Smallest Anopheles farauti occur during the peak transmission season in the Solomon Islands

Abstract Background Interventions to raise community awareness about malaria prevention and treatment have used various approaches with little evidence on their efficacy. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of loudspeaker announcements regarding malaria care and prevention practices among people living in the malaria endemic villages of Banmauk Township, Sagaing Region, Myanmar. Methods Four villages among the most malaria-burdened areas were randomly selected: two villages were assigned as the intervention group, and two as the control. Prior to the peak transmission season of malaria in June 2018, a baseline questionnaire was administered to 270 participants from randomly selected households in the control and intervention villages. The loudspeaker announcements broadcasted health messages on malaria care and prevention practices regularly at 7:00 pm every other day. The same questionnaire was administered at 6-month post intervention to both groups. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and the t-test were utilized to assess differences between and within groups. Results Participants across the control and intervention groups showed similar socio-economic characteristics; the baseline knowledge, attitude and practice mean scores were not significantly different between the groups. Six months after the intervention, improvements in scores were observed at p-value < 0.001 in both groups, however; the increase was greater among the intervention group. The declining trend of malaria was also noticed during the study period. In addition, more than 75% of people expressed positive opinions of the intervention. Conclusions The loudspeaker intervention was found to be feasible and effective, as shown by the significant improvement in scores related to prevention and care-seeking practices for malaria as well as reduced malaria morbidity. Expanding the intervention to a larger population in this endemic region and evaluating its long-term effectiveness are essential in addition to replicating this in other low-resource malaria endemic regions.

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Anopheles farauti is a homogeneous population that blood feeds early and outdoors in the Solomon Islands

Malaria Journal ◽

10.1186/s12936-016-1194-9 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Tanya L. Russell ◽

Nigel W. Beebe ◽

Hugo Bugoro ◽

Allan Apairamo ◽

Frank H. Collins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solomon Islands ◽

Homogeneous Population ◽

Anopheles Farauti

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Unique fine scale village spatial-temporal distributions of Anopheles farauti differ by physiological state and sex

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-019-3815-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Edgar J. M. Pollard ◽

Tanya L. Russell ◽

Allan Apairamo ◽

Thomas R. Burkot

Keyword(s):

Solomon Island ◽

Solomon Islands ◽

Physiological State ◽

Fine Scale ◽

Peak Activity ◽

Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽

Anopheles Farauti ◽

Mosquito Collection ◽

Human Landing ◽

Gravid Females

Abstract Background The ecology of many mosquitoes, including Anopheles farauti, the dominant malaria vector in the southwest Pacific including the Solomon Islands, remains inadequately understood. Studies to map fine scale vector distributions are biased when trapping techniques use lures that will influence the natural movements of mosquitoes by attracting them to traps. However, passive collection methods allow the detailed natural distributions of vector populations by sex and physiological states to be revealed. Methods The barrier screen, a passive mosquito collection method along with human landing catches were used to record An. farauti distributions over time and space in two Solomon Island villages from May 2016 to July 2017. Results Temporal and spatial distributions of over 15,000 mosquitoes, including males as well as unfed, host seeking, blood-fed, non-blood fed and gravid females were mapped. These spatial and temporal patterns varied by species, sex and physiological state. Sugar-fed An. farauti were mostly collected between 10–20 m away from houses with peak activity from 18:00 to 19:00 h. Male An. farauti were mostly collected greater than 20 m from houses with peak activity from 19:00 to 20:00 h. Conclusions Anopheles farauti subpopulations, as defined by physiological state and sex, are heterogeneously distributed in Solomon Island villages. Understanding the basis for these observed heterogeneities will lead to more accurate surveillance of mosquitoes and will enable spatial targeting of interventions for greater efficiency and effectiveness of vector control.

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