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Distribution and Chromosomal Characterization of the Anopheles gambiae Complex in Angola

Mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex (N = 1,336) were sampled (2001–2005) across Angola to identify taxa, study inversion polymorphisms, and detect the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum. Anopheles gambiae s.s. was found in all sites; it was characterized as M-form in localities of the tropical dry and semi-desertic belts, whereas the S-form was predominant in comparatively more humid and less anthropized sites. Both forms were characterized by low degrees of chromosomal polymorphism based solely on the 2La inversion, a pattern usually associated with An. gambiae populations from forested, humid, and derived savanna areas. Unexpectedly, this pattern was also observed in M-form populations collected in dry/pre-desertic areas, where this form largely predominates over An. arabiensis, which was also detected in central/inland sites. Anopheles melas was found in northern coastal sites. Three of 534 An. gambiae s.s. were positive for P. falciparum CS-protein, whereas none of the 105 An. melas were positive.

Received March 12, 2007. Accepted for publication July 2, 2007.

Acknowledgments: Collections have been done in a framework of collaboration among University of Rome "La Sapienza," Italy, and representatives of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Angolan Ministry of Health. We thank André Francisco Sebastião, Mpova Zambote, Alberto Bunga, and Manuel Alfredo Paulo (Instituto Nacional da Saúde Publica-Luanda) for technical assistance during the field collections. We are especially grateful to Stefano Ferroni, Project Manager of the "Programma di Cooperazione Socio-Sanitaria AID 5810." We thank Joao Pinto for commenting on the manuscript. We thank Mr. Gianni Petrangeli and Mrs. Graziella Croce for laboratory support and Mario Coluzzi for advice and support.

Work was funded by Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci-Bolognetti, Italian Ministry for University and Research (funds MIUR/PRIN), University of Rome "La Sapienza" (Faculty funds), and by the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR).

^* Address correspondence to Alessandra della Torre, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, Italy 00185. E-mail: alessandra.dellatorre{at}uniromal.it

Authors’ addresses: Maria Calzetta, Federica Santolamazza, Gian Carlo Carrara, Maria Angela Di Deco, Alessandra della Torre, and Vincenzo Petrarca, Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università "La Sapienza," Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Roma, Italy, Telephone: +39-06-4455780, Fax: +39-06-49914653, E-mails: Maria.Calzetta{at}uniroma1.it, Federica.Santolamazza{at}uniroma1.it, carbriga{at}alice.it, Mariaangela.Dideco{at}uniroma1.it, Alessandra.dellatorre{at}uniroma1.it, and Vincenzo.Petrarca{at}uniroma1.it. Filomeno Fortes and Pedro J. Cani, Ministério da Saúde–Programa Nacional de Controle da Malária, Luanda, Angola.

Reprint requests: Alessandra della Torre, Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Parassitologia, Università "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy. E-mail: alessandra.dellatorre{at}uniroma1.it.