Nocturnal Mosquito Research Articles

Mosquitoes escape looming threats by actively flying with the bow wave induced by the attacker

To detect and escape looming threats, night-flying insects must rely on other senses than vision alone. Nocturnal mosquitoes can evade looming objects in the dark, but how they achieve this is still unknown. Here, we show how night-active female malaria mosquitoes escape from rapidly looming objects that simulate defensive actions of blood-hosts. First, we quantified the escape performance of flying mosquitoes from an event-triggered mechanical swatter, showing that mosquitoes use swatter-induced airflow to increase their escape success. Secondly, we used high-speed videography and deep-learning-based tracking to analyze escape flights in detail, showing that mosquitoes use banked turns to evade the threat. By combining escape kinematics data with numerical simulations of attacker-induced airflow and a mechanistic movement model, we unraveled how mosquitoes control these banked evasive maneuvers: they actively steer away from the danger, and then passively travel with the bow wave produced by the attacker. Our results demonstrate that night-flying mosquitoes can detect looming objects when visual cues are minimal, suggesting that they use attacker-induced airflow both to detect the danger and as a fluid medium to move with away from the threat. This shows that escape strategies of flying insects are more complex than previous visually induced escape flight studies suggest. As most insects are of similar or smaller sizes than mosquitoes, comparable escape strategies are expected among millions of flying insect species. The here-observed escape maneuvers are distinct from those of mosquitoes escaping from odor-baited traps, thus providing new insights for the development of novel trapping techniques for integrative vector management.

A Behavioral Assay to Quantify Odor-Guided Thermotaxis with Anopheles gambiae under Semi-Field Conditions.

The African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae is strongly attracted to human body odor and skin temperature. Quantitative behavioral assays suitable for use in semi-field environments with this nocturnal mosquito species are essential to gain improved insights into An. gambiae sensory biology, the mechanistic basis of mosquito attraction to humans, and host preference. In this protocol, we describe steps for engineering equipment for a novel behavioral assay for An. gambiae, which we have termed the odor-guided thermotaxis assay (OGTA). The OGTA uses infrared videography to quantify landings of female An. gambiae on an aluminum platform heated to human skin temperature that can be baited with volatile odorants such as carbon dioxide or human whole body odor. The OGTA facilitates high-content recordings of An. gambiae landing behavior during odor-guided thermotaxis under naturalistic semi-field conditions without the requirement for domestic power.

Nocturnal mosquito Cryptochrome 1 mediates greater electrophysiological and behavioral responses to blue light relative to diurnal mosquito Cryptochrome 1.

Nocturnal Anopheles mosquitoes exhibit strong behavioral avoidance to blue-light while diurnal Aedes mosquitoes are behaviorally attracted to blue-light and a wide range of other wavelengths of light. To determine the molecular mechanism of these effects, we expressed light-sensing Anopheles gambiae (AgCRY1) and Aedes aegypti (AeCRY1) Cryptochrome 1 (CRY) genes under a crypGAL4-24 driver line in a mutant Drosophila genetic background lacking native functional CRY, then tested behavioral and electrophysiological effects of mosquito CRY expression relative to positive and negative CRY control conditions. Neither mosquito CRY stops the circadian clock as shown by robust circadian behavioral rhythmicity in constant darkness in flies expressing either AgCRY1 or AeCRY1. AgCRY1 and AeCRY1 both mediate acute increases in large ventral lateral neuronal firing rate evoked by 450 nm blue-light, corresponding to CRY's peak absorbance in its base state, indicating that both mosquito CRYs are functional, however, AgCRY1 mediates significantly stronger sustained electrophysiological light-evoked depolarization in response to blue-light relative to AeCRY1. In contrast, neither AgCRY1 nor AeCRY1 expression mediates measurable increases in large ventral lateral neuronal firing rates in response to 405 nm violet-light, the peak of the Rhodopsin-7 photoreceptor that is co-expressed in the large lateral ventral neurons. These results are consistent with the known action spectra of type 1 CRYs and lack of response in cry-null controls. AgCRY1 and AeCRY1 expressing flies show behavioral attraction to low intensity blue-light, but AgCRY1 expressing flies show behavioral avoidance to higher intensity blue-light. These results show that nocturnal and diurnal mosquito Cryptochrome 1 proteins mediate differential physiological and behavioral responses to blue-light that are consistent with species-specific mosquito behavior.

