Introduction to Malaria Vector Control

Amhara Public Health Institute

Public Health Emergency Management Directorate

December, 2024
Gondar, Ethiopia
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 Definition of Terms
Vector:

• An organism typically a biting insect that transmits a pathogen disease or parasite from one host to another without
causing disease itself.

Mosquito:

• A mosquito is an insect that bites and feeds on the blood of humans and other animals. While male mosquitoes only

eat nectar, females need blood meals in order to produce viable eggs that will hatch.

Malaria:

• Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the protozoan parasites of the genus

Plasmodium.

• It is a serious public health problem in many parts of the world including Ethiopia.
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 Introduction (1)

• Vector control is a corner stone of malaria control.

• It remains the most effective measure to prevent malaria

transmission.

Objectives of MVC;

• To protect individuals against infective mosquito bites

• To reduce malaria transmission by reducing the longevity,

density and human-vector contact.
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 Introduction (2)

• Vector control methods vary considerably in their

applicability, cost and sustainability of their results.

• They target against the adult mosquito and/or its larvae.

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 Vector Control

Why vector control?

• Reduce malaria incidence (especially in highly vulnerable

populations)

• Curb the spread of malaria in areas where the parasite is

resistant to anti-malarial drugs

• Prevent epidemics

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 Vector Control Methods

 Biological

 Mechanical

 Chemical and

 Environmental

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 Vector Control Measures (1)
1. Reducing human-vector contact
• Insecticide-treated mosquito nets
• Improved housing
• Repellents and mosquito coils
2. Adult mosquito control
• Insecticide-treated mosquito nets
• Indoor residual spraying
• Space spraying
3. Larval control
• Larviciding
• Source reduction
• Larvivorous fish

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 Vector Control Measures…

• All of these measures are not applicable to all of the diverse

malaria epidemiological and operational situations that
can occur.

• The two most powerful and most broadly applied vector control
interventions are LLINs and IRS.

• These interventions work by reducing human-vector contact

and by reducing the lifespan of female Anopheles mosquitos.

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 VC and the life-cycle of mosquito (1)

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 VC and the life-cycle of mosquito (2)

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 Vector Control Terms from Life Cycle
• Zoo prophylaxis:
Is the use of wild or domestic animals, which are not the reservoir host of a given
disease, to divert the blood-seeking malaria vectors from human hosts.
• Animal spray:
Strategies that involve treating livestock with insecticides in areas of zoophagic
mosquitos offer a new approach by which the mosquitos die after feeding on
treated animals.
• Space spraying:
Is the dispersal of a liquid fog of insecticide into an outdoor area to kill adult
insects. It has been regularly used in public health and pest control programmes,
including use as an emergency response to malaria epidemics.

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 Selection of Vector Control Methods

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 What is LSM?

• Larval source Management (LSM) is the management of aquatic habitats

(water bodies) that are potential larval habitats for mosquitoes, in order to
prevent the completion of development of the immature stages.

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 Types of LSM:

• Habitat modification: a permanent alteration to the environment, surface

water drainage, filling

• Habitat manipulation: a recurrent activity, e.g. flushing of streams;

Shading or exposing habitats to the sun depending on the ecology

of the vector
• Larviciding: the regular application of biological or chemical insecticides
to water bodies;

• Biological control: the introduction of natural predators into water

bodies.
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 Where LSM is feasible?

• Is most feasible where breeding places are:

• Limited in number

• Easily recognizable

• Easily accessible

• Manageable size

• The impact could be minimal where:

• Breeding sites are diffused and numerous small and difficult to

identify,
• But to be effective the coverage of breeding sites must be nearly
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 Larval Control (1)
Larval control may be appropriate;
• In areas with relatively few breeding places.
• During very dry periods in endemic areas, when the breeding sites are
very limited, findable and manageable.
• In refugee camps in malaria risk areas, and with low rainfall
• Development areas such as irrigation scheme, construction sites etc.

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 Larval Control (2)

Methods to control larvae include the following:

1. Eliminating or changing the breeding habitat

2. Making the breeding place inaccessible to adult mosquitoes

3. Releasing fish or other predators that feed on larvae

4. Applying chemical & mechanical larvicides

5. Applying bio-larvicides.

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 Larviciding (1)

• Larviciding: is use of chemicals or biological agents to kill

larvae and pupae.

• Larvicides are used in areas where the breeding sites are few,
fixed (water body relatively long-standing duration that persist
during or beyond the rainy season) and findable (3F).

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 Larviciding (2)

Available larvicides are:-

• Surface oils and films, e.g. highly refined oils and

biodegradable alcohol surfactants, that suffocate larvae and
pupae;

e.g., Aquatain.

