Digital Commons Network^™

Experimental Infection Of Tadarida Brasiliensis With Pseudogymnoascus Destructans, The Fungus That Causes White-Nose Syndrome, Michelle L. Verant, Carol U. Meteyer, Benjamin Stading

KIP Articles

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing significant declines in populations of North American hibernating bats, and recent western and southern expansions of the disease have placed additional species at risk. Understanding differences in species susceptibility and identifying management actions to reduce mortality of bats from WNS are top research priorities. However, the use of wild-caught susceptible bats, such as Myotis lucifugus, as model species for WNS research is problematic and places additional pressure on remnant populations. We investigated the feasibility of using Tadarida brasiliensis, a highly abundant species of bat that tolerates captivity, as the basis for an experimental animal model …

Persistence Of Long-Lived Memory B Cells Specific To Duffy Binding Protein In Individuals Exposed To Plasmodium Vivax, Siriruk Changrob, Amy M. Mchenry, Myat Htut Nyunt, Jetsumon Sattabongkot, Eun-Taek Han, John H. Adams, Patchanee Chootong

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Faculty Publications

The major challenge in designing a protective Duffy binding protein region II (DBPII)-based vaccine against blood-stage vivax malaria is the high number of polymorphisms in critical residues targeted by binding-inhibitory antibodies. Here, longevity of antibody and memory B cell response (MBCs) to DBL-TH variants, DBL-TH2, -TH4, -TH5, -TH6 and -TH9 were analyzed in P. vivax-exposed individuals living in a low malaria transmission area of southern Thailand. Antibody to DBL-TH variants were significantly detected during P. vivax infection and it was persisted for up to 9 months post-infection. However, DBL-TH-specific MBC responses were stably maintained longer than antibody response, at …

Factors Affecting Hiv Testing Among Youth In Kenya, Allison Nall

USF St. Petersburg campus Master's Theses (Graduate)

With the high prevalence of HIV among youth in sub-Saharan Africa, it is vital to better understand factors affecting HIV testing among this population; this is the first step in the HIV treatment cascade. Using existing data from the SEERs (Stigma-reduction via Education, Empowerment, and Research) Project, a community-based participatory research program targeting 13-24 year olds in Kenya, the purpose of this study was to examine factors related to behavioral intentions regarding HIV testing. It was hypothesized that HIV knowledge, social support, subjective well-being, and mental health would serve as facilitators to HIV testing while projected stigma and substance use …

The Moderating Relationship Of Comorbid Psychopathology And Treatment Outcome For Young Adult Offenders In Drug Court, Patrick Mcgonigal, Kathleen A. Moore, Matthew Scott Young

Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications

Title: The moderating relationship of comorbid psychopathology and treatment outcome for young adult offenders in drug court.

Background: The drug court system is an alternative to incarceration that provides offenders with non-violent, substance motivated crimes with an opportunity to dismiss their charges and undergo a rigorous substance abuse treatment program. It is unknown whether drug court is effective for young adult clients and the role of co-occurring psychopathology within this context.

Methods: This study evaluated the overall effectiveness of a drug court system applied to young adult offenders ages 18-26, and additionally explored the moderating relationship of psychiatric symptoms on …

Characterization Of The Virulence Of A Non-Rt027, Non-Rt078 And Binary Toxin-Positive Clostridium Difficile Strain Associated With Severe Diarhea, Chunhui Li, Céline Harmanus, Duolong Zhu, Xiujuan Meng, Shaohui Wang, Juping Duan, Sidi Liu, Chenchao Fu, Pengcheng Zhou, Ruisi Liu, Anhua Wu, Ed J. Kuijper, Wiep Klaas Smits, Lei Fu, Xingmin Sun

