Field experiments of Anopheles gambiae attraction to local fruits/seedpods and flowering plants in Mali to optimize strategies for malaria vector control in Africa using attractive toxic sugar bait methods

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on recent studies in Israel demonstrating that attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) methods can be used to decimate local anopheline and culicine mosquito populations, an important consideration is whether the same methods can be adapted and improved to attract and kill malaria vectors in Africa. The ATSB approach uses fruit or flower scent as an attractant, sugar solution as a feeding stimulant, and an oral toxin. The ATSB solutions are either sprayed on vegetation or suspended in simple bait stations, and the mosquitoes ingesting the toxic solutions are killed. As such, this approach targets sugar-feeding female and male mosquitoes. This study examines the attractiveness of African malaria vectors to local fruits/seedpods and flowering plants, key biological elements of the ATSB approach for mosquito control.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Three field experiments were conducted at sites in Mali. The attraction of <it>Anopheles gambiae </it>s.l. to 26 different local fruits and seedpods was determined at a site in the semi-arid Bandiagara District of Mali. Wire mesh glue traps with fruits/seedpods suspended on skewers inside were set along a seasonal lagoon. Seven replicates of each fruit/seedpod species were tested, with a water-soaked sponge and a sugar-soaked sponge as controls. The attraction of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. to 26 different types of flowering plants was determined at a site near Mopti in Mali. The flowering plants held in a water-filled buried container were tested using the same glue traps, with controls including water only and sugar solution. Six replicates of each selected plant type were tested on transects between rice paddies. Additional studies using CDC light traps were done to determine the relative densities and periodicity of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. attraction to branches of the most highly attractive flowering plant, branches without flowers, human odor, and candescent light.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 26 fruits and seedpods tested, 6 were attractive to <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. females and males, respectively. Guava (<it>Psidium guajava</it>) and honey melon (<it>Cucumis melo</it>) were the two most attractive fruits for both females and males. Of the 26 flowering plants tested, 9 were significantly attractive for females, and 8 were attractive for males. <it>Acacia macrostachya </it>was the most attractive flowering plant. Periodicity studies using this plant showed peaks of <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. attraction between 1930 and 2200 h and 0400-0500 h, which differed considerably from the response to human odors, which expectedly peaked at around midnight.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These field experiments in Mali highlight that female and male <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. have pronounced differences in attraction for diverse types of indigenous fruits/seedpods and flowering plants. The identification of attractive fruits and seedpods shows that a variety of indigenous and locally abundant natural products could potentially be used as juices to make ATSB solution for mosquito control. As well, the simple methods used to identify the most attractive flowering plants provide valuable insights into the natural history of sugar feeding for <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. These observations can be used to guide future strategies for employing ATSB methods for malaria vector control in Africa. They also provide a basis for subsequent chemical analysis and development of attractive baits for mosquito control.</p

Ethnopharmacological survey of six medicinal plants from Mali, West-Africa

An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information about the use of six medicinal plants in the regions around Siby and Dioila, Mali. The plants investigated were Biopyhtum petersianum, Cola cordifolia, Combretum molle, Opilia celtidifolia, Parkia biglobosa and Ximenia americana

Evaluation of antimycobacterial activity of medicinal plants used by Malian traditional medicine practitioners to treat tuberculosis

Global Tuberculosis (TB) control is facing major challenges such as occurrence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR). The current TB drugs are getting less effective and associated with side effects limiting their use, especially with MDR and XDR infected patients. In Mali, many medicinal plants are used against various diseases including bacterial infections. The study aimed at studying the antimycobacterial activities of 60 extracts from 22 Malian medicinal. The antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was assessed employing micro-broth dilution method. Out of 60 extracts evaluated, eleven from nine different plants were found to be active against H37Rv strain. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranked from 125 μg/mL to 1250 μg/mL. The most active extracts (125 μg/mL) were represented by ethanolic extract of Saba senegalensis and Vitellaria paradoxa leaves, dichloromethane extract of Cola cordifolia leaves, Strychnos spinosa and Ximenia Americana roots. Ethanolic extract of Zizyphus mauritiana, Guiera senegalensis and methanolic extract of Anthocleista djalonensis also prevented the growth of H37Rv at 250 μg/mL. The results suggest that Saba senegalensis, Vitellaria paradoxa, Cola cordifolia, Strychnos spinosa and Ximenia Americana could be potential sources of antimycobacterial molecule

