Efficacy of Two Dual Active Ingredient Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets for Control of Malaria Transmitted by Pyrethroid Resistant Vectors in Benin

Background: The massive scale-up of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) has led to a major reduction in malaria burden (up to 50%) in many sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This progress is threatened by the wide scale selection of insecticide resistant malaria vectors.

Study site: The study will be conducted in the districts of Cove, Zagnanado and Ouinhi, a collection of three districts found in the Zou department in Benin. This area consists of 100 villages with approximately 40,000 households and a population size of 191,000.

The aim of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of 2 novel dual active Ingredient (AI) LLINs in a community randomized controlled trial on epidemiology outcomes. The trial will take place over 2 years in an area where malaria vectors are resistant to pyrethroid insecticide in Benin, West Africa. Update- the trial is now continuing for a third year.

The primary objective is to assess the efficacy of next generation LLIN on malaria case incidence in children aged 6 months to 10 years, compared to standard LLINs. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the efficacy of the 2 bi-treated LLIN as compared to standard LLIN on a) malaria infection prevalence in children aged 6 months to 10 years; b) prevalence of moderate and severe anaemia in children under 5 years old and c) entomological inoculation rate (EIR) (as a proxy for malaria transmission). In addition, we will compare potential insecticide resistance selection, between the 3 trial arms and evaluate the impact of the new types of LLIN on other entomological outcomes (species composition, blood feeding, resting/feeding behaviour and sterility (oocyte [egg] development).

Study design: Three-arm superiority, single blinded, cluster-randomized trial with village as the unit of randomisation. The arms consist of; 1/ Royal Guard, a net combining pyriproxyfen (PPF), which is known to disrupt female reproduction and egg fertility, and the pyrethroid alpha-cypermethrin, 2/Interceptor G2, a mixture LLIN incorporating two adulticides with different modes of action; chlorfenapyr and a pyrethroid (alpha-cypermethrin), and 3/ The control arm: Standard LLIN Interceptor is an alpha-cypermethrin only LLIN.