Electronic Mosquito Repellents for Preventing Mosquito Bites and Malaria Infection.

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review)
Enayati A, Hemingway J, Garner P

This is a reprint of a Cochrane review, prepared and maintained by The Cochrane Collaboration and published in The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 3 http://www.thecochranelibrary.com

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

TABLE OF CONTENTS HEADER . . . . . . . . . . ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY . BACKGROUND . . . . . . . OBJECTIVES . . . . . . . . METHODS . . . . . . . . . RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . DISCUSSION . . . . . . . . AUTHORS’ CONCLUSIONS . . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . . . REFERENCES . . . . . . . . CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDIES DATA AND ANALYSES . . . . . APPENDICES . . . . . . . . WHAT’S NEW . . . . . . . . HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUTHORS DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST . SOURCES OF SUPPORT . . . . INDEX TERMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 2 2 3 3 5 6 7 7 7 8 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 16

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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[Intervention Review]

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection
Ahmadali Enayati1 , Janet Hemingway2 , Paul Garner3
1 Medical Entomology, School of Public Health and Environmental Health Research Centre, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. 2 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK. 3 International Health Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK

Contact address: Ahmadali Enayati, Medical Entomology, School of Public Health and Environmental Health Research Centre, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, KM 18 Khazarabad Road, Sari, Mazandaran, 48175-1553, Iran. tmaae@liverpool.ac.uk; ahmadali_enayati@yahoo.com. Editorial group: Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group. Publication status and date: Stable (no update expected for reasons given in ’What’s new’), published in Issue 3, 2010. Review content assessed as up-to-date: 8 March 2009. Citation: Enayati A, Hemingway J, Garner P. Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD005434. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005434.pub2. Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ABSTRACT Background Electronic mosquito repellents (EMRs) are marketed to prevent mosquitoes biting and to prevent malaria. Objectives To assess whether EMRs prevent mosquito bites, and to assess any evidence of an effect on malaria infection. Search strategy In March 2009, we searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, and the Science Citation Index. We also checked conference proceedings, contacted international specialist centres and EMR manufacturers, and checked reference lists. Selection criteria Field entomological studies, which controlled for geographic site, time, and attractiveness of human participants, of EMRs for preventing mosquito bites; and randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials of EMRs to prevent malaria infection. Data collection and analysis Two authors assessed trial quality, and extracted and analysed the data. Main results Ten field entomological studies met the inclusion criteria. All 10 studies found that there was no difference in the number of mosquitoes caught from the bare body parts of the human participants with or without an EMR. No randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of EMR on malaria infection were found.
Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 1

Authors’ conclusions Field entomological studies confirm that EMRs have no effect on preventing mosquito bites. Therefore there is no justification for marketing them to prevent malaria infection.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection Malaria is a major health problem that particularly affects people living in sub-Saharan Africa and other tropical parts of the world. It often causes considerable morbidity and mortality especially in children under five. It is transmitted by mosquito bites from infected female mosquitoes. Several strategies and approaches are available for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection, including repellents, and these approaches will be considered by those living in affected areas and by travellers to areas where there is high risk of infection. Electronic mosquito repellents (EMRs) are designed to repel female mosquitoes by emitting high-pitched sounds almost inaudible to the human ear. EMRs are claimed by their manufacturers to be effective in repelling mosquitoes and preventing disease. No randomized controlled trials were found, but 10 field studies looking at the number of mosquitoes caught on the bare body parts of humans were assessed. These studies were conducted in various parts of the world with different species of mosquitoes and were controlled for factors such as locality and timing. One study used just one observer with seven observations, while the highest assessment included 18 observers with 324 observations. There was no evidence in the field studies to support any repelling effects of EMRs, hence no evidence to support their promotion or use. Future randomized controlled trials are not proposed as there was no suggestion in the field studies that EMRs show any promise as a preventive measure against malaria.

