Evaluation of ONT MinION accuracy in interrogating mosquito pools from surveillance systems
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Vector-borne diseases are responsible for 17% of all infectious diseases and account for over 700 000 deaths annually, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria and Dengue are the deadliest and most prevalent, respectively, of all. Vector surveillance is crucial for monitoring vector control programmes which aim to tackle these diseases. Surveillance provides critical information for decision-making policies, ensuring vector control programmes are and remain effective. The current tests used for mosquito surveillance are often of difficult implementation, with high error and do not consider new circulating vectors and pathogens.
Genomics can overcame this by allowing the study of genetic material, thus informing on population compositions, insecticide resistance origin and behaviour. Its costs and training requirements have hampered its use at a regional levels leading to gaps between policy-making and field/regional program requirements. The direct, portable, USB MinION sequencer from ONT with its low operational costs could change this by allowing routine surveillance studies directly in regional settings.