A previously unreported potential malaria vector in a dry ecology of Kenya

Background In Kenya, malaria remains a major public health menace equally affecting the semi-arid to arid ecologies. However, entomologic knowledge of malaria vectors in such areas remains poor. Methods Morphologically-identified wild-caught Anopheles funestus ( s.l. ) specimens trapped outdoors fro...

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Published in:	Parasites & vectors Vol. 12; no. 1; p. 80
Main Authors:	Ogola, Edwin O., Chepkorir, Edith, Sang, Rosemary, Tchouassi, David P.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	London BioMed Central 11.02.2019 BioMed Central Ltd Springer Nature B.V BMC
Subjects:	Animals Anopheles Anopheles - classification Anopheles - genetics Anopheles - parasitology Anopheles funestus Anopheles funestus group Arid regions Beef cattle Biomedical and Life Sciences Biomedicine Blood blood meal Cytochrome Cytochrome c Cytochrome oxidase Cytochrome-c oxidase Cytochromes Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA DNA, Protozoan - chemistry DNA, Protozoan - genetics DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - chemistry DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics Dry ecology Ecology Electron Transport Complex IV - genetics Entomological surveillance Entomology Environmental Monitoring Female Human diseases Humans Identification Infection Infections Infectious Diseases internal transcribed spacers Kenya Kenya - epidemiology Malaria Malaria - epidemiology Malaria - parasitology Malaria - transmission Mitochondria Mitochondria - enzymology Mitochondrial DNA Molecular approaches mosquito vectors Mosquito Vectors - classification Mosquito Vectors - genetics Mosquito Vectors - parasitology Mosquitoes Nucleotide sequence Oxidases oxidoreductases Parasites Parasitic diseases Parasitology PCR Plasmodium Plasmodium falciparum Plasmodium falciparum - isolation & purification Plasmodium falciparum - physiology Plasmodium ovale Polymerase Chain Reaction Primers Public health Risk factors Sequence Analysis, DNA Short Report Sibling species Species identification Studies Surveillance Tropical Medicine Vector-borne diseases Vectors Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science Virology Kenya United Kingdom > UK Sahel (African region) Malaria transmission Molecular approaches Entomological surveillance Kenya Dry ecology group Anopheles funestus group
ISSN:	1756-3305, 1756-3305
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Summary:	Background In Kenya, malaria remains a major public health menace equally affecting the semi-arid to arid ecologies. However, entomologic knowledge of malaria vectors in such areas remains poor. Methods Morphologically-identified wild-caught Anopheles funestus ( s.l. ) specimens trapped outdoors from the semi-arid to arid area of Kacheliba, West Pokot County, Kenya, were analysed by PCR and sequencing for species identification, malaria parasite infection and host blood-meal sources. Results Three hundred and thirty specimens were analysed to identify sibling species of the An. funestus group, none of which amplified using the available primers; two were infected with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium ovale , separately, while 84% ( n = 25) of the blood-fed specimens had fed on humans. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( cox 1) and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequences of 55 specimens ( Plasmodium -positive, blood-fed and Plasmodium -negative) did not match reference sequences, possibly suggesting a previously unreported species, resolving as two clades. Conclusions Our findings indicate the existence of yet-to-be identified and described anopheline species with a potential as malaria vectors in Kenya.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 14 content type line 23
ISSN:	1756-3305 1756-3305
DOI:	10.1186/s13071-019-3332-z