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Matharu AK, Ouma P, Njoroge MM, Amugune BL, Hyuga A, Mutebi F, Krücken J, Feldmeier H, Elson L, Fillinger U. Identification of tungiasis infection hotspots with a low-cost, high-throughput method for extracting Tunga penetrans (Siphonaptera) off-host stages from soil samples-An observational study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011601. [PMID: 38377105 PMCID: PMC10906885 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The sand flea, Tunga penetrans, is the cause of a severely neglected parasitic skin disease (tungiasis) in the tropics and has received little attention from entomologists to understand its transmission ecology. Like all fleas, T. penetrans has environmental off-host stages presenting a constant source of reinfection. We adapted the Berlese-Tullgren funnel method using heat from light bulbs to extract off-host stages from soil samples to identify the major development sites within rural households in Kenya and Uganda. METHODS AND FINDINGS Simple, low-cost units of multiple funnels were designed to allow the extraction of >60 soil samples in parallel. We calibrated the method by investigating the impact of different bulb wattage and extraction time on resulting abundance and quality of off-host stages. A cross-sectional field survey was conducted in 49 tungiasis affected households. A total of 238 soil samples from indoor and outdoor living spaces were collected and extracted. Associations between environmental factors, household member infection status and the presence and abundance of off-host stages in the soil samples were explored using generalized models. The impact of heat (bulb wattage) and time (hours) on the efficiency of extraction was demonstrated and, through a stepwise approach, standard operating conditions defined that consistently resulted in the recovery of 75% (95% CI 63-85%) of all present off-host stages from any given soil sample. To extract off-host stages alive, potentially for consecutive laboratory bioassays, a low wattage (15-25 W) and short extraction time (4 h) will be required. The odds of finding off-host stages in indoor samples were 3.7-fold higher than in outdoor samples (95% CI 1.8-7.7). For every one larva outdoors, four (95% CI 1.3-12.7) larvae were found indoors. We collected 67% of all off-host specimen from indoor sleeping locations and the presence of off-host stages in these locations was strongly associated with an infected person sleeping in the room (OR 10.5 95% CI 3.6-28.4). CONCLUSION The indoor sleeping areas are the transmission hotspots for tungiasis in rural homes in Kenya and Uganda and can be targeted for disease control and prevention measures. The soil extraction methods can be used as a simple tool for monitoring direct impact of such interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abneel K. Matharu
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Paul Ouma
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Margaret M. Njoroge
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Billy L. Amugune
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ayako Hyuga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Francis Mutebi
- Makerere University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hermann Feldmeier
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lynne Elson
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research (Coast), Kilifi, Kenya
- University of Oxford, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Human Health Theme, Nairobi, Kenya
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Fillinger U, Denz A, Njoroge MM, Tambwe MM, Takken W, van Loon JJA, Moore SJ, Saddler A, Chitnis N, Hiscox A. A randomized, double-blind placebo-control study assessing the protective efficacy of an odour-based 'push-pull' malaria vector control strategy in reducing human-vector contact. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11197. [PMID: 37433881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38463-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel malaria vector control strategies targeting the odour-orientation of mosquitoes during host-seeking, such as 'attract-and-kill' or 'push-and-pull', have been suggested as complementary tools to indoor residual spraying and long-lasting insecticidal nets. These would be particularly beneficial if they can target vectors in the peri-domestic space where people are unprotected by traditional interventions. A randomized double-blind placebo-control study was implemented in western Kenya to evaluate: a 'push' intervention (spatial repellent) using transfluthrin-treated fabric strips positioned at open eave gaps of houses; a 'pull' intervention placing an odour-baited mosquito trap at a 5 m distance from a house; the combined 'push-pull' package; and the control where houses contained all elements but without active ingredients. Treatments were rotated through 12 houses in a randomized-block design. Outdoor biting was estimated using human landing catches, and indoor mosquito densities using light-traps. None of the interventions provided any protection from outdoor biting malaria vectors. The 'push' reduced indoor vector densities dominated by Anopheles funestus by around two thirds. The 'pull' device did not add any benefit. In the light of the high Anopheles arabiensis biting densities outdoors in the study location, the search for efficient outdoor protection and effective pull components needs to continue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Fillinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), Human Health Theme, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya.
