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Dryad

Data from: Decreased bioefficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets and the resurgence of malaria in Papua New Guinea

Data files

Jul 20, 2020 version files 28.72 KB

Abstract

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the highest malaria transmission outside of Africa. Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are believed to have helped to reduce average malaria prevalence in PNG from 15.7% in 2008 to 1% in 2014. Since 2015 malaria indicators in PNG have risen significantly. In the present study, we observed a drastically decreased bioefficacy of unused LLINs with manufacturing dates between 2013 and 2019 collected from villages and LLIN distributors in PNG. Specifically, of the tested n=167 LLINs manufactured between 2013 and 2019 only 16% achieved ≥ 80% 24h-mortality or ≥ 95% 60 min-knockdown in cone bioassays conducted with pyrethroid susceptible Anopheles farauti mosquitoes. In contrast, all (100%, n=25) LLINs with manufacturing dates between 2007 and 2012 achieved ≥ 80% 24h-mortality or ≥ 95% 60 min-knockdown. This difference was extremely statistically significant. We hypothesise that decreased bioefficacy of LLINs has contributed to the malaria resurgence in PNG.