The smart approach to mosquito control

Malaria infects 300 million people worldwide a year, a massive threat to public health and an economic burden, particularly in resource-poor societies. The project 'A low cost mosquito contamination device for sustainable malaria mosquito control' (MCD) has already made substantial progress in the development of three mosquito contamination devices (MCDs) to help tackle the problems of mosquito control, mainly the issue of chemical resistance.

MCD's innovative vector control approach combines effective and long-lasting applications for integrated chemical control agents that include biological methods and three devices that attract the mosquito.

The MCD prototypes have been designed with the mosquito life cycle and behaviour in mind. The Smart Patch is a cheap alternative to a full long-lasting insecticidal net. Placed on a bednet above the sleeping target, it attracts the insect through heat convection, thus minimising application rates of insecticide. An eave tube with a treated netting barrier kills the intruding mosquitoes on contact. Outdoor MCDs minimise human exposure. Several designs, including water-filled bottles and an oviposition trap, were field tested in Tanzania.

A powder-binding coating exposes mosquitoes to effective doses of fungus, a larvicide pyriproxyfen and insecticides. The particle size for pickup to take to breeding sites was optimised. For host-seeking mosquitoes, experiments with fungi are ongoing and Beauveria spores reduced mosquito survival significantly after contact with impregnated netting.

Results so far are encouraging. For example, 7 months after installation of eave tubes in 23 houses, insecticide-treated netting still killed 100 % of the mosquitoes exposed to it. Fungus worked well for four months and formulations to increase this period are being tested. MCD project work will continue with a focus on development of cost effective, environment-friendly products, use of combination products to combat resistance and making houses mosquito-proof.

A Tanzania-based company has expressed interest in moving the Smart Patch and the Eave Tube to market. The estimated cost of Eave Tubes including installation is only USD 1 per person on a village scale. Moreover, use of Eave Tubes reduced indoor mosquito presence by up to 90 %. Further project work can combat mosquitoes in resource-poor settings where there is no power or great infrastructure present yet.