CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LARVAL BREEDING SITES OF ANOPHELES BALABACENSIS (BAISAS), IN KUDAT, SABAH, MALAYSIA

The Malaysian government has a goal of eliminating malaria by 2020 but the increase in the number of cases of Plasmodium knowlesi presents a major challenge to this goal. Understanding the biology and breeding sites of vector mosquitoes is important to eliminating this disease. Therefore, we aimed to identify the larval breeding sites of Anopheles balabacensis in Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia, examine and define the environmental characteristics of its habitat and determine the association between these environmental characteristics and the biology of An. balabacensis. This study was carried out in the nine villages of Kudat. An. balabacensis breeding sites were identified. An. balabacensis preferred to breed in muddy ground pools and tire tracks formed in plantations and along the forest fringe. The most common breeding site had a surface area < 1 m2, a depth of 5-10 cm, was in partly shaded area and located approximately 100 m from the nearest house. The breeding sites for An. balabacensis were near human settlements and work places, making this mosquito as potential vector for malaria in Kudat. The studied environment characteristics did not significantly influence the abundance of An. balabacensis. Our findings suggest comprehensive coverage of breeding sites is necessary for larval control and reduction of malaria transmission.