AI Generated Image
An Invasive Mosquito Is Spreading With Alarming Speed, Threatening Africa’s Cities
The New York Times • • health
Key Points:
- The invasive mosquito species Anopheles stephensi, which carries malaria and is resistant to insecticides, is spreading rapidly across Africa, particularly in urban areas where malaria was previously less common.
- Genomic analysis of specimens from 10 African countries revealed that these mosquitoes possess genetic resistance to all current insecticides used in control efforts, rendering standard spraying campaigns ineffective.
- Since its initial arrival in Djibouti over a decade ago, Anopheles stephensi has expanded westward to Ghana and southward through Kenya, moving quickly across open terrain.
- Public health experts now believe it is too late to contain or eliminate this mosquito, raising concerns about increased malaria risk in large African cities like Lagos and Kinshasa, each with populations around 20 million.
- Unlike traditional malaria vectors in Africa, this species thrives in urban environments and is not limited by dry seasons, potentially exacerbating malaria's impact in densely populated areas.
