Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca, Musa Jawara, Mahamed Y. Abdi, John Bradley, Otis Sloan Brittain, Sainey Ceesay, Umberto D'Alessandro, David Jeffries, Margaret Pinder, Hannah Wood, Jakob B. Knudsen, Steve W. Lindsay
Summary: The study found that raising buildings off the ground can effectively reduce malaria transmission in rural Gambia, as most malaria mosquitoes fly close to the ground and showed significantly reduced entry when buildings were elevated.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Jordache Ramjith, Manon Alkema, John Bradley, Alassane Dicko, Chris Drakeley, Will Stone, Teun Bousema
Summary: Malaria transmission depends on the presence of mature Plasmodium transmission stages. Transmission-blocking antimalarial drugs and vaccines can prevent transmission by reducing gametocyte densities or infectivity to mosquitos. This online tool helps researchers calculate the sample size to detect reductions in mosquito infection rate or infection burden.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Ross M. Boyce, Brandon D. Hollingsworth, Emma Baguma, Erin Xu, Varun Goel, Amanda Brown-Marusiak, Rabbison Muhindo, Raquel Reyes, Moses Ntaro, Mark J. Siedner, Sarah G. Staedke, Jonathan J. Juliano, Edgar M. Mulogo
Summary: Three rounds of chemoprevention with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine delivered under pragmatic conditions reduced the incidence of malaria after severe flooding in western Uganda. These findings provide a proof-of-concept for the use of chemoprevention to reduce excess disease burden associated with severe flooding.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca, Musa Jawara, Daniel Sang-Hoon Lee, Matthew S. S. Holmes, Sainey Ceesay, Phillip McCall, Margaret Pinder, Umberto D'Alessandro, Jakob B. B. Knudsen, Steve W. W. Lindsay, Anne L. L. Wilson
Summary: This study in rural Gambia evaluated the effectiveness of passive and active ventilation in reducing the entry of malaria mosquitoes and cooling the bedroom at night. The solar chimney did not reduce mosquito entry, but the ceiling fan reduced it by 91% compared to the control house. There were no significant differences in indoor temperature, humidity, or CO2 between the intervention and control houses.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Fatou Jaiteh, Joan Muela Ribera, Yoriko Masunaga, Joseph Okebe, Umberto D'Alessandro, Julie Balen, Jane Achan, Rene Gerrets, Koen Peeters Grietens
Summary: As malaria cases increasingly cluster in households or groups of households, reactive interventions targeting household members of clinical malaria cases should be derived from an epidemiological and operational perspective, focusing on social context when considering the appropriate intervention unit. A novel malaria elimination strategy based on reactive treatment was recently evaluated in The Gambia, highlighting the importance of incorporating local definitions and community preferences in trial design to identify the most appropriate intervention unit.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Madhurima Seal, Soumendranath Chatterjee
Summary: This study found that mosquito larvae of the malaria vector species rely on the presence of gut bacteria for their survival and development. In the absence of gut bacteria, larval survival rate and developmental characteristics were greatly reduced.
APPLIED BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Leo Dilane Alenou, Josiane Etang
Summary: Despite preventive measures in airports, the risk of Plasmodium spp. infected mosquitoes being imported into malaria-free countries still exists. Airport malaria, a locally acquired form of the disease, appears to be increasing in these countries, potentially due to factors such as climate change, international trade, and delays in diagnosis and treatment. Strengthening malaria prevention and treatment, as well as routine entomological and epidemiological surveillance in and around airports, is therefore necessary.
Article
Ecology
David Dezericky, Karol Sinka, Petra Pipiskova, Miroslav Dumbrovsky, Timo Schaffhauser, Zlatica Muchova
Summary: Best management practices for landscapes include adapting them to rainfall extremes that have an impact on surface runoff. Critical profiles have been determined using modified methodological guidelines and have been verified in terrain. Critical profiles are prime candidates for multi-functional ecological engineering measures.
ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Ethan Bier, Victor Nizet
Summary: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has reached critical levels, necessitating societal and science-based solutions to reduce resistance and preserve the life-saving effects of antibiotics.
