Comparative Study of Distribution of Anopheline Vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) in Areas with and Without Malaria Transmission in the Highlands of an Extra-Amazonian Region in Brazil

This study compares the distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in a malaria-endemic municipality (MAL) and a malaria-free municipality (FREE) in an area of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Simultaneous quarterly nightly captures were made in three locations in each municipality. One Shannon light trap (Shannon light traps were home made according to specifications published in Am. J. Trop. Med. 1939; 19: 131–140) (SLT) and five CDC light traps (a kind of automatic trap fed by batteries of 12 V and 7 amp/h, with dry ice as a source of CO2; John W. Hock Company, Gainesville, FL) (CLT) (two in the canopy and three at ground level) were operated from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. More specimens were captured in MAL (362 in SLTs and 126 in CLTs) than in FREE (66 in SLTs and 59 in CLTs). For the SLTs, Simpson's dominance index was similar in MAL and FREE (D = 0.15 versus D = 0.203, P > 0.7), but Shannon's diversity index was higher for MAL (H = 1.969 versus H = 1.641, P < 0.01)...

Natural infection in anopheline species and its implications for autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic forest in Brazil

A descriptive study was carried out in an area of the Atlantic Forest with autochthonous malaria inthe Parelheiros subdistrict on the periphery of the municipality of São Paulo to identify anopheline fauna andanophelines naturally infected with Plasmodium as well as to discuss their role in this peculiar epidemiologicalcontext.Methods: Entomological captures were made from May 2009 to April 2011 using Shannon traps and automaticCDC traps in four areas chosen for their different patterns of human presence and incidences of malaria (anthropiczone 1, anthropic zone 2, transition zone and sylvatic zone). Natural Plasmodium infection was detected by nestedPCR based on amplification of the 18S rRNA gene.Results: In total, 6,073 anophelines were collected from May 2009 to April 2011, and six species were identified inthe four zones. Anopheles cruzii was the predominant species in the three environments but was more abundant inthe sylvatic zone...

Mosquitoes in degraded and preserved areas of the Atlantic Forest and potential for vector-borne disease risk in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil

In order to assess the epidemiological potential of the Culicidae species in remaining areas of the Brazilian AtlanticForest, specimens of this family were collected in wild and anthropic environments. A total of 9,403 adult mosquitoes was collected from May, 2009 to June, 2010. The most prevalent among species collected in the wild environment were Anopheles(Kerteszia) cruzii, the Melanoconion section of Culex (Melanoconion), and Aedes serratus, while the most common in theanthropic site were Coquillettidia chrysonotum/albifera, Culex (Culex) Coronator group, and An. (Ker.) cruzii. Mosquito richnesswas similar between environments, although the abundance of individuals from different species varied. When comparing diversity patterns between environments, anthropic sites exhibited higher richness and evenness, suggesting that environmental stress increased the number of favorable niches for culicids, promoting diversity. Increased abundance of opportunistic species in the anthropic environment enhances contact with culicids that transmit vector-borne diseases...