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

The expression of the Clostridium difficile binary toxin CDT is generally observed in the RT027 (ST1) and RT078 (ST11) C. difficile isolates, which are associated with severe C. difficile infection (CDI). However, we recently reported that the non-RT027 and non-RT078 C. difficile strain LC693 (TcdA+TcdB+ CDT+, ST201) caused severe diarrhea in a patient in Xiangya Hospital in China. C.difficile LC693 is a member of Clade 3, and in this study, we identified LC693 as RT871 and compared its virulence and pathogenicity to those of C.difficile R20291 (TcdA+TcdB+CDT+, ST1/RT027), UK6 (TcdA+TcdB+CDT+, ST35/RT027), CD630 (TcdA+TcdB+CDT−, ST54, RT012), and 1379 (TcdA+TcdB+CDT−, ST54/RT012), with …

Septal Secretion Of Protein A In Staphylococcus Aureus Requires Seca And Lipoteichoic Acid Synthesis, Wenqi Yu, Dominique Missiakas, Olaf Schneewind

Molecular Biosciences Faculty Publications

Surface proteins of Staphylococcus aureus are secreted across septal membranes for assembly into the bacterial cross-wall. This localized secretion requires the YSIRK/GXXS motif signal peptide, however the mechanisms supporting precursor trafficking are not known. We show here that the signal peptide of staphylococcal protein A (SpA) is cleaved at the YSIRK/GXXS motif. A SpA signal peptide mutant defective for YSIRK/GXXS cleavage is also impaired for septal secretion and co-purifies with SecA, SecDF and LtaS. SecA depletion blocks precursor targeting to septal membranes, whereas deletion of secDF diminishes SpA secretion into the cross-wall. Depletion of LtaS blocks lipoteichoic acid synthesis and …

Plasma Derived From Human Umbilical Cord Blood: Potential Cell-Additive Or Cell-Substitute Therapeutic For Neurodegenerative Diseases, Jared Ehrhart, Paul R. Sanberg, Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis

Neurosurgery and Brain Repair Faculty Publications

Limited efficacy of current therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative disease has led to increased interest in alternative therapies. Cord blood plasma (CBP) derived from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) may be a potential therapeutic. Benefits of CBP injection into rodent models of aging or ischaemic stroke have been demonstrated, though how benefits are elicited is still unclear. The present study evaluated various factors within the same samples of CBP and human adult blood plasma/sera (ABP/S). Also, autologous CBP effects vs. ABP/S or foetal bovine serum supplements on mononuclear cells from hUCB (MNC hUCB) in vitro were determined. Results showed significantly low …

Malignancy Trends In Hiv-Infected Patients Over The Past 10 Years In A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study In The United States, Nancy Rihana, Sowmya Nanjappa, Cara Sullivan, Ana Paula Velez, Narach Tienchai, John N. Greene

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 1995 had a dramatic impact on the morbidity and mortality of the HIV population, and subsequently, the natural history of cancer has changed. The purpose of our study was to review the prevalence of AIDS-defining malignancies and non-AIDS defining cancers (NADC), taking into consideration racial and gender variations. After the institutional review board approval, the study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of 279 HIV-infected patients who were treated at the Moffitt Cancer Center between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2010. The demographic characteristics included gender, ethnicity, race, presence or absence …

Multi-Centre Observational Study On Epidemiology, Treatment, And Outcome Of Mucormycosis In India, Atul Patel, Harsimran Kaur, Immaculata Xess, Joy S. Michael, Jayanthi Savio, Shivaprakash Rudramurthy, Rakesh Singh, Prakash Shastri, Pamidimukkala Umabala, Raman Sardana, Anupama Jyoti Kindo, Malini Capoor, Sangeetha Mohan, Arunaloke Chakrabarti

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Though the rise in number of mucormycosis cases has been reported globally, the rise in India is alarming especially in uncontrolled diabetics. However, multiple gaps exist in the understanding of the disease in this country. Methods: To describe the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment practices, and outcome of mucormycosis in India. A single-arm prospective observational study was conducted in the network of 17 tertiary care centres across India during April 2016 through September 2017. All consecutive proven mucormycosis patients were enrolled in this study. Clinical data including risk factors, investigations, and treatment were collected. All isolates and histopathological specimens were sent …

Fosfomycin Utilization And Outcomes In A Large Va Medical Center Over A Decade, Natan Kraitman, Jaela Fredenrich, Brandon Delucca, John Toney

