Background The rapid and unplanned urbanization of African cities is considered to increase the risk of urban malaria transmission. The present study objective was to assess factors influencing the spatio-temporal distribution of Anopheles gambiae s.l. larvae in the city of Yaoundé, Cameroon. Methods All water bodies were checked once every 2 months for the presence of mosquito larvae from March 2017 to May 2018 in 32 districts of Yaoundé. Physico-chemical characteristics including the size, depth, turbidity, pH, temperature, conductivity, sulfates, organophosphates, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), conductivity, iron and calcium were recorded and analyzed according to anopheline larvae presence or absence. High resolution satellite images from landsat sentinel Enhanced Thematic Mapper were used for spatial mapping of both field and environmental variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify variables closely associated with anopheline larvae distribution. Results A total of 18 696 aquatic habitats were checked and only 2942 sites (15.7%) contained anopheline larvae. A high number of sites with anopheline larvae (≥ 69%) presented late instar larvae (L3, L4 and pupae). Anopheline mosquito larvae were sampled from a variety of breeding sites including puddles (51.6%), tire prints (12.9%), wells (11.7%) and drains (11.3%). Bivariate logistic regression analyses associated anopheline larvae presence with the absence of predators, absence of algae, absence of vegetation and depth of less than 1 m. Conductivity, turbidity, organophosphates, H2O2 and temperature were significantly high in breeding sites with anopheline larvae than in breeding sites without these larvae (P <  0.1). Anopheline species collected included An. coluzzii (91.1%) and An. gambiae s.s. (8.9%). GIS mapping indicated a heterogeneous distribution of anopheline breeding habitats in the city of Yaoundé. Land cover analysis indicated high variability of the city of Yaoundé’s landscape. Conclusions The data confirms adaptation of An. gambiae s.l. to the urban domain in the city of Yaoundé and calls for urgent actions to improve malaria vector control.

Background To contribute to the mission of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and guide future interventions in Cameroon in general, and in Makenene in particular, this study assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the population of Makenene towards the fight against malaria. Methods Using a semi-structured questionnaire, a descriptive cross-sectional household community survey was carried out in randomly selected households in Makenene, a locality situated between forest and savannah ecotypes. Results Out of the 413 households surveyed, all (100%) claimed to have heard of malaria with over 94% (n = 391) associating disease transmission with mosquito bites. The main mosquito control tools used in the area were mosquito nets (92.25%). The majority of participants had good knowledge (55.93%; n = 231), good practices (71.67%, n = 296) but moderate attitudes (47.94%; n = 198) towards malaria control and fight. Good knowledge and practices were recorded mostly in educated persons including public servants and students. Good attitudes were adopted mostly by public servants and students of secondary and higher levels of education. Conclusion In Makenene, the population exhibits good knowledge and practices towards malaria and its control. However, despite high LLINs ownership and use, people still complain about malaria in the area. Control tools should be monitored, repaired or replaced when necessary to support the achievement of the NMCP mission.

The spread of pyrethroid resistance in malaria vectors is a major threat affecting the performance of current control measures. However, there is still not enough information on the resistance profile of mosquitoes to carbamates and organophosphates which could be used as alternatives. The present study assessed the resistance profile of Anopheles gambiae s.l. to bendiocarb and malathion, at the phenotypic and molecular levels, in different eco-epidemiological settings in Cameroon. Anopheles gambiae s.l. mosquitoes were collected from four eco-epidemiological settings across the country and their susceptibility level to bendiocarb and malathion was determined using WHO tubes bioassays. The ace-1 target site G119S mutation was screened by PCR. Reverse Transcription quantitative PCR 3-plex TaqMan assays were used to quantify the level of expression of eight genes associated with metabolic resistance. Resistance to malathion and/or bendiocarb was recorded in all study sites except in mosquitoes collected in Kaélé and Njombé. The Ace-1 (G119S) mutation was detected in high frequencies (>40%) in Kékem and Santchou. Both An. gambiae and An. coluzzii were detected carrying this mutation. The cytochrome P450s gene Cyp6p3 associated with carbamate resistance and the glutathione S-transferase gene Gste2 associated with organophosphate resistance were found to be overexpressed. Genes associated with pyrethroid (Cyp6m2, Cyp9k1, Cyp6p3) and organochlorine (Gste2, Cyp6z1, Cyp6m2) and cuticle resistance (Cyp4g16) were also overexpressed. The rapid spread of resistance to organophosphates and carbamates could seriously compromise future control strategies based on IRS. It is therefore becoming important to assess the magnitude of bendiocarb and malathion resistance countrywide.