Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
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| genomic and evolutionary analyses of tango transposons in aedes aegypti, anopheles gambiae and other mosquito species. | tango is a transposon of the tc1 family and was originally discovered in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. here we report a systematic analysis of the genome sequence of the yellow fever mosquito, aedes aegypti, which uncovered three distinct tango transposons. we name the only an. gambiae tango transposon agtango1 and the three ae. aegypti tango elements aetango1-3. like agtango1, aetango1 and aetango2 elements both have members that retain characteristics of autonomous elements ... | 2007 | 17506852 |
| malaria mosquito control using edible fish in western kenya: preliminary findings of a controlled study. | biological control methods are once again being given much research focus for malaria vector control. this is largely due to the emerging threat of strong resistance to pesticides. larvivorous fish have been used for over 100 years in mosquito control and many species have proved effective. in the western kenyan highlands the larvivorous fish oreochromis niloticus l. (perciformes: cichlidae) (formerly tilapia nilotica) is commonly farmed and eaten but has not been previously tested in the field ... | 2007 | 17688686 |
| detection of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in anopheles gambiae: a comparison of two new high-throughput assays with existing methods. | knockdown resistance (kdr) is a well-characterized mechanism of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in many insect species and is caused by point mutations of the pyrethroid target site the para-type sodium channel. the presence of kdr mutations in anopheles gambiae, the most important malaria vector in africa, has been monitored using a variety of molecular techniques. however, there are few reports comparing the performance of these different assays. in this study, two new high-throughput as ... | 2007 | 17697325 |
| effect of discriminative plant-sugar feeding on the survival and fecundity of anopheles gambiae. | a previous study showed for anopheles gambiae s.s. a gradation of feeding preference on common plant species growing in a malaria holoendemic area in western kenya. the present follow-up study determines whether there is a relationship between the mosquito's preferences and its survival and fecundity. | 2007 | 17711580 |
| evaluation of antibody response to plasmodium falciparum in children according to exposure of anopheles gambiae s.l or anopheles funestus vectors. | in sub-saharan areas, malaria transmission was mainly ensured by anopheles. gambiae s.l. and anopheles. funestus vectors. the immune response status to plasmodium falciparum was evaluated in children living in two villages where malaria transmission was ensured by dissimilar species of anopheles vectors (an. funestus vs an. gambiae s.l.). | 2007 | 17764568 |
| segmental duplication implicated in the genesis of inversion 2rj of anopheles gambiae. | the malaria vector anopheles gambiae maintains high levels of inversion polymorphism that facilitate its exploitation of diverse ecological settings across tropical africa. molecular characterization of inversion breakpoints is a first step toward understanding the processes that generate and maintain inversions. here we focused on inversion 2rj because of its association with the assortatively mating bamako chromosomal form of an. gambiae, whose distinctive breeding sites are rock pools beside ... | 2007 | 17786220 |
| genetic variation of male reproductive success in a laboratory population of anopheles gambiae. | for anopheline mosquitoes, the vectors of human malaria, genetic variation in male reproductive success can have important consequences for any control strategy based on the release of transgenic or sterile males. | 2007 | 17663767 |
| estimating dispersal and survival of anopheles gambiae and anopheles funestus along the kenyan coast by using mark-release-recapture methods. | mark-release-recapture (mrr) experiments were conducted with emerging anopheles gambiae s.l. and anophelesfunestus giles at jaribuni and mtepeni in kilifi, along the kenyan coast. of 739 and 1246 anopheles released at jaribuni and mtepeni, 24.6 and 4.33% were recaptured, respectively. the daily survival probability was 0.96 for an. funestus and 0.95 for an. gambiae in jaribuni and 0.83 and 0.95, respectively, in mtepeni. the maximum flight distance recorded was 661 m. the high survival probabili ... | 2007 | 18047189 |
| anopheles funestus (diptera: culicidae) in a humid savannah area of western burkina faso: bionomics, insecticide resistance status, and role in malaria transmission. | an entomological survey was carried out in three humid savannah sites of western burkina faso (bama, lena, and soumousso) to (1) update the taxonomy of the anopheles funestus giles group, (2) examine the role of each species in malaria transmission, (3) characterize the insecticide resistance status of this malaria vector, and (4) determine the distribution of an. funestus chromosomal forms in these areas. polymerase chain reaction identification of the members showed the occurrence of an. leeso ... | 2007 | 18047197 |
| contributions of different mosquito species to the transmission of lymphatic filariasis in central nigeria: implications for monitoring infection by pcr in mosquito pools. | members of the anopheles gambiae complex are important vectors of lymphatic filariasis (lf) in sub-saharan africa, but little is known about the relative contributions of all mosquitoes to lymphatic filariasis transmission in this area. | 2007 | 18047673 |
| spatial targeted vector control in the highlands of burundi and its impact on malaria transmission. | prevention of malaria epidemics is a priority for african countries. the 2000 malaria epidemic in burundi prompted the government to implement measures for preventing future outbreaks. case management with artemisinin-based combination therapy and malaria surveillance were nationally improved. a vector control programme was initiated in one of the most affected highland provinces. the focal distribution of malaria vectors in the highlands was the starting point for designing a targeted vector co ... | 2007 | 18053166 |
| does the spillage of petroleum products in anopheles breeding sites have an impact on the pyrethroid resistance? | the emergence of anopheles populations capable of withstanding lethal doses of insecticides has weakened the efficacy of most insecticide based strategies of vector control and, has highlighted the need for further studies on the mechanisms of insecticide resistance and the various factors selecting resistant populations of mosquitoes. this research targeted the analysis of breeding sites and the oviposition behaviour of susceptible and resistant populations of anopheles in localities of spilled ... | 2007 | 18053173 |
