Overview
- Published February 10 in Nature Communications, the study combined laboratory mosquito-infection assays with more than 4,000 bird blood samples from Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui and Hawaiʻi Island.
- Avian malaria was detected at 63 of 64 sites statewide, indicating pervasive transmission wherever mosquitoes occur.
- Most native and introduced species can infect southern house mosquitoes, showing the parasite operates as a community-wide generalist rather than relying on a few hosts.
- Mosquitoes became infected even from birds with very low parasite loads, and long-lasting chronic infections likely account for most ongoing transmission.
- Feeding patterns make certain birds disproportionately important, with the introduced House Finch and native Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi identified as key contributors, reinforcing calls for mosquito control alongside captive breeding and habitat restoration.