Publications

spatial distribution patterns of malaria vectors and sample size determination in spatially heterogeneous environments: a case study in the west kenyan highland.	the current study examined temporal and spatial distribution patterns of anopheline malaria vectors in a highland site and determined the number of houses to be sampled to achieve the targeted precision level. adult mosquito sampling was conducted seasonally in may and august 2002 in a 3 by 3-km2 area, and in november 2002 and february 2003 in an expanded 4 by 4-km2 area in kakamega district, western kenya. anopheles gambiae giles was the predominant malaria vector species, constituting 84.6% of ...	2004	15605637
characterization of neuropeptide f and its receptor from the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae.	the genome of anopheles gambiae contains sequences encoding a neuropeptide f (ang-npf) and npf receptor (ang-npfr) related to the neuropeptide y signaling family. cdnas for each were cloned and sequenced. ang-npfr was stably expressed for radioligand binding analysis. ang-npf exhibited high affinity (ic50 approximately 3 nm) membrane binding; npfs from aedes aegypti (aea-npf) and drosophila melanogaster (drm-npf) were less potent, with the rank order: ang-npf>aea-npf>drm-npf>drm-npf8-36. rt-pcr ...	2005	15626509
functional genomics of wood quality and properties.	genomics promises to enrich the investigations of biology and biochemistry. current advancements in genomics have major implications for genetic improvement in animals, plants, and microorganisms, and for our understanding of cell growth, development, differentiation, and communication. significant progress has been made in the understanding of plant genomics in recent years, and the area continues to progress rapidly. functional genomics offers enormous potential to tree improvement and the und ...	2003	15629055
bioinformatics-based identification of chemosensory proteins in african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae.	chemosensory proteins (csps) are identifiable by four spatially conserved cysteine residues in their primary structure or by two disulfide bridges in their tertiary structure according to the previously identified olfactory specific-d related proteins. a genomics- and bioinformatics-based approach is taken in the present study to identify the putative csps in the malaria-carrying mosquito, anopheles gambiae. the results show that five out of the nine annotated candidates are the most possible an ...	2003	15629057
characterization of two novel pacifastin-like peptide precursor isoforms in the desert locust (schistocerca gregaria): cdna cloning, functional analysis and real-time rt-pcr gene expression studies.	in the last decade, a new serine protease inhibitor family has been described in arthropods. eight members of the family were purified from locusts and share a conserved cysteine array (cys-xaa(9-12)-cys-asn-xaa-cys-xaa-cys-xaa(2-3)-gly-xaa(3-6)-cys-thr-xaa3-cys) with nine inhibitory domains of the light chain of the crayfish protease inhibitor, pacifastin (plds; pacifastin light chain domains). using cdna cloning, several pacifastin-related precursors have been identified, encoding additional p ...	2005	15631618
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 ...	2005	15649333
comparative performance of the mbita trap, cdc light trap and the human landing catch in the sampling of anopheles arabiensis, an. funestus and culicine species in a rice irrigation in western kenya.	mosquitoes sampling is an important component in malaria control. however, most of the methods used have several shortcomings and hence there is a need to develop and calibrate new methods. the mbita trap for capturing host-seeking mosquitoes was recently developed and successfully tested in kenya. however, the mbita trap is less effective at catching outdoor-biting anopheles funestus and anopheles arabiensis in madagascar and, thus, there is need to further evaluate this trap in diverse epidemi ...	2005	15667666
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 ...	2004	15669379
gene flow between chromosomal forms of the malaria vector anopheles funestus in cameroon, central africa, and its relevance in malaria fighting.	knowledge of population structure in a major vector species is fundamental to an understanding of malaria epidemiology and becomes crucial in the context of genetic control strategies that are being developed. despite its epidemiological importance, the major african malaria vector anopheles funestus has received far less attention than members of the anopheles gambiae complex. previous chromosomal data have shown a high degree of structuring within populations from west africa and have led to t ...	2005	15677749
[recent observations on the sensitivity to pyrethroids and ddt of anopheles arabiensis and anopheles funestus in the central highlands of madagascar; preliminary results on the absence of the kdr mutation in an. arabiensis].	anopheles arabiensis and anopheles funestus are the principal vectors of malaria on the central highlands of madagascar. these two species of mosquito are directly or indirectly the targets of indoor insecticide spread. the survey of the susceptibility of these two vectors to insecticides is essential specifying for the anti-vectorial current directives and for the future programs. this paper describes: --the recent tests of susceptibility and the study of the knock-down effect of four pyrethroi ...	2003	15678819
epidemiological, clinical and biological features of malaria among children in niamey, niger.	malaria takes a heavy toll in niger, one of the world's poorest countries. previous evaluations conducted in the context of the strategy for the integrated management of childhood illness, showed that 84% of severe malaria cases and 64 % of ordinary cases are not correctly managed. the aim of this survey was to describe epidemiological, clinical and biological features of malaria among <5 year-old children in the paediatric department of the national hospital of niamey, niger's main referral hos ...	2005	15703076
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 ...	2005	15799528
entomopathogenic fungi for mosquito control: a review.	fungal diseases in insects are common and widespread and can decimate their populations in spectacular epizootics. virtually all insect orders are susceptible to fungal diseases, including dipterans. fungal pathogens such as lagenidium, coelomomyces and culicinomyces are known to affect mosquito populations, and have been studied extensively. there are, however, many other fungi that infect and kill mosquitoes at the larval and/or adult stage. the discovery, in 1977, of the selective mosquito-pa ...	2004	15861235
