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Malaria and Architecture (part 2): How would you make this house mosquito proof?
The forum discussion on malaria and architecture has been viewed by almost 500 MalariaWorld subscribers, and 9 people have so far submitted their views and comments.
In this second part, I'd like to show you two images of houses in Mozambique (sent to me by Dr. Derek Charlwood). We would like to hear your views and opinions on what can be done to a house like this to reduce mosquito entry. We are curious to see what you can come up with....
Very interesting housing... I would like to know more about the predominant weather conditions in this area, especially the humidity, to make better decisions. But, straight out of the top of my head, I would like to see more ventilation (and lighting) with the hope that this would reduce the humidity and carbondioxide concentration gradients that are among the cues that attract malaria transmitting mosquitoes to human habitats.
The vents, the door and windows should definitely be screened using a long-lasting insecticide-impregnated material similar to the one used in LLINs.
Finally, the gaps around the edges of the door need to be closed.
Patrick.
I have some additional photos from Moz of the interior of such houses which I will insert in a new topic (Malaria & architecture 3) with comments
For the roof, plastic sheets instead of nets would be useful. The door frame can be rectified slightly by placing a bamboo frame on the top, such that it plugs the gap in the door-space effectively. Hanging nets inside alongside the walls would be productive as it eliminates resting space for mosquitoes but decreases the breathing of the house walls and is also challenging to implement.
I 'd like to give an idea to develope this poor house, do a frame of the door by using bamboo tree as seen but possible to apply fix the door frame with the fishing net (SWG, Standard wire gauze) (around 0.025 – 0.03 mm or 1.2-1.3 mm/mesh) which can provent from the mosquito entry and more breathing or the wind velocity assess or wind can flow. However, in practical, the people's protection behavior who has their modified screen- houses actually do not stay all the time inside their houses, the activities usually are outside. Furthermore, do not forget that, the mosquitos biting and resting behavior, they can rest at this wall or roof and can go backward to inside (if this wall is not covered or thick enough!
Usa
You can keep out lots of the beasties with:
simple wallpaper, applied from about waist level up, and across the ceiling, was found effective in the US in the 1940's, and I believe some folks in East Africa did the same thing with locally produced paper from papyrus. The female anopheline prefers to enter at the eaves or the door. So next you need to seal the door.
You make a door jamb from lumber, put a strong frame on the door, and hinges strong enough so that you have a tight fit of the door, using an overlapping piece of trim. Then a spring to keep the door shut, and stern instructions to those small boys.
Experimentally, i would also try wall openings near ground level to facilitate air flow at night, so that the stagnant air does not support gradients, cluing the mosquito on her search. Those openings should be covered with screens, or at least netting.
It is important to get the air flowing at night. My experience in Sudan is that on really hot nights, people will sleep outdoors, just for the air flow.
Willy
I would like to get some more information from William Jobin.
Making holes in the lower wall parts for ventilation and then adding a mosquito net in the opening, will that not be airtight pretty fast from dust ? Did you ever try it out ?/Ole
Yes Ole, I think you are right. A net would probably clog faster near the floor than it would if placed over a bed. So maybe wire mesh should be used. And as you sugggested, I have never tried that arrangement.
Bill
To make this house mosquito proof, it would need screening of the house from the inside using a large netting material on the walls and also making the net as a ceiling. To allow entrance through the door the netting at the door would be cut in a door-like shape that could be closed easily by sticking. It would be more efficient to use an insecticide impregnated netting so that any mosquito entering through the door would be killed.