| | - Adrian Denz
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Margaret M Njoroge
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), Human Health Theme, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mohamed M Tambwe
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU), Department of Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joop J A van Loon
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah J Moore
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU), Department of Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
- The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tengeru, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Adam Saddler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
- Vector Control Product Testing Unit (VCPTU), Department of Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 74, Bagamoyo, Tanzania
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
| | - Nakul Chitnis
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstrasse 2, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Hiscox
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Arctech Innovation Ltd., The Cube, Londoneast-Uk Business and Technical Park, Yew Tree Avenue, Dagenham, RM10 7FN, UK
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Denz A, Njoroge MM, Tambwe MM, Champagne C, Okumu F, van Loon JJA, Hiscox A, Saddler A, Fillinger U, Moore SJ, Chitnis N. Predicting the impact of outdoor vector control interventions on malaria transmission intensity from semi-field studies. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:64. [PMID: 33472661 PMCID: PMC7819244 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04560-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Semi-field experiments with human landing catch (HLC) measure as the outcome are an important step in the development of novel vector control interventions against outdoor transmission of malaria since they provide good estimates of personal protection. However, it is often infeasible to determine whether the reduction in HLC counts is due to mosquito mortality or repellency, especially considering that spatial repellents based on volatile pyrethroids might induce both. Due to the vastly different impact of repellency and mortality on transmission, the community-level impact of spatial repellents can not be estimated from such semi-field experiments. METHODS We present a new stochastic model that is able to estimate for any product inhibiting outdoor biting, its repelling effect versus its killing and disarming (preventing host-seeking until the next night) effects, based only on time-stratified HLC data from controlled semi-field experiments. For parameter inference, a Bayesian hierarchical model is used to account for nightly variation of semi-field experimental conditions. We estimate the impact of the products on the vectorial capacity of the given Anopheles species using an existing mathematical model. With this methodology, we analysed data from recent semi-field studies in Kenya and Tanzania on the impact of transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons, the odour-baited Suna trap and their combination (push-pull system) on HLC of Anopheles arabiensis in the peridomestic area. RESULTS Complementing previous analyses of personal protection, we found that the transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons act mainly by killing or disarming mosquitoes. Depending on the actual ratio of disarming versus killing, the vectorial capacity of An. arabiensis is reduced by 41 to 96% at 70% coverage with the transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons and by 38 to 82% at the same coverage with the push-pull system, under the assumption of a similar impact on biting indoors compared to outdoors. CONCLUSIONS The results of this analysis of semi-field data suggest that transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons are a promising tool against malaria transmission by An. arabiensis in the peridomestic area, since they provide both personal and community protection. Our modelling framework can estimate the community-level impact of any tool intervening during the mosquito host-seeking state using data from only semi-field experiments with time-stratified HLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Denz
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Margaret M Njoroge
- Human Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mgeni M Tambwe
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Clara Champagne
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fredros Okumu
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Joop J A van Loon
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra Hiscox
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- ARCTEC, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, WC1E 7HT, London, UK
| | - Adam Saddler
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Ulrike Fillinger
- Human Health Theme, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sarah J Moore
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
- Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Department, Ifakara Health Institute, P.O. Box 53, Ifakara, Tanzania
| | - Nakul Chitnis
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051, Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Petersplatz 1, Basel, Switzerland
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Njoroge MM, Irungu Mwangi V, Owalla TJ, Ozwara H, Egwang TG. Mice Pups Breastfed by Foster Mothers Whose Breast Milk Contains Plasmodium falciparum Recombinant SE36 Antigen Develop Specific Antibodies. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 104:993-995. [PMID: 33377448 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Intranasal instillation of SE36, a malaria vaccine candidate antigen, in lactating BALB/c female mice resulted in the appearance of the antigen in breast milk as demonstrated by sandwich ELISA and Western blot. Pups born of immunologically naive mice and breastfed on lactating foster mothers exposed intranasally to SE36 developed IgG anti-SE36 antibodies. These data demonstrate that maternal immunization in mice by this route in lactating mothers can result in active immunization of offspring via ingestion of breast milk containing antigen. If confirmed in a nonhuman primate model and in human subjects, this strategy might be transformative for vaccination against malaria and other infant killer infectious diseases.
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