| environmental impact evaluation of the stem bark extract of maesa lanceolata used in democratic republic of congo. | this study has been carried out in order to evaluate new chemical drugs from plants for biocidal activity before use to avoid noxious effect on human beings and animals or plants and also to prevent the worsing of environment. in fact, many natural products endowed with biological active principles are obtained from plant material used in the holistic medicines. presently, scientists pay attention to the study of plant extracts hoping to discover cheaper and efficient new drugs for health care a ... | 2007 | 17928180 |
| genetic population structure of anopheles gambiae in equatorial guinea. | patterns of genetic structure among mosquito vector populations in islands have received particular attention as these are considered potentially suitable sites for experimental trials on transgenic-based malaria control strategies. in this study, levels of genetic differentiation have been estimated between populations of anopheles gambiae s.s. from the islands of bioko and annobón, and from continental equatorial guinea (eg) and gabon. | 2007 | 17937805 |
| molecular cloning, phylogeny and localization of agnha1: the first na+/h+ antiporter (nha) from a metazoan, anopheles gambiae. | we have cloned a cdna encoding a new ion transporter from the alimentary canal of larval african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae giles sensu stricto. phylogenetic analysis revealed that the corresponding gene is in a group that has been designated nha, and which includes (na+ or k+)/h+ antiporters; so the novel transporter is called agnha1. the annotation of current insect genomes shows that both agnha1 and a close relative, agnha2, belong to the cation proton antiporter 2 (cpa2) subfamily a ... | 2007 | 17951426 |
| monitoring the operational impact of insecticide usage for malaria control on anopheles funestus from mozambique. | indoor residual spraying (irs) has again become popular for malaria control in africa. this combined with the affirmation by who that ddt is appropriate for use in the absence of longer lasting insecticide formulations in some malaria endemic settings, has resulted in an increase in irs with ddt as a major malaria vector control intervention in africa. ddt was re-introduced into mozambique's irs programme in 2005 and is increasingly becoming the main insecticide used for malaria vector control i ... | 2007 | 17973989 |
| unexpected high losses of anopheles gambiae larvae due to rainfall. | immature stages of the malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae experience high mortality, but its cause is poorly understood. here we study the impact of rainfall, one of the abiotic factors to which the immatures are frequently exposed, on their mortality. | 2007 | 17987125 |
| relative developmental and reproductive fitness associated with pyrethroid resistance in the major southern african malaria vector, anopheles funestus. | the effect of pyrethroid resistance on the fitness of a laboratory strain of anopheles funestus originating from southern mozambique was evaluated by comparing the developmental and reproductive characteristics of a pyrethroid resistant strain with an insecticide susceptible strain. fitness was evaluated in terms of fecundity, fertility, egg production, developmental time and life stage progression and survival. of the eggs laid by females of the resistant strain, 81.5% hatched while only 66.9% ... | 2007 | 17997873 |
| identification and analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the mosquito anopheles funestus, malaria vector. | single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) are the most common source of genetic variation in eukaryotic species and have become an important marker for genetic studies. the mosquito anopheles funestus is one of the major malaria vectors in africa and yet, prior to this study, no snps have been described for this species. here we report a genome-wide set of snp markers for use in genetic studies on this important human disease vector. | 2007 | 17204152 |
| update of the anopheles gambiae pest genome assembly. | the genome of anopheles gambiae, the major vector of malaria, was sequenced and assembled in 2002. this initial genome assembly and analysis made available to the scientific community was complicated by the presence of assembly issues, such as scaffolds with no chromosomal location, no sequence data for the y chromosome, haplotype polymorphisms resulting in two different genome assemblies in limited regions and contaminating bacterial dna. | 2007 | 17210077 |
| the epidemiology of malaria in adults in a rural area of southern mozambique. | epidemiological studies of malaria in adults who live in malaria endemic areas are scarce. more attention to the natural history of malaria affecting adults is needed to understand the dynamics of malaria infection and its interaction with the immune system. the present study was undertaken to investigate the clinical, parasitological and haematological status of adults exposed to malaria, and to characterize parasites in these individuals who progressively acquire protective immunity. | 2007 | 17233881 |
| malaria vectors and transmission dynamics in coastal south-western cameroon. | malaria is a major public health problem in cameroon. unlike in the southern forested areas where the epidemiology of malaria has been better studied prior to the implementation of control activities, little is known about the distribution and role of anophelines in malaria transmission in the coastal areas. | 2007 | 17233883 |
| an insight into the sialome of anopheles funestus reveals an emerging pattern in anopheline salivary protein families. | anopheles funestus, together with anopheles gambiae, is responsible for most malaria transmission in sub-saharan africa, but little is known about molecular aspects of its biology. to investigate the salivary repertoire of this mosquito, we randomly sequenced 916 clones from a salivary-gland cdna library from adult female f1 offspring of field-caught an. funestus. thirty-three protein sequences, mostly full-length transcripts, are predicted to be secreted salivary proteins. we additionally descr ... | 2007 | 17244545 |
| mapping a quantitative trait locus (qtl) conferring pyrethroid resistance in the african malaria vector anopheles funestus. | pyrethroid resistance in anopheles funestus populations has led to an increase in malaria transmission in southern africa. resistance has been attributed to elevated activities of cytochrome p450s but the molecular basis underlying this metabolic resistance is unknown. microsatellite and snp markers were used to construct a linkage map and to detect a quantitative trait locus (qtl) associated with pyrethroid resistance in the fumoz-r strain of an. funestus from mozambique. | 2007 | 17261170 |
