Abstract
ObjectiveIn the framework of EVALMOUS study aiming to assess the use and effectiveness of mosquito nets by pregnant women and other members of their household in a lagoon area in southern Benin, the behaviour of pregnant women relative to the time they go to bed using the net were recorded. Malaria vectors biting rhythm, Plasmodium falciparum infection and insecticide resistance genes in malaria vectors were also determined.ResultsOverall, 3848 females of Anopheles gambiae s. l were collected and 280 pregnant women responded to the survey. Almost all Anopheles gambiae s. l. tested were Anopheles coluzzi Coetzee and Wilkerson 2013 (Diptera: Culicidae). The CSP index in malaria vector was 1.85% and the allelic frequency of kdr gene was 74.4%. Around 90% of bites and Plasmodium falciparum Welch, 1897 (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae) transmission occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., which coincides with the period when more than 80% of pregnant women were under bednet. Despite a slight early evening and early morning biting activity of malaria vectors in the study area, the good use of nets might remain a useful protection tool against mosquito biting and malaria transmission.
Highlights
Since 2000, a significant expansion of financial support and scale‐up of malaria control tools were observed [1]
Human biting rhythm and pregnant women sleeping behaviour Overall, 10,285 mosquitoes were caught of which 334 were Anopheles (Cellia) pharoensis Theobald, 1901 (Diptera: Culicidae) and 3848 were Anopheles gambiae s. l
Data shows that despite a slight early evening and early morning biting activity of malaria vectors, more than 90% of malaria vectors bites and Plasmodium falciparum transmission occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., a period at which over 80% of pregnant women were under bed net in the study area
Summary
Since 2000, a significant expansion of financial support and scale‐up of malaria control tools were observed [1]. Malaria remains a major public health concern in Africa, with an estimated 213 million cases and 3,80,000 deaths in 2018 [2], probably due to resistance in parasite and vectors and changes in vectors behaviour. In many malaria endemic areas including Benin, Long Lasting Insecticidal Treated Nets (LLITNs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) represent the main interventions for malaria vector control [2] as recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO). These indoor insecticide‐ based methods and LLITNs depend on various factors among which vectors behaviour (such as human biting rythm and endo/exophagy), human behaviour (e.g. sleeping behaviour) and insecticide resistance mechanisms in vectors.
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