End Of The Line For Malaria Mosquitoes?

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22nd April 2009, 07:18pm - Views: 1240





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End of the Line for Malaria Mosquitoes?



MELBOURNE, Apr. 22 /Medianet International-AsiaNet/ --


   Researchers in The Netherlands have achieved outstanding success in blocking the lifecycle

of the mosquitoes which transmit malaria.


   The trials were conducted by Tullu Bukhari and Bart Knols, mosquito researchers at

Wageningen University, on a silicone-based liquid which spreads instantly across standing

water. The liquid forms a very thin surface film, impacting on mosquitoes at every stage of their

lifecycle.  


   The research, which will soon be published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and

Hygiene, has shown excellent efficacy of the product against the most important Asian and

African malaria vectors. 


   “All of the pupae in the water died within 2 hours of application of the product, and none of the

larvae went to the pupa stage,” Dr Knols said. “In addition, no eggs were laid on the treated

water.” 


   “Most attention has been focussed on adult mosquitoes through bed nets and indoor spraying,

but this product targets the junior end of the scale,” he said. 


   The product, called Aquatain AMF, was originally designed for controlling evaporation from

large water bodies, and is marketed for that purpose as well as for mosquito control. 


   According to the Australian inventor of the product, Graham Strachan, Aquatain AMF’s

physical action has two major benefits over traditional mosquito control products which have a

chemical action. “Firstly, the environmental impacts are minimal; and secondly, mosquitoes

can’t develop a resistance to the product,” he said. “The liquid is safe to use on all types of

water, including drinking water, and can be applied from a simple squeeze bottle on to puddles,

drains, ditches and other mosquito breeding sites.”


   These results support other trials which have been done with Aquatain AMF on aedes

mosquitoes (dengue fever carriers) and culex mosquitoes (West Nile Virus carriers).


   The Wageningen trials were conducted under laboratory conditions, and field evaluations in

Africa are planned for the autumn of 2009.


   Further details:


   Dr Bart Knols

   Medical Entomologist 

   Laboratory of Entomology 

   Wageningen University & Research Centre 

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   The Netherlands

 

   Tel:      +31 (0)317 485418 

   Mobile:   +31 (0)6 20014927 

   Fax:      +31 (0)317 484821 

   Email:    bart@malaria-world.com 


   Graham Strachan

   Director

   Ultimate Agri-Products

   AUSTRALIA

   Tel:      +61 (0)3 9701 0544

   Mobile:   +61 (0)409 250 240

   Fax:      +61 (0)3 9701 0655

   Email:  graham@ultimateagri.com.au


   SOURCE: Ultimate Agri-Products









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