Successful field trial of attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) plant-spraying methods against malaria vectors in the Anopheles gambiae complex in Mali, West Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on highly successful demonstrations in Israel that attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) methods can decimate local populations of mosquitoes, this study determined the effectiveness of ATSB methods for malaria vector control in the semi-arid Bandiagara District of Mali, West Africa.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Control and treatment sites, selected along a road that connects villages, contained man-made ponds that were the primary larval habitats of <it>Anopheles gambiae </it>and <it>Anopheles arabiensis</it>. Guava and honey melons, two local fruits shown to be attractive to <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l., were used to prepare solutions of Attractive Sugar Bait (ASB) and ATSB that additionally contained boric acid as an oral insecticide. Both included a color dye marker to facilitate determination of mosquitoes feeding on the solutions. The trial was conducted over a 38-day period, using CDC light traps to monitor mosquito populations. On day 8, ASB solution in the control site and ATSB solution in the treatment site were sprayed using a hand-pump on patches of vegetation. Samples of female mosquitoes were age-graded to determine the impact of ATSB treatment on vector longevity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immediately after spraying ATSB in the treatment site, the relative abundance of female and male <it>An. gambiae </it>s.l. declined about 90% from pre-treatment levels and remained low. In the treatment site, most females remaining after ATSB treatment had not completed a single gonotrophic cycle, and only 6% had completed three or more gonotrophic cycles compared with 37% pre-treatment. In the control site sprayed with ASB (without toxin), the proportion of females completing three or more gonotrophic cycles increased from 28.5% pre-treatment to 47.5% post-treatment. In the control site, detection of dye marker in over half of the females and males provided direct evidence that the mosquitoes were feeding on the sprayed solutions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study in Mali shows that even a single application of ATSB can substantially decrease malaria vector population densities and longevity. It is likely that ATSB methods can be used as a new powerful tool for the control of malaria vectors, particularly since this approach is highly effective for mosquito control, technologically simple, inexpensive, and environmentally safe.</p

MALI (2009): Mutilations genitales feminines, Etude TRaC Evaluation de l'intention de ne pas exciser sa fille chez les personnes agees de 15 a 49 ans a Bamako Deuxieme Passage

Cette enquete est le deuxieme passage de la serie d'etudes TRaC sur l'evaluation de l'intention de ne pas exciser sa fille chez les personnes agees de 15-49 ans ayant au moins une fille non excisee. Ce rapport presente les resultat entre 2007 et 2009. Les objectifs de ces etudes sont de determiner les tendances et les niveaux de l'intention de ne pas exciser sa fille, celui des facteurs d'opportunite, de capacite, et de motivation et l'impact des activites de communication du programme. Cette etude a ete realisee aupres d'un echantillon representatif de 1541 personnes. Un questionnaire standardise de PSI a ete utilise pour collecter les donnees par la methode d'entrevue face a face

Mali (2009) : Etude TRaC-M Evaluation des campagnes de masse a Bamako

L'objectif general de cette etude est de fournir des informations relatives a la portee, la frequence, l'intensite et la duree de l'exposition des personnes de 15-49 ans aux campagnes de communication en faveaur de la prevention du VIH/SIDA et de la non stigmatisation/discrimination des personnes vivantes avec le VIH. A l'instar do projet MAP, l'enquete TRaC-M utilise la technique LQAS pour determiner la taille de l'echantillon. Cette enquete, menee au niveau de Bamako, selectionne au hasard 19 personnes par chacune des 6 communes de Bamako (en total 114 personnes) pour etre interviewees sur des questions relatives a l'exposition a la campagne de communication de masse pour le changement de comportement

