The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa

T. P. W. Dennis; J. E. Sulieman; M. Nouredayem; T. Ashine; Y. Ebstie; A. Eyasu; E. A. Simma; E. Zemene; N. Negash; A. Yigeremu; M. Assefa; H. Elzack; A. Dagne; B. Lukas; M. G. Bulto; M. C. Fontaine; L. Talignani; A. Enayati; F. Nikpoor; A. M. Al-Nazawi; M. H. Al-Zahrani; B. A. Khaireh; S. Guelleh; A. A. Abdi; R. Allan; S. Omondi; B. Abong'o; S. Milanoi; E. Ochomo; A. Ahmed; J. N. Samake; J. E. Gimnig; C. Rafferty; F. Ashraf; P. Pignatelli; M. Morris; S. C. Nagi; E. R. Lucas; A. Hernandez-Koutoucheva; C. S. Clarkson; P. Doumbe-Belisse; A. Epstein; R. Brown; A. L. Wilson; A. M. Reynolds; E. Sherrard-Smith; D. Yewhalaw; E. Gadisa; E. Malik; H. T. Kafy; M. J. Donnelly; D. Weetman

doi:10.1126/science.adx6925

The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa

T. P. W. Dennis
, J. E. Sulieman
, M. Nouredayem
, T. Ashine
, Y. Ebstie
, A. Eyasu
, E. A. Simma
, E. Zemene
, N. Negash
, A. Yigeremu
, M. Assefa
, H. Elzack
, A. Dagne
, B. Lukas
, M. G. Bulto
, M. C. Fontaine
, L. Talignani
, A. Enayati
, F. Nikpoor
, A. M. Al-Nazawi

M. H. Al-Zahrani, B. A. Khaireh, S. Guelleh, A. A. Abdi, R. Allan, S. Omondi, B. Abong'o, S. Milanoi, E. Ochomo, A. Ahmed, J. N. Samake, J. E. Gimnig, C. Rafferty, F. Ashraf, P. Pignatelli, M. Morris, S. C. Nagi, E. R. Lucas, A. Hernandez-Koutoucheva, C. S. Clarkson, P. Doumbe-Belisse, A. Epstein, R. Brown, A. L. Wilson, A. M. Reynolds, E. Sherrard-Smith, D. Yewhalaw, E. Gadisa, E. Malik, H. T. Kafy, M. J. Donnelly, D. Weetman

Vector Biology

National Malaria Research & Training Centre
University of Khartoum
Arba Minch University
Armauer Hansen Research Institute
Jimma University
Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan
Université de Montpellier
University of Groningen
Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences
Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
Jazan University
Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia
Ministry of Health (Djibouti)
National Malaria Control Program, Djibouti City, Djibouti.
Health Council of the Presidency of the Republic of Djibouti
Armed Forces of Djibouti Health Service
The MENTOR Initiative
Center for Global Health Research (CGHR-KEMRI)
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The invasive urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi threatens 126 million city-dwellers in Africa. Controling An. stephensi requires greater understanding of its origin, invasion dynamics, and insecticide resistance mechanisms. Analysis of 645 whole genomes sampled across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia supports an invasion scenario in which an initial introduction South Asian introduction established a bridgehead population in Djibouti, which seeded distinct invasion fronts in Sudan, Ethiopia-Kenya, and Yemen. These incursions show contrasting rates and routes of spread shaped by landscape topology. Insecticide resistance is predominantly mediated by metabolic detoxification genes, with resistance haplotypes and copy-number amplifications introduced from South Asia. These findings, alongside a companion genomic resource, enable genomic surveillance of An. stephensi spread and resistance to aid control strategies.

Original language	English
Article number	eadx6925
Journal	Science
Volume	393
Issue number	6807
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx6925
Publication status	Published - 25 Jun 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Themes

Vector Control and Resistance Management

Access to Document

10.1126/science.adx6925

CleanRevisedCombinedDocument20260408Accepted author manuscript, 9.56 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Dennis, T. P. W., Sulieman, J. E., Nouredayem, M., Ashine, T., Ebstie, Y., Eyasu, A., Simma, E. A., Zemene, E., Negash, N., Yigeremu, A., Assefa, M., Elzack, H., Dagne, A., Lukas, B., Bulto, M. G., Fontaine, M. C., Talignani, L., Enayati, A., Nikpoor, F., ... Weetman, D. (2026). The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa. Science, 393(6807), Article eadx6925. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx6925

@article{44e59cf9d07e4d90b1c97750f57cf049,

title = "The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa",

abstract = "The invasive urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi threatens 126 million city-dwellers in Africa. Controling An. stephensi requires greater understanding of its origin, invasion dynamics, and insecticide resistance mechanisms. Analysis of 645 whole genomes sampled across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia supports an invasion scenario in which an initial introduction South Asian introduction established a bridgehead population in Djibouti, which seeded distinct invasion fronts in Sudan, Ethiopia-Kenya, and Yemen. These incursions show contrasting rates and routes of spread shaped by landscape topology. Insecticide resistance is predominantly mediated by metabolic detoxification genes, with resistance haplotypes and copy-number amplifications introduced from South Asia. These findings, alongside a companion genomic resource, enable genomic surveillance of An. stephensi spread and resistance to aid control strategies.",

