AFRICAN MALARIA VECTORS

疟疾寄生虫传播的实地研究对于疟疾控制方面国际协调行动的成功至关重要。需要有新的病媒控制战略和工具，可用于社区一级防治疟疾的综合办法。在杜兰大学过去3年的投入下，内罗毕国际昆虫生理学和生态学中心（ICIPE）开发了一个独特的疟疾媒介规划，由ICIPE、肯尼亚医学研究所（KEMRI）、卫生部（MOH）和当地大学的研究人员组成。在ICIPE建立非洲疟疾病媒研究卓越中心的目标之一，是为肯尼亚和其他东非周边国家的国家疟疾控制项目提供研究、技术支持和培训。该提案将在3个方面加强目前的ICIPE/KEMRI/MOH计划。项目1：非洲疟疾病媒幼虫生态学：将在肯尼亚各地进行实地研究，确定蚊子病媒种群时空异质性的环境和气候驱动来源以及相关的疟疾流行。项目2-非洲疟疾病媒的行为：国际疟疾研究中心通过化学生态学研究确定的与蚊子宿主吸引、驱避、交配和孵化有关的化合物将在国际疟疾研究中心位于肯尼亚西部的Mbita点野外站的室外温室昆虫饲养场和附近的野外站点进行进一步测试。项目3-非洲疟疾媒介的媒介能力：通过膜摄食感染恶性疟原虫的冈比亚按蚊群体饲养，将用于确定严重影响孢子发育和蚊子对疟疾寄生虫易感性的环境和遗传因素。这三个项目的研究和培训活动将结合起来，并继续集中于发展在非洲社区一级控制疟疾的新方法和工具。

Field-based research on malaria parasite transmission is vital to the success of internationally-coordinated initiatives in malaria control. There is a need for new strategies and tools for vector control that can be used in integrated approaches for fighting malaria at the community level. With input from Tulane University from the past 3 years, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi has developed a unique Malaria Vector program comprised of investigators from ICIPE, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and local universities. One of the goals, in developing a Center of Excellence at ICIPE for malaria vector research in Africa, is to provide research, technical support, and training for the National Malaria Control program in Kenya and other surrounding countries in East Africa. This proposal will strengthen the current ICIPE/KEMRI/MOH program in 3 areas. Project 1-Larval Ecology of African Malaria Vectors: environmental and climate-driven sources of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in vector populations of mosquitos and associated malaria prevalence will be identified in field studies throughout Kenya. Project 2-Behavior of African Malaria Vectors: compounds identified through chemical ecology studies at ICIPE at being associated with mosquito-host attraction, repellency, mating, and oviposition will be tested further at the ICIPE Mbita Point Field Station in western Kenya in outdoor green-house insectaries and at nearby field sites. Project 3-Vector Competence of African Malaria Vectors: colony- reared Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites by membrane-feeding will be used to determine environmental and genetic factors that critically influence sporogonic development and mosquito susceptibility to malaria parasites. Research and training activities for the 3 projects will be integrated and continually focused on the development of new approaches and tools for controlling malaria at the community level in Africa.