Incrimination of Anopheles aconitus Donitz as a vector of epidemic malaria in Bangladesh.

In 1989-91, post-monsoon epidemics of vivax malaria occurred in the central flood plain near Dhaka. Anopheles philippinensis, the usual vector in the paddy field habitat, was not present, but 1.4% of parous An. aconitus were infective. This is only the second time An. aconitus has been incriminated as a vector in Bangladesh. We speculate that the surprising increase in lowland malaria may have been caused by environmental change that favored the survival of An. aconitus.