BACKGROUND
Malaria affects more than 250 million people and causes more than a million deaths each year (WHO 2005). One important control strategy against this and other mosquito-borne diseases is mosquito control, which aims to reduce human-mosquito contact. Different control measures are used routinely against mosquitoes and their larvae, including chemical (eg insecticide), biological (eg larvivorous fish or pathogenic fungi), environmental (eg land filling or drainage), and personal protection (eg mosquito repellents formulated as pills, coils, ointments, lotions, and sprays; and insecticide-treated or untreated bed nets). Electronic mosquito repellents (EMRs) are marketed in response to a huge demand from the public for convenient, safe, and effective antimosquito products. Female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria by sucking blood from humans, and these small handheld, battery-powered EMRs are intended to repel them by emitting a high frequency buzz almost inaudible to the human ear. They can be used both indoors and outdoors, and are claimed to repel mosquitoes within a range of up to 2.5 metres (Kutz 1974; Helson 1977). No adverse effects have been reported in the literature. Mobile phone companies also market a ring tone that is claimed to repel mosquitoes within a one-metre radius (BBC 2003).

Some of the EMRs seem to be based on known aspects of mosquito behaviour, while others have no scientific data to substantiate their claims. Manufacturers have put forward at least two reasons to explain the alleged repellent action of sound against mosquitoes. One reason is that the flight sound of males repels females once they have been inseminated (Foster 1985); hence, whatever mimics the males’ flight sound may repel females. However, research has shown that male mosquitoes are actually the ones attracted by the female flight sound and females normally have a very weak sensitivity for sound compared with the males (Wigglesworth 1965; Chapman 1982; McIver 1985; Michelsen 1985). Another reason is that mosquitoes avoid the ultrasonic cries of bats (Foster 1985). Although both explanations may be conceivable, there is no published scientific information to support either idea. Different brands of EMRs have been examined for their efficacy under laboratory conditions, none of which showed any effects for the devices tested (Singleton 1977; Curtis 1982; Iglisch 1983; Foster 1985; Jensen 2000; Andrade 2001; Cabrini 2006). There are review articles concluding that the EMRs are ineffective in repelling mosquitoes (Coro 1998; Coro 2000). Scientific skepticism over the last 30 years and a successful prosecution of EMR sellers under the UK Trade Description Act in 1980s (Curtis 1994; BBC 2005) seems to have done little to deter manufacturers marketing EMRs and the people who buy them. This is a concern because it
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Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

is likely to lead to consumers not using other protective methods that are proven to work. This could result in an increased risk of infection with mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria (Jensen 2000). Despite the scientific view and research findings, EMRs are still widely promoted and used by the public. We therefore decided to systematically review all reliable research about the effects of highpitched sounds in preventing mosquito bites and, hence, to assess whether there is any evidence that EMRs have any potential in preventing malaria in the field setting. We included only field studies since laboratory studies do not reflect influences on mosquito behaviour, including climate, mosquito density, and composition of different species in the same locality.

Control

• Dummy EMRs, inoperable EMRs, EMRs switched off, or no EMRs. We excluded other repellents and treated or untreated bed nets as control. • If used, malaria chemoprophylaxis must be identical in both the intervention and control groups.

Types of outcome measures • The number of mosquitoes of any species landing on exposed body parts of humans acting as baits. Time period defined by entomological collection procedures. • Malaria infection, defined as clinical malaria (fever with malaria parasitaemia detected by microscopy or rapid test); or asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia.

OBJECTIVES
To assess whether EMRs prevent mosquito bites, and to assess evidence of impact on malaria infection.

Search methods for identification of studies METHODS
We attempted to locate all relevant studies regardless of language or publication status (published, unpublished, in press, and in progress).

Criteria for considering studies for this review
Databases Types of studies The following databases were searched using the search terms and strategy described in Appendix 1 : Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register (March 2009); Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), published in The Cochrane Library (2009, Issue 1); MEDLINE (1966 to March 2009); EMBASE (1974 to March 2009); LILACS (1982 to March 2009); Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA) (1982 to March 2009); and Science Citation Index (SCI) (1945 to March 2009).

