Digitalized mass distribution campaign of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in the particular context of Covid-19 pandemic in Benin: challenges and lessons learned.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, Benin has implemented a digitalized mass distribution campaign of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) in the particular context of COVID-19 pandemic. This paper describes the implementation process as well as the challenges and lessons learned from this campaign. METHODS: A descriptive design was used for reporting the planning and implementation process of ITNs campaign. Moreover, the changes and adaptations related to COVID-19 pandemic are described. RESULTS: A total of 3,175,773 households were registered corresponding to a total of 14,423,998 persons (13.55% more from projection). Moreover, 94.16% (13,581,637 people) of enumerated population were protected. A total of 7,652,166 ITNs were distributed countrywide. CONCLUSIONS: High political commitment, engagement and support add to the financial and technical supports from partners were the essential factors that make 2020 ITNs mass campaign success in Benin despite the particular context of COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to maintain the prevention activities for malaria and this could substantially reduce the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for the populations at malaria risk.

Efficacy of Artemether-Lumefantrine for the Treatment of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in Bohicon and Kandi, Republic of Benin, 2018-2019.

In 2005, artemether-lumefantrine (AL), an artemisinin-based combination therapy, was introduced as the first-line treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Benin. Per World Health Organization recommendations to monitor the efficacy of antimalarial treatment, we conducted a therapeutic efficacy study with AL for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Bohicon and Kandi, Benin, from 2018 to 2019. Febrile patients aged 6 to 59 months with confirmed P. falciparum monoinfection received supervised doses of AL for 3 days. We monitored patients clinically and parasitologically on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. A molecular analysis to detect mutations in the P. falciparum Kelch propeller gene (Pfk13) gene was carried out on day 0 samples. A total of 205 patients were included in the study. In Bohicon, the uncorrected adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) proportion was 91.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 84.6-95.8%), whereas in Kandi this proportion was 96.7% (95% CI: 90.6-99.3%). Genotype-corrected ACPR proportions were 96.3% (95% CI: 90.9-99.0%) and 96.7% (95% CI: 90.6-99.3%) in Bohicon and Kandi, respectively. On day 3, 100% of patients in Bohicon and 98.9% of patients in Kandi had undetectable parasitemia. The C580Y mutation in the Pfk13 gene was not observed. AL remains effective for P. falciparum malaria in these two sites in Benin. Monitoring antimalarial efficacy and prevalence of molecular-resistance markers in Benin should be continued to allow for early detection of antimalarial resistance and to guide treatment policies.

Pre-intervention characteristics of the mosquito species in Benin in preparation for a randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of dual active-ingredient long-lasting insecticidal nets for controlling insecticide-resistant malaria vectors.

BACKGROUND: This study provides detailed characteristics of vector populations in preparation for a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) aiming to compare the community impact of dual active-ingredient (AI) long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) that combine two novel insecticide classes-chlorfenapyr or pyriproxifen-with alpha-cypermethrin to improve the prevention of malaria transmitted by insecticide-resistant vectors compared to standard pyrethroid LLINs. METHODS: The study was carried out in 60 villages across Cove, Zangnanando and Ouinhi districts, southern Benin. Mosquito collections were performed using human landing catches (HLCs). After morphological identification, a sub-sample of Anopheles gambiae s.l. were dissected for parity, analyzed by PCR for species and presence of L1014F kdr mutation and by ELISA-CSP to identify Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite infection. WHO susceptibility tube tests were performed by exposing adult An. gambiae s.l., collected as larvae from each district, to 0.05% alphacypermethrin, 0.75% permethrin, 0.1% bendiocarb and 0.25% pirimiphos-methyl. Synergist assays were also conducted with exposure first to 4% PBO followed by alpha-cypermethrin. RESULTS: An. gambiae s.l. (n = 10807) was the main malaria vector complex found followed by Anopheles funestus s.l. (n = 397) and Anopheles nili (n = 82). An. gambiae s.l. was comprised of An. coluzzii (53.9%) and An. gambiae s.s. (46.1%), both displaying a frequency of the L1014F kdr mutation >80%. Although more than 80% of people slept under standard LLIN, human biting rate (HBR) in An. gambiae s.l. was higher indoors [26.5 bite/person/night (95% CI: 25.2-27.9)] than outdoors [18.5 b/p/n (95% CI: 17.4-19.6)], as were the trends for sporozoite rate (SR) [2.9% (95% CI: 1.7-4.8) vs 1.8% (95% CI: 0.6-3.8)] and entomological inoculation rate (EIR) [21.6 infected bites/person/month (95% CI: 20.4-22.8) vs 5.4 (95% CI: 4.8-6.0)]. Parous rate was 81.6% (95%CI: 75.4-88.4). An. gambiae s.l. was resistant to alpha-cypermethrin and permethrin but, fully susceptible to bendiocarb and pirimiphos-methyl. PBO pre-exposure followed by alpha-cypermethrin treatment induced a higher 24 hours mortality compared to alphacypermethrin alone but not exceeding 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high usage of standard pyrethroid LLINs, the study area is characterized by intense malaria transmission. The main vectors An. coluzzii and An. gambiae s.s. were both highly resistant to pyrethroids and displayed multiple resistance mechanisms, L1014F kdr mutation and mixed function oxidases. These conditions of the study area make it an appropriate site to conduct the trial that aims to assess the effect of novel dual-AI LLINs on malaria transmitted by insecticide-resistant vectors.