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Tomlinson, Sean, Yates, Henrietta Carrington, Oruni, Ambrose, Njoroge, Harun, Weetman, David 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5820-1388, Donnelly, Martin J ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5218-1497 and Van 't Hof, Arjen
(2019)
'Open source 3D printable replacement parts for the WHO insecticide susceptibility bioassay system.'. Parasites & Vectors, Vol 12, p. 539.
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Open source 3D printable replacement parts for the WHO insecticide susceptibility bioassay system.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Background
Malaria vector control and research rely heavily on monitoring mosquito populations for the development of resistance to public health insecticides. One standard method for determining resistance in adult mosquito populations is the World Health Organization test (WHO bioassay). The WHO bioassay kit consists of several acrylic pieces that are assembled into a unit. Parts of the kit commonly break, reducing the capacity of insectaries to carry out resistance profiling. Since there is at present only a single supplier for the test kits, replacement parts can be hard to procure in a timely fashion.
Methods
Using computer-aided design software and widely available polylactic acid (PLA) filament as a printing material, we 3D designed and printed replacement parts for the WHO bioassay system. We conducted a comparison experiment between original WHO bioassay kits and 3D printed kits to assess congruence between results. The comparison experiment was performed on two Kenyan laboratory strains of Anopheles gambiae (s.s.), Kilifi and Mbita. Studentʼs t-tests were used to assess significant differences between tube types. Finally, we exposed the PLA filament to common solutions used with the bioassay kit.
Results
We were able to design and print functional replacements for each piece of the WHO bioassay kit. Replacement parts are functionally identical to and interchangeable with original WHO bioassay parts. We note no significant difference in mortality results obtained from PLA printed tubes and WHO acrylic tubes. Additionally, we observed no degradation of PLA in response to prolonged exposure times of commonly used cleaning solutions.
Conclusions
Our designs can be used to produce replacement parts for the WHO bioassay kit in any facility with a 3D printer, which are becoming increasingly widespread. 3D printing technologies can affordably and rapidly address equipment shortages and be used to develop bespoke equipment in laboratories.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | QV Pharmacology > Drug Standardization. Pharmacognosy. Medicinal Plants > QV 771 Standardization and evaluation of drugs WA Public Health > WA 20.5 Research (General) WA Public Health > Preventive Medicine > WA 240 Disinfection. Disinfestation. Pesticides (including diseases caused by) WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 750 Malaria |
| Faculty: Department: | Biological Sciences > Vector Biology Department |
| Digital Object Identifer (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3789-9 |
| Depositing User: | Luciene Salas Jennings |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Nov 2019 12:47 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Nov 2019 12:47 |
| URI: | https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/13131 |
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