The effect of combined use of Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus™ trap and insecticide treated net on human biting rates of Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Culex quinquefasciatus

Abstract

Malaria is the most important public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. There is a pressing need for development and use of alternative control approaches, which will remain effective even with increasing threat of mosquito resistance to chemical control and smaller number of approved chemical insecticides. This study evaluated the effect of combined use of attractant baited Mosquito Magnet Liberty Plus™ (MM) trap and bed nets on human mosquito biting rates under semi-field conditions. Human landing catch done under holed bednets was used to assess the number of biting mosquitoes attracted to human bait. A combination of MM trap and untreated bednet reduced biting rates of Culex quinquefasciatus but not Anopheles gambiae s.s. However, combining an insecticide treated bednet (ITN) and MM trap greatly reduced biting rates of both Cx quinquefasciatus and An. gambiae s.s. Moreover, a treated bednet increased the MM trap catch of both Cx quinquefasciatus and An. gambiae s.s. The present study has shown the potential of a combination of MM trap and ITN in trapping and controlling vectors of malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Synergistic use of attractant baited traps and ITNs displays a ‘push-pull’ phenomenon. The findings indicate that the strategy could be incorporated in an integrated mosquito control approach to maximise the efficiency of mosquito populationreduction methods through the use of appropriately selected methods.