Preventing mosquito bites

Field entomological studies that control for geographic site (conducted in same locality), time (conducted at same time), and attractiveness of human participants (by rotating participants between the experiments with and without the EMR).

Preventing malaria infection

Conference proceedings The following conference proceedings were searched for relevant abstracts: XV International Congress of Tropical Medicine and Malaria, Cartagena, Colombia, August 2000; First MIM PanAfrican Malaria Conference, Dakar, Senegal, 6 to 9 January 1997; Second MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference, Durban, South Africa, 15 to 19 March 1999; Third MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference, Arusha, Tanzania, 17 to 22 November 2002; Fourth MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 13 to 18 November 2005; International Conference on Entomology, Brisbane, Australia, 15 to 21 August 2004; and Medicine and Health in the Tropics, Marseille, France, 11 to 15 September 2005.
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Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.

Types of participants Adults or children.

Types of interventions

Intervention

• EMRs with any operational wavelength.

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Researchers, organizations, and manufacturers We contacted some corresponding authors and field and clinical experts (Professor Chris Curtis, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; Dr Morteza Zaim, WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES), Geneva, to enquire about other published or unpublished relevant studies (September 2006). We also contacted EMR manufacturers (Isotronic, Lentek International Inc., Electronic Pest Controls Ltd.) for unpublished and ongoing trials or studies (September 2005). Reference lists We also checked the reference lists of all studies identified by the above methods.

independently assessed the potentially relevant studies using an eligibility form based on the inclusion criteria; disagreements were resolved through discussion.

Data extraction and management We independently extracted data from all included studies using a data extraction form and resolved any disagreements in the extracted data by referring to the original paper and through discussion. We described the devices tested and the number of observations made, and assessed the quality of the studies in relation to whether they controlled for study locality, time of day or night, participants (used same people to bait mosquitoes), and whether the observers were blinded. We also assessed the number of times observations were repeated to gain some quantitative measure of quality and grouped this with an arbitrary cut off into adequate (20 or more) or inadequate (less than 20).

Data collection and analysis

Selection of studies AAE scanned the results of the literature search for potentially relevant studies and then retrieved the full articles. AAE and PG Table 1. Study methodological quality (risk of bias)

Assessment of risk of bias in included studies We summarized the results of the risk of bias assessment in Table 1.

Study

Controlled Locality Time Yes Unclear Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Bait Yes Unclear Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Observers blind

No. observations

Belton 1981 Garcia 1976 Gorham 1974 Helson 1977 Kutz 1974 Lewis 1982 Rasnitsyn 1974 Schreck 1977 Snow 1977 Sylla 2000

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Unclear Unclear Not blinded Unclear Unclear Not blinded Not blinded Not blinded Unclear Blinded

Inadequate Adequate Inadequate Inadequate Inadequate Inadequate Inadequate Adequate Inadequate Adequate

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Data synthesis The number of landings on which the rates were calculated varied considerably according to different ecological and geographical situations, mosquito species, and season and time of day of the tests. If possible, we would have tested for a difference using the original data to measure a mean difference between arms within one study and to calculate 95% confidence intervals. Had a difference been shown, we would also have examined the effects of EMR by a variety of factors: EMR frequency (< and ≥ 20 kHz); mosquito population density; malaria endemicity (< and ≥ entomological inoculation rate of 1/person/night); and mosquito species.

All studies counted mosquitoes landing on the bare body parts (mostly arms, legs and/or feet) of the human participants for definite time periods with the EMR switched on or off, or, in some studies, with or without a functional EMR as case and control. None of the field studies performed in North America and Russia were on Anopheles mosquitoes; they used Aedes, Culex, Culiseta, and Mansonia mosquitoes. The two studies in Africa were on Anopheles as well as other mosquitoes. The lowest number of observers was one (with 7 observations; Gorham 1974) and the highest was 18 (with 324 observations; Sylla 2000). Also, timing and length of collections varied, ranging from one minute (Kutz 1974) to over a 12-hour period (Sylla 2000).

Risk of bias in included studies
As shown in Table 1, all studies made some attempts to control for locality (geography) of the study area (wooded area, forest, plain, beach) as they measured landing rates with and without the EMR in the same geographical area. Different individuals may have different attraction for the mosquitoes, and the studies controlled for this, usually by swapping the EMR between the participants so that the same individuals acted as both case and control. The density of mosquitoes and the intensity with which they attempt to bite varies throughout day and night. Our inclusion criteria required studies to attempt to control for time. This was clearly described in all but one study (Garcia 1976). One study blinded the observers to whether they were measuring during a control or experimental phase (Sylla 2000). The use of blinding was unclear or not used in the other studies. In order to test significance, we intended to consider rates per person in participants in control or intervention areas. As landing rates were not given per person, we were unable to compare these data statistically. We recorded the number of times observations were repeated to gain some insight into data quality, arbitrarily defining this as adequate (with 20 or more repeated observations or human participants) and inadequate (less than 20 observations). Three studies were of adequate quality by this criterion.

RESULTS Description of studies
See: Characteristics of included studies; Characteristics of excluded studies. We identified 18 potentially relevant studies of EMR to prevent mosquito bites and included 10 (see ’Characteristics of included studies’ for study details); none were randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that used EMR to prevent malaria. We excluded eight studies because they were only laboratory based or because they did not provide any data or did not control for locality, time, and blinding (see ’Characteristics of excluded studies’). The papers for the 10 included studies contained 22 experiments, of which 15 were field experiments that met the reviews inclusion criteria; the excluded seven experiments were only laboratory based or used chemical repellents. Seven studies were carried out in the North America, three in Canada (Helson 1977; Belton 1981; Lewis 1982) and four in the USA (Gorham 1974; Kutz 1974; Garcia 1976; Schreck 1977). Two studies were done in Africa, in Gabon (Sylla 2000) and in The Gambia (Snow 1977). One study was undertaken in Russia (Rasnitsyn 1974). Seven studies gave the commercial name of the EMRs tested ( Rasnitsyn 1974; Helson 1977; Schreck 1977; Snow 1977; Belton 1981; Lewis 1982; Sylla 2000); five studies gave some information about the ultrasound frequencies used, which ranged from 125 Hz to 74,600 Hz (Kutz 1974; Belton 1981; Rasnitsyn 1974; Snow 1977; Sylla 2000). The other studies gave no commercial name and no details of the frequencies used.

Effects of interventions
The number of mosquitoes landing per collection with and without EMR are presented in Table 2. All 10 studies reported that the landing rates with and without the EMR were little different and that the EMRs failed to repel mosquitoes. These results occurred regardless of the study location, mosquito density, mosquito genera, or time of study (ie day or night with day-biting and nightbiting mosquitoes).

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Table 2. Mosquito landing rates Studya Landing rate With EMRb Belton 1981 Garcia 1976 Gorham 1974 c LR without EMR c 240 213%d greater than the control

193 68.78 8.4

Helson 1977: ME Electronic Mosquito re- 8.9 pellent Helson 1977: Buzz-Off repellent Kutz 1974: Person A Kutz 1974: Person B Lewis 1982 Rasnitsyn 1974 Schreck 1977: Buzz-Off repellent Schreck 1977: Norris Device Snow 1977: Experiment 1 Snow 1977: Experiment 2 Snow 1977: Experiment 3 Sylla 2000 a 16.8 12.2 16.8 561.5 500 25 36 157 472 177 23.4

14.9 12.8 14.2 538 497 30 As above 140 425 155 22.7

b Using

See ’Characteristics of included studies’ for study details. crude units, data given in paper. c Landing rates between 2 and 7/min with no significant difference between groups. d Based on recalculation of the crude data in the paper.

No trials were found to assess the effects of EMRs on malaria infection.