influence of age and previous diet of anopheles gambiae on the infectivity of natural plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from human volunteers.	the effect of age and dietary factors of anopheles gambiae (diptera: culicidae) on the infectivity of natural plasmodium falciparum parasites was studied. mosquitoes of various ages (1-3, 4-7 and 8-11 day old) and those fed blood (either single or double meals) and sugar meals were experimentally co-infected with p. falciparum gametocytes obtained from different naturally infected human volunteers. on day 7, midguts were examined for oocyst infection to determine whether mosquito age or diets ha ...	2004	15861248
identification of three members of the anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) group and their role in malaria transmission in two ecological zones in nigeria.	the role of the anopheles funestus group in malaria transmission was investigated in two ecological zones in nigeria. sampling was carried out at four sites each around ibadan (forest) and ilorin (savanna). human landing catches were supplemented with indoor and outdoor resting collections. pcr was used to identify 1848 a. funestus group mosquitoes to species level (749 in the savanna, 1099 in the forest) and three species were identified. in the forest, a. funestus s.s. predominated (55.4%), fo ...	2005	15869772
the unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission.	mosquitoes commute between blood-meal hosts and water. thus, heterogeneity in human biting reflects underlying spatial heterogeneity in the distribution and suitability of larval habitat as well as inherent differences in the attractiveness, suitability and distribution of blood-meal hosts. one of the possible strategies of malaria control is to identify local vector species and then attack water bodies that contain their larvae.	2005	15892886
rag1 core and v(d)j recombination signal sequences were derived from transib transposons.	the v(d)j recombination reaction in jawed vertebrates is catalyzed by the rag1 and rag2 proteins, which are believed to have emerged approximately 500 million years ago from transposon-encoded proteins. yet no transposase sequence similar to rag1 or rag2 has been found. here we show that the approximately 600-amino acid "core" region of rag1 required for its catalytic activity is significantly similar to the transposase encoded by dna transposons that belong to the transib superfamily. this supe ...	2005	15898832
experimental hut evaluation of bednets treated with an organophosphate (chlorpyrifos-methyl) or a pyrethroid (lambdacyhalothrin) alone and in combination against insecticide-resistant anopheles gambiae and culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.	pyrethroid resistant mosquitoes are becoming increasingly common in parts of africa. it is important to identify alternative insecticides which, if necessary, could be used to replace or supplement the pyrethroids for use on treated nets. certain compounds of an earlier generation of insecticides, the organophosphates may have potential as net treatments.	2005	15918909
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 ...	2005	15962770
vector abundance and malaria transmission in rice-growing villages in mali.	anophelism without malaria has long been recognized. in large irrigation projects, such as that around niono, mali, villages in irrigated areas sometimes have more anopheline vectors of malaria than adjacent nonirrigated villages, but overall malaria prevalence is substantially less. one hypothesized explanation for this is high anopheline densities lead to smaller adults, who do not live so long and hence are less efficient at transmitting the disease. we analyzed serial collections from 18 vil ...	2005	15964957
evolution of the acyl-coa binding protein (acbp).	acyl-coa-binding protein (acbp) is a 10 kda protein that binds c12-c22 acyl-coa esters with high affinity. in vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that it is involved in multiple cellular tasks including modulation of fatty acid biosynthesis, enzyme regulation, regulation of the intracellular acyl-coa pool size, donation of acyl-coa esters for beta-oxidation, vesicular trafficking, complex lipid synthesis and gene regulation. in the present study, we delineate the evolutionary history of acbp t ...	2005	16018771
molecular differentiation between chromosomally defined incipient species of anopheles funestus.	anopheles funestus giles is one of the most important vectors of malaria in sub-saharan africa. the population structure of this mosquito in burkina faso, west africa based on chromosomal inversion data led to the description of two chromosomal forms, kiribina and folonzo. because both forms co-occur in the same locales yet differ significantly, both in the frequency of inverted arrangements on chromosome arms 3r and 2r and in vectorial capacity, they were hypothesized to be emerging species wit ...	2005	16033431
genomic islands of speciation in anopheles gambiae.	the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (a. gambiae), provides a unique opportunity to study the evolution of reproductive isolation because it is divided into two sympatric, partially isolated subtaxa known as m form and s form. with the annotated genome of this species now available, high-throughput techniques can be applied to locate and characterize the genomic regions contributing to reproductive isolation. in order to quantify patterns of differentiation within a. gam ...	2005	16076241
plasmodium species mixed infections in two areas of manhiça district, mozambique.	we compared the distribution patterns of individual plasmodium species and mixed-species infections in two geographically close endemic areas, but showing environmental differences. comparisons concerned circulating plasmodium infections in both human and mosquito vector populations in the dry and wet seasons, at a micro-epidemiological level (households). both areas revealed a very high overall prevalence of infection, all year-round and in all age groups. plasmodium falciparum was the predomin ...	2005	16094461
combined evidence annotation of transposable elements in genome sequences.	transposable elements (tes) are mobile, repetitive sequences that make up significant fractions of metazoan genomes. despite their near ubiquity and importance in genome and chromosome biology, most efforts to annotate tes in genome sequences rely on the results of a single computational program, repeatmasker. in contrast, recent advances in gene annotation indicate that high-quality gene models can be produced from combining multiple independent sources of computational evidence. to elevate the ...	2005	16110336
gh97 is a new family of glycoside hydrolases, which is related to the alpha-galactosidase superfamily.	as a rule, about 1% of genes in a given genome encode glycoside hydrolases and their homologues. on the basis of sequence similarity they have been grouped into more than ninety gh families during the last 15 years. the gh97 family has been established very recently and initially included only 18 bacterial proteins. however, the evolutionary relationship of the genes encoding proteins of this family remains unclear, as well as their distribution among main groups of the living organisms.	2005	16131397
