevalence of drug resistance conferring mutations in three parasite genes. methods. one hundred and fifty acute malaria patients between six months and 14 years of age were randomized to receive standard doses of eit ... | 2013 | 24455414 |
| biting patterns and seasonality of anopheles gambiae sensu lato and anopheles funestus mosquitoes in kamuli district, uganda. | we investigated the biting patterns and seasonal abundances of anopheles gambiae s.l. and an. funestus mosquitoes in kamuli district, uganda. | 2013 | 24304974 |
| habitat hydrology and geomorphology control the distribution of malaria vector larvae in rural africa. | larval source management is a promising component of integrated malaria control and elimination. this requires development of a framework to target productive locations through process-based understanding of habitat hydrology and geomorphology. | 2013 | 24312606 |
| regulation of insect behavior via the insulin-signaling pathway. | the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (iis) pathway is well-established as a critical regulator of growth and metabolic homeostasis across the animal kingdom. insulin-like peptides (ilps), the functional analogs of mammalian insulin, were initially discovered in the silkmoth bombyx mori and subsequently identified in many other insect species. initial research focused on the role of insulin signaling in metabolism, cell proliferation, development, reproduction and aging. more recently ... | 2013 | 24348428 |
| the changing burden of malaria and association with vector control interventions in zambia using district-level surveillance data, 2006-2011. | malaria control was strengthened in zambia over the past decade. the two primary interventions for vector control are indoor residual spraying (irs) and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (llins). using passive malaria surveillance data collected from 2006 to 2011 through the zambian district health information system, the associations between increased coverage with llins and irs and the burden of malaria in zambia were evaluated. | 2013 | 24289177 |
| reduced prevalence of malaria infection in children living in houses with window screening or closed eaves on bioko island, equatorial guinea. | previous studies demonstrated that fewer mosquitoes enter houses which are screened or have closed eaves. there is little evidence about the effect on malaria infection in humans that changes in house construction may have. this study examines the impact of protective housing improvements on malaria infection on bioko island. | 2013 | 24236191 |
| dynamics of malaria transmission and susceptibility to clinical malaria episodes following treatment of plasmodium falciparum asymptomatic carriers: results of a cluster-randomized study of community-wide screening and treatment, and a parallel entomology study. | in malaria-endemic countries, large proportions of individuals infected with plasmodium falciparum are asymptomatic and constitute a reservoir of parasites for infection of newly hatched mosquitoes. | 2013 | 24215306 |
| elevated dry-season malaria prevalence associated with fine-scale spatial patterns of environmental risk: a case-control study of children in rural malawi. | understanding the role of local environmental risk factors for malaria in holo-endemic, poverty-stricken settings will be critical to more effectively implement- interventions aimed at eventual elimination. household-level environmental drivers of malaria risk during the dry season were investigated in rural southern malawi among children < five years old in two neighbouring rural traditional authority (ta) regions dominated by small-scale agriculture. | 2013 | 24206777 |
| epidemiology of malaria in an area of seasonal transmission in niger and implications for the design of a seasonal malaria chemoprevention strategy. | few data are available about malaria epidemiological situation in niger. however, implementation of new strategies such as vaccination or seasonal treatment of a target population requires the knowledge of baseline epidemiological features of malaria. a population-based study was conducted to provide better characterization of malaria seasonal variations and population groups the most at risk in this particular area. | 2013 | 24172107 |
| temporal and micro-spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of anopheles vectors of malaria along the kenyan coast. | the distribution of anopheline mosquitoes is determined by temporally dynamic environmental and human-associated variables, operating over a range of spatial scales. macro-spatial short-term trends are driven predominantly by prior (lagged) seasonal changes in climate, which regulate the abundance of suitable aquatic larval habitats. micro-spatial distribution is determined by the location of these habitats, proximity and abundance of available human bloodmeals and prevailing micro-climatic cond ... | 2013 | 24330615 |
| the efficacy of long-lasting nets with declining physical integrity may be compromised in areas with high levels of pyrethroid resistance. | long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets (llins) are a primary malaria prevention strategy in sub-saharan africa. however, emergence of insecticide resistance threatens the effectiveness of llins. | 2013 | 24156715 |
| reliability of school surveys in estimating geographic variation in malaria transmission in the western kenyan highlands. | school surveys provide an operational approach to assess malaria transmission through parasite prevalence. there is limited evidence on the comparability of prevalence estimates obtained from school and community surveys carried out at the same locality. | 2013 | 24143250 |
