Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya
Abstract Background Most malaria vectors belong to species complexes. Sibling species often exhibit divergent behaviors dictating the measures that can be deployed effectively in their control. Despite the importance of the Anopheles funestus complex in malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, si...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-018-3171-3 |
| _version_ | 1828867091816513536 |
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| author | Edwin O. Ogola Ulrike Fillinger Isabella M. Ondiba Jandouwe Villinger Daniel K. Masiga Baldwyn Torto David P. Tchouassi |
| author_facet | Edwin O. Ogola Ulrike Fillinger Isabella M. Ondiba Jandouwe Villinger Daniel K. Masiga Baldwyn Torto David P. Tchouassi |
| author_sort | Edwin O. Ogola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Most malaria vectors belong to species complexes. Sibling species often exhibit divergent behaviors dictating the measures that can be deployed effectively in their control. Despite the importance of the Anopheles funestus complex in malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, sibling species have rarely been identified in the past and their vectoring potential remains understudied. Methods We analyzed 1149 wild-caught An. funestus (senso lato) specimens from 21 sites in Kenya, covering the major malaria endemic areas including western, central and coastal areas. Indoor and outdoor collection tools were used targeting host-seeking and resting mosquitoes. The identity of sibling species, infection with malaria Plasmodium parasites, and the host blood meal sources of engorged specimens were analyzed using PCR-based and sequencing methods. Results The most abundant sibling species collected in all study sites were Anopheles funestus (59.8%) and Anopheles rivulorum (32.4%) among the 1062 successfully amplified specimens of the An. funestus complex. Proportionally, An. funestus dominated in indoor collections whilst An. rivulorum dominated in outdoor collections. Other species identified were Anopheles leesoni (4.6%), Anopheles parensis (2.4%), Anopheles vaneedeni (0.1%) and for the first time in Kenya, Anopheles longipalpis C (0.7%). Anopheles funestus had an overall Plasmodium infection rate of 9.7% (62/636), predominantly Plasmodium falciparum (59), with two infected with Plasmodium ovale and one with Plasmodium malariae. There was no difference in the infection rate between indoor and outdoor collections. Out of 344 An. rivulorum, only one carried P. falciparum. We also detected P. falciparum infection in two non-blood-fed An. longipalpis C (2/7) which is the first record for this species in Kenya. The mean human blood indices for An. funestus and An. rivulorum were 68% (93/136) and 64% (45/70), respectively, with feeding tendencies on a broad host range including humans and domestic animals such as cow, goat, sheep, chicken and pig. Conclusions Our findings underscore the importance of active surveillance through application of molecular approaches to unravel novel parasite-vector associations possibly contributed by cryptic species with important implications for effective malaria control and elimination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:03:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-053529b38ad445cc83ed5296985003ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T05:03:19Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-053529b38ad445cc83ed5296985003ad2022-12-21T23:58:43ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052018-11-0111111010.1186/s13071-018-3171-3Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, KenyaEdwin O. Ogola0Ulrike Fillinger1Isabella M. Ondiba2Jandouwe Villinger3Daniel K. Masiga4Baldwyn Torto5David P. Tchouassi6International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)School of Biological Sciences, University of NairobiInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)Abstract Background Most malaria vectors belong to species complexes. Sibling species often exhibit divergent behaviors dictating the measures that can be deployed effectively in their control. Despite the importance of the Anopheles funestus complex in malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, sibling species have rarely been identified in the past and their vectoring potential remains understudied. Methods We analyzed 1149 wild-caught An. funestus (senso lato) specimens from 21 sites in Kenya, covering the major malaria endemic areas including western, central and coastal areas. Indoor and outdoor collection tools were used targeting host-seeking and resting mosquitoes. The identity of sibling species, infection with malaria Plasmodium parasites, and the host blood meal sources of engorged specimens were analyzed using PCR-based and sequencing methods. Results The most abundant sibling species collected in all study sites were Anopheles funestus (59.8%) and Anopheles rivulorum (32.4%) among the 1062 successfully amplified specimens of the An. funestus complex. Proportionally, An. funestus dominated in indoor collections whilst An. rivulorum dominated in outdoor collections. Other species identified were Anopheles leesoni (4.6%), Anopheles parensis (2.4%), Anopheles vaneedeni (0.1%) and for the first time in Kenya, Anopheles longipalpis C (0.7%). Anopheles funestus had an overall Plasmodium infection rate of 9.7% (62/636), predominantly Plasmodium falciparum (59), with two infected with Plasmodium ovale and one with Plasmodium malariae. There was no difference in the infection rate between indoor and outdoor collections. Out of 344 An. rivulorum, only one carried P. falciparum. We also detected P. falciparum infection in two non-blood-fed An. longipalpis C (2/7) which is the first record for this species in Kenya. The mean human blood indices for An. funestus and An. rivulorum were 68% (93/136) and 64% (45/70), respectively, with feeding tendencies on a broad host range including humans and domestic animals such as cow, goat, sheep, chicken and pig. Conclusions Our findings underscore the importance of active surveillance through application of molecular approaches to unravel novel parasite-vector associations possibly contributed by cryptic species with important implications for effective malaria control and elimination.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-018-3171-3Anopheles funestus groupAnopheles longipalpis CMalaria parasite transmissionMolecular approachesEntomological surveillanceKenya |
| spellingShingle | Edwin O. Ogola Ulrike Fillinger Isabella M. Ondiba Jandouwe Villinger Daniel K. Masiga Baldwyn Torto David P. Tchouassi Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya Parasites & Vectors Anopheles funestus group Anopheles longipalpis C Malaria parasite transmission Molecular approaches Entomological surveillance Kenya |
| title | Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya |
| title_full | Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya |
| title_fullStr | Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya |
| title_short | Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya |
| title_sort | insights into malaria transmission among anopheles funestus mosquitoes kenya |
| topic | Anopheles funestus group Anopheles longipalpis C Malaria parasite transmission Molecular approaches Entomological surveillance Kenya |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-018-3171-3 |
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