laboratory selection for and characteristics of pyrethroid resistance in the malaria vector anopheles funestus.	a laboratory colony of anopheles funestus giles (diptera: culicidae) was established in 2000 from material collected from southern mozambique where pyrethroid resistance had been demonstrated in the wild population. a subsample of the colony was selected for pyrethroid resistance using 0.1% lambda-cyhalothrin. bioassay susceptibility tests in subsequent generations f(2) to f(4) showed increased resistance with each successive generation. survival of individual mosquitoes fed only on 10% sugar so ...	2005	16134975
an integrated genetic and physical map for the malaria vector anopheles funestus.	we have constructed a genetic map of the major african malaria vector, anopheles funestus, using genetic markers segregating in f(2) progeny from crosses between two strains colonized from different field sites. genotyping was performed on 174 progeny from three families using 33 microsatellite markers, a single rflp, and 15 single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) loci. four linkage groups were resolved and these were anchored to chromosomes x and 2 and chromosomal arms 3r and 3l by comparison with ...	2005	16143619
modulation of anopheles gambiae gene expression in response to o'nyong-nyong virus infection.	to determine if gene expression of an. gambiae is modulated in response to o'nyong-nyong virus (onnv) infection, we utilized cdna microarrays including about 20 000 cdnas. gene expression levels of onnv-infected female mosquitoes were compared to that of the uninfected control females harvested at 14 days postinfection. in response to onnv infection, expression levels of 18 genes were significantly modulated, being at least two-fold up- or down-regulated. quantitative real-time pcr analysis (qrt ...	2005	16164603
gambol and tc1 are two distinct families of dd34e transposons: analysis of the anopheles gambiae genome expands the diversity of the is630-tc1-mariner superfamily.	tc1 is a family of dna transposons found in diverse organisms including vertebrates, invertebrates and fungi. tc1 belongs to the is630-tc1-mariner superfamily, which is characterized by common 'ta' target site and conserved d(asp)de(glu) or ddd catalytic triad. all functional tc1-like transposons contain a transposase with a dd34e catalytic triad. we conducted a systematic analysis of dd34e transposons in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, using a reiterative and exhaustive search ...	2005	16164609
rapid urban malaria appraisal (ruma) i: epidemiology of urban malaria in ouagadougou.	rapid urbanization in sub-saharan africa has a major impact on malaria epidemiology. while much is known about malaria in rural areas in burkina faso, the urban situation is less well understood.	2005	16168054
biting behavior and plasmodium infection rates of anopheles arabiensis from sille, ethiopia.	the man-biting behavior and plasmodium infection rates of anopheline mosquitoes were investigated in sille, a hyperendemic malarious area in southern ethiopia. seven anopheles species were identified from all night landing collections, conducted from 18:00 to 06:00h between october 2001 and august 2002. the predominant species was anopheles arabiensis (55.8%), followed by anopheles coustani (31.5%), anopheles pharoensis (9.5%), anopheles funestus (2.2%), anopheles nili (0.5%), anopheles marshall ...	2006	16171769
effect of water resource development and management on lymphatic filariasis, and estimates of populations at risk.	lymphatic filariasis (lf) is a debilitating disease overwhelmingly caused by wuchereria bancrofti, which is transmitted by various mosquito species. here, we present a systematic literature review with the following objectives: (i) to establish global and regional estimates of populations at risk of lf with particular consideration of water resource development projects, and (ii) to assess the effects of water resource development and management on the frequency and transmission dynamics of the ...	2005	16172476
effect of artemether-lumefantrine policy and improved vector control on malaria burden in kwazulu-natal, south africa.	between 1995 and 2000, kwazulu-natal province, south africa, experienced a marked increase in plasmodium falciparum malaria, fuelled by pyrethroid and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance. in response, vector control was strengthened and artemether-lumefantrine (al) was deployed in the first ministry of health artemisinin-based combination treatment policy in africa. in south africa, effective vector and parasite control had historically ensured low-intensity malaria transmission. malaria is dia ...	2005	16187798
effect of larval crowding on mating competitiveness of anopheles gambiae mosquitoes.	the success of sterile or transgenic anopheles for malaria control depends on their mating competitiveness within wild populations. current evidence suggests that transgenic mosquitoes have reduced fitness. one means of compensating for this fitness deficit would be to identify environmental conditions that increase their mating competitiveness, and incorporate them into laboratory rearing regimes.	2005	16197541
a spider that feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing female mosquitoes as prey.	spiders do not feed directly on vertebrate blood, but a small east african jumping spider (salticidae), evarcha culicivora, feeds indirectly on vertebrate blood by choosing as preferred prey female mosquitoes that have had recent blood meals. experiments show that this spider can identify its preferred prey by sight alone and by odor alone. when presented with two types of size-matched motionless lures, e. culicivora consistently chose blood-fed female mosquitoes in preference to nonmosquito pre ...	2005	16217015
biological transmission of arboviruses: reexamination of and new insights into components, mechanisms, and unique traits as well as their evolutionary trends.	among animal viruses, arboviruses are unique in that they depend on arthropod vectors for transmission. field research and laboratory investigations related to the three components of this unique mode of transmission, virus, vector, and vertebrate host, have produced an enormous amount of valuable information that may be found in numerous publications. however, despite many reviews on specific viruses, diseases, or interests, a systematic approach to organizing the available information on all f ...	0	16223950
