1. Keiser J, Castro MC, Maltase MF, Bos R, Tanner M, Singer BH, Utzinger J: Effect of irrigation and large dams on the burden of malaria on a global and regional scale. AM J Trop Med Hyg 2005, 72:392-406 Steinman P, Keiser J, Bos R, Tanner M, Utizinger J: Schistosomiasis and water resource development: systematic review, meta-analysis, and estimate of people at ris. Lancet Infect Dis 2006, 6: 411-425 Dynamics and trends of malaria in relation to anopheline vector mosquitoes ecology, distribution and kdr resistance in Gilgel-Gibe dam area, Ethiopia Delenasaw Yewhalaw A, Wim Van Bortel B, Luc Duchateau C, Niko Speybroeck B A Department of Biology, Jimma University, Ethiopia, B Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium, and C Department of Physiology and Biometrics, Ghent University, Belgium IntroductionResults … Methodology Study area: Gilgel-Gibe hydroelectric dam area Study design: Longitudinal community-based Study villages: 16 villages (8 ‘control’ and 8 ‘at-risk’ villages) Conclusion  Alongside potential advantages, development of water resources either for irrigation or hydropower generation may have negative impacts on health. A number of studies conducted reported that large dam reservoirs/ irrigation schemes can negatively affect the health of local population (Erlanger et al 2005; Keiser et al 2005; Steinmann et al 2006).  No integrated epidemiological and entomological studies had been conducted around Gilgel-Gibe hydroelectric dam area (Ethiopia) before or after the introduction of the dam  Thus, this study is designed to: 1) investigate whether the introduced dam influences malaria incidence and transmission dynamics due to ecologic transformations 2) explore whether the introduced dam has an impact on abundance and distribution of vector mosquitoes 3) determine whether the malaria vectors of south-western Ethiopia develop resistance against insecticides that are commonly used in malaria control program in Ethiopia This is a PhD work done in the context of IUC-JU programme Contacts: PhD student: delenasaw.yewhalaw@ju.edu.et; promoter: nspeybroeck@itg.bedelenasaw.yewhalaw@ju.edu.et Results Overall prevalence of infection was 10.5% with 60.3%, 39.2% and 0.5% cases due to P. Vivax, P. falciparum and pf + pv, respectively The result showed a two-fold increase (12% vs. 6%) in malaria prevalence in ‘at-risk’ villages compared to ‘control’ villages Malaria prevalence in under 10 children in Gilgel –Gibe area Insecticide bioassay test in malaria vectors in Gilgel-Gibe dam area t Seasonal abundance and dynamics of An. gambiae s.l in ‘control’ and ‘at-risk’ villages in Gilgel-Gibe hydroelectric dam area, southwestern Ethiopiat Distribution of anopheline mosquito population by collection method in ‘control’ and ‘at-risk’ villages in Gilgel-Gibe dam area, southwestern Ethiopia Knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation in malaria vectors in Gilgel-Gibe dam area West African kdr allele (L1014F) frequency was 98.5% East African kdr allele (L1014S) was not detected Higher abundance of anopheline mosquitoes in ‘at- risk’ villages than ‘control’ villages Higher malaria prevalence in ‘at-risk’ villages compared to ‘control’ villages and proximity to the dam was a predictor of infection Communities living close to the dam were at higher risk of malaria infection and the dam posed health problem to communities residing in close proximity Mosquito vectors developed resistance to 3 out of the 4 classes of insecticides used in malaria control References