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infectious diagnoses and in 2007 accounted for 10.5 million primary care visits in the US Advancing age and comorbidities, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes, affect antimicrobial prescribing habits. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMX-TMP), nitrofurantoin, and fosfomycin are first-line recommendations for uncomplicated cystitis. In an aging male population with potential allergies or contraindications to the above, fosfomycin is a potential option for treatment. Methods: A retrospective chart review of fosfomycin prescribing habits at a large VA academic medical center. Patients were selected based on fosfomycin prescription in both inpatient and …

Thinking Outside The Bowel: Clostridium Difficile Bacteremia Case Series, Adam Pettigrew, Ripal Jariwala, Kristen Zeitler, Jose Montero, Sandra Gompf, John Toney

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: While Clostridium difficile gastrointestinal infection (CDI) is the most common hospital-acquired infectious disease, C. difficile bacteremia (CDB) is exceedingly rare and its risk factors, mortality rate, and modalities of treatment are not well defined. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, IRB approved, chart review of adult patients with a diagnosis of CDB admitted to our institutions from 2011 through 2017. Variables catalogued included previous antibiotic and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, co-morbid conditions, prior history of CDI, diarrhea at the time of CDB, active malignancy, and gastrointestinal (GI) disruption (e.g., perforated viscous, GI bleeding, abdominal malignancy). Treatment courses and outcomes …

Improving Infectious Disease Electronic Medical Records Documentation: A Quality Improvement Study In An Academic Teaching Hospital, Seetha Lakshmi, Johonna Asquith, Sally Alrabaa, Mindy Sampson, Natan Kraitman, Garabet Akoghlanian, Maya Balakrishnan, Beata Casanas

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Improving efficiency of documentation and sign outs during transitions of care were identified as areas of interest by the University of South Florida Infectious Disease (ID) Division. Our aim is by May 2018, we will achieve >50% improvement in our ID EMR note efficiency score for any adult patient at Tampa General Hospital. Note efficiency score involves listing all of the following key elements with 1 point awarded for each: active problem in the subjective section, updated hospital course under assessment, active problem prioritized first under assessment and non-relevant problems removed from assessment. Methods: Institute of Healthcare Improvement’s model …

Changing Patterns Of Hiv-Tb Coinfection Among Patients In A Public Health Department Ambulatory Care Setting: A 5-Year Experience From A Us Metropolitan Area, Anteneh Addisu, Sadaf Aslam, Douglas Holt, Sally Alrabaa, Beata Casanas

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: HIV–TB coinfection leads to a complex set of synergistic interactions in the epidemiology, risk of acquisition, pathogenesis and prognosis of both infections. In the United States, the prevalence of HIV-TB coinfection has been around 6% for the past several years. We present here a 5-year experience at a public health department ambulatory care setting in Tampa, Florida, showing potentially changing patterns. Descriptive data and clinical aspect of coinfected patients is presented. Methods: A retrospective review of tuberculosis cases over the 5-year period ending December 2017 was performed. Those with HIV coinfection were included in the study. Clinical, microbiological and/or …

Secondary Prophylaxis For Clostridium Difficile Infection: A Physician Practice Assessment, Mindy Sampson, Kristen Zeitler, Jasmine R. Marcelin, Sadaf Aslam, John Sinnott, Seetha Lakshmi

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and healthcare related costs. Up to 30% of CDI cases recur, resulting in 83,000 cases of recurrent CDI per year. Although agents for primary and secondary prophylaxis for CDI including the use of probiotics, antibiotics, fecal microbiota transplantations, and newer therapies such as bezlotoxumab have been reported, there is no consensus guidelines regarding their use. The purpose of this study was to assess physician practices regarding secondary prophylaxis for CDI.

Methods: This cross-sectional study using Qualtrics electronic survey (24 questions) assessed physician practice preferences. The survey was distributed …

Treatment Of Enteropathogenic Escherichia Coli Diarrhea In Cancer Patients: A Series Of Three Cases, James D. Denham, Sowmya Nanjappa, John N. Greene

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a common cause of watery diarrhea in children in the developing world and an infrequent cause of significant diarrhea in adult patients. EPEC diarrhea, while not commonly seen in cancer patients, can cause significant distress to patients, and antimicrobial choice for this condition in this patient population is not clearly delineated in the literature. We report 3 cases of EPEC diarrhea in cancer patients and discuss the use of azithromycin for successful treatment of these patients. Positive outcomes were seen while using azithromycin in our first two patients and ciprofloxacin in our third patient.

Bacillus Cereus Typhlitis In A Patient With Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, James D. Denham, Sowmya Nanjappa, John N. Greene

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Bacillus cereus is a Gram-positive rod that is now recognized as a rare cause of frank disease in the neutropenic hematologic malignancy patient. Because this pathogen is rarely isolated in clinical specimens, no large studies exist to guide the management of these acutely ill patients. Individual case reports and case series exist in the literature describing various clinical manifestations of B. cereus in the neutropenic patient including bacteremia/septicemia, pneumonia, meningitis/encephalitis, hepatic abscesses, and gastritis. In this report, we describe a case of typhlitis caused by B. cereus in a 74-year-old female with recently diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and we …

Evaluating Fidelity To A Modified Niatx Process Improvement Strategy For Improving Hiv Services In Correctional Facilities, Jennifer Pankow, Jennifer Willett, Yang Yang, Holly Swan, Richard Dembo, William M. Burdon, Yvonne Patterson, Frank S. Pearson, Steven Belenko, Linda K. Frisman

Criminology Faculty Publications

In a study aimed at improving the quality of HIV services for inmates, an organizational process improvement strategy using change teams was tested in 14 correctional facilities in 8 US states and Puerto Rico. Data to examine fidelity to the process improvement strategy consisted of quantitative ratings of the structural and process components of the strategy and qualitative notes that explicate challenges in maintaining fidelity to the strategy. Fidelity challenges included (1) lack of communication and leadership within change teams, (2) instability in team membership, and (3) issues with data utilization in decision-making to implement improvements to services delivery.

Serious Mental Illness Among Young Adult Women Who Use Drugs In The Club Scene: Co-Occurring Biopsychosocial Factors, Maayan Lawental, Hilary L. Surratt, Mance E. Buttram, Steven P. Kurtz

Community and Family Health Faculty Publications

Young women who regularly attend nightclubs are at risk for numerous health and social consequences, including mental distress, sexual and physical victimization and substance dependence. This paper uses a biopsychosocial framework to examine co-occurring mental health problems, victimization, substance dependence, sexual risk and physical pain among a sample of young women who use drugs (N = 222) in Miami’s club scene. The majority of women were under 24 years old, Hispanic, and identified as heterosexual. Almost all the women reported past 90-day use of alcohol, ecstasy/MDMA, marijuana, cocaine and prescription opioids and benzodiazepines; 32% of women reported being in a …

Characterization Of Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria Isolates In A National Mycobacterial Laboratory In Panama:, Sofia Zavala, Samantha Rosas, Arlene Calvo, Nestor Sosa, German Henostroza, Ana Belen Arauz Rodriguez

Community and Family Health Faculty Publications

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are becoming more frequently isolated in microbiology laboratories. There is no standardized diagnosis, treatment, and/or monitoring of patients with NTM disease. We described the experience of the Panama National Mycobacterial Laboratory in isolating NTM in patients suspected to have active tuberculosis in Panama. Methods: Data registries of the National TB Program Laboratory of Panama between 2012 and 2015 were reviewed. Demographic information, relevant history, sample source, and isolate identified for each specimen obtained at the time of specimen submission was extracted. Identification of mycobacterial species were made using culture and PCR. Data were exported to an …

Nitazoxanide Inhibits Paramyxovirus Replication By Targeting The Fusion Protein Folding: Role Of Glycoprotein-Specific Thiol Oxidoreductase Erp57, Sara Piacentini, Simone La Frazia, Anna Riccio, Jens Z. Pederson, Alessandra Topai, Orazio Nicolotti, Jean-Francois Rossignol, M. G. Santoro

