Innovative Mosquito Net Shows Promise in Fight Against Malaria

In the fight against malaria, a disease that has plagued humanity for thousands of years, progress is being made thanks to the development of innovative mosquito nets. One such innovation is the Interceptor G2 (IG2) net, a dual-treated bed net that is revolutionising the battle against this deadly disease.

Corine Ngufor, an entomologist, is at the forefront of this development. Having grown up in an environment where malaria was a constant fact of life, she is personally invested in finding a solution. Ngufor and her team are working on a new type of mosquito net treated with a combination of pyrethroids and chlorfenapyr.

The IG2 nets, which have already proven their effectiveness, are treated with this unique combination. Chlorfenapyr, when used in mosquito nets, drains the energy of mosquitoes, making them sluggish, weak, and unable to fly, and eventually killing them. This dual treatment strategy is crucial as mosquitoes are developing resistance to the standard insecticides used on bed nets, including pyrethroids.

The success of IG2 nets has been significant. Studies in Tanzania and Benin show that dual-treated IG2 nets reduced malaria infection among children by nearly half. From 2019 to 2022, these nets are estimated to have prevented approximately 13 million malaria cases and an estimated 25,000 lives.

The development of the IG2 net was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC). It is estimated to have prevented hundreds of thousands of malaria-related deaths since its inception.

In 2023, the WHO strongly recommended dual-treated bed nets over traditional ones, recognising the importance of staying ahead of insecticide resistance. This recommendation comes as progress in reducing malaria rates has stalled due to factors like COVID-19 disruptions, climate change, and mosquitoes developing resistance to pyrethroids.

The IG2 nets are not the only hope in the fight against malaria. Corine Ngufor and her team are also working on a new type of mosquito net treated with a combination of pyrethroids and chlorfenapyr. Early lab tests on this new net showed disappointing results, but subsequent improved field tests revealed that chlorfenapyr is highly effective at killing mosquitoes, albeit taking longer than initially expected.

The fight against malaria is a long and arduous one, but with innovations like the IG2 net and the continued research of scientists like Corine Ngufor, there is hope for a malaria-free future. The success of the IG2 net has reignited progress against malaria, demonstrating that with determination and innovation, we can overcome even the deadliest of animals, like the mosquito.