Controlling emergent Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia and Sudan (CEASE)

Malaria in Africa is mainly a rural disease because the local malaria mosquito species are not well adapted to urban settings. Unfortunately, current efforts to control malaria are threatened by a new, invasive mosquito species called Anopheles stephensi which has been identified in towns and cities in the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia and Sudan and is associated with an increase in malaria in Djibouti. This research aims to control the spread of Anopheles stephensi in Sudan and Ethiopia. We will:
1) Discover the current distribution of the mosquito and route of introduction using mosquito sampling, genetic ancestry analysis and spatial modelling.
2) Determine whether Anopheles stephensi is associated with increased malaria using health system data, prospective studies to identify malaria cases, and mathematical models.
3) Identify social and ecological factors which influence the spread/control of Anopheles stephensi and will define the most appropriate mosquito control strategies.