The East African Collaboration on Mosquito Push-Pull (EACoMoPP)

The East African Collaboration on Mosquito Push-Pull (EACo MoPP) project aims to expand on the pilot field results collected in Ahero by the GCE Project. We are working on a proof of concept for odour-based push-pull systems to divert mosquitoes from biting people outdoors, one of the gaps for malaria control identified by WHO and major donors. The project activities started in May 2016 and are scheduled to run for 3 years. In this project we work hand-in-hand with the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania and international partners from the Swiss TPH and Wageningen University, The Netherlands. A large number of private sector collaborators are involved. To improve our capability to test our novel interventions and tools under near-natural conditions we have set up two large semi-field systems at ITOC. These are among the largest semi-field systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since completion of the systems in November 2016 we have tested several active ingredients released from a range of physical devices to find a way to push mosquitoes away from peri-domestic areas (spatial repellents) and to pull them towards odour-baited traps. Our aim is to develop a tool that prevents 70% of mosquito bites (human landing catches) under near natural semi-field conditions.

Main themes in the project include: vector control, chemical ecology and residual malaria transmission.

Dr. Ulrike Fillinger – PI.

Donors: Innovative Vector Control Consortium (UK) and Bill and Melinda Gates and Research, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, industrial partners in Belgium.Foundation (USA)

Participating institutes: ICIPE, Ifakara Health institute, Wageningen University

Duration: May 2015 - June 2017 and August 2016 – July 2018

For more information, contact:

Dr Ulrike Fillinger (ufillinger@icipe.org)