Cited by 108Malaria Research and ControlMathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology ModelsMosquito-borne diseases and control

Biodiversity Can Help Prevent Malaria Outbreaks in Tropical Forests

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Laporta, Gabriel Zorello, Prado, Paulo Inácio Knegt Lopez de, Kraenkel, Roberto André, Coutinho, Renato Mendes, Sallum, Maria Anice Mureb·2013·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium vivax is a widely distributed, neglected parasite that can cause malaria and death in tropical areas. It is associated with an estimated 80-300 million cases of malaria worldwide. Brazilian tropical rain forests encompass host- and vector-rich communities, in which two hypothetical mechanisms could play a role in the dynamics of malaria transmission. The first mechanism is the dilution effect caused by presence of wild warm-blooded animals, which can act as dead-end hosts to Plasmodium parasites. The second is diffuse mosquito vector competition, in which vector and non-vector mosquito species compete for blood feeding upon a defensive host. Considering that the World Health Organization Malaria Eradication Research Agenda calls for novel strategies to eliminate malaria transmission locally, we used mathematical modeling to assess those two mechanisms in a pristine tropical rain forest, where the primary vector is present but malaria is absent. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The Ross-Macdonald model and a biodiversity-oriented model were parameterized using newly collected data and data from the literature. The basic reproduction number ([Formula: see text]) estimated employing Ross-Macdonald model indicated that malaria cases occur in the study location. However, no malaria cases have been reported since 1980. In contrast, the biodiversity-oriented model corroborated the absence of malaria transmission. In addition, the diffuse competition mechanism was negatively correlated with the risk of malaria transmission, which suggests a protective effect provided by the forest ecosystem. There is a non-linear, unimodal correlation between the mechanism of dead-end transmission of parasites and the risk of malaria transmission, suggesting a protective effect only under certain circumstances (e.g., a high abundance of wild warm-blooded animals). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To achieve biological conservation and to eliminate Plasmodium parasites in human populations, the World Health Organization Malaria Eradication Research Agenda should take biodiversity issues into consideration.

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Crossref · 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002139

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  • In complex systems, notably zoonotic mosquito-borne pathogens with many vectors and many hosts, transmission patterns are affected by the diversity of less-competent or non-competent hosts.

    “In more complex systems, notably zoonotic mosquito-borne pathogens with many vectors and many hosts, transmission patterns are affected by the diversity of less-competent or non-competent hosts.91”

    From Recasting the theory of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission dynamics and control (2014) · cites this paper as [91]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) says non-competent hosts can affect malaria transmission, and the Discussion (page unavailable) describes wild animals acting as dead-end hosts. The paper primarily models host abundance in a tropical-forest malaria system, however; it does not establish the broader claim about diversity of less-competent hosts across zoonotic mosquito-borne pathogens with many vectors and hosts. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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  • Other frameworks developed more recently show how heterogeneous transmission arises and lay foundations for systematic study of how factors vary across systems.

    “Other frameworks have been developed more recently that show how heterogeneous transmission arises and these lay the foundations for a systematic study of the way these factors vary across systems.91,97”

    From Recasting the theory of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission dynamics and control (2014) · cites this paper as [91]

    The Introduction and Mathematical model of malaria transmission describe a framework that models how ecological interactions affect malaria transmission; the Discussion calls it a starting point for further study. The paper confines that work to tropical forests and does not establish a systematic comparison of how factors vary across different systems. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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1 of the 59 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. [17]Couto RDA, Latorre MRD, Di Santi SM, Natal D (2010) Autochthonous malaria notified in the State of São Paulo: clinical and epidemiological characteristics from 1980 to 2007. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 43: 52– 58. 20305969
  2. [28]Saul A (2003) Zooprophylaxis or zoopotentiation: the outcome of introducing mortality while searching. Malaria J 2: 32. PMC222927 14565850
  3. [36]Sawyer DR, Sawyer DO (1992) The malaria transition and the role of social science research. In: Cheng LC, editor. Advancing the Health in Developing Countries: The Role of Social Research. Westport: Auburn House. pp. 105–122.
  4. [38]Wilson EO (1988) Biodiversity. Washington: National Academy Press. 657 p.

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Authors
Laporta, G. Z., Prado, P. I. K. L. D., Kraenkel, R. A., Coutinho, R. M., & Sallum, M. A. M.
Affiliations
  • Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
  • Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) (BR)
Corresponding author
Laporta, Gabriel Zorello
Venue
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Published
2013-03-21
Volume
7
Issue
3
Pages
e2139
ISSN
  • 1935-2727 (ISSN-L)
  • 1935-2735
OpenAlex
W2084885779
Cited by
108
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 2
FWCI
8.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS neglected tropical diseases (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Acervo Digital da Universidade Estadual Paulista (Universidade Estadual Paulista) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Americanae (AECID Library) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (05/53973-0)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Malaria Research and Control
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Mosquito-borne diseases and control
Keywords
malaria transmission, Plasmodium vivax, biodiversity, dilution effect, dead-end hosts, diffuse competition, tropical rainforest, Ross-Macdonald model, basic reproduction number, malaria eradication, wildlife hosts, mathematical modeling
MeSH terms
Animals, Brazil, Disease Outbreaks, Female, Humans, Models, Theoretical, Trees, Tropical Climate, Malaria, Vivax, Disease Transmission, Infectious, Biodiversity

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