University of the Witwatersrand

1 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Immunology and Infection

Standard Membrane Feeding Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles Mosquito Vectors

Erica Erlank^1,2, Nelius Venter^1,2, Lizette L. Koekemoer^1,2

¹Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, ²Centre for Emerging Zoonotic and Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service

The standard membrane feeding assay (SMFA) is regarded as the gold standard for the assessment and identification of potential antimalarial compounds. This artificial feeding system is used to infect mosquitoes to further evaluate the effects of such compounds on the intensity and prevalence of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite.