Malaria transmission is influenced not only by vector abundance, but as well by demographic traits such as vector species and age structure, as these influence the intensity by which the disease is transmitted. Measuring these traits and the susceptibility to insecticide in natural mosquito populations is key to implement vector control strategies. Currently, methods to measure all these traits are expensive and time consuming and cannot be combined to simultaneously measure them in individual mosquitoes. Here we propose to develop a rapid and cost effective tool based on mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) analysis to simultaneously determine these traits in malaria vectors to facilitate large scale surveillance of wild populations. Specifically, we aim to develop this technology to determine:
1- The species and age
2- Insecticide resistance status