Evaluating near-infrared technology (NIRS) for identification of malaria infected mosquitoes as a tool for malaria control programs in sub-Saharan Africa

Malaria is a major constraint to development in endemic countries and is one of the leading causes of death of children under 5 years old in sub-Saharan Africa. Great reductions in malaria burden have been observed across the region as a result of malaria control programs (WHO 2015b). Currently many countries in sub-Saharan Africa have announced they are entering into elimination phase (WHO 2015b). At this stage the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of malaria transmission should be considered as a core intervention in order not to compromise the success reached so far (WHO 2015a). Among others, M&E of malaria transmission requires continuous entomological data collection. Important information can be gathered in the field by measuring vector biting times, indoor/outdoor biting ratio, seasonal abundance, host preference, species composition and entomological inoculation rates (EIR). Currently molecular methods are needed for species identification of mosquitoes of the same species complex and infection detection. These are time-consuming and relatively expensive, limiting the amount of mosquitoes that can be analysed. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a tool that has been proven to distinguish the main malaria vector species and age-grade the mosquito by measuring changes in the absorbance spectra from its cuticle. It is a non-destructive method, requires no consumables and allows the scanning of thousands of preserved mosquitoes in one day (Mayagaya et al. 2009). Unpublished data has proven that NIRS can effectively distinguish Wolbachia infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. 

Project details

Vector Control

Aug 2016 — Jul 2018

$236,000

Switzerland