EFFECTS OF INSECTICIDE TREATED NETS (ITNs) TO BEHAVIOUR CHANGES IN ADULT MOSQUITOES

Abstract

Insecticide Treated Nets are being used as a strategy in controlling the adult mosquitoes in the control of malaria by mainly the populations living in malaria prone areas. Surveillance to evaluate their impact on control malaria is important. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of insecticide treated nets to behaviour changes in adult mosquitoes. A longitudinal study was conducted in ten houses involving the collection of indoor resting vector densities monthly for eight months from September 2009 to April 2010. Species were identified both morphologically and by the (PCR) technique to determine the dominant malaria vector in the area A total of 142 adult malaria mosquito vectors were collected with An. gambiae s. s. as the principal malaria vector. These results showed that the malaria transmission intensities are still reducing after the increased bed net use though the pace could be affected with the effects of the ITNs on the behaviour the people and adult mosquitoes. Thus monitoring should continue on the behaviour of the adult mosquitoes to establish their biting trend.