Larval ecology of African malaria vectors

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This research focuses on the larval ecology of African malaria vectors, a ne3glected area of malaria research. As a result of technological advances in the molecular identification of species in the Anopheles gambiae complex, the use microsatellite markers to study mosquito population genetics, the use of Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing as applied to medical entomology and malaria epidemiology, advances in modeling to predict insect population dynamics, and modern insect control technologies, it is now possible to address important basic questions about larval-stage biology of anopheline mosquitos in Africa. Field studies in Kenya to identify the mechanisms by which environmental factors regulate the dynamics of larval-stage mosquitoes will provide new insights for explaining the spatial and temporal dynamics of adult mosquito populations and patterns of Plasmodium falciparum transmission to humans. There are 3 specific aims: 1) to determine through district-level field studies of Anopheles larval habitats the key environmental determinants regulating the spatial and temporal distributions of malaria vectors and Plasmodium falciparum transmission. 2) to determine through longitudinal village-level field studies the impact of climate on relationships between the dynamics of larval populations of Anopheles, the production of adult mosquitoes, the behavior of adult mosquitoes, and the transmission of plasmodium falciparum malaria to humans and 3) to develop new approaches for the control of larval populations of Anopheles mosquitoes by conducting small-scale pilot control projects that involve local communities are organizers and participants. The outcome of this research will include better methods for mosquito control that can be applied at the community level to fight malaria.