These mosquitoes — as yet unidentified — tended to bite outdoors and in the early evening. This ‘outdoor-active, early-biting’ behaviour could undermine current indoor-based malaria control measures and subsequently contribute to malaria parasite transmission in the area. The authors argue that examining the characteristics of local Anopheles spp., including behaviours, based morphological features and DNA analysis, will be important in determining whether the species is contributing to malaria transmission.

Publication

Stevenson et al. Novel vectors of malaria parasites in the western highlands of Kenya. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Sep;18(9):1547-9. doi: 10.3201/eid1809.120283.

Coverage

The Independent (UK): New mosquito poses greater malaria threat