Towards an optimized inhibition of liver stage development assay (ILSDA) for Plasmodium falciparum.

Background: Experimental vaccines targeting Plasmodium falciparum have had some success in recent years. These vaccines use attenuated parasites, recombinant sporozoite proteins, or DNA and virus combinations to induce cell-mediated immune responses and/or antibodies targeting sporozoite surface proteins. To capitalize on the success of these vaccines and understand the mechanisms by which these vaccines function, it is important to develop assays that measure correlates of protection in volunteers.

Geographical distribution of Anopheles darlingi in the Amazon Basin region of Peru.

Malaria has reemerged as a significant public health disease threat in Peru, especially within the Amazon Basin region. This resurgence of human cases caused by infection with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax is thought to be associated with the spread of Anopheles darlingi, the principal South American malaria vector, into new areas of the Amazon Basin. However, comprehensive studies of the distribution for this species have not been conducted in Peru for several years, nor are historical accounts accurate enough to determine if An.

Seasonal abundance of Culex nigripalpus Theobald and Culex salinarius Coquillett in north Florida, USA.

North Florida is a transition zone between widespread Culex nigripalpus populations to the south and focal Culex salinarius populations to the north. Culex nigripalpus is a vector of St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) viruses in south Florida, while Cx.