Personal protection against mosquitoes in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, by using a kerosene oil lamp to vaporize transfluthrin.
The effectiveness of a cheap and easy method of household protection against Culex quinquefasciatus Say and other mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) was investigated in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Kerosene-burning lamps (korobois) were modified to heat and vaporize transfluthrin, a volatile pyrethroid insecticide. When transfluthrin was added to fuel of the lamp, protection against biting was poor unless a very high concentration of insecticide was used. A modified lamp (= vaporizing koroboi) was designed to overcome this problem by mixing the insecticide with vegetable oil and heating it to 120 degrees C in a tin held just above the flame. The concentration of 0.1% transfluthrin in vegetable oil gave 50-75% reduction in biting, a similar degree of protection to that obtained from burning a mosquito coil containing a synthetic pyrethroid (0.25% d-allethrin) and significantly better protection than a locally bought coil (brand 'White Crane', probably containing DDT). Greater protection (consistently > 90%) was achieved with a higher concentration of transfluthrin (0.5%) in the vegetable oil. This modified lamp is simple, cheap and employs locally available technology. With further development, and due regard to inhalation toxicity of the vaporized materials, it may offer a more cost-effective alternative to a mosquito coil as a means of personal protection, and a useful complement to a net for the early part of the evening before bedtime.
Pates
H V
HV
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK. helen.pates@lshtm.ac.uk
Line
J D
JD
Keto
A J
AJ
Miller
J E
JE
D000818:Animals; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D009033:Culicidae / Q000187:drug effects; D006361:Heating; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology; D007648:Kerosene; D008029:Lighting; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D013636:Tanzania; D014835:Volatilization
D007302:Insect Repellents; D007306:Insecticides; D007648:Kerosene; D009821:Oils