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  1. Article ; Online: Assessing the population coverage of a health demographic surveillance system using satellite imagery and crowd-sourcing.

    Aurelio Di Pasquale / Robert S McCann / Nicolas Maire

    PLoS ONE, Vol 12, Iss 8, p e

    2017  Volume 0183661

    Abstract: Remotely sensed data can serve as an independent source of information about the location of residential structures in areas under demographic and health surveillance. We report on results obtained combining satellite imagery, imported from Bing, with ... ...

    Abstract Remotely sensed data can serve as an independent source of information about the location of residential structures in areas under demographic and health surveillance. We report on results obtained combining satellite imagery, imported from Bing, with location data routinely collected using the built-in GPS sensors of tablet computers, to assess completeness of population coverage in a Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Malawi. The Majete Malaria Project Health and Demographic Surveillance System, in Malawi, started in 2014 to support a project with the aim of studying the reduction of malaria using an integrated control approach by rolling out insecticide treated nets and improved case management supplemented with house improvement and larval source management. In order to support the monitoring of the trial a Health and Demographic Surveillance System was established in the area that surrounds the Majete Wildlife Reserve (1600 km2), using the OpenHDS data system. We compared house locations obtained using GPS recordings on mobile devices during the demographic surveillance census round with those acquired from satellite imagery. Volunteers were recruited through the crowdcrafting.org platform to identify building structures on the images, which enabled the compilation of a database with coordinates of potential residences. For every building identified on these satellite images by the volunteers (11,046 buildings identified of which 3424 (ca. 30%) were part of the censused area), we calculated the distance to the nearest house enumerated on the ground by fieldworkers during the census round of the HDSS. A random sample of buildings (85 structures) identified on satellite images without a nearby location enrolled in the census were visited by a fieldworker to determine how many were missed during the baseline census survey, if any were missed. The findings from this ground-truthing effort suggest that a high population coverage was achieved in the census survey, however the crowd-sourcing did not locate many of the inhabited structures (52.3% of the 6543 recorded during the census round). We conclude that using auxiliary data can play a useful role in quality assurance in population based health surveillance, but improved algorithms would be needed if crowd-sourced house locations are to be used as the basis of population databases.
    Keywords Medicine ; R ; Science ; Q
    Subject code 310 ; 333
    Language English
    Publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  2. Article ; Online: Community factors affecting participation in larval source management for malaria control in Chikwawa District, Southern Malawi

    Steven Gowelo / Robert S. McCann / Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt / Willem Takken / Henk van den Berg / Lucinda Manda-Taylor

    Malaria Journal, Vol 19, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    2020  Volume 11

    Abstract: Abstract Background To further reduce malaria, larval source management (LSM) is proposed as a complementary strategy to the existing strategies. LSM has potential to control insecticide resistant, outdoor biting and outdoor resting vectors. Concerns ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Background To further reduce malaria, larval source management (LSM) is proposed as a complementary strategy to the existing strategies. LSM has potential to control insecticide resistant, outdoor biting and outdoor resting vectors. Concerns about costs and operational feasibility of implementation of LSM at large scale are among the reasons the strategy is not utilized in many African countries. Involving communities in LSM could increase intervention coverage, reduce costs of implementation and improve sustainability of operations. Community acceptance and participation in community-led LSM depends on a number of factors. These factors were explored under the Majete Malaria Project in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi. Methods Separate focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with members from the general community (n = 3); health animators (HAs) (n = 3); and LSM committee members (n = 3). In-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with community members. Framework analysis was employed to determine the factors contributing to community acceptance and participation in the locally-driven intervention. Results Nine FGDs and 24 IDIs were held, involving 87 members of the community. Widespread knowledge of malaria as a health problem, its mode of transmission, mosquito larval habitats and mosquito control was recorded. High awareness of an association between creation of larval habitats and malaria transmission was reported. Perception of LSM as a tool for malaria control was high. The use of a microbial larvicide as a form of LSM was perceived as both safe and effective. However, actual participation in LSM by the different interviewee groups varied. Labour-intensiveness and time requirements of the LSM activities, lack of financial incentives, and concern about health risks when wading in water bodies contributed to lower participation. Conclusion Community involvement in LSM increased local awareness of malaria as a health problem, its risk factors and control strategies. However, community ...
    Keywords Malaria ; Larval source management ; Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis ; Community ; Malawi ; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ; RC955-962 ; Infectious and parasitic diseases ; RC109-216
    Subject code 390
    Language English
    Publishing date 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  3. Article ; Online: Community-based house improvement for malaria control in southern Malawi

    Tinashe A Tizifa / Steven Gowelo / Alinune N Kabaghe / Robert S McCann / Tumaini Malenga / Richard M Nkhata / Asante Kadama / Yankho Chapeta / Willem Takken / Kamija S Phiri / Michele van Vugt / Henk van den Berg / Lucinda Manda-Taylor

    PLOS Global Public Health, Vol 2, Iss 7, p e

    Stakeholder perceptions, experiences, and acceptability.

    2022  Volume 0000627

    Abstract: House improvement (HI) refers to the full screening or closing of openings such as windows, doors, and eaves, as well as the installation of ceilings, to reduce mosquito-human contact indoors. HI is a viable supplementary intervention that reduces ... ...

    Abstract House improvement (HI) refers to the full screening or closing of openings such as windows, doors, and eaves, as well as the installation of ceilings, to reduce mosquito-human contact indoors. HI is a viable supplementary intervention that reduces malaria transmission further than the existing strategies alone. In Malawi, HI has not been widely implemented and evaluated for malaria control. Concerns about lack of local evidence, durability in different epidemiological and cultural settings, and the cost of large-scale implementation are among the reasons the strategy is not utilised in many low-income countries. This study assessed community perceptions, experiences, and acceptability of community-led HI in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi. This was a qualitative study where separate focus group discussions were conducted with members from the general community (n = 3); health animators (n = 3); and HI committee members (n = 3). In-depth interviews were conducted with community members (n = 20), and key-informant interviews were conducted with health surveillance assistants and chiefs (n = 23). All interviews were transcribed and coded before performing a thematic content analysis to identify the main themes. Coded data were analysed using Nvivo 12 Plus software. Study participants had a thorough understanding of HI. Participants expressed satisfaction with HI, and they reported enabling factors to HI acceptability, such as the reduction in malaria cases in their villages and the safety and effectiveness of HI use. Participants also reported barriers to effective HI implementation, such as the unavailability and inaccessibility of some HI materials, as well as excessive heat and darkness in HI houses compared to non-HI houses. Participants indicated that they were willing to sustain the intervention but expressed the need for strategies to address barriers to ensure the effectiveness of HI. Our results showed the high knowledge and acceptability of HI by participants in the study area. Intensive and continued ...
    Keywords Public aspects of medicine ; RA1-1270
    Subject code 360
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  4. Article ; Online: Hotspots and super-spreaders

    Luigi Sedda / Robert S McCann / Alinune N Kabaghe / Steven Gowelo / Monicah M Mburu / Tinashe A Tizifa / Michael G Chipeta / Henk van den Berg / Willem Takken / Michèle van Vugt / Kamija S Phiri / Russell Cain / Julie-Anne A Tangena / Christopher M Jones

    PLoS Pathogens, Vol 18, Iss 7, p e

    Modelling fine-scale malaria parasite transmission using mosquito flight behaviour.

    2022  Volume 1010622

    Abstract: Malaria hotspots have been the focus of public health managers for several years due to the potential elimination gains that can be obtained from targeting them. The identification of hotspots must be accompanied by the description of the overall network ...

