Insecticide-treated nets provide protection against malaria to children in an area of insecticide resistance in Southern Benin

• Published in: Malaria Journal
• Main Authors: John Bradley, Aurore Ogouyèmi-Hounto, Sylvie Cornélie, Jacob Fassinou, Yolande Sissinto Savi de Tove, Adicath Adéola Adéothy, Filémon T. Tokponnon, Patrick Makoutode, Alioun Adechoubou, Thibaut Legba, Telesphore Houansou, Dorothée Kinde-Gazard, Martin C. Akogbeto, Achille Massougbodji, Tessa Bellamy Knox, Martin Donnelly, Immo Kleinschmidt
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2017
• Subjects: Malaria; Insecticide; Pyrethroid; Resistance; Nets; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-017-1873-1; https://doaj.org/article/60108f970ac646f28fb856a1fbc89484

Abstract Background Malaria control is heavily reliant on insecticides, especially pyrethroids. Resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides may threaten the effectiveness of insecticide-based vector control and lead to a resurgence of malaria in Africa. Methods In 21 villages in Southern Benin with high levels of insecticide resistance, the resistance status of local vectors was measured at the same time as the prevalence of malaria infection in resident children. Results Children who used LLINs had lower levels of malaria infection [odds ratio = 0.76 (95% CI 0.59, 0.98, p = 0.033)]. There was no evidence that the effectiveness of nets was different in high and low resistance locations (p = 0.513). There was no association between village level resistance and village level malaria prevalence (p = 0.999). Conclusions LLINs continue to offer individual protection against malaria infection in an area of high resistance. Insecticide resistance is not a reason to stop efforts to increase coverage of LLINs in Africa.