Lethal mosquito breed found

Entomologists have discovered an unknown, but potentially dangerous malaria-transmitting mosquito in western Kenya, which prefers to bite people earlier in the evening, soon after sunset. Its DNA also does not match any of the existing malaria-transmitting species. The Anopheles species of mosquitoes, which transmits malaria in Africa is already widely studied by researchers. Current malaria control programmes, including spraying of insecticides and using insecticide-treated bed nets, are designed with these behaviours in mind. The team led by Jennifer Stevenson of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, made the discovery, according to a University of Notre Dame [US] statement. Although the new species has never been implicated in the transmission of malaria, its biting habits pose a threat when people are not protected by current malaria control techniques.