UV Light-Emitting-Diode Traps for Collecting Nocturnal Biting Mosquitoes in Urban Bangkok

Simple SummaryThis study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of six ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED) traps and a fluorescent light trap for sampling urban nocturnal mosquitoes. Results demonstrated that the fluorescent light trap outperformed all the UV-LED traps throughout the 72 sampling nights and between wet and dry seasons. Among the UV-LED traps, the LED375 trapped the highest number of mosquitoes. Additional field trials are needed to validate these findings in different ecological settings.Well-designed surveillance systems are required to facilitate a control program for vector-borne diseases. Light traps have long been used to sample large numbers of insect species and are regarded as one of the standard choices for baseline insect surveys. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of six ultraviolet light-emitting diodes and one fluorescent light for trapping urban nocturnal mosquito species within the Kasetsart University (KU), Bangkok. Ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs), (LED365, LED375, LED385, LED395, and LED405) and a fluorescent light were randomly assigned to six different locations around the campus in a Latin square design. The traps were operated continuously from 18:00 h to 06:00 h throughout the night. The traps were rotated between six locations for 72 collection-nights during the dry and wet seasons. In total, 6929 adult mosquitoes were caught, with the most predominant genus being Culex, followed by Aedes, Anopheles, Armigeres and Mansonia. Among the Culex species, Culex quinquefasciatus (n = 5121: 73.9%) was the most abundant followed by Culex gelidus (n = 1134: 16.4%) and Culex vishnui (n = 21: 0.3%). Small numbers of Aedes, Armigeres, and Anopheles mosquitoes were trapped [Aedes albopictus (n = 219: 3.2%), Aedes pocilius (n = 137: 2.0%), Armigeres subalbatus (n = 97: 1.4%), Anopheles vagus (n = 70: 1.0%), Aedes aegypti (n = 23: 0.3%)]. There were 2582 specimens (37.2%) captured in fluorescent light traps, whereas 942 (13.6%), 934 (13.5%), 854 (12.3%), 820 (11.8%), and 797 (11.5%) were captured in the LED375, LED405, LED395, LED365, and LED385 traps, respectively. None of the UV-LED light traps were as efficacious for sampling nocturnal mosquito species as the fluorescent light trap. Among the five UV-LED light sources, LED375 trapped the greatest number of mosquitoes. Additional field trials are needed to validate these findings in different settings in order to substantially assess the potential of the LEDs to trap outdoor nocturnal mosquitoes.

Diurnal and nocturnal mosquitoes escape looming threats using distinct flight strategies

Flying insects have evolved the ability to evade looming objects, such as predators and swatting hands. This is particularly relevant for blood-feeding insects, such as mosquitoes that routinely need to evade the defensive actions of their blood hosts. To minimize the chance of being swatted, a mosquito can use two distinct strategies-continuously exhibiting an unpredictable flight path or maximizing its escape maneuverability. We studied how baseline flight unpredictability and escape maneuverability affect the escape performance of day-active and night-active mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Anopheles coluzzii, respectively). We used a multi-camera high-speed videography system to track how freely flying mosquitoes respond to an event-triggered rapidly approaching mechanical swatter, in four different light conditions ranging from pitch darkness to overcast daylight. Results show that both species exhibit enhanced escape performance in their natural blood-feeding light condition (daylight for Aedes and dark for Anopheles). To achieve this, they show strikingly different behaviors. The enhanced escape performance of Anopheles at night is explained by their increased baseline unpredictable erratic flight behavior, whereas the increased escape performance of Aedes in overcast daylight is due to their enhanced escape maneuvers. This shows that both day and night-active mosquitoes modify their flight behavior in response to light intensity such that their escape performance is maximum in their natural blood-feeding light conditions, when these defensive actions by their blood hosts occur most. Because Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes are major vectors of several deadly human diseases, this knowledge can be used to optimize vector control methods for these specific species.

Transmitted Light as Attractant with Mechanical Traps for Collecting Nocturnal Mosquitoes in Urban Bangkok, Thailand.

