The Impact of Insecticide-treated Bed Nets on Parity and Malaria Sporozoite Infectivity of Anopheles Species in Kamuli District, Uganda

Background:Themainobjectiveoftreatingbednetswithinsecticidesistoaffectthemeanlongevityofthemainvectorpopulation,andconsequentlythevectordensityandsporozoiterates.Objective:Thisstudyaimedatestablishingtheimpactofinsecticide-treatedbednets(ITNs)onthelongevityandabilitytotransmitmalariasporozoitesbythevectorspeciesasanassessmentofeffectivenessoftheITNinterventioninKamulidistrict,Uganda.Methods:Indoorhuman-bitingmosquitoesweretrappedinthreerandomlyselectedhousesintwoseparatenightsusingbattery-operatedCDClighttrapsinbothintervention(withITNs)andnon-interventionvillages(withoutITNs).Thefemaleanophelinesweredissectedandtheirparityrates andPlasmodiumfalciparumsporozoitepositivitycomparedbetweenthetwozones.AsporozoiteEnzyme-LinkedImmunoSorbentAssay,ELISA,wasusedtodetectthepresenceofP.falciparumsporozoitesintheparousvectorsinbothzones.TheparityandP.falciparumsporozoiteinfectivitywerecomparedbetweenthetwozonesusingtheKruskal-WallisranksumtestoftheR-Statisticssoftware.Results:Outofthe166Anophelesmosquitoesdissected,37.3%(19outof51)and53.9%(62outof115)wereparousintheinterventionandnon-interventionzones,respectively,indicatingthatparityofthemosquitoeswashigherinthenon-intervention(p=0.005).Infectivityofthevectorsinthenon-interventionexceededthatintheinterventionzone(p=0.032),withactivesporozoitetransmissionobservedbeforeandafterbedtimeinthenon-interventionzone.Conclusion:ResultsshowedthatITNshadimpactedonthesurvivalandconsequentlythedensityoftheoldermalariavectors,andontheirabilitytotransmitPlasmodiumsporozoites.Thiscallsforintensificationofuseofthiseffectivemalariacontrolstrategy,coupledwithbehaviouralchangecommunicationsstrategytopromotecorrectuse,aswellasuseofotherinterventionslikerepellentstoprovideadditionalprotectionespeciallybeforeandafterbedtime

Children as Partners in the Struggle Against AIDS and Care for PWAS

In the majority of PWAs families; children give care and nursing to PWAs yet they lack adequate information on AIDS for prevention. Project: Through counselling; focus group discussions and interviews; a need for education about basic nursing care and HIV/AIDS prevention ofr children was identified. an outreach programme was initiated for HIV/AIDS awareness involving civic and opinion leaders; children and their relatives. Children are educated on basic nursing care and acceptance of parents' death. Cousnelling for PWAs and education for children are given according to need and age group respectively. Results: there is now a remarkable sense of responsibility put in children staying with PWAs evidenced by their curiosity to learn about care; nursing; prevention and IGAs through asking questions or participation with the community health workers. Lessons Learned: If children are empowered they play a vital role in society in the fight against AIDS and care for PWAs particularly as aides to health care workers. Source: Int-Cof-AIDS. 1996. July 7-12; 11(2):392 (abstract no. Th.D. 4896