The included studies were of good quality, had controlled for locality, and all but one had explicitly controlled for time of day or night, and the human bait for the mosquitoes. The results of this review provide clear evidence from field-based studies that there is no hint that these devices have any effect on mosquito landing

DISCUSSION

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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rates. The studies reported here examined the effectiveness of the EMRs with different methods, settings, mosquito species (since they may respond differently to the high-pitched sounds emitted by the EMRs), frequencies of the sound emitted by the EMRs (since mosquitoes may respond to a particular sound wavelength), and times of day (since day-biting and night-biting mosquitoes may behave differently to the sound emitted by the EMRs), and mosquito density (since this may affect EMR efficacy), but none of them supported the claims of the EMRs’ effectiveness. Although we did not conduct a meta-analysis of the included studies, there was no suggestion of difference in landing rates between cases and controls in any trial. In 12 of the 15 experiments, the landing rates in the groups with functioning EMR was actually higher than in the control groups. The absolute number of mosquitoes landing on the human participants during the experiments while the EMR was functioning was too high to consider the EMR a repellent.

1982). Thus it is not surprising that the included studies did not produce any evidence that EMRs act as repellents.

AUTHORS’ CONCLUSIONS Implications for practice
EMRs are not effective in repelling mosquitoes and should not be recommended or used.

Implications for research
There is no evidence of an effect of EMRs on landing rates. Thus there is no evidence that these EMRs could potentially be useful in preventing malaria in humans. Given these findings from 10 carefully conducted studies, it would not be worthwhile to conduct further research on EMRs in preventing mosquitoes biting or in trying to prevent the acquisition of malaria.

EMRs are claimed to be effective by mimicking the sound waves produced by the beating of male mosquitoes’ wings, especially during swarms. Female mosquitoes, which bite humans, are claimed to be repelled by this sound since they mate only once in their lives. Hence the repellent mechanism should be based on the hearing mechanism in females. However, this theory is implausible since the hearing ability of the females is relatively weak (Wigglesworth 1965; Chapman 1982; Michelsen 1985). It is the hearing system of males that is relatively strong, and the presence of numerous sound and vibration receptors (known as Johnston organ) on their plumose antennae enables them to detect the vibration in the environment as well as the sound of female mosquitoes (Chapman

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AA Enayati developed the protocol of the review during the Fellowship Programme organized by the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group in March 2005. The Department for International Development (DFID) UK supports this Programme through the Effective Health Care Research Programme Consortium at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. This document is an output from a project funded by the DFID for the benefit of developing countries. The views expressed are not necessarily those of DFID.

REFERENCES

References to studies included in this review
Belton 1981 {published data only} Belton P. An acoustic evaluation of electronic mosquito repellers. Mosquito News 1981;41:751–5. Garcia 1976 {published data only} Garcia R, Des Rochers B, Voigt WG. Evaluation of electronic mosquito repellers under laboratory and field conditions. Vector Views 1976;23(5/6):21–3. Gorham 1974 {published data only} Gorham JR. Tests of mosquito repellents in Alaska. Mosquito News 1974;34:409–15. Helson 1977 {published data only} Helson BV, Wright RE. Field evaluation of electronic mosquito repellers in Ontario. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Ontario. 1977; Vol. 108:59–61.

Kutz 1974 {published data only} Kutz FW. Evaluation of an electronic mosquito repelling device. Mosquito News 1974;34:369–75. Lewis 1982 {published data only} Lewis DJ, Fairchild WL, Leprince DJ. Evaluation of an electronic mosquito repeller. Canadian Entomologist 1982;114(8):699–702. Rasnitsyn 1974 {published data only} Rasnitsyn SP, Alekseev AN, Gornostaeva RM, Kupriianova ES, Potapov AA. Negative results of test of sound generator devices designed for mosquito repellence. Meditsinskaia Parazitologiia i Parazitarnye Bolezni 1974;43(6):706–8. Schreck 1977 {published data only} Schreck CE, Weidhaas DE, Smith N. Evaluation of electronic sound-producing buzzers against Aedes taeniorhynchus and Ae. solicitans. Mosquito News 1977;37(3):529–31. Snow 1977 {published data only} Snow WF. Trials with an electronic mosquito-repelling device in
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Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

West Africa. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1977;71(5):449–50. Sylla 2000 {published data only} Sylla el-H K, Lell B, Kremsner PG. A blinded, controlled trial of an ultrasound device as mosquito repellent. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 2000;112(10):448–50.

