Study of the impact of deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets on malaria incidence at a military station

Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets have been successfully used all over the world to combat malaria. To study the efficacy of these mosquito nets in the service conditions of Armed Forces, a field trial of Deltamethrin impregnated mosquito nets was carried out at Military Stations ‘A’ (trial station) and B (control station) between July 96 to June 99. July 96–June 97 was the pre-trial year during which base line data was collected for malaria incidence. Three rounds of Deltamethrin impregnation of the mosquito nets were done in the trial station for the actual trial duration (July 97–June 99) in lieu of residual spraying. Antimalaria measures including residual spray were continued as usual in the control station. The intervention led to a significant decline in slide positivity rate and malaria incidence in the trial station. Malaria cases declined by 87% in the trial station whereas the control station noticed an increase by 75% at the end of the trial.