Experimental hut trials to compare 36 months old naturally aged field nets to washed nets
To investigate the capacity of ITN washing (20 times) to predict the performance of field aged ITNs, we will conduct another hut trial comparing nets of each ITN type washed 20 times to 36 months naturally aged field nets. ITN washing will follow WHO protocols for hut trials [Untreated net—6 replicatesInterceptorPermaNetRoyal GuardInterceptorInterceptorPermaNetRoyal GuardInterceptorInterceptorPermaNetRoyal GuardInterceptorThe trial will run for 13 weeks and will involve 13 consenting human volunteers sleeping in huts from dusk to dawn 6 days of each week of the trial. As with the other hut trials, treatments will be rotated each week using a randomized Latin Square Design and sleepers rotated daily and huts cleaned and aired on the 7th day of each week in preparation for the next rotation cycle. The trial will run for a total of 78 nights and the replicate 36 months old naturally aged field nets will be rotated between huts on successive nights (one net per night). Efficacy will be measured in terms of mosquito deterrence, mortality (72h), exiting, blood-feeding inhibition, reduction in fertility of blood-fed survivors as described earlier.