Eave ribbons treated with transfluthrin can protect both users and non-users against malaria vectors

Area of Science:

• Vector control
• Public health
• Entomology

Background:

• Spatial repellents, such as eave ribbons, offer a promising, low-cost method to reduce human exposure to malaria mosquitoes.
• Eave ribbons could supplement existing interventions like insecticide-treated nets (ITNs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the personal and communal protection provided by transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons against malaria mosquitoes.
• To assess the impact of adding mosquito traps as a supplementary intervention.

Main Methods:

• Experimental huts were used to simulate indoor and outdoor biting scenarios with Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes.
• Eave ribbons with varying coverage levels (0-100%) were tested, alongside UV-LED mosquito traps, to measure protection for users and non-users.
• Mosquito mortality in caged experiments was also assessed.

Main Results:

• Transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons provided significant protection (83% indoors, 62% outdoors) to users and communal protection (57% indoors, 48% outdoors) to non-users.
• Non-user protection improved with increased eave ribbon coverage, peaking at 80%.
• UV-LED traps did not enhance protection and, when combined with eave ribbons, showed no additional benefit.

Conclusions:

• Transfluthrin-treated eave ribbons are effective for both personal and communal protection against malaria mosquitoes, indoors and outdoors.
• The insecticidal properties of transfluthrin enhance communal benefits; field trials against resistant vectors are recommended.
• UV-LED traps showed no detectable benefits in this study; eave ribbons remain a viable complement to ITNs.