IVCC’s External Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) is looking for experts in entomology and in epidemiology.

This call is open to those with either:

• suitable qualifications/training and extensive experience in the entomological evaluation (laboratory and field trials) of vector control products (ITNs, IRS formulations or other products).
• suitable qualifications/training and extensive experience in the epidemiological evaluation of vector control products (ITNs, IRS formulations or other products).

The ESAC provides expert specialist technical assessments of IVCC’s portfolio of products, including project selection, transition, and termination. They provide advice to the IVCC management team during periodic reviews of the projects. Membership of the ESAC is through nomination of candidates with the required expertise.

For full details about this opportunity and how to apply, please download the appropriate supporting document.

Applications close on Friday 28^th July 2023.

Download the Tech Updates highlighting vector biology and control news, publications and resources.

Given the breadth of vector control-related literature, we are unable to include all relevant work. These updates are intended to focus primarily on Anopheles biology and a subset of control topics with global relevance. Any views expressed in the updates do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IVCC. In many cases, we directly quote sections of published work. Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by IVCC or its funders.

Download the Tech Updates highlighting vector biology and control news, publications and resources.

Any views expressed in the updates do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of IVCC. In many cases, we directly quote sections of published work. Mention of trade names or commercial products is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by IVCC or its funders.

On World Mosquito Day (Saturday 20th August), MMV and the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) launched the Global Health Priority Box to provide scientists with free access to a collection of compounds with confirmed activity against infectious and mosquito-borne diseases, and vectors of global concern.

Download the press release to read the full story.

Indoor residual spraying (IRS) has historically been a powerful malaria vector control intervention. IRS can quickly reduce malaria transmission by reducing adult mosquito vector density and longevity.

The efficacy of IRS for malaria control is threatened by widespread resistance in Anopheline vectors to the limited number of insecticide classes currently approved for public health use. Pyrethroid resistance is present across Africa and resistance to carbamates and organophosphates, which were for many years the only alternative IRS insecticide classes to pyrethroids, is also increasing in Anopheles vector populations. In response to the growing threat of resistance to the efficacy of IRS, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Plan for Insecticide Resistance Management (GPIRM) in Malaria has recommended the use of IRS products containing insecticides with different modes of action in annual rotations.

The use of rotations for IRM relies on the fitness cost that resistance mechanisms have on mosquitoes.  Removing selection pressure exerted by a particular insecticide by switching to alternative insecticide classes will result in the frequency of resistance declining over time. Therefore, IRM based on the rotation of different IRS products will reduce selection pressure for the maintenance of existing insecticide resistance and reduce the speed of development of further resistance. However, implementation of IRS product rotations requires at least three IRS insecticides with different modes of action. This is driving the development of a more diverse portfolio of IRS formulations containing new chemistries which can provide sustained control of insecticide-resistant malaria vector populations.

Broflanilide (TENEBENAL™) is a novel insecticide discovered by Mitsui Chemicals Agro, Inc. (MCAG) which has been formulated as VECTRON™ T500, a wettable powder for IRS. Broflanilide is a meta-diamide insecticide which acts as a non-competitive antagonist of the γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor of chloride channels of the insect inhibitory nervous system and has been classified by the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) as a GABA-gated chloride channel allosteric modulator (IRAC Group 30). In a collaborative project between MCAG and IVCC, supported by a network of collaborating trials facilities in Africa, the bioefficacy of VECTRON™ T500 has been evaluated in laboratory, experimental hut and community trials. VECTRON™ T500 has demonstrated excellent activity against pyrethroid-resistant strains and populations of Anopheles with residual efficacy of 6 months or more on various wall substrates. These results indicate the potential of VECTRON™ T500 as an addition to the arsenal of IRS products needed to maintain both control of malaria and IRM of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.

Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is an important topic at this week’s Pan-Africa Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) Conference, in Rwanda. IVCC team members Graham Small and Janneke Snetselaar will present results on the bioefficacy of VECTRON™ T500 in laboratory, experimental hut and community trials during Parallel Symposium 3: Supporting improved insect resistance management strategies – a new mode of action for Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) programmes (Monday 26^th September, 14:00 to 15:30 (GMT+2).

By Graham Small & Janneke Snetselaar