Additional references
BBC 2003 S Korean mobiles to zap mosquitoes. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/ asia-pacific/3063401.stm 14 July 2003. BBC 2005 Mosquito buzzers’ worth queried. news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/ 4218234.stm 6 September 2005. Chapman 1982 Chapman RF. The insects: structure and function. 3rd Edition. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1982. Coro 1998 Coro F, Suarez S. Electronic repellents against mosquitoes: the propaganda and the reality [Repelentes electronicos contra mosquitos: propaganda y realidad]. Revista Cubana de Medicina Tropical 1998;50(2):89–92. Coro 2000 Coro F, Suarez S. Review and history of electronic mosquito repellers. Wing Beats 2000;11(2):6–7. Curtis 1994 Curtis CF. Anti-mosquito buzzers, advertising and the law. Wing Beats 1994;5:10–2. McIver 1985 McIver SB. Mechanoreception. In: Kerkut GA, Gilbert LI editor (s). Comprehensive insect physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. Vol. 6, Oxford: Pergamon, 1985:71–133. Michelsen 1985 Michelsen A, Larsen ON. Hearing and sound. In: Kerkut GA, Gilbert LI editor(s). Comprehensive insect physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology. 6th Edition. Oxford: Pergamon, 1985: 495–556. WHO 2005 Global Partnership to Roll Back Malaria. World malaria report: 2005. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2005. Wigglesworth 1965 Wigglesworth VB. The principles of insect physiology. 6th Edition. London: Methuen, 1965. ∗ Indicates the major publication for the study

References to studies excluded from this review
Andrade 2001 {published data only} Andrade CFS, Bueno VS. Evaluation of electronic mosquitorepelling devices using Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae). Neotropical Entomology 2001;30(3):497–9. Arevad 1982 {published data only} Arevad K. Evaluation of an electronic mosquito-repelling device. Danish Pest Infestation Laboratory Annual Report 1982:21. Cabrini 2006 {published data only} Cabrini I, Andrade CFS. Evaluation of seven new electronic mosquito repellers. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 2006; 121(2):185–8. Curtis 1982 {published data only} Curtis C, White G. Once bitten, twice shy. New Scientist 1982;93: 328. Foster 1985 {published data only} Foster WA, Lutes KI. Tests of ultrasonic emissions on mosquito attraction to hosts in a flight chamber. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 1985;1(2):199–202. Iglisch 1983 {published data only} Iglisch VI. Mosquito-repellent efficacy of sound-wave-emitting apparatus [Zur stechmuckenabweisenden Wirksamkeit von schallwellenerzeugenden Geraten]. Anzeiger fur Schadlingskde, Pflanzenschutz, Umweltschutz 1983;56:135–40. Jensen 2000 {published data only} Jensen T, Lampman R, Slamecka MC, Novak RJ. Field efficacy of commercial antimosquito products in Illinois. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 2000;16(2):148–52. Singleton 1977 {published data only} Singleton RE. Evaluation of two mosquito-repelling devices. Mosquito News 1977;37(2):195–9.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDIES Characteristics of included studies [ordered by study ID]
Belton 1981 Methods Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control Two human participants with an exposed arm carried out 6 x 5 min catches once with the electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) switched on and once off Number of observers: 12 Number of observations: 12 Human adults 1. EMR switched on 2. EMR switched off (control) EMR suppliers: Murray Distributors Ltd., North Vancouver B.C.; Peak Distributions Ltd., Surrey; Moziquit supplied by Electronic pest control Ltd., Montreal P.Q. EMR frequency: 2 to 5 KHz Aedes and Culex mosquito landing rates/min/participant Location: Canada The raw number of landings with EMR switched off was not provided, but it was mentioned that the differences of the landing rates with a EMR on and off was not significant

