Efficient attractants and simple odor-baited sticky trap for surveillance of Anopheles arabiensis Patton mosquito in Ethiopia

Introduction: Many efforts have been made to ease the burden of malaria through vector control, among which is the development of odor-baited traps and evaluation of efficient attractants that could replace host odor. However, most traps and evaluated attractants are expensive, which poor communities cannot afford. This study was conducted with the aim to devise a simple and affordable odor-baited trap and to investigate effective but affordable attractants for trapping Anopheles arabiensis. Methodology: First, an odor-baited sticky trap was developed; next, an experimental study with randomized design was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of selected attractants for trapping Anopheles arabiensis using the designed trap from June to August 2014. Laboratory strain Anopheles arabiensis were obtained from the Adama Malaria Research and Training Center Insectary. Wild Anopheline mosquito larvae were collected from a temporary breeding site, reared in Asendabo Vector Biology Laboratory, and tested. Results: A simple odor-baited sticky trap was designed. Selected attractants were tested for attracting efficiency using the designed trap. Among the evaluated attractants, cow urine, which was kept for four days, attracted significantly more wild population and laboratory strains of the Anopheles arabiensisthan a worn sock alone and the combination of cow urine and a worn sock. Conclusions: Although further comparison studies with other standard traps are needed, the designed trap in conjunction with efficient attractant is shown to be effective for mosquito surveillance. Of the tested attractants, cow urine was an efficient attractant both for the wild population and the laboratory strain of Anohpeles arabiensis.