Avian malaria in Africa
Role of Afrotropical mosquitoes in transmission of malaria and other pathogens affecting birds. ( funded by the Rufford Foundation small grants foundation- PI -Njabo.)
Well over 500 species of mosquitoes occur in tropical and temperate regions of Africaand we know almost nothing about the feeding and breeding behaviors of 95% of them. Many of these mosquito species are obligatory or more opportunistic bird feeders and are efficient vectors of avian Plasmodium and other disease that affect birds. In 2008 I began studies in collaboration with senior researchers at UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IoES) to investigate the role of mosquitoes in transmission of avian pathogens in pristine and disturbed forest environments inCameroon. We have only touched the tip of the iceberg in this area of research as the diversity of these lesser known mosquitoes and pathogens is enormous. So far we have identified numerous avian malaria mosquito vector species (Njabo et al 2009, Njabo et al. 2010, Njabo et al. 2011) and there will undoubtedly be more to discover as we spread our investigations to other environs inAfrica such as the savanna and temperate forest regions
Njabo, KY., Cornel, A. J., Sehgal, R. N. M., Loiseau, C., Buermann, W., Harigan, R., Pollinger, J., Valkiunas, G, and Smith, T. B. Coquillettidia (Culicidae, Diptera) mosquitoes as new natural vectors of avian malaria in Africa. Malaria Journal 103 (11). 1127-1138. 2009.
Njabo, K.Y., Cornel, A. J., Bonneaud, C., Toffelmier, E., Sehgal, R. N. M., Valkiunas, G., Smith, T. B. Isolations of Plasmodium from field-collected mosquitoes (Diptera:Culicidae) in the low land forests of Cameroon. Molecular ecology. 2). 1049-1061. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04904.x 2011.