DRDO develops technology to combat mosquito menace

Mar 08, 2012 |

Visakhapatnam

Tags:

defence
DRDO

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which develops defence equipment, has now developed a new technology to combat the mosquito menace.

The new method uses an “attractant” in combination with “insect growth regulators” to form an “attracticide.” It attracts the female mosquitoes to lay eggs in water containing the attractant. These eggs hatch into larva but do not grow into adults. The attracticide uses the “lure and kill” technique to prevent the mosquitoes from propagating.

Normally, insecticides work for a short duration only. After a while, the insecticides become useless as the mosquito population develops resistance. The use of insecticides is also widely criticised by the environmentalists.

According to statistics, about 400 species of mosquitoes can spread diseases among human beings. According to the World Health Organisation, at least 700 million people are infected each year by mosquito-borne diseases. In addition, approximately one out of 17 people are killed by mosquito-borne diseases.

Field trials have been carried out in Delhi by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which confirmed the efficiency of the attracticide in controlling the dengue vector population.

The new technology, developed by the DRDO, is simple and cost effective. The technology has tremendous potential to control dengue transmitting mosquitoes globally, said a scientist on conditions of anonymity.

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