The impact of climate change on vector control
World Mosquito Day, celebrated on August 20th, commemorates the historic discovery made in 1897 by Sir Ronald Ross, a British physician who identified mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus as the vectors of malaria. This discovery revolutionized the field of public health and laid the foundation for the development of effective disease control strategies.
Today, more than a century later, vector control remains fundamental in the fight against malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. However, rising temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, and humidity levels directly influence the behavior, reproduction, and distribution of mosquitoes, significantly impacting the incidence of vector-borne diseases. This new scenario requires a reassessment of control strategies based on scientific evidence and adapted to each ecological context.
In light of this situation, the Manhiça Health Research Center (CISM), an entity managed by the Manhiça Foundation, in collaboration with its national and international partners, is organizing a webinar to celebrate World Mosquito Day with a scientific and community reflection on the impacts of climate change on vector-borne disease transmission.
The event will feature experts, partners, and the general public. Its main objective will be to discuss the impacts of climate change on efforts to eliminate mosquito-borne diseases.
SPEAKERS
10:10 Mosquitoes: their characteristics and impact on public health
Dr. Mara Máquina (CISM)
11:30 AM Effects of climate change on mosquito vectors in island regions
Dr. Adilson José de Pina (Ministério da Saúde, Cabo Verde)
10:55 AM New tools for vector control
Professor Henrique Silveira (Lisbon Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)
10:20 Community-Based Malaria Prevention and Control Strategies in Mozambique
Dr. Inês António (PNCM)
10:40 AM Living in the future: is there still a climate for it? - mosquitoes, global warming and public health
Dr. Flavia Virginio Fonseca (University of Florida)
SPEAKERS
Professor Henrique Silveira
Speaker
He is a Full Professor at IHMT-NOVA (Lisbon, Portugal) and holds a PhD in Parasitology from Imperial College (United Kingdom). He was Deputy Director of Science at IHMT-NOVA and Scientific Coordinator of the R&D Center for Global Health and Tropical Medicine. He is a Visiting Researcher at the Amazonas Foundation for Tropical Medicine (Brazil), a Collaborating Professor at Kanazawa University (Japan), and a member of the Consortium for the Elimination of Malaria in Pakistan. He coordinates research on the interaction between mosquitoes and malaria parasites, focusing on the development of innovative vector control tools. He leads initiatives in collaboration with institutions in Mozambique, Brazil, Tanzania, and Burkina Faso, including a clinical field trial in partnership with the INS, the CIOB, and Gorongosa National Park. He has over 60 scientific publications and has supervised eight doctoral students.
Dr. Flavia Virginio Fonseca
Speaker
A biologist with a PhD in Host-Pathogen Relationship Biology from the University of São Paulo (Brazil), she is a researcher and curator of the Butantan Institute 's Entomological Collection. She is a certified professor and advisor in the Specialization Program in Animals of Interest to Health: Animal Biology, as well as coordinator of university extension courses at the Butantan Institute's Higher Education School (ESIB). She researches, advises, and teaches on a variety of topics within the One Health framework. She is currently on sabbatical, pursuing postdoctoral research at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory at the University of Florida. She is a member of several scientific societies and women in science networks and actively participates in initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in health and science.
Dr. Adilson José de Pina
Speaker
A specialist in Public Health, Monitoring, and Evaluation in Cape Verde. With over 12 years of experience and a PhD in Public Health, he is a key figure in the fight against malaria and in the management of public health programs in Cape Verde and the African region. With extensive training in entomology and vector control, he led the process of malaria elimination in the country. In addition to his work at the Ministry of Health, he is an active researcher, coordinating research projects and publishing scientific articles in internationally renowned journals. He is also an influential member of several international research societies and consortia.
Responsible for vector control and interventions at the National Malaria Control Program (PNCM), Ministry of Health. Within the PCNM, she is responsible for the distribution of mosquito nets to achieve universal coverage, distribution of mosquito nets during prenatal consultations, and management of larval sources and environmental management. She is a member of the Technical Group for Vector Control and PAMCA in Mozambique. She holds a degree in Biology from Eduardo Mondlane University and is pursuing a Master's degree in Public Health at the same university.
Inês Antonio (MSc)
Speaker
Entomologist at the Manhiça Health Research Center (CISM), where he coordinates entomological surveillance, insecticide resistance monitoring, and bioassays. He holds a Master's degree in Clinical Research-International Health from the University of Barcelona and is a member of the Vector Control Technical Group in Mozambique. He has experience in medical entomology, with an emphasis on mosquito morphology and vector control in tropical contexts.
Mara Machine (Msc)
Speaker
Dr. Pedro Aide
Moderator
His main area of research is malaria, a major health problem that primarily affects children and pregnant women, particularly in Mozambique. He has been involved in several malaria-related research projects as a co-principal investigator and investigator, including studies on malaria prevention and control, including intermittent preventive treatment trials in infants (IPTi) and clinical evaluation of the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of the most advanced malaria vaccine candidate, RTS, S/AS0. He is currently also the Scientific Director of CISM.