    Abstract Malaria hotspots have been the focus of public health managers for several years due to the potential elimination gains that can be obtained from targeting them. The identification of hotspots must be accompanied by the description of the overall network of stable and unstable hotspots of malaria, especially in medium and low transmission settings where malaria elimination is targeted. Targeting hotspots with malaria control interventions has, so far, not produced expected benefits. In this work we have employed a mechanistic-stochastic algorithm to identify clusters of super-spreader houses and their related stable hotspots by accounting for mosquito flight capabilities and the spatial configuration of malaria infections at the house level. Our results show that the number of super-spreading houses and hotspots is dependent on the spatial configuration of the villages. In addition, super-spreaders are also associated to house characteristics such as livestock and family composition. We found that most of the transmission is associated with winds between 6pm and 10pm although later hours are also important. Mixed mosquito flight (downwind and upwind both with random components) were the most likely movements causing the spread of malaria in two out of the three study areas. Finally, our algorithm (named MALSWOTS) provided an estimate of the speed of malaria infection progression from house to house which was around 200-400 meters per day, a figure coherent with mark-release-recapture studies of Anopheles dispersion. Cross validation using an out-of-sample procedure showed accurate identification of hotspots. Our findings provide a significant contribution towards the identification and development of optimal tools for efficient and effective spatio-temporal targeted malaria interventions over potential hotspot areas.
    Keywords Immunologic diseases. Allergy ; RC581-607 ; Biology (General) ; QH301-705.5
    Language English
    Publishing date 2022-07-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  5. Article ; Online: Impact of cattle on the abundance of indoor and outdoor resting malaria vectors in southern Malawi

    Monicah M. Mburu / Kennedy Zembere / Themba Mzilahowa / Anja D. Terlouw / Tumaini Malenga / Henk van den Berg / Willem Takken / Robert S. McCann

    Malaria Journal, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    2021  Volume 11

    Abstract: Abstract Background Understanding the blood feeding preferences and resting habits of malaria vectors is important for assessing and designing effective malaria vector control tools. The presence of livestock, such as cattle, which are used as blood meal ...

    Abstract Abstract Background Understanding the blood feeding preferences and resting habits of malaria vectors is important for assessing and designing effective malaria vector control tools. The presence of livestock, such as cattle, which are used as blood meal hosts by some malaria vectors, may impact malaria parasite transmission dynamics. The presence of livestock may provide sufficient blood meals for the vectors, thereby reducing the frequency of vectors biting humans. Alternatively, the presence of cattle may enhance the availability of blood meals such that infectious mosquitoes may survive longer, thereby increasing the risk of malaria transmission. This study assessed the effect of household-level cattle presence and distribution on the abundance of indoor and outdoor resting malaria vectors. Methods Houses with and without cattle were selected in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi for sampling resting malaria vectors. Prokopack aspirators and clay pots were used for indoor and outdoor sampling, respectively. Each house was sampled over two consecutive days. For houses with cattle nearby, the number of cattle and the distances from the house to where the cattle were corralled the previous night were recorded. All data were analysed using generalized linear models fitted with Poisson distribution. Results The malaria vectors caught resting indoors were Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.), Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestus s.s. Outdoor collections consisted primarily of An. arabiensis. The catch sizes of indoor resting An. gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) were not different in houses with and without cattle (P = 0.34). The presence of cattle near a house was associated with a reduction in the abundance of indoor resting An. funestus s.l. (P = 0.04). This effect was strongest when cattle were kept overnight ≤ 15 m away from the houses (P = 0.03). The blood meal hosts varied across the species. Conclusion These results highlight differences between malaria vector species and their interactions with potential ...
    Keywords Anophelines ; Blood-meal hosts ; Cattle ; Indoors ; Outdoors ; Resting ; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ; RC955-962 ; Infectious and parasitic diseases ; RC109-216
    Subject code 630
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-08-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  6. Article ; Online: Incidence of clinical malaria, acute respiratory illness, and diarrhoea in children in southern Malawi

    Tinashe A. Tizifa / Alinune N. Kabaghe / Robert S. McCann / William Nkhono / Spencer Mtengula / Willem Takken / Kamija S. Phiri / Michele van Vugt

    Malaria Journal, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    a prospective cohort study

