The attrition, physical and insecticidal durability of two dual active ingredient nets (Interceptor® G2 and Royal Guard®) in Benin, West Africa: results from a durability study embedded in a cluster randomised controlled trial

Studies evaluating the attrition, physical and insecticidal durability of dual active ingredient (AI) insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are essential for making programmatic decisions regarding their deployment. We performed a prospective study embedded in a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) to evaluate the attrition, fabric integrity and insecticidal durability of Interceptor® G2 (alpha-cypermethrin-chlorfenapyr) and Royal Guard® (alpha-cypermethrin-pyriproxyfen), compared to Interceptor® (alpha-cypermethrin) in Benin. A total of 2428 study nets in 1093 randomly selected households in five clusters per arm of the cRCT were monitored for ITN attrition and fabric integrity every 6-12 months post-distribution. Householders were further surveyed to investigate non-study net use and their preference for ITN fabric types used in the study nets. A second cohort of 120 nets per ITN type were withdrawn every 12 months and assessed for chemical content and insecticidal activity in laboratory bioassays. Alpha-cypermethrin bioefficacy was investigated using the susceptible Anopheles gambiae Kisumu strain, and chlorfenapyr and pyriproxyfen bioefficacy were investigated using the pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles coluzzii Akron strain. Net pieces were tested in WHO cone bioassays and tunnel tests for alpha-cypermethrin and in tunnel tests for chlorfenapyr; pyriproxyfen activity was assessed in cone bioassays as the reduction in fertility of blood-fed survivors using ovary dissection. Bioefficacy was expressed as the proportion of ITNs passing predetermined WHO criteria, namely knock-down ≥ 95% or 24/72 h mortality ≥ 80% or reduction in fertility ≥ 50%. Overall ITN survivorship was 52% at 24 months and fell to 15% at 36 months. Median ITN survival time was lower with Royal Guard® relative to Interceptor® [1.6 vs 2.3 years; hazard ratio (HR) 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36-1.66; p