1. Microscopic Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytemia and Infectivity to Mosquitoes in Cambodia.
- Author
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Lin, Jessica T., Ubalee, Ratawan, Lon, Chanthap, Balasubramanian, Sujata, Kuntawunginn, Worachet, Rahman, Rifat, Saingam^5, Piyaporn, Thay Kheang Heng, Vy, Dav, San, Savoeun, Nuom, Sarath, Burkly, Hana, Chanarat, Nitima, Ponsa, Chanudom, Levitz, Lauren, Parobek, Christian, Char Meng Chuor, Somethy, Sok, Spring, Michele, and Lanteri, Charlotte
- Subjects
PLASMODIUM falciparum ,MOSQUITO vectors ,GERM cells ,ANOPHELES ,MALARIA prevention ,MALARIA transmission ,ANIMAL experimentation ,DISEASE vectors ,INSECTS ,MALARIA ,PARASITES ,PROTOZOA ,RESEARCH funding ,PARASITEMIA ,INFECTIOUS disease transmission - Abstract
Although gametocytes are essential for malaria transmission, in Africa many falciparum-infected persons without smear-detectable gametocytes still infect mosquitoes. To see whether the same is true in Southeast Asia, we determined the infectiousness of 119 falciparum-infected Cambodian adults to Anopheles dirus mosquitoes by membrane feeding. Just 5.9% of subjects infected mosquitoes. The 8.4% of patients with smear-detectable gametocytes were >20 times more likely to infect mosquitoes than those without and were the source of 96% of all mosquito infections. In low-transmission settings, targeting transmission-blocking interventions to those with microscopic gametocytemia may have an outsized effect on malaria control and elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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