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Experts claim they have utilized Artificial Intelligence along with images provided by the public to recognize what they think is the initial Anopheles stephensi found in Madagascar, as the risk from the malaria-spreading mosquito increases throughout Africa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the expansion of Anopheles stephensi as asignificant threatfor malaria control and eradication, especially in Africa.

Experts note the results, featured in the publicationInsects,illustrate how local communities and digital tools can be utilized to address shortcomings in monitoring this species, particularly in urban zones that are difficult to observe.

The discovery occurred following a single smartphone image sent by residents of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, via the GLOBE Observer, a citizen science application created by the US space agency NASA.

A close-up image displayed a mosquito larva found in a tire within the city. The photo was captured in 2020 but remained unnoticed until two years later when researchers were examining past data, during worries regarding the expansion of Anopheles stephensi, according to Ryan Carney, the primary researcher and associate professor of digital science at the University of South Florida in the United States.

Having captured thousands of smartphone images of confirmed Anopheles stephensi and other local species, and by training AI-based image recognition systems, the group created a public science tool for identifying Anopheles stephensi.

This helped verify the species of the larva observed five years ago, as stated by the researchers, who believe it demonstrates the capability of citizen science and AI to assist in addressing invasive species.

Photos created by citizens can offer early-warning information, enabling officials to detect emerging or growing populations faster than traditional trapping methods, as stated by Carney.

“Conventional mosquito monitoring methods, like trapping, are costly, demand specialized knowledge and time, and are difficult to expand, particularly when crossing different administrative areas,” he stated.SciDev.Net.

Consequently, citizen science ought to be a key focus for both local communities and global health organizations such as the WHO to support existing Anopheles stephensi monitoring efforts in remote and highly populated areas.

Anopheles stephensi is especially vulnerable to the malaria parasite and shows strong resistance to insecticides.

It flourishes in urban environments, reproducing in man-made containers like tires and buckets, enabling continuous malaria spread in highly populated regions.

A previous studynoted that its expansion could expose an additional 126 million individuals to malaria throughout Africa.

The scientists highlight three open-source applications–iNaturalist, Mosquito Alert and NASA’s GLOBE Observer–as efficient instruments for expanding mosquito surveillance in African nations. All are available worldwide and provide various language choices, such as Swahili and Arabic, which could enhance broader community participation.

Amateur scientists using a smartphone along with a 60x magnification clip-on lens can send detailed images of a mosquito or its larvae to the application for confirmation.

Carney mentions that local health ministries and mosquito control initiatives can utilize theGlobal Mosquito Observations Dashboard, which collects mosquito images and geographical information from across the globe. This enables authorities to locate regions that might need specific monitoring or intervention strategies.

Andrianjafy Mbolatiana, an entomologist from the University of Antananarivo, highlights the practical benefits of the technology. “We don’t have enough financial and human resources to track vector-borne illnesses like malaria,” he mentioned.SciDev.Net.

This technology enhances traditional monitoring techniques and will assist us in identifying and stopping the spread of invasive and harmful species, such as Anopheles stephensi.

However, he notes that numerous locals from Madagascar lack smartphones or stable internet access, which could restrict their involvement.

The team conducting the research also recognize distinct constraints.

“These tools have a limitation in that people are not aware that citizen science apps are available or that mosquito photos are required by scientists,” said Carney, whose team developed the MosquitoesInAfrica.org initiative to increase involvement.

The technological prerequisites might also serve as an obstacle.

“The images need to be captured using that 60x clip-on lens for the AI outcomes to be accurate, as the AI algorithms were trained exclusively on this kind of photography,” stated Carney.

To increase participation, experts suggest that public health organizations and malaria initiatives assist amateur scientists in acquiring the proper lens and promote understanding of the technology.

Mohga Kamal-Yanni, a global health and access-to-medicines advisor with The People’s Medicines Alliance, argues that providing resources directly to communities is essential for combating malaria from the grassroots, especially as Africa faces significant reductions in international aid.

She told SciDev.NetFor many years, Africa has depended on international assistance to address health issues, such as monitoring and managing diseases.

But due to reductions in global assistance […it has] created a significant void on the continent that must be addressed through alternative methods like the citizen science approach.

This article was created by the Sub-Saharan Africa English team at SciDev.Net.

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