Anopheles stephensi as an emerging malaria vector in the Horn of Africa with high susceptibility to Ethiopian Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum isolates

, an efficient Asian malaria vector, recently spread into the Horn of Africa and may increase malaria receptivity in African urban areas. We assessed occurrence, genetic complexity, blood meal source and infection status of in Awash Sebat Kilo town, Ethiopia. We used membrane feeding assays to assess competence of local to and isolates from clinical patients. 75.3% of the examined waterbodies were infested with developmental stages that were genetically closely related to isolates from Djibouti and Pakistan. Both and were detected in wild-caught adult . Local was more receptive to compared to a colony of . We conclude that is an established vector in this part of Ethiopia, highly permissive for local and isolates and presents an important new challenge for malaria control.