{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,4]],"date-time":"2025-07-04T04:11:07Z","timestamp":1751602267406,"version":"3.41.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]],"date-time":"2025-07-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751500800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"IVCC","award":["grant-INV-007509"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["grant-INV-007509"]}]},{"name":"SDC","award":["grant-81067480"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["grant-81067480"]}]},{"name":"UK Aid","award":["grant-30041-105"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["grant-30041-105"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSBs) effectively target <jats:italic>Anopheles<\/jats:italic> mosquitoes in semi-arid, low-humidity climates. However, high humidity encourages mould growth on ATSB surfaces, and its effect on the efficacy of ATSBs against malaria vectors is yet to be determined.<\/jats:p>\n<jats:p>This study explored how mould growth affects the performance of ATSB version 1.2 by comparing mouldy stations from exposed environments to non-mouldy stations from protected settings through laboratory bioassays on the local malaria vector, <jats:italic>Anopheles arabiensis<\/jats:italic>.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>One hundred ATSB stations were deployed in Asembo, Rarieda-Subcounty, Siaya County Six samples, consisting of three mouldy from exposed locations and three non-mouldy from protected locations were collected monthly for laboratory bioassays. These were tested alongside three new laboratory-kept ATSBs and two negative controls (water only and 77% sugar solution with water) to assess mosquito feeding and mortality over 48 hours.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study found that after 12 months of outdoor exposure, the mouldiest ATSBs from exposed locations showed a non-significant reduction in <jats:italic>Anopheles arabiensis<\/jats:italic> feeding rates compared to the least mouldy ATSBs from protected locations 57.42% (95% CI: 45.64\u201368.85) vs. 74.40% (95% CI: 64.56\u201382.50), (P\u2009=\u20090.062) respectively. Mosquito mortality significantly declined on mouldy ATSBs compared to laboratory controls 95.35% (95% CI: 92.23\u201397.48) vs. 98.70% (95% CI: 97.87\u201399.30), (P\u2009=\u20090.002) respectively. In contrast, protected (non-mouldy) ATSBs showed only a slight reduction in mortality compared to controls 95.94% (95% CI: 90.42\u201397.46) vs. 98.91% (95% CI: 97.67\u201399.60) respectively (P\u2009=\u20090.009).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec>\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study provides evidence that environmental exposure post-deployment slightly reduced the efficacy of ATSBs in controlling <jats:italic>Anopheles arabiensis<\/jats:italic>, particularly beyond the recommended 6-month period. Although mould may have contributed to this reduction over 12 months, no significant difference was found between mouldy and non-mouldy ATSBs. However, mould invasion and community concerns highlight the need to replace mouldy stations to maintain effectiveness and safety.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0315472","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,3]],"date-time":"2025-07-03T17:27:01Z","timestamp":1751563621000},"page":"e0315472","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Influence of mould growth and outdoor exposure on the efficacy of attractive targeted sugar baits against Anopheles arabiensis in western Kenya"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8005-740X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Nick 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