Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
05:16
Flying Insect Detection and Classification with Inexpensive Sensors
Published on: October 15, 2014
Electric fly swatter: potentially harmful not only for insects?
S Ioannidis1, G A Spyropoulou1, L Pavlidis1
1Department of Plastic surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters
|July 15, 2015
Summary
Electric fly-swatters, chemical-free mosquito killers, can cause severe burns. This report details a 15% flame burn injury from an electric fly-swatter, highlighting the rare but significant risks associated with this common household device.
Area of Science:
- Household safety
- Medical case reports
- Electrical device injuries
Background:
- Electric fly-swatters are popular, chemical-free devices for insect control in Greece.
- These devices utilize an electrical screen to incinerate insects upon contact.
- While generally safe, potential hazards are not widely documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a case of burn injury from an electric fly-swatter.
- To review existing literature on similar injuries.
- To raise awareness of the potential risks associated with electric fly-swatters.
Main Methods:
- Case presentation of a patient with a burn injury.
- Literature review of reported electric fly-swatter injuries.
- Analysis of the injury mechanism.
Main Results:
- A 15% flame burn injury was caused by the flash from an electric fly-swatter.
- This represents the second documented case of burn injury from this device in the literature.
- The injury mechanism involves the intense flash produced upon insect incineration.
Conclusions:
- Electric fly-swatters, despite being chemical-free, pose a risk of severe burn injuries.
- Healthcare providers should be aware of this potential hazard.
- Further investigation into safety measures for electric fly-swatters may be warranted.
