With heavy rains, as happens this summer in several regions of the country, the risk of diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and Zika, which are caused by mosquitoes, increases. Aedes aegypti. According to the Epidemiological Bulletin of the Federal District Health Department, in January of this year, there was an increase of almost 90% in reported cases and about 190% in probable cases.

In an effort to stop the spread of mosquito larvae, the Pharmacognosy Laboratory at the University of Brasilia is developing the ArboControl project. It is a natural insecticide produced from compounds of plant origin.

College of Health Sciences professor and ArboControl researcher Laila Espindola stresses the importance of this attempt to control the larvae of this mosquito that is resistant to some insecticides such as those applied to smoke.

The project team will conduct the first product efficacy tests at locations on the UnB campus later this month. Before applying the insecticide, the females of the insect were Aedes aegypti The building of the Institute of Sciences was monitored, and at the end of January 150 traps were erected with a natural compound that attracts the insect, where it lays its eggs, places where water collects, such as covers, gutters and drains.

Then, for five consecutive weeks, the pesticide will be sprayed, when it will be possible to follow the insect egg hatching cycle and analyze the effectiveness of the product.

The ArboControl project has received R$30 million in funding from the Ministry of Health.