Urban malaria vector bionomics and human sleeping behavior in three cities in Senegal

Area of Science:

• Medical Entomology
• Public Health
• Tropical Medicine

Background:

• Malaria is a significant public health concern in Senegal, with increasing incidence in urban and peri-urban areas.
• Seasonal malaria transmission necessitates understanding local dynamics for effective control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze urban landscape and human behavior in Senegal to identify drivers of increasing malaria incidence.
• To assess mosquito vector bionomics and human sleeping habits for targeted vector control interventions.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal entomological monitoring (human landing catches, pyrethrum spray catches) in Diourbel, Kaolack, and Touba (May-December 2019).
• Household surveys assessing housing, sleeping behavior, and malaria knowledge.

Main Results:

• Anopheles arabiensis was the predominant malaria vector (99% of An. gambiae s.l.).
• Higher outdoor human biting rates (15.9 b/p/n) compared to indoor rates (12.5 b/p/n).
• 24.3% of surveyed individuals slept outdoors, despite awareness of malaria transmission and prevention.

Conclusions:

• Anopheles arabiensis exhibits outdoor biting behavior, increasing risk for those sleeping outdoors.
• Existing vector control measures targeting indoor-biting mosquitoes leave gaps in population protection.
• Complementary strategies are needed to address outdoor-biting malaria vectors in urban Senegal.