| seasonality, blood feeding behavior, and transmission of plasmodium falciparum by anopheles arabiensis after an extended drought in southern zambia. | transmission of plasmodium falciparum is hyperendemic in southern zambia. however, no data on the entomologic aspects of malaria transmission have been published from zambia in more than 25 years. we evaluated seasonal malaria transmission by anopheles arabiensis and an. funestus s.s. and characterized the blood feeding behavior of an. arabiensis in two village areas. transmission during the 2004-2005 rainy season was nearly zero because of widespread drought. during 2005-2006, the estimated ent ... | 2007 | 17297034 |
| evidence for a population expansion in the west nile virus vector culex tarsalis. | population genetic structure of the west nile virus vector culex tarsalis was investigated in 5 states in the western united states using 5 microsatellite loci and a fragment of the mitochondrial reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase 4 (nd4) gene. nd4 sequence analysis revealed a lack of isolation by distance, panmixia across all populations, an excess of rare haplotypes, and a star-like phylogeny. microsatellites revealed moderate genetic differentiation and isolation ... | 2007 | 17339636 |
| indoor collections of the anopheles funestus group (diptera: culicidae) in sprayed houses in northern kwazulu-natal, south africa. | insecticide resistance in malaria vector mosquitoes presents a serious problem for those involved in control of this disease. south africa experienced a severe malaria epidemic during 1999/2000 due to pyrethroid resistance in the major vector anopheles funestus. subsequent monitoring and surveillance of mosquito populations were conducted as part of the malaria vector control programme. | 2007 | 17359529 |
| 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 |
| malaria control in south africa - challenges and successes. | control measures have substantially reduced the historical distribution of malaria in south africa; the country's population currently at risk for contracting malaria is approximately 4.3 million, predominantly in the northern and eastern border areas. the major strategies for malaria control are vector control through indoor residual spraying, case management, disease surveillance, epidemic preparedness and response, and public awareness. there has been a significant and sustained decrease in m ... | 2007 | 18250936 |
| regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and flight performance by a hypertrehalosaemic hormone in the mosquito anopheles gambiae. | the role of adipokinetic hormones (akhs) in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and flight performance was evaluated for females of the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. injection of various dosages of synthetic anoga-akh-i increased carbohydrate levels in the haemolymph and reduced glycogen reserves in sugar-fed females but did not affect lipid levels. anoga-akh-i enhanced the flight performance of both intact and decapitated sugar-fed females, during a 4 h flight per ... | 2008 | 18062987 |
| heavy metals in mosquito larval habitats in urban kisumu and malindi, kenya, and their impact. | concentrations and distribution of cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese and zinc in mosquito larval habitats in urban kisumu and malindi, kenya and their effect on the presence of anopheles gambiae, aedes aegypti, culex quinquefasciatus and anopheles funestus larvae were investigated. manganese and iron were the most prevalent heavy metals in water of larval habitats in urban kisumu and malindi, respectively. iron was the most prevalent heavy metal in bottom sediments in larval habit ... | 2008 | 17532467 |
| a tool box for operational mosquito larval control: preliminary results and early lessons from the urban malaria control programme in dar es salaam, tanzania. | as the population of africa rapidly urbanizes, large populations could be protected from malaria by controlling aquatic stages of mosquitoes if cost-effective and scalable implementation systems can be designed. | 2008 | 18218148 |
| ovipositional periodicity of caged anopheles gambiae individuals. | abstract: | 2008 | 18221544 |
| clinical malaria in african pregnant women. | there is a widespread notion, based on limited information, that in areas of stable malaria transmission most pregnant women with plasmodium falciparum infection are asymptomatic. this study aim to characterize the clinical presentation of malaria in african pregnant women and to evaluate the adequacy of case management based on clinical complaints. | 2008 | 18234078 |
| over expression of a cytochrome p450 (cyp6p9) in a major african malaria vector, anopheles funestus, resistant to pyrethroids. | anopheles funestus giles is one of the major african malaria vectors. it has previously been implicated in a major outbreak of malaria in kwazulu/natal, south africa, during the period 1996 to 2000. the re-emergence of this vector was associated with monooxygenase-based resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. we have identified a gene from the monooxygenase cyp6 family, cyp6p9, which is over expressed in a pyrethroid resistant strain originating from mozambique. quantitative real-time pcr shows t ... | 2008 | 18237281 |
| chikungunya fever, mauritius, 2006. | 2008 | 18258136 | |
| abandoning small-scale fish farming in western kenya leads to higher malaria vector abundance. | fishponds become abandoned due to lack of access to both young fish and technical support and faster economic returns from other activities. certain conditions found in abandoned fishponds, such as absence of fish and presence of aquatic vegetation, are conducive to the presence of malaria vectors. we conducted a district-wide fishpond census to determine the maintenance status and mosquito populations of fishponds in kisii central district in western kenya. two hundred and sixty one fishponds w ... | 2008 | 18068136 |
| bionomics of malaria vectors and relationship with malaria transmission and epidemiology in three physiographic zones in the senegal river basin. | following the implementation of two dams in the senegal river, entomological and parasitological studies were conducted in three different ecological zones in the senegal river basin (the low valley of senegal river, the guiers lake area and the low valley of ferlo) every 3 month in june 2004, september 2004, december 2004 and march 2005. the objective of this work was to study the influence of environmental heterogeneities on vector bionomics and malaria epidemiology. mosquitoes were collected ... | 2008 | 18068685 |
