Spatial Assessment of Contact between Humans and Anopheles and Aedes Mosquitoes in a Medium-Sized African Urban Setting, Using Salivary Antibody-Based Biomarkers

Abstract

Background: Anarchic and poorly controlled urbanization led to an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases (MBD) in many African cities. Here, we evaluate the spatial heterogeneity of human exposure to malaria and arboviral disease vectors in an urban area of northern Senegal, using antibody-based biomarkers of exposure to Anopheles and Aedes mosquito bites. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken during the rainy season of 2014 in 4 neighborhoods of Saint-Louis, a city in northern Senegal. Among children aged 6-59 months in each neighborhood, the dried blood spot technique was used to evaluate immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses to both gSG6-P1 (Anopheles) and Nterm-34-kDa (Aedes) salivary peptides as validated biomarkers of respective mosquito bite exposure. Results: IgG response levels to gSG6-P1 and Nterm-34-kDa salivary peptides varied significantly between the 4 neighborhoods (P