Updated Anopheles mosquitos abundance and distribution in north-eastern malaria-free area of Argentina

STEIN MARINA; MARTIN MIA ELISA; PATRICIA RAMIREZ; EDUARDO ETCHEPARE; GRISELDA I. ORIA; GUSTAVO ROSSI; JORGE KURUC; ESTALLO, ELIZABET LILIA

ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS.

ACAD BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS

Lugar: Rio de Janeiro; Año: 2024

0001-3765

Malaria is the most important parasitic disease worldwide. In 2019, morethan 679,441 cases of malaria were reported in the American region. During this study,Argentina was in malaria pre-elimination autochthonous transmission phase withthe aim of being declared as malaria-free country. The aim of this work was to assessthe influence of remote sensing spectral indices (NDVI, NDWI) and climatic variables(temperature, relative humidity and precipitation) on the distribution and abundanceof Anopheles mosquitoes, in four localities with different degrees of anthropogenicdisturbance and with previous malaria cases records located , in a historical malariousarea in northeastern of Argentina. Between June 2012 and July 2014, mosquitoes werecollected. We collected 535 Anopheles adult mosquitoes. Anopheles strodei s.l. was themost abundant species. The greatest richness, diversity and abundance of species wereregistered in wild and semi-urban environments. The abundance of Anopheles presenteda negative association with relative humidity and mean temperature, but positive withmean maximum temperature. The most important variables determining Anophelestotal abundance and distribution were NDWI Index and distance to vegetation. Theabundance of An. strodei s.l., was positive associated with water areas whereas the NDVIIndex was negatively associated.