(Press-News.org)
Malaria and other illnesses caused by parasites, viruses, and bacteria transmitted by organisms that spread infectious pathogens account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases worldwide. These vector-borne diseases, typically transmitted by insects like mosquitoes, flies, and ticks, disproportionally affect the poorest populations in tropical and subtropical regions.
In Cabo Verde, an island nation off west Africa, vector-borne disease has been prevalent for centuries, in part due to the island’s geographical location and climate. Now, researchers in Cabo Verde and Spain set out to test the efficacy of three insecticide paint formulations to reinforce the existing national program aiming to minimize the occurrence of disease outbreaks. The results have been published in Frontiers in Tropical Diseases.
“Here we show that VESTA insecticide paint is effective at killing Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, in the city of Praia for at least one year,” said lead author Dr Lara Ferrero Gómez, who coordinates a research group on tropical diseases at the Jean Piaget University of Cabo Verde. “We also found it has good acceptance in the population, with 98% confirming the decrease in mosquitoes in their residences after paint application.”
Mosquito control for up to a year
In a large-scale field trial, trained volunteers painted 228 houses in two Praia neighborhoods that are particularly vulnerable to diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. This is due to insufficient drainage which leads to flooding in the rainy season and poor wastewater management. Additionally, many residences in Cabo Verde store water due to insufficient and disrupted water supply, and water storage is often unsafe.
After one, three, six, and 12 months, WHO cone bioassays were conducted at two randomly selected houses in each neighborhood. “Bioassays record the mortality of A. aegypti mosquitoes after exposing them for half an hour to the insecticidal paint. This allows us to directly evaluate the effectiveness of the insecticidal paint,” Ferrero Gómez explained.
All three insecticide paint mixtures lead to complete mortality of A. aegypti mosquitoes one month after the houses were painted. Three months after painting, all formulations still exceeded the WHO efficiency threshold, which lies at 80%. At month six, two formulations fell below this threshold. The VESTA formulation, however, also met WHO requirements at months six and 12. “The paint works by releasing very small quantities of insecticide over a long period, which makes it more sustainable and eco-friendlier,” Ferrero Gómez pointed out.
The researchers did not register any serious effects of the paint on residents’ health. Adverse effects reported by few residents included mild eye or nose irritation (10%) and headache (4%).
Malaria free – what’s next?
At the beginning of the year, Cabo Verde was the third country in Africa to be declared free of Malaria by the WHO. The challenge to stop its reoccurrence, however, remains. The researchers said that insecticidal paint is also a promising strategy to strengthen the prevention and control of malaria cases at a household level since insecticide paint is effective for any type of vector disease transmitted by mosquitos, not just zika and dengue fever.
While the researchers face certain limitations, such as the need to meticulously apply the paint in two layers to ensure it does not lose its effectiveness, the TINTAEDES project is expected to extend to more locations across Praia, which is a hotspot for vector-borne diseases, as well as across all of Cabo Verde.
END
Special insecticide paint may help curb zika and dengue fever outbreaks
Scientists showed that insecticide paint could effectively decrease mosquito presence in Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) for up to one year, making this paint a potential strategy to decrease the transmission of vector-borne diseases.
2024-03-05
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Shortcut to Success: Toward fast and robust quantum control through accelerating adiabatic passage
2024-03-05
Osaka, Japan – Researchers at Osaka University’s Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (SANKEN) used the shortcuts to the adiabaticity (STA) method to greatly speed-up the adiabatic evolution of spin qubits. The spin flip fidelity after pulse optimization can be as high as 97.8% in GaAs quantum dots. This work may be applicable to other adiabatic passage and will be useful for fast and high-fidelity quantum control.
A quantum computer uses the superposition of “0” and “1” states to perform information processing, which is completely different from classical computing, thus allowing for the solution of certain problems at a much faster rate. High-fidelity ...
Gen Z’s climate anxiety is real and needs action — for everyone’s wellbeing
2024-03-05
New Curtin University research has shown Australian young people have major concerns about climate change, which is having a significant impact on their lives and could have broader consequences decades into the future.
Published in Sustainable Earth Reviews, the study surveyed Australian university students belonging to Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2010) and found climate change was their number one environmental concern.
More than 80 per cent reported being ‘concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about climate change, with many revealing they felt anxious over the issue.
Climate anxiety ...
Proposals for cell donation procedures to create brain organoids
2024-03-05
With advances in neuroscience and the development of new technologies, new ethical considerations have emerged. This is particularly true for human brain organoids, which are three-dimensional tissues grown from stem cells that partially replicate the characteristics of the human brain. Brain organoids have emerged as important tools for studying brain development and disease, but there are concerns about the possibility of these organoids developing consciousness. This has important implications for research ethics and the need to obtain informed consent from cell donors.
To address these questions, an international team of researchers has sought to shed light on the intricate ...
Turning skin cells into limb cells sets the stage for regenerative therapy
2024-03-05
Fukuoka, Japan – In a collaborative study, researchers from Kyushu University and Harvard Medical School have identified proteins that can turn or “reprogram” fibroblasts — the most commonly found cells in skin and connective tissue — into cells with similar properties to limb progenitor cells. Publishing in Developmental Cell, the researchers’ findings have enhanced our understanding of limb development and have set the stage for regenerative therapy in the future.
Globally, close to 60 ...
