Malaria Transmission and Prospects for Malaria Eradication: The Role of the Environment

Abstract

Environmental factors affect the transmission intensity, seasonality, and geographical distribution of malaria, and together with the vector, the human, and the parasite compose the malaria system. Strategies that alter the environment are among the oldest interventions for malaria control, but currently are not the most prominent despite historical evidence of their effectiveness. The importance of environmental factors, the role they play considering the current goals of malaria eradication, the different strategies that can be adopted, and the current challenges for their implementation are discussed. As malaria elimination/eradication takes a prominent place in the health agenda, an integrated action, addressing all elements of the malaria system, which contributes to improved knowledge and to building local capacity and that brings about positive effects to the health of the local population has the greatest chance to produce fast, effective, and sustainable results.

Population genetics of Anopheles funestus, the African malaria vector, Kenya

“…A holistic examination of all anophelines contributing to transmission in a given focus and their evolutionary pattern will shed light on the link between transmission and human malaria prevalence. Vector surveillance is integral to malaria elimination efforts, given vectors’ remarkable capacity for evolution and the need for fine-tuning control strategies in the event of changes in local transmission [55]. Most importantly, it is essential to start collecting population genomic data prospectively as an integral part of vector control interventions, to identify their responses to such measures, or the underlying cause of genetic structure and high population size of this species in western compared to coastal Kenya as observed in our data.…”

Insights into malaria transmission among Anopheles funestus mosquitoes, Kenya

“…Our findings underscore the need for improved surveillance of vector populations employing molecular techniques including sequencing to improve malaria vector control and working towards malaria elimination. This is essential for fine-tuning control strategies in the event of changing local conditions [ 3 ] and for discerning cryptic vectors that may contribute to stealth transmission.…”

“…Whilst in many settings LLIN coverage is high, malaria transmission persists [ 2 ] and there is need for a better understanding of the vector species composition. Surveillance of vector populations becomes increasingly important to inform fine-tuning of control strategies in the event of changing local conditions [ 3 ] or to discern cryptic species contributing to stealth transmission.…”

Comparison of malaria incidence rates and socioeconomic-environmental factors between the states of Acre and Rondônia: a spatio-temporal modelling study

“…Malaria transmission has been associated with several scenarios: (1) legal and illegal mining with high human exposure to mosquito bites, human movement and extensive environmental changes [16]; (2) expansion of agricultural frontiers, leading to deforestation, land-use changes and human encroachment in forested areas [30]; (3) discontinuity of malaria control programmes in poorly accessed remote areas [21]; and (4) ecological factors, which can drastically increase vector abundance, such as fish ponds in rural areas and towns [16, 25, 31]. These aforementioned transmission settings can represent transmission hotspots, and they were employed to construct a flexible model for predicting malaria emergence in similar scenarios [28, 32].…”