Occurrence of Anopheles hermsi (Diptera: Culicidae) in Arizona and Colorado

Historically, malaria was a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the western United States, and Anopheles freeborni Aitken was thought to be the vector west of the Continental Divide. In 1989, Anopheles hermsi Barr & Guptavanij was described and subsequently found to be an eff...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of medical entomology 2001-03, Vol.38 (2), p.341-343
Main Authors: Hayden, Craig W., Fink, T. Michael, Ramberg, Frank B., Maré, C. John, Mead, Daniel G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anopheles
Anopheles - classification
Anopheles - genetics
Anopheles freeborni
Anopheles hermsi
Arizona
Biological and medical sciences
Colorado
constructed wetland
Demography
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health aspects
Malaria
Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control
Mortality
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
SHORT COMMUNICATION
vector
Vectors. Intermediate hosts
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Summary:Historically, malaria was a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the western United States, and Anopheles freeborni Aitken was thought to be the vector west of the Continental Divide. In 1989, Anopheles hermsi Barr & Guptavanij was described and subsequently found to be an effective laboratory vector of Plasmodium. The adults of these two species are morphologically indistinguishable, and therefore polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the DNA from 48 mosquitoes collected in Arizona and Colorado (identified morphologically as An. freeborni). All specimens were identified as An. hermsi. This was the first report of An. hermsi in Arizona and Colorado and indicated that this Anopheles species historically may have been a malaria vector in these two western states.
ISSN:0022-2585
1938-2928
DOI:10.1603/0022-2585-38.2.341