Population control of the malaria vectorAnopheles pseudopunctipennisby habitat manipulation

Abstract

Insect vector-borne diseases continue to present a major challenge to human health. Understanding the factors that regulate the size of mosquito populations is considered fundamental to the ability to predict disease transmission rates and for vector population control. The mosquito, Anopheles pseudopunctipennis, a vector of Plasmodium spp., breeds in riverside pools containing filamentous algae in Mesoamerica. Breeding pools along 3 km sections of the River Coatan, Chiapas, Mexico were subjected to algal extraction or left as controls in a cross-over trial extending over 2 years. Initial densities of An. pseudopunctipennis larvae were directly proportional to the prevalence of filamentous algae in each breeding site. The extraction of algae brought about a striking decline in the density of An. pseudopunctipennis larvae sustained for about six weeks, and a concurrent reduction in the adult population in both years of the study. Mark-release experiments indicated that dispersal from adjacent untreated areas was unlikely to exert an important influence on the magnitude of mosquito control that we observed. Habitat manipulation by extraction of filamentous algae offers a unique opportunity for sustainable control of this malaria vector. This technique may represent a valuable intervention, complimenting insecticide spraying of households, to minimize Plasmodium transmission rates in Mesoamerica.

Longitudinal Study of the Species Composition and Spatio-Temporal Abundance ofAnophelesLarvae in a Malaria Risk Area in Argentina

“…At all of these sites, larvae were found in conjunction with the presence of mats of green algae, as it was previously mentioned by Savage et al (1990), Rejmankova et al (1991Rejmankova et al ( , 1993Fernández Salas et al (1994); Manguin et al (1996) and Bond et al (2004). Larvae were collected from within the mats of green algae, where they obtain food and protection against the predators and the water current, as it was reported by Hoffmann & Samano (1938).…”

Oviposition habitat selection for a predator refuge and food source in a mosquito

“…The use of biologically derived insecticides (Federici et al, 2003;Bond et al, 2004a), encapsulation of bacterial toxins in mosquito food items (Manasherob et al, 1997), genetic modification of potential food plants (Wu et al, 1997), and habitat manipulation (Knight et al, 2003;Bond et al, 2004b;Jiannino & Walton, 2004), all depend on knowledge of mosquito oviposition habitat selection and the ensuing consequences for larval diet selection. In conclusion, An.…”

“…For example, a direct linear relationship between anopheline larval densities and percentage of breeding pool cover by filamentous algae in southern Mexico has recently been reported (Bond et al, 2004b). Manual extraction of algae from anopheline breeding pools resulted in a marked reduction in larval and adult population densities that was sustained for approximately 2 months, by which time seasonal rains began to physically remove larvae from breeding sites.…”

ANOSPEX: A Stochastic, Spatially Explicit Model for Studying Anopheles Metapopulation Dynamics

“…ANOSPEX is a flexible model that can be customized to fit any area of interest, by modifying the underlying property setup and weather files. As currently coded, ANOSPEX simulations will be exceeding useful for examining the control strategies based on population suppression, such as insecticide usage [77]–[81], RIDL (Release of Insects carrying a Dominant Lethal) [82]–[87] habitat modification [88]–[89], or lethal densovirus [90]–[92]. ANOSPEX will also be useful to examine the impact of environmental change on mosquito population dynamics.…”