Research Sites

Surveys, interviews and sampling were conducted at two coastal villages (Megiar and Mirap) and two inland villages (Bulal and Wasab) in the Mugil district on the north coast of PNG. The inland villages have a wider diversity of vector species, while the coastal villages are dominated by Anopheles farauti. The district has shown consistently high and steady rates of malaria transmission over time. Control efforts have become increasingly successful in the area, although prevalence of some Plasmodium species has been more effectively reduced than others.

Two villages on the east coast (Lossuk and Luburua) and on the west coast (Lavolai and Lamusmus) were sampled in this district. Lossuk and Luburua are positioned on the beaches and extend a few kilometres into patches of sago swamps, while Lavolai and Lamusmus are further inland from the beaches. The east coast villages also have rivers and streams running either through them or along the edges. Transmission rates and origin in this area remain uncertain but some evidence shows that certain population groups, such as teenage girls, are more susceptible to infection. The prevalence of malaria has dropped from more than 80% to 25% between two original distribution studies in the district (last in 2013).