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Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans and mosquitoes influence natural Anopheline biting behavior and transmission.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Markwalter, CF; Lapp, Z; Abel, L; Kimachas, E; Omollo, E; Freedman, E; Chepkwony, T; Amunga, M; McCormick, T; Bérubé, S; Mangeni, JN ...
Published in: Nat Commun
May 30, 2024

The human infectious reservoir of Plasmodium falciparum is governed by transmission efficiency during vector-human contact and mosquito biting preferences. Understanding biting bias in a natural setting can help target interventions to interrupt transmission. In a 15-month cohort in western Kenya, we detected P. falciparum in indoor-resting Anopheles and human blood samples by qPCR and matched mosquito bloodmeals to cohort participants using short-tandem repeat genotyping. Using risk factor analyses and discrete choice models, we assessed mosquito biting behavior with respect to parasite transmission. Biting was highly unequal; 20% of people received 86% of bites. Biting rates were higher on males (biting rate ratio (BRR): 1.68; CI: 1.28-2.19), children 5-15 years (BRR: 1.49; CI: 1.13-1.98), and P. falciparum-infected individuals (BRR: 1.25; CI: 1.01-1.55). In aggregate, P. falciparum-infected school-age (5-15 years) boys accounted for 50% of bites potentially leading to onward transmission and had an entomological inoculation rate 6.4x higher than any other group. Additionally, infectious mosquitoes were nearly 3x more likely than non-infectious mosquitoes to bite P. falciparum-infected individuals (relative risk ratio 2.76, 95% CI 1.65-4.61). Thus, persistent P. falciparum transmission was characterized by disproportionate onward transmission from school-age boys and by the preference of infected mosquitoes to feed upon infected people.

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Published In

Nat Commun

DOI

EISSN

2041-1723

Publication Date

May 30, 2024

Volume

15

Issue

1

Start / End Page

4626

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Plasmodium falciparum
  • Mosquito Vectors
  • Male
  • Malaria, Falciparum
  • Kenya
  • Insect Bites and Stings
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Female
 

Citation

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Markwalter, C. F., Lapp, Z., Abel, L., Kimachas, E., Omollo, E., Freedman, E., … Prudhomme O’Meara, W. (2024). Plasmodium falciparum infection in humans and mosquitoes influence natural Anopheline biting behavior and transmission. Nat Commun, 15(1), 4626. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49080-9

Published In

Nat Commun

DOI

EISSN

2041-1723

Publication Date

May 30, 2024

Volume

15

Issue

1

Start / End Page

4626

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Plasmodium falciparum
  • Mosquito Vectors
  • Male
  • Malaria, Falciparum
  • Kenya
  • Insect Bites and Stings
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Female