Article

A cryptic subgroup of Anopheles gambiae is highly susceptible to human malaria parasites.

Institut Pasteur, Unit of Insect Vector Genetics and Genomics, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, Paris 75015, France.
Science (impact factor: 31.2). 02/2011; 331(6017):596-8. DOI:10.1126/science.1196759 pp.596-8
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Population subgroups of the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae have not been comprehensively characterized owing to the lack of unbiased sampling methods. In the arid savanna zone of West Africa, where potential oviposition sites are scarce, widespread collection from larval pools in the peridomestic human habitat yielded a comprehensive genetic survey of local A. gambiae population subgroups, independent of adult resting behavior and ecological preference. A previously unknown subgroup of exophilic A. gambiae is sympatric with the known endophilic A. gambiae in this region. The exophilic subgroup is abundant, lacks differentiation into M and S molecular forms, and is highly susceptible to infection with wild Plasmodium falciparum. These findings might have implications for the epidemiology of malaria transmission and control.

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Keywords

African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae
 
arid savanna zone
 
comprehensive genetic survey
 
ecological preference
 
exophilic A. gambiae
 
independent
 
known endophilic A. gambiae
 
larval pools
 
local A. gambiae population subgroups
 
Population subgroups
 
potential oviposition sites
 
unbiased sampling methods
 
unknown subgroup