The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa
Abstract
The invasive urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi threatens 126 million city dwellers in Africa. Controlling An. stephensi requires greater understanding of its origin, invasion dynamics, and insecticide resistance mechanisms. Analysis of 645 whole genomes sampled across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia supports an invasion scenario in which an initial South Asian introduction established a bridgehead population in Djibouti, which seeded distinct invasion fronts in Sudan, Ethiopia/Kenya, and Yemen. These incursions show contrasting rates and routes of spread shaped by landscape topology. Insecticide resistance is predominantly mediated by metabolic detoxification genes, with resistance haplotypes and copy-number amplifications introduced from South Asia. These findings, alongside a companion genomic resource, enable genomic surveillance of An. stephensi spread and resistance to aid control strategies.
Article Details
Journal Info
Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Authors (52)
Tristan P. W. Dennis
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Jihad Eltaher Sulieman
National Malaria Research & Training Centre, Sennar, Sudan.
Mujahid Nouredayem
Department of Community Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Temesgen Ashine
Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
Yehenew Ebstie
Malaria and NTD Research Division, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Adane Eyasu
Tropical and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Eba A. Simma
Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Endalew Zemene
School of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Nigatu Negash
Malaria and NTD Research Division, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Abena Yigeremu
Malaria and NTD Research Division, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Muluken Assefa
Malaria and NTD Research Division, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hamza Elzack
Integrated Vector Management Department, Federal Ministry of Health, Khartoum, Sudan.
Alemayehu Dagne
Tropical and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Biniam Lukas
Tropical and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Mikiyas Gebremichael Bulto
Malaria and NTD Research Division, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Michael C. Fontaine
MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France.
Loïc Talignani
MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France.
Ahmadali Enayati
School of Public Health and Health Sciences Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Fatemeh Nikpoor
Malaria Control Department, Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
Ashwaq M. Al-Nazawi
Department of Public Health, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed H. Al-Zahrani
General Directorate of Vector-borne & Zoonotic Diseases, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Bouh Abdi Khaireh
Association Mutualis, Djibouti City, Djibouti.
Samatar Guelleh
National Malaria Control Program, Djibouti City, Djibouti.
Abdoul-Ilah Ahmed Abdi
Health Council of the Presidency of the Republic of Djibouti, Djibouti City, Djibouti.
Richard Allan
The MENTOR Initiative, Crawley, UK.
Seline Omondi
Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya.
Bernard Abong’o
Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya.
Sylvia Milanoi
Centre for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya.
Eric Ochomo
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Ayman Ahmed
Jeanne N. Samake
Entomology Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
John E. Gimnig
Entomology Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
Cristina Rafferty
Entomology Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
Faisal Ashraf
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Patricia Pignatelli
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Marion Morris
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Sanjay C. Nagi
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Eric R. Lucas
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Anastasia Hernandez-Koutoucheva
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Chris S. Clarkson
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Patricia Doumbe-Belisse
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Adrienne Epstein
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Rebecca Brown
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Anne L. Wilson
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Alison M. Reynolds
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Ellie Sherrard-Smith
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
Delenasaw Yewhalaw
Tropical and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Endalamaw Gadisa
Malaria and NTD Research Division, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Elfatih Malik
Department of Community Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Hmooda Toto Kafy
Department of Community Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
Martin J. Donnelly
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
David Weetman
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.