Using a nested case-control cohort design, results of mosquito feeding assay methods in a malaria exposed population in Bancoumana, Mali will be compared with standard membrane feeding assay conducted at the NIH campus using cultured parasites. Up to 250 volunteers, ages 3 months to 50 years, are consented and enrolled. Malaria parasite carriage rate, including asexual stage and gametocyte stage are survey at monthly visits. Gametocytemic individuals and age-matched gametocyte negative individuals are asked to participate in feed experiments using insectary-raised mosquitoes. Infectivity in these mosquitoes will be compared against those of mosquitoes fed in membrane feeding assays in Mali and the USA.
Murphy, Sean C; Prentice, Jennifer L; Williamson, Kathryn et al. (2012) Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR for monitoring of blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum infections in malaria human challenge trials. Am J Trop Med Hyg 86:383-94 |