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Building a Better Mosquito: Identifying the Genes Enabling Malaria and Dengue Fever Resistance in A. gambiae and A. aegypti Mosquitoes
Published on: July 4, 2007
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Human-to-mosquito transmission efficiency increases as malaria is controlled
Thomas S Churcher1, Jean-François Trape2, Anna Cohuet3
1Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, MRC Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK.
Nature Communications
|January 20, 2015
Summary
Malaria transmission efficiency remained constant despite reduced human cases in Dielmo, Senegal. This resilience highlights challenges in controlling malaria and developing new interventions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Mathematical Modeling
Background:
- Laboratory studies show factors influencing malaria transmission efficiency between humans and mosquitoes.
- Field impact and changes with disease endemicity remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate changes in human-mosquito malaria transmission efficiency in Dielmo, Senegal, during a period of malaria control.
- To understand the factors contributing to the resilience of mosquito infection.
Main Methods:
- Mathematical models were applied to longitudinal data from Dielmo, Senegal (1990-2008).
- Analysis focused on changes in asexual parasite slide prevalence and infectious mosquito proportions.
Main Results:
- Human asexual parasite slide prevalence decreased significantly from 70% to 20%.
- The proportion of infectious mosquitoes remained relatively constant.
- Increased gametocyte densities in humans are suggested as a cause for sustained transmission efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Mosquito infection demonstrates resilience to declining malaria endemicity in humans.
- Uneven biting patterns may also contribute to sustained transmission.
- Findings have implications for malaria control strategies and transmission-reducing interventions.
