Potential use of bendiocarb (Ficam VC) for malaria control in an area of Zimbabwe.

Ficam (bendiocarb) was tested for its residual efficacy and irritation in malaria vector control by using a laboratory bred colony of Anopheles arabiensis. In the study area, the insecticide remained active for up to 8 wk (96% mortality) on thatch. In similar, especially constructed huts, 74% mortality was achieved up to 20 wk on mud compared with up to 100% on thatch. In the special huts, release/capture studies indicated that the lethal effect of Ficam on the insects was more pronounced than its irritant effect. This was shown by the low recapture numbers in exit traps as compared with the hut-floor mortalities. The implications of these findings in relation to studies elsewhere and the potential of Ficam use in malaria control are discussed.