Malaria Transmission in Dakar: A Two-Year Survey

Sample size: 69182 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Frederic Pagès, Gaetan Texier, Bruno Pradines, Libasse Gadiaga, Vanessa Machault, Fanny Jarjaval, Kristell Penhoat, Franck Berger, Jean-François Trape, Christophe Rogier, Cheikh Sokhna

Primary Institution: Institut de Médecine Tropicale du Service de Santé des Armées

Hypothesis

Is malaria transmitted in the downtown area of Dakar?

Conclusion

Malaria is transmitted in Dakar's downtown area, with infected mosquitoes caught during the wintering period in two distant quarters.

Supporting Evidence

Infected mosquitoes were caught only during the wintering period between September and November.
Annual entomological inoculation rates (EIR) were calculated for both areas.
The study detected An. melas in Dakar for the first time.

Takeaway

This study shows that malaria is present in downtown Dakar, especially during the rainy season when mosquitoes are more active.

Methodology

Mosquitoes were sampled using human landing collections over two years in two districts of Dakar, with identification and molecular assessments conducted.