| humoral responses to plasmodium falciparum blood-stage antigens and association with incidence of clinical malaria in children living in an area of seasonal malaria transmission in burkina faso, west africa. | there is longstanding evidence that immunoglobulin g (igg) has a role in protection against clinical malaria, and human antibodies of the cytophilic subclasses are thought to be particularly critical in this respect. in this cohort study, 286 burkinabè children 6 months to 15 years old were kept under malaria surveillance in order to assess the protective role of antibody responses against four antigens which are currently being evaluated as vaccine candidates: apical membrane antigen 1 (ama1), ... | 2008 | 18070896 |
| insulin regulates aging and oxidative stress in anopheles stephensi. | observations from nematodes to mammals indicate that insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (iis) regulates lifespan. as in other organisms, iis is conserved in mosquitoes and signaling occurs in multiple tissues. during bloodfeeding, mosquitoes ingest human insulin. this simple observation suggested that exogenous insulin could mimic the endogenous hormonal control of aging in mosquitoes, providing a new model to examine this phenomenon at the organismal and cellular levels. to this end, ... | 2008 | 18281336 |
| malaria in rural mozambique. part i: children attending the outpatient clinic. | malaria represents a huge burden for the health care services across africa. describing malaria attending health services contributes to quantify the burden and describe the epidemiology and clinical presentation. | 2008 | 18302770 |
| an experimental hut evaluation of olyset nets against anopheline mosquitoes after seven years use in tanzanian villages. | long-lasting insecticidal nets (llins) are advocated by who for protection against malaria. of the three brands of llins currently approved by who, olyset(r) is the only one currently granted full recommendation. with this type of llin, the insecticide (permethrin) is incorporated into the polyethylene fibre during manufacture and diffuses from the core to the surface, thereby maintaining surface concentrations. it has not been determined for how long olyset nets remain protective against mosqui ... | 2008 | 18307802 |
| host choice and multiple blood feeding behaviour of malaria vectors and other anophelines in mwea rice scheme, kenya. | studies were conducted between april 2004 and february 2006 to determine the blood-feeding pattern of anopheles mosquitoes in mwea kenya. | 2008 | 18312667 |
| the molecular evolution of four anti-malarial immune genes in the anopheles gambiae species complex. | if the insect innate immune system is to be used as a potential blocking step in transmission of malaria, then it will require targeting one or a few genes with highest relevance and ease of manipulation. the problem is to identify and manipulate those of most importance to malaria infection without the risk of decreasing the mosquito's ability to stave off infections by microbes in general. molecular evolution methodologies and concepts can help identify such genes. within the setting of a comp ... | 2008 | 18325105 |
| inheritance of pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector in southern africa, anopheles funestus. | 2008 | 18348783 | |
| diversity of bacterial communities in container habitats of mosquitoes. | we investigated the bacterial diversity of microbial communities in water-filled, human-made and natural container habitats of the mosquitoes aedes aegypti and aedes albopictus in suburban landscapes of new orleans, louisiana in 2003. we collected water samples from three classes of containers, including tires (n = 12), cemetery urns (n = 23), and miscellaneous containers that included two tree holes (n = 19). total genomic dna was extracted from water samples, and 16s ribosomal dna fragments (o ... | 2008 | 18373113 |
| malaria: progress, perils, and prospects for eradication. | there are still approximately 500 million cases of malaria and 1 million deaths from malaria each year. yet recently, malaria incidence has been dramatically reduced in some parts of africa by increasing deployment of anti-mosquito measures and new artemisinin-containing treatments, prompting renewed calls for global eradication. however, treatment and mosquito control currently depend on too few compounds and thus are vulnerable to the emergence of compound-resistant parasites and mosquitoes. a ... | 2008 | 18382739 |
| a randomized placebo-controlled trial of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnant women in the context of insecticide treated nets delivered through the antenatal clinic. | current recommendations to prevent malaria in african pregnant women rely on insecticide treated nets (itns) and intermittent preventive treatment (iptp). however, there is no information on the safety and efficacy of their combined use. | 2008 | 18398460 |
| characterisation of ddt, pyrethroid and carbamate resistance in anopheles funestus from obuasi, ghana. | indoor-resting anopheline mosquitoes were collected from obuasi, ghana, and were identified morphologically and by pcr as anopheles funestus giles. wild-caught females were induced to lay eggs. samples of f1 progeny from each family were divided into cohorts and were either exposed to ddt and permethrin or were stored for biochemical analysis. bioassay data by family show evidence of ddt and pyrethroid resistance in the parent a. funestus population. the sodium channel gene of ddt survivors and ... | 2008 | 18405930 |
| mosquito abundance, bed net coverage and other factors associated with variations in sporozoite infectivity rates in four villages of rural tanzania. | entomological surveys are of great importance in decision-making processes regarding malaria control strategies because they help to identify associations between vector abundance both species-specific ecology and disease intervention factors associated with malaria transmission. sporozoite infectivity rates, mosquito host blood meal source, bed net coverage and mosquito abundance were assessed in this study. | 2008 | 18423018 |
| comparative genomics of small rna regulatory pathway components in vector mosquitoes. | small rna regulatory pathways (srrps) control key aspects of development and anti-viral defense in metazoans. members of the argonaute family of catalytic enzymes degrade target rnas in each of these pathways. srrps include the microrna, small interfering rna (sirna) and piwi-type gene silencing pathways. mosquitoes generate viral sirnas when infected with rna arboviruses. however, in some mosquitoes, arboviruses survive antiviral rna interference (rnai) and are transmitted via mosquito bite to ... | 2008 | 18801182 |
| gene expression studies in mosquitoes. | research on gene expression in mosquitoes is motivated by both basic and applied interests. studies of genes involved in hematophagy, reproduction, olfaction, and immune responses reveal an exquisite confluence of biological adaptations that result in these highly-successful life forms. the requirement of female mosquitoes for a bloodmeal for propagation has been exploited by a wide diversity of viral, protozoan and metazoan pathogens as part of their life cycles. identifying genes involved in h ... | 2008 | 19161831 |
