MD, PhD, Head of Laboratory
Project Summary: Bionomics, Receptivity to Plasmodium falciparum and Susceptibility to insecticides of Anopheles sergentii in the Maghreb.
summary::In the Maghreb, Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum are the main species involved to malaria. In Tunisia and Morocco, the disease was eliminated in 1979 and in 2008 respectively and only imported cases are reported nowadays. In Algeria, malaria transmission is still present mainly in the south of the country where authochtonous cases are regularly registered.An. labranchiae in the northern parts of the Maghreb, and An. sergentii in the southern parts of this region, are considered as the main vectors of the disease. While the first was largely studied, the second species suffers on lack of data.The Maghreb remains vulnerable because of the intensive circulation of gametocytes carriers, the lack of protective immunity of resident population and the presence of potential vectors in formerly malarious areas. This risk of re emergence of malaria in this region may change with climatic and environmental modi?cations, as well as with increasing of imported malaria from sub-Saharan Africa.An. sergentii has been considered to have two geographical forms An. Sergentii sergentii Theobald and An. Sergentii macmahoni Evans , but some confusion persist on their taxonomic status.
The bionomics of An. sergentii, its ability to transmit tropical strains of P. falciparum and its status regarding susceptibility to insecticides are poorly known. Those are the specific features that need to be investigated in order to enhance epidemiological surveillance considering that the present situation is subject to change due to social and political problems prevailing in sub-Saharan countries and in North Africa. The specific objectives are:
1. To study the systematic status of An. sergentii in the Maghreb
2. To study bio-ecology and vectorial capacity of An. sergentii
3. To evaluate the status of insecticide resistance of An. sergentii
4 . To measure the infectability of An. sergentii with Afro-tropical strains of P. falciparum.
5. To map the malaria risk by confronting An. sergentii entomological data and records of past and present data on malaria cases in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
In the selected field study sites in Algeria (Biskra, Ghardaia ), Tunisia (Tozeur, Tataouine) and Morocco (Marrakech,Taounate), mosquito, larvae and adults, will be regularly sampled using standardized methods and common protocols to ensure a good evaluation and interpretation of the results given by partners. This study will provide baselines information on An. sergentii bionomics and its role in the transmission of the malaria in the North Africa. We also expect to have information about insecticide susceptibility of this species to propose alternative plans to control malaria in the Maghreb region
