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| Mosquitoes' sweet tooth targeted | Mosquitoes' sweet tooth targeted |
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| Mosquitoes' thirst for sugar could prove to be the answer for eliminating malaria and other mosquito-transmitted diseases, say scientists. | Mosquitoes' thirst for sugar could prove to be the answer for eliminating malaria and other mosquito-transmitted diseases, say scientists. |
| A Hebrew University team was able to devastate a local mosquito population by spraying acacia trees with a sugar solution spiked with an insecticide. | A Hebrew University team was able to devastate a local mosquito population by spraying acacia trees with a sugar solution spiked with an insecticide. |
| While female mosquitoes need blood to develop their eggs, they also feed on sweet plant nectar. | |
| The study features in the International Journal for Parasitology. | The study features in the International Journal for Parasitology. |
| Malaria kills over a million people a year and is second only to tuberculosis in its impact on world health. | Malaria kills over a million people a year and is second only to tuberculosis in its impact on world health. |
| It is spread by female mosquitoes which derive much of their persistent energy from nectar snacks, taken from flowers and nectaries on plant leaves and stems. | |
| Isolated oasis | Isolated oasis |
| MALARIA 300 million clinical cases each year1 million deaths world-wide per yearA child dies of malaria every 30 secondsBiggest number of deaths occur among young children in Africa | MALARIA 300 million clinical cases each year1 million deaths world-wide per yearA child dies of malaria every 30 secondsBiggest number of deaths occur among young children in Africa |
| The Israeli team sprayed acacia trees in an oasis in the southern desert region of the country with a sugar solution containing the insecticide Spinosad. | The Israeli team sprayed acacia trees in an oasis in the southern desert region of the country with a sugar solution containing the insecticide Spinosad. |
| They chose the oasis because there were few other plants in the area from which mosquitoes could obtain their favourite tipple. | They chose the oasis because there were few other plants in the area from which mosquitoes could obtain their favourite tipple. |
| It was also home to a distinct and isolated mosquito population, so the effect could be monitored closely with only a minor risk of mosquitoes from neighbouring areas contaminating the results. | It was also home to a distinct and isolated mosquito population, so the effect could be monitored closely with only a minor risk of mosquitoes from neighbouring areas contaminating the results. |
| After spraying, almost the entire local population of mosquitoes was wiped out. The few mosquitoes that were trapped after spraying were thought to be newly emerging adults. | After spraying, almost the entire local population of mosquitoes was wiped out. The few mosquitoes that were trapped after spraying were thought to be newly emerging adults. |
| Lead researcher Professor Yosef Schlein said planting mosquito-attracting trees or bushes in suitable habitats, and spraying them with oral insecticide, could provide a relatively easy and cheap way to tackle the problem of malaria. | Lead researcher Professor Yosef Schlein said planting mosquito-attracting trees or bushes in suitable habitats, and spraying them with oral insecticide, could provide a relatively easy and cheap way to tackle the problem of malaria. |
| He said the technique had particular potential in areas of limited plant growth, such as desert and savannah regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is becoming a bigger threat. | He said the technique had particular potential in areas of limited plant growth, such as desert and savannah regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, where malaria is becoming a bigger threat. |
| It might also have some use in areas with a greater variety of flowers, as mosquitoes are very fussy, and only visit a limited number of species. | It might also have some use in areas with a greater variety of flowers, as mosquitoes are very fussy, and only visit a limited number of species. |
| Spinosad is an environmental "reduced-risk" oral insecticide that has little effect on other insects, birds and mammals. | Spinosad is an environmental "reduced-risk" oral insecticide that has little effect on other insects, birds and mammals. |
| Pierre Guillet, of the World Health Organization's global malaria programme, said any strategy that could effectively kill, or the reduce the life expectancy of adult female mosquitoes, had potential as a way to control the spread of malaria. | Pierre Guillet, of the World Health Organization's global malaria programme, said any strategy that could effectively kill, or the reduce the life expectancy of adult female mosquitoes, had potential as a way to control the spread of malaria. |
| However, he said the research would have to be replicated before any firm conclusions could be drawn. | However, he said the research would have to be replicated before any firm conclusions could be drawn. |