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes

Garcia 1976 Methods Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control Catches carried out in 18 different locations in a forest at 2, 5, and 10 min (a total period of 102 min) intervals in the late afternoon to early evening with electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) on or off Number of observers: 6 Number of observations: 30 Human adults 1. EMR switched on 2. EMR switched off (control) EMR supplier: unclear EMR frequency: not mentioned Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquito landing rates/person Location: USA

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes

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Gorham 1974 Methods Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control 5 min landing counts carried out on 7 occasions by single catchers with and without electronic mosquito repellent ( EMR) Number of observers: 1 Number of observations: 7 Human adults 1. EMR 2. No EMR (control) EMR supplier: not mentioned EMR frequency: not mentioned Aedes and Culiseta mosquito landing rates/person/h Location: Alaska, USA

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes

Helson 1977 Methods Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control Participants 30 m apart in a wooded area caught mosquitoes landing on their arm and hand for 4 min with or without 2 types of electronic mosquito repellent (EMR). So for each, EMR 8 min collection with EMR and 8 min collection without EMR Number of observers: 5 Number of observations: 12 Human adults 1. 2 types of EMR 2. No EMR (control) EMR source: ME Electronic Mosquito Repellent; Buzz-Off repellent EMR frequency: not mentioned Aedes mosquito mean landing rate/person Location: Canada

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes Kutz 1974 Methods

Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control 5 x 1 min biting counts made by 2 participants walking 20 paces along a path once with the electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) on and the other time off Number of observers: 2 Number of observations: 10 Human adults

Participants

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Kutz 1974

(Continued)

Interventions

1. EMR switched on 2. EMR switched off (control) EMR supplier: not mentioned EMR frequency: 5.2 KHz Aedes and Culex mosquito mean landing rates/person/min Location: USA

Outcomes Notes Lewis 1982 Methods

Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control 3 participants carried out catches in 3 sites 10 m apart in 4 x 45 min catching experiments each consisting of 3 x 15 min and each of those to 3 x 5-min intervals once with electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) and once without. Participants with and without EMR were rotated Number of observers: 3 Number of observations: 12 Human adults 1. EMR 2. No EMR (control) EMR supplier: Antipic EMR frequency: not mentioned Aedes and Mansonia total bites Location: Canada

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes Rasnitsyn 1974 Methods

Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control 3 participants carried 15 observations x 5 min with the electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) on or off Number of observers: 3 Number of observations: 15 Human adults 1. EMR switched on 2. EMR switched off EMR supplier: Skeeter Skat, Anti-parasite block, local Russian produced device EMR frequency: 125 to 74,600 Hz Aedes, Culiseta, and Culex mosquito landing rates/person/h Location: Russia

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Schreck 1977 Methods Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control 4 participants carried out the catches once without the electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) and once 2 participants carried one type of EMR and the other 2 two carried other type while walking in a wooded area where Aedes taeniorhynchus mosquitoes were abundant. They stopped every 20 paces and counted the mosquitoes on their arms. After each count the mosquitoes were killed to avoid recounting Number of observers: 4 Number of observations: 44 Human adults 1. 2 types of EMR 2. No EMR (control) EMR supplier: Buzz-Off; Norris Electronic Mosquito Repeller EMR frequency: not mentioned Aedes mosquito landing rate/person Location: USA

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes Snow 1977 Methods

Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control Experiment 1: 2 teams of 2 catchers each seated 30 m apart. Each catcher collected mosquitoes for 30 minutes at 2 periods during the night. In the first period, the first team were exposed to the electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) and in the second period, the second team was exposed. Repeated on 2 consecutive nights Experiment 2: single catchers (1 with EMR and other without) sat 25 m apart and made 2 x 30 min catches over 6 nights, so a total of 2 x 2 x 30 x 6 min catches. EMRs were swapped each night between catchers Experiment 3: single catchers (1 with EMR and other without) sat 25 m apart made 2 x 30 min catches over 4 nights, so a total of 2 x 2 x 30 x 4 min catches. EMRs were swapped each night between catchers Number of observers: 4 (experiment 1); 1 (experiments 2 and 3) Number of observations: 16 (experiment 1); 12 (experiment 2 and 3) Human adults 1. EMR 2. No EMR (control) EMR supplier: Moziquit from Electronic Pest Controls Ltd. EMR frequency: 2.2.5 KHz Number of Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex mosquitoes landing Location: The Gambia

