Malaria vector species composition and entomological indices following several years of indoor residual spraying in regions bordering Lake Victoria, Tanzania

Background Vector control through long lasting insecticidal nets and focal indoor residual spraying (IRS) is a major component of the Tanzania national malaria control strategy. In mainland Tanzania, IRS has been conducted annually around Lake Victoria basin since 2007. Due to pyrethroid resistance in malaria vectors, use of pyrethroids for IRS was phased out and from 2014 to 2017 pirimiphos-methyl (Actellic 300CS) was sprayed in regions of Kagera, Geita, Mwanza and Mara. Methods WHO Cone bioassays were conducted monthly on interior house walls to determine residual efficacy of pirimiphos-methyl CS. Indoor CDC light traps with or without bottle rotator were hung next to protected sleepers indoors and also set outdoors (un-baited) as a proxy measure for indoor and outdoor biting rate and time of biting. A sub-sample of Anopheles were tested by PCR to determine species identity and ELISA for sporozoite rate. Results Annual IRS with Actellic® CS between 2015 and 2017 was effective on sprayed walls for a mean of 7 months in cone bioassay. PCR of 2016 and 2017 samples showed vector populations were predominantly An. arabiensis (58.1%, n=4,403 IRS sites, 58%, n=2,441 unsprayed sites). There was a greater proportion of An. funestus s.s. in unsprayed sites (20.4%, n=858) than sprayed sites (7.9%, n=595) and fewer An. parensis (2%, n=85 unsprayed, 7.8%, n=591 sprayed). Biting peaks of An. gambiae s.l. followed periods of rainfall occurring between October and April, but were generally lower in sprayed sites than unsprayed. In most sprayed sites, An. gambiae s.l. indoor densities increased between January and February, i.e. 10-12 months after IRS. Based on these data and malaria case data, the timing of IRS was changed to November in Kagera and Geita Regions in 2018. The predominant species An. arabiensis had a sporozoite rate in 2017 of 2.0% (95% CI: 1.4-2.9) in unsprayed sites compared to 0.8% (95% CI: 0.5-1.3) in sprayed sites (p=0.003). Sporozoite rates also appeared to be lower for An. funestus collected in sprayed sites. Conclusion IRS appeared to have substantial impact on malaria transmission, with sporozoite rate in An. arabiensis being 59% lower in sprayed sites than in unsprayed sites in 2017.