AFRICAN MALARIA VECTORS

关于疟疾寄生虫传播的实地研究对于国际协调的疟疾控制倡议的成功至关重要。需要新的病媒控制战略和工具，可用于在社区一级防治疟疾的综合办法。在过去三年来自杜兰大学的投入下，内罗毕的国际昆虫生理和生态中心(ICIPE)开发了一个独特的疟疾媒介计划，由来自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建立非洲疟疾媒介研究卓越中心的目标之一是为肯尼亚和东非其他周边国家的国家疟疾控制计划提供研究、技术支持和培训。这项提议将在3个领域加强目前的ICIPE/KEMRI/MOH计划。项目1--非洲疟疾病媒的幼虫生态学：将在肯尼亚各地进行实地研究，查明蚊子媒介种群的时空异质性的环境和气候驱动的来源以及相关的疟疾流行情况。项目2--非洲疟疾病媒的行为：将在肯尼亚西部的ICIPE Mbita Point野外站和附近的田间站点进一步测试通过ICIPE的化学生态学研究确定的与蚊子宿主吸引、驱避、交配和产卵有关的化合物。项目3--非洲疟疾传播者的媒介能力：通过膜喂食感染恶性疟疾寄生虫的冈比亚按蚊群体饲养的蚊子将被用来确定对孢子体发育和蚊子对疟疾寄生虫的敏感性产生关键影响的环境和遗传因素。这3个项目的研究和培训活动将综合起来，并继续侧重于开发在非洲社区一级控制疟疾的新办法和新工具。

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.