Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020

Introduction Malawi’s malaria burden is primarily assessed via cross-sectional national household surveys. However, malaria is spatially and temporally heterogenous and no analyses have been performed at a subdistrict level throughout the course of a year. The WHO recommends mass distribution of lon...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Audrey E Pettifor, Tisungane Mvalo, Irving Hoffman, Jonathan J Juliano, Varun Goel, Jennifer S Smith, Jessie K Edwards, Michael Emch, Hillary M Topazian, Austin Gumbo, Katerina Brandt, Michael Kayange
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2021-05-01
Series:BMJ Global Health
Online Access:https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/5/e005447.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850209331886161920
author Audrey E Pettifor
Tisungane Mvalo
Irving Hoffman
Jonathan J Juliano
Varun Goel
Jennifer S Smith
Jessie K Edwards
Michael Emch
Hillary M Topazian
Austin Gumbo
Katerina Brandt
Michael Kayange
author_facet Audrey E Pettifor
Tisungane Mvalo
Irving Hoffman
Jonathan J Juliano
Varun Goel
Jennifer S Smith
Jessie K Edwards
Michael Emch
Hillary M Topazian
Austin Gumbo
Katerina Brandt
Michael Kayange
author_sort Audrey E Pettifor
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Malawi’s malaria burden is primarily assessed via cross-sectional national household surveys. However, malaria is spatially and temporally heterogenous and no analyses have been performed at a subdistrict level throughout the course of a year. The WHO recommends mass distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs) every 3 years, but a national longitudinal evaluation has never been conducted in Malawi to determine LLIN effectiveness lifespans.Methods Using District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) health facility data, available from January 2018 to June 2020, we assessed malaria risk before and after a mass distribution campaign, stratifying by age group and comparing risk differences (RDs) by LLIN type or annual application of indoor residual spraying (IRS).Results 711 health facilities contributed 20 962 facility reports over 30 months. After national distribution of 10.7 million LLINs and IRS in limited settings, malaria risk decreased from 25.6 to 16.7 cases per 100 people from 2018 to 2019 high transmission seasons, and rebounded to 23.2 in 2020, resulting in significant RDs of −8.9 in 2019 and −2.4 in 2020 as compared with 2018. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-treated LLINs were more effective than pyrethroid-treated LLINs, with adjusted RDs of −2.3 (95% CI −2.7 to −1.9) and −1.5 (95% CI −2.0 to −1.0) comparing 2019 and 2020 high transmission seasons to 2018. Use of IRS sustained protection with adjusted RDs of −1.4 (95% CI −2.0 to −0.9) and −2.8% (95% CI −3.5 to −2.2) relative to pyrethroid-treated LLINs. Overall, 12 of 28 districts (42.9%) experienced increases in malaria risk in from 2018 to 2020.Conclusion LLINs in Malawi have a limited effectiveness lifespan and IRS and PBO-treated LLINs perform better than pyrethroid-treated LLINs, perhaps due to net repurposing and insecticide-resistance. DHIS2 provides a compelling framework in which to examine localised malaria trends and evaluate ongoing interventions.
format Article
id doaj-art-8a5e203530d44859937a56c18e9da610
institution OA Journals
issn 2059-7908
language English
publishDate 2021-05-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Global Health
spelling doaj-art-8a5e203530d44859937a56c18e9da6102025-08-20T02:10:02ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082021-05-016510.1136/bmjgh-2021-005447Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020Audrey E Pettifor0Tisungane Mvalo1Irving Hoffman2Jonathan J Juliano3Varun Goel4Jennifer S Smith5Jessie K Edwards6Michael Emch7Hillary M Topazian8Austin Gumbo9Katerina Brandt10Michael Kayange11Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USADepartment of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USAPediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USADivision of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USADepartment of Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USAUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USADepartment of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USADepartment of Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USADepartment of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USANational Malaria Control Programme, Malawi Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, MalawiDepartment of Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Graduate School, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USANational Malaria Control Programme, Malawi Ministry of Health, Lilongwe, MalawiIntroduction Malawi’s malaria burden is primarily assessed via cross-sectional national household surveys. However, malaria is spatially and temporally heterogenous and no analyses have been performed at a subdistrict level throughout the course of a year. The WHO recommends mass distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs) every 3 years, but a national longitudinal evaluation has never been conducted in Malawi to determine LLIN effectiveness lifespans.Methods Using District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) health facility data, available from January 2018 to June 2020, we assessed malaria risk before and after a mass distribution campaign, stratifying by age group and comparing risk differences (RDs) by LLIN type or annual application of indoor residual spraying (IRS).Results 711 health facilities contributed 20 962 facility reports over 30 months. After national distribution of 10.7 million LLINs and IRS in limited settings, malaria risk decreased from 25.6 to 16.7 cases per 100 people from 2018 to 2019 high transmission seasons, and rebounded to 23.2 in 2020, resulting in significant RDs of −8.9 in 2019 and −2.4 in 2020 as compared with 2018. Piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-treated LLINs were more effective than pyrethroid-treated LLINs, with adjusted RDs of −2.3 (95% CI −2.7 to −1.9) and −1.5 (95% CI −2.0 to −1.0) comparing 2019 and 2020 high transmission seasons to 2018. Use of IRS sustained protection with adjusted RDs of −1.4 (95% CI −2.0 to −0.9) and −2.8% (95% CI −3.5 to −2.2) relative to pyrethroid-treated LLINs. Overall, 12 of 28 districts (42.9%) experienced increases in malaria risk in from 2018 to 2020.Conclusion LLINs in Malawi have a limited effectiveness lifespan and IRS and PBO-treated LLINs perform better than pyrethroid-treated LLINs, perhaps due to net repurposing and insecticide-resistance. DHIS2 provides a compelling framework in which to examine localised malaria trends and evaluate ongoing interventions.https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/5/e005447.full
spellingShingle Audrey E Pettifor
Tisungane Mvalo
Irving Hoffman
Jonathan J Juliano
Varun Goel
Jennifer S Smith
Jessie K Edwards
Michael Emch
Hillary M Topazian
Austin Gumbo
Katerina Brandt
Michael Kayange
Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020
BMJ Global Health
title Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020
title_full Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020
title_fullStr Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020
title_short Effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in Malawi, 2018–2020
title_sort effectiveness of a national mass distribution campaign of long lasting insecticide treated nets and indoor residual spraying on clinical malaria in malawi 2018 2020
url https://gh.bmj.com/content/6/5/e005447.full
work_keys_str_mv AT audreyepettifor effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT tisunganemvalo effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT irvinghoffman effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT jonathanjjuliano effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT varungoel effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT jenniferssmith effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT jessiekedwards effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT michaelemch effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT hillarymtopazian effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT austingumbo effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT katerinabrandt effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020
AT michaelkayange effectivenessofanationalmassdistributioncampaignoflonglastinginsecticidetreatednetsandindoorresidualsprayingonclinicalmalariainmalawi20182020