16s rrna gene-based identification of midgut bacteria from field-caught anopheles gambiae sensu lato and a. funestus mosquitoes reveals new species related to known insect symbionts.	field-collected mosquitoes of the two main malaria vectors in africa, anopheles gambiae sensu lato and anopheles funestus, were screened for their midgut bacterial contents. the midgut from each blood-fed mosquito was screened with two different detection pathways, one culture independent and one culture dependent. bacterial species determination was achieved by sequence analysis of 16s rrna genes. altogether, 16 species from 14 genera were identified, 8 by each method. interestingly, several of ...	2005	16269761
isolation and sequence analysis of p450 genes from a pyrethroid resistant colony of the major malaria vector anopheles funestus.	pyrethroid resistance has been demonstrated in populations of anopheles funestus from south africa and southern mozambique. resistance is associated with elevated p450 monooxygenase enzymes. in this study, degenerate primers based on conserved regions of anopheles gambiae p450 cyp4, 6 and 9 families were used to amplify genomic and cdna templates from a. funestus. a total of 12 cyp4, 12 cyp6 and 7 cyp9 partial genes have been isolated and sequenced. blast results revealed that a. funestus p450s ...	2005	16287623
rem1, a new type of long terminal repeat retrotransposon in chlamydomonas reinhardtii.	a new long terminal repeat (ltr) retrotransposon, named rem1, has been identified in the green alga chlamydomonas reinhardtii. it was found in low copy number, highly methylated, and with an inducible transpositional activity. this retrotransposon is phylogenetically related to ty3-gypsy ltr retrotransposons and possesses new and unusual structural features. a regulatory module, orf3p, is present in an inverse transcriptional orientation to that of the polyprotein and contains phd-finger and chr ...	0	16287873
rangewide population genetic structure of the african malaria vector anopheles funestus.	anopheles funestus is a primary vector of malaria in africa south of the sahara. we assessed its rangewide population genetic structure based on samples from 11 countries, using 10 physically mapped microsatellite loci, two per autosome arm and the x (n = 548), and 834 bp of the mitochondrial nd5 gene (n = 470). on the basis of microsatellite allele frequencies, we found three subdivisions: eastern (coastal tanzania, malawi, mozambique and madagascar), western (burkina faso, mali, nigeria and we ...	2005	16313589
chromosomal evidence of incipient speciation in the afrotropical malaria mosquito anopheles funestus.	the analysis of chromosomal polymorphism of paracentric inversions in anopheline mosquitoes has often been instrumental to the discovery of sibling species complexes and intraspecific genetic heterogeneities associated with incipient speciation processes. to investigate the population structure of anopheles funestus giles (diptera: culicidae), one of the three most important vectors of human malaria in sub-saharan africa, a three-year survey of chromosomal polymorphism was carried out on 4,638 k ...	2005	16336311
genetic structure of anopheles gambiae populations on islands in northwestern lake victoria, uganda.	alternative means of malaria control are urgently needed. evaluating the effectiveness of measures that involve genetic manipulation of vector populations will be facilitated by identifying small, genetically isolated vector populations. the study was designed to use variation in microsatellite markers to look at genetic structure across four lake victoria islands and two surrounding mainland populations and for evidence of any restriction to free gene flow.	2005	16336684
impact of ddt re-introduction on malaria transmission in kwazulu-natal.	to determine whether the re-introduction of ddt in kwazulu-natal had any effects on malaria transmission in the province.	2005	16344885
chromosomal differentiation of anopheles funestus from luanda and huambo provinces, western and central angola.	the chromosomal polymorphism of anopheles funestus sensu stricto from angola was analyzed from indoor-resting samples collected in 11 peri-urban and rural sites of the luanda and huambo provinces, which are > 450 km apart and have distinct eco-climatic conditions. five polymorphic paracentric inversions were observed (scored chromatids range = 202 to 248): 2ra, 2rh, 3ra, 3rb, and 3la. inversions 3rb and 3la were highly polymorphic; the 2ra and 3ra arrangements were absent in luanda. no significa ...	2005	16354814
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 ...	2005	16365996
malaria vectors in angola: distribution of species and molecular forms of the anopheles gambiae complex, their pyrethroid insecticide knockdown resistance (kdr) status and plasmodium falciparum sporozoite rates.	malaria is by far the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality in angola, being responsible for 50% of all outpatient attendance and around 22% of all hospital deaths, yet by 2003 only 2% of under-5s used insecticide-treated nets. entomological studies are an essential foundation for rational malaria control using insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying, but there have been no published studies of malaria vectors in angola over the 27 years of the civil war, to its end in 2002. th ...	2006	16420701
diversity and utilization of antimalarial ethnophytotherapeutic remedies among the kikuyus (central kenya).	plants in kenya are becoming increasingly important as sources of traditional medicines. the world health organization (who) has estimated that malaria kills about 2.7 million people every year, 90% of who are from africa. malaria continues to be a national concern in kenya as it plays a major role in the high mortality rates being experienced currently. the use and mis-use of chloroquine to prevent and treat falciparium malaria has led to widespread appearance of chloroquine resistant parasites ...	2006	16451716
ecologists can enable communities to implement malaria vector control in africa.	integrated vector management (ivm) for malaria control requires ecological skills that are very scarce and rarely applied in africa today. partnerships between communities and academic ecologists can address this capacity deficit, modernize the evidence base for such approaches and enable future scale up.	2006	16457724
impact of different strategies to control plasmodium infection and anaemia on the island of bioko (equatorial guinea).	on the island of bioko (equatorial guinea), insecticide-treated nets (itns) have been the main tool used to control malaria over the last 13 years. in 2004, started an indoor residual spraying (irs) campaign to control malaria. the purpose of this study is to asses the impact of the two control strategies on the island of bioko (equatorial guinea), with regards to plasmodium infection and anaemia in the children under five years of age.	2006	16460558
