Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
College of Sciences and Technology, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
Malar J. 2021 Jan 10;20(1):36. doi: 10.1186/s12936-020-03579-w.
Many countries, including Rwanda, have mosquito monitoring programmes in place to support decision making in the fight against malaria. However, these programmes can be costly, and require technical (entomological) expertise. Involving citizens in data collection can greatly support such activities, but this has not yet been thoroughly investigated in a rural African context.
Prior to the implementation of such a citizen-science approach, a household entomological survey was conducted in October-November 2017 and repeated one year later in Busoro and Ruhuha sectors, in southern and eastern province of Rwanda, respectively. The goal was to evaluate the perception of mosquito nuisance reported by citizens as a potential indicator for malaria vector hotspots. Firstly, mosquito abundance and species composition were determined using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps inside the houses. Secondly, household members were interviewed about malaria risk factors and their perceived level of mosquito nuisance.
Tiled roofs, walls made of mud and wood, as well as the number of occupants in the house were predictors for the number of mosquitoes (Culicidae) in the houses, while the presence of eaves plus walls made of mud and wood were predictors for malaria vector abundance. Perception of mosquito nuisance reported indoors tended to be significantly correlated with the number of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.) and Culicidae collected indoors, but this varied across years and sectors. At the village level, nuisance also significantly correlated with An. gambiae s.l. and total mosquito density, but only in 2018 while not in 2017.
Perception of mosquito nuisance denoted in a questionnaire survey could be used as a global indicator of malaria vector hotspots. Hence, involving citizens in such activities can complement malaria vector surveillance and control.
包括卢旺达在内的许多国家都设有蚊子监测计划，以支持抗击疟疾的决策。然而，这些计划可能成本高昂，并且需要技术（昆虫学）专业知识。让公民参与数据收集可以极大地支持这些活动，但这在非洲农村背景下尚未得到彻底研究。
在实施这种公民科学方法之前，于 2017 年 10 月至 11 月在卢旺达南部和东部省份的布索罗和鲁哈哈区进行了家庭昆虫学调查，并在一年后重复进行了该调查。目的是评估公民报告的蚊子滋扰感知作为疟疾传播媒介热点的潜在指标。首先，使用疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）的室内诱蚊灯确定蚊子的丰度和物种组成。其次，对家庭成员进行关于疟疾风险因素及其蚊子滋扰感知水平的访谈。
瓦片屋顶、泥和木材制成的墙壁以及房屋内的居住人数是房屋内蚊子数量的预测因素，而屋檐的存在以及泥和木材制成的墙壁是疟疾传播媒介丰度的预测因素。室内蚊子滋扰的感知倾向于与室内收集的按蚊属和库蚊属数量显著相关，但这种相关性因年份和地区而异。在村庄层面，蚊子滋扰也与按蚊属和总蚊子密度显著相关，但仅在 2018 年相关，而在 2017 年不相关。
问卷调查中表示的蚊子滋扰感知可以用作疟疾传播媒介热点的全球指标。因此，让公民参与此类活动可以补充疟疾媒介监测和控制。
