Anopheles mosquitoes are found worldwide, mostly in (sub)tropical regions, and comprise many different subspecies, each with different habitats and behaviours. Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria, a disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium. Malaria causes fevers, anaemia and in severe cases (mostly in children <5 years of age) cerebral trauma and death. Malaria occurs mostly in (sub)tropical regions and causes an estimated 300 million infections and 0.7-1.2 million deaths each year. There is still no commercial malaria vaccine available and the few anti-malarial drugs are losing their efficacy due to drug-resistance.Anophelines can be recognised by their typical body positioning; making a 45 degree angle with the resting surface. These mosquitoes breed in many different types of (mostly stagnant) water bodies, which makes larval control quite difficult. Because Anopheles mosquitoes typically feed at night, mostly indoors, malaria control efforts largely focus on targeting the host-seeking female mosquitoes with indoor-based control products such as insecticide-treated bednets and indoor spraying of residual insecticides. However, the increasing occurrence of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors, as well as changes in their behaviour (outdoor biting and not only at night) are severely reducing the efficacy of these current malaria vector control tools.
Countries / areas at risk of malaria transmission, 2009