population structure of the malaria vector anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) in madagascar and comoros.	microsatellites were used as markers for a study of the population structure of anopheles funestus on madagascar and comoros. mosquitoes were collected in four different localities on madagascar and one on comoros. there was a significant genetic differentiation between all samples from madagascar and that from comoros (p<0.05). with respect to the madagascar mosquito samples, it was found that there were no significant genetic differences between samples that were collected at the east coast, a ...	2006	16464433
personal protection of long lasting insecticide-treated nets in areas of anopheles gambiae s.s. resistance to pyrethroids.	the development of mosquito nets pre-treated with insecticide, long lasting impregnated nets (llins) that last the life span of the net, is a solution to the difficulty of the re-impregnation of conventional nets. even if they showed a good efficacy in control conditions, their efficacy in the field, particularly in areas with resistance of anopheles gambiae to pyrethroids, is not well documented. this study compares wide (olyset) and small (permanet) mesh llins in field conditions, using entomo ...	2006	16472385
analysis of the complete mitochondrial dna from anopheles funestus: an improved dipteran mitochondrial genome annotation and a temporal dimension of mosquito evolution.	virtually no information regarding timing of deep lineage divergences within mosquito family (culicidae) exists, which poses an important problem in the postgenomic era. to address this issue, the complete 15,354 bp mitochondrial genome of anopheles funestus was assembled from both mtdna and cdna sequences generated from transcripts of the mtdna-encoded protein and rrna genes. analysis of the transcript information allowed an improved genome annotation, revealing that the translation initiation ...	2006	16473530
landscape determinants and remote sensing of anopheline mosquito larval habitats in the western kenya highlands.	in the past two decades the east african highlands have experienced several major malaria epidemics. currently there is a renewed interest in exploring the possibility of anopheline larval control through environmental management or larvicide as an additional means of reducing malaria transmission in africa. this study examined the landscape determinants of anopheline mosquito larval habitats and usefulness of remote sensing in identifying these habitats in western kenya highlands.	2006	16480523
re-emergence of anopheles funestus and its possible effect on malaria transmission on mayotte island, indian ocean.	malaria constitutes a major public health problem on mayotte island, with the major vector being anopheles gambiae s.s. the seeming disappearance of an. funestus, the 2nd vector on the island, was observed 15 years ago. now, the presence of an. funestus during the biting collections performed in november and december 2004 confirms the re-emergence of this vector, which plays an important role in malaria transmission with an. gambiae.	2005	16506577
the distribution of hatching time in anopheles gambiae.	knowledge of the ecological differences between the molecular forms of anopheles gambiae and their sibling species, an. arabiensis might lead to understanding their unique contribution to disease transmission and to better vector control as well as to understanding the evolutionary forces that have separated them.	2006	16553960
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 ...	2006	16573843
[feeding behaviour of anopheles funestus resting females in senegal].	the feeding behaviour of an. funestus resting females was studied in eleven sites in senegal along a west-east transect in two biogeographical zones (the sudanese and sudanese-guinean zones) by an elisa technique. mosquitoes were collected by pyrethrum spray catches. for the 1563 blood meals tested, the main hosts were humans, cows, sheep and horses representing respective proportions of 85%, 9.9%, 1.3% and 3.8%. no blood meal was taken on chicken. the percentage of non-reacting blood meals was ...	2001	16579080
malaria risk and temperature: influences from global climate change and local land use practices.		2006	16595623
imbalanced distribution of plasmodium falciparum eba-175 genotypes related to clinical status in children from bakoumba, gabon.	the erythrocyte binding antigen 175 kda (eba-175) of plasmodium falciparum is one of the major ligands for red blood cell invasion by merozoites. eba-175 is a dimorphic antigen but the role that dimorphism plays in host parasite interaction is not fully understood. in this study, we sought to determine the distribution of eba-175 genotypes and its pathogenetic influence.	2006	16595788
superior reproductive success on human blood without sugar is not limited to highly anthropophilic mosquito species.	anthropophilic mosquitoes such as aedes aegypti l. (diptera: culicidae) have been shown to have superior reproductive success on human blood when sugar is not available. life-table experiments were conducted with aedes albopictus skuse and ae. aegypti to compare the effects of sugar availability on age-specific survivorship, lifetime and daily fecundity, and blood-feeding frequency when offered human blood daily. there were no significant interactions between the effects of sugar availability an ...	2006	16608490
insecticide resistance in anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) from mozambique.	malaria control in southern mozambique is currently by indoor residual carbamate insecticide treatment, with pyrethroid-treated bed-nets distributed to pregnant women and children under five in northern mozambique. the susceptibility of anopheles funestus s.s. to pyrethroid, carbamate, organochlorine, and organophosphorus insecticides was determined by world health organization adult mosquito susceptibility tests at 19 localities in mozambique, from march 2000 to july 2002. biochemical assays we ...	2006	16619610
divergence with gene flow in anopheles funestus from the sudan savanna of burkina faso, west africa.	anopheles funestus is a major vector of malaria across africa. understanding its complex and nonequilibrium population genetic structure is an important challenge that must be overcome before vector populations can be successfully perturbed for malaria control. here we examine the role of chromosomal inversions in structuring genetic variation and facilitating divergence in burkina faso, west africa, where two incipient species (chromosomal forms) of a. funestus, defined principally by rearrange ...	2006	16648581
comparison of coverage with insecticide-treated nets in a tanzanian town and villages where nets and insecticide are either marketed or provided free of charge.	there is much emphasis on social marketing as a means of scaling up coverage with insecticide-treated nets and the question has arisen whether nets provided free-of-charge will be looked after by householders.	2006	16712738
