A dangerous species of mosquito which threatens to wipe out the gains made in eradicating malaria has been detected in Kenya.
The mosquito – or vector – has been dubbed Anopheles stephensi and thrives in both urban and rural areas.
It was detected by researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) in the Laisamis and Saku sub-counties of Marsabit county in the northern region of the country.
General Sam Kariuki, the Kemri acting director, said he feared that the arrival of the mosquito could significantly increase the spread of malaria around the continent.
Unlike other mosquitoes in Africa, whose spread and survival depend on the rainy season, Anopheles stephensi transmits malaria parasites throughout the year.
Kariuki said that their surveillance studies indicated that the new vector, which is not the same as traditional malaria-causing mosquitoes, is not only invasive but thrives in different environments.
These mosquitoes can thrive in man-made containers such as tyres, open tanks, sewers, overhead tanks, underground tanks and polluted environments.
Kemri has engaged in routine surveillance in counties at risk of Anopheles stephensi to determine the extent of vector distribution and mosquito infectivity rates.
“We call on the staff and the public to continue utilising the available malaria control tools such as use of mosquito nets and repellants,” he said. “Also they must wear long-sleeved clothing to prevent mosquito bites.”
Anopheles stephensi had previously been known to occur and spread malaria in South-East Asia, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.
However, the species has been expanding its geographic range over the last decade, with detections reported in Djibouti (2012), Ethiopia and Sudan (2016), Somalia (2019), and Nigeria (2020).
Kenya has made huge strides in the fight against malaria but the disease still poses a burden to the country’s health system.
Article courtesy of All Africa.
Compiled by Mashudu Mabila
