Research shows stinking socks can fight Malaria

A U.S. and Canadian-funded researcher currently based in Africa said on Wednesday that the smell of dirty socks can be used to attract mosquitoes into a poisonous trap before they can actually spread malaria.

Dr. Fredros Okumu of the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania revealed that mosquitoes are more fascinated to the odor of stinking feet rather than the smell of sleeping humans in the same area.

Dr. Okumu also said that they conducted an experiment in two houses: one with a human being sleeping inside and the other with a synthetic mixture which, when drenched with insecticide, would kill the bugs.

"When mosquitoes are crossing the compound, they sense something that they think is a human being. They attempt to bite that person or that device and … instead of getting blood they get killed," Dr. Okumu said.

The findings earned a grant amounting to US$775,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Grand Challenges Canada and more research are expected to be set up in a number of Tanzanian villages to measure their outcome on public health.

The devices are to be placed outside the houses in order to match life-saving nets and repellents.

"We were attracted to that idea because it is a bold idea, it's creative, it's innovative. Who would have thought that a life-saving technology could be lurking in your laundry basket?" Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada Peter Singer said.

In 2009, Malaria claimed 781,000 lives according to the UN's World Health Organization (WHO), which initiated efforts to give out insecticide-treated mosquito nets and spray on reproduction sites.

Each year, about 90 percent of Malaria deaths occur in Africa and 92 percent of these are children below five. — GAIL