adipokinetic hormones in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae: identification and expression of genes for two peptides and a putative receptor.	adipokinetic hormones (akhs) are neuropeptides that mobilize stored fuels for flight in insects, and thus, may regulate flight by mosquitoes that transmit pathogens of human diseases. our study of akhs in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, identified and characterized the expression of genes encoding two akhs, anoga-akh-i (pqlftpawa) and anoga-akh-ii (pqvtfsrdwnaa), and a putative homolog for an akh g-protein coupled receptor. gene transcripts for both anoga-akhs and the akh recept ...	2006	16731343
a simple method for sampling indoor-resting malaria mosquitoes anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) in africa.	sampling indoor resting african malaria vectors is traditionally done by hand catches with oral or mechanical aspirators and pyrethrum spray catches (pscs). in this study, we designed and briefly evaluated an inexpensive but practical alternative by using a cloth resting box or wicker resting basket and a ceiling net. evaluations were performed in greenhouse and field situations in rural kenya by comparing capture rates of anopheles gambiae s.l. and anopheles funestus (giles) in these traps to h ...	2006	16739403
long-term evolution and functional diversification in the members of the nucleophosmin/nucleoplasmin family of nuclear chaperones.	the proper assembly of basic proteins with nucleic acids is a reaction that must be facilitated to prevent protein aggregation and formation of nonspecific nucleoprotein complexes. the proteins that mediate this orderly protein assembly are generally termed molecular (or nuclear) chaperones. the nucleophosmin/nucleoplasmin (npm) family of molecular chaperones encompasses members ubiquitously expressed in many somatic tissues (npm1 and -3) or specific to oocytes and eggs (npm2). the study of this ...	2006	16751661
status of insecticide susceptibility in anopheles arabiensis from mwea rice irrigation scheme, central kenya.	control of the anopheline mosquito vectors of malaria by use of insecticides has been shown to impact on both morbidity and mortality due to this disease. evidence of insecticide resistance in different settings necessitates surveillance studies to allow prompt detection of resistance should it arise and thus enable its management. possible resistance by anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes from mwea rice irrigation scheme in central kenya to insecticides in the four classes of insecticides approved ...	2006	16756645
moderate transmission but high prevalence of malaria in madagascar.	malaria transmission remains poorly documented in areas of low transmission. a study has been carried out over two consecutive years in analamiranga, a village located at an altitude of 885m on the western edge of the malagasy highlands, with the aim of generating and updating malariometric indexes for both mosquitoes and schoolchildren. in this village, no vector control measures were performed during the study period nor during previous decades. mosquitoes were collected monthly when landing o ...	2006	16842796
plotrep: a web tool for defragmentation and visual analysis of dispersed genomic repeats.	identification of dispersed or interspersed repeats, most of which are derived from transposons, retrotransposons or retrovirus-like elements, is an important step in genome annotation. software tools that compare genomic sequences with precompiled repeat reference libraries using sensitive similarity-based methods provide reliable means of finding the positions of fragments homologous to known repeats. however, their output is often incomplete and fragmented owing to the mutations (nucleotide s ...	0	16845104
mosquito species diversity and abundance in relation to land use in a riceland agroecosystem in mwea, kenya.	we conducted an entomological survey to determine the mosquito species diversity and abundance in relation to land use in the mwea rice scheme, kenya. adult mosquitoes were collected by indoor spraying of houses and outdoors by cdc light traps in three villages representing planned (mbuinjeru) and unplanned (kiamachiri) rice agroecosystems and a non-irrigated agroecosystem (murinduko). during the 12-month sampling period, a total of 98,708 mosquitoes belonging to five genera and 25 species were ...	2006	16859101
a reliable morphological method to assess the age of male anopheles gambiae.	release of genetically-modified (gm) or sterile male mosquitoes for malaria control is hampered by inability to assess the age and mating history of free-living male anopheles.	2006	16872516
dna profiling of human blood in anophelines from lowland and highland sites in western kenya.	we used polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based dna profiling to determine the person from whom anopheles funestus and an. gambiae collected in natural human habitations obtained their blood meals. less than 20% of human hosts contributed to > 50% of all blood meals, and 42% were not bitten at all, including people in the age group bitten most often. as expected, bites were unevenly distributed by age (young adults > older adults > children). use of untreated bed nets by adults, but not children, ...	2006	16896124
limited diversity of anopheles darlingi in the peruvian amazon region of iquitos.	anopheles darlingi is the most important malaria vector in the amazon basin of south america, and is capable of transmitting both plasmodium falciparum and p. vivax. to understand the genetic structure of this vector in the amazonian region of peru, a simple polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-based test to identify this species of mosquito was used. a random amplified polymorphic dna-pcr was used to study genetic variation at the micro-geographic level in nine geographically separate populations of ...	2006	16896125
p elements and mite relatives in the whole genome sequence of anopheles gambiae.	miniature inverted-repeat terminal elements (mites), which are particular class-ii transposable elements (tes), play an important role in genome evolution, because they have very high copy numbers and display recurrent bursts of transposition. the 5' and 3' subterminal regions of a given mite family often show a high sequence similarity with the corresponding regions of an autonomous class-ii te family. however, the sustained presence over a prolonged evolutionary time of mites and te master cop ...	2006	16919158
