Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40731324›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2025

Malaria vector control strategies in Pakistan: a scoping review.

Hammad Atif Irshad, Hamzah Jehanzeb, Ayesha Yaseen, Umair Saleem, Muhammad Daniyal Javaid, Hafsa Khan Tareen, Muhammad Mukhtar, Henrique Silviera, Mohammad Asim Beg

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Malaria Epidemiology andTropical medicine and infectious disease · 2026
    Article
  2. 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.

Hammad Atif IrshadMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Hamzah JehanzebMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Ayesha YaseenMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Umair SaleemMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Muhammad Daniyal JavaidMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Hafsa Khan TareenMedical College, Aga Khan University, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan.
Muhammad MukhtarDirectorate of Malaria Control, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Henrique SilvieraGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (UNL), Lisbon, Portugal.
Mohammad Asim BegSection of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan. masim.beg@aku.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMalaria remains a significant public health concern in Pakistan due to its subtropical climate and diverse array of vectors, which contribute to periodic outbreaks and challenges in disease control. Recent outbreaks-particularly in 2022-along with the rising incidence of Plasmodium falciparum and growing resistance of Anopheles mosquito vector to existing control methods, highlight a critical gap in understanding the effectiveness of current malaria vector control strategies. This article is a scoping review of published literature on malaria prevention methods with a focus on World Health Organization (WHO) outlined interventions in the endemic region of the lower middle-income country, Pakistan.

methodsRelevant articles published in all languages before September 2023 were reviewed. All the articles were obtained from PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase and Google Scholar. Four independent reviewers performed the selection and characterization of articles based on defined inclusion criteria. The data collected were extracted and analyzed by province, vector, and vector control methods according to WHO recommendations.

resultsA total of 46 articles reporting surveillance findings on vector control methods in Pakistan were found. Based on WHO recommendations, the reported strategies included insecticide-treated nets (ITN) (29.79%), indoor residual spraying (IRS) (29.79%), spatial spraying (12.77%), spatial/airborne repellents (4.26%), larval source management (4.26%) and house modifications (4.26%). In contrast to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which employs ITN (55%) as the primary vector control method, Punjab was found to use IRS as the main method of vector control (50%).

conclusionThis review highlights the current strategies for controlling malaria vectors and the strategies used in the past for outbreaks in Pakistan. This review identifies a notable increase in the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) over time and highlights differences in the implementation of vector control strategies across provinces in Pakistan. Current practices and their contrast to WHO guidelines are illustrated. It helps us understand the need for improved research and development with precise reporting. These findings can serve as a reference for guiding policy decisions and improving malaria control efforts in endemic regions.

Indexed as

MalariaMosquito ControlMosquito VectorsAnimalsAnophelesHumansInsecticidesPakistanWorld Health OrganizationInsecticidesEndemicMalariaVector controlWHO

Identifiers

PMID40731324
PMCPMC12309168

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.