HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by KENT, R. J. Articles by NORRIS, D. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by KENT, R. J. Articles by NORRIS, D. E. Pubmed/NCBI databases Substance via MeSH Related Collections Mosquitoes Ecology/Natural History Malaria

SEASONALITY, BLOOD FEEDING BEHAVIOR, AND TRANSMISSION OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM BY ANOPHELES ARABIENSIS AFTER AN EXTENDED DROUGHT IN SOUTHERN ZAMBIA

Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum is hyperendemic in southern Zambia. However, no data on the entomologic aspects of malaria transmission have been published from Zambia in more than 25 years. We evaluated seasonal malaria transmission by Anopheles arabiensis and An. funestus s.s. and characterized the blood feeding behavior of An. arabiensis in two village areas. Transmission during the 2004–2005 rainy season was nearly zero because of widespread drought. During 2005–2006, the estimated entomologic inoculation rate values were 1.6 and 18.3 infective bites per person per transmission season in each of the two village areas, respectively. Finally, with a human blood index of 0.923, An. arabiensis was substantially more anthropophilic in our study area than comparable samples of indoor-resting An. arabiensis throughout Africa and was the primary vector responsible for transmission of P. falciparum.

Received September 13, 2006. Accepted for publication October 31, 2006.

Acknowledgments: We thank Harry Hamapumbu for organizing and managing the field team, and Petros Moono, Patricia Muleya, Pamela Sinywimaanzi, Fidelis Chanda, Lusyomo Chikobolo, Collence Munsanje, Rodwell Moono, Peter Simakwati, Guide Hansumo, Scene Mudenda, Betham Dubeka, Frederick Mwiinga, Buster Musanje, Maron Mulota, and Kalizya Sinyangwe for performing mosquito collections.

Financial support. This study was supported in part by funding to Douglas E. Norris from the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, a Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute pre-doctoral fellowship award to Rebekah J. Kent, a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Global Field Experience Fund award to Rebekah J. Kent, and a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences training award (T32ES07141) to Rebekah J. Kent.

^* Address correspondence to Rebekah J. Kent, The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205. E-mail: rcmosquito{at}yahoo.com

Authors’ addresses: Rebekah J. Kent and Douglas E. Norris, The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, Telephone: 410-614-2710, Fax: 410-955-0105, E-mails: rcmosquito{at}yahoo.com and dnorris{at}jhsph.edu. Philip E. Thuma and Sungano Mharakurwa, The Malaria Institute at Macha, PO Box 630166, Choma, Zambia, E-mails: pthuma{at}machamalaria.org and smharaku{at}jhsph.edu.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. J. Kent, S. Mharakurwa, and D. E. Norris Spatial and Temporal Genetic Structure of Anopheles arabiensis in Southern Zambia over Consecutive Wet and Drought Years Am J Trop Med Hyg, August 1, 2007; 77(2): 316 - 323. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]