What attracts mosquitoes more than the smell of human skin? Researchers at the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania took advantage of the weakness of these intrusive insects to the smell of dirty socks. This discovery could apply to countries struggling with the malaria scourge, said the AP agency.
Mosquitoes attracted by an interesting smell fly to the trap and become fatally poisoned. To create a mixture that imitates the scent of socks, scientists carefully combined eight chemical compounds. Research on the drug showed that the smell attracted four times more mosquitoes than people in the vicinity, with 95% of people approaching the trap. insects were killed.
The idea appealed to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which decided to co-finance one of the projects in Tanzania. If cheap mass production could be launched, such traps could become the first effective externally effective means of disease control. The risk is lower indoors due to the commonly used mosquito nets and sprays.
The Dutch scientist Dr. Bart Knols first informed about the fact that the smell of feet is attractive to mosquitoes 15 years ago. He came to this conclusion by performing a simple experiment – he stood for some time naked in a dark room, and then analyzed the places on the body that mosquitoes particularly liked.
While the global rate of malaria infections is declining, more than 220 million new cases are reported each year. According to UN data, almost 800 cases are fatal, and the disease is tolling most among African children.
Currently, trap maker Dr. Fredros Okumu, a Kenyan, who has suffered from malaria several times himself, is working on the optimal location of the traps. If they are placed too close to houses, they will attract mosquitoes near people, but if placed too far away, they will not be effective. The researcher hopes that the price of the device will fluctuate in the range of $ 4-27 in the future. (PAP)