Abstract
Microsporidia MB (MB) is a promising malaria control agent whose biological interactions with Plasmodium falciparum and ecological distribution remain poorly understood in Nigeria, the highest malaria-burden country globally in need of innovative malaria control tools. We assessed field and potential distributions of MB in Edo and Delta—areas in southern Nigeria experiencing perennial malaria transmission. Wild-caught Anopheles mosquitoes were molecularly screened for MB and P. falciparum, with an objective to provide insights into whether MB limits the capacity of field mosquitoes to transmit P. falciparum. Despite malaria hyper-endemicity in the study area and the choice of an ultrasensitive assay for parasite detection, MB-positive An. coluzzii and An. gambiae sensu stricto—including mosquitoes with P. falciparum in the midguts—were negative for P. falciparum sporozoites in the head-thorax. Precipitation seasonality and warmest-quarter rainfall were associated with MB occurrence in field mosquito populations, while diurnal temperature range and human population density strongly predicted MB occurrence in geospatial modelling across Edo and Delta. We show that MB occurrence is associated with environmental conditions in southern Nigeria. Our results suggest MB may be constraining the malaria-transmission capacity of Anopheles vectors in southern Nigeria. However, large-scale surveys and controlled field experiments are needed to validate findings.
Subjects
- Diseases
- Ecology
- Microbiology
Acknowledgements
We extend our gratitude to Sunday Lee Akpama for field assistance. We also appreciate house-owners and community heads in the study locations for permission to collect mosquito samples.
Funding
The work was funded from the start‑up funds awarded to EHS by Colorado State University. Colorado State University had no role in conceptualization, design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.
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Ebhodaghe, F.I., Sanchèz-Vargas, I., Schroth, S.A. et al. Microsporidia MB-infected mosquitoes test negative for malaria sporozoites and exhibit environmentally associated distributions in southern Nigeria.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62315-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62315-7
Source: Ecology - nature.com