| projected impacts of climate change on environmental suitability for malaria transmission in west africa. | climate change is expected to affect the distribution of environmental suitability for malaria transmission by altering temperature and rainfall patterns; however, the local and global impacts of climate change on malaria transmission are uncertain. | 2013 | 24043443 |
| the central role of mosquito cytochrome p450 cyp6zs in insecticide detoxification revealed by functional expression and structural modelling. | the resistance of mosquitoes to chemical insecticides is threatening vector control programmes worldwide. cytochrome p450 monooxygenases (cyps) are known to play a major role in insecticide resistance, allowing resistant insects to metabolize insecticides at a higher rate. among them, members of the mosquito cyp6z subfamily, like aedes aegypti cyp6z8 and its anopheles gambiae orthologue cyp6z2, have been frequently associated with pyrethroid resistance. however, their role in the pyrethroid degr ... | 0 | 23844938 |
| the clip-domain serine protease homolog spclip1 regulates complement recruitment to microbial surfaces in the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae. | the complement c3-like protein tep1 of the mosquito anopheles gambiae is required for defense against malaria parasites and bacteria. two forms of tep1 are present in the mosquito hemolymph, the full-length tep1-f and the proteolytically processed tep1(cut) that is part of a complex including the leucine-rich repeat proteins lrim1 and apl1c. here we show that the non-catalytic serine protease spclip1 is a key regulator of the complement-like pathway. spclip1 is required for accumulation of tep1 ... | 2013 | 24039584 |
| community-wide distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets can halt transmission of lymphatic filariasis in southeastern nigeria. | lymphatic filariasis (lf) in rural southeastern nigeria is transmitted mainly by anopheles spp. mosquitoes. potential coinfection with loa loa in this area has prevented use of ivermectin in the mass drug administration (mda) strategy for lf elimination because of potential severe adverse l. loa-related reactions. this study determined if long-lasting insecticidal net (llin) distribution programs for malaria would interrupt lf transmission in such areas, without need for mda. monthly entomologic ... | 2013 | 23939708 |
| insulin receptor-like ectodomain genes and splice variants are found in both arthropods and human brain cdna. | truncated receptor ectodomains have been described for several classes of cell surface receptors, including those that bind to growth factors, cytokines, immunoglobulins, and adhesion molecules. soluble receptor isoforms are typically generated by proteolytic cleavage of the cell surface receptor or by alternative splicing of rna transcripts arising from the same gene encoding the full-length receptor. both the epidermal growth factor receptor (egfr) and the insulin receptor (insr) families prod ... | 2013 | 27375681 |
| transcriptome deep-sequencing and clustering of expressed isoforms from favia corals. | genomic and transcriptomic sequence data are essential tools for tackling ecological problems. using an approach that combines next-generation sequencing, de novo transcriptome assembly, gene annotation and synthetic gene construction, we identify and cluster the protein families from favia corals from the northern red sea. | 2013 | 23937070 |
| inter-epidemic transmission of rift valley fever in livestock in the kilombero river valley, tanzania: a cross-sectional survey. | in recent years, evidence of rift valley fever (rvf) transmission during inter-epidemic periods in parts of africa has increasingly been reported. the inter-epidemic transmissions generally pass undetected where there is no surveillance in the livestock or human populations. we studied the presence of and the determinants for inter-epidemic rvf transmission in an area experiencing annual flooding in southern tanzania. | 2013 | 23951376 |
| a sticky situation: the unexpected stability of malaria elimination. | malaria eradication involves eliminating malaria from every country where transmission occurs. current theory suggests that the post-elimination challenges of remaining malaria-free by stopping transmission from imported malaria will have onerous operational and financial requirements. although resurgent malaria has occurred in a majority of countries that tried but failed to eliminate malaria, a review of resurgence in countries that successfully eliminated finds only four such failures out of ... | 2013 | 23798693 |
| preventive chemotherapy as a strategy for elimination of neglected tropical parasitic diseases: endgame challenges. | global efforts to address neglected tropical diseases (ntds) were stimulated in january 2012 by the london declaration at which 22 partners, including the bill & melinda gates foundation, world bank, world health organization (who) and major pharmaceutical companies committed to sustaining and expanding ntd programmes to eliminate or eradicate 11 ntds by 2020 to achieve the goals outlined in the recently published who road map. here, we present the current context of preventive chemotherapy for ... | 2013 | 23798692 |
| modest additive effects of integrated vector control measures on malaria prevalence and transmission in western kenya. | the effect of integrating vector larval intervention on malaria transmission is unknown when insecticide-treated bed-net (itn) coverage is very high, and the optimal indicator for intervention evaluation needs to be determined when transmission is low. | 2013 | 23870708 |
