John Dudley
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jjdudley@usf.edu
Click here for images and a PDF of the journal article
EMBARGOED UNTIL TUESDAY, OCT. 28, 2025, AT 9 A.M. ET
Key takeaways:
USF researchers used AI and citizen science to identify what may be the first Anopheles stephensi mosquito ever detected in Madagascar — a species capable of spreading deadly malaria across urban Africa. A single smartphone photo submitted through NASA’s GLOBE Observer app led to the discovery, showing how artificial intelligence and public participation can revolutionize global disease surveillance. The study underscores the growing role of AI in public health, as USF scientists develop next-generation smart traps to detect dangerous mosquitoes in Florida and worldwide. TAMPA, Fla. (Oct. 28, 2025) – Researchers from the University of South Florida have used artificial intelligence and citizen science to identify what may be the first specimen of Anopheles stephensi — an invasive and deadly malaria-carrying mosquito — ever detected in Madagascar. The study, led by USF scientists Ryan Carney and Sriram Chellappan, demonstrates how AI-powered image recognition and public participation can transform global disease surveillance.
Published in Insects, the discovery highlights how the combination of mobile technology and machine learning can fill critical surveillance gaps for vector-borne diseases. The paper’s findings are embargoed until Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 9 a.m. ET and may be shared publicly at that time.
Anopheles stephensi poses a growing threat across Africa because it thrives in urban environments, breeding in artificial containers such as tires and buckets rather than natural puddles like native Anopheles mosquitoes. Its spread could put an additional 126 million people at risk of malaria in Africa alone.
The breakthrough came from a single photo submitted by local residents in Antananarivo through NASA’s GLOBE Observer app. The image, showing a mosquito larva found in a tire, was later analyzed using AI algorithms trained on thousands of authenticated mosquito images. The system identified the larva as Anopheles stephensi with over 99% confidence. Supporting this classification, more than 100 other Anopheles larvae were discovered nearby in similar artificial containers the same day, though not photographed.
While official detection requires genetic testing — no longer possible because these specimens were immediately destroyed — if this species identification is correct, it would represent the first evidence of Anopheles stephensi in Madagascar. That same year, the country experienced a doubling of malaria cases and deaths.
Mosquitoes are the most dangerous animals on the planet, infecting over 700 million people each year with various pathogens. Malaria remains the deadliest, annually killing nearly half a million children under the age of five.
The implications of the research extend far beyond Africa, Carney and Chellappan said, as the need to be vigilant and proactive in the surveillance of malaria vectors is becoming increasingly important domestically. In 2023 the U.S. experienced local outbreaks of malaria for the first time in two decades. Florida had more cases than all other states combined, once again making the state ground zero for mosquito-borne diseases in the continental U.S.
Critically, the study shows that smartphone photos collected by citizens can serve as powerful early-warning data to help fight this rising threat.
"While mosquitoes can be thought of as tiny flying hypodermic needles, only 3% of species are known to transmit diseases to humans," Carney said. "Thanks to citizen science apps, we can crowd-source photos of mosquitoes, and then analyze this imagery using AI, to scale up detection of those disease-spreading needles in the haystack."
Early detection of the An. stephensi mosquito is crucial, but traditional surveillance methods often miss it. To address this, the researchers developed new AI tools that can identify mosquito larvae and adults from smartphone photos — similar to facial recognition technology. The larval algorithms were trained on thousands of authenticated images of Anopheles stephensi and other mosquito species.
The study represents a successful example of cross-campus multidisciplinary collaboration, involving the USF Department of Integrative Biology; Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing; and College of Public Health. The research was supported by National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation grants, and is a follow-up to the team's previous study in Insects that won the journal's 2022 Best Paper Award.
The researchers have now set their sights on developing and deploying hardware inspired by their software: an AI-enabled smart trap for remotely identifying Anopheles stephensi and other disease-spreading mosquitoes in Florida and beyond.
“AI is increasingly being used in many aspects of public health, and mosquito surveillance is an area of significant importance globally, and to Florida,” Chellappan said. “We believe we are pioneering next-generation surveillance systems for public health, geared towards combating mosquito-borne diseases.”
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About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.
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