Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40399511›Full record

Trial reportScientific reports2025

A randomized controlled trial combining house screening and insecticide-treated nets reduces malaria transmission in northwestern Ethiopia.

Aklilu K Belay, Abebe Asale, Catherine L Sole, Abdullahi A Yusuf, Baldwyn Torto, Zewdu Abro, Menale Kassie, Clifford M Mutero, David P Tchouassi

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Aklilu K BelayInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Abebe AsaleInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Catherine L SoleDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X0028, Pretoria, South Africa.
Abdullahi A YusufDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X0028, Pretoria, South Africa.
Baldwyn TortoInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Zewdu AbroInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Menale KassieInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Clifford M MuteroInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
David P TchouassiInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. dtchouassi@icipe.org.

Funding

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation RAF-3058 KEN-18/0005Wellcome Trust 222005Wellcome Trust 222005/Z/20/Z
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

House screening (HS) of doors, eaves, and windows using wire-mesh has demonstrated potential in the integrated vector management of malaria. However, limited epidemiological data are available to guide its implementation across different ecological settings. In a 16-month randomized controlled trial (follow-up period) conducted across three agroecological areas (dry mountain, plateau highland, and semi-arid) in Jabi Tehnan district, northwestern Ethiopia, treatment houses were equipped with HS combined with insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), while control houses received ITNs only. The intervention led to a significant 2.3-fold reduction in indoor malaria vector density, the primary entomologic outcome, largely influenced by An. gambiae s.l. mosquitoes. Fewer blood-fed mosquitoes were found in screened houses, indicating reduced human bites, which translated to six-fold decline in malaria prevalence (0.7%), the primary epidemiologic outcome, compared to control houses (4.3%). In contrast, Plasmodium sporozoite infection rates showed no differences between screened and control houses or agroecological zones, with An. arabiensis and An. funestus s.l. identified as the primary vectors. A modest protective effectiveness (22.6%) was observed, based on the estimated entomological inoculation rate of 0.24 and 0.31 infectious bites/person/night in screened and control houses, respectively, with no variation by agroecology. Despite the synergistic impact of HS with existing ITNs in reducing vector densities, human bite rates, and household malaria prevalence, sustained transmission persisted, partly due to the presence of highly competent vectors such as An. funestus s.l. which had an overall sporozoite rate of 68%. Future research should explore the interactions between vector behavioral adaptations, ecological and social factors contributing to residual transmission, even with seemingly effective control measures.

Indexed as

Insecticide-Treated BednetsMalariaMosquito ControlAnimalsAnophelesEthiopiaFemaleHousingHumansInsecticidesMaleMosquito VectorsInsecticidesEntomologyEpidemiologyMalariaPlasmodium infectionRandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID40399511
PMCPMC12095629

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.