Meeting Abstract

P3.109  Monday, Jan. 6 15:30  Deforestation and Malaria: A Field Evaluation of a Synthetic Lure to Capture Mosquitoes in Madagascar ZOHDY, S.*; DERFUS, K. S.; MBOLATIANA, T. A.; WRIGHT, P. C.; GILLESPIE, T. R.; Emory University; Emory University; University of Antananarivo; Stony Brook University; Emory University sarah.zohdy@emory.edu

It is estimated that less than 6% of Madagascar’s original forests remain intact. The common slash-and-burn agricultural (tavy) practices in Madagascar are accelerating the already devastating deforestation rates and threatening the endemic wildlife found on the island. The impact that this type of deforestation has on the environmental conditions could create enhanced environments for vectors of infectious disease, such as mosquitoes. To test this hypothesis, we surveyed mosquitoes in six villages and their surrounding agricultural sites and forests in and around Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, while simultaneously evaluating a newly described synthetic attractant lure (Mukabana et al., 2012) to selectively capture malaria carrying mosquitoes (Anopheles gambiae.). This volatile (3-methyl-1-butanol) was originally isolated from human skin microbiota and was found to be one of the most attractive to Anopheles gambiae. When compared to non-odor baited light traps in the same habitats we found that the synthetic odor baited traps were more successful at capturing Anopheles mosquitoes in the forested and village sites, but not in the agricultural sites. In agricultural sites, traps set near livestock pens were more successful at capturing anopheline mosquitoes than the odor-baited attractant. In all habitat types the odor lure was more successful at capturing other mosquitoes with relevance to public health. Additionally, very few anopheline mosquitoes were captured in the forested areas in and around the national park, suggesting that increased deforestation activities and proximity to livestock may place humans at higher risk for malaria.