Muddy rutted dirt lane with puddles between red metal and wooden fences, leafy trees
A breeding site that was sampled in Bairro Verde, Água Grande, São Tomé

New UCMI Publication: Characterizing Breeding Habitats of Anopheles coluzzii in São Tomé

  • by Christine Coleman

A new study from our lab and collaborators, published in Malaria Journal, examines the breeding ecology of Anopheles coluzzii, the primary malaria vector on São Tomé. Monitoring 32 aquatic habitats in Bairro Verde across wet and dry seasons (2023–2024), the team found that this species utilizes a wide range of temporary and permanent water bodies and tolerates diverse environmental conditions.

Larval presence was most strongly associated with habitat stability, though colonization could occur rapidly after sites became wet. These findings highlight the ecological flexibility of An. coluzzii and support more targeted larval control strategies.

Read the full article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12936-026-06137-y

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