Spatial Distribution and Biodiversity of Anopheles Mosquito Species Across Climatic Zones in Burkina Faso: Implications for Malaria Vector Control

Malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by the <i>An. gambiae</i> complex and <i>An. funestus</i> group, whose distribution varies across ecological settings. Secondary species occur at lower densities, but their role in transmission may differ from one locality to another depending on local conditions. Assessing <i>Anopheles</i> biodiversity using ecological indices is therefore essential to characterise their diversity and relative abundance. This study investigated the biodiversity and spatial distribution of <i>Anopheles</i> species across the three climatic zones of Burkina Faso to guide effective vector control strategies. Indoor resting mosquitoes were collected from 67 health districts across the 13 regions of Burkina Faso between September and December 2022 using pyrethroid spray catches. A total of 30,521 <i>Anopheles</i> mosquitoes were identified, with <i>An. gambiae s.l.</i> dominating (94.4%). The Sudano-Sahelian zone recorded the highest abundance, followed by the Soudanian and Sahelian zones. Biodiversity decreased from humid southern to arid northern areas, with the Soudanian zone showing the highest diversity. Molecular analysis of 2026 <i>An. gambiae s.l.</i> specimens revealed marked heterogeneity: <i>An. coluzzii</i> predominated in Sahelian (74.9%) and Sudano-Sahelian (71.2%) zones, while <i>An. gambiae s.s.</i> was most frequent in the Soudanian zone (53.8%). These results highlight spatial and ecological differences in <i>Anopheles</i> composition across Burkina Faso and emphasize the need for locally adapted malaria vector control strategies.