title: Anopheles culicifacies sibling species in Odisha, eastern India: First appearance of Anopheles culicifacies E and its vectorial role in malaria transmission.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the Anopheles culicifacies sibling species complex and study their vectorial role in malaria endemic regions of Odisha.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mosquitoes were collected from 6 malaria endemic districts using standard entomological collection methods. An. culicifacies sibling species were identified by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) region of mitochondrial DNA. Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) sporozoite rate and human blood fed percentage (HBF) were estimated by PCR using Pf- and human-specific primers. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were performed to confirm the type of sibling species of An. culicifacies found in Odisha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiplex PCR detected An. culicifacies sibling species A, B, C, D and E in the malaria endemic regions of Odisha. An. culicifacies E was detected for the first time in Odisha, which was further confirmed by molecular phylogenetics. Highest sporozoite rate and HBF percentage were observed in An. culicifacies E in comparison with other sibling species. An. culicifacies E collected from Nawarangapur, Nuapara and Keonjhar district showed high HBF percentage and sporozoite rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An. culicifacies B was the most abundant species, followed by An. culicifacies C and E. High sporozoite rate and HBF of An. culicifacies E indicated that it plays an important role in malaria transmission in Odisha. Appropriate control measures against An. culicifacies E at an early stage are needed to prevent further malaria transmission in Odisha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Entomology, Regional Medical Research Centre, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar, India.
authors.forename: Mumani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Biswadeep
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Aparna P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Patra
authors.forename: Hare K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Tripathy
authors.forename: Namita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohapatra
authors.forename: Santanu K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: Rupenangshu K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hazra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics*; D001769:Blood; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000635:transmission*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity; D034101:Sporozoites
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial