Keywords: South Africa

From song to stories: assessing the impact of exposure to arts-based community engagement tools in shaping knowledge, attitudes, and acceptability toward the Sterile Insect Technique for malaria control in South Africa

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Manana, P.N., Jewett, S. & Munhenga, G.,  Malaria Journal,  24. 2026-01-05 11:31:18.
Community engagement (CE) is essential for public health interventions. This is particularly important when introducing novel technologies, such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), that require strong community understanding and acceptance. Against this background, arts-based CE strategies, including music, drama, and radio short stories, were developed and piloted, but their effectiveness remained unevaluated. This study assessed whether exposure to arts-based CE approaches influenced community knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of the SIT in uMkhanyakude District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A cross-sectional survey to understand the influence of arts-based CE approaches was conducted in the Jozini municipality, uMkhanyakude District, after community exposure to these CE productions. Structured interviews were conducted with randomly sampled community members. Data were collected on CE exposure and SIT-related knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance. A chi-square test and a stepwise ordinal logistic regression were used to analyze the data after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Among 614 participants, only 26.2% (n = 161) were exposed to arts-based CE approaches. Those exposed were more likely to correctly identify that female mosquitoes feed on blood as compared to the unexposed (95.0% vs. 85.8%, p = 0.008), and to express support for SIT (e.g., 98.1% vs. 89.4% agreed with upcoming releases, p = 0.003). Exposure remained a significant predictor of SIT acceptance in multivariate models (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45–0.94). Positive attitudes and accurate knowledge also independently predicted greater acceptance. Arts-based CE tools were effective in supporting the introduction of SIT by improving knowledge and acceptance. However, limited exposure suggests the need for more sustained and widely accessible engagement strategies to maximize reach and long-term impact. These findings suggest that artistic productions, especially when delivered through culturally relevant, multimodal formats, play a meaningful role in shaping community receptiveness to novel vector control methods like the SIT.

Advances in Sterile Insect Technique Driven by Sugarcane Pest Management in South Africa

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Lawrence N. Malinga, Ph.D., and Samara Singh,  Entomology Today,  2025-05-26 20:21:30.
Eldana saccharina, also known as the African sugarcane stalk borer, is an insect pest indigenous to Africa that targets gramineous crops such as sugarcane, maize (corn), sorghum, and millet in several countries, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and others. In South Africa, E. saccharina is the most damaging pest of sugarcane. The larvae feed internally on plant tissue, leading to a significant reduction in sugarcane yield. In South Africa, this damage amounts to over $60 million in annual revenue losses. In 1939, the first severe outbreak of this pest was recorded on sugarcane in South Africa. Since then, E. saccharina has spread throughout the sugarcane-growing areas of South Africa, affecting both coastal and inland regions (see map). Since the 1970s, the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) has been actively involved in conducting research to control this pest. Over the years, attempts have been made to manage E. saccharina using a variety of control tactics, including insecticides, varietal resistance, biological control, and habitat management. A more recent control strategy is the sterile insect technique (SIT), which is currently in the proof-of-concept phase at SASRI.

Life-history traits of a fluorescent Anopheles arabiensis genetic sexing strain introgressed into South African genomic background

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Nonhlanhla L. Ntoyi, Thabo Mashatola, Jérémy Bouyer, Carina Kraupa, Hamidou Maiga, Wadaka Mamai, Nanwintoum, Bimbile‑Somda, Thomas Wallner, Danilo O. Carvalho, Givemore Munhenga and Hanano Yamada,  Malaria Journal,  21. 2025-02-03 06:44:24.
South Africa has set a mandate to eliminate local malaria transmission by 2023. In pursuit of this objective a Sterile Insect Technique programme targeting the main vector Anopheles arabiensis is currently under development. Significant progress has been made towards operationalizing the technology. However, one of the main limitations being faced is the absence of an efficient genetic sexing system. This study is an assessment of an An. arabiensis (AY‑2) strain carrying the full Y chromosome from Anopheles gambiae, including a transgenic red fluorescent marker, being introgressed into a South African genetic background as a potential tool for a reliable sexing system. Adult, virgin males from the An. arabiensis AY‑2 strain were outcrossed to virgin females from the South African, Kwazulu‑Natal An. arabiensis (KWAG strain) over three generations. Anopheles arabiensis AY‑2 fluorescent males were sorted as first instar larvae (L1) using the Complex Object Parametric Analyzer and Sorter (COPAS) and later screened as pupae to verify the sex. Life history traits of the novel hybrid KWAG‑AY2 strain were compared to the original fluorescent AY‑2 strain, the South African wild‑type KWAG strain and a standard laboratory An. arabiensis (Dongola reference strain). Results: The genetic stability of the sex‑linked fluorescent marker and the integrity and high level of sexing efficiency of the system were confirmed. No recombination events in respect to the fluorescent marker were detected over three rounds of introgression crosses. KWAG‑AY2 had higher hatch rates and survival of L1 to pupae and L1 to adult than the founding strains. AY‑2 showed faster development time of immature stages and larger adult body size, but lower larval survival rates. Adult KWAG males had significantly higher survival rates. There was no significant difference between the strains in fecundity and proportion of males. KWAG‑AY2 males performed better than reference strains in f light ability tests. The life history traits of KWAG‑AY2, its rearing efficiency under laboratory conditions, the preservation of the sex‑linked fluorescence and perfect sexing efficiency after three rounds of introgression crosses, indicate that it has potential for mass rearing. The potential risks and benefits associated to the use of this strain within the Sterile Insect Technique programme in South Africa are discussed.