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Research Project: Impacting Quality through Preservation, Enhancement, and Measurement of Grain and Plant Traits

Location: Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research

Title: Detection of Plasmodium falciparum infected Anopheles gambiae using near-infrared spectroscopy

Author
item MAIA, MARTA - University Of Oxford
item KAPULU, MELISSA - University Of Oxford
item MUTHUI, MICHELLE - Kemri Wellcome Trust Research Programme
item WAGAH, MARTIN - Kemri Wellcome Trust Research Programme
item FERGUSON, HEATHER - University Of Glasgow
item Dowell, Floyd
item BALDINI, FRANCESCO - University Of Glasgow
item RANFORD-CARTWRIGHT, LISA - University Of Glasgow

Submitted to: Malaria Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/11/2019
Publication Date: 3/21/2019
Citation: Maia, M.F., Kapulu, M., Muthui, M., Wagah, M.G., Ferguson, H.M., Dowell, F.E., Baldini, F., Ranford-Cartwright, L. 2019. Detection of Plasmodium falciparum infected Anopheles gambiae using near-infrared spectroscopy. Malaria Journal. 18:85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-019-2719-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-019-2719-9

Interpretive Summary: Malaria is holding back development in endemic countries and remains one of the leading causes of death in children under 5 years-old in sub-Saharan Africa. During the past decade, the large-scale roll-out of long-lasting insecticide treated nets and indoor residual spraying across Africa has resulted in a substantial reduction in malaria cases. To achieve further reductions, large-scale surveillance of mosquito populations is needed to assess the intensity of vector-borne disease transmission and the impact of control interventions. However, there is a lack of accurate, cost-effective and high-throughput tools for mass screening of vectors. Here we developed a novel tool based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) capable of rapidly identifying malaria infection in African mosquito vectors. We showed that NIRS can detect oocyst- and sporozoite-stage Plasmodium falciparum infections with about 90% accuracy. Accurate, low-cost, reagent-free screening of mosquito populations enabled by NIRS could revolutionize surveillance and elimination strategies for the most important human malaria parasite in its primary African vector species.

Technical Abstract: Large-scale surveillance of mosquito populations is crucial to assess the intensity of vector-borne disease transmission and the impact of control interventions. However, there is a lack of accurate, cost-effective and high-throughput tools for mass screening of vectors. Here we developed a novel tool based on near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) capable of rapidly identifying malaria infection in African mosquito vectors. By using partial least square regression models based on malaria-infected and uninfected Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes, we showed that NIRS can detect oocyst- and sporozoite-stage Plasmodium falciparum infections in independent samples of unknown infection status with 88% and 95% accuracy, respectively. Accurate, low-cost, reagent-free screening of mosquito populations enabled by NIRS could revolutionize surveillance and elimination strategies for the most important human malaria parasite in its primary African vector species.