| integrated vector management for malaria control. | integrated vector management (ivm) is defined as "a rational decision-making process for the optimal use of resources for vector control" and includes five key elements: 1) evidence-based decision-making, 2) integrated approaches 3), collaboration within the health sector and with other sectors, 4) advocacy, social mobilization, and legislation, and 5) capacity-building. in 2004, the who adopted ivm globally for the control of all vector-borne diseases. important recent progress has been made in ... | 2008 | 19091038 |
| towards a sterile insect technique field release of anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes in sudan: irradiation, transportation, and field cage experimentation. | the work described in this article forms part of a study to suppress a population of the malaria vector anopheles arabiensis in northern state, sudan, with the sterile insect technique. no data have previously been collected on the irradiation and transportation of anopheline mosquitoes in africa, and the first series of attempts to do this in sudan are reported here. in addition, experiments in a large field cage under near-natural conditions are described. | 2008 | 18439238 |
| synergy and specificity of two na+-aromatic amino acid symporters in the model alimentary canal of mosquito larvae. | the nutrient amino acid transporter (nat) subfamily is the largest subdivision of the sodium neurotransmitter symporter family (snf; also known as slc6; hugo). there are seven members of the nat population in the african malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae, two of which, agnat6 and agnat8, preferably transport indole- and phenyl-branched substrates, respectively. the relative expression and distribution of these aromatic nats were examined with transporter-specific antibodies in xenopus oocytes a ... | 2008 | 18456887 |
| snp discovery and molecular evolution in anopheles gambiae, with special emphasis on innate immune system. | anopheles innate immunity affects plasmodium development and is a potential target of innovative malaria control strategies. the extent and distribution of nucleotide diversity in immunity genes might provide insights into the evolutionary forces that condition pathogen-vector interactions. the discovery of polymorphisms is an essential step towards association studies of susceptibility to infection. | 2008 | 18489733 |
| nature limits filarial transmission. | abstract: lymphatic filariasis, caused by wuchereria bancrofti, brugia malayi and b. timori is a public health problem of considerable magnitude of the tropics and subtropics. presently 1.3 billion people are at risk of lymphatic filariasis (lf) infection and about 120 million people are affected in 83 countries. in this context it is worth mentioning that 'nature' itself limits filarial transmission to a great extent in a number of ways such as by reducing vector populations, parasitic load and ... | 2008 | 18500974 |
| cloning, characterization, and expression of micrornas from the asian malaria mosquito, anopheles stephensi. | micrornas (mirnas) are non-coding rnas that are now recognized as a major class of gene-regulating molecules widely distributed in metozoans and plants. mirnas have been found to play important roles in apoptosis, cancer, development, differentiation, inflammation, longevity, and viral infection. there are a few reports describing mirnas in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, on the basis of similarity to known mirnas from other species. an. stephensi is the most important malaria v ... | 2008 | 18500992 |
| comparison of male reproductive success in malaria-refractory and susceptible strains of anopheles gambiae. | in female mosquitoes that transmit malaria, the benefits of being refractory to the plasmodium parasite are balanced by the immunity costs in the absence of infection. male mosquitoes, however, gain no advantage from being refractory to blood-transmitted parasites, so that any costs associated with an enhanced immune system in the males limit the evolution of female refractoriness and has practical implications for the release of transgenic males. | 2008 | 18534029 |
| african water storage pots for the delivery of the entomopathogenic fungus metarhizium anisopliae to the malaria vectors anopheles gambiae s.s. and anopheles funestus. | we studied the use of african water storage pots for point source application of metarhizium anisopliae against the malaria vectors anopheles gambiae s.s. and an. funestus. clay pots were shown to be attractive resting sites for male and female an. gambiae s.s. and were not repellent after impregnation with fungus. m. anisopliae was highly infective and virulent after spray application inside pots. at a dosage of 4 x 10(10) conidia/m(2), an average of 95 +/- 1.2% of an. gambiae s.s. obtained a f ... | 2008 | 18541768 |
| spatially-explicit risk profiling of plasmodium falciparum infections at a small scale: a geostatistical modelling approach. | there is a renewed political will and financial support to eradicate malaria. spatially-explicit risk profiling will play an important role in this endeavour. patterns of plasmodium falciparum infection prevalence were examined among schoolchildren in a highly malaria-endemic area. | 2008 | 18570685 |
| novel peptide marker corresponding to salivary protein gsg6 potentially identifies exposure to anopheles bites. | in order to improve malaria control, and under the aegis of who recommendations, many efforts are being devoted to developing new tools for identifying geographic areas with high risk of parasite transmission. evaluation of the human antibody response to arthropod salivary proteins could be an epidemiological indicator of exposure to vector bites, and therefore to risk of pathogen transmission. in the case of malaria, which is transmitted only by anopheline mosquitoes, maximal specificity could ... | 2008 | 18575604 |
| a synthetic resilin is largely unstructured. | proresilin is the precursor protein for resilin, an extremely elastic, hydrated, cross-linked insoluble protein found in insects. we investigated the secondary-structure distribution in solution of a synthetic proresilin (an16), based on 16 units of the consensus proresilin repeat from anopheles gambiae. raman spectroscopy was used to verify that the secondary-structure distributions in cross-linked an16 resilin and in an16 proresilin are similar, and hence that solution techniques (such as nmr ... | 2008 | 18586853 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome of the antarctic springtail cryptopygus antarcticus (hexapoda: collembola). | mitogenomics data, i.e. complete mitochondrial genome sequences, are popular molecular markers used for phylogenetic, phylogeographic and ecological studies in different animal lineages. their comparative analysis has been used to shed light on the evolutionary history of given taxa and on the molecular processes that regulate the evolution of the mitochondrial genome. a considerable literature is available in the fields of invertebrate biochemical and ecophysiological adaptation to extreme envi ... | 2008 | 18593463 |
