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Pathogen prospecting of museums: Reconstructing malaria epidemiology.

Mark P Nelder¹, Rachel Schats², Hendrik N Poinar^3,4,5

¹Enteric, Zoonotic and Vector-Borne Diseases, Health Protection, Public Health Ontario, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|March 25, 2024

Summary

Historical mosquito collections can reveal Plasmodium DNA, aiding the study of malaria

Keywords:

evolution genomics museomics paleopathology vector-borne disease

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Area of Science:

Parasitology
Molecular Biology
Epidemiology

Background:

Malaria remains a significant global health challenge.
Climate change, drug resistance, and socioeconomic factors threaten current malaria control efforts.
Traditional methods for studying malaria epidemiology face limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the potential of historical mosquito collections for malaria research.
To explore molecular techniques for pathogen prospecting in museum specimens.
To assess the feasibility of reconstructing historical malaria epidemiology using museum samples.

Main Methods:

Review of molecular techniques applicable to pathogen DNA extraction from preserved insects.
Definition and exploration of 'pathogen prospecting' in entomological collections.
Discussion of historical DNA analysis for pathogen detection.

Main Results:

Museum insect specimens can contain detectable Plasmodium DNA.
Historical mosquito collections represent a valuable, yet underutilized, resource.
Molecular techniques enable pathogen detection in preserved specimens.

Conclusions:

Pathogen prospecting in museum collections offers a novel approach to historical epidemiology.
This method can illuminate the coevolution of humans, vectors, and Plasmodium parasites.
Findings can inform the development of new malaria control strategies, including insecticides, diagnostics, and vaccines.