This article is the prosecution of “Students’ Field Research Project on Malaria: Introduction“, explaining the origin of a听medical research听experience听involving听Louis-Georges Roumy1, Niccol貌听Stomeo1, Abu听Elamin1听碍丑补迟迟补产听础测尘补苍 2 补苍诲听厂别辫辫辞听惭别谤颈.1,2
1 麻豆传媒AV在线看 Institute, Milan, Italy
2 University of Helsinki, Finland
Vector Control: The final step towards Malaria Eradication?
Written by Roumy Louis-Georges,听Stomeo Niccol貌, Elamin Abu, Hunimed Students
In the introductory article听the听origin of the project and basic听facts on malaria – cause and diffusion – are presented. 听Read the introduction.
Malaria – A modern plague
The Anopheles mosquito听does not specifically feed on humans but can also feed on both cattle or birds. However, A. gambiae, the most important vector for malarial transmission, mainly feeds on humans and is therefore much more efficient in transmitting malaria.
Most Anopheles mosquitoes are nocturnal and feed at dusk or at night. Therefore it seems logical that the most efficient way to combat this problem would be aimed at reducing the transmission rate at night -primarily during the sleep hours.
Currently efficient techniques such as bed netting are already implicated but the major problems are that they are never fully secure and do not BREAK the mosquitoes cycle as they are still free to carry on the transmission. Although the current techniques are useful for protection, they do not represent听a definitive solution towards the eradication of Malaria.
It is for this reason that new innovative techniques such as the 3D screen nets are being implemented in synergy with the prior successful techniques.
Furthermore understanding the feeding behaviour of mosquitoes and their reproductive cycle have been a crucial part in devising effective preventative measures. In order to fully understand this complex disease it has proved vital to collect relevant samples and deduce accurate statistics about the prevalence of malaria in these collected specimens.
While gathering this information and devising solutions one must always take into account the characteristics of the houses. Typical east african houses have specific characteristics that increase the possibility of exposure to the vector, such as: open eaves, structural defects, holes in the bed nets and are usually densely populated. Indeed having multiple people sleeping in one room greatly increases the probability of transmission from one infected person to the rest.
Past measures have dramatically reduced the mortality rates and comorbidities. Implementing simple, affordable and effective methods of prevention has been the true challenge. It is for this reason that the 3D screen net was developed.
Want to know more about malaria and its solutions?听
In the next articles听you will read about:
- NIMR: The first line of defense
- A viable approach to malarial eradication