Mosquito surveillance is the cornerstone for determining abundance, species diversity, pathogen infection rates, and temporal and spatial distribution of different life stages in an area. Various methods are available for assessing adult mosquito populations, including mechanical trap devices using different forms of attractant cues (chemical and visual) to lure mosquitoes to the trap. So-called "light traps" use various electromagnetic wavelengths to produce a variety of visible spectral colors to attract adult mosquitoes. However, this type of trapping technology has not been widely used in Thailand. This study compared the efficacy of 4 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (blue, green, yellow, and red) and 2 fluorescent (ultraviolet [UV] and white) lights for collecting mosquitoes in urban Bangkok. Using a Latin square experimental design, 6 light traps equipped with different lights were rotated between 6 trap site locations within the Kasetsart University (KU) campus. Each location received 6 replicate collections (6 consecutive trap-nights represented 1 replicate) over 36 collection nights for a total of 216 trap-nights. Traps were operated simultaneously (1800 to 0600 h), with captured mosquitoes removed at 3-h intervals. In total, 2,387 mosquitoes consisting of 11 species across 5 genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Armigeres, Culex, and Mansonia) were captured. Collectively, Culex species represented the predominant group sampled (2,252; 94.4%). The UV light source captured 1,544 (64.7%) of the total mosquitoes collected, followed by white 389 (16.3%), with the 4 LED sources collecting between 6.8% (blue) and 1.9% (yellow). Traps equipped with UV light were clearly the most effective for capturing nocturnally active mosquito species on the KU campus.

Biting Pattern and Seasonality of Filariasis Vector of Mansonia spp. in Endemic Area of Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatera, Indonesia

The diversity and biting activity of Mansonia is important to be determined as to predict the incriminated vector and pattern the mosquito behaviour in establishing the vector control programme. The present study has been successfully conducted to investigate the prolonged biting behaviour of Mansonia spp. in two villages in Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatera Province-Indonesia, using Human Landing Collection method (HLC) in indoor and outdoor for 14 months. The result shows that there are 4956 Mansonia spp. mosquitoes collected during the study comprising 6 species: Mansonia uniformis (40.37%), Mansonia annulifera (32.04%), Mansonia indiana (19.97%), Mansonia bonneae (5.28), Mansonia dives (2.14%); and Mansonia annulata (0.18%). The further investigation confirms that Mansonia uniformis (41.254%) and Mansonia bonneae (45.490%) become the most dominant species caught in Sedang village and Muara Sugih village, respectively and find higher biting activities in outdoor than indoor with biting peaked time at approximately 18.00-19.00. However, the biting activities is also observed in daytime, indicating the behaviour change of Mansonia spp. as the nocturnal mosquitoes. Furthermore, the periods of the highest biting rates are found in April 2017 and May 2017 in Sedang village and May 2018 in Muara Sugih Village. The high period of biting activities and behaviours become the valuable information to arrange the further controlling action of filariasis transmission in Sedang and Muara Sugih Villages as the endemic area of filariasis in South Sumatera, Indonesia.

Evaluation of Mosquito Attractant Candidates Using a High-Throughput Screening System for Aedes aegypti (L.), Culex quinquefasciatus Say. and Anopheles minimus Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae).

Simple SummaryTrapping mosquitoes can enhance its capture rate by adding attractants such as carbon dioxide or human hosts’ odor-mimicking synthetic blends. Various olfactometers exist to test mosquitos’ behavior, but high-throughput screening system (HITSS)—one of the diffusion assays—has not been applied to developing lures. In this study, six different newly prepared chemical lure candidates (Kasetsart University (KU)-lures) were tested for diurnal Aedes aegypti, nocturnal Culex quinquefasciatus and nocturnal Anopheles minimus, using the HITSS assay. Results showed species-specific different lure preferences; the diurnal species were attracted to KU-lure #1 (29.7%), while both of the nocturnal species preferred KU-lure #6 (68.3% and 74.3% for Cx. quinquefasciatus and An. minimus, respectively). In addition, the selected lure candidates clearly demonstrated dose-dependent reversal responses for each Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus. Our results indicate that the HITSS assay distinguishes potential species-specific lure candidates. In addition, the HITSS assay was equally effective in determining the host-seeking behavior in pyrethroid-resistant and -susceptible strains. Further studies are needed to determine the accuracy of the HITSS assay in large-scale semi-field screen house tests using commercial traps.Several types of olfactometers have been used to evaluate mosquito responses to agents that mimic natural volatiles that repel or attract. The Y-tube olfactometer has been widely used to study repellents and attractants, while the high-throughput screening system assay has only been used to study repellents. Whether the high-throughput screening system assay is suitable for evaluating attractants is unknown. We evaluated the responses to four lactic-acid-based mixtures and two non-lactic-acid-based chemical lure candidates using the high-throughput screening system (HITSS) for three mosquito species (laboratory strains and field populations of both Aedes aegypti (L.) and Culex quinquefasciatus Say.; laboratory strain of Anopheles minimus Theobald) under laboratory-controlled conditions. HITSS assay results showed that KU-lure #1 elicited the greatest percent attraction for pyrethroid-resistant and -susceptible Ae. aegypti. KU-lure #6 elicited the strongest attractive response for pyrethroid-susceptible and -resistant Cx. quinquefasciatus and pyrethroid-susceptible An. minimus. The response to the lures from each species was independent of the pyrethroid susceptibility status (Ae. aegypti, p = 0.825; Cx. quinquefasciatus, p = 0.056). However, a significant difference in attraction to KU-lure #6 was observed between diurnal and nocturnal mosquitoes (Cx. quinquefasciatus vs. Ae. aegypti, p = 0.014; An. minimus vs. Ae. aegypti, p = 0.001). The laboratory-level HITSS assay effectively selects potential lure candidates. Because the host-seeking behavior differs between mosquito species, further studies are needed to develop species-specific attractants. Additional studies in semi-field screen houses using commercial traps are necessary to evaluate the accuracy of these laboratory assay results.

