Impact of combining Indoor Residual Spraying and Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets on Anopheles arabiensis in Ethiopia: Preliminary findings of a randomized controlled trial
Oljira Kenea, Meshesha Balkew, Habte Tekie, Teshome Gebre-Michael, Wakgari Deressa, Eskindir Loha, Hans J. Overgaard, Bernt Lindtjørn
Abstract
The current malaria vector control interventions, indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) have been used in combination in sub-Saharan Africa with inconclusive evidence that the combined intervention is more effective than either IRS or LLINs alone. In Ethiopia, both interventions target Anopheles arabiensis, the sole primary malaria vector. This study compared the impact of combining IRS and LLINs with either intervention alone in south-central Ethiopia. Villages were randomly allocated to four study arms: IRS + LLIN, IRS, LLIN, and control. LLINs (PermaNet 2.0) were provided free of charge. IRS with propoxur was applied before the main malaria transmission season in 2014 and 2015. Adult mosquitoes were collected in randomly selected villages in each arm using CDC light trap catch (LTC) set close to a sleeping person, pyrethrum spray catch (PSC), and artificial pit shelter (PIT), for measuring host-seeking density (HSD), indoor resting density (IRD), and outdoor resting density (ORD). Human landing catch (HLC) was performed in selected villages to monitor An. arabiensis biting behaviors. Mean densities were compared using incidence rate ratio (IRR) calculated by negative binomial regression. A total of 1786 female anophelines of four species was collected of which An. arabiensis (n=574) was highest in the control arm (51.4%) followed by LLIN (31.5%), IRS (9.2%), and IRS+LLIN (7.9%). The mean HSD of An. arabiensis in the IRS+LLIN arm was similar to either the IRS arm (0.03 vs. 0.03/ house/LTC/night) or the LLIN arm (0.03 vs. 0.10/house/LTC/night, p=0.07) and so was the difference in IRD and ORD between the IRS and LLIN compared to the IRS arm. However, both IRD and ORD were higher in LLIN compared to IRS+LLIN (p < 0.001 for indoors). In all study arms, An. arabiensis was actively biting indoors and outdoors throughout the night with an early night biting peak before the local people retire to bed. IRS+LLIN compared to IRS had equal powerful impact on resting density of An. arabiensis, but LLIN had the least impact.