First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction
Abstract Background The major malaria vector in Sri Lanka is reported to be Anopheles culicifacies with Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles annularis, and Anopheles varuna considered as potential vectors. The occurrence of Anopheles stephensi, which is the key vector of urban malaria in India and the Mid...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-08-01
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| Series: | Malaria Journal |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-017-1977-7 |
| _version_ | 1818977923389980672 |
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| author | A. G. Gayan Dharmasiri A. Yashan Perera Jeevanie Harishchandra Hemantha Herath Kandasamy Aravindan H. T. R. Jayasooriya Gaya R. Ranawaka Mihirini Hewavitharane |
| author_facet | A. G. Gayan Dharmasiri A. Yashan Perera Jeevanie Harishchandra Hemantha Herath Kandasamy Aravindan H. T. R. Jayasooriya Gaya R. Ranawaka Mihirini Hewavitharane |
| author_sort | A. G. Gayan Dharmasiri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The major malaria vector in Sri Lanka is reported to be Anopheles culicifacies with Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles annularis, and Anopheles varuna considered as potential vectors. The occurrence of Anopheles stephensi, which is the key vector of urban malaria in India and the Middle East, had never been reported from Sri Lanka. Methods A series of entomological investigations were carried out by the Anti Malaria Campaign, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka during December 2016 to April 2017 in two localities of the Mannar District in the Northern Province of the country. Adult mosquito collections were done through indoor and outdoor resting collections, animal and human biting collections and emergence traps. Potential mosquito breeding sites were investigated through larval surveys. The larvae and adults of An. stephensi were initially identified using morphological keys, and subsequently confirmed by sequencing the barcode region of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. Results This is the first report of the presence of An. stephensi in the island of Mannar in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Anopheles stephensi (36.65%) was the most abundant anopheline species in the larval habitats in Mannar. It was found breeding together with An. culicifacies (20.7%), An. subpictus (13.5%) and An. varuna (28.13%). Anopheles stephensi was found to be abundantly breeding in built wells used for domestic purposes. Adult females of An. stephensi were observed in emergence trap collections (93.9%), human landing catches all night (79.2%), pyrethrum spray sheet collections (38.6%), outdoor collections (8.3%), donkey-baited trap collections (14.3), and cattle-baited net trap collections (0.7%). Conclusions Sri Lanka was certified as malaria-free by the WHO in September 2016, however, this new finding may pose a serious challenge to the efforts of the Ministry of Health to prevent the re-introduction of malaria transmission in the country, considering the role that An. stephensi could play in urban and high vulnerability areas of Sri Lanka. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:35:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe5f36a795ea4bb68add9db3aae04953 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T16:35:27Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe5f36a795ea4bb68add9db3aae049532022-12-21T19:33:10ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752017-08-011611910.1186/s12936-017-1977-7First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroductionA. G. Gayan Dharmasiri0A. Yashan Perera1Jeevanie Harishchandra2Hemantha Herath3Kandasamy Aravindan4H. T. R. Jayasooriya5Gaya R. Ranawaka6Mihirini Hewavitharane7Anti Malaria Campaign HeadquartersAnti Malaria Campaign HeadquartersAnti Malaria Campaign HeadquartersAnti Malaria Campaign HeadquartersRegional Malaria OfficeDepartment of Zoology, The Open University of Sri LankaDepartment of Zoology, The Open University of Sri LankaAnti Malaria Campaign HeadquartersAbstract Background The major malaria vector in Sri Lanka is reported to be Anopheles culicifacies with Anopheles subpictus, Anopheles annularis, and Anopheles varuna considered as potential vectors. The occurrence of Anopheles stephensi, which is the key vector of urban malaria in India and the Middle East, had never been reported from Sri Lanka. Methods A series of entomological investigations were carried out by the Anti Malaria Campaign, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka during December 2016 to April 2017 in two localities of the Mannar District in the Northern Province of the country. Adult mosquito collections were done through indoor and outdoor resting collections, animal and human biting collections and emergence traps. Potential mosquito breeding sites were investigated through larval surveys. The larvae and adults of An. stephensi were initially identified using morphological keys, and subsequently confirmed by sequencing the barcode region of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene. Results This is the first report of the presence of An. stephensi in the island of Mannar in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Anopheles stephensi (36.65%) was the most abundant anopheline species in the larval habitats in Mannar. It was found breeding together with An. culicifacies (20.7%), An. subpictus (13.5%) and An. varuna (28.13%). Anopheles stephensi was found to be abundantly breeding in built wells used for domestic purposes. Adult females of An. stephensi were observed in emergence trap collections (93.9%), human landing catches all night (79.2%), pyrethrum spray sheet collections (38.6%), outdoor collections (8.3%), donkey-baited trap collections (14.3), and cattle-baited net trap collections (0.7%). Conclusions Sri Lanka was certified as malaria-free by the WHO in September 2016, however, this new finding may pose a serious challenge to the efforts of the Ministry of Health to prevent the re-introduction of malaria transmission in the country, considering the role that An. stephensi could play in urban and high vulnerability areas of Sri Lanka.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-017-1977-7Anopheles stephensiMalariaPrevention of malaria re-introductionSri Lanka |
| spellingShingle | A. G. Gayan Dharmasiri A. Yashan Perera Jeevanie Harishchandra Hemantha Herath Kandasamy Aravindan H. T. R. Jayasooriya Gaya R. Ranawaka Mihirini Hewavitharane First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction Malaria Journal Anopheles stephensi Malaria Prevention of malaria re-introduction Sri Lanka |
| title | First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction |
| title_full | First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction |
| title_fullStr | First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction |
| title_full_unstemmed | First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction |
| title_short | First record of Anopheles stephensi in Sri Lanka: a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction |
| title_sort | first record of anopheles stephensi in sri lanka a potential challenge for prevention of malaria reintroduction |
| topic | Anopheles stephensi Malaria Prevention of malaria re-introduction Sri Lanka |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-017-1977-7 |
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