Operational Evaluation of Mass Screening and Treatment Using Ultrasensitive Rapid Detection Tests to Reduce P. Falciparum Incidence in a Malaria Elimination Program in Eastern Kayin State, Myanmar

In this project, the investigators aim at an operational research deployment of Ultrasensitive Rapid Diagnostic Test (URDT) -based Mass Screening and Treatment (MSAT) in the Malaria Elimination Task Force (METF) elimination program. This intervention will be tested in two types of setting. In group 1, MSAT will be used in a programmatic setting in order to decrease the reservoir of asymptomatic carriers in high incidence villages (following the same principles and objective as previously deployed MDA interventions). In group 2, the investigators take advantage of the lighter framework of MSAT to use it as a reactive intervention in order to respond to malaria outbreaks in low to intermediate incidence villages. The MSAT intervention will be preceded with community-level consent and community engagement (CE) activities. MSAT will be conducted over a period of approximately 1 week in each hamlet, village or group of villages, and will consist in administering a P. falciparum URDT to all individuals agreeing to participate. A limited subgroup (expected 5-25%) will be found positive and receive supervised treatment over 3 days for the standard regimen (DP to cure asexual stage infection + single low-dose primaquine to destroy gametocytes). After this intervention, the incidence of clinical falciparum episodes will be monitored by the village MP. In group 1, a comparison of the prevalence at baseline and 12 months after MSAT intervention will be performed through a second URDT survey, in addition to which both baseline and 12-month surveys will include the collection of a 200µL capillary blood sample for reference detection in the laboratory.

The intervention will be evaluated primarily on its ability to reduce yearly cumulative incidence of clinical falciparum malaria compared to year before intervention. Additional evaluations of the impact of MSAT will include: in group 1, comparison of asymptomatic infection prevalence; and in group 2, modifications of the shape of the incidence curve following intervention.

Funder: Wellcome Trust grant reference 106698/B/14/Z