Simple trick to prevent mosquito bites, scientists say

Is this the solution to a long-term confrontation? malaria mosquito Is it something as simple as soap? possible.And, in new research published in the journal Science PLOS neglected tropical diseasesScientists at the University of Texas at El Paso (USA) have made a convincing argument for this. In fact, the team found that adding a small amount of liquid soap to some types of mosquito killers can increase their effectiveness by more than 10 times.

This is promising news because mosquito The study’s lead author, Dr. Colince Kamdem, associate professor in UTEP’s Department of Biological Sciences, said malaria carriers are becoming increasingly resistant to current pesticides. “Over the past two decades, mosquitoes have become very resistant to most insecticides,” Kamdem said. “We are now racing to develop alternative compounds with new modes of action.”

Laboratory tests and field trials have shown Neonicotinoids, a special class of pesticidesProfessor Caroline Fouet, second author of the study, said the insects are a promising alternative for attacking populations that have shown resistance to existing pesticides. However, neonicotinoid insecticides will not kill certain species of mosquitoes unless their effectiveness is increased. In this case, soap is the reinforcing substance.

this malaria or malaria It is a devastating disease spread by mosquitoes that is common in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America, but in Spain it is already considered “high risk” due to our proximity to the continent. This pathology causes fever, fatigue, headache, and chills; it can be fatal. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were an estimated 241 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2020, resulting in 627,000 deaths.

What soap should I use to repel mosquitoes?

Prior to joining UTEP, Dr. Kamdem worked at the Cameroon Center for Research on Infectious Diseases (CRID).It was there that he first discovered The power of soap Also conduct routine pesticide testing.

Current World Health Organization (WHO) susceptibility testing protocols mosquito Some pesticides recommend adding seed oil-based products to the insecticidal mixture. Kamdem observed increased mosquito mortality when the compound was added compared to the insecticide alone.

“This compound is in the same class of substances as kitchen soap,” Kamdem explains. “So we thought: Why don’t we try something with the same properties?” he explains.Given this revelation, he and his team chose Three Inexpensive Flaxseed Oil Soapsabundant in sub-Saharan Africa.

Specifically, the names of these brands are Maître Savon de Marseille, Carolin Savon Noir and La Perdrix Savon. The scientists added them to four different neonicotinoid insecticides: acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. You may be interested in: They find out why mosquitoes bite some people more often than others and how to avoid it

The hunch paid off. in all situations, Mosquito-killing insecticides significantly more effective, the team wrote in the study. Ashu Fred, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at the University of Yaounde in Cameroon, said: “Compared with pesticide use alone, these three brands of soap increased mortality from 30% To 100%.”

The team also tested adding soap to a class of insecticides called pyrethroids. However, as the study noted, they did not observe benefits in these cases. The researchers hope to conduct more tests to determine just how much soap is needed to enhance the effectiveness of the pesticide.

“We would love to create a soap-based insecticide formulation that can be used indoors in Africa and has health benefits for users,” Kamdem said. “Whether this formulation will adhere to materials such as mosquito nets is unknown, but the challenge is promising and very exciting,” he concluded.