Correlation between positive serology for Plasmodium vivax-like/Plasmodium simiovale malaria parasites in the human and anopheline populations in the State of Acre, Brazil.

Antibodies against the Plasmodium vivax-like/P. simiovale malaria parasite circumsporozoite repeat peptide (APGANQEGGAA)3 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 120 sera randomly collected in 1994 from adults in 3 localities of the malaria endemic area in the State of Acre, Brazil; antibody was detected in 18 (15%). A 'sandwich' ELISA using monoclonal antibody (mab) Pam 172, directed against the same peptide, was carried out on 1207 Anopheles oswaldoi, 12 of which (1.0%) were positive, and 168 A. deaneorum, 2 of which (1.2%) were positive. This is the first report of serological detection of the P. vivax-like parasite in anophelines and the first report linking anopheline to human serology for this parasite in the same geographical area. It is an additional indication that A. oswaldoi is a malaria vector in Acre.

[Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) breeding in Bromeliaceae in the outskirts of an urban area of the city of São Paulo, Brazil]. / Encontro de Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) em Bromeliaceae na periferia de São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Larvae of Aedes albopictus from a plant of the Bromeliaceae family on the outskirts of S. Paulo, SP, Brazil, were collected. This occurrence sheds new light on the attempt to determine the potential of this plants as a breeding site for this mosquito in Brazil.

Anophelines in the state of Acre, Brazil, infected with Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, the variant P. vivax VK247 and P. malariae.

Anophelines collected indoors and in the peri-domiciliary area in 3 localities in the Amazon region, state of Acre, Brazil, from August 1990 to January 1991 were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using specific monoclonal antibodies directed against the repeats of the circumsporozoite proteins of Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. vivax V247, and P. malariae. Of the 3056 specimens collected, 2610 were Anopheles oswaldoi, 362 A. deaneorum, 60 A. triannulatus and 24 were A. darlingi. The infection rates of A. oswaldoi were 3.41% for P. falciparum, 2.26% for P. vivax, 1.22 for P. vivax VK247, and 0.42% for P. malariae. For A. deaneorum, the infection rates were 2.76% for P. falciparum, 0.55% for P. vivax, and 0.82% for P. vivax VK247. All samples of the other 2 species collected (A. triannulatus and A. darlingi) were negative in the ELISA. There were certain differences in the anopheline distribution and infection rates between these localities, and in one only A. oswaldoi was found to be infected. These results strongly point to A. oswaldoi as the main malaria vector in the region. No difference was found between the potential vectors of P. vivax and P. vivax VK247. The significance of these findings for malaria control is discussed.

[Culicidae (Diptera: Culicidae) of the Perus river basin, Acre, Amazonia (Brazil)]. / Nota sobre culicídeos (Diptera: Culicidae) da bacia do rio Purus, Acre, Amazônia (Brasil).

Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) collections were made on the Pedro Peixoto Colonization Project in the State of Acre, Brazil. Four thousand, five hundred and eighty-eight (4,588) specimens were collected and fifty-three (53) species or group recognised. The occurrence of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) oswaldoi is given special emphasis.