A combined experimental-computational approach for spatial protection efficacy assessment of controlled release devices against mosquitoes (Anopheles)

摘要

Author summary Spatial Repellents (SRs) represent another tool to fight vector-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue. Newly developed active ingredients were designed to repel or kill vectors in space, creating a shield effect, unlike topical repellents, such as DEET, that rely on vectors to be near or in physical contact with protected target. Metofluthrin and transfluthrin are examples of active ingredients (AIs) designed as SRs against mosquitoes. The efficacy of SRs heavily depends on the delivery method. Currently, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of effectiveness of SR delivery methods. Current delivery modalities of SR do not rely on quantitative models to estimate targeted efficacy, making the end-user overshoot or undershoot the dosage required for protection. Optimizing the dosage over time is critical to obtain protection for a given space in a giving period of time, as well to prevent AI resistance in the long run. The key is therefore to deliver just enough dosage needed to repel or kill the vectors. The presented work provides a novel approach to predict performance of SRs based on an experimental-computational methodology to quantify effectiveness of controlled release devices as a function of AI physical properties (e.g. volatility), device design parameters combined with physical variables, and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, wind velocity). This work therefore provides the groundwork for estimating quantitative effectiveness of SR delivery methods against mosquitoes.