Comprehensive assessment of the biology and public health importance of Anopheles stephensi in Africa (AnoSTEP Africa)

In the past decade, Anopheles stephensi has been reported in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, and more recently in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. To date, the invasion has been associated with an increase in malaria burden in Djibouti and Dire Dawa in Ethiopia.

This vector thrives in man-made habitats that are common in rapidly urbanizing sub-Saharan Africa where limited water infrastructure necessitates storage in often uncovered containers, and peri- urban settlements with poor drainage and waste disposal systems.

This provides a conducive environment for the proliferation of An. stephensi within urban African settings; presenting a large threat to already poor and over-burdened health systems and the gains made so far in malaria control.

This study aims to contribute to the WHO initiative to stop the spread of An. stephensi by providing insights into the bionomics and contribution of An. stephensi to malaria transmission relative to sympatric vector populations; consequently, informing on possible integrated vector management (IVM) strategies.

The study will be conducted in a range of geographic settings across Africa to allow a comprehension of the ecological, climatic and socio-economic factors that have facilitated An. stephensi invasion, spread and establishment.