Innovation is a wonderful thing. Especially when the innovation is effective so that it benefits people other than the innovators and disseminators.
So I searched the internet for any peer reviewed scientific papers or systematic reviews to show that insecticide treated clothing is effective against mosquitoes. Nothing. Effective to prevent malaria? Nothing.
Is this a study? What is is studying?
Jamie
++++++++++++++++++
In fight against malaria, NGO explores clothes that bite back
Nick Baker
Myanmar Times
Friday, 04 March 2016
Health specialists met in Yangon yesterday to discuss insect-fighting clothes as a way of eliminating malaria in Myanmar.
NGO Malaria Consortium has been testing its insect-treated arsenal with a local at-risk group: rubber tappers in Thanbyuzayat who work in plantations at night when infective mosquitoes are most active.
Locally made clothing was treated with permethrin, an insecticide that kills or repels biting insects when they come in contact with the material.
“Treated clothing fills a gap in personal protection of vulnerable populations who are exposed to bites,” said Dr Jeffrey Hii, regional senior vector control specialist at Malaria Consortium.
He said that repellents offer protection for a matter of hours whereas insecticide-treated clothing can provide protection for months.
Permethrin-treated clothing was initially used by military personnel. Studies on long-term daily exposure to permethrin have indicated little risk associated with the repellant’s use, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the World Health Organisation, Myanmar had 152,195 reported cases of malaria last year. The number of cases has been in decline over the past decade and are now mostly concentrated among at-risk and hard-to-reach groups. These include people who live in or around forests, the armed forces, and those who work in logging, mining, palm oil or rubber plantations, or construction sites. Migrant workers who may be unfamiliar with the disease are also particularly at risk.
Growing resistance to artemisinin, the first-line resistance to malaria, has emerged as threat to anti-malaria gains in Myanmar, forcing public health officials to look for effective alternatives and containment strategies.
Mr Hii said insecticide-treated clothing could be a tenable preventative because it requires little in the way of behavioural change. “It’s as simple as putting on a shirt,” he said.
Malaria Consortium is now looking to conduct further studies into insecticide-treated clothing in Myanmar to determine factors like cost and durability. However, there was no set timetable for a larger roll-out of the measure.
Event participants used the occasion to also reaffirm the goal of eliminating malaria in Myanmar by 2030.
“This will only be possible by targeting specific groups with specific technologies,” said U Kyi Thar, country technical coordinator at Malaria Consortium.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/19310-in-fight-against-malaria-ngo-explores-clothes-that-bite-back.html?platform=hootsuite#.VtrqJ05bBMQ.twitter
