Malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by the An. gambiae complex and An. funestus group, whose distribution varies across ecological settings. Secondary species occur at lower densities, but their role in transmission may differ from one locality to another depending on local conditions. Assessing Anopheles biodiversity using ecological indices is therefore essential to characterise their diversity and relative abundance. This study investigated the biodiversity and spatial distribution of Anopheles species across the three climatic zones of Burkina Faso to guide effective vector control strategies. Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected from 67 health districts across the 13 regions of Burkina Faso between September and December 2022 using pyrethroid spray catches. A total of 30,521 Anopheles mosquitoes were identified, with An. gambiae s.l. dominating (94.4%). The Sudano-Sahelian zone recorded the highest abundance, followed by the Soudanian and Sahelian zones. Biodiversity decreased from humid southern to arid northern areas, with the Soudanian zone showing the highest diversity. Molecular analysis of 2026 An. gambiae s.l. specimens revealed marked heterogeneity: An. coluzzii predominated in Sahelian (74.9%) and Sudano-Sahelian (71.2%) zones, while An. gambiae s.s. was most frequent in the Soudanian zone (53.8%). These results highlight spatial and ecological differences in Anopheles composition across Burkina Faso and emphasize the need for locally adapted malaria vector control strategies.

Background: Anopheles funestus s.s plays a major role in sustaining residual malaria transmission in many African settings. Despite its epidemiological importance, research on its biology and developing effective control strategies is greatly hindered by the persistent challenges associated with establishing stable colonies in laboratory. Here we describe the successful establishment of a new laboratory strain in Burkina Faso (FUNBF). Methods: Adult female mosquitoes were collected in Diébougou and Soumousso using mouth and battery-powered electric aspirators. These mosquitoes were morphologically identified as belonging to the An. funestus group. Individual females were allowed to oviposit separately in 200 mL disposable cups. Female mosquitoes were then confirmed at the molecular level as An. funestus s.s. Adults were maintained at 27 ± 2 °C and 60–80% relative humidity under a 12:12 h light–dark cycle, while larvae were kept at 29 ± 2 °C under the same light–dark cycle. Fecundity and fertility were recorded for F0 and F24, whereas larval development time, emergence rate, blood-feeding rate, oviposition rate, and mating performance were assessed in F24. Results: A total of 1871 female mosquitoes were collected across two years to establish the colony. F0 and F24 showed comparable fecundity, with mean egg loads of 85.33 (95% CI: 79.43–91.24) and 78.87 (95% CI: 69.33–88.30) eggs per female, respectively. Mean egg hatching rate was 88.62 (95% CI: 85.79–91.41) and 55.20 (95% CI: 45.77–64.64) at FO and F24 respectively. The mean pupation rate was 58.5 (95% CI: 47.81–69) with a median pupation time of 15 days. Adult emergence rates were high in both sexes, with 84.0% ± 3.37% of male pupae and 85.0% ± 5.92% of female pupae successfully emerging as adults; emergence success did not differ significantly between sexes. Females showed a blood-feeding rate of 85.21 (95% CI: 40.45–104.91) with insemination and oviposition rates of 37.5 ± 5.83% ( n = 2) and 37.5 ± 9.17% ( n = 2), respectively. Mortality recorded 24 h after blood feeding was 4.51(95% CI: 0.64–8.37). FUNBF has been maintained successfully for 24 generations with sustained egg production. Conclusions: This work represents a significant advance in the domestication of An. funestus, one of the main malaria vectors in sub-Saharan Africa.

Anopheles funestus group and Anopheles gambiae complexes are among the most efficient malaria vectors in Africa, thriving in a variety of environm

Background: Malaria control tools are nowadays challenged by the expansion and persistence of insecticide resistance in the malaria vector along with the changes in vector behaviour. To complement and reinforce the existing control tools, innovative vector control methods, such as gene drives, are currently under development. Understanding the Anopheles gambiae sensu lato ( An. gambiae s.l. ) population structure is crucial for the implementation of genetic control tools and improvement of existing control strategies. Here we investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of Anopheles gambiae s.l. populations from three climatic zones in Burkina Faso. Method: Mosquito specimens were collected across three ecological settings in Burkina Faso using pyrethroid spray catches. The whole genomes of Anopheles gambiae s.l. specimens were sequenced as part of the Anopheles gambiae 1000 Genomes Project. Data were analysed using MalariaGEN Resources to investigate the genetic diversity and the population structure. Results: The results revealed the absence of geographical population structure in Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto ( An. gambiae s.s. ) collected in the three climatic zones, implicating high gene flow within the country. Anopheles arabiensis showed a structure that separates Hauts-Bassins samples in the Soudanian zone from other An. arabiensis samples. The cryptic species ( An. goundry and An. tengrela ) previously identified in the country were not detected in this study. Our findings also indicate population expansion in An. gambiae s.l. ; however, An. arabiensis populations show evidence of a smaller population size or a bottleneck. Conclusion: Our findings could indicate that An. arabiensis has a distinct demographic history. The population structure of An. gambiae s.s. and An. coluzzii across the country is characterized by a lack of geographical differentiation. These findings have important implications for both current vector control strategies and the potential implementation of gene drive technologies. Indeed, the lack of geographical population structure offers the potential for the rapid spread of gene drive constructs.