overlapping functions of argonaute proteins in patterning and morphogenesis of drosophila embryos.	argonaute proteins are essential components of the molecular machinery that drives rna silencing. in drosophila, different members of the argonaute family of proteins have been assigned to distinct rna silencing pathways. while ago1 is required for microrna function, ago2 is a crucial component of the rna-induced silencing complex in sirna-triggered rna interference. drosophila ago2 contains an unusual amino-terminus with two types of imperfect glutamine-rich repeats (grrs) of unknown function. ...	2006	16934003
molecular characterization of insulin-like peptides in the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti: expression, cellular localization, and phylogeny.	insulin-like peptides are key regulators of metabolism, reproduction, and senescence in higher eukaryotic organisms. here we present the identification, expression, and tissue localization of eight genes encoding insulin-like peptides (ilps) in the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti. all eight ilps share the conserved features of the insulin superfamily as prepropeptides consisting of contiguous signal, b, c, and a peptides. however, one of the ilps has a truncated c peptide and a carboxy term ...	2006	16934367
efficacy of bifenthrin-impregnated bednets against anopheles funestus and pyrethroid-resistant anopheles gambiae in north cameroon.	recent field studies indicated that insecticide-treated bednets (itns) maintain their efficacy despite a high frequency of the knock-down resistance (kdr) gene in anopheles gambiae populations. it was essential to evaluate itns efficacy in areas with metabolic-based resistance.	2006	16961938
o'nyong-nyong virus, chad.	we report the first laboratory-confirmed human infection with o'nyong-nyong virus in chad. this virus was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with evidence of a seroconversion to a virus related to chikungunya virus. genome sequence was partly determined, and phylogenetic studies were conducted.	2006	16965706
relationship between malaria and filariasis transmission indices in an endemic area along the kenyan coast.	an entomological survey was conducted to determine the relationship between malaria and lymphatic filariasis transmission by anopheles gambiae s.l. and an. funestus in two inland villages along the kenyan coast.	2006	16967820
malaria hotspot areas in a highland kenya site are consistent in epidemic and non-epidemic years and are associated with ecological factors.	malaria epidemics in highland areas of east africa have caused considerable morbidity and mortality in the past two decades. knowledge of "hotspot" areas of high malaria incidence would allow for focused preventive interventions in resource-poor areas, particularly if the hotspot areas can be discerned during non-epidemic periods and predicted by ecological factors.	2006	16970824
elisa study of oocyst-sporozoite transition in malaria vectors.	intrinsic vector characteristics and environmental factors affect the sporogonic development of p. falciparum in anopheles mosquitoes. we tested for the presence of the circumsporozoite protein, as a marker of the oocyst to sporozoite transition in naturally infected anopheles gambiae s.l. and anopheles funestus. malaria vectors were collected in a village in the sahel of niger during the rainy and dry seasons. elisa-csp was carried out on abdomen and head/thorax portions from more than 2000 sam ...	2006	17007219
is vector body size the key to reduced malaria transmission in the irrigated region of niono, mali?	malaria vectors can reach very high densities in villages near irrigated rice fields in africa, leading to the expectation that malaria should be especially prevalent there. surprisingly, this is not always the case. in niono, mali, villages from nonirrigated areas have higher malaria prevalence than those within the irrigated regions, which suffer from higher mosquito numbers. one hypothesis explaining this observation is that mosquitoes from irrigated fields with high densities are inefficient ...	2006	17017214
a standard cytogenetic photomap for the mosquito anopheles stephensi (diptera: culicidae): application for physical mapping.	to facilitate physical genome mapping, we have developed a new cytogenetic photomap for anopheles stephensi (liston) (diptera: culicidae), an important malaria vector in asia. the high-resolution images of the ovarian polytene chromosomes have been straightened and divided by numbered divisions and lettered subdivisions. the exact chromosomal locations of eight dna probes have been determined by fluorescent in situ hybridization. using the dna sequences, we have established correspondence betwee ...	2006	17017220
malaria transmission and insecticide resistance of anopheles gambiae (diptera: culicidae) in the french military camp of port-bouët, abidjan (côte d'ivoire): implications for vector control.	an important vector control program is ongoing to lower the risk of malaria transmission in the french military camp of port-bouët, abidjan (côte d'ivoire). however, some autochthonous malaria cases are regularly suspected. an entomological survey was conducted in june 2004 in the camp to assess malaria transmission and evaluate the pyrethroid and organophosphate resistance of the malaria vectors. the average mosquito biting rate was 178.0 bites per person per night. mosquitoes belonging to the ...	2006	17017249
arrestins: ubiquitous regulators of cellular signaling pathways.	in vertebrates, the arrestins are a family of four proteins that regulate the signaling and trafficking of hundreds of different g-protein-coupled receptors (gpcrs). arrestin homologs are also found in insects, protochordates and nematodes. fungi and protists have related proteins but do not have true arrestins. structural information is available only for free (unbound) vertebrate arrestins, and shows that the conserved overall fold is elongated and composed of two domains, with the core of eac ...	0	17020596
insights into the evolution of the erbb receptor family and their ligands from sequence analysis.	in the time since we presented the first molecular evolutionary study of the erbb family of receptors and the egf family of ligands, there has been a dramatic increase in genomic sequences available. we have utilized this greatly expanded data set in this study of the erbb family of receptors and their ligands.	2006	17026767
towards abolition of immunogenic structures in insect cells: characterization of a honey-bee (apis mellifera) multi-gene family reveals both an allergy-related core alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase and the first insect lewis-histo-blood-group-related antigen-synthesizing enzyme.	glycoproteins from honey-bee (apis mellifera), such as phospholipase a2 and hyaluronidase, are well-known major bee-venom allergens. they carry n-linked oligosaccharide structures with two types of alpha1,3-fucosylation: the modification by alpha1,3-fucose of the innermost core glcnac, which constitutes an epitope recognized by ige from some bee-venom-allergic patients, and an antennal lewis-like galnacbeta1,4(fucalpha1,3)glcnac moiety. we now report the cloning and expression of two cdnas encod ...	0	17029591
