Research Components

Mali: Reduction of environmental hotspots

Objectives

To reduce malaria vector densities in riverbeds during long dry seasons in Sahel regions which create environmental malaria vector hotspots sustaining malaria transmission during the dry season.

Methodology

The following activities will be conducted along the riverbed on a portion of the Niger River:

  • Mapping of breeding sites 
  • Physical modification/destruction and bio-pesticide control of breeding sites
  • Anopheles swarms destruction (ASD)
  • Analysing insecticide susceptibility profiles of An. gambiae s.l. populations

Implementation

One portion of the Niger River will be used as the test, and the other as control. In both areas, researchers will map and characterize all potential breeding habits. In the test site, destruction of larval habitats, bio-pesticide larviciding and swarm destruction will be performed. Swarms will be identified, mapped and destroyed along the riverside. The individual and combined effects of the technologies on the number of Anopheles breeding sites and larval densities will be recorded.