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Solar-powered mosquito traps incorporating human odor can reduce the incidence of malaria, according to research published in The Lancet.
Researchers introduced these traps to homes on the Kenyan island of Rusinga.
The population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes declined by 42% in homes that had the traps.
And the prevalence of malaria was 30% lower among people living in houses with a trap than among those in houses without a trap.
“The objective of the trial on Rusinga Island in Lake Victoria was to investigate whether malaria mosquitoes can be captured and destroyed using traps with a lure so that the risk of new malaria infections is minimized,” explained study author Willem Takken, PhD, of Wageningen University and Research Centre in Wageningen, Netherlands.
The trial enrolled 34,041 participants. Each individual was assigned to a cluster, which consisted of 50 or 51 geographically contiguous households. There were 81 clusters in all.
The researchers installed their solar-powered, odor-baited mosquito trapping systems (SMoTS) in the various households, cluster by cluster, until all of the clusters had the traps.
During the roll-out period—between June 3, 2013, and May 16, 2015—SMoTS were installed in 4358 households.
The density of Anopheles mosquitoes was lower in the clusters with SMoTS than those without. The adjusted estimated effectiveness of the traps was 42.2%.
The densities of Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes were lower in clusters with SMoTS than those without. The adjusted estimated effectiveness was 69.2% (P=0.005) and 10.8% (P=0.6), respectively.
The prevalence of malaria was 29.8% lower in clusters with SMoTS than those without (P<0.0001).
About 24% of people in clusters with SMoTS were positive for Plasmodium parasites (23.7%, 1552/6550), compared to about 35% of people in clusters without SMoTS (34.5%, 2002/5795).
“Ultimately, we want to eradicate malaria completely, in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner,” Dr Takken said.
“As we use a natural lure—namely, human odor—in our approach, there is no negative impact on the environment, and it is very improbable that the mosquitoes will become ‘resistant’ to being captured. After all, the mosquitoes need their attraction to the lure in order to be able to survive.”
Dr Takken and his colleagues believe their SMoTS may also be able to combat dengue fever and the Zika virus. Aedes aegypti is a vector for these viruses, and this mosquito is attracted to the same humanized scent that attracts malaria-carrying mosquitoes. 
Photo courtesy of the CDC
Solar-powered mosquito traps incorporating human odor can reduce the incidence of malaria, according to research published in The Lancet.
Researchers introduced these traps to homes on the Kenyan island of Rusinga.
The population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes declined by 42% in homes that had the traps.
And the prevalence of malaria was 30% lower among people living in houses with a trap than among those in houses without a trap.
“The objective of the trial on Rusinga Island in Lake Victoria was to investigate whether malaria mosquitoes can be captured and destroyed using traps with a lure so that the risk of new malaria infections is minimized,” explained study author Willem Takken, PhD, of Wageningen University and Research Centre in Wageningen, Netherlands.
The trial enrolled 34,041 participants. Each individual was assigned to a cluster, which consisted of 50 or 51 geographically contiguous households. There were 81 clusters in all.
The researchers installed their solar-powered, odor-baited mosquito trapping systems (SMoTS) in the various households, cluster by cluster, until all of the clusters had the traps.
During the roll-out period—between June 3, 2013, and May 16, 2015—SMoTS were installed in 4358 households.
The density of Anopheles mosquitoes was lower in the clusters with SMoTS than those without. The adjusted estimated effectiveness of the traps was 42.2%.
The densities of Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes were lower in clusters with SMoTS than those without. The adjusted estimated effectiveness was 69.2% (P=0.005) and 10.8% (P=0.6), respectively.
The prevalence of malaria was 29.8% lower in clusters with SMoTS than those without (P<0.0001).
About 24% of people in clusters with SMoTS were positive for Plasmodium parasites (23.7%, 1552/6550), compared to about 35% of people in clusters without SMoTS (34.5%, 2002/5795).
“Ultimately, we want to eradicate malaria completely, in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner,” Dr Takken said.
“As we use a natural lure—namely, human odor—in our approach, there is no negative impact on the environment, and it is very improbable that the mosquitoes will become ‘resistant’ to being captured. After all, the mosquitoes need their attraction to the lure in order to be able to survive.”
Dr Takken and his colleagues believe their SMoTS may also be able to combat dengue fever and the Zika virus. Aedes aegypti is a vector for these viruses, and this mosquito is attracted to the same humanized scent that attracts malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
Photo courtesy of the CDC
Solar-powered mosquito traps incorporating human odor can reduce the incidence of malaria, according to research published in The Lancet.
Researchers introduced these traps to homes on the Kenyan island of Rusinga.
The population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes declined by 42% in homes that had the traps.
And the prevalence of malaria was 30% lower among people living in houses with a trap than among those in houses without a trap.
“The objective of the trial on Rusinga Island in Lake Victoria was to investigate whether malaria mosquitoes can be captured and destroyed using traps with a lure so that the risk of new malaria infections is minimized,” explained study author Willem Takken, PhD, of Wageningen University and Research Centre in Wageningen, Netherlands.
The trial enrolled 34,041 participants. Each individual was assigned to a cluster, which consisted of 50 or 51 geographically contiguous households. There were 81 clusters in all.
The researchers installed their solar-powered, odor-baited mosquito trapping systems (SMoTS) in the various households, cluster by cluster, until all of the clusters had the traps.
During the roll-out period—between June 3, 2013, and May 16, 2015—SMoTS were installed in 4358 households.
The density of Anopheles mosquitoes was lower in the clusters with SMoTS than those without. The adjusted estimated effectiveness of the traps was 42.2%.
The densities of Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes were lower in clusters with SMoTS than those without. The adjusted estimated effectiveness was 69.2% (P=0.005) and 10.8% (P=0.6), respectively.
The prevalence of malaria was 29.8% lower in clusters with SMoTS than those without (P<0.0001).
About 24% of people in clusters with SMoTS were positive for Plasmodium parasites (23.7%, 1552/6550), compared to about 35% of people in clusters without SMoTS (34.5%, 2002/5795).
“Ultimately, we want to eradicate malaria completely, in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner,” Dr Takken said.
“As we use a natural lure—namely, human odor—in our approach, there is no negative impact on the environment, and it is very improbable that the mosquitoes will become ‘resistant’ to being captured. After all, the mosquitoes need their attraction to the lure in order to be able to survive.”
Dr Takken and his colleagues believe their SMoTS may also be able to combat dengue fever and the Zika virus. Aedes aegypti is a vector for these viruses, and this mosquito is attracted to the same humanized scent that attracts malaria-carrying mosquitoes.