• Synthetic organic chemicals, e.g. organophosphates that

interfere with the nervous system of immature larval stages

e.g. Temephos/Abate;
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 Larviciding (3)

Available larvicides are:-

• Bacteria, e.g. Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti),

and Bacillus sphaericus (Bs) when ingested by larvae, attack
the gut lining causing cessation of feeding and subsequent
mortality;

• Insect growth regulators, e.g. diflubenzuron, methoprene,

novaluron and pyriproxyfen that prevent emergence of adults
from the pupal stage. 20
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 Reducing Human-Vector contact (Others)
• Personal Protection
Repellents
Protective clothing
• House proofing
House design
House screening
• Diversion to animals
House location
Diversion to animals

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Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs)
• Use of nets is not exactly known when and who started

• Records on the use of nets date back to the 6th century B.C.

• History tells us nets used throughout Asia for centuries

• limited data about household coverage with nets prior to the

introduction of ITNs.

• During the Second World War DDT impregnated bed nets

• Large-scale implementation in 1980s -WHO

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 Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets (LLINs)…

What is an ITNs ?

• An Insecticide Treated Mosquito Net is a mosquito net that

repels, disables and /or kills mosquitoes coming in contact with
insecticide on the netting material

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 When is ITN appropriate?

It is appropriate when:

• Cost effective ??

• Vector is late biting

• Vector is endophagic

• Vector susceptible to the insecticide.

• Ownership Vs use is optimum

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 Recommended Quality of LLINs (WHO)

Must be:

• Durable >3years

• Cost effective

• Treated with insecticide and resist 20 washes

• Acceptable by users

• Suitable for large families.

• Protect against malaria and other vectors

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 Role of ITNs

Advantage of treated nets

• Individual protection

• Household protection

• Community protection

• Protection from nuisance

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 Role of ITNs

Disadvantage of net

• Mosquitoes can enter the

net when torn, hung badly,
not tucked

• Mosquitoes can bite any

part of the body in contact
with net

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 LLINs Distribution Guideline

• Family size
1 to 2 = 1
3 to 4 = 2
5 to 6 = 3
Greater than or equal to 7= 4

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 Distribution strategy

1. Stand-alone LLINs distribution campaigns: /Catch-Up/

• The main method of LLINs -campaign is conducted at Kebele level through
active participation and coordination of health extension workers.

2. Distributing of LLINs through other existing

campaign: /keep-Up/

• Using available campaigns like EPI,

• Distribution of LLINs through emergency response also takes
place when it appears including when communities are affected
by drought and flooding

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 Correct use of the net?
• Some guidance is needed to get the most protection, e.g. how
to hang it, when to use
• The more regularly a net is used the better

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 Repairing of Net

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 Net Priority

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 Key messages

HEWs and HDAs should observe:

• Hang nets appropriately and should be inserted.

• All family members should sleep under LLINs every night

• Please give priority to pregnant women and children <5 years

Children to sleep under LLIN

• Wash your LLIN with ‘regular’ soap and hang (or lay to dry) in the
shade

• Repair Torn nets

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 Indoor Residual Spray(IRS)

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 Indoor Residual Spraying
• Indoor residual spraying (IRS);-

The application of residual insecticides to the inner surfaces of dwellings,

Many vector species of anopheline mosquito tend to rest after taking a blood
meal.

• The main effect of IRS is killing the mosquitoes entering houses and resting on
sprayed surfaces.

• Therefore, IRS is not useful for the control of vectors which tend to rest outdoors.

• May be effective against outdoor biting mosquitoes which enter houses for
resting after feeding.
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 Indoor Residual House Spraying (IRS)
Objectives
• To spray the sprayable surfaces of all individual unit structures in
selected villages
• at the right time,
• with the right insecticide,
• on the right surfaces,
• at the required dosage, and
• at adequate intervals of time
• Shortening lifespan
• Interrupting transmission

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 Indoor Residual House Spraying (IRS)

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 Effectiveness of IRS (1)

IRS is effective when there is

• Implementation of appropriate plan

• Availability of proper equipment

• Trained human resource

• Adequate supervision

• Strong financial support

• Proper transportation

• Strong public acceptance

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 Effectiveness of IRS (2)

• Resting behavior of mosquitoes indoor.

• Toxicity and period of effectiveness of residual insecticide

deposit based on standard.

• Human behavior not challenging.

 like not re-plastering after IRS till 6 month.

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 WHO Recommended IRS Chemicals

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 LARVAL HABITAT

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 LARVAL HABITAT

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 LARVAL HABITAT

LARVAL HABITAT - Irrigation

LARVAL HABITAT - Standing
ditches provide Anopheles
water created by road
breeding
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 LARVAL HABITAT

Water storage pots, breeding site of Roof water breeding site of

An. gambiae An. arabiensis
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 Exercise (1)

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 Exercise (2)

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