Abstract
BackgroundIndoor spraying of insecticides and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets are key strategies for national malaria vector control in the central highlands of Madagascar. During the year 2013, malaria outbreaks were reported by the National Malaria Control Programme in the highlands, including the district of Ankazobe.MethodsEntomological trapping was carried out in April and May 2013 and in March 2014, using human landing catches, collection of mosquitoes resting in stables and in houses by oral aspirators, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention light traps. Detection of Plasmodium in mosquitoes was carried out on head and thorax of anopheline females by ELISA, CSP and PCR (Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium vivax, or Plasmodium ovale). Human biting rate (HBR), sporozoite index and entomological infection rate (EIR) were calculated for Anopheles funestus, Anopheles arabiensis,Anopheles mascarensis, and Anopheles coustani.ResultsIn Ankazobe district, the presence of malaria vectors such as An. funestus, An. arabiensis and An. mascarensis was confirmed, and a new and abundant potential vector, An. coustani was detected. Indeed, one individual of An. funestus and two An. coustani were detected positive with P. falciparum while one An. mascarensis and four An. coustani were positive with P. vivax. For An. coustani, in March 2014, the EIR varied from 0.01 infectious bites/person/month (ipm) outdoors to 0.11 ipm indoors. For An. funestus, in April 2013, the EIR was 0.13 ipm. The highest HBR value was observed for An. coustani, 86.13 ipm outdoors. The highest sporozoite rate was also for An. coustani, 9.5 % of An. coustani caught in stable was sporozoite positive.ConclusionThe implication of An. coustani in malaria transmission was not previously mentioned in Madagascar. Its very high abundance and the detection of Plasmodium coupled with an opportunistic feeding behaviour in villages with malaria cases supports its role in malaria transmission in Madagascar.
Highlights
Indoor spraying of insecticides and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets are key strategies for national malaria vector control in the central highlands of Madagascar
The abandonment of indoor residual spraying (IRS) in 1979, the discontent with health structures with a slow erosion of health facilities combined with the absence of drug stock and medical staff absenteeism led to a malaria outbreak in 1986 [2,3,4,5]
In April 2013, human landing catches (HLC), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention simple light traps (CDC LT), collection of mosquitoes resting indoors (MRI) and collection of mosquito resting in stables by oral aspirator were carried out
Summary
Indoor spraying of insecticides and the use of insecticide-treated bed nets are key strategies for national malaria vector control in the central highlands of Madagascar. During the year 2013, malaria outbreaks were reported by the National Malaria Control Programme in the highlands, including the district of Ankazobe. In Central Highlands of Madagascar (CHM), an intensive campaign to eliminate malaria begun in 1949 by applying indoor residual spraying (IRS) with DDT [1]. Anopheles mascarensis, Anopheles gambiae s.s., Anopheles arabiensis, and Anopheles merus were considered primary vectors of malaria in Madagascar [6,7,8,9]. Anopheles funestus was considered the major vector of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in the CHM and An. arabiensis a secondary vector. Its re-invasion was mentioned in CHM in 1986 [2,3,4,5]; malaria outbreaks
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