NUS researchers invent new triple-junction tandem solar cells with world-record efficiency
2024-03-05
Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a novel triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell that can achieve a certified world-record power conversion efficiency of 27.1 per cent across a solar energy absorption area of 1 sq cm, representing the best-performing triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell thus far. To achieve this, the team engineered a new cyanate-integrated perovskite solar cell that is stable and energy efficient.
Solar cells can be fabricated ...
Quantum computing will radically alter the application of copyright law, study says
2024-03-05
Quantum computing will radically transform the application of the law – challenging long-held notions of copyright, a new study says.
Faster computing will bring exponentially greater possibilities in the tracking and tracing of the legal owners of art, music, culture and books.
This is likely to mean more copyright infringements, but also make it easier for lawyers to clamp down on lawbreaking. However, faster computers will also be able to potentially break and get around certain older enforcement technologies.
The research says quantum computing ...
Ochsner Health & Wellness Day in New Orleans East set for March 9
2024-03-05
NEW ORLEANS – Today, Ochsner Health announced that the annual Health and Wellness Day in New Orleans East will be held from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 9 at the Joe W. Brown Rec Center.
“At Ochsner Health, our vision is to inspire healthier lives and stronger communities, and neighborhood engagement is a fundamental component of that effort,” said Yvens Laborde, MD, chief community medical officer. “Health and Wellness Day meets New Orleans East families where they live. With our partners, ...
Protecting joints from bacteria with mussels
2024-03-05
Degenerative arthritis is no longer exclusive to the elderly population. According to the National Health Insurance Service report covering the years from 2012 to 2022, there has been a 22.8% increase in the prevalence of degenerative arthritis among people in their 20s and 30s. This rise is attributed to prolonged periods of desk sitting and the excessive lifting of heavy sports equipment, both of which can lead to significant cartilage damage. While artificial joints are a common treatment, bacterial infections have posed challenges. However, ...
Researchers investigate immune response of a man who received 217 Covid vaccinations
2024-03-05
Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen have examined a man who has received more than 200 vaccinations against Covid-19. They learned of his case via newspaper reports. Until now, it has been unclear what effects hypervaccination such as this would have on the immune system. Some scientists were of the opinion that immune cells would become less effective after becoming used to the antigens. This proved not to be the case in the individual in question: his immune system is fully functional. Certain immune cells and antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are even ...
Proceed with caution – the meteoric rise of zero-alcohol drinks
2024-03-05
New research from Flinders University has revealed that parents are feeling conflicted, confused and concerned when it comes to zero-alcohol beer, wine and spirts and adolescents.
In recent years alcohol-free alternatives have flooded the Australian drinks market, reaching into the millions of dollars and heralding a new - but ever more confusing - era for parents across the country.
With such a meteoric rise in choice and popularity, the rules, regulations and wider implications of these drinks for adolescents are still being studied.
Non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits, sometimes known as ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
A map for single-atom catalysts
What about tritiated water release from Fukushima? Ocean model simulations provide an objective scientific knowledge on the long-term tritium distribution
Growing crisis of communicable disease in Canada in tandem with US cuts
Women get better at managing their anger as they age
Illegal shark product trade evident in Australia and New Zealand
New search tool brings 21% better accuracy for robotics developers
New model extracts sentence-level proof to verify events, boosting fact-checking accuracy for journalists, legal teams, and policymakers
Efficient carbon integration of CO₂ in propane aromatization over acidic zeolites
FPGA-accelerated AI for demultiplexing multimode fiber towards next-generation communications
Vitamin D3 nanoemulsion significantly improves core symptoms in children with autism: A clinical trial
Microfluidic point-of-care device accurately measures bilirubin in blood serum: A pilot study
Amygdalin shows strong binding and stabilizing effects on HER2 receptor: A computational study for breast cancer therapy
Bond behavior of FRP bars in concrete under reversed cyclic loading: an experimental study
Milky Way-like galaxy M83 consumes high-speed clouds
Study: What we learned from record-breaking 2021 heat wave and what we can expect in the future
Transforming treatment outcomes for people with OCD
Damage from smoke and respiratory viruses mitigated in mice via a common signaling pathway
New software tool could help better understand childhood cancer
Healthy lifestyle linked to lower diverticulitis risk, irrespective of genetic susceptibility
Women 65+ still at heightened risk of cervical cancer caused by HPV
‘Inflammatory’ diet during pregnancy may raise child’s diabetes type 1 risk
Effective therapies needed to halt rise in eco-anxiety, says psychology professor
Nature-friendly farming boosts biodiversity and yields but may require new subsidies
Against the odds: Endometriosis linked to four times higher pregnancy rates than other causes of infertility, new study reveals
Microplastics discovered in human reproductive fluids, new study reveals
Family ties and firm performance: How cousin marriage traditions shape informal businesses in Africa
Novel flu vaccine adjuvant improves protection against influenza viruses, study finds
Manipulation of light at the nanoscale helps advance biosensing
New mechanism discovered in ovarian cancer peritoneal metastasis: YWHAB restriction drives stemness and chemoresistance
New study links blood metabolites and immune cells to increased risk of urolithiasis
[Press-News.org] Special insecticide paint may help curb zika and dengue fever outbreaksScientists showed that insecticide paint could effectively decrease mosquito presence in Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) for up to one year, making this paint a potential strategy to decrease the transmission of vector-borne diseases.