The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission
Abstract Background Mosquitoes commute between blood-meal hosts and water. Thus, heterogeneity in human biting reflects underlying spatial heterogeneity in the distribution and suitability of larval habitat as well as inherent differences in the attractiveness, suitability and distribution of blood-...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:97a63aa10c89409ab3ce230a6ed7302f 2023-05-15T15:12:32+02:00 The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission Flahault Antoine McKenzie F Ellis Menach Arnaud Smith David L 2005-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-4-23 https://doaj.org/article/97a63aa10c89409ab3ce230a6ed7302f EN eng BMC http://www.malariajournal.com/content/4/1/23 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-4-23 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/97a63aa10c89409ab3ce230a6ed7302f Malaria Journal, Vol 4, Iss 1, p 23 (2005) Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 article 2005 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-4-23 2022-12-31T08:09:36Z Abstract Background Mosquitoes commute between blood-meal hosts and water. Thus, heterogeneity in human biting reflects underlying spatial heterogeneity in the distribution and suitability of larval habitat as well as inherent differences in the attractiveness, suitability and distribution of blood-meal hosts. One of the possible strategies of malaria control is to identify local vector species and then attack water bodies that contain their larvae. Methods Biting and host seeking, not oviposition, have been the focus of most previous studies of mosquitoes and malaria transmission. This study presents a mathematical model that incorporates mosquito oviposition behaviour. Results The model demonstrates that oviposition is one potential factor explaining heterogeneous biting and vector distribution in a landscape with a heterogeneous distribution of larval habitat. Adult female mosquitoes tend to aggregate around places where they oviposit, thereby increasing the risk of malaria, regardless of the suitability of the habitat for larval development. Thus, a water body may be unsuitable for adult mosquito emergence, but simultaneously, be a source for human malaria. Conclusion Larval density may be a misleading indicator of a habitat's importance for malaria control. Even if mosquitoes could be lured to oviposit in sprayed larval habitats, this would not necessarily mitigate – and might aggravate – the risk of malaria transmission. Forcing mosquitoes to fly away from humans in search of larval habitat may be a more efficient way to reduce the risk of malaria than killing larvae. Thus, draining, fouling, or filling standing water where mosquitoes oviposit can be more effective than applying larvicide. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Malaria Journal 4 1 23 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 Flahault Antoine McKenzie F Ellis Menach Arnaud Smith David L The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
topic_facet |
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine RC955-962 Infectious and parasitic diseases RC109-216 |
description |
Abstract Background Mosquitoes commute between blood-meal hosts and water. Thus, heterogeneity in human biting reflects underlying spatial heterogeneity in the distribution and suitability of larval habitat as well as inherent differences in the attractiveness, suitability and distribution of blood-meal hosts. One of the possible strategies of malaria control is to identify local vector species and then attack water bodies that contain their larvae. Methods Biting and host seeking, not oviposition, have been the focus of most previous studies of mosquitoes and malaria transmission. This study presents a mathematical model that incorporates mosquito oviposition behaviour. Results The model demonstrates that oviposition is one potential factor explaining heterogeneous biting and vector distribution in a landscape with a heterogeneous distribution of larval habitat. Adult female mosquitoes tend to aggregate around places where they oviposit, thereby increasing the risk of malaria, regardless of the suitability of the habitat for larval development. Thus, a water body may be unsuitable for adult mosquito emergence, but simultaneously, be a source for human malaria. Conclusion Larval density may be a misleading indicator of a habitat's importance for malaria control. Even if mosquitoes could be lured to oviposit in sprayed larval habitats, this would not necessarily mitigate – and might aggravate – the risk of malaria transmission. Forcing mosquitoes to fly away from humans in search of larval habitat may be a more efficient way to reduce the risk of malaria than killing larvae. Thus, draining, fouling, or filling standing water where mosquitoes oviposit can be more effective than applying larvicide. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Flahault Antoine McKenzie F Ellis Menach Arnaud Smith David L |
author_facet |
Flahault Antoine McKenzie F Ellis Menach Arnaud Smith David L |
author_sort |
Flahault Antoine |
title |
The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
title_short |
The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
title_full |
The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
title_fullStr |
The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
title_full_unstemmed |
The unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
title_sort |
unexpected importance of mosquito oviposition behaviour for malaria: non-productive larval habitats can be sources for malaria transmission |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2005 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-4-23 https://doaj.org/article/97a63aa10c89409ab3ce230a6ed7302f |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Malaria Journal, Vol 4, Iss 1, p 23 (2005) |
op_relation |
http://www.malariajournal.com/content/4/1/23 https://doaj.org/toc/1475-2875 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-4-23 1475-2875 https://doaj.org/article/97a63aa10c89409ab3ce230a6ed7302f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-4-23 |
container_title |
Malaria Journal |
container_volume |
4 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
23 |
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1766343202920464384 |