Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research-Coast, Kilifi, Kenya.
Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre (PUBReC), Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya.
Parasit Vectors. 2021 Jan 28;14(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04582-z.
Malaria transmission persists despite the scale-up of interventions such as long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). Understanding the entomological drivers of transmission is key for the design of effective and sustainable tools to address the challenge. Recent research findings indicate a shift in vector populations from the notorious Anopheles gambiae (s.s.) as a dominant vector to other species as one of the factors contributing to the persistence of malaria transmission. However, there are gaps in the literature regarding the minor vector species which are increasingly taking a lead role in malaria transmission. Currently, minor malaria vectors have behavioural plasticity, which allows their evasion of vector control tools currently in use. To address this, we have reviewed the role of Anopheles merus, a saltwater mosquito species that is becoming an important vector of malaria transmission along the East and Southern African coast. We performed a literature review from PubMed and Google Scholar and reviewed over 50 publications relating to An. merus's bionomics, taxonomy, spatial-temporal distribution and role in malaria transmission. We found that An. merus is an important vector of malaria and that it contributes to residual malaria transmission because of its exophilic tendencies, insecticide resistance and densities that peak during the dry seasons as the freshwater mosquitoes decline. Spatial and temporal studies have also shown that this species has increased its geographical range, densities and vectorial capacity over time. In this review, we highlight the resting behaviour and breeding habitats of this mosquito, which could be targeted for surveillance studies and control interventions.
尽管长效驱虫蚊帐（LLINs）和室内滞留喷洒（IRS）等干预措施不断扩大，但疟疾仍在传播。了解传播的昆虫学驱动因素是设计有效和可持续工具以应对这一挑战的关键。最近的研究结果表明，由于其他物种的出现，作为主要传播媒介的臭名昭著的冈比亚按蚊（s.s.）种群发生了转变，这是导致疟疾传播持续存在的因素之一。然而，关于次要传播媒介物种的文献仍存在空白，这些物种在疟疾传播中越来越发挥主导作用。目前，次要疟疾媒介具有行为可塑性，这使它们能够逃避当前使用的媒介控制工具。为了解决这个问题，我们回顾了咸水蚊种——淡色库蚊的作用，这种蚊种在东非和南非沿海地区已成为疟疾传播的重要媒介。我们在 PubMed 和 Google Scholar 上进行了文献回顾，并查阅了 50 多篇与淡色库蚊的生物学、分类学、时空分布及其在疟疾传播中的作用有关的文献。我们发现淡色库蚊是疟疾的重要传播媒介，由于其嗜外生性、抗药性和在淡水蚊减少的旱季达到高峰的密度，它促成了残留疟疾的传播。时空研究还表明，这种物种的地理范围、密度和媒介能力随着时间的推移而增加。在这篇综述中，我们强调了这种蚊子的休息行为和繁殖栖息地，这些行为和栖息地可能成为监测研究和控制干预的目标。
