Anopheles gambiae s.s. resistance to pyrethroids and DDT in semi-urban and rural areas of the Moyen-Ogooué Province, Gabon.

BACKGROUND: Pyrethroids are the main insecticides used in vector control for malaria. However, their extensive use in the impregnation of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying has led to the development of resistance, threatening its success as a tool for malaria control. Baseline data prior to large scale distribution of LLINs are important for the implementation of efficient strategies. However, no data on the susceptibility of malaria vectors is available in the Moyen-Ogooué Province in Gabon. The aim of this study was to assess the susceptibility to pyrethroids and organochlorides of malaria vectors from a semi-urban and rural areas of the province and to determine the frequency of insecticide resistance genes. METHODS: Larvae were collected from breeding sites in Lambaréné and Zilé and reared to adults. Three to five-day old female Anopheles gambiae sensu lato mosquitoes were used in cone tube assays following the WHO susceptibility tests protocol for adult mosquitoes. A subsample was molecularly identified using the SINE200 protocol and the frequency of Vgsc-1014 F and - 1014 S mutations were determined. RESULTS: Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.) was the sole species present in both Lambaréné and Zilé. Mosquito populations from the two areas were resistant to pyrethroids and organochlorides. Resistance was more pronounced for permethrin and DDT with mortality lower than 7% for both insecticides in the two study areas. Mosquitoes were statistically more resistant (P < 0.0001) to deltamethrin in Lambaréné (51%) compared to Zilé (76%). All the mosquitoes tested were heterozygous or homozygous for the knockdown resistance (Kdr) mutations Vgsc-L1014F and Vgsc-L1014S with a higher proportion of Vgsc-L1014F homozygous in Lambaréné (76.7%) compared to Zilé (57.1%). CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence of widespread resistance to pyrethroids in An. gambiae s.s., the main malaria vector in the Moyen-Ogooué Province. Further investigation of the mechanisms underlining the resistance of An. gambiae s.s. to pyrethroids is needed to implement appropriate insecticide resistance management strategies.

Distribution of Aedes mosquito species along the rural-urban gradient in Lambaréné and its surrounding.

BACKGROUND: Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti are known for their potential as vectors of dengue (DENV) and chikungunya (CHIKV) viruses. However, entomological surveys are mostly carried out during epidemics. In Gabon where outbreaks of both viruses have occurred, there is no vector control program targeting these arboviruses. Therefore, we assessed the presence of Aedes species along a rural-urban gradient in Lambaréné (Gabon) and its surroundings and determined ecological factors associated to their presence. METHODS: An entomological survey was conducted in Lambaréné and its surrounding rural areas. Mosquitoes were collected with aspirators around human dwellings, and ecological and environmental data were collected from each study area. Morphological identification keys were used to identify Aedes species. RNA was extracted from pools of female mosquitoes and amplified by RT-qPCR to detect the presence of DENV and CHIKV. RESULTS: Overall, the most common vector collected was Aedes albopictus (97%, 4236/4367 specimens), followed by Aedes aegypti (3%, 131/4367). Albopictus vectors was more abundant in the rural area (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Z = 627, P = 0.043) than in the urban area. In the urban area, a higher number of mosquitoes (45%) were recorded in the economic zone (zone 3) than in the historical and administrative zones (zone 1 and 2). In the rural area, the proportions of species numbers were significantly higher along the south rural transect (92%) compared to the north rural transect (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Z = 43, P ˂ 0.016). We also noted a high abundance of vectors in environments characterized by monocultures of Hevea brasiliensis (Hevea) and Manihot esculenta (cassava) (Kruskal-Wallis H-test, H = 25.7, df = 2, P < 0.001). Finally, no mosquito pools were positive for either DENV or CHIKV. CONCLUSION: Aedes albopictus was the dominant vector across the study sites due to its high invasiveness capacity. This presence re-affirms the potential for local transmission of both DENV and CHIKV, as indicated previously by serological surveys conducted in our study area, even though no transmission was detected during the current study. These findings underscore the need for regular arbovirus surveillance in the study region, with the aim of supporting vector control efforts in the event of outbreaks.

Assessment of malaria transmission intensity and insecticide resistance mechanisms in three rural areas of the Moyen Ogooué Province of Gabon.

BACKGROUND: Vector control is considered to be the most successful component of malaria prevention programs and a major contributor to the reduction of malaria incidence over the last two decades. However, the success of this strategy is threatened by the development of resistance to insecticides and behavioural adaptations of vectors. The aim of this study was to monitor malaria transmission and the distribution of insecticide resistance genes in Anopheles populations from three rural areas of the Moyen Ogooué Province of Gabon. METHODS: Anopheles spp. were collected using human landing catches in Bindo, Nombakélé and Zilé, three villages located in the surroundings of Lambaréné, during both the rainy and dry seasons. Mosquitoes were identified morphologically, and DNA was extracted from heads and thoraces. Members of the Anopheles gambiae complex were identified by molecular methods using the PCR SINE200 protocol and by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer 2 region. Taqman assays were used to determine Plasmodium infection and the presence of resistance alleles. RESULTS: Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (97.7%), An. moucheti (1.7%) and An. coustani (0.6%) were the three groups of species collected. Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (98.5%) and An. coluzzii (1.5%) were the only species of the An. gambiae complex present in the collection. Of the 1235 Anopheles collected, 1193 were collected during the rainy season; these exhibited an exophagic behaviour, and consistently more mosquitoes were collected outdoor than indoor in the three study areas. Of the 1166 Anopheles screened, 26 (2.2%) were infected with Plasmodium species, specifically Plasmodium falciparum (66.7%), P. malariae (15.4%), P. ovale curtisi (11.5%) and P. ovale wallikeri (3.8%). Malaria transmission intensity was high in Zilé, with an average annual entomological inoculation rate (aEIR) of 243 infective bites per year, while aEIRs in Bindo and Nombakélé were 80.2 and 17 infective bites per year, respectively. Both the L1014F and L1014S mutations were present at frequencies > 95% but no Ace1G119S mutation was found. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that malaria transmission intensity is heterogeneous in these three rural areas of Moyen Ogooué Province, with areas of high transmission, such as Zilé. The exophagic behaviour of the mosquitoes as well as the high frequency of resistance mutations are serious challenges that need to be addressed by the deployment of control measures adapted to the local setting.