TRENDS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Parasitology
Donall Eoin Cross, Chris Thomas, Niall McKeown, Vincent Siaziyu, Amy Healey, Tom Willis, Douglas Singini, Francis Liywalii, Andrew Silumesii, Jacob Sakala, Mark Smith, Mark Macklin, Andy J. Hardy, Paul W. Shaw
Summary: The study revealed a diversity of candidate vector species and their high relative abundance across diverse hydro-ecosystems, indicating a highly adaptable transmission system resilient to environmental variation and potentially insensitive to interventions that target only part of the vector community. The residual transmission of malaria in Barotseland is predominantly mediated by secondary vector species, known for their crepuscular and outdoor biting tendencies, rendering them largely insensitive to prevalent vector control methods.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Alexandra Fehr, Joan Muela, Claudia Nieto-Sanchez, Ebrima Manneh, Dullo Baldeh, Omar Ceesay, Azucena Bardaji, Teun Zuiderent-Jerak, Joske Bunders-Aelen
Summary: This study conducted a social science analysis alongside an MDA clinical trial for malaria control in The Gambia, focusing on the impact of social cohesion on trial coverage. The study found that the expression of social cohesion had significant effects on trial coverage and compliance. Villages with low coverage exhibited passive social cohesion, while villages with high coverage showed more proactive engagement with the trial implementation.
SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Michelle C. Stanton, Patrick Kalonde, Kennedy Zembere, Remy Hoek Spaans, Christopher M. Jones
Summary: This study successfully identified larval habitat characteristics using drone mapping and found significant associations between drone-captured characteristics and larval presence in rural, malaria-endemic areas. Despite some technical challenges, the potential for drone-acquired imagery to support mosquito larval habitat identification was demonstrated. Further consultations and collaborations are needed to develop detailed guidance on how this technology can be effectively exploited in malaria control.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Issouf Traore, Zanakoungo Ibrahima Coulibaly, Kouadio Bernard Allali, Julie-Anne Akiko Tangena, Yao Lucien Konan, Ahoua Yapi, Mireille Dosso
Summary: The objective of this study was to assess the larval ecology of mosquitoes in rubber areas of Dabou, Cote d'Ivoire, and the findings showed that rubber cultivation has an impact on the larval ecology, increasing the number of breeding sites and favoring a high larval density and diversity.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Kamala Thriemer, Tamiru Shibru Degaga, Michael Christian, Mohammad Shafiul Alam, Benedikt Ley, Mohammad Sharif Hossain, Mohammad Golam Kibria, Tedla Teferi Tego, Dagimawie Tadesse Abate, Sophie Weston, Amalia Karahalios, Megha Rajasekhar, Julie A. Simpson, Angela Rumaseb, Hellen Mnjala, Grant Lee, Rodas Temesgen Anose, Fitsum Getahun Kidane, Adugna Woyessa, Kevin Baird, Inge Sutanto, Asrat Hailu, Ric N. Price
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the potential benefits of universal radical cure for both Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum in different endemic areas. If proven safe and effective, universal radical cure could be a cost-effective approach to eliminate unrecognized P. vivax infections and accelerate P. vivax elimination.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Guillermo A. Garcia, Godwin Fuseini, Olivier Tresor Donfack, Rachel N. Wofford, Jose Antonio Mba Nlang, Prudencio Bibang Efiri, Valeriano Oluy Nsue Maye, Thomas A. Weppelmann, David Galick, Wonder Philip Phiri, Kylie DeBoer, Jordan M. Smith, Jeremias Nzamio Mba Eyono, Matilde Riloha Rivas, Carlos A. Guerra, Michael E. von Fricken
Summary: This study assessed the impact of construction projects on mosquito larval habitats and the effectiveness of larval source management in reducing malaria vector density. The findings suggest that larval source management is an effective intervention to suppress mosquito populations during infrastructure development. Incorporating larval source management into ongoing and planned construction initiatives represents an opportunity to fine tune vector control in response to anthropogenetic changes.
