Abstract
BACKGROUND: Scale-up of the distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying with insecticides over the last decade have contributed to the considerable decrease of malaria morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to the increasing pyrethroid resistance intensity and the spread of carbamate resistance in Anopheles gambiae (s.s.) mosquitoes and the limited number of insecticides recommended by the WHO for vector control, alternative insecticide formulations for IRS with long-lasting residual activity are required to sustain the gains obtained in most malaria-endemic countries. METHODS: SumiShield 50WG (clothianidin 300 mg ai/m(2)) developed by Sumitomo Chemical was evaluated alongside deltamethrin 25 mg ai/m(2) (K-Othrine 250 WG) against a pyrethroid resistant Anopheles gambiae (s.l.) population in experimental huts in Covè, Benin. Residual activity was also tested in cone bioassays with the susceptible An. gambiae "Kisumu" strain and the local wild resistant population. RESULTS: The results showed very low toxicity from deltamethrin (mortality rates ranged between 1-40%) against host-seeking resistant Anopheles populations. SumiShield in contrast gave an overall mean mortality of 91.7% at the 120 h observation across the eight- month observation period following spraying. The residual activity measured using cone tests was over the 80% WHO threshold for 24 weeks for resistant wild Anopheles population and 32 weeks for the susceptible strain "Kisumu" after the spraying. CONCLUSIONS: SumiShield is a good candidate for IRS in areas of permanent malaria transmission and where Anopheles populations are resistant to other conventional insecticides such as pyrethroids. It would be interesting to complete experimental huts studies by assessing the efficacy and residual effect of SumiShield 50WG at community level (small-scale field testing) in an area where vectors are highly resistant to insecticides.