Enhanced development in nature of larval Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes feeding on maize pollen.

Abstract

Abstract. To determine whether pollen produced by maize (Zea m. mays) may contribute to the development of larval Anopheles gambiae complex mosquitoes, the main African vectors of malaria, we correlated duration of larval development, pupation success, and size of the resulting adults with degree of access to this potential nutriment. Maize pollen is abundant during the wet season on the surface of water near maize plantings in a malaria-endemic region of Ethiopia, and larval Anopheles arabiensis readily ingest these particles in nature. Larvae develop to the pupal stage more rapidly, more frequently, and produce larger adults where maize pollen is abundant than do those that have little access to this food. The force of transmission of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa might be reduced if maize plantings were excluded from the immediate vicinity of homes or, perhaps, if pollen of such maize were to express entomotoxins.

Modeling the Relationship between Precipitation and Malaria Incidence in Children from a Holoendemic Area in Ghana

“…The abundance of water bodies and favorable temperatures, maize plantings, extensive deforestation, or farmland have been associated with increased larval or mosquito abundance and thus increased risk for malaria transmission in human populations. [31][32][33][34] Other studies have used geographic information systems and satellite imagery to investigate environmental factors that potentially drive the dynamics of malaria vector populations [34][35][36] and other vector-borne and zoonotic diseases such as dengue fever or hantavirus. [37][38][39] It has been shown that the efficacy of control measures such as intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) can be strongly dependent on the present malaria incidence, [40][41][42] and it can be assumed that direct and contextual effects increase with malaria risk after an intervention.…”

Climate Change and Highland Malaria: Fresh Air for a Hot Debate

“…The invasion of malaria in the Bure highlands of Ethiopia (Kebede et al 2005) was likely mediated by an increase in the fitness of Anopheles arabiensis-the mosquito vector present in the area-that resulted from its feeding on maize pollen after this crop was introduced to the area (Ye-Ebiyo et al 2003;Ye-Ebiyo et al 2000). However, this pattern was very localized, which led to the question of why it was not a problem in other places where maize had been introduced.…”

Global Change and Human Vulnerability to Vector-Borne Diseases

“…The increasing incidence of malaria in Africa has been attributed to the growing reliance on corn as a staple food crop (356). In the absence of corn pollen, the silt-laden puddles of water, in which the A. arabiensis mosquitoes breed, are very low in nutrients.…”