| identification and expression profile analysis of odorant binding proteins in the oriental fruit fly bactrocera dorsalis. | olfaction is crucial in many insects for critical behaviors, including those regulating survival and reproduction. insect odorant-binding proteins (obps) function in the first step of the olfactory system and play an essential role in the perception of odorants, such as pheromones and host chemicals. the oriental fruit fly, bactrocera dorsalis, is a destructive fruit-eating pest, due to its wide host range of up to 250 different types of fruits and vegetables, and this fly causes severe economic ... | 2013 | 23867609 |
| non-ltr retrotransposons and microsatellites: partners in genomic variation. | the human genome is laden with both non-ltr (long-terminal repeat) retrotransposons and microsatellite repeats. both types of sequences are able to, either actively or passively, mutagenize the genomes of human individuals and are therefore poised to dynamically alter the human genomic landscape across generations. non-ltr retrotransposons, such as l1 and alu, are a major source of new microsatellites, which are born both concurrently and subsequently to l1 and alu integration into the genome. l ... | 2013 | 24195012 |
| inland valley rice production systems and malaria infection and disease in the forest region of western côte d'ivoire. | this study aimed to determine the epidemiological impact of rice cultivation in inland valleys on malaria in the forest region of western côte d'ivoire. the importance of malaria was compared in terms of prevalence and parasite density of infections and also in terms of clinical malaria incidence between three agro-ecosystems: (i) uncultivated inland valleys, (r0), (ii) inland valleys with one annual rice cultivation in the rainy season, (r1) and (iii) developed inland valleys with two annual ri ... | 2013 | 23841911 |
| analysis of whitefly transcriptional responses to beauveria bassiana infection reveals new insights into insect-fungus interactions. | the fungal pathogen, beauveria bassiana, is an efficient biocontrol agent against a variety of agricultural pests. a thorough understanding of the basic principles of insect-fungus interactions may enable the genetic modification of beauveria bassiana to enhance its virulence. however, the molecular mechanism of insect response to beauveria bassiana infection is poorly understood, let alone the identification of fungal virulent factors involved in pathogenesis. | 2013 | 23861870 |
| changes in the burden of malaria following scale up of malaria control interventions in mutasa district, zimbabwe. | to better understand trends in the burden of malaria and their temporal relationship to control activities, a survey was conducted to assess reported cases of malaria and malaria control activities in mutasa district, zimbabwe. | 2013 | 23815862 |
| evidence for gene duplication in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene of aedes aegypti. | mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene (nav), known as kdr mutations, are associated with pyrethroid and ddt insecticide resistance in a number of species. in the mosquito dengue vector aedes aegypti, besides kdr, other polymorphisms allowed grouping aanav sequences as type 'a' or 'b'. here, we point a series of evidences that these polymorphisms are actually involved in a gene duplication event. | 2013 | 24481195 |
| marked biological differences between insecticide resistant and susceptible strains of anopheles funestus infected with the murine parasite plasmodium berghei. | anopheles funestus is one of the major malaria vectors in africa but research on this species has been restricted due to the lack of viable laboratory colonies. the vectorial capacity of natural populations of an. funestus is well known but its ability to host plasmodium in the laboratory and the development cycle of the parasite within this mosquito species was, until very recently, unknown. in this study we compared laboratory strains of an. funestus that were resistant and susceptible to pyre ... | 2013 | 23782642 |
| a first report of anopheles funestus sibling species in western kenya highlands. | understanding disease vector composition is of priority in designing effective disease control programs. in integrated vector control management, understanding of disease vector species among species complexes simplifies priorities for effective control tools selection. this study identified members of the anopheles funestus complex sampled in western kenya from 2002 to 2011 from different breeding sites. larval sampling was carried out using the standard dipper (350ml) in larval habitats in wes ... | 2013 | 23792011 |
| detection of clade types (clades i and ii) within anopheles funestus sensu stricto by the hydrolysis probe analysis (taqman assay). | recent studies presented two clades (clades i and ii) within the major malaria vector, anopheles funestus s.s. on the mitochondrial dna. we describe a hydrolysis probe analysis (taqman assay) method for the rapid identification of these two clades. | 2013 | 23758959 |
| asymptomatic plasmodium infection and cognition among primary schoolchildren in a high malaria transmission setting in uganda. | asymptomatic parasitemia is common among schoolchildren living in areas of high malaria transmission, yet little is known about its effect on cognitive function in these settings. to investigate associations between asymptomatic parasitemia, anemia, and cognition among primary schoolchildren living in a high malaria transmission setting, we studied 740 children enrolled in a clinical trial in tororo, uganda. parasitemia, measured by thick blood smears, was present in 30% of the children. infecte ... | 2013 | 23589533 |