Field Evaluation of a Spatial Repellent Emanation Vest for Personal Protection Against Outdoor Biting Mosquitoes.

Exophilic vectors are an important contributor to residual malaria transmission. Wearable spatial repellents (SR) can potentially provide personal protection in early evening hours before people retire indoors. An SR prototype for passive delivery of transfluthrin (TFT) for protecting humans against nocturnal mosquitoes in Kanchanaburi, western Thailand, is evaluated. A plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet (676 cm2) treated with 55-mg TFT (TFT-PET), attached to the back of short-sleeve vest worn by human collector, was evaluated under semifield and outdoor conditions. Field-caught, nonblood-fed female Anopheles minimus s.l. were released in a 40 m length, semifield screened enclosure. Two collectors positioned at opposite ends conducted 12-h human-landing collections (HLC). The outdoor experiment was conducted between treatments among four collectors at four equidistant positions who performed HLC. Both trials were conducted for 30 consecutive nights. TFT-PET provided 67% greater protection (P < 0.001) for 12 h compared with unprotected control, a threefold reduction in the attack. In outdoor trials, TFT-PET provided only 16% protection against An. harrisoni Harbach & Manguin (Diptera: Culicidae) compared with unprotected collector (P = 0.0213). The TFT-PET vest reduced nonanophelines landing by 1.4-fold compared with the PET control with a 29% protective efficacy. These findings suggest that TFT-PET had diminished protective efficacy in an open field environment. Nonetheless, the concept of a wearable TFT emanatory device has the potential for protecting against outdoor biting mosquitoes. Further development of portable SR tools is required, active ingredient selection and dose optimization, and more suitable device design and materials for advancing product feasibility.

Nocturnal Mosquitoes of Pará State in the Brazilian Amazon: Species Composition, Habitat Segregation, and Seasonal Variation.

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are one of the most important disease vector species in the world. Many species have a high degree of anthropophilia and are often found in human habitations. In the present study, we have inventoried the nocturnal mosquito assemblage in intra-, peri-, and extradomicile environments in four municipalities in Pará, Brazil. At each municipality, a residence was selected and the mosquitoes were sampled using the protected human attraction capture and Shannon trap methods in April (rainy season) and August 2018 (dry season). We have collected a total of 696 mosquito specimens belonging to 8 genera and 17 species. The most abundant species were Mansonia (Mansonoides) titillans (Walker) (366/696, 52.6%), Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis Lynch-Arribálzaga (97/696, 13.9%), and Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus Say (93/696, 13.4%). Mosquito richness, abundance, and composition did not differ between intra-, peri-, and extradomicile environments suggesting limited habitat segregation among the different species. However, mosquito species richness and mosquito species abundance were significantly higher during the rainy season than during the dry season, suggesting increased mosquito activity during the rainy season. We detected several important vector species of human diseases including Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus), Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi Root, Haemagogus (Conopostegus) leucocelaenus (Dyar and Shannon), Coquillettidia (Coquillettidia) venezuelensis (Theobald), and Culex (Culex) quinquefasciatus which are the main transmitters of dengue, malaria, yellow fever, mayaro, and oropouche fever, respectively. As inventories of disease-carrying mosquitoes in the region are very scarce, mainly in residential environments, our results suggest high potential for mosquito-borne disease transmission in Pará State.

