Mosquito control via inbuilt net hoisting windows: the inverted S/O channel/grip device option.

Background: In many tropical countries, malaria remains a major health problem. Effective control of in -house mosquitoes, due to entry prevention, takes advantage of the behavioural preferences of endophagy and endophily of mosquitoes. Insecticide-treated nets (ITN) adopt this, but is burdened with challenges, which result in dwindling adoption of the methodology in the tropics. An alternative is prevention of vector-human contact through house modifications, which adopts S/O channel/grip devices that form attachments to existing windows. Inverted S/O channel/grip frame (ISOWF) was therefore devised as an integrated window frame, which could be used for direct net attachment and housing shutters. The ISOWF is a lightweight material weighing 1/6 of the equivalent size of wood.

Materials and methods: Appropriate dies were employed to form channels from thin iron sheets in the prefer red shape and size of a laterally inverted letter 'S' (ƨ). The upper half was minimised to form and facilitate the 'O' griping of nets, while the remaining half was bloated to house window shutters. Net hoisting or de-hoisting periods were determined by timing. A room screened with a net was attached to the device and situated next to a mosquito breeding room. The room was charged with adequate carbon dioxide attractant for mosquitoes and protected with ISOWF screen. This was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the method. The time taken to hoist the net was measured. The frame was constructed like a metal/ wooden frame, except that the anterior view had two steps.

Results: The average time taken to hoist or de-hoist a net across a 60 cm x 120 cm window, formed by the frame, was 5.96 and 1.68 minutes, respectively. The nets retained their integrity. Mixed mosquito populations numbering 1,341 in total could not gain access to a room with carbon dioxide attractant, and the ISOWF screen prevented passage.

Conclusion: The ISOWF acts as a potential mosquito entry-prevention device, which further provides reinforcement to house screening. It forms an effective mosquito control device, which brands house screening as a sustainable environment for mosquito control, and subsequently, malaria control. This will also control the overall indoor densities of nuisance mosquitoes and other insect vectors.