Impact of two dual active ingredient long-lasting insecticidal nets on pregnancy birth outcomes in Benin.

Background: The WHO recently recommended the widespread use of new classes of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to control malaria, but there is little evidence of their efficacy in pregnant women. This study aimed to assess the impact of two dual active ingredient (AI) LLINs on poor birth outcomes under pragmatic conditions.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted during March-May 2023 in 1644 women of reproductive age who delivered in the 3 y following net distribution.

Heterogeneity of false reactivity profiles of HIV assays while optimizing national HIV testing algorithms: Findings from a multi-country analysis.

This study highlights the importance of verifying HIV testing algorithms to reduce the risk of misdiagnoses caused by common false reactivity. Between 2020 and 2023, WHO supported 14 countries to assess rates of false reactivity and shared false reactivity across HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) used in HIV testing services. The study involved 26,278 results from 22 different RDT products, with sample sizes ranging from 100 to 302 results per country.

Characterisation of between-cluster heterogeneity in malaria cluster randomised trials to inform future sample size calculations.

Cluster randomised trials (CRTs) are important tools for evaluating the community-wide effect of malaria interventions. During the design stage, CRT sample sizes need to be inflated to account for the cluster heterogeneity in measured outcomes. The coefficient of variation (k), a measure of such heterogeneity, is typically used in malaria CRTs yet is often predicted without prior data.

Prevalence and clinical impact of severe anaemia in referral hospitals in southern Benin.

Severe anaemia is a critical public health issue worldwide, disproportionately affecting children in Africa, where approximately 40% of children aged 6 to 59 months are impacted. It leads to significant hospital and post-hospital complications. However, there is a notable lack of research on its burden and clinical impact, particularly in Benin, where existing data are outdated.

Previous or current infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus and its impact on maternal and neonatal health outcomes in Benin: a sero-epidemiological study in pregnant women.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has emerged as a significant global public health challenge, revealing critical vulnerabilities within health systems worldwide. While extensive data on COVID-19 is available from high-income countries, information remains scarce in lower-income regions, particularly regarding its impact on pregnant women. This study aims to evaluate the burden of COVID-19 among pregnant women and its effects on maternal and birth outcomes during the third wave in Benin.

Spatial and temporal variation of malaria incidence in children under 10 years in a pyrethroid-resistant vector area in southern Benin.

Background: Spatial and temporal identification of malaria-endemic areas is a key component of vector-borne disease control. Strategies to target the most vulnerable populations, the periods of high transmission and the most affected geographical areas, should make vector-borne disease control and prevention programmes more cost-effective. The present study focuses on the spatial and temporal dynamics of malaria cases and the exogenous factors influencing the transmission in an area with pyrethroid-resistant mosquito vector populations.

Impact of dual active ingredients long-lasting insecticidal nets on the genetic structure of insecticide resistant populations of Anopheles gambiae in Southern Benin.

Background: Insecticide resistance amongst vector populations is a major challenge, exacerbated by the continued use of the same active ingredients. The present study assessed the impact of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) bi-treated with chlorfenapyr-alphacypermethrin (PY-CFP LLIN) or pyriproxyfen-alphacypermethrin (PY-PPF LLIN) on the genetic structure of resistant populations of Anopheles gambiae in 60 clusters divided into three arms from three districts in southern Benin.

Methods: The study was conducted between September 2019 and October 2021 in 123 villages grouped in 60 clusters.

Access to public health care and associated factors in rural areas: a cross-sectional community-based study in Bopa district, Southern Benin.

Introduction: despite the considerable progress made to date, access to health care in public health facilities remains a challenging public health problem in Benin. This study aimed to assess trends in access to care over five years and to identify factors associated with low access to care.

Methods: a cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in the Bopa district, a rural area of southern Benin between January and February 2020.

Dynamics of Persistent Submicroscopic and Microscopic in Pregnant Women Under Intermittent Preventive Treatment: A Study Cohort in Benin.

Background: Malaria infections in pregnancy are a major cause of maternal morbidity and neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. A high proportion of these infections are submicroscopic, which are usually asymptomatic and therefore untreated during pregnancy. Intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) aims to prevent and treat all potential infections whether submicroscopic or not.

Correction: A prospective, multi-site, cohort study to estimate incidence of infection and disease due to Lassa fever virus in West African countries (the Enable Lassa research programme)-Study protocol.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

The experimental hut efficacy of next-generation insecticide-treated nets against pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors after 12, 24 and 36 months of household use in Benin.

Background: Cluster-randomized controlled trials (cluster-RCTs) have demonstrated variation in the epidemiological efficacy of different next-generation insecticide-treated net (ITN) types, with some providing shorter-lived impact than others. Further studies are needed to assess changes in the insecticidal durability of these ITNs over time to complement cluster-RCT results.

Methods: A series of experimental hut trials were performed to evaluate the bioefficacy of new and field-aged next-generation ITNs (PermaNet 3.

The epidemiological benefit of pyrethroid-pyrrole insecticide treated nets against malaria: an individual-based malaria transmission dynamics modelling study.

