Plasmodium falciparum: epidemiology and man-mosquito transmission and infection in the vector
Boudin, C.; Robert, V.
Bulletin de la Societe de Pathologie Exotique 96(4): 335-340
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-9085 PMID: 14717055 Document Number: 563121
The level of malaria transmission is usually estimated by some entomological parameters (entomological inoculation rate or reproductive rate and its seasonal variations). However, only one aspect of the malaria transmission is explored by this way, i.e. the transmission of Plasmodium from mosquito to man. The transmission from man to mosquito, the development of parasite in the mosquito midgut, and the role of transmission blocking immunity remain poorly documented. Recent studies on vaccination with gamete antigens showed that transmission blocking immunity, and the natural infectiousness of gametocytes after treatment underlined the need for taking into account a new aspect of malaria epidemiology concerning the transmission of Plasmodium from man to mosquito. In this paper, authors propose and discuss different new indicators and methods to improve our knowledge on malaria epidemiology.