A Systematic Review of the Effects of Temperature on Anopheles Mosquito Development and Survival: Implications for Malaria Control in a Future Warmer Climate.

Thomas P Agyekum,Duah Dwomoh,Ibrahim Issah,Thomas G Robins,Julius N Fobil,John Arko-Mensah,Jonathan N Hogarh,Paul K Botwe,Augustine A Acquah

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147255

Abstract

The rearing temperature of the immature stages can have a significant impact on the life-history traits and the ability of adult mosquitoes to transmit diseases. This review assessed published evidence of the effects of temperature on the immature stages, life-history traits, insecticide susceptibility, and expression of enzymes in the adult Anopheles mosquito. Original articles published through 31 March 2021 were systematically retrieved from Scopus, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, ProQuest, and Web of Science databases. After applying eligibility criteria, 29 studies were included. The review revealed that immature stages of An. arabiensis were more tolerant (in terms of survival) to a higher temperature than An. funestus and An. quadriannulatus. Higher temperatures resulted in smaller larval sizes and decreased hatching and pupation time. The development rate and survival of An. stephensi was significantly reduced at a higher temperature than a lower temperature. Increasing temperatures decreased the longevity, body size, length of the gonotrophic cycle, and fecundity of Anopheles mosquitoes. Higher rearing temperatures increased pyrethroid resistance in adults of the An. arabiensis SENN DDT strain, and increased pyrethroid tolerance in the An. arabiensis SENN strain. Increasing temperature also significantly increased Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) expression and decreased insecticide toxicity. Both extreme low and high temperatures affect Anopheles mosquito development and survival. Climate change could have diverse effects on Anopheles mosquitoes. The sensitivities of Anopeheles mosquitoes to temperature differ from species to species, even among the same complex. Notwithstanding, there seem to be limited studies on the effects of temperature on adult life-history traits of Anopheles mosquitoes, and more studies are needed to clarify this relationship.

Highlights

Climate change is one of the most significant global challenges in the twenty-first century [1]
Nine (9) studies [15,16,18,19,28,37,43,45,46] were at high risk of bias based on mosquito rearing conditions (Table 1). In some of these studies, adult mosquitoes were only exposed to the selected temperature regimes before outcome assessment, which may affect the study’s outcome
This study reviewed and assessed literature for evidence of the effects of temperature on Anopheles mosquito immature stages, adult life-history traits, expression of enzymes and genes, and susceptibility to insecticides

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is one of the most significant global challenges in the twenty-first century [1]. It is a global phenomenon [2,3,4], largely caused by anthropogenic activities, and poses significant risks to a broad range of human and natural systems [5]. Climate change is being experienced through an increase in global temperatures, sea-level rise, shrinking ice sheets, warming oceans, Arctic sea ice decline, glacial retreat, increasing extreme events, ocean acidification, and decreased snow cover [6].

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