The importance ofthe Anopheles vector in malaria transmission is evident in the continued efforts to limit, modify, or eliminate populations of anophelines. In our epidemiologically diverse study sites (Peru, Brazil) we will focus on the molecular ecology ofthe most anthropophilic Neotropical malaria vector, Anopheles darlingi, and, identify additional local/regional vectors that our preliminary data suggest are important. We hypothesize that in the mining sites aroimd Puerto Maldonado in SE Peru, and in the new agricultural settlement, Remansinho, Acrelandia, as deforestation increases, so will the importance of An. darlingi in transmission and maintenance. This has not previously been carefully monitored, except along the Iquitos-Nauta HW, and we anticipate providing up-to-date risk assessment of each ofthe localities where we will work. The identification of adult female mosquitoes using standard keys is problematic, and PCR-ITS2-RFLP assays have been implemented on a local scale aroimd Iquitos. We will expand these assays to include our study sites in SE Peru and Acrelandia. Accurate species identification will provide information on changes in species composition over time, which also might alter risk of transmission. Using microsatellite markers that we have in hand (for An. darlingi) or will develop (for other local/regional vectors) we will test for changes in genotype, population structure and evidence of expansion, particularly in the most modified sites (mining, agriculture). An. darlingi is diverging into northem and southem lineages that we detected with the nuclear white gene. We developed a diagnostic PCR-RFLP assay to survey An. darlngi to determine the lineage distributions, because genetic differentiation could signify differences in vector competence, ecology or behavior. As bednets or ITNs become more acceptable, in some situations nets alone may provoke a behavioral change in the biting times of vector species, and the ITNs can influence levels of mosquito insecticide resistance. We will monitor peak biting times, biting rate, insecticide resistance, and changes in genetic diversity and effective population size to provide baseline data for evaluation, data that are currently unavailable in most ofthe Amazon. We will use a newly developed mosquito trap that reduces risk to collectors.

Public Health Relevance

Through this research, we expect to provide basic data to: accurately incriminate the primary malaria vector species in three regions, discover the impact of ecological changes (deforestafion and mining) on their population structure and behavior, and the evaluate the usefulness of ITNs or insecticide treatment to control An. dariingi and other vectors.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Program--Cooperative Agreements (U19)
Project #
5U19AI089681-05
Application #
8686724
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZAI1)
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2014-07-01
Budget End
2015-06-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California San Diego
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Rodrigues, Priscila T; Valdivia, Hugo O; de Oliveira, Thais C et al. (2018) Human migration and the spread of malaria parasites to the New World. Sci Rep 8:1993
Moreno, Marta; Tong-Rios, Carlos; Orjuela-Sanchez, Pamela et al. (2018) Continuous Supply of Plasmodium vivax Sporozoites from Colonized Anopheles darlingi in the Peruvian Amazon. ACS Infect Dis 4:541-548
Prussing, Catharine; Moreno, Marta; Saavedra, Marlon P et al. (2018) Decreasing proportion of Anopheles darlingi biting outdoors between long-lasting insecticidal net distributions in peri-Iquitos, Amazonian Peru. Malar J 17:86
Martin, Thomas C S; Vinetz, Joseph M (2018) Asymptomatic Plasmodium vivax parasitaemia in the low-transmission setting: the role for a population-based transmission-blocking vaccine for malaria elimination. Malar J 17:89
Junqueira, Caroline; Barbosa, Camila R R; Costa, Pedro A C et al. (2018) Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells recognize and kill Plasmodium vivax-infected reticulocytes. Nat Med 24:1330-1336
Cowell, Annie N; Valdivia, Hugo O; Bishop, Danett K et al. (2018) Exploration of Plasmodium vivax transmission dynamics and recurrent infections in the Peruvian Amazon using whole genome sequencing. Genome Med 10:52
Schrum, Jacob E; Crabtree, Juliet N; Dobbs, Katherine R et al. (2018) Cutting Edge: Plasmodium falciparum Induces Trained Innate Immunity. J Immunol 200:1243-1248
White, Sara E; Harvey, Steven A; Meza, Graciela et al. (2018) Acceptability of a herd immunity-focused, transmission-blocking malaria vaccine in malaria-endemic communities in the Peruvian Amazon: an exploratory study. Malar J 17:179
Hirako, Isabella Cristina; Assis, Patrícia Aparecida; Hojo-Souza, Natália Satchiko et al. (2018) Daily Rhythms of TNF? Expression and Food Intake Regulate Synchrony of Plasmodium Stages with the Host Circadian Cycle. Cell Host Microbe 23:796-808.e6
Prussing, Catharine; Bickersmith, Sara A; Moreno, Marta et al. (2018) Nyssorhynchus dunhami: bionomics and natural infection by Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax in the Peruvian Amazon. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 113:e180380

Showing the most recent 10 out of 69 publications