Article
Parasitology
Adrian Denz, Margaret M. Njoroge, Mgeni M. Tambwe, Clara Champagne, Fredros Okumu, Joop J. A. van Loon, Alexandra Hiscox, Adam Saddler, Ulrike Fillinger, Sarah J. Moore, Nakul Chitnis
Summary: Semi-field experiments with HLC as the outcome are crucial for evaluating novel vector control interventions against outdoor malaria transmission. A new stochastic model was presented to estimate the effects of products inhibiting outdoor biting, based on time-stratified HLC data. The analysis of recent semi-field studies in Kenya and Tanzania suggests that transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons provide promising community-level protection against Anopheles arabiensis.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Henry Ddumba Mawejje, Maxwell Kilama, Simon P. Kigozi, Alex K. Musiime, Moses Kamya, Jo Lines, Steven W. Lindsay, David Smith, Grant Dorsey, Martin J. Donnelly, Sarah G. Staedke
Summary: This study in Uganda found that LLINs and IRS had differential impacts on Anopheles species composition and density in areas with different transmission intensities. The combination of LLINs and multiple rounds of IRS in high transmission areas nearly eliminated An. gambiae s.s. and An. funestus s.l., leading to a shift in predominant vector species. Developing interventions targeted at outdoor biting remains a priority for malaria control efforts.
Review
Parasitology
David L. Smith, Alex K. Musiime, Kilama Maxwell, Steven W. Lindsay, Samson Kiware
Summary: Killing adult mosquitoes can reduce the proportion of old mosquitoes and have a significant impact on malaria transmission; The effectiveness of vector control can be compared using sporozoite rates and human biting rates; Human biting rates provide more useful information for planning, monitoring and evaluating vector control.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Theresia Estomih Nkya, Ulrike Fillinger, Makhoselive Dlamini, Onyango P. Sangoro, Rose Marubu, Zulisile Zulu, Emmanuel Chanda, Clifford Maina Mutero, Quinton Dlamini
Summary: Eswatini was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to pass a National Malaria Elimination Policy in 2011, with a target for elimination by 2020. However, the country fell short of achieving malaria elimination by 2020, with consistent but low rates of reported cases and occasional localized outbreaks. To achieve elimination, optimizing well-targeted IRS, rational expansion of tools for an integrated approach, and prioritizing rigorous routine entomological surveillance are critical in Eswatini.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gavin Band, Ellen M. Leffler, Muminatou Jallow, Fatoumatta Sisay-Joof, Carolyne M. Ndila, Alexander W. Macharia, Christina Hubbart, Anna E. Jeffreys, Kate Rowlands, Thuy Nguyen, Sonia Goncalves, Cristina Ariani, Jim Stalker, Richard D. Pearson, Roberto Amato, Eleanor Drury, Giorgio Sirugo, Umberto D'Alessandro, Kalifa A. Bojang, Kevin Marsh, Norbert Peshu, Joseph W. Saelens, Mahamadou Diakite, Steve M. Taylor, David J. Conway, Thomas N. Williams, Kirk A. Rockett, Dominic P. Kwiatkowski
Summary: This study found a strong association between host sickle haemoglobin (HbS) and three regions of the parasite genome, which is replicated in additional samples. The protective effect of HbS against severe malaria varies greatly according to the parasite genotype at these three loci, suggesting an evolutionary adaptation of parasite populations to host genetic factors.
Article
Mathematical & Computational Biology
Xiangmei Ma, Paul Milligan, Kwok Fai Lam, Yin Bun Cheung
Summary: Our study investigates five estimators of intervention effects on event rates, each with different precision and power depending on the conditions, and proposes a set of unbiased estimators to control bias in studies with few clusters. The unbiased estimators perform well in simulations and are practically unbiased, while the asymptotically unbiased estimators show good performance with a larger number of clusters. Despite its simplicity, one estimator performs comparably with others in trials with a realistic number of clusters, and two estimators offer higher power in certain conditions.
STATISTICS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Katharine A. Collins, Sukai Ceesay, Sainabou Drammeh, Fatou K. Jaiteh, Marc-Antoine Guery, Kjerstin Lanke, Lynn Grignard, Will Stone, David J. Conway, Umberto D'Alessandro, Teun Bousema, Antoine Claessens
Summary: In areas with seasonal Plasmodium falciparum malaria, a reservoir of blood-stage infection during the dry season is crucial for initiating transmission in the wet season. A study in The Gambia found that a significant proportion of individuals infected at the end of the wet season continued to have detectable infections until the end of the dry season. These persistent infections were more likely to have higher parasite densities and be multiclonal compared to short-lived infections. Screening and treating asymptomatic infections during the dry season may help reduce the reservoir of malaria responsible for transmission in the wet season.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yin Bun Cheung, Xiangmei Ma, K. F. Lam, Chee Fu Yung, Paul Milligan
Summary: Investigated a modeling method for time-varying intervention effects and re-analyzed data from a trial of intermittent preventive treatment for malaria using the Andersen-Gill model.
