Malaria, climate variability, and interventions: modelling transmission dynamics (Publications)
of the relative impact of climate change on malaria dynamics is a complex problem. Climate is a well-known factor that plays a crucial role in driving malaria outbreaks in epidemic transmission areas. However [...] influence in endemic environments with intensive malaria control interventions is not fully understood, mainly due to the scarcity of high-quality, long-term malaria data. The demographic surveillance systems [...] effects of weather variability on the burden of malaria. Here, using a...
Modelling the impact of interventions on imported, introduced and indigenous malaria infections in Zanzibar, Tanzania (Publications)
Malaria cases can be classified as imported, introduced or indigenous cases. The World Health Organization's definition of malaria elimination requires an area to demonstrate that no new indigenous cases [...] cases have occurred in the last three years. Here, we present a stochastic metapopulation model of malaria transmission that distinguishes between imported, introduced and indigenous cases, and can be used [...] interventions in a setting with low transmission and ongoing case importation....
Acceptability, feasibility, drug safety, and effectiveness of a pilot mass drug administration with a single round of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plus... (Publications)
For a malaria elimination strategy, Haiti's National Malaria Control Program piloted a mass drug administration (MDA) with indoor residual spraying (IRS) in 12 high-transmission areas across five communes [...] round of MDA/IRS on malaria transmission was not found using a standard pre- and post-intervention comparison, it is possible there was blunting of the peak transmission. Seasonal malaria transmission patterns
Feasibility and acceptability of a strategy deploying multiple first-line artemisinin-based combination therapies for uncomplicated malaria in the... (Publications)
(1) Background: Effective malaria case management relies on World Health Organization (WHO) recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), but partial resistance to artemisinin has emerged [...] emerged and is spreading, threatening malaria control and elimination efforts. The strategy of deploying multiple first-line therapies (MFT) may help mitigate this threat and extend the therapeutic life of current [...] conducted, deploying three different ACTs at the public health facility...
Similar prevalence of <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> and Non-<em>P. falciparum</em> malaria infections among schoolchildren, Tanzania (Publications)
ovale infections were single-species infections, and 35% of those were detected in low malaria endemic regions. P. malariae infections were predominantly (73%) co-infections with P. falciparum. P. vivax was [...] Achieving malaria elimination requires considering both Plasmodium falciparum and non-P. falciparum infections. We determined prevalence and geographic distribution of 4 Plasmodium spp. by performing PCR [...] during 2017. Among 3,456 schoolchildren, 22% had P. falciparum, 24% had P....
A chromosomal reference genome sequence for the malaria mosquito <em>Anopheles gambia, </em>Giles, 1902, Ifakara strain (Publications)
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Anopheles gambiae (the malaria mosquito; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Culicidae), Ifakara strain. The genome sequence is 264 megabases in span. Most
A randomized, double-blind placebo-control study assessing the protective efficacy of an odour-based 'push-pull' malaria vector control strategy in... (Publications)
Novel malaria vector control strategies targeting the odour-orientation of mosquitoes during host-seeking, such as 'attract-and-kill' or 'push-and-pull', have been suggested as complementary tools to indoor [...] densities using light-traps. None of the interventions provided any protection from outdoor biting malaria vectors. The 'push' reduced indoor vector densities dominated by Anopheles funestus by around two