New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) – A new study suggests that spatial repellents, also known as “spatial emanators,” can significantly reduce mosquito bites and help curb malaria transmission.
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) found that these repellents represent a relatively new category of insecticide. They can be deployed on a sheet-sized device and provide protection for up to a year against mosquitoes responsible for malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, and Zika.
Published in the journal eBioMedicine, the systematic review analyzed over 25 years of data covering around 1.7 million mosquitoes. Findings revealed that spatial emanators release chemicals into the air and can prevent more than half of mosquito bites.
This breakthrough coincides with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recent endorsement of spatial emanators — the first new vector-control product class introduced in over four decades.
The devices are lightweight, affordable, and require no electricity or heat, making them ideal for use in remote malaria-prone regions across Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia.
“We finally have a new way to protect against mosquito bites, especially one that complements existing tools,” said Ingrid Chen, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UCSF. “It’s easy to use and could help save lives worldwide.”
In 2023, malaria claimed 597,000 lives globally, with most victims being children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. While malaria was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1950s, occasional local cases still occur in states like Florida and Texas.
Traditional insecticide-treated nets mostly work indoors and at night. Other repellents tend to be costly and require frequent reapplication, while insecticide coils produce smoke and last only a few hours. Spatial emanators, however, utilize safe, volatile forms of chemicals similar to those used in treated bed nets and offer broader protection.
The study also found that the repellents are effective against all disease-carrying mosquito species, though effectiveness varies.