author = "Dennis, \{T. P. W.\} and Sulieman, \{J. E.\} and M. Nouredayem and T. Ashine and Y. Ebstie and A. Eyasu and Simma, \{E. A.\} and E. Zemene and N. Negash and A. Yigeremu and M. Assefa and H. Elzack and A. Dagne and B. Lukas and Bulto, \{M. G.\} and Fontaine, \{M. C.\} and L. Talignani and A. Enayati and F. Nikpoor and Al-Nazawi, \{A. M.\} and Al-Zahrani, \{M. H.\} and Khaireh, \{B. A.\} and S. Guelleh and Abdi, \{A. A.\} and R. Allan and S. Omondi and B. Abong'o and S. Milanoi and E. Ochomo and A. Ahmed and Samake, \{J. N.\} and Gimnig, \{J. E.\} and C. Rafferty and F. Ashraf and P. Pignatelli and M. Morris and Nagi, \{S. C.\} and Lucas, \{E. R.\} and A. Hernandez-Koutoucheva and Clarkson, \{C. S.\} and P. Doumbe-Belisse and A. Epstein and R. Brown and Wilson, \{A. L.\} and Reynolds, \{A. M.\} and E. Sherrard-Smith and D. Yewhalaw and E. Gadisa and E. Malik and Kafy, \{H. T.\} and Donnelly, \{M. J.\} and D. Weetman",

year = "2026",

month = jun,

day = "25",

doi = "10.1126/science.adx6925",

language = "English",

volume = "393",

journal = "Science",

issn = "1095-9203",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6807",

}

Dennis, TPW, Sulieman, JE, Nouredayem, M, Ashine, T, Ebstie, Y, Eyasu, A, Simma, EA, Zemene, E, Negash, N, Yigeremu, A, Assefa, M, Elzack, H, Dagne, A, Lukas, B, Bulto, MG, Fontaine, MC, Talignani, L, Enayati, A, Nikpoor, F, Al-Nazawi, AM, Al-Zahrani, MH, Khaireh, BA, Guelleh, S, Abdi, AA, Allan, R, Omondi, S, Abong'o, B, Milanoi, S, Ochomo, E, Ahmed, A, Samake, JN, Gimnig, JE, Rafferty, C, Ashraf, F, Pignatelli, P, Morris, M, Nagi, SC, Lucas, ER , Hernandez-Koutoucheva, A , Clarkson, CS, Doumbe-Belisse, P, Epstein, A, Brown, R, Wilson, AL, Reynolds, AM , Sherrard-Smith, E, Yewhalaw, D, Gadisa, E, Malik, E, Kafy, HT, Donnelly, MJ & Weetman, D 2026, 'The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa', Science, vol. 393, no. 6807, eadx6925. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adx6925

TY - JOUR

T1 - The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa

AU - Dennis, T. P. W.

AU - Sulieman, J. E.

AU - Nouredayem, M.

AU - Ashine, T.

AU - Ebstie, Y.

AU - Eyasu, A.

AU - Simma, E. A.

AU - Zemene, E.

AU - Negash, N.

AU - Yigeremu, A.

AU - Assefa, M.

AU - Elzack, H.

AU - Dagne, A.

AU - Lukas, B.

AU - Bulto, M. G.

AU - Fontaine, M. C.

AU - Talignani, L.

AU - Enayati, A.

AU - Nikpoor, F.

AU - Al-Nazawi, A. M.

AU - Al-Zahrani, M. H.

AU - Khaireh, B. A.

AU - Guelleh, S.

AU - Abdi, A. A.

AU - Allan, R.

AU - Omondi, S.

AU - Abong'o, B.

AU - Milanoi, S.

AU - Ochomo, E.

AU - Ahmed, A.

AU - Samake, J. N.

AU - Gimnig, J. E.

AU - Rafferty, C.

AU - Ashraf, F.

AU - Pignatelli, P.

AU - Morris, M.

AU - Nagi, S. C.

AU - Lucas, E. R.

AU - Hernandez-Koutoucheva, A.

AU - Clarkson, C. S.

AU - Doumbe-Belisse, P.

AU - Epstein, A.

AU - Brown, R.

AU - Wilson, A. L.

AU - Reynolds, A. M.

AU - Sherrard-Smith, E.

AU - Yewhalaw, D.

AU - Gadisa, E.

AU - Malik, E.

AU - Kafy, H. T.

AU - Donnelly, M. J.

AU - Weetman, D.

PY - 2026/6/25

Y1 - 2026/6/25

N2 - The invasive urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi threatens 126 million city-dwellers in Africa. Controling An. stephensi requires greater understanding of its origin, invasion dynamics, and insecticide resistance mechanisms. Analysis of 645 whole genomes sampled across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia supports an invasion scenario in which an initial introduction South Asian introduction established a bridgehead population in Djibouti, which seeded distinct invasion fronts in Sudan, Ethiopia-Kenya, and Yemen. These incursions show contrasting rates and routes of spread shaped by landscape topology. Insecticide resistance is predominantly mediated by metabolic detoxification genes, with resistance haplotypes and copy-number amplifications introduced from South Asia. These findings, alongside a companion genomic resource, enable genomic surveillance of An. stephensi spread and resistance to aid control strategies.

AB - The invasive urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi threatens 126 million city-dwellers in Africa. Controling An. stephensi requires greater understanding of its origin, invasion dynamics, and insecticide resistance mechanisms. Analysis of 645 whole genomes sampled across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia supports an invasion scenario in which an initial introduction South Asian introduction established a bridgehead population in Djibouti, which seeded distinct invasion fronts in Sudan, Ethiopia-Kenya, and Yemen. These incursions show contrasting rates and routes of spread shaped by landscape topology. Insecticide resistance is predominantly mediated by metabolic detoxification genes, with resistance haplotypes and copy-number amplifications introduced from South Asia. These findings, alongside a companion genomic resource, enable genomic surveillance of An. stephensi spread and resistance to aid control strategies.

U2 - 10.1126/science.adx6925

DO - 10.1126/science.adx6925

M3 - Article

SN - 1095-9203

VL - 393

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6807

M1 - eadx6925

ER -

The origin, history, and resistance architecture of an invasive urban malaria mosquito in Africa

Abstract

UN SDGs

Themes

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