Effect of the CDC light trap on control of nocturnal mosquitoes in coastal Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand

Chaiphongpachara T, Laojun S, Kunphichayadecha C. 2018. Effect of the CDC light trap on control of nocturnal mosquitoes in coastal Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. Biodiversitas 19: 1750-1754. This study aimed to investigate the effect of CDC light trap on mosquito control and to study the relationship between this effect and weather factors in coastal areas (2 and 4 km from the sea) of Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand. We conducted a field test by trapping for 30 consecutive days from September to October 2017. The trap was hung at a height of 1.5 m and was 50 m away from a house. A total of 2963 adult female mosquitoes of 4 species belonging to 2 genera were trapped, including Anopheles epiroticus Linton &amp; Harbach, Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Cx. sitiens Wiedmann and Cx. gelidus Theobald. The trapping rate of the CDC light trap set up 2 km from the sea was 85.70±73.81 adult mosquitoes per night. Meanwhile, at the location 4 km from the sea, the trap collected 13.07±11.40 adult mosquitoes per night. Comparing the numbers of mosquitoes captured by the CDC light trap between these two sites, there was a significant difference at p &lt; 0.05. This study shows that the CDC light trap can be used for effective control of mosquitoes in coastal areas of Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand, especially Cx. sitiens, a filariasis vector.

A novel video-tracking system to quantify the behaviour of nocturnal mosquitoes attacking human hosts in the field.

Many vectors of malaria and other infections spend most of their adult life within human homes, the environment where they bloodfeed and rest, and where control has been most successful. Yet, knowledge of peri-domestic mosquito behaviour is limited, particularly how mosquitoes find and attack human hosts or how insecticides impact on behaviour. This is partly because technology for tracking mosquitoes in their natural habitats, traditional dwellings in disease-endemic countries, has never been available. We describe a sensing device that enables observation and recording of nocturnal mosquitoes attacking humans with or without a bed net, in the laboratory and in rural Africa. The device addresses requirements for sub-millimetre resolution over a 2.0 × 1.2 × 2.0 m volume while using minimum irradiance. Data processing strategies to extract individual mosquito trajectories and algorithms to describe behaviour during host/net interactions are introduced. Results from UK laboratory and Tanzanian field tests showed that Culex quinquefasciatus activity was higher and focused on the bed net roof when a human host was present, in colonized and wild populations. Both C. quinquefasciatus and Anopheles gambiae exhibited similar behavioural modes, with average flight velocities varying by less than 10%. The system offers considerable potential for investigations in vector biology and many other fields.

Indigenous Dirofilaria immitis in Bangladesh

Dirofilaria immitis is a parasite of domestic and wild canids and felids in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world. The canine heartworm (D. immitis) is the causative agent of canine and feline cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis. This parasite is known to cause a zoonotic disease, namely human pulmonary dirofilariasis. D. immitis is known to be endemic in several South and Southeast Asian countries (e.g. India and Malaysia), but there has previously been no information about the presence of this pathogen in Bangladesh. We present a case of canine dirofilariasis caused by D. immitis in rural southeastern Bangladesh. A male filaroid nematode (95mm in length and 1.94mm in width) was identified in the heart of a dog. Species classification was performed by microscopy and molecular tools. Sequence analysis revealed a 100% identity within the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) gene to two Chinese and one Australian D. immitis samples. Usually, dogs stay outside overnight with a high risk to get infected with D. immitis via nocturnal mosquito vectors, which may lead to high prevalences of this pathogen in the canine population and thus increase the risk of human infections with this neglected parasitic disease.

An Unexpected Recurrent Transmission of Rift Valley Fever Virus in Cattle in a Temperate and Mountainous Area of Madagascar