daily temperature profiles in and around western kenyan larval habitats of anopheles gambiae as related to egg mortality.	anopheles gambiae eggs are more frequently found on soil around puddle habitats of the larvae, than on the water surface itself in western kenya. thus, eggs can experience temperatures more wide-ranging and lethal than those experienced by larvae or pupae confined within puddles.	2006	17038186
laboratory tests of oviposition by the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, on dark soil as influenced by presence or absence of vegetation.	physical objects like vegetation can influence oviposition by mosquitoes on soil or water substrates. anopheles gambiae s. l. is generally thought to utilize puddles over bare soil as its prime larval habitat and to avoid standing water populated with vegetation. in kisian, kenya near kisumu, water often pools in grassy drainage areas both during and after periods of infrequent rains, when typical puddle habitats become scarce because of drying. this raised the question of whether an. gambiae ha ...	2006	17038187
spatial and temporal variation in malaria transmission in a low endemicity area in northern tanzania.	spatial and longitudinal monitoring of transmission intensity will allow better targeting of malaria interventions. in this study, data on meteorological, demographic, entomological and parasitological data over the course of a year was collected to describe malaria epidemiology in a single village of low transmission intensity.	2006	17081311
seroprevalence of malaria in inhabitants of the urban zone of antananarivo, madagascar.	antananarivo, the capital of madagascar, is located at an altitude of over 1,200 m. the environment at this altitude is not particularly favourable to malaria transmission, but malaria nonetheless remains a major public health problem. the aim of this study was to evaluate exposure to malaria in the urban population of antananarivo, by measuring the specific seroprevalence of plasmodium falciparum.	2006	17096830
topography and malaria transmission heterogeneity in western kenya highlands: prospects for focal vector control.	recent resurgence of malaria in the highlands of western kenya has called for a more comprehensive understanding of the previously neglected complex highland vector ecology. besides other drivers of malaria epidemiology, topography is likely to have a major effect on spatial vector and parasite distribution. the aim of this study was to determine the effects of topography on malaria spatial vector distribution and parasite prevalence.	2006	17096835
survival of immature anopheles arabiensis (diptera: culicidae) in aquatic habitats in mwea rice irrigation scheme, central kenya.	the survivorship and distribution of anopheles arabiensis larvae and pupae was examined in a rice agro-ecosystem in mwea irrigation scheme, central kenya, from august 2005 to april 2006, prior to implementation of larval control programme.	2006	17125501
effective population size of anopheles funestus chromosomal forms in burkina faso.	as anopheles funestus is one of the principal afro-tropical malaria vectors, a more complete understanding of its population structure is desirable. in west and central africa, an. funestus population structure is complicated by the coexistence of two assortatively mating chromosomal forms. effective population size (ne) is a key parameter in understanding patterns and levels of intraspecific variation, as it reflects the role of genetic drift. here, ne was estimated from both chromosomal forms, ...	2006	17125511
improved repeat identification and masking in dipterans.	repetitive sequences are a major constituent of many eukaryote genomes and play roles in gene regulation, chromosome inheritance, nuclear architecture, and genome stability. the identification of repetitive elements has traditionally relied on in-depth, manual curation and computational determination of close relatives based on dna identity. however, the rapid divergence of repetitive sequence has made identification of repeats by dna identity difficult even in closely related species. hence, th ...	2006	17137733
life on the edge: african malaria mosquito (anopheles gambiae s. l.) larvae are amphibious.	anopheles gambiae s.l. is the main vector of malaria in sub-saharan africa. here, an estimated 1 million people die every year from this disease. despite considerable research on an. gambiae that increasingly explores sub-organismal phenomena, important facets of the field biology of this deadly insect are yet being discovered. in the current study, we used simple observational tools to reveal that the habitat of larval an. gambiae is not limited within the boundaries of temporary mud puddles, a ...	2007	17139499
characterization and expression of the short neuropeptide f receptor in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae.	a short neuropeptide f (snpf) precursor and a snpf receptor (snpfr) were characterized for the mosquito, anopheles gambiae. the snpfr was expressed in cho-k1 cells, and it exhibited high affinity binding, ic(50) approximately 3-5 nm, for specific snpfs. snpf1 potently inhibited forskolin-stimulated camp production by transfected cells, suggesting snpfr acts via g(i/o). transcripts for snpf and snpfr were present in all body regions of larvae, pupae, and adults, and immunoblots for snpfr confirme ...	2007	17140700
the insulin signaling cascade from nematodes to mammals: insights into innate immunity of anopheles mosquitoes to malaria parasite infection.	as revealed over the past 20 years, the insulin signaling cascade plays a central role in regulating immune and oxidative stress responses that affect the life spans of mammals and two model invertebrates, the nematode caenorhabitis elegans and the fruit fly drosophila melanogaster. in mosquitoes, insulin signaling regulates key steps in egg maturation and immunity and likely affects aging, although the latter has yet to be examined in detail. reproduction, immunity and aging critically influenc ...	2007	17161866
impact of the rift valley on restriction fragment length polymorphism typing of the major african malaria vector anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae).	anopheles funestus giles (diptera: culicidae) is one of africa's major malaria vectors. to understand population structure within an. funestus, various molecular markers have recently been developed. we investigated the impact of the rift valley on one such molecular marker, a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp). this system distinguishes an. funestus populations into types m, w, and mw. generally, these types correlate between geographical location and rflp ...	2006	17162950