Background: Insecticide treated nets (ITNs) are the most important malaria prevention tool in Africa but the rise of pyrethroid resistance in mosquitoes is likely impeding control. WHO has recommended a novel pyrethroid-pyrrole ITN following evidence of epidemiological benefit in two cluster-randomised, controlled trials (CRTs). It remains unclear how effective more costly pyrethroid-pyrrole ITNs are compared with other tools, or whether they should be deployed when budgets are limited.

The effect of next-generation, dual-active-ingredient, long-lasting insecticidal net deployment on insecticide resistance in malaria vectors in Benin: results of a 3-year, three-arm, cluster-randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Insecticide resistance among malaria vector species now occurs in 84 malaria-endemic countries and territories worldwide. Novel vector-control interventions, including long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) that incorporate new active ingredients with distinct modes of action, are urgently needed to delay the evolution and spread of resistance and to alleviate reversals in malaria-control gains. We aimed to assess the longitudinal effect of two dual-active-ingredient LLINs on insecticide resistance during a cluster-randomised, controlled trial in Benin.

Comparison of two proxies for the preconception weight using data from a pre-pregnancy cohort in Benin: Weight measured in the first trimester of pregnancy vs estimated by Thomas' formula.

Accurate determination of pre-pregnancy weight is essential for optimal pregnancy monitoring and antenatal care. Determining pre-pregnancy weight in limited-resources settings is challenging for both clinical practice and public health research. From a 2014-2017 pre-pregnancy cohort in Benin, we evaluated the agreement between the measured pre-pregnancy weight (MPPW) and two proxies: (i) the first trimester pregnancy weight (FTPW) and (ii) the estimated pre-pregnancy weight (EPPW) using Thomas & al.

The attrition, physical and insecticidal durability of two dual active ingredient nets (Interceptor® G2 and Royal Guard®) in Benin, West Africa: results from a durability study embedded in a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Studies evaluating the attrition, physical and insecticidal durability of dual active ingredient (AI) insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are essential for making programmatic decisions regarding their deployment. We performed a prospective study embedded in a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) to evaluate the attrition, fabric integrity and insecticidal durability of Interceptor® G2 (alpha-cypermethrin-chlorfenapyr) and Royal Guard® (alpha-cypermethrin-pyriproxyfen), compared to Interceptor® (alpha-cypermethrin) in Benin.

Methods: A total of 2428 study nets in 1093 randomly selected households in five clusters per arm of the cRCT were monitored for ITN attrition and fabric integrity every 6-12 months post-distribution.

Diversity and ecological niche model of malaria vector and non-vector mosquito species in Covè, Ouinhi, and Zangnanado, Southern Benin.

The present study aimed to assess mosquito species diversity, distribution, and ecological preferences in the Covè, Ouinhi, and Zangnanado communes, Southern Benin. Such information is critical to understand mosquito bio-ecology and to focus control efforts in high-risk areas for vector-borne diseases. Mosquito collections occurred quarterly in 60 clusters between June 2020 and April 2021, using human landing catches.

Efficacy of pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen and pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr nets on entomological indicators of malaria transmission: third year of a randomised controlled trial in Benin.

The present cluster-randomised control trial aims to assess the entomological efficacy of pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen and pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr LLINs compared to the standard pyrethroid-only LLINs, in their third year of community usage. Adult mosquito collections were performed every 3 months, in 4 randomly selected houses in each of the 60 trial clusters, using human landing catches. Adult mosquitoes were morphologically identified and Anopheles vectors were molecularly speciated and screened for the presence of the L1014F kdr mutation using PCR.

The impact of pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen and pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr long-lasting insecticidal nets on density of primary malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles coluzzii in Benin: a secondary analysis of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background: Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) may have different impacts on distinct mosquito vector species. We assessed the efficacy of pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen and pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr LLINs on the density of Anopheles gambiae s.s.

Evaluating the attrition, fabric integrity and insecticidal durability of two dual active ingredient nets (Interceptor G2 and Royal Guard): methodology for a prospective study embedded in a cluster randomized controlled trial in Benin.

Background: Following the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsement of dual active ingredient (AI) nets, an increased uptake of pyrethroid-chlorfenapyr and pyrethroid-pyriproxyfen nets is expected. Studies evaluating their physical and insecticidal durability are essential for making programmatic and procurement decisions. This paper describes the methodology for a prospective study to evaluate the attrition, fabric integrity, insecticidal durability of Interceptor G2 (alpha-cypermethrin-chlorfenapyr) and Royal Guard (alpha-cypermethrin-pyriproxyfen), compared to Interceptor (alpha-cypermethrin), embedded in a 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) in the Zou Department of Benin.

Malaria Infections and Placental Blood Flow: A Doppler Ultrasound Study From a Preconception Cohort in Benin.

Background: Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) has been associated with fetal growth restriction, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of which remain poorly understood. Malaria in pregnancy is suspected to induce abnormalities in placental vascularization, leading to impaired placental development. Our study evaluated MIP's effect on uterine artery (UtA) and umbilical artery (UA) blood flow.

Field performance of three mosquito collection methods for assessing the entomological efficacy of dual-active ingredient long-lasting insecticidal nets.

Selection of mosquito collection methods is of crucial importance to evaluate the impact of vector control tools on entomological outcomes. During a cluster randomised control trial evaluating the relative efficacy of two dual-active ingredient (a.i.