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David Joachim Schiemann,Thomas Hankeln,Martha Lucía Quiñones Pinzón

doi:10.1590/0074-0276130483

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David Joachim Schiemann, Thomas Hankeln + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/0074-0276130483

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Abstract

Malaria is still a primary health problem in Colombia. The locality of Tierradentro is situated in the municipality of Montelíbano, Córdoba, in the northwest of Colombia, and has one of the highest annual parasite index of malaria nationwide. However, the vectors involved in malaria transmission in this locality have not yet been identified. In this study, the local anthropophilic Anopheles composition and natural infectivity with Plasmodium were investigated. In August 2009, 927 female Anopheles mosquitoes were collected in eight localities using the human landing catch method and identified based on their morphology. Cryptic species were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism-internal transcribed spacer (ITS)2 molecular analysis. Eight species [Anopheles nuneztovari s.l. (92.8%), Anopheles darlingi (5.1%), Anopheles triannulatus s.l. (1.8%), Anopheles pseudopunctipennis s.l. (0.2%), Anopheles punctimacula s.l. (0.2%), Anopheles apicimacula (0.1%), Anopheles albimanus (0.1%) and Anopheles rangeli (0.1%)] were identified and species identity was confirmed by ITS2 sequencing. This is the first report of An. albimanus, An. rangeli and An. apicimacula in Tierradentro. Natural infectivity with Plasmodium was determined by ELISA. None of the mosquitoes was infectious for Plasmodium. An. nuneztovari s.l. was the predominant species and is considered the primary malaria vector; An. darlingi and An. triannulatus s.l. could serve as secondary vectors.

Highlights

This study aimed to investigate urban and rural mosquito populations and their natural Plasmodium infectivity to determine malaria vectors in the locality of Tierradentro, Montelíbano
Species identity was confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism-internal transcribed spacer (RFLP-ITS)2 analysis, ITS2 sequencing and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) BLAST search
From 2003-2009, Montelíbano reported 6.29% of the nationwide malaria cases (664,489); 42,039 cases were registered in the municipality, of which 77% were caused by P. vivax, 22% were caused by Plasmodium falciparum and 1% were caused by infection with both parasites

Summary

Introduction

R e c e n t s tu d ie s o f t h e a n th ro pophilic Anopheles composition and natural mosquito infectivity with Plasmodium in the municipality of Montelíbano have led to the identification of four Anopheles species: Anopheles nuneztovari s.l., Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles oswaldoi s.l. and Anopheles punctimacula s.l. Of those, An. nuneztovari s.l. This study aimed to investigate urban and rural mosquito populations and their natural Plasmodium infectivity to determine malaria vectors in the locality of Tierradentro, Montelíbano.

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