Adapting Africa’s vector surveillance systems to monitor gene-drive mosquitoes in malaria control

Gene drives could transform malaria control by enabling the rapid, autonomous spread of engineered traits in mosquito populations, potentially reducing dependence on costly interventions.African countries can adapt their existing vector surveillance systems to support future monitoring of gene-drive mosquitoes rather than building new infrastructure.They should prioritize actionable indicators with predefined thresholds tied to specific gene-drive mechanisms.For best results, they should integrate genetic, entomological, and health data, leveraging tools like PCR and artificial intelligence-enabled phenotyping for cost-effective tracking.Countries should also foster networks for transboundary surveillance, drawing from past precedents like the use of sterile insect technique.Modeling approaches can support adaptive sampling and optimize resource allocation in both field trials and implementation.

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Publication Details

Journal
Trends in Parasitology
Published
2026-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2026.03.010
Primary Topic
Malaria Research and Control
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Adapting Africa’s vector surveillance systems to monitor gene-drive mosquitoes in malaria control

Tony Nolan, Edward Thomsen, Jacqueline N. Mgaya, Allison Tatarsky et al.
Trends in Parasitology
Malaria Research and Control
article

Adapting Africa’s vector surveillance systems to monitor gene-drive mosquitoes in malaria control

Tony Nolan, Edward Thomsen, Jacqueline N. Mgaya, Allison Tatarsky, Thomas S. Churcher, Charles S. Wondji, Magellan Tchouakui, Samuel Dadzie, Maggy T. Sikulu-Lord, Susan J. Wiener, Sheila B. Ogoma, Marceline F. Finda, Dickson Msaky, Mercy Opiyo, Thomas R. Burkot, Nikolai Windbichler, M. Rami Reddy, Hamidou Maïga, Nicodem J. Govella, Eric Ochomo, Jonathan Kayondo, Tara Seethaler, Najat F. Kahamba, Francesco Baldini, Doreen Josen Siria, Charles Dismas Mwalimu, Adedapo Adeogun, Edward O Okonjo, Givemore Munhenga, Dickson W. Lwetoijera, Jérémy Bouyer, Neil F. Lobo, Emmanuel P. Mwanga, Naomi Urio, Fred Aboagye‐Antwi, Halfan S. Ngowo, Luigi Sedda, Stephanie L. James, John M. Marshall, Joel O. Odero, Prashanth Selvaraj, Heather M. Ferguson, Willy K. Tonui, Christian Atta-Obeng, Dulcisária Marrenjo, Letus L. Muyaga, Brian B. Tarimo, Mara Lawniczak, Damaris Matoke-Muhia, Edith Ramaita, Frederic Tripet, Emmanuel W. Kaindoa, Mike Santos, Fredros O. Okumu, Abdoulaye Diabaté, Shekha Salum
article en

Abstract

Gene drives could transform malaria control by enabling the rapid, autonomous spread of engineered traits in mosquito populations, potentially reducing dependence on costly interventions.African countries can adapt their existing vector surveillance systems to support future monitoring of gene-drive mosquitoes rather than building new infrastructure.They should prioritize actionable indicators with predefined thresholds tied to specific gene-drive mechanisms.For best results, they should integrate genetic, entomological, and health data, leveraging tools like PCR and artificial intelligence-enabled phenotyping for cost-effective tracking.Countries should also foster networks for transboundary surveillance, drawing from past precedents like the use of sterile insect technique.Modeling approaches can support adaptive sampling and optimize resource allocation in both field trials and implementation.

Trends in Parasitology
University of Notre Dame (US), National Health Laboratory Service (ZA), Ifakara Health Institute (TZ), Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (TZ), Microsoft (United States) (US), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR), University of Ghana (GH), Technical University of Kenya (KE), University of Liverpool (GB), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (TZ), Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (CH), The University of Queensland (AU), University of California, San Francisco (US), University of Basel (CH), University of the Witwatersrand (ZA), Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (GB), Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme (MW), Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (US), Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AU), Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KE), Public Health England (GB), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (GH), Animal, Santé, Territoires, Risques et Ecosystèmes (FR), Clinton Health Access Initiative (US), Innovative Genomics Institute (US), Ministry of Health (KE), Manhiça Health Research Centre (MZ), National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (US), Pan African Institute for Development (CM), Department of Biomedicine Basel (CH), Queensland Department of Environment and Science (AU), Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (CM), Ministry of Health (BB), African Economic Research Consortium (KE), Global Brain Health Institute (US), Institute for Disease Modeling (US), Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (BF), Ministry of Health (MZ), 21c Consultancy (United Kingdom) (GB), Imperial College London (GB), Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NG), Lancaster University (GB), University of Glasgow (GB), James Cook University (AU), Great Lakes University of Kisumu (KE), Uganda Virus Research Institute (UG), University of California, Berkeley (US)
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust
Openalex Percentile: Top 21%
Malaria Research and Control
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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