Malaria vectors on Buka and Bougainville Islands, Papua New Guinea.

Anophelines were sampled from 82 locations on Buka and Bougainville islands in Papua New Guinea by larval collections, carbon dioxide-baited mosquito traps, and human biting catches. Anopheles farauti s.s. was collected in larval surveys but infrequently in mosquito traps on both islands; on Buka Island this species was readily collected in human biting catches. Anopheles farauti 2 was commonly collected in larval surveys on both islands; however, it was not collected in either mosquito traps or human biting catches. Anopheles punctulatus was found only on Buka Island, where it was commonly collected as larvae, but rarely in human biting catches and mosquito traps. Anopheles lungae was collected as larvae from only 1 site on Bougainville. Anopheles farauti s.s. fed consistently throughout the night (1900-0600 h); small peaks at midnight and dawn were not statistically significant. Of 1,156 An. farauti s.s. specimens examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for malaria sporozoites, 20 were found to be positive; 12 were positive for Plasmodium falciparum and 8 were positive for P. vivax (247 variant = 5; 210 variant = 3). Anopheles farauti s.s. seems to be the major malaria vector on these islands, whereas An. punctulatus may play a minor role on Buka Island. Anophele jarauti 2 is unlikely to be involved in malaria transmission on Buka or Bougainville islands.