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Evaluation of personal protection afforded by repellent-treated sandals against mosquito bites in south-eastern Tanzania.
Peter Onyango Sangoro
Ifakara Health Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8289-0171
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This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
The most recent version of this article is available here.
Background Outdoor and early evening mosquito biting needs to be addressed if malaria elimination is to be achieved. While indoor-targeted interventions such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying remain essential, complementary approaches that tackle persisting outdoor transmission are urgently required to maximize the impact. Major malaria vectors principally bite human hosts around the feet and ankles. Consequently, this study investigated whether sandals treated with efficacious spatial repellents can protect against outdoor biting mosquitoes.
Methodology Sandals affixed with hessian bands measuring 48cm 2 treated with 6 ml, 10 ml and 12 ml of transfluthrin were tested in large cage semi-field and full field experiments. Sandals affixed with hessian bands measuring 240cm 2 and treated with 10 ml and 12ml of transfluthrin were also tested semi field experiments. Human landing catches (HLC) were used to assess reduction in biting exposure by comparing proportions of mosquitoes landing on volunteers wearing treated and untreated sandals. Sandals were tested against insectary reared Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes in semi-field experiments and against wild mosquito species in rural Tanzania.
Results In semi-field tests, sandals fitted with hessian bands measuring 48cm 2 and treated with 12 ml, 10ml and 6ml transfluthrin reduced mosquito landings by 45.9%, (95% confidence interval (C.I.) = 28–59%), 61.1% (48%–71%), and 25.9% (9% - 40%) respectively compared to untreated sandals. Sandals fitted with hessian bands measuring 240cm 2 and treated with 12 ml and 10ml transfluthrin reduced mosquito landings by 59% (43 - 71%) and 64% (48 - 74%) respectively. In field experiments, sandals fitted with hessian bands measuring 48cm 2 and treated with 12 ml transfluthrin reduced mosquito landings by 70% (60% - 76%) against Anopheles gambiae s.l and 66.0% (59% - 71%) against all mosquito species combined.
Conclusion Transfluthrin-treated sandals conferred significant protection against mosquito bites in semi-field and field settings. Further evaluation is recommended for this tool as a potential complimentary intervention against malaria. This intervention could be particularly useful for protecting against outdoor exposure to mosquito bites. Additional studies are necessary to optimize treatment techniques and substrates, establish safety profiles and determine epidemiological impact in different settings.
Keywords
Residual malaria transmission, new tools, transfluthrin, transfluthrin treated footwear, vector borne diseases, Ifakara
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This preprint is under consideration at Malaria Journal. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Evaluation of personal protection afforded by repellent-treated sandals against mosquito bites in south-eastern Tanzania.
Peter Onyango Sangoro
Ifakara Health Institute
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8289-0171
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 26 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 25 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 25 Mar, 2020
Version 2
Posted 18 Mar, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor Revision
On 19 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 13 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 12 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 12 Mar, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor Revision
On 04 Mar, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 01 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Feb, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Jan, 2020
Editor assigned
On 22 Jan, 2020
First submitted
On 21 Jan, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 21 Jan, 2020
Editor invited
On 21 Jan, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Infectious Diseases
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
The most recent version of this article is available here.
Background Outdoor and early evening mosquito biting needs to be addressed if malaria elimination is to be achieved. While indoor-targeted interventions such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying remain essential, complementary approaches that tackle persisting outdoor transmission are urgently required to maximize the impact. Major malaria vectors principally bite human hosts around the feet and ankles. Consequently, this study investigated whether sandals treated with efficacious spatial repellents can protect against outdoor biting mosquitoes.
Methodology Sandals affixed with hessian bands measuring 48cm 2 treated with 6 ml, 10 ml and 12 ml of transfluthrin were tested in large cage semi-field and full field experiments. Sandals affixed with hessian bands measuring 240cm 2 and treated with 10 ml and 12ml of transfluthrin were also tested semi field experiments. Human landing catches (HLC) were used to assess reduction in biting exposure by comparing proportions of mosquitoes landing on volunteers wearing treated and untreated sandals. Sandals were tested against insectary reared Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes in semi-field experiments and against wild mosquito species in rural Tanzania.
Results In semi-field tests, sandals fitted with hessian bands measuring 48cm 2 and treated with 12 ml, 10ml and 6ml transfluthrin reduced mosquito landings by 45.9%, (95% confidence interval (C.I.) = 28–59%), 61.1% (48%–71%), and 25.9% (9% - 40%) respectively compared to untreated sandals. Sandals fitted with hessian bands measuring 240cm 2 and treated with 12 ml and 10ml transfluthrin reduced mosquito landings by 59% (43 - 71%) and 64% (48 - 74%) respectively. In field experiments, sandals fitted with hessian bands measuring 48cm 2 and treated with 12 ml transfluthrin reduced mosquito landings by 70% (60% - 76%) against Anopheles gambiae s.l and 66.0% (59% - 71%) against all mosquito species combined.
Conclusion Transfluthrin-treated sandals conferred significant protection against mosquito bites in semi-field and field settings. Further evaluation is recommended for this tool as a potential complimentary intervention against malaria. This intervention could be particularly useful for protecting against outdoor exposure to mosquito bites. Additional studies are necessary to optimize treatment techniques and substrates, establish safety profiles and determine epidemiological impact in different settings.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5