TY - JOUR
T1 - Urban malaria in Accra, Ghana
T2 - transmission risk and influence of irrigated vegetable farms
AU - Sabtiu, Abdul Rahim Mohammed
AU - Sraku, Isaac Kwame
AU - Owusu-Asenso, Christopher Mfum
AU - Akuamoah-Boateng, Yaw
AU - Doe, Richard Tettey
AU - Boadu, Emmanuel Nana
AU - Azumah, Judith Dzifa
AU - Eyeson, Nana Aba Setorwu
AU - Abdulai, Anisa
AU - Amoateng, Godfred
AU - Attah, Simon Kwaku
AU - Aboagye-Antwi, Fred
AU - Afrane, Yaw Asare
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - Urban malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa is often underestimated, emphasizing the need for research on vector distribution, abundance, behavior, and infectivity in cities. Urban malaria transmission has been on the rise across sub-Saharan Africa since 2003. Also, monitoring Anopheles populations is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study examined the biting and resting habits, distribution, abundance, and Plasmodium infection of malaria vectors in Accra. Adult malaria vectors were collected using human landing catch (HLC) and Prokopack aspiration (PPK) at ten sites in Accra, categorized into five groups: sites with Irrigated Urban Farming (IUF), Lower Socioeconomic Status (LS), Middle Socioeconomic Status (MS), High Socioeconomic Status (HS), and Peri-urban (PU) areas. Biting patterns and entomological transmission indices of malaria vectors were assessed. Molecular methods were used to detect sporozoite infection, bloodmeal sources, vector species, and insecticide resistant mutation genes. A total of 41,747 mosquitoes were collected. Of these, 95.49% (39,863/41,747) were host-seeking collected through human landing catch (HLC), consisting of Anopheles (52.54%, 20,945/39,863), Culex (42.00%, 16,742/39,863), Aedes (3.74%, 1,491/39,863), and Mansonia (1.72%, 685/39,863). The remaining 4.51% (1,884/41,747) were resting mosquitoes collected using a Procopack aspirator, comprising Anopheles (31.26%, 589/1,884), Culex (57.21%, 1,078/1,884), and Aedes (11.52%, 217/1,884). Overall, the IUF site category had the highest abundance of An. gambiae s.l. (48.63%, 10,466/21,520), followed by the PU (18.06%, 3,887/21,520), HS (16.42%, 3,533/21,520), MS (13.74%, 2,956/21,520) and LS (3.15%, 678/21,520) in both HLC and Procopack collections. Indoor An. gambiae s.l. had higher sporozoite infectivity (4.56%, 16/351) than outdoor (3.78%, 9/238) (χ2 = 6.78, P = 0.009). Tuba, an urban irrigated site, had the highest sporozoite infectivity (6.41%, 10/156), with higher indoor (6.82%, 6/88) than outdoor (5.88%, 4/68) rate. This study showed that irrigated urban Agriculture drives urban malaria transmission in Accra, with high human bloodmeal indices and sporozoite infectivity, especially indoors. Targeted indoor control and management of immature vector habitats in IUF areas is essential to reduce transmission.
AB - Urban malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa is often underestimated, emphasizing the need for research on vector distribution, abundance, behavior, and infectivity in cities. Urban malaria transmission has been on the rise across sub-Saharan Africa since 2003. Also, monitoring Anopheles populations is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study examined the biting and resting habits, distribution, abundance, and Plasmodium infection of malaria vectors in Accra. Adult malaria vectors were collected using human landing catch (HLC) and Prokopack aspiration (PPK) at ten sites in Accra, categorized into five groups: sites with Irrigated Urban Farming (IUF), Lower Socioeconomic Status (LS), Middle Socioeconomic Status (MS), High Socioeconomic Status (HS), and Peri-urban (PU) areas. Biting patterns and entomological transmission indices of malaria vectors were assessed. Molecular methods were used to detect sporozoite infection, bloodmeal sources, vector species, and insecticide resistant mutation genes. A total of 41,747 mosquitoes were collected. Of these, 95.49% (39,863/41,747) were host-seeking collected through human landing catch (HLC), consisting of Anopheles (52.54%, 20,945/39,863), Culex (42.00%, 16,742/39,863), Aedes (3.74%, 1,491/39,863), and Mansonia (1.72%, 685/39,863). The remaining 4.51% (1,884/41,747) were resting mosquitoes collected using a Procopack aspirator, comprising Anopheles (31.26%, 589/1,884), Culex (57.21%, 1,078/1,884), and Aedes (11.52%, 217/1,884). Overall, the IUF site category had the highest abundance of An. gambiae s.l. (48.63%, 10,466/21,520), followed by the PU (18.06%, 3,887/21,520), HS (16.42%, 3,533/21,520), MS (13.74%, 2,956/21,520) and LS (3.15%, 678/21,520) in both HLC and Procopack collections. Indoor An. gambiae s.l. had higher sporozoite infectivity (4.56%, 16/351) than outdoor (3.78%, 9/238) (χ2 = 6.78, P = 0.009). Tuba, an urban irrigated site, had the highest sporozoite infectivity (6.41%, 10/156), with higher indoor (6.82%, 6/88) than outdoor (5.88%, 4/68) rate. This study showed that irrigated urban Agriculture drives urban malaria transmission in Accra, with high human bloodmeal indices and sporozoite infectivity, especially indoors. Targeted indoor control and management of immature vector habitats in IUF areas is essential to reduce transmission.
KW - Anopheles
KW - Bloodmeal
KW - Entomological inoculation rate
KW - Sporozoite rate
KW - Urban agriculture
KW - Urban malaria
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013816638
U2 - 10.1186/s12879-025-11403-6
DO - 10.1186/s12879-025-11403-6
M3 - Article
C2 - 40841612
AN - SCOPUS:105013816638
SN - 1471-2334
VL - 25
JO - BMC Infectious Diseases
JF - BMC Infectious Diseases
IS - 1
M1 - 1053
ER -
