Disease-spreading mozzies may be getting wise to our best defences, but science is fighting back with a new kind of chemistry. But will advances be able to outpace nature? Bhekisisa_MG finds out.
Ruth Uwamahoro clutched her toddler son tight. The strength of the small boy’s fever burned against the skin of her arms.
Over a decade ago, malaria — a disease caused by certain parasites and transmitted to humans by mosquitoes — was the leading cause of sickness and death in Rwanda. In 2005, hospitals across the country reported 80000 severe cases, according to that year’s demographic and health survey. Almost four out of every 10 deaths were among children just like Uwamahoro’s who had not yet turned five.
Her nightly inspection done, Uwamahoro, her husband and their two young sons duck beneath the net’s folds to settle in for the night.She spoke to Bhekisisa in September as the long rainy season began sweeping across Rwanda’s misty mountains, bringing with it a surge in malaria.But her son’s malaria didn’t come from a lack of preparedness. The failure likely came from the very bed net she so carefully sets up every night.
In October, a consortium of international funders announced a four-year agreement to produce new G2 Interceptor nets in bulk, lowering the price by about 40%. “In a … situation where people live and cook in single-roomed houses,” they write, “nets accumulate dirt from soot and over-handling in a short time, which often results in an increase in washing frequency”.
Imagine: You use the same chemicals to ward off mosquitoes in an area year after year. In every group, there might be one or five mosquitoes that hold up a little better against the insecticides. They survive, and have babies with similar genes that also withstand the next spray. Eventually, these super survivors that are resistant to the chemicals are the only ones left.
In 2019, Rwanda began distributing 1.2-million of these next-generation mosquito nets as part of an international pilot programme there and in countries such as Mozambique, Mali and Côte d’Ivoire. Currently, the Interceptor G2 nets, which come at a higher price, are only recommended for countries such as Rwanda that are encountering resistance to traditional pyrethroid bed net treatments.
A 2018 research review by the Cochrane centre found that dosing nets with the PBO and pyrethroid combination worked to kill more mosquitoes and prevent more bites than standard pyrethroid-only nets. But the data was not available to determine how long PBO stayed on nets — especially after some research showed it didn’t pass the critical “20 wash” test.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The business of unfinished busines - The Mail & GuardianPhysical and psychological violence will continue unless we self-reflect on our apartheid scars
Read more »
Kegel exercises aren’t solely for people with vaginas - The Mail & GuardianOften people think that kegels are targeted solely at women who want to increase the tightness of their vagina, whereas in fact the exercises are for everyone who wants to engage in better sex
Read more »
Motoring dreams for the future, now - The Mail & GuardianTechnology that would have been the stuff of dreams in the past decade is quickly coming to life. Practical, silly or bombastic, it’s news that has heads turning, writes FelthamLuke.
Read more »
Virus spreads globally – but don’t panic yet - The Mail & GuardianAuthorities are urging people to remain calm about the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, and with good reason — panic will only exacerbate the situation
Read more »
The commons, not the market - The Mail & GuardianGreening the financial system is essential,but the environment can’t be shoehorned into the logic of finance
Read more »
United must make Champions League to boost coffers - The Mail & GuardianThe club's revenue for the three months to December 31 fell nearly 20% because of a £39-million drop in broadcasting income
Read more »