| cloning, expression analysis, and molecular modeling of the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor alpha2 subunit gene from the common cutworm, spodoptera litura. | intensive research on the molecule structures of the gamma-nminobutyric acid (gaba) receptor in agricultural pests has great significance to the mechanism investigation, resistance prevention, and molecular design of novel pesticides. the gaba receptor a2 (slgabarα2) subunit gene in spodoptera litura (fabricius) (lepidoptera: noctuidae) was cloned using the technologies of reverse transcription pcr and rapid amplification of cdna ends. the gemonic dna sequence of slgabarα2 has 5164 bp with 8 exo ... | 0 | 23909412 |
| malaria, clinical features and acute crisis in children suffering from sickle cell disease in resource-limited settings: a retrospective description of 90 cases. | the prevalence of sickle cell disease (scd) is extremely high in the democratic republic of congo (drc). despite the high prevalence of this disease in our midst, there has been no report on the clinical features in the sickle cell pediatric population suffering from malaria in our midst. | 0 | 23816320 |
| an age-size reaction norm yields insight into environmental interactions affecting life-history traits: a factorial study of larval development in the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae sensu stricto. | environmental factors frequently act nonindependently to determine growth and development of insects. because age and size at maturity strongly influence population dynamics, interaction effects among environmental variables complicate the task of predicting dynamics of insect populations under novel conditions. we reared larvae of the african malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.) under three factors relevant to changes in climate and land use: food level, water depth, and temp ... | 2013 | 23919132 |
| physical condition of olyset® nets after five years of utilization in rural western kenya. | long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) are a cornerstone of malaria control at present, and millions are used each day across the globe. however, there is limited information about the durability of llins under different conditions of utilization and there is no consensus about when a llin ceases to be protective due to physical deterioration. this knowledge is important for malaria control programmes to plan for procurement and replacement. | 2013 | 23663421 |
| transcriptomic and proteomic responses of sweetpotato whitefly, bemisia tabaci, to thiamethoxam. | the sweetpotato whitefly, bemisia tabaci (hemiptera: aleyrodidae), is one of the most widely distributed agricultural pests. although it has developed resistance to many registered insecticides including the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam, the mechanisms that regulate the resistance are poorly understood. to understand the molecular basis of thiamethoxam resistance, "omics" analyses were carried out to examine differences between resistant and susceptible b. tabaci at both transcriptiona ... | 2013 | 23671574 |
| community perceptions of a malaria vaccine in the kintampo districts of ghana. | malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-saharan africa despite tools currently available for its control. making malaria vaccine available for routine use will be a major hallmark, but its acceptance by community members and health professionals within the health system could pose considerable challenge as has been found with the introduction of polio vaccinations in parts of west africa. some of these challenges may not be expected since decisions people make are man ... | 2013 | 23651533 |
| insecticide resistance status of anopheles gambiae s.s population from m'bé: a whopes-labelled experimental hut station, 10 years after the political crisis in côte d'ivoire. | an experimental hut station built at m'bé in 1998 was used for many years for the evaluation of insecticidal product for public health until the civil war broke out in 2002. breeding sites of mosquitoes and selection pressure in the area were maintained by local farming practices and the west african rice development association (warda, actually africarice) in a large rice growing area. ten years after the crisis, bioassays, molecular and biochemical analyses were conducted to update the resista ... | 2013 | 23641777 |
| using a new odour-baited device to explore options for luring and killing outdoor-biting malaria vectors: a report on design and field evaluation of the mosquito landing box. | mosquitoes that bite people outdoors can sustain malaria transmission even where effective indoor interventions such as bednets or indoor residual spraying are already widely used. outdoor tools may therefore complement current indoor measures and improve control. we developed and evaluated a prototype mosquito control device, the 'mosquito landing box' (mlb), which is baited with human odours and treated with mosquitocidal agents. the findings are used to explore technical options and challenge ... | 2013 | 23642306 |
| a 3d analysis of flight behavior of anopheles gambiae sensu stricto malaria mosquitoes in response to human odor and heat. | female mosquitoes use odor and heat as cues to navigate to a suitable landing site on their blood host. the way these cues affect flight behavior and modulate anemotactic responses, however, is poorly understood. we studied in-flight behavioral responses of females of the nocturnal malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae sensu stricto to human odor and heat. flight-path characteristics in a wind tunnel (flow 20 cm/s) were quantified in three dimensions. with wind as the only stimulus (control), short ... | 2013 | 23658792 |