    2021  Volume 12

    Abstract: Abstract Background Malaria, acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and diarrhoea are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years old. Estimates of the malaria incidence are available from a previous study conducted in ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Background Malaria, acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and diarrhoea are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years old. Estimates of the malaria incidence are available from a previous study conducted in southern Malawi in the absence of community-led malaria control strategies; however, the incidence of the other diseases is lacking, owing to understudying and competing disease priorities. Extensive malaria control measures through a community participation strategy were implemented in Chikwawa, southern Malawi from May 2016 to reduce parasite prevalence and incidence. This study assessed the incidence of clinical malaria, ARIs and acute diarrhoea among under-five children in a rural community involved in malaria control through community participation. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted from September 2017 to May 2019 in Chikwawa district, southern Malawi. Children aged 6–48 months were recruited from a series of repeated cross-sectional household surveys. Recruited children were followed up two-monthly for 1 year to record details of any clinic visits to designated health facilities. Incidence of clinical malaria, ARIs and diarrhoea per child-years at risk was estimated, compared between age groups, area of residence and time. Results A total of 274 out of 281 children recruited children had complete results and contributed 235.7 child-years. Malaria incidence was 0.5 (95% CI (0.4, 0.5)) cases per child-years at risk, (0.04 in 6.0–11.9 month-olds, 0.5 in 12.0–23.9 month-olds, 0.6 in 24.0–59.9 month-olds). Incidences of ARIs and diarrhoea were 0.3 (95% CI (0.2, 0.3)), (0.1 in 6.0–11.9 month-olds, 0.4 in 12.0–23.9 month-olds, 0.3 in 24.0–59.9 month-olds), and 0.2 (95% CI (0.2, 0.3)), (0.1 in 6.0–11.9 month-olds, 0.3 in 12.0–23.9 month-olds, 0.2 in 24.0–59.9 month-olds) cases per child-years at risk, respectively. There were temporal variations of malaria and ARI incidence and an overall decrease over time. Conclusion In comparison to previous studies, ...
    Keywords Malaria ; Incidence ; Acute respiratory infections ; Diarrhoea ; Under-five children ; Community engagement ; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ; RC955-962 ; Infectious and parasitic diseases ; RC109-216
    Subject code 610
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-12-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  7. Article ; Online: Cost of community-led larval source management and house improvement for malaria control

    Mphatso Dennis Phiri / Robert S. McCann / Alinune Nathanael Kabaghe / Henk van den Berg / Tumaini Malenga / Steven Gowelo / Tinashe Tizifa / Willem Takken / Michèle van Vugt / Kamija S. Phiri / Dianne J. Terlouw / Eve Worrall

    Malaria Journal, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    a cost analysis within a cluster-randomized trial in a rural district in Malawi

    2021  Volume 17

    Abstract: Abstract Background House improvement (HI) to prevent mosquito house entry, and larval source management (LSM) targeting aquatic mosquito stages to prevent development into adult forms, are promising complementary interventions to current malaria vector ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Background House improvement (HI) to prevent mosquito house entry, and larval source management (LSM) targeting aquatic mosquito stages to prevent development into adult forms, are promising complementary interventions to current malaria vector control strategies. Lack of evidence on costs and cost-effectiveness of community-led implementation of HI and LSM has hindered wide-scale adoption. This study presents an incremental cost analysis of community-led implementation of HI and LSM, in a cluster-randomized, factorial design trial, in addition to standard national malaria control interventions in a rural area (25,000 people), in southern Malawi. Methods In the trial, LSM comprised draining, filling, and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis-based larviciding, while house improvement (henceforth HI) involved closing of eaves and gaps on walls, screening windows/ventilation spaces with wire mesh, and doorway modifications. Communities implemented all interventions. Costs were estimated retrospectively using the ‘ingredients approach’, combining ‘bottom-up’ and ‘top-down approaches’, from the societal perspective. To estimate the cost of independently implementing each intervention arm, resources shared between trial arms (e.g. overheads) were allocated to each consuming arm using proxies developed based on share of resource input quantities consumed. Incremental implementation costs (in 2017 US$) are presented for HI-only, LSM-only and HI + LSM arms. In sensitivity analyses, the effect of varying costs of important inputs on estimated costs was explored. Results The total economic programme costs of community-led HI and LSM implementation was $626,152. Incremental economic implementation costs of HI, LSM and HI + LSM were estimated as $27.04, $25.06 and $33.44, per person per year, respectively. Project staff, transport and labour costs, but not larvicide or screening material, were the major cost drivers across all interventions. Costs were sensitive to changes in staff costs and population covered. ...
    Keywords Malaria ; Cost analysis ; House improvement ; Larval source management ; Community-led ; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ; RC955-962 ; Infectious and parasitic diseases ; RC109-216
    Subject code 306
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-06-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  8. Article ; Online: The role of health animators in malaria control

