Health authorities to roll out trap to fight Zika

Georgetown: Health authorities have agreed to up the guard against the Zika virus and will be rolling out the “In2Care Trap” next week. This is according to Head of the Vector Control Unit, Dr. Horace Cox.
“We are looking to roll this out next week and will be working with the Health Ministry and other health agencies in a sustainable approach,” Dr Cox noted.
Univar, a leading global distributor of chemistry and related products and services, designed the “In2Care Trap” as a new control tool for mosquitoes that transmit the Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever diseases.
The Vector Control Unit is intensifying its efforts at combating the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is the carrier of the Zika virus that has been classed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). This virus has, so far, affected only one individual here. More than a dozen samples have been returned as negative from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in Trinidad and Tobago.
According to a pest control official, the In2Care Trap takes advantage of the mosquito’s life cycle and breeding habits. Aedes mosquitoes prefer dark, container-like breeding sites and typically lay eggs in not just one, but in multiple sites. The trap is based on the latest scientific knowledge and uses an organic odour lure to attract mosquitoes. It has a floater with bioactive-coated gauze that targets the mosquito in a 1-2 punch.
It was explained that the first active element in the trap is Pyriproxyfen (PPF), a WHO-recommended mosquito larvicide that is effective in the water of the trap and kills the pre-adult stage of the mosquito. An added bonus is that PPF can be spread to other breeding sites. The egg-laying mosquito gets contaminated with PPF particles, which adhere to her skin. Because of her behaviour, she flies from one water source to another, spreading a small amount of PPF to breeding sites, which prevents the development of larvae into biting adults.
The second active element is a fungus, safe for mammals and humans but toxic to mosquitoes. The fungus spores infect the mosquito upon contact and kill it within a few days. The fungus grows slowly enough within the mosquito to allow the female to continue to spread the PPF to several breeding sites in the area. Even before the mosquito is killed, the fungus infection makes it very hard for the insect to be able to fly and blood-feed and to transmit disease.
In2Care Research & Development Director, Dr. Marit Farenhorst, says; “Our aim was to develop a green solution; a tool not based on the chemicals to which mosquitoes have formed resistance. Our mixture is quite unique and uses the mosquito to kill its own offspring.”
The In2Care Mosquito Trap does not need power or CO2, has little to no effect on the environment, and needs to be serviced every 6-8 weeks, using refill sachets with fresh actives and odour lure. The trap is intended to protect households and public places rather than providing personal protection.
In2Care received research funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation and the EU FP7 Health initiative. It is the company’s aim to develop green and sustainable products that can contribute to the fight against mosquito-borne diseases.
“High-end tourist destinations are not immune”, said the pest-control professional. “This mosquito is difficult to combat, as she lays eggs in just about any small water source, such as flower pots, discarded tyres and empty containers. It is almost impossible to eliminate all the breeding sources.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has added Guyana and several other Caribbean countries to its travel advisory, asking pregnant women to avoid visiting because of the presence of the mosquito-borne Zika virus.