Abstract
China has set a goal to eliminate all malaria in the country by 2020, but it is unclear if current understanding of malaria vectors and transmission is sufficient to achieve this objective. Anopheles sinensis is the most widespread malaria vector specie in China, which is also responsible for vivax malaria outbreak in central China. We reviewed literature from 1954 to 2016 on An. sinensis with emphasis on biology, bionomics, and molecular biology. A total of 538 references were relevant and included. An. sienesis occurs in 29 Chinese provinces. Temperature can affect most life-history parameters. Most An. sinensis are zoophilic, but sometimes they are facultatively anthropophilic. Sporozoite analysis demonstrated An. sinensis efficacy on Plasmodium vivax transmission. An. sinensis was not stringently refractory to P. falciparum under experimental conditions, however, sporozoite was not found in salivary glands of field collected An. sinensis. The literature on An. sienesis biology and bionomics was abundant, but molecular studies, such as gene functions and mechanisms, were limited. Only 12 molecules (genes, proteins or enzymes) have been studied. In addition, there were considerable untapped omics resources for potential vector control tools. Existing information on An. sienesis could serve as a baseline for advanced research on biology, bionomics and genetics relevant to vector control strategies.
Highlights
Malaria was once epidemic in China and disease levels were high
Articles submitting a report on morphology, development, reproductive, life cycle, vector competence, larval and adult ecology, vector capacity, molecules involved in physiology and pathology were included
After removing 44 duplicates, 722 relevant publications were further reviewed based on the full text to find out whether primary or secondary data on the biology, bionomics, molecules
Summary
Malaria was once epidemic in China and disease levels were high. Four Anopheline species, Anopheles sinensis, Anopheles anthropophagus, Anopheles minimus, and Anopheles dirus, are considered main vectors for malaria transmission in China. An. sinensis is the most widely distributed species (Zhu et al, 2013). It is the most important malaria vector in flatlands, especially in the paddy planting regions. An. sinensis is considered to be a competent vector for Plasmodium vivax malaria since it is the only major vector in central China where P. vivax is prevalent, locally transmitted, and where several malaria epidemics have occurred (Zhou et al, 2007). An. sinensis can transmit lymphatic filariasis (Reid, 1968), JEV and Rickettsia felis (Scherer et al, 1959; Zhang et al, 2014)
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