    Blessings N. Kaunda-Khangamwa / Henk van den Berg / Robert S. McCann / Alinune Kabaghe / Willem Takken / Kamija Phiri / Michele van Vugt / Lucinda Manda-Taylor

    BMC Health Services Research, Vol 19, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    a qualitative study of the health animator (HA) approach within the Majete malaria project (MMP) in Chikwawa District, Malawi

    2019  Volume 16

    Abstract: Abstract Background Malaria continues to place a high burden on communities due to challenges reaching intervention target levels in Chikwawa District, Malawi. The Hunger Project Malawi is using a health animator approach (HA) to address gaps in malaria ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Background Malaria continues to place a high burden on communities due to challenges reaching intervention target levels in Chikwawa District, Malawi. The Hunger Project Malawi is using a health animator approach (HA) to address gaps in malaria control coverage. We explored the influence of community-based volunteers known as health animators (HAs) in malaria control. We assessed the impact of HAs on knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards malaria interventions. Methods This paper draws on the qualitative data collected to explore the roles of communities, HAs and formal health workers attending and not attending malaria workshops for malaria control. Purposive sampling was used to select 78 respondents. We conducted 10 separate focus group discussions (FGDs)-(n = 6) with community members and (n = 4) key informants. Nine in-depth interviews (IDIs) were held with HAs and Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) in three focal areas near Majete Wildlife Reserve. Nvivo 11 was used for coding and analysis. We employed the framework analysis and social capital theory to determine how the intervention influenced health and social outcomes. Results Using education, feedback sessions and advocacy in malaria workshop had mixed outcomes. There was a high awareness of community participation and comprehensive knowledge of the HA approach as key to malaria control. HAs were identified as playing a complementary role in malaria intervention. Community members’ attitudes towards advocacy for better health services were poor. Attendance in malaria workshops was sporadic towards the final year of the intervention. Respondents mentioned positive attitudes and practices on net usage for prevention and prompt health-seeking behaviours. Conclusion The HA approach is a useful strategy for complementing malaria prevention strategies in rural communities and improving practices for health-seeking behaviour. Various factors influence HAs’ motivation, retention, community engagement, and programme sustainability. However, little is known about how these factors interact to influence volunteers’ motivation, community participation and sustainability over time. More research is needed to explore the acceptability of an HA approach and the impact on malaria control in other rural communities in Malawi.
    Keywords Community health workers ; Malaria volunteers ; Malaria workshop meetings ; Malawi ; Social capital theory ; Public aspects of medicine ; RA1-1270
    Subject code 360
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-07-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  9. Article ; Online: Assessment of the Suna trap for sampling mosquitoes indoors and outdoors

    Monicah M. Mburu / Kennedy Zembere / Alexandra Hiscox / Jomo Banda / Kamija S. Phiri / Henk van den Berg / Themba Mzilahowa / Willem Takken / Robert S. McCann

    Malaria Journal, Vol 18, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    2019  Volume 11

    Abstract: Abstract Background Entomological monitoring is important for public health because it provides data on the distribution, abundance and host-seeking behaviour of disease vectors. Various methods for sampling mosquitoes exist, most of which are biased ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Background Entomological monitoring is important for public health because it provides data on the distribution, abundance and host-seeking behaviour of disease vectors. Various methods for sampling mosquitoes exist, most of which are biased towards, or specifically target, certain portions of a mosquito population. This study assessed the Suna trap, an odour-baited trap for sampling host-seeking mosquitoes both indoors and outdoors. Methods Two separate field experiments were conducted in villages in southern Malawi. The efficiency of the Suna trap in sampling mosquitoes was compared to that of the human landing catch (HLC) indoors and outdoors and the Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention Light Trap (CDC-LT) indoors. Potential competition between two Suna traps during simultaneous use of the traps indoors and outdoors was assessed by comparing mosquito catch sizes across three treatments: one trap indoors only; one trap outdoors only; and one trap indoors and one trap outdoors used simultaneously at the same house. Results The efficiency of the Suna trap in sampling female anophelines was similar to that of HLC indoors (P = 0.271) and HLC outdoors (P = 0.125), but lower than that of CDC-LT indoors (P = 0.001). Anopheline catch sizes in the Suna trap used alone indoors were similar to indoor Suna trap catch sizes when another Suna trap was simultaneously present outdoors (P = 0.891). Similarly, catch sizes of female anophelines with the Suna trap outdoors were similar to those that were caught outdoors when another Suna trap was simultaneously present indoors (P = 0.731). Conclusions The efficiency of the Suna trap in sampling mosquitoes was equivalent to that of the HLC. Whereas the CDC-LT was more efficient in collecting female anophelines indoors, the use of this trap outdoors is limited given the requirement of setting it next to an occupied bed net. As demonstrated in this research, outdoor collections are also essential because they provide data on the relative contribution of outdoor biting to malaria transmission. Therefore, the Suna trap could serve as an alternative to the HLC and the CDC-LT, because it does not require the use of humans as natural baits, allows standardised sampling conditions across sampling points, and can be used outdoors. Furthermore, using two Suna traps simultaneously indoors and outdoors does not interfere with the sampling efficiency of either trap, which would save a considerable amount of time, energy, and resources compared to setting the traps indoors and then outdoors in two consecutive nights.
    Keywords Anophelines ; Culicines ; CDC-LT ; HLC ; Suna trap ; Simultaneous use ; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ; RC955-962 ; Infectious and parasitic diseases ; RC109-216
    Subject code 333
    Language English
    Publishing date 2019-02-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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  10. Article ; Online: The effect of community-driven larval source management and house improvement on malaria transmission when added to the standard malaria control strategies in Malawi

