title: Role of Anopheles (Cellia) rufipes (Gough, 1910) and other local anophelines in human malaria transmission in the northern savannah of Cameroon: a cross-sectional survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As part of a study to determine the impact of insecticide resistance on the effectiveness of long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) in the north of Cameroon, the unexpectedly high density and anthropophilic behaviour of Anopheles rufipes lead us to investigate this species bionomics and role in human malaria parasite transmission.
  
  
  METHODS
  For four consecutive years (2011-2014), annual cross-sectional sampling of adult mosquitoes was conducted during the peak malaria season (September-October) in three health districts in northern Cameroon. Mosquitoes sampled by human landing catch and pyrethrum spray catch methods were morphologically identified, their ovaries dissected for parity determination and Anopheles gambiae siblings were identified by molecular assay. Infection with P. falciparum and blood meal source in residual fauna of indoor resting anopheline mosquitoes were determined by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anopheles gambiae (sensu lato) (s.l.) comprised 18.4% of mosquitoes collected with An. arabiensis representing 66.27% of the sibling species. The proportion of An. rufipes (2.7%) collected was high with a human-biting rate ranging between 0.441 and 11.083 bites/person/night (b/p/n) and an anthropophagic rate of 15.36%. Although overall the members of An. gambiae complex were responsible for most of the transmission with entomological inoculation rates (EIR) reaching 1.221 infective bites/person/night (ib/p/n), An. arabiensis and An. coluzzii were the most implicated. The roles of An. funestus, An. pharoensis and An. paludis were minor. Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein rate in Anopheles rufipes varied from 0.6 to 5.7% with EIR values between 0.010 and 0.481 ib/p/n.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlights the epidemiological role of An. rufipes alongside the members of the An. gambiae complex, and several other sympatric species in human malaria transmission during the wet season in northern Cameroon. For the first time in Cameroon, An. rufipes has been shown to be an important local malaria vector, emphasising the need to review the malaria entomological profile across the country as pre-requisite to effective vector management strategies.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 813- Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon.|National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 3851-Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.|Ministry of Public Health, National Malaria Control Programme, P.O. Box 14386, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Raymond N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Tabue
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Paludisme, Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte Contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC), P.O. Box 288, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Parfait
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Awono-Ambene
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Paludisme, Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte Contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC), P.O. Box 288, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Etang
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, National Malaria Control Programme, P.O. Box 14386, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atangana
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Paludisme, Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte Contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC), P.O. Box 288, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Antonio-Nkondjio
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: C
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Paludisme, Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte Contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC), P.O. Box 288, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jean C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Toto
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, National Malaria Control Programme, P.O. Box 14386, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Salomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patchoke
authors.affiliation: National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 3851-Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Rose G F
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Leke
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Public Health, National Malaria Control Programme, P.O. Box 14386, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fondjo
authors.affiliation: Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Abraham P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mnzava
authors.affiliation: Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Tessa B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Knox
authors.affiliation: WHO country Office in Cameroon, PO BOX 155, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tougordi
authors.affiliation: Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK.|Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Donnelly
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, University of Yaounde I, P.O. Box 813- Messa, Yaounde, Cameroon. jbigoga@gmail.com.|National Reference Unit for Vector Control, The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 3851-Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon. jbigoga@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jude D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bigoga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D009032:Mosquito Control; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons
keywords: Anopheles; Local vectors; Malaria; Northern Cameroon; Transmission