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Sylla 2000 Methods Design: field study of experimental intervention versus control 18 houses chosen and grouped into 9 pairs. Each pair with a pair of working and not working electronic mosquito repellents (EMRs) that were swapped every night. 18 catches were undertaken in each house, 9 with and 9 without EMR. So a total of 9 x 9 catches in 18 houses, all together 324 catches each for 12 hours were made which makes a total catch of 3888 person hours Number of observers: 18 Number of observations: 324 Human adults 1. Functional EMRs 2. Inoperable EMRs (control) EMR supplier: Isotronic, Horb, Germany EMR frequency: 3 to 11 KHz Anopheles, Aedes, Culex, and Mansonia mosquito landing/house/night Location: Gabon

Participants Interventions

Outcomes Notes

Characteristics of excluded studies [ordered by study ID]

Andrade 2001 Arevad 1982 Cabrini 2006 Curtis 1982 Foster 1985 Iglisch 1983 Jensen 2000

Laboratory-based EMR study Field-based EMR, but unclear if time, locality and bait were controlled Laboratory-based EMR study Laboratory-based EMR study Laboratory-based EMR study Laboratory-based EMR study Field trial but no proper control used; number of caught mosquitoes pooled together for 2 chemical repellents and EMR such that mosquito landing rates with and without EMR could not be calculated Laboratory-based EMR study

Singleton 1977

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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DATA AND ANALYSES
This review has no analyses.

APPENDICES Appendix 1. Search methods: detailed search strategiesa

Search set 1 2 3 4 5 6

CIDG SRb mosquito repellent mosquito control -

CENTRAL mosquito* repel* control 2 or 3 1 and 4

MEDLINE mosquito* repel* control 2 or 3 1 and 4

EMBASE mosquito$ repel$ control 2 or 3 1 and 4

LILACS, CAS, SCI mosquito repel* control 2 or 3 1 and 4 ultrasound

MOSQUITO CON- MOSQUITO CON- ultrasound TROL TROL 5 or 6 INSECT REPELLENTS electronic

7

-

electronic

8

-

electronic

INSECT BITES device$ AND STINGS/PREVENTION AND CONTROL 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 ultrasound electronic device$ 10 or 11 or 12 9 and 13 6 or 7 or 8 5 and 9 -

6 or 7

9 10 11 12 13 14

-

device$ ultrasound 8 or 9 or 10 7 and 11 -

5 and 8 -

a Upper

b Cochrane

case: MeSH or EMTREE heading; lower case: free text term. Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register.
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Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

WHAT’S NEW
Last assessed as up-to-date: 8 March 2009.

15 February 2010

Review declared as stable

Given the current evidence, there appears little justification for further trials of electronic mosquito repellents and they should not be recommended or used. The authors therefore do not plan to update this review.

HISTORY
Protocol first published: Issue 3, 2005 Review first published: Issue 2, 2007

9 March 2009 18 August 2008

New search has been performed Amended

Search updated. No new studies found Converted to new review format with minor editing.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF AUTHORS
AA Enayati developed and wrote the review. P Garner helped develop the review, developed and applied inclusion and quality criteria, extracted data, and helped write the review. J Hemingway initiated the review and helped with technical issues. AA Enayati is the guarantor.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
None known.

SOURCES OF SUPPORT Internal sources
• Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK.

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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External sources
• Department of International Development, UK.

INDEX TERMS Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
∗ Anopheles; Electronics; Insect Bites and Stings [∗ prevention & control]; Malaria [∗ prevention & control]; Mosquito Control [∗ instrumentation]; Population Density

MeSH check words
Animals; Female; Humans

Electronic mosquito repellents for preventing mosquito bites and malaria infection (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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