A study by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem claims to have created “a perfect protection system” against mosquitoes, which would limit the risk of bites. A promising announcement as viral diseases spread by these insects continue to infect millions of people around the world.
Long summer nights marred by mosquitoes may soon become a distant memory thanks to Israeli scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. They claim to have found the ideal parade to escape the radars of these insects. The study published in April in the journal PNAS Nexus demonstrates “significant 80% decrease in mosquito feeding on human skin” with new repellent
These insects are attracted to the tantalizing body odor you leave behind, a mixture including CO2 and carboxylic acids… Scientists have therefore sought to develop a repellent that makes humans undetectable by their fearsome sense of smell. Quoted by Euronews, Jonathan Bohbot, one of the researchers, explains that he invented “a chemical camouflage protection system that acts as a barrier for body odor. It prevents your smell from attracting mosquitoes, then releases the repellent very slowly. “.
Cellulose reduces the risk of bites by 80%
The miracle cocktail is made up of two natural elements: cellulose, derived from plant fibres, and indole, a repellent aromatic substance originating from the floral world.
“Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) taken alone, acts as a chemical camouflage on the many signals sought by insects”, explained Jonathan Bohbot. The experiment was as follows: a defined area of skin was coated with cellulose and placed in a cage of 15 female mosquitoes for 10 minutes. Each test revealed that very few mosquitoes landed on the cellulose coated areas. An 80% reduction in the risk of pitting was recorded after the application of CCN.
A 99.4% egg reduction
The effect of CCN combined with indole in the blood resulted in a 99.4% reduction in egg laying in mosquitoes that consumed it, the study details. Egg laying is directly linked to the insect’s diet
The reduction in mosquito laying inevitably leads to a decrease in numbers by limiting their multiplication. According to researcher Jonathan Bohbot, “this repellent is the best personal protection system you can imagine, its effects are long-range and long-lasting”.
Although the team hopes to bring this repellent to markets by next year, further real-world testing and certification that the product is not harmful are needed. These advances nevertheless open up an encouraging path towards the fight against the viral diseases carried by certain mosquitoes.