    Robert S. McCann / Alinune N. Kabaghe / Paula Moraga / Steven Gowelo / Monicah M. Mburu / Tinashe Tizifa / Michael G. Chipeta / William Nkhono / Aurelio Di Pasquale / Nicolas Maire / Lucinda Manda-Taylor / Themba Mzilahowa / Henk van den Berg / Peter J. Diggle / Dianne J. Terlouw / Willem Takken / Michèle van Vugt / Kamija S. Phiri

    Malaria Journal, Vol 20, Iss 1, Pp 1-

    a cluster-randomized controlled trial

    2021  Volume 16

    Abstract: Abstract Background Current standard interventions are not universally sufficient for malaria elimination. The effects of community-based house improvement (HI) and larval source management (LSM) as supplementary interventions to the Malawi National ... ...

    Abstract Abstract Background Current standard interventions are not universally sufficient for malaria elimination. The effects of community-based house improvement (HI) and larval source management (LSM) as supplementary interventions to the Malawi National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) interventions were assessed in the context of an intensive community engagement programme. Methods The study was a two-by-two factorial, cluster-randomized controlled trial in Malawi. Village clusters were randomly assigned to four arms: a control arm; HI; LSM; and HI + LSM. Malawi NMCP interventions and community engagement were used in all arms. Household-level, cross-sectional surveys were conducted on a rolling, 2-monthly basis to measure parasitological and entomological outcomes over 3 years, beginning with one baseline year. The primary outcome was the entomological inoculation rate (EIR). Secondary outcomes included mosquito density, Plasmodium falciparum prevalence, and haemoglobin levels. All outcomes were assessed based on intention to treat, and comparisons between trial arms were conducted at both cluster and household level. Results Eighteen clusters derived from 53 villages with 4558 households and 20,013 people were randomly assigned to the four trial arms. The mean nightly EIR fell from 0.010 infectious bites per person (95% CI 0.006–0.015) in the baseline year to 0.001 (0.000, 0.003) in the last year of the trial. Over the full trial period, the EIR did not differ between the four trial arms (p = 0.33). Similar results were observed for the other outcomes: mosquito density and P. falciparum prevalence decreased over 3 years of sampling, while haemoglobin levels increased; and there were minimal differences between the trial arms during the trial period. Conclusions In the context of high insecticide-treated bed net use, neither community-based HI, LSM, nor HI + LSM contributed to further reductions in malaria transmission or prevalence beyond the reductions observed over two years across all four trial arms. This was ...
    Keywords Malaria ; Larval source management ; House improvement ; Community engagement ; Cluster randomised trial ; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ; RC955-962 ; Infectious and parasitic diseases ; RC109-216
    Subject code 630
    Language English
    Publishing date 2021-05-01T00:00:00Z
    Publisher BMC
    Document type Article ; Online
    Database BASE - Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (life sciences selection)

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