Efficacy of attractive targeted sugar bait stations against malaria in Western Province Zambia: epidemiological findings from a two-arm cluster randomized phase III trial.

Background: Attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) stations containing bait (to attract) and ingestion toxicant (to kill) sugar-foraging mosquitoes are hypothesized to reduce malaria transmission by shortening the lifespan of Anopheles vectors.

Methods: A two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) was conducted in Western Province Zambia. Seventy clusters of 250-350 households were assigned (1:1) by restricted randomization to an intervention arm (ATSB) or control arm (no ATSB) in the context of standard of care vector control (insecticide-treated nets and/or indoor residual spraying).

Why does malaria transmission continue at high levels despite universal vector control? Quantifying persistent malaria transmission by Anopheles funestus in Western Province, Zambia.

Background: Some settings continue to experience a high malaria burden despite scale-up of malaria vector control to high levels of coverage. Characterisation of persistent malaria transmission in the presence of standard control measures, also termed residual malaria transmission, to understand where and when individuals are exposed to vector biting is critical to inform refinement of prevention and control strategies.

Methods: Secondary analysis was performed using data collected during a phase III cluster randomized trial of attractive targeted sugar bait stations in Western Province, Zambia.

Evaluating trends in damage to attractive targeted sugar baits (ATSBs) deployed during the second year of a two-year Phase III trial in Western Zambia.

Background: Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) are a proposed new vector control tool for malaria that contain sugar and an ingestion toxicant, and are designed to attract and kill sugar-feeding mosquitoes. During a two-arm cluster randomized Phase III trial conducted in Zambia to test the efficacy of ATSB stations on malaria incidence, ATSB stations deployed on eligible household structures within intervention clusters were routinely monitored to ensure their good physical condition and high coverage. This study investigates trends in prevalence and rate of damage to ATSB stations during year 2 of the two-year trial.

Community acceptance of a novel malaria intervention, Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits, in the Zambia phase III trial.

Background: Community acceptance is an important criterion to assess in community trials, particularly for new tools that require high coverage and use by a target population. Installed on exterior walls of household structures, the attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) is a new vector control tool designed to attract and kill mosquitoes. ATSBs were evaluated in Western Zambia during a two-year cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of ATSBs in reducing malaria transmission.

Entomological effects of attractive targeted sugar bait station deployment in Western Zambia: vector surveillance findings from a two-arm cluster randomized phase III trial.

Background: Attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) stations are a novel tool with potential to complement current approaches to malaria vector control. To assess the public health value of ATSB station deployment in areas of high coverage with standard vector control, a two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) of Sarabi ATSB® stations (Westham Ltd., Hod-Hasharon, Israel) was conducted in Western Province, Zambia, a high-burden location were Anopheles funestus is the dominant vector.

Deployment of attractive targeted sugar baits in western Zambia: installation, monitoring, removal, and disposal procedures during a Phase III cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) offer a complementary vector control strategy to interventions targeting blood feeding or larval control by attacking the sugar feeding behaviour of adult mosquitoes using an attract-and-kill approach. Western Zambia was the first location to receive and deploy ATSB Sarabi version 1.2 stations in a Phase III cluster randomized controlled trial.

Residual bioefficacy of attractive targeted sugar bait stations targeting malaria vectors during seasonal deployment in Western Province of Zambia.

Background: The primary vector control interventions in Zambia are long-lasting insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying. Challenges with these interventions include insecticide resistance and the outdoor biting and resting behaviours of many Anopheles mosquitoes. Therefore, new vector control tools targeting additional mosquito behaviours are needed to interrupt transmission.

Characteristics of the Western Province, Zambia, trial site for evaluation of attractive targeted sugar baits for malaria vector control.

Background: The attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) is a novel malaria vector control tool designed to attract and kill mosquitoes using a sugar-based bait, laced with oral toxicant. Western Province, Zambia, was one of three countries selected for a series of phase III cluster randomized controlled trials of the Westham ATSB Sarabi version 1.2.

Feeding rates of malaria vectors from a prototype attractive sugar bait station in Western Province, Zambia: results of an entomological validation study.

Background: Attractive targeted sugar bait (ATSB) stations are a promising new approach to malaria vector control that could compliment current tools by exploiting the natural sugar feeding behaviors of mosquitoes. Recent proof of concept work with a prototype ATSB Sarabi Bait Station (Westham Co., Hod-Hasharon, Israel) has demonstrated high feeding rates and significant reductions in vector density, human biting rate, and overall entomological inoculation rate for Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.

Strengthening health policy development and management systems in low- and middle- income countries: South Africa's approach.

The development and management of health policies, strategies and guidelines (collectively, policies) in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are often ad hoc and fragmented due to resource constraints a variety of other reasons within ministries of health. The ad hoc nature of these policy processes can undermine the quality of health policy analysis, decision-making and ultimately public health program implementation. To identify potential areas for policy system strengthening, we reviewed the literature to identify potential best practices for ministries and departments of health in LMICs regarding the development and management of health policies.