Mosquitoes to carry insecticides

The innovation of getting mosquitoes to carry insecticides to their own larvae is proving hugely effective, according to an article in magazine SciDev.

Researchers spread an insecticide among adult mosquitoes who then transported it back to their breeding sites. The results were startling: Placing the insecticide in just 3 - 5 per cent of resting areas resulted in 95 - 100 per cent of larvae dying in aquatic breeding sites.

The development offers great hope in the ongoing battles against vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria, especially given the stifled markets for new insecticides.