A5073646818- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Malaria Research and Control
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Parasites and Host Interactions
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect Utilization and Effects
- Vector-borne infectious diseases
- Viral Infections and Vectors
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Dengue and Mosquito Control Research
- Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Child Nutrition and Water Access
- Pesticide Exposure and Toxicity
Ifakara Health Institute
2016-2024
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
2022-2024
University of Basel
2022-2024
Nova Medical (United States)
2024
To accelerate malaria elimination in areas where core interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are already widely used, it is crucial to consider additional factors associated with persistent transmission. Qualitative data on human behaviours and perceptions regarding risk was triangulated quantitative Anopheles mosquito bites occurring indoors outdoors south-eastern Tanzania communities ITNS used but lower level transmission persists. Each night (18:00h-07:00h), trained...
The vapor phase of the volatile pyrethroid transfluthrin incapacitates mosquitoes and prevents them from feeding. Although existing emanator products for delivering pyrethroids protect against outdoor mosquito bites, they are too short-lived to be practical or affordable routine use in low-income settings. New emanators, comprised simply treated hessian fabric strips, have recently proven highly protective outdoor-biting vectors lymphatic filariasis, arboviruses malaria, but their full...
Ongoing epidemiological transitions across Africa are particularly evident in fast-growing towns, such as Ifakara the Kilombero valley, south-eastern Tanzania. This town and its environs (population ~ 70,000) historically experienced moderate to high malaria transmission, mediated mostly by Anopheles gambiae funestus. In early 2000s, transmission [Plasmodium falciparum entomological inoculation rate (PfEIR)] was estimated at 30 infectious bites/person/year (ib/p/yr). study assessed PfEIR...
Epidemiological surveys of malaria currently rely on microscopy, polymerase chain reaction assays (PCR) or rapid diagnostic test kits for Plasmodium infections (RDTs). This study investigated whether mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy coupled with supervised machine learning could constitute an alternative method screening, directly from dried human blood spots.Filter papers containing spots (DBS) were obtained a cross-sectional survey in 12 wards southeastern Tanzania 2018/19. The DBS scanned...
Spatial repellents that create airborne concentrations of an active ingredient (AI) within a space offer scalable solution to further reduce transmission malaria, by disrupting mosquito behaviours in ways ultimately lead reduced human-vector contact. Passive emanator spatial can protect multiple people the treated and last for weeks without need daily user touchpoints, making them less intrusive interventions. They may be particularly advantageous certain use cases where implementation core...
Abstract Background Sugar-feeding behaviour is essential for mosquito survival and reproduction, has been exploited to develop new control strategies, such as the attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSB). This study examined sugar-feeding habits of dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, in semi-field conditions determine optimal timing (age) meals whether availability sources could affect blood-feeding by these mosquitoes. Methods A series paired-choice assays were conducted which mosquitoes allowed...
Many subsistence farmers in rural southeastern Tanzania regularly relocate to distant farms river valleys tend crops for several weeks or months each year. While there, they live makeshift semi-open structures, usually far from organized health systems and where insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) do not provide adequate protection. This study evaluated the potential of a recently developed technology, eave ribbons treated with spatial repellent transfluthrin, protecting migratory rice against...
Insecticide-treated net (ITN) durability is evaluated using longitudinal bioefficacy and fabric integrity sampling post-distribution. Interceptor® G2 was developed for resistance management contains two adulticides: alpha-cypermethrin chlorfenapyr; it a pro-insecticide that metabolized into its active form by mosquito-detoxifying enzymes may be enhanced when the mosquito physiologically active. To elucidate impact of bioassay modality, exposures alphacypermethrin ITN dual adulticide were...
Background Understanding mosquito biting behaviours is important for designing and evaluating protection methods against nuisance mosquito-borne diseases (e.g. dengue, malaria zika). We investigated the preferred sites by Aedes aegypti Anopheles arabiensis on adult volunteers in standing or sleeping positions; estimated theoretical limits affordable from protective clothing repellent-treated footwear. Methods Adult dressed shorts t-shirts were exposed to infection-free laboratory-reared...
Anopheles arabiensis and funestus sensu stricto mosquitoes are major East African malaria vectors. Understanding their dispersal population structure is critical for developing effective control tools. Three mark-release-recapture (MRR) experiments were conducted 51 nights to assess daily survival flight range of An. in south-eastern, Tanzania. Mosquitoes marked with a fluorescent dye as they emerged from breeding sites via self-marking device. collected indoors outdoors using human landing...
As insecticide resistance spreads in Africa, new-generation insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are increasingly being deployed to protect vulnerable populations against malaria. While these provide greater entomological efficacy resistant mosquitoes, their effectiveness malaria transmission also depends on other factors, such as durability, access, usage, and activity patterns of hosts vectors. Here, we quantify the impact two ITNs, namely Interceptor®G2 (chlorfenapyr-pyrethroid) Olyset®Plus...
