Identification of molecular markers for susceptibility to infection by human Plasmodium species in the primary neotropical vector of malaria Nyssorhynchus darlingi

• Grant number: 24/01045-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Entomology and Malacology of Parasites and Vectors
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Eduardo Martins Ribolla
• Grantee: Cindy Megumi Kimura
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biotecnologia (IBTEC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/15035-9 - SCREENING FOR AND CHARACTERIZING GENES RELATED TO Plasmodium INFECTION SUSCEPTIBILITY IN THE PRIMARY MALARIA VECTOR (Anopheles gambiae), BE.EP.MS

Abstract

Malaria is a febrile disease resulting from infection by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, with transmission carried by anopheline mosquitoes. In Brazil, the vector of greatest epidemiological importance is Nyssorhynchus darlingi, formerly taxonomically classified as Anopheles darlingi. In the national scenario, the municipality of Barcelos (AM) was the second-largest locality with malaria records in Brazil in 2022, totaling 6,636 cases. Of these, 77.16% were attributed to P. vivax infections, while P. falciparum infections accounted for 22.84% of the total. Successfully identifying infected mosquitoes for disease transmission and maintenance is a tool that can aid in studying genetic contributions to infection susceptibility, providing evidence to guide vector surveillance and epidemiological control strategies. Additionally, the relevance of molecular studies on the genetics of malaria vectors' populations is observed, emphasizing the importance of understanding their behavior and detecting molecular markers related to susceptibility to human Plasmodium species infections. This enables the precise identification of genetic characteristics in populations of endemic areas, allowing the targeting of successful interventions in disease control. Thus, this project aims to detect molecular markers associated with susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections in Nyssorhynchus darlingi mosquitoes collected in Barcelos. This effort aims to guide malaria control and prevention strategies. For the identification of infected insects, a triplex assay for detecting human Plasmodium species will be conducted, and the identification of molecular markers will be performed through genotyping analysis by sequencing and a comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS).