Permethrin-treated bed nets (mosquito nets) prevent malaria in Gambian children.
The incidence of clinical attacks of malaria was significantly less in Gambian children aged 1-9 years who slept in villages where all the bed nets (mosquito nets) were treated with permethrin than in children who slept in control villages with placebo-treated nets. Significant differences in changes in spleen size and in packed cell volume were also observed between the 2 groups during the course of a rainy season. No side effect was noted. Treatment of bed nets with insecticide is a form of malaria control that is well suited to community participation and can readily be incorporated into primary health care programmes. Insecticide-treated nets may be more effective in areas of seasonal or low intensity transmission than in areas with heavy perennial challenge.
Snow
R W
RW
Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, Banjul, The Gambia.
Lindsay
S W
SW
Hayes
R J
RJ
Greenwood
B M
BM
D000818:Animals; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D009033:Culicidae; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia; D006400:Hematocrit; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D026023:Permethrin; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000469:parasitology
D007306:Insecticides; D011722:Pyrethrins; D026023:Permethrin