| recent reduction in the water level of lake victoria has created more habitats for anopheles funestus. | the water level of lake victoria has fallen more than 1.5 m since 1998, revealing a narrow strip of land along the shore. this study determined whether the recent drop in the water level has created additional breeding grounds for malaria vectors. | 2008 | 18598355 |
| nutrient content of diet affects the signaling activity of the insulin/target of rapamycin/p70 s6 kinase pathway in the african malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae. | regulation of female mosquito feeding and reproduction plays a central role in their disease-vector competence. in this study we show that anopheles gambiae mosquitoes engorged on albumin, amino acid and saline meals the same way as on blood, whereas sucrose evoked a typical plant nectar feeding response. among the artificial diets, only the albumin-containing ones allowed follicular development. the target of rapamycin (tor)/p70 s6 kinase (s6k) pathway has been identified as an essential nutrie ... | 2008 | 18634792 |
| topi, an is630/tc1/mariner-type transposable element in the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae. | is630/tc1/mariner elements are diverse and widespread within insects. the african malaria mosquito, anopheles gambiae, contains over 30 families of is630/tc1/mariner elements although few have been studied in any detail. to examine the history of topi elements in an. gambiae populations, topi elements (n=73) were sampled from five distinct populations of an. gambiae from eastern and western africa and evaluated with respect to copy number, nucleotide diversity and insertion site-occupancy freque ... | 2008 | 18634859 |
| the molecular forms of anopheles gambiae: a phenotypic perspective. | the african malaria mosquito anopheles gambiae is undergoing speciation, being split into the m and s molecular forms. speciation is the main process promoting biological diversity, thus, new vector species might complicate disease transmission. genetic differentiation between the molecular forms has been extensively studied, but phenotypic differences between them, the evolutionary forces that generated divergence, and the mechanisms that maintain their genetic isolation have only recently been ... | 2008 | 18640289 |
| dynamics of transmission of plasmodium falciparum by anopheles arabiensis and the molecular forms m and s of anopheles gambiae in dielmo, senegal. | the adaptation of anopheles gambiae to humans and its environment involves an ongoing speciation process that can be best demonstrated by the existence of various chromosomal forms adapted to different environments and of two molecular forms known as incipient taxonomic units. | 2008 | 18651944 |
| impact of urban agriculture on malaria vectors in accra, ghana. | to investigate the impact of urban agriculture on malaria transmission risk in urban accra larval and adult stage mosquito surveys, were performed. local transmission was implicated as anopheles spp. were found breeding and infected anopheles mosquitoes were found resting in houses in the study sites. the predominant anopheles species was anopheles gambiae s.s.. the relative proportion of molecular forms within a subset of specimens was 86% s-form and 14% m-form. anopheles spp. and culex quinque ... | 2008 | 18680565 |
| ethnobotanical study of some of mosquito repellent plants in north-eastern tanzania. | the use of plant repellents against nuisance biting insects is common and its potential for malaria vector control requires evaluation in areas with different level of malaria endemicity. the essential oils of ocimum suave and ocimum kilimandscharicum were evaluated against malaria vectors in north-eastern tanzania. | 2008 | 18687119 |
| abundance of immature anopheles and culicines (diptera: culicidae) in different water body types in the urban environment of malindi, kenya. | in this study we 1) describe the abundance of anopheles and culicine immatures in different water body types in urban malindi, kenya, 2) compare anopheles immature density in relation to culicine immature density, and 3) identify characteristics that influence the likelihood of water bodies being co-colonized by anopheles and culicines. entomological and environmental cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2001 and 2002 were used in the analysis. a total of 889 anopheles and 7,217 culicine immatur ... | 2008 | 18697313 |
| dry season ecology of anopheles gambiae complex mosquitoes in the gambia. | malaria in the gambia is highly seasonal, with transmission occurring as anopheles gambiae s.l. populations expand during and immediately after a single annual rainy season that lasts from june to october. there has been very limited investigation of the ecology of vectors during the dry season, when numbers are very limited and distributions may be restricted. | 2008 | 18710559 |
| establishment of a large semi-field system for experimental study of african malaria vector ecology and control in tanzania. | medical entomologists increasingly recognize that the ability to make inferences between laboratory experiments of vector biology and epidemiological trends observed in the field is hindered by a conceptual and methodological gap occurring between these approaches which prevents hypothesis-driven empirical research from being conducted on relatively large and environmentally realistic scales. the development of semi-field systems (sfs) has been proposed as the best mechanism for bridging this ga ... | 2008 | 18715508 |
| pcr-based detection of plasmodium in anopheles mosquitoes: a comparison of a new high-throughput assay with existing methods. | detection of the four malaria-causing plasmodium species (plasmodium falciparum, plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale and plasmodium malariae) within their mosquito hosts is an essential component of vector control programmes. several pcr protocols have been developed for this purpose. many of these methods, while sensitive, require multiple pcr reactions to detect and discriminate all four plasmodium species. in this study a new high-throughput assay was developed and compared with three previous ... | 2008 | 18793416 |
