Workpackages 1-3 will generate detailed information on the mosquito, parasite and human population in the Cascades region of Burkina Faso.
Workpackage 4 will take this information and synthesis it to determine the relative contribution of each to the persistently high incidence of malaria in the area. Mosquito and human data shall be used to parameterize a widely used mathematical model of malaria which has been developed at Imperial College London to predict how best to control the disease. It will test whether the current level of malaria can be explained by human factors such as the low use of bednet or whether changes in mosquito behavior or the development of insecticide resistance may also contribute. These computer models will then be used to investigate the effectiveness of alternative ways of controlling the disease like the use of insecticide sprays or drug treatment. This will allow the evaluation of the most cost-effective way of improving malaria control in this location in Burkina Faso and beyond.