BITE - Bite Interruption Towards Elimination

There has been substantial progress in reducing malaria transmission in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). However progress has stalled with reports of increase in the number of cases, multi-drug resistant malaria and pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes. The risk of infection is greatest among mobile and migrant populations, including forest-goers and forest rangers. Many of the dominant malaria vectors in the region feed and rest outdoors yet there is limited available protection against mosquito biting outdoors for at-risk populations.

To address these pressing challenges, the University of California, San Francisco, Malaria Elimination Initiative in partnership with the University of Notre Dame, IVCC, Swiss TPH and a consortium of project partners proposes to evaluate new vector control tools that aim to reduce human exposure to mosquito bites (i.e. bite prevention) outdoors.

Tools, including insecticide treated clothing, topical repellent, and low cost spatial repellent products for use in different locations within and outside the home will be evaluated initially in semi-field and small scale entomological field studies. Based on their performance in these studies, individually and in combination, they will be integrated into forest packs for evaluation in a cluster-randomised controlled trial in the field. This project will evaluate and quantify the epidemiological and entomological protective efficacy, cost, and acceptability of bite prevention tools compares to the standard of care among forest ranger and forest-going high-risk populations to reduce exposure to Anopheles bites and reduce malaria transmission in Cambodia.

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