[Malarial problems and the trans-Saharan highway].

Abstract

In Maghreb, malaria eradication is near. In particular, no indigenous strains of P. falciparum have been found for ten years. The few remaining cases of malaria are of P. vivax. In the Sahelian area, on the other hand, malaria eradication failed with P. falciparum and the efficient vector A. gambiae (s.l.). Until now, the Sahara desert separated these two areas. With construction of a trans-saharan highway, the situation is very different. Now, tropical malaria circulates in Maghreb and Sahara oases in the same way as vectors. However, it seems that local vectors in Maghreb (A. labranchiae) and in Sahara (A. multicolor et A. sergenti) are not efficient vectors for tropical strain of P. falciparum. These observations must be confirmed because there are probably different anopheles populations with different vectorial capacity in the same anopheles species and different plasmodial strains with different infective capacity in the same plasmodial species. Meanwhile a dangerous potential situation exists, the temporary or permanent colonization of some stations in Sahara, in Maghreb (?) by A. gambiae the efficient vector of tropical strains of P. falciparum. From now on, important efforts of Prevention and Control for vectors and malaria must be developed with large intensity in Saharan oases and in Maghreb.