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Paramyxoviridae, a large family of enveloped viruses harboring a nonsegmented negative-sense RNA genome, include important human pathogens as measles, mumps, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza viruses, and henipaviruses, which cause some of the deadliest emerging zoonoses. There is no effective antiviral chemotherapy for most of these pathogens. Paramyxoviruses evolved a sophisticated membrane-fusion machine consisting of receptor-binding proteins and the fusion F-protein, critical for virus infectivity. Herein we identify the antiprotozoal/antimicrobial nitazoxanide as a potential anti-paramyxovirus drug targeting the F-protein. We show that nitazoxanide and its circulating-metabolite tizoxanide act at post-entry level by provoking Sendai virus and RSV F-protein aggregate …

Immunogenicity And Protective Activity Of A Chimeric Protein Based On The Domain Iii Of The Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus E Protein And The Ompf Porin Of Yersinia Pseudotuberculosis Incorporated Into The Ti-Complex, Nina M. Sanina, Natalia Chopenko, Andrey Mazeika, Ludmila Davydova, Galina Leonova, Anna Stenkova, Vladimir N. Uversky, Eduard Kostetsky

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a widespread, dangerous infection. Unfortunately, all attempts to create safe anti-TBE subunit vaccines are still unsuccessful due to their low immunogenicity. The goal of the present work was to investigate the immunogenicity of a recombinant chimeric protein created by the fusion of the EIII protein, comprising domain III and a stem region of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) E protein, and the OmpF porin of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (OmpF-EIII). Adjuvanted antigen delivery systems, the tubular immunostimulating complexes (TI-complexes) based on the monogalactosyldiacylglycerol from different marine macrophytes, were used to enhance the immunogenicity of OmpF-EIII. Also, the chimeric …

Deciphering The Dark Proteome Of Chikungunya Virus, Ankur Singh, Ankur Kumar, Rakhi Yadav, Vladimir N. Uversky, Rajanish Giri

Molecular Medicine Faculty Publications

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus. The outbreak of CHIKV infection has been seen in many tropical and subtropical regions of the biosphere. Current reports evidenced that after outbreaks in 2005–06, the fitness of this virus propagating in Aedes albopictus enhanced due to the epistatic mutational changes in its envelope protein. In our study, we evaluated the prevalence of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and IDP regions (IDPRs) in CHIKV proteome. IDPs/IDPRs are known as members of a ‘Dark Proteome’ that defined as a set of polypeptide segments or whole protein without unique three-dimensional structure within the cellular milieu but …

A Systematic Review Of Scholarly Citation On Hiv/Aids In The Deaf Community, Megan Trout

USF St. Petersburg campus Honors Program Theses (Undergraduate)

The Deaf community is at a much higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS compared to the rest of the population; however, there is a distinct lack of research done on this group. The lack of representation of the Deaf community in medicine and disease research has led to this epidemic. The Deaf community also differs in that their understanding of HIV/AIDS and its transmission, symptoms, prevention, and treatments is significantly lower than that of the rest of the population. One reason for this gap in knowledge is the lack of access to informational materials. Deaf individuals cannot always rely on the …

Quantifying The Burden Of Vampire Bat Rabies In Peruvian Livestock, Julio A. Benavides, Elizabeth Rojas Paniagua, Katie Hampson

KIP Articles

Background: Knowledge of infectious disease burden is necessary to appropriately allocate resources for prevention and control. In Latin America, rabies is among the most important zoonoses for human health and agriculture, but the burden of disease attributed to its main reservoir, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), remains uncertain. Methodology/Principal findings: We used questionnaires to quantify under-reporting of livestock deaths across 40 agricultural communities with differing access to health resources and epidemiological histories of vampire bat rabies (VBR) in the regions of Apurimac, Ayacucho and Cusco in southern Peru. Farmers who believed VBR was absent from their communities were one …

Profiling The Immunome Of Little Brown Myotis Provides A Yardstick For Measuring The Genetic Response To White-Nose Syndrome, Michael E. Donaldson, Christina M. Davy, Craig K. R. Willis, Scott Mcburney, Allysia Park, Christopher J. Kyle

