Discrimination of 15 Amazonian Anopheline Mosquito Species by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism.

Precise identification of anopheline species is paramount for incrimination of malaria vectors and implementation of a sustainable control program. Anopheline mosquitoes are routinely identified morphologically, a technique that is time-consuming, needs high level of expertise, and prone to misidentifications especially when considering Amazonian species. The aim of this study was therefore to develop a DNA-based identification technique to supplement traditional morphological identification methods for the discrimination of anopheline mosquitoes collected in French Guiana. The internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) for anopheline species was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and digested with AluI/MspI restriction enzymes. PCR-restriction fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) assay was compared to sequencing of the ITS2 region for validation. Fifteen Anopheles species have shown distinct PCR-RFLP profiles. A concordance of 100% was obtained when identification by PCR-RFLP was compared to sequencing of ITS2. A high throughput, fast, and cost-effective PCR-RFLP assay has been developed for unambiguous discrimination of fifteen anopheline mosquito species from French Guiana including primary and suspected secondary malaria vectors.

Spatial and Seasonal Dynamics of Anopheles Mosquitoes in Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock, French Guiana: Influence of Environmental Factors.

Little is known about the Anopheles fauna of Saint-Georges de l'Oyapock, a persistent malaria-endemic municipality in French Guiana. This study aimed to update the knowledge of local Anopheles diversity, and their ecology and role in malaria transmission. Sampling sessions were implemented between September 2013 and October 2014. Four species were identified from the 3,450 specimens collected: Anopheles darlingi Root, An. braziliensis, An. triannulatus s.l., and An. nuneztovari s.l. Anopheles darlingi was the predominant species. Its involvement in malaria transmission was suspected due to 1) its abundance, 2) the presence of a density peak during the malaria emergence period, and 3) a dynamic correlated with malaria cases observed two months later. Present and past studies show that the influence of environmental conditions on malaria vector dynamics is high, and may vary drastically according to the local context. This supports evidence that control strategies must be designed at fine scales.

Unravelling the relationships between Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae) densities, environmental factors and malaria incidence: understanding the variable patterns of malarial transmission in French Guiana (South America).

Anopheles darlingi, one of the main malaria vectors in the Neotropics, is widely distributed in French Guiana, where malaria remains a major public-health problem. Elucidation of the relationships between the population dynamics of An. darlingi and local environmental factors would appear to be an essential factor in the epidemiology of human malaria in French Guiana and the design of effective vector-control strategies. In a recent investigation, longitudinal entomological surveys were carried out for 2-4 years in one village in each of three distinct endemic areas of French Guiana. Anopheles darlingi was always the anopheline mosquito that was most frequently caught on human bait, although its relative abundance (as a proportion of all the anophelines collected) and human biting rate (in bites/person-year) differed with the study site. Seasonality in the abundance of human-landing An. darlingi (with peaks at the end of the rainy season) was observed in only two of the three study sites. Just three An. darlingi were found positive for Plasmodium (either P. falciparum or P. vivax) circumsporozoite protein, giving entomological inoculation rates of 0·0-8·7 infectious bites/person-year. Curiously, no infected An. darlingi were collected in the village with the highest incidence of human malaria. Relationships between malaria incidence, An. darlingi densities, rainfall and water levels in the nearest rivers were found to be variable and apparently dependent on land-cover specificities that reflected the diversity and availability of habitats suitable for the development and reproduction of An. darlingi.

Evaluation of four methods for collecting malaria vectors in French Guiana.

In French Guiana, malaria transmission is mainly due to Anopheles darlingi Root, but other species also are involved. Investigation and surveillance must be carried out on all the species to unravel malaria transmission patterns. In this study, we aimed to compare the ability of Mosquito Magnet- and CDC-Light Trap-based methods and human landing collection for evaluating abundance of Anopheles species. Human landing collections exhibited the best results, followed by the Mosquito Magnet and the CDC-Light Trap methods. Studies have to be done to further investigate these methods and other traps have to be tested.

Behavioral heterogeneity of Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae) and malaria transmission dynamics along the Maroni River, Suriname, French Guiana.

The border area between Suriname and French Guiana is considered the most affected malaria area in South America. A one-year cooperative malaria vector study was performed by the two countries, between March 2004 and February 2005, in four villages. Anopheles darlingi proved to be the most abundant anopheline species. Human biting rates differed between villages. The differential effect of high rainfall on mosquito densities in the villages suggests variation in breeding sites. Overall parity rates were low, with means varying from 0.31 to 0.56 per study site. Of the 2045 A. darlingi mosquitoes collected, 13 were found to be infected with Plasmodium: ten P. falciparum, two P. malariae and one mixed P. malariae/P. vivax. The overall annual entomological inoculation rates in the villages ranged from 8.7 to 66.4. There was an apparent lack of relationship between number of malaria cases and periods of high mosquito density. The tendency of Anopheles darlingi to bite during sleeping hours provides opportunity for malaria control using impregnated bed nets, a strategy just introduced in Suriname that may also find its way into French Guiana.

Aedes aegypti in French Guiana: susceptibility to a dengue virus.

Twenty-seven samples of Aedes aegypti (F1 generation) from French Guiana were tested for their susceptibility to dengue serotype 2 virus. Very high infection rates were observed by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. Ae. aegypti samples were pooled according to two groups: the first group (N=10) represented mosquitoes from the urbanized area of Cayenne and surroundings, and the second group (N=17) corresponded to mosquitoes collected in the countryside. Infection rates were found to be similar in these two cases. These findings are discussed in relation with the history of Ae. aegypti in this part of the world.