[Residual anophelism in Italy: distribution in 4 southern regions]

About 40 years after malaria eradication from Italy, the potential vectors of this disease, Anopheles labranchiae, Anopheles superpictus and Anopheles sacharovi, are still present in some regions of the South. Since 1991 the Laboratory of Parasitology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, in collaboration with the Local Health Authorities, carried out an investigation to assess the levels of these potential anopheline vectors in Calabria, Puglia, Sicily and Sardinia. A. labranchiae, the most important vector, was found in all the regions visited, where is probably present in scattered foci all over the territory. The most common breeding sites were represented by rivers and streams, followed by ponds and ground pools. The larval densities varied greatly from 0.01 to 33 larvae/dip; likewise the adult densities, recorded in animal shelters, varied from < 10 to > 1000 female/shelter. The higher adult densities were recorded in Calabria, along the West coast. The other important vector in Southern Italy, A. superpictus, was found both in the West and East coasts of the same region, showing low larval and adult densities. Anopheles sacharovi, that was an important malaria vector in Puglia and Sardinia, was not found. Four populations of A. labranchiae were tested to determine the susceptibility to some insecticides. All of these populations were fully susceptible to deltamethrin, malathion and DDT, while showed a reduced susceptibility to permethrin and propoxur.