Preventing childhood malaria in Africa by protecting adults from mosquitoes with insecticide-treated nets

Killeen, G.F., Smith, T.A., Ferguson, H.M., Mshinda, H., Abdulla, S., Lengeler, C. and Kachur, S.P. (2007) Preventing childhood malaria in Africa by protecting adults from mosquitoes with insecticide-treated nets. PLoS Medicine, 4(7), e299. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0040229)

Abstract

Malaria prevention in Africa merits particular attention as the world strives toward a better life for the poorest. Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) represent a practical means to prevent malaria in Africa, so scaling up coverage to at least 80% of young children and pregnant women by 2010 is integral to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Targeting individual protection to vulnerable groups is an accepted priority, but community-level impacts of broader population coverage are largely ignored even though they may be just as important. We therefore estimated coverage thresholds for entire populations at which individual- and community-level protection are equivalent, representing rational targets for ITN coverage beyond vulnerable groups.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ferguson, Professor Heather
• Authors: Killeen, G.F., Smith, T.A., Ferguson, H.M., Mshinda, H., Abdulla, S., Lengeler, C., and Kachur, S.P.
• Subjects: R Medicine > R Medicine (General); R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: PLoS Medicine
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1549-1277
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2008 Killeen et al.
• First Published: First published in PLoS Medicine 4(7):e299
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher