title: Natural infection in anopheline species and its implications for autochthonous malaria in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A descriptive study was carried out in an area of the Atlantic Forest with autochthonous malaria in the Parelheiros subdistrict on the periphery of the municipality of São Paulo to identify anopheline fauna and anophelines naturally infected with Plasmodium as well as to discuss their role in this peculiar epidemiological context.
  
  
  METHODS
  Entomological captures were made from May 2009 to April 2011 using Shannon traps and automatic CDC traps in four areas chosen for their different patterns of human presence and incidences of malaria (anthropic zone 1, anthropic zone 2, transition zone and sylvatic zone). Natural Plasmodium infection was detected by nested PCR 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 in the four zones. Anopheles cruzii was the predominant species in the three environments but was more abundant in the sylvatic zone. Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii specimens from the anthropic and sylvatic zones were positive for P. vivax and P. malariae. An. (Ker.) bellator, An. (Nys.) triannulatus, An. (Nys.) strodei, An. (Nys.) lutzi and An. (Ano) maculipes were found in small numbers. Of these, An. (Nys.) triannulatus and An. (Nys.) lutzi, which were collected in the anthropic zone, were naturally infected with P. vivax while An. (Nys.) triannulatus from the anthropic zones and An. (Nys.) strodei from the transition zone were positive for P. malariae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results confirm that Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii plays an important role as a major Plasmodium vector. However, the finding of other naturally infected species may indicate that secondary vectors are also involved in the transmission of malaria in the study areas. These findings can be expected to help in the implementation of new measures to control autochthonous malaria in areas of the Atlantic Forest.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Superintendency for the Control of Endemic Diseases, Rua Paula Souza 166, São Paulo 01027-000, Brazil. amrcd2@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ana Maria R C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Diego M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Marcia B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.forename: Aristides
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Paulo R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Urbinatti
authors.forename: Andressa F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Maria Helena S H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Marco O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Luís F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.forename: Lícia N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Delsio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Natal
authors.forename: Rosely S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Malafronte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000469:parasitology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000469:parasitology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014197:Trees