Trials give hope for better control of the development of mosquito-borne diseases

An international study led by researchers at QIMR Berghofer shows that new devices targeting Aedes aegypti can be very helpful in combating mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika. It has been.

Random field trials used a small pesticide-treated plastic mesh device called an “emanator” to target Aedes aegypti in a home in Yucatan, Mexico. The QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland has coordinated the exam with colleagues from Yucatan Autonomous University in Mexico and Emory University in the United States.

Associate Professor Gregor Divine, director of the QIMR Berghofer Institute for Mosquito Control, said the radiator (treated with the pesticide metoflutrin) was placed in all rooms of 100 homes, where the pesticide was passively applied. He said it was released into the atmosphere. We then compared the mosquitoes and mosquito bites recorded in those homes with the results from 100 untreated homes over a period of several months.

“We found that the presence of divergents consistently reduced the number of female mosquitoes in the house by 60% and the number of reported bites by 90%,” said Associate Professor Devine. ..

“It was a significant reduction in the number of mosquitoes and a significant reduction in the number of potentially infectious bites. It is superior to the results reported in other mosquito control measures, despite the fact of Aedes aegypti. We are relieved that we have seen a reduction in mosquito bites. The population of Aedes aegypti in the Yucatan area is resistant to traditional pesticides, “added Devine.

Due to the lack of vaccines and drugs, pesticides are central to the control of Aedes aegypti-borne diseases. These pesticides are most effective when used indoors, as Aedes aegypti mosquitoes use humans as their sole source of blood and prefer to rest and feed indoors.

“This study is exciting because it is the first urban field trial of a faster, more efficient way to target these mosquitoes,” said Devine.

Trained spray teams are often slow to deploy and often inaccessible to homes, often hampering current methods of applying traditional pesticides. Associate Professor Devine said the device would be very useful in communities that have struggled to overcome the outbreak.

“These devices are small, easy to use, fast to deploy, potentially low cost, and don’t require electricity,” says Devine.

“Ultimately, I would like to meet the community responsible for their use in the outbreak area, as no expert training is required,” he added.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently evaluating this mosquito control model, and this trial adds evidence for them to consider.

Last year, global attention and resources focused on the fight against COVID-19, but it is important to remember hundreds of millions of people who are infected each year with mosquito-borne parasites and viruses. There are no vaccines for most of these diseases.

There is no doubt that new emphasis will be placed on mosquito control as countries move out of the pandemic and consider public health priorities.

As the 2016 global Zika outbreak and the recent recurrence of yellow fever in Brazil remind us that the next public health emergency may be mosquito-borne. This is important. Currently, there is no corresponding tool. The findings were published in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

The pesticide metoflutrin is safe and registered for use worldwide, including Australia.

The trial was funded by USAID. The study will continue from 2021 to 2022, funded by the British Government, to determine if the community can effectively deploy the radiator.

Follow more stories above Facebook And twitter

This story was published from the Wire Agency Feed without changing the text.