| the effect of indoor residual spraying on malaria and anemia in a high-transmission area of northern uganda. | indoor residual spraying (irs) with insecticide is now recommended for malaria control in high-transmission settings. however, concerns about insecticide resistance have increased. we conducted a cross-sectional household survey in high-transmission northern uganda in two districts previously sprayed with pyrethroids before documentation of pyrethroid resistance and at least one round of carbamates and in one contiguous district that was not sprayed. parasitemia prevalence among children < 5 yea ... | 2013 | 23458956 |
| impact of indoor residual spraying of lambda-cyhalothrin on malaria prevalence and anemia in an epidemic-prone district of muleba, north-western tanzania. | the government of tanzania introduced indoor residual spraying (irs) in muleba district in north-western tanzania after frequent malaria epidemics. malaria parasitological baseline and two cross-sectional follow-up surveys were conducted in villages under the irs program and those not under irs to assess the impact of irs intervention. after two rounds of irs intervention there was a significant reduction of malaria parasitological indices in both two villages. in irs villages overall, parasitem ... | 2013 | 23458959 |
| stable and fluctuating temperature effects on the development rate and survival of two malaria vectors, anopheles arabiensis and anopheles funestus. | understanding the biology of malaria vector mosquitoes is crucial to understanding many aspects of the disease, including control and future outcomes. the development rates and survival of two afrotropical malaria vectors, anopheles arabiensis and anopheles funestus, are investigated here under conditions of constant and fluctuating temperatures. these data can provide a good starting point for modelling population level consequences of temperature change associated with climate change. for comp ... | 2013 | 23590860 |
| wild anopheles funestus mosquito genotypes are permissive for infection with the rodent malaria parasite, plasmodium berghei. | malaria parasites undergo complex developmental transitions within the mosquito vector. a commonly used laboratory model for studies of mosquito-malaria interaction is the rodent parasite, p. berghei. anopheles funestus is a major malaria vector in sub-saharan africa but has received less attention than the sympatric species, anopheles gambiae. the imminent completion of the a. funestus genome sequence will provide currently lacking molecular tools to describe malaria parasite interactions in th ... | 2013 | 23593423 |
| integrin triplets of marine sponges in the murine and human mhci-cd8 interface and in the interface of human neural receptor heteromers and subunits. | based on our theory, main triplets of amino acid residues have been discovered in cell-adhesion receptors (integrins) of marine sponges, which participate as homologies in the interface between two major immune molecules, mhc class i (mhci) and cd8αβ. they appear as homologies also in several human neural receptor heteromers and subunits. the obtained results probably mean that neural and immune receptors also utilize these structural integrin triplets to form heteromers and ion channels, which ... | 2013 | 23556147 |
| bed bugs evolved unique adaptive strategy to resist pyrethroid insecticides. | recent advances in genomic and post-genomic technologies have facilitated a genome-wide analysis of the insecticide resistance-associated genes in insects. through bed bug, cimex lectularius transcriptome analysis, we identified 14 molecular markers associated with pyrethroid resistance. our studies revealed that most of the resistance-associated genes functioning in diverse mechanisms are expressed in the epidermal layer of the integument, which could prevent or slow down the toxin from reachin ... | 0 | 23492626 |
| a need for better housing to further reduce indoor malaria transmission in areas with high bed net coverage. | the suppression of indoor malaria transmission requires additional interventions that complement the use of insecticide treated nets (itns) and indoor residual spraying (irs). previous studies have examined the impact of house structure on malaria transmission in areas of low transmission. this study was conducted in a high transmission setting and presents further evidence about the association between specific house characteristics and the abundance of endophilic malaria vectors. | 2013 | 23497471 |
| the benefits or otherwise of managing malaria cases with or without laboratory diagnosis: the experience in a district hospital in ghana. | this study was conducted at the kintampo municipal hospital in ghana to determine whether there was any benefit (or otherwise) in basing the management of cases of suspected malaria solely on laboratory confirmation (microscopy or by rdt) as compared with presumptive diagnosis. | 2013 | 23505457 |
| the impact of host species and vector control measures on the fitness of african malaria vectors. | many malaria vector mosquitoes in africa have an extreme preference for feeding on humans. this specialization allows them to sustain much higher levels of transmission than elsewhere, but there is little understanding of the evolutionary forces that drive this behaviour. in tanzania, we used a semi-field system to test whether the well-documented preferences of the vectors, anopheles arabiensis and anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.) for cattle and humans, respectively, are predicted by the ... | 2013 | 23303548 |