title: The effect of deforestation on the human-biting rate of Anopheles darlingi, the primary vector of Falciparum malaria in the Peruvian Amazon.
abstract: To examine the impact of tropical rain-forest destruction on malaria, we conducted a year-long study of the rates at which the primary malaria vector in the Amazon, Anopheles darlingi, fed on humans in areas with varying degrees of ecological alteration in the Peruvian Amazon. Mosquitoes were collected by human biting catches along the Iquitos-Nauta road at sites selected for type of vegetation and controlled for human presence. Deforested sites had an A. darlingi biting rate that was more than 278 times higher than the rate determined for areas that were predominantly forested. Our results indicate that A. darlingi displays significantly increased human-biting activity in areas that have undergone deforestation and development associated with road development.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. avittor@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Amy Yomiko
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Vittor
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gilman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tielsch
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Glass
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Wagner Sánchez
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pinedo-Cancino
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Patz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000502:physiology*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission*; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology*