Biology and dynamics of potential malaria vectors in Southern France.
BACKGROUND
Malaria is a former endemic problem in the Camargue, South East France, an area from where very few recent data concerning Anopheles are available. A study was undertaken in 2005 to establish potential malaria vector biology and dynamics and evaluate the risk of malaria re-emergence.


METHODS
Mosquitoes were collected in two study areas, from March to October 2005, one week every two weeks, using light traps+CO2, horse bait traps, human bait catch, and by collecting females in resting sites.


RESULTS
Anopheles hyrcanus was the most abundant Anopheles species. Anopheles melanoon was less abundant, and Anopheles atroparvus and Anopheles algeriensis were rare. Anopheles hyrcanus and An. melanoon were present in summer, whereas An. atroparvus was present in autumn and winter. A large number of An. hyrcanus females was collected on humans, whereas almost exclusively animals attracted An. melanoon. Based on an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, almost 90% of An. melanoon blood meals analysed had been taken on horse or bovine. Anopheles hyrcanus and An. melanoon parity rates showed huge variations according to the date and the trapping method.


CONCLUSIONS
Anopheles hyrcanus seems to be the only Culicidae likely to play a role in malaria transmission in the Camargue, as it is abundant and anthropophilic.
Ponçon
Nicolas
N
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UR016, Caractérisation et Contrôle des Populations de Vecteurs, Montpellier cedex 5, France. poncon@mpl.ird.fr
Toty
Céline
C
L'Ambert
Grégory
G
Le Goff
Gilbert
G
Brengues
Cécile
C
Schaffner
Francis
F
Fontenille
Didier
D
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006736:Horses / Q000469:parasitology; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors