SA scientists monitor spread of invasive mosquito in Africa
Anopheles stephensi can ‘breed just about anywhere, in very little water and is not fussy about water quality’
The rapid expansion of the Anopheles stephensi mosquito in Africa is being closely monitored by SA scientists as the invasive species has the potential to increase malaria transmission in areas currently free of the disease, a senior scientist from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) said on Tuesday.
An. stephensi was originally confined to South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula but is now widespread in the Horn of Africa and has been detected in Kenya. The spread of An. stephensi is worrying scientists as it is more difficult to control than other species and thrives in urban areas, and if it takes hold in the Sadc region it could reverse member nations’ hard-won gains in reducing malaria transmission...
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