Rift Valley fever is an acute, zoonotic viral disease of domestic ruminants, caused by a phlebovirus (Bunyaviridae family). A large outbreak occurred in Madagascar in 2008–2009. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the point prevalence of antibodies against Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV) in cattle in the Anjozorobe district, located in the wet and temperate highland region of Madagascar and yet heavily affected by the disease, and analyse environmental and trade factors potentially linked to RVFV transmission. A serological study was performed in 2009 in 894 bovines. For each bovine, the following variables were recorded: age, location of the night pen, minimum distance from the pen to the nearest water point and the forest, nearest water point type, and herd replacement practices. The serological data were analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model. The overall anti-RVFV IgG seroprevalence rate was 28% [CI95% 25–31]. Age was statistically linked to prevalence (p = 10−4), being consistent with a recurrent RVFV circulation. Distance from the night pen to the nearest water point was a protective factor (p = 5.10−3), which would be compatible with a substantial part of the virus transmission being carried out by nocturnal mosquito vectors. However, water point type did not influence the risk of infection: several mosquito species are probably involved. Cattle belonging to owners who purchase animals to renew the herd were significantly more likely to have seroconverted than others (p = 0.04): cattle trade may contribute to the introduction of the virus in this area. The minimum distance of the night pen to the forest was not linked to the prevalence. This is the first evidence of a recurrent transmission of RVFV in such an ecosystem that associates a wet, temperate climate, high altitude, paddy fields, and vicinity to a dense rain forest. Persistence mechanisms need to be further investigated.

A behavioural test of the sensitivity of a nocturnal mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, to dim white, red and infra‐red light

Abstract. A behavioural test was used to determine the light sensitivity of the nocturnal mosquito Anopheles gambiae Giles s.s. to low intensities of ‘white’ light (tungsten filament), ‘red’ light (white light filtered by a darkroom safelight filter) and ‘infra‐red’ light) of two types (white light filtered by a λ&gt;700 nm filter, and light‐emitting diodes with λ&gt;900 nm). Mosquitoes were placed in a 20 cm diameter flight‐tunnel and their ‘optomotor’ response to a pattern of stripes moving across their visual field (at 14.5 cm s‐1) was recorded with infra‐red‐sensitive video. In free‐flight, with ample light, the mosquitoes controlled their flight speed and direction in relation to the stripe movement, so that the stripes always appeared to move across their visual field from front to back. They did this by flying either with the moving stripes fast enough to overtake them (19.5 ± 0.7 cm s‐1), or against them more slowly (10.3 ± 0.7 cm s‐1)‐ The net ground speed of the mosquitoes was thus c. 4–5 cm s‐1. This response was significant down to 10‐5 W m‐2 in ‘white’ light, and 10‐3 W m‐2 in ‘red’ light. At light intensities below threshold and in infra‐red light, however, they appeared to fly at random with respect to the stripe movement. The assumption commonly made, that mosquitoes do not ‘see’ in red light, may thus have to be revised.

Prophylaxie du paludisme

The prevention of malaria is based on chemoprophylaxis and protection against the vector. Nocturnal mosquito bites can be avoided by individual and collective measures, while chemoprophylaxis involves the use of various agents according to the place and duration of stay. Three endemic zones can be defined on the basis of chemoresistance. Chloroquine, proguanil and mefloquine are the three drugs used in this setting, the latter being contraindicated for pregnant women and children. Travellers making long stays in areas of low-level chemoresistance and short stays in areas of high-level resistance and for whom mefloquine is contraindicated are advised to take antimalarial drugs at the first signs of potentially malarial fever when medical care is unavailable. Quinine, halofantrine and mefloquine are used for the curative treatment of malaria in areas of chloroquine resistance.

Studies of house-entering habits of mosquitoes in The Gambia, West Africa: experiments with prefabricated huts with varied wall apertures.

The house-entering behaviour of nocturnal mosquitoes was studied in The Gambia. Mosquitoes were captured as they attacked man in the open and in experimental huts which comprised 1.8 m cube frames with corrugated iron roofs and plywood walls of various heights. Catches of all species were similar in the open and in a roofed, but unwalled, hut frame. The mosquitoes taken in catches in unwalled huts and others with wall heights of 0.6, 1.2 and 1.7 m (giving an 8 cm eaves-level entry slit) fell into two categories. The first group, which included the endophilic species Anopheles gambiae Giles s.l., An. melas Theobald and Mansonia spp. were only slightly affected by increasing wall height, but the second group, including the exophilic mosquitoes Aedes spp., An. pharoensis Theobald, Cx poicilipes (Theobald) and Cx thalassius Theobald showed a very marked progressive exclusion. In comparisons of catches in two huts with 8 cm entry slits at eaves or ground level, large numbers of An. pharoensis found access through the ground level entry but not at eaves level. No consistent difference could be demonstrated for other species. It is concluded that the house-entering behaviour which distinguishes endophagic mosquito species includes at least two distinct responses: flight upwards to eaves level and the passage from outside to indoors. It is also suggested that house entry as a component in host-seeking behaviour and indoor resting are distinct, but not necessarily exclusive, behavioural traits.