Vector Surveillance in Malaria Risk Areas in 2025.

OBJECTIVES

Vector surveillance is the cornerstone of malaria prevention and control. This study evaluated malaria vector density and Plasmodium vivax infection among vector mosquitoes in malaria risk areas of the Republic of Korea during 2025.

METHODS

From April to October 2025, mosquitoes were collected from 87 surveillance sites. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, in collaboration with local governments and the Ministry of National Defense, calculated the Trap Index (TI; number of collected individuals/number of traps/collection days). Molecular analyses were performed to detect P. vivax infection in malaria vector mosquitoes.

RESULTS

The cumulative malaria vector TI in 2025 (82.0) decreased by 32.0% compared to 2024, primarily because lower temperatures in April delayed the seasonal peak in vector abundance. The highest proportions of malaria vectors were observed in Gyeonggi Province (36.3%), followed by Gangwon Province (18.8%) and Incheon Metropolitan City (16.9%). Molecular analysis identified four P. vivax-positive mosquito pools, corresponding to a minimum infection rate of 0.19.

CONCLUSIONS

Vector surveillance remains a fundamental component of malaria elimination efforts. These findings provide evidence to support the malaria advisory and warning system and offer valuable data for future vector surveillance and malaria control strategies.