| malaria transmission in dakar: a two-year survey. | according to entomological studies conducted over the past 30 years, there was low malaria transmission in suburb of dakar but little evidence of it in the downtown area. however; there was some evidence of local transmission based on reports of malaria among permanent residents. an entomological evaluation of malaria transmission was conducted from may 2005 to october 2006 in two areas of dakar. | 2008 | 18796138 |
| anopheles gambiae complex along the gambia river, with particular reference to the molecular forms of an. gambiae s.s. | the geographic and temporal distribution of m and s molecular forms of the major afrotropical malaria vector species anopheles gambiae s.s. at the western extreme of their range of distribution has never been investigated in detail. | 2008 | 18803885 |
| dynamics of multiple insecticide resistance in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae in a rice growing area in south-western burkina faso. | insecticide resistance of the main malaria vector, anopheles gambiae, has been reported in south-western burkina faso, west africa. cross-resistance to ddt and pyrethroids was conferred by alterations at site of action in the sodium channel, the leu-phe kdr mutation; resistance to organophosphates and carbamates resulted from a single point mutation in the oxyanion hole of the acetylcholinesterase enzyme designed as ace-1r. | 2008 | 18817564 |
| evidence of increasing leu-phe knockdown resistance mutation in anopheles gambiae from niger following a nationwide long-lasting insecticide-treated nets implementation. | at the end of 2005, a nationwide long-lasting insecticide-treated net (llin) distribution targeting the most vulnerable populations was implemented throughout niger. a large number of studies in africa have reported the existence of anopheline populations resistant to various insecticides, partly due to knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations, but few operational wide-scale control programmes were coupled with the monitoring of such mutations. the distribution of the kdr-west (kdr-w) leu-phe mutati ... | 2008 | 18817574 |
| hyaluronidase of bloodsucking insects and its enhancing effect on leishmania infection in mice. | salivary hyaluronidases have been described in a few bloodsucking arthropods. however, very little is known about the presence of this enzyme in various bloodsucking insects and no data are available on its effect on transmitted microorganisms. here, we studied hyaluronidase activity in thirteen bloodsucking insects belonging to four different orders. in addition, we assessed the effect of hyaluronidase coinoculation on the outcome of leishmania major infection in balb/c mice. | 2008 | 18820742 |
| a pre-intervention study of malaria vector abundance in rio muni, equatorial guinea: their role in malaria transmission and the incidence of insecticide resistance alleles. | following the success of the malaria control intervention on the island of bioko, malaria control by the use of indoor residual spraying (irs) and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (llitn) was extended to rio muni, on the mainland part of equatorial guinea. this manuscript reports on the malaria vectors present and the incidence of insecticide resistant alleles prior to the onset of the programme. | 2008 | 18823554 |
| operational impact of ddt reintroduction for malaria control on anopheles arabiensis in mozambique. | abstract with the increase in indoor residual spraying in many internationally and nationally funded malaria control programs, and affirmation by world health organization (who) that ddt is appropriate for use in the absence of longer lasting insecticide formulations in some malaria endemic settings, ddt has been reintroduced as a major malaria control intervention in africa. indoor residual spraying with ddt was reintroduced into mozambique for malaria control in 2005, and it is increasingly be ... | 2008 | 18826031 |
| d- and l-lactate dehydrogenases during invertebrate evolution. | the l-lactate and d-lactate dehydrogenases, which are involved in the reduction of pyruvate to l(-)-lactate and d(+)-lactate, belong to evolutionarily unrelated enzyme families. the genes encoding l-ldh have been used as a model for gene duplication due to the multiple paralogs found in eubacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes. phylogenetic studies have suggested that several gene duplication events led to the main isozymes of this gene family in chordates, but little is known about the evolut ... | 2008 | 18828920 |
| pwrn1, a novel ty3/gypsy-like retrotransposon of paragonimus westermani: molecular characters and its differentially preserved mobile potential according to host chromosomal polyploidy. | retrotransposons have been known to involve in the remodeling and evolution of host genome. these reverse transcribing elements, which show a complex evolutionary pathway with diverse intermediate forms, have been comprehensively analyzed from a wide range of host genomes, while the information remains limited to only a few species in the phylum platyhelminthes. | 2008 | 18851759 |
| intra-specific variation of sperm length in the malaria vector anopheles gambiae: males with shorter sperm have higher reproductive success. | intra-specific variation in sperm length influences male reproductive success in several species of insects. in males of the malaria vector anopheles gambiae, sperm length is highly variable but the significance of this variation is unknown. understanding what determines the reproductive success of male mosquitoes is critical for controlling malaria, and in particular for replacing natural populations with transgenic, malaria-resistant mosquitoes. | 2008 | 18939985 |
| a country-wide malaria survey in mozambique. i. plasmodium falciparum infection in children in different epidemiological settings. | across tropical africa the bulk of malaria-related morbidity and mortality is particularly high during childhood. classical malariometric surveys have relied on assessing malaria infection prevalence. the last comprehensive evaluation of the malaria situation in mozambique was carried out during the 1950s. this study aims to characterize the malaria transmission intensities and to estimate the disease burden that may help guide control programme. | 2008 | 18950486 |
| antibody-mediated growth inhibition of plasmodium falciparum: relationship to age and protection from parasitemia in kenyan children and adults. | antibodies that impair plasmodium falciparum merozoite invasion and intraerythrocytic development are one of several mechanisms that mediate naturally acquired immunity to malaria. attempts to correlate anti-malaria antibodies with risk of infection and morbidity have yielded inconsistent results. growth inhibition assays (gia) offer a convenient method to quantify functional antibody activity against blood stage malaria. | 2008 | 18958285 |
