title: Distribution and chromosomal characterization of the Anopheles gambiae complex in Angola.
abstract: Mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex (N = 1,336) were sampled (2001-2005) across Angola to identify taxa, study inversion polymorphisms, and detect the circumsporozoite protein of Plasmodium falciparum. Anopheles gambiae s.s. was found in all sites; it was characterized as M-form in localities of the tropical dry and semi-desertic belts, whereas the S-form was predominant in comparatively more humid and less anthropized sites. Both forms were characterized by low degrees of chromosomal polymorphism based solely on the 2La inversion, a pattern usually associated with An. gambiae populations from forested, humid, and derived savanna areas. Unexpectedly, this pattern was also observed in M-form populations collected in dry/pre-desertic areas, where this form largely predominates over An. arabiensis, which was also detected in central/inland sites. Anopheles melas was found in northern coastal sites. Three of 534 An. gambiae s.s. were positive for P. falciparum CS-protein, whereas none of the 105 An. melas were positive.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione de Parassitologia, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome, Italy. Maria.Calzetta@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calzetta
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Santolamazza
authors.forename: Gian Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Carrara
authors.forename: Pedro J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cani
authors.forename: Filomeno
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fortes
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Di Deco
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: della Torre
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Petrarca
mesh_terms: D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002980:Climate; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011156:Population Density