KIP Articles

White‐nose syndrome ( WNS ) has devastated populations of hibernating bats in eastern North America, leading to emergency conservation listings for several species including the previously ubiquitous little brown myotis ( Myotis lucifugus ). However, some bat populations near the epicenter of the WNS panzootic appear to be stabilizing after initial precipitous declines, which could reflect a selective immunogenetic sweep. To investigate the hypothesis that WNS exerts significant selection on the immunome of affected bat populations, we developed a novel, high‐throughput sequence capture assay targeting 138 adaptive, intrinsic, and innate immunity genes of putative adaptive significance, as well as their …

High Annual Survival In Infected Wildlife Populations May Veil A Persistent Extinction Risk From Disease, Brooke Maslo, Oliver C. Stringham, Amanda J. Bevan

KIP Articles

Host response to emerging pathogens is variable, causing uncertainty about population‐level impacts and challenging effective disease management. White‐nose syndrome (WNS) has caused catastrophic declines in some bat species, while others appear less impacted. Developing predictive models based on observed survival patterns can generate testable hypotheses about mechanisms driving population dynamics and contribute to the development of targeted approaches to disease management. We conducted a mark–recapture study of federally endangered Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis) during 2011–2016. Annual survival decreased from 0.78 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.89) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.86) for females and males, respectively, in 2011 to 0.74 (95% …

Insights Into The Ancestral Organisation Of The Mammalian Mhc Class Ii Region From The Genome Of The Pteropid Bat, Pteropus Alecto, Justin H. J. Ng, Mary Tachedjian, Lin-Fa Wang, Michelle L. Baker

KIP Articles

No abstract provided.

Possible Effects Of Long-Term Weather Changes And Extreme Weather Events On Mice Population Abundances In Monteverde, Costa Rica, December 2017, Emily S. Parker

Monteverde Institute: Tropical Ecology and Conservation

Mice and rat abundance is determined by a multitude of factors, including, but not limited to: climate change, predation, and food availability. In this study, I analyzed the effects of daily and long-term weather on rodent populations to understand a possible decrease in abundance from 2016 to 2017 in Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. I took observations of individuals from four different sites: Santa Elena, Bajo del Tigre, Dwight and Rachel Crandell Memorial Reserve, and the Estación Biológica Monteverde. While a considerable number of specimens were captured in Bajo del Tigre, I observed the total abundance of rodents to be significantly …

Discovery Of A Rich Gene Pool Of Bat Sars-Related Coronaviruses Provides New Insights Into The Origin Of Sars Coronavirus, Ben Hu, Lei-Ping Zeng, Xing-Lou Yang

KIP Articles

A large number of SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV) have been detected in horseshoe bats since 2005 in different areas of China. However, these bat SARSr-CoVs show sequence differences from SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in different genes (S, ORF8, ORF3, etc) and are considered unlikely to represent the direct progenitor of SARS-CoV. Herein, we report the findings of our 5-year surveillance of SARSr-CoVs in a cave inhabited by multiple species of horseshoe bats in Yunnan Province, China. The full-length genomes of 11 newly discovered SARSr-CoV strains, together with our previous findings, reveals that the SARSr-CoVs circulating in this single location are highly diverse …

Spatial-Temporal Distribution Of Mosquito Larval Hot Spots In Papoli, Uganda: A Community-Based Approach To Mosquito Control, Ryan E. Tokarz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mosquito species of the Anopheles gambaie complex are the predominant vectors of malaria transmission throughout sub-Saharan Africa. These mosquitoes tend to be endophilic, as well as anthropophilic, making them prime candidates for disease transmission. Within the same region, related mosquito vectors play a significant role in the transmission of additional human and zoonotic diseases. Furthermore, mosquito nuisance biting is an immense issue that cannot be ignored in terms of its impact on African communities. Depending on the respective factors involved, mosquito control programs throughout the continent have attempted to tackle these issues in a multitude of ways. This research approached …