| the effect of a single blood meal on the phenotypic expression of insecticide resistance in the major malaria vector anopheles funestus. | anopheles funestus is a major malaria vector in southern africa. vector control relies on the use of insecticide chemicals to significantly reduce the number of malaria vectors by targeting that portion of the female population that takes blood meals and subsequently rests indoors. it has been suggested that the intake of a blood meal may assist female mosquitoes to tolerate higher doses of insecticide through vigour tolerance. it is hypothesized that during the process of blood digestion, detox ... | 2008 | 18973704 |
| a new method for forensic dna analysis of the blood meal in chagas disease vectors demonstrated using triatoma infestans from chuquisaca, bolivia. | feeding patterns of the vector are important in the epidemiology of chagas disease, the leading cause of heart disease in latin america. chagas disease is caused by the parasite, trypanasoma cruzi, which is transmitted by blood feeding insects. historically, feeding behaviours of haematophagous insects have been investigated using serological reactions, which have detection limits in terms of both taxonomic resolution, and quantity and quality of the blood meal. they are labor intensive, require ... | 2008 | 18974787 |
| variations in entomological indices in relation to weather patterns and malaria incidence in east african highlands: implications for epidemic prevention and control. | malaria epidemics remain a significant public health issue in the east african highlands. the aim of this study was to monitor temporal variations in vector densities in relation to changes in meteorological factors and malaria incidence at four highland sites in kenya and uganda and to evaluate the implications of these relationships for epidemic prediction and control. | 2008 | 18983649 |
| anopheles gambiae apl1 is a family of variable lrr proteins required for rel1-mediated protection from the malaria parasite, plasmodium berghei. | we previously identified by genetic mapping an anopheles gambiae chromosome region with strong influence over the outcome of malaria parasite infection in nature. candidate gene studies in the genetic interval, including functional tests using the rodent malaria parasite plasmodium berghei, identified a novel leucine-rich repeat gene, apl1, with functional activity against p. berghei. | 2008 | 18989366 |
| ortholog-based protein-protein interaction prediction and its application to inter-species interactions. | the rapid growth of protein-protein interaction (ppi) data has led to the emergence of ppi network analysis. despite advances in high-throughput techniques, the interactomes of several model organisms are still far from complete. therefore, it is desirable to expand these interactomes with ortholog-based and other methods. | 2008 | 19091010 |
| global warming and malaria: knowing the horse before hitching the cart. | speculations on the potential impact of climate change on human health frequently focus on malaria. predictions are common that in the coming decades, tens - even hundreds - of millions more cases will occur in regions where the disease is already present, and that transmission will extend to higher latitudes and altitudes. such predictions, sometimes supported by simple models, are persuasive because they are intuitive, but they sidestep factors that are key to the transmission and epidemiology ... | 2008 | 19091037 |
| use of integrated malaria management reduces malaria in kenya. | during an entomological survey in preparation for malaria control interventions in mwea division, the number of malaria cases at the kimbimbi sub-district hospital was in a steady decline. the underlying factors for this reduction were unknown and needed to be identified before any malaria intervention tools were deployed in the area. we therefore set out to investigate the potential factors that could have contributed to the decline of malaria cases in the hospital by analyzing the malaria cont ... | 2008 | 19115000 |
| shifting patterns: malaria dynamics and rainfall variability in an african highland. | the long-term patterns of malaria in the east african highlands typically involve not only a general upward trend in cases but also a dramatic increase in the size of epidemic outbreaks. the role of climate variability in driving epidemic cycles at interannual time scales remains controversial, in part because it has been seen as conflicting with the alternative explanation of purely endogenous cycles exclusively generated by the nonlinear dynamics of the disease. we analyse a long temporal reco ... | 2008 | 17999952 |
| distribution of anopheles in vietnam, with particular attention to malaria vectors of the anopheles minimus complex. | the distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in vietnam was examined, with a particular interest for the two sibling species of the anopheles minimus complex (cellia: myzomyia), an. minimus and anopheles harrisoni, respectively former species a and c. because the morphological identification of both sibling species is difficult and may lead to misidentifications, accurate data on their respective distribution are missing. this is of fundamental importance since the two species seem to exhibit diffe ... | 2008 | 18190697 |
| evidence for divergent selection between the molecular forms of anopheles gambiae: role of predation. | the molecular forms of anopheles gambiae are undergoing speciation. they are characterized by a strong assortative mating and they display partial habitat segregation. the m form is mostly found in flooded/irrigated areas whereas the s form dominates in the surrounding areas, but the ecological factors that shape this habitat segregation are not known. resource competition has been demonstrated between species undergoing divergent selection, but resource competition is not the only factor that c ... | 2008 | 18190719 |
| expression of the cytochrome p450s, cyp6p3 and cyp6m2 are significantly elevated in multiple pyrethroid resistant populations of anopheles gambiae s.s. from southern benin and nigeria. | insecticide resistance in anopheles mosquitoes is threatening the success of malaria control programmes. this is particularly true in benin where pyrethroid resistance has been linked to the failure of insecticide treated bed nets. the role of mutations in the insecticide target sites in conferring resistance has been clearly established. in this study, the contribution of other potential resistance mechanisms was investigated in anopheles gambiae s.s. from a number of localities in southern ben ... | 2008 | 19014539 |
| pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector anopheles arabiensis from gwave, a malaria-endemic area in zimbabwe. | insecticide resistance can present a major obstacle to malaria control programmes. following the recent detection of ddt resistance in anopheles arabiensis in gokwe, zimbabwe, the underlying resistance mechanisms in this population were studied. | 2008 | 19038063 |