Belize
Endectocide use in livestock as a tool to help eliminate malaria in Central America
Malaria is transmitted by a variety of Anopheles mosquitoes. Core vector control interventions consist of indoor residual spraying of insecticides and insecticidal nets. These are logical strategies in areas where the primary vector species feed at night on people sleeping in their houses and where mosquitoes rest inside the house after blood-feeding. But in Central America, much of the malaria transmission is due to exophagic (prefer to bite outdoors), exophilic (prefer to remain outdoors), and zoophaghic (likely to feed on non-humans as humans) vectors. To control mosquitoes with these behavioral characteristics requires a different approach. When ingested by mosquitoes in a bloodmeal, endectocides have also been shown to reduce the survival and fecundity of Anopheles malaria vectors. These outcomes provide human health benefits by impacting mosquito vector populations available to bite people. We are evaluating endectocides in Belize in partnership with local cattle ranchers and investigators at the University of North Dakota.
Research Focus
-
Infectious Diseases
At the EIGH, our researchers work to combat a number of various illnesses, including infectious diseases caused by organisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. These diseases can also be spread from one person to another and may be transmitted from animals to humans.
-
Vector-borne Diseases
Vector-borne disease research is a historic strength of the EIGH. Our researchers study multiple parts of the vector-borne disease lifecycle, such as how the parasites, viruses, and bacteria cause these kinds of diseases, how the vectors spread these diseases, and how to improve prevention methods in tropical and subtropical areas, which have the highest burden of vector-borne illnesses.
Who’s Involved
EIGH Faculty
Global Partners
- University of North Dakota