JOURNAL OF BIOPHARMACEUTICAL STATISTICS
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Margaret Mendi Njoroge, Alexandra Hiscox, Adam Saddler, Willem Takken, Joop J. A. van Loon, Ulrike Fillinger
Summary: This study found that transfluthrin-treated fabric strips can be a substitute for complete screens, providing protection against malaria mosquito bites indoors, especially in areas with relatively high evening temperatures.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Suzanne E. Hocking, Lindsay B. Stewart, Aline Freville, Adam J. Reid, Sarah J. Tarr, Kevin K. A. Tetteh, Christian Flueck, Ambroise D. Ahouidi, Alfred Amambua-Ngwa, Mahamadou Diakite, Gordon A. Awandare, David J. Conway
Summary: This study investigates the natural expression and correlation of MSPDBL2, a merozoite surface protein in Plasmodium falciparum, with other genes involved in sexual development. The results show a unique and highly skewed pattern of natural expression frequencies of MSPDBL2, distinct from any other antigen. The expression of MSPDBL2 is correlated with genes implicated in gametocytogenesis, suggesting its role in the subpopulation preparing for transmission. Furthermore, the study reveals the separate function of the MSPDBL2-positive subpopulation in asexual survival and replication.
Review
Infectious Diseases
Theresia Estomih Nkya, Ulrike Fillinger, Onyango P. Sangoro, Rose Marubu, Emmanuel Chanda, Clifford Maina Mutero
Summary: This paper reviews entomological research on malaria vector control in six countries in southern Africa, highlighting the lack of information on malaria vectors and their control in frontline elimination countries. The study emphasizes the importance of strengthening research capacity and routine monitoring to enhance decision-making for malaria elimination.
Article
Entomology
Billy L. Amugune, Abneel K. Matharu, Paul Ouma, Francis Mutebi, Lynne Elson, Ulrike Fillinger, Juergen Kruecken
Summary: Tunga penetrans is an invasive flea that causes tungiasis, and a low-cost PCR-based tool for the identification of T. penetrans is needed to understand its ecology and monitor its development in soil.
Article
Microbiology
Lindsay B. Stewart, Aline Freville, Till S. Voss, David A. Baker, Gordon A. Awandare, David J. Conway
Summary: Asexual blood-stage malaria parasites must produce sexual progeny for mosquito infection. Two different methods of commitment rate measurement were compared, with higher sensitivity and precision observed in the detection of an early differentiation marker. Clinical isolates and laboratory-adapted lines showed significant variation in commitment rates, and the effects of choline on commitment varied quantitatively.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Antoine Claessens, Lindsay B. Stewart, Eleanor Drury, Ambroise D. Ahouidi, Alfred Amambua-Ngwa, Mahamadou Diakite, Dominic P. Kwiatkowski, Gordon A. Awandare, David J. Conway
Summary: Experimental studies on malaria parasites have mainly been focused on laboratory-adapted lines, providing limited understanding of natural infections. This study analyzed genome sequence data from West African isolates to explore the genetic diversity and adaptation of parasites during culture. Loss-of-function mutants were found in multiple-genotype isolates, affecting genes observed in single-genotype isolates. The study also revealed non-identical sibling parasites, illustrating the natural genetic structure within endemic populations.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Ayako Hyuga, Paul Ouma, Abneel K. Matharu, Juergen Kruecken, Satoshi Kaneko, Kensuke Goto, Ulrike Fillinger
Summary: This study evaluated the jumping capabilities of female and male T. penetrans, and found that they have similar jumping abilities to other flea species. The fact that they mostly affect the feet of hosts is likely an adaptation to host behavior, rather than a result of their limited jumping ability.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)