Each year on 25 April, highlights the need for continued investment in and commitment to malaria prevention and control. After years of steady declines in malaria cases and deaths, progress has stalled. For this reason, this year's theme, "Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite", calls for a renewed commitment to malaria eradication efforts. The campaign aims to re-energize efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
For this occasion, we put the spotlight on four up-to-date Cochrane reviews that underscore how laypeople can play a pivotal role in the prevention of malaria, a disease that continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives annually:
- (2007)
This Cochrane review was declared stable, as it was judged that further studies would not change its conclusions.
Electronic mosquito repellents are devices that emit high-pitched sounds, nearly inaudible to humans, that are claimed by manufacturers to be effective in repelling mosquitoes and preventing disease. However, this review of 10 field studies examining the number of mosquitoes landing on exposed human skin found that there was no difference in the number of mosquitoes caught from the bare body parts of participants with or without an electronic mosquito repellent. Consequently, there is no evidence to support the promotion or use of these devices.
- (2022)
Indoor residual spraying (IRS) involves regular application of chemical insecticides to household walls to kill landing mosquitos, whereas insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) prevent mosquito bites and reduce mosquito populations. Pyrethroid insecticides are the primary choice for ITNs because they are safer during prolonged contact with human skin compared to other insecticides. While many mosquito populations have developed some resistance to pyrethroid insecticides, a broader range of insecticides can be used for IRS.
This review assessed the impact of adding IRS to communities already using ITNs for malaria prevention. When it came to using non-pyrethroid-like IRS (i.e. using insecticides that have a different way of working to pyrethroids), the evidence shows that using IRS in addition to ITNs reduces malaria parasite prevalence, and that it may reduce malaria incidence and anaemia prevalence. In contrast, using pyrethroid-like IRS (i.e. using insecticides that have the same way of working as pyrethroids) probably does not seem to have an additional effect on malaria incidence or parasite prevalence, although data were limited.
- (2022)
This review aimed to evaluate the impact of house modifications, such as screening (covering or closing potential house entry points for mosquitoes with mesh or other materials), on preventing malaria. The review found seven studies conducted in Africa, showing that house modifications reduce the number of people with anaemia and probably reduce malaria parasite prevalence. However, the effect on malaria incidence and indoor mosquito density varied across studies. Six ongoing trials may provide further insights.
Have a look at on this review.
- (2023)
This review aimed to assess the benefits and risks of applying insect repellents to the skin to prevent malaria. It found that topical repellents may slightly reduce malaria incidence and prevalence, especially in high-risk populations like refugees. However, in areas where other malaria prevention tools like insecticide-treated nets are readily available, repellents may make little or no difference. The review included eight studies and found that topical repellents are generally safe with very low prevalence of adverse side effects.
These reviews highlight the importance of continued investment in high-quality research and coordinated global efforts to implement effective malaria prevention and control measures.