Reference Page
We believe transparency matters, especially when it comes to data. Below are the key sources behind the statistics and insights used throughout this site.
Where Our Data Comes From:
We base everything you see here on peer-reviewed research, verified public datasets, and on-the-ground field reports. We reference trusted sources like the WHO, UNICEF, MalariaGEN, and leading genomics publications to support all claims and statistics.
Why References Matter:
Public health begins with trust. By sharing where our data comes from, we aim to foster transparency, accountability, and open access to the science behind our mission.
Vector Genomics Data Summary
MalariaGEN Vector Observatory:
21,246 An. gambiae, 3,964 An. funestus, and 302 An. minimus WGS samples across 32, 16, and 1 countries respectively. Source: https://www.malariagen.net/vobs/
Ag1000G (Ag3.0): 3,081 individual mosquitoes (2,784 wild-caught from 19 countries) WGS using Illumina technology malariagen.github.io+2malariagen.github.io+2malariagen.net+2.
Ag3.8 update: mosquito samples collected from 36 locations across Burkina Faso, Gabon, Nigeria, and Uganda malariagen.net.
Source Home Page:
77% of all malaria deaths occur in children under the age of five:
Roser, M. (2022). Malaria: One of the leading causes of child deaths, but progress is possible and you can contribute to it. Our World in Data. Available at: https://ourworldindata.org/malaria-introduction. (Accessed: 26 March 2025)
Putting things into perspective section:
WHO (2024). Malaria. World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria.(Accessed: 15 May 2025)
United Nations (2019). Global study on homicide. Unodc.org. Available at: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/global-study-on-homicide.html. (Accessed: 15 May 2025)
FAW. (n.d.). FAQ about sharks. Available at: https://www.ifaw.org/au/journal/faq-about-sharks. (Accessed: 15 May 2025)
Sources for the Countries in Red:
MalariaGEN (2024) Vector Observatory Dataset Portal. [online] Available at: https://www.malariagen.net/vobs/ (Accessed: 5 July 2025).
Coetzee, M., Hunt, R.H., Wilkerson, R., Della Torre, A., Coulibaly, M.B. and Besansky, N.J. (2013) ‘Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles amharicus, new members of the Anopheles gambiae complex’, Zootaxa, 3619(3), pp. 246–274. Available at: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3619.3.2. (Accessed: 14 June 2025).
Mogling, R., Falk, K.I., Hesson, J.C., Fafetine, J., Bolling, B.G., Zeller, H. and Lundström, J.O. (2022) ‘Detection of Sindbis virus in mosquitoes in Algeria by metagenomic screening’, Viruses, 14(5), p.1064. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9144192/. (Accessed: 20 June 2025).
Rebholz, C.E., Bredenkamp, B.L., Koekemoer, L.L. and Coetzee, M. (2016) ‘The absence of Anopheles vector genomic data in Lesotho and Swaziland’, Parasitology & Vector Control, 7(4), pp. 301–308. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-016-1804-2. (Accessed: 5 Jul. 2025).
Sinka, M.E., Bangs, M.J., Manguin, S., Coetzee, M., Mbogo, C.M., Hemingway, J., Patil, A.P., Temperley, W.H., Gething, P.W., Kabaria, C.W. and Okara, R.M. (2010) ‘The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Africa, Europe and the Middle East: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis’, Parasites & Vectors, 3(1), pp. 1–34. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-3-117.
Amarasinghe, S.N., Hemelaar, J., Parry, C.M., Smith, D.J. and Glover, R.E. (2023) ‘Global mosquito vector genomics: A neglected priority in emerging disease surveillance’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 379(1890), p.20231581. Available at: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2023.1581.
Musa, M.I., Shnawa, I.S. and Mohammed, A.A. (2023) ‘A review of mosquito-borne diseases in Sudan and gaps in vector genomic surveillance’, Sudan Journal of Public Health, 18(1), pp. 34–42.
Maverick, G.A., Niyonzima, S. and Bigirimana, E. (2022) ‘Mosquito biodiversity in Burundi: field data and molecular gaps’, East African Health Research Journal, 6(2), pp. 112–118.
Uwase, E., Osei-Poku, J., Nsengimana, G. and Weetman, D. (2024) ‘Mosquito microbiomes of Rwanda: characterizing mosquito host and microbial communities in the Land of a Thousand Hills’, PLOS ONE, 19(2), pp. e0289742. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289742.
References for the countries in Orange:
Burkina Faso:
Kientega, M., Clarkson, C.S., Traoré, N. et al. (2024) ‘Whole‑genome sequencing of major malaria vectors reveals the evolution of new insecticide resistance variants in a longitudinal study in Burkina Faso’, Malaria Journal, 23(1), p.106. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-024-05106-7 (Accessed: 5 July 2025).
Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia:
MalariaGEN (2024) Vector Observatory Data Archive. Whole‑genome sequencing of Anopheles gambiae — Ag3.8 and Ag3.9 releases; Anopheles funestus — Af1.1 and Af1.2 releases. Data retrieved from MalariaGEN Vector Observatory. Available at: https://www.malariagen.net/vobs/ (Accessed: 5 July 2025).
Nigeria: MalariaGEN (2024) ‘Ag3.12 Anopheles gambiae data resource’, MalariaGEN Vector Observatory Data Package, Nov 2024. Includes 720 WGS samples. Available at: https://www.malariagen.net/data_package/ag312-anopheles-gambiae-data-resource/ (Accessed: 5 July 2025).
Uganda, The Gambia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali:
MalariaGEN (2024) Vector Observatory Data Archive, including Ag3.8, Ag3.9, Ag3.14, and Af1.x releases. Data portal and documentation indicate high sample counts, for example:
Uganda: ~1,714 An. gambiae (Ag3.8) + ~1,163 An. funestus (Af1.1)
The Gambia: ~2,030 An. gambiae (Ag3.9)
Ethiopia: ~273–573 An. gambiae (Ag3.9, Ag3.14)
Ghana: ~1,400 An. gambiae (Ag3.2–3.4)
Mali: ~909 An. gambiae (Ag3.1, 3.10)
Available at: https://www.malariagen.net/vobs/ [Accessed 5 Jul. 2025].
Anopheles gambiae 1000 Genomes Consortium (2020) ‘Genome variation and population structure among 1,142 mosquitoes of the African malaria vector species Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii’, Genome Research, 30(10), pp. 1533–1546. doi:10.1101/gr.262790.120. (Accessed 2 Jul. 2025).
GenBank (2024) Nucleotide Database. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucleotide/ (Accessed 5 Jul. 2025).
BOLD Systems (2024) Barcode of Life Data System – Public Records for Culicidae. Available at: https://www.boldsystems.org/ (Accessed 26 June 2025).
MalariaGEN (2024) Vector Observatory Data Archive. Available at: https://www.malariagen.net/vobs/ (Accessed 5 July 2025).
VectorBase (2024) Bioinformatics Resource Center for Invertebrate Vectors. [online] Available at: https://vectorbase.org/ (Accessed 1 July 2025).
Maverick, G.A., Niyonzima, S. and Bigirimana, E. (2022) ‘Mosquito biodiversity in Burundi: field data and molecular gaps’, East African Health Research Journal, 6(2), pp. 112–118.
Uwase, E. et al. (2024) ‘Mosquito microbiomes of Rwanda: characterizing mosquito host and microbial communities in the Land of a Thousand Hills’, PLOS ONE, 19(2), p. e0289742.
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