Vector studies and epidemiology of malaria in Irian Jaya, Indonesia

Human populations in the low-land littoal of southwestern Irian Jaya are exposed to holoendemic malaria, principally caused by P. falciparum. The spleen rate in children of ages 2-9 years, in 4 villages ranged from 78% to 97%, and parasite prevalences were from 21% to 52%. Three known vectors of malaria, An. farauti, An. koliensis and An. punctulatus, were present, the latter two being most abundant. One specimen of each of the latter two species, upon dissection, was found carrying sporozoites in thoracic tissue. Larval habitats were numerous in peridomestic sites, including drainage ditches, natural ground pools and plots of Ipomea reptans; thus the vector populations were always in close contact with the human populations.