Status of Malaria Vectors in Italy

Abstract

About 30 yr after malaria eradication, surveys to assess the presence and abundance of anopheline vectors were carried out in central and southern Italy and in the islands of Sardinia and Sicily from 1992 to 1994. Anopheles labranchiae Falleroni was present in scattered foci in all regions, except for Tuscany, where it breeds almost exclusively in rice fields (Grosseto Province). Most common breeding sites were rivers and streams, followed by ponds and ground pools. The highest adult density was found in Tuscany near rice fields and along the west coast of Calabria. Anophelines in Grosseto were abundant at human bait, with peaks of > 200 landings per human per night and vectorial capacity between 7.3 and 26 for Plasmodium falciparum and between 8.3 and 32.5 for Plasmodium vivax. Anopheles sacharovi Favre, a former malaria vector in Puglia and Sardinia, was not found in these regions. The other vector in southern Italy, Anopheles superpictus Grassi, was found at low densities on the western and eastern coasts of Calabria. All anopheline populations were fully susceptible to deltamethrin, malathion, and DDT but showed reduced susceptibility to permethrin and propoxur. These data are discussed in the light of a possible reintroduction of malaria into Italy.

The Global Public Health Significance of Plasmodium vivax

“…labranchiae has been stated to be a vector of P. vivax (Lindsay and Thomas, 2001;Romi et al, 2001), and a vectorial capacity for P. vivax in An. labranchiae has been estimated (Romi et al, 1997;Romi et al, 2001). …”

Climate change and mosquito-borne disease.

“…In recent surveys the vectorial capacity of An. labranchiae near rice fields in Tuscany and along the west coast of Calabria was estimated as 7.3-26 for P. falciparum and 8.3-32.5 for P. vivax, with peak landing rates on humans of more than 200 mosquitoes per human per night (180). In entomologic terms, these infestations are comparable to those in endemic areas with extremely high transmission rates; in the Garki Project, a major study in northern Nigeria, mean vectorial capacity for P. falciparum during the peak transmission season (July-October) was 21.74 (181).…”

Le Zanzare Italiane: Generalità E Identificazione Degli Adulti (Diptera, Culicidae)

“…An. superpictus è attualmente relegata a pochi focolai isolati, nel Meridione e in Sicilia (Romi et al 1997a). Il vettore principale, An.…”

“…An. labranchiae è presente in densità molto rilevanti soprattutto in Toscana, nel Grossetano, dove la coltivazione intensiva di riso ha creato condizioni nuove ed estremamente favorevoli per lo sviluppo delle larve (Romi et al 1992(Romi et al , 1997a, ma è molto diffusa anche in Sardegna e in Sicilia, dove occupa anche aree interne oltre a quelle costiere; Tra i Culicini di interesse sanitario va menzionata Cx. pipiens, la comune zanzara, ubiquitaria in Italia e i molti paesi europei, la cui proliferazione è legata ad ambienti fortemente antropizzati, dove più facilmente sono reperibili focolai per lo sviluppo massivo della specie.…”

“…Oggi è riscontrabile, con densità epidemiologicamente rilevante, soltanto nel Grossetano ), in Calabria (coste ioniche e tirreniche) ed in diverse zone della Sardegna e della Sicilia (Romi et al 1997a) Anopheles (Anopheles) melanoon Hackett, 1934 MorFoLogIa. Femmina e maschio di questa specie sono indistinguibili da An.…”