Mali (2010): Mesure de la couverture et de la qualite de couverture du Preservatif masculin Protector PLUS, du produit de traitement a domicile de l'eau Aquatabs et de la Methode de Planification Familiale Collier du Cycle dans les milieux urbain et rural des 5 regions du Mali et la ville de Bamako 1er PASSAGE

Les principaux objectifs de PSI-Mali a l'enquete de 2010 ont ete de determiner la couverture et la qualite de la couverture de chacun des produits de marketing social (le preservatif masculin Protector Plus, le produit de traitement de l'eau Aquatabs et la methodes de planification familiale Collier du Cycle) et la penetration du marche de ces produits dans les villages ou sections d'enumeration. L'etude MAP permet aux programmes de faire une evaluation de la disponibilite des produits selon des criteres pre-definis pour la couverture et la qualite de la couverture. Les etudes MAP utilisent la technique de l'Echantillonage pour l'Assurance de la Qualite par Lot (LQAS) pour tirer un echantillon aleatoire de 19 villages/quartiers de ville dans chacune des zones concernees par l'etude

Mali (2012) Evaluation rapide sur la possession et l'utilisation de la moustiquaire de longue duree apres la campagne de distribution dans les regions de Sikasso, Segou et Mopti

La presente etude s'est deroulee dans les regions de Sikasso, Segou, et de Mopti. L'enquete utilise un sondage aleatoire simple pour evaluer la possession et l'utilisation de la moustiquaire impregnee d'insecticide de longue duree d'action (MILD), ainsi que l'exposition et la retention et la retention des messages diffuses pendant la campagne. L'etude a couvert la zone ou les MILDS ont ete distribuees. Au sein de cette zone, pour chacune des trois regions, un echantillon a ete reparti entre le milieu urbain et le milieu rural. L'outil de collecte des donnees a ete un questionnaire qui couvre les caracteristiques de la population cible,la possession et utilisation des moustiquaires, l'exposition a la campagne, et les connaissances du paludisme et de la moustiquaires

Mali (2012): Etude TRaC sur la perception des prestataires sur le DIU et le Misoprostol au Mali

Cette etude est un enquete longitudinale avec uniquement les prestataires du reseau ProFam et ceux des structures affiliees a PSI/Mali (des centres de sante communitaires, ou CSCOM). Elle a deux objectifs. L'un est de mesurer les niveaux de connaissances, attitudes, et pratiques des prestataires en matiere de DIU et de misoprostol pour les soins apres avortement. L'autre est de determiner les differences de ces indicateurs en faisant une comparaison entre secteur prive et secteur public. La population concernee par cette etude est les prestataires des deux secteurs qui font l'insertion de DIU a Bamako et dans les villes de Kayes, Sikasso, Koutiala et Segou. Au total 139 structures de sante constituent l'echantillon: 64 du reseau ProFam et 75 CSCOM). Les donnees ont ete collectees en utilisant l'observation et des interviews

MALI (2013): Etude TRaC sur l'intention de ne pas exciser sa fille chez les personnes agees de 15-56 ans dans la region de Koulikoro au Mali (Premier passage)

Pour l'evaluation d'un campagne de communication contre les mutilations genitales feminines (MGF), PSI/Mali a conduit une etude TRaC durant la deuxieme quinzaine du mois de septembre 2013. L'objectif general de cette etude etait d'apporter des informations chiffrees sur le niveau de l'intention de ne pas exciser sa fille, ainsi que de ses principaux determinants chez la population cible. La population de cette etude est constituee de 487 hommes ages de 15-56 ans et de 1092femmes agees de 15-49 ans ayant au moins une fille non excisee agee de moins de 15 ans dans leur menage vivant dans la zone du projet dans la region de Koulikoro. Au sein des menage selectionnes, toutes les femmes et un sur deux des hommes ont ete interroges