Controlling mosquito-borne diseases is increasingly challenging due to factors such as outdoor and early biting mosquitoes logistical or behavioral barriers, particularly in displaced populations where the use efficacy of core interventions are inadequate. This study evaluated impact BiteBarrier, a transfluthrin-based spatial emanator, over eight weeks aging against multiple mosquito species semi-field system simulating both indoor settings. We assessed protective using landing rate feeding...
Subsistence rice farmers in south-eastern Tanzania are often migratory, spending weeks or months tending to crops distant fields along the river valleys and living improvised structures known as Shamba huts, not fully protected from mosquitoes. These also experience poor access organized preventive curative services due long distances. Mosquito biting exposure these fields, relative main village residences was assessed, then a portable mosquito-proof hut developed tested for protecting...
Abstract Background Spatial repellents that drive mosquitoes away from treated areas, and odour-baited traps, attract kill mosquitoes, can be combined work synergistically in a push-pull system. Push-pull systems have been shown to reduce house entry outdoor biting rates of malaria vectors so the potential control other such as Aedes aegypti transmit arboviral diseases. In this study, semi-field experiments were conducted evaluate whether system could used bites mosquitoes. Methods The push...
Methods for evaluating efficacy of core malaria interventions in experimental and operational settings are well established but gaps exist spatial repellents (SR). The objective this study was to compare three different techniques: (1) collection blood-fed mosquitoes (feeding), (2) human landing catch (HLC), (3) CDC light trap (CDC-LT) collections measuring the indoor protective (PE) volatile pyrethroid SR product Mosquito Shield™ METHODS: PE against a wild population pyrethroid-resistant...
Adequate nutrition is essential for good health and active life. However, diets in most low middle-income households lack diversity, especially settings where people eat predominantly starchy foods. In this study, we assessed the associations between socio-economic status household dietary diversity families living South-eastern Tanzania. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 925 parents of school children four wards Tanzania, as part a trial; assessing effects physical...
Between 2000 and 2019, more than 1.8 billion long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) were distributed in Africa. While the durability of LLINs is around 3 years, are commonly discarded 2 years post distribution. This study investigated factors associated with decision users to discard LLINs.
N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) topical mosquito repellents are effective personal protection tools. However, DEET-based tend to have low consumer acceptability because they cosmetically unappealing. More attractive formulations needed encourage regular user compliance. This study evaluated the protective efficacy and duration of a new repellent ointment containing 15% DEET, MAÏA
Background The control of vector borne arboviral diseases such as Dengue is mainly achieved by reducing human-vector contact and controlling the vectors through source reduction environmental management. These measures are constrained labour intensity, insecticide resistance pro-active community participation. current study intended to develop test an ivermectin-based attractive-targeted sugar bait (ATSB) against Aedes aegypti. Methods 48hour lethal concentration (LC90) ivermectin Ae....
Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are the most sustainable and effective malaria control tool currently available. Global targets for 80% of population living in endemic areas to have access (own) use a LLIN. However, current LLINs is 56% due system inefficiencies budget limitations. Thus, cost-effective approaches maximize required. This study evaluated whether that had been stored 5 years under manufacturer's recommended conditions may be optimally against Anopheles mosquitoes, inform...
Background While malaria transmission in Africa still happens primarily inside houses, there is a substantial proportion of Anopheles mosquitoes that bite or rest outdoors. This situation may compromise the performance indoor insecticidal interventions such as insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). study investigated distribution biting resting outside dwellings three low-altitude villages south-eastern Tanzania. The likelihood infections outdoors was also assessed. Methods Nightly trapping done...
Abstract Background The current rise of new innovative tools for mosquito control such as the release transgenic mosquitoes carrying a dominant lethal gene and Wolbachia -based strategies necessitates massive production in insectary. However, currently laboratory rearing depends on vertebrate blood egg maintenance. This practice raises, ethical concerns, incurs logistical cost limitations, entails potential risk associated with pathogens transmission storage. Consequently, an artificial...
Abstract Background: "Regeneration time" (RT), denotes the time required to obtain a stable mortality rate for mosquitoes exposed insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) after three consecutive washes of net in day. The RT informs wash interval ITNs used artificially age simulate their lifetime performance under user conditions (20 washes). was estimated following World Health Organization (WHO) longitudinal method (LM) bioassay procedures. However, evaluation may introduce daily heterogeneity due...
Abstract Background “Regeneration time” (RT) denotes the time required to obtain a stable mortality rate for mosquitoes exposed insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) after three consecutive washes of net in day. The RT informs wash interval used artificially age ITNs simulate their lifetime performance under user conditions (20 washes). was estimated following World Health Organization (WHO) longitudinal method (LM) procedures. Longitudinal evaluation may introduce heterogeneity due mosquito batch...