For decades, insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying programs have been an important and widely effective method of controlling mosquitoes that carry malaria, a dangerous global disease. However, these methods also temporarily suppress pesky household insects such as bed bugs, cockroaches, and flies.
In short, mosquito nets and insecticides, while effective in preventing mosquito bites (and therefore malaria), are increasingly being blamed for the emergence of new household pests.
The researchers added that other factors such as famine, war, rural-urban divide and population displacement may also contribute to the rise in malaria cases.
To write the review, Hayes searched the scientific literature for studies on indoor pests such as bed bugs, cockroaches, and fleas, as well as articles on malaria, mosquito nets, pesticides, and indoor pest control. More than 1,200 articles were reviewed, and after a rigorous peer-review process, 28 peer-reviewed articles were ultimately selected that met the necessary criteria.
A 2022 survey of 1,000 households in Botswana found that 58% of households were most concerned about the presence of mosquitoes in their homes, while more than 40% were most concerned about cockroaches and flies.
Hayes said a recent paper published after a review by North Carolina State University found that people blame bed bugs on mosquito nets.
Abstract: Arthropod-borne diseases have become a major obstacle to social progress worldwide. Strategies to contain the spread of these diseases include preventive measures (e.g. vaccination), primary treatment and, most importantly, vector suppression both indoors and outdoors. The effectiveness of indoor vector control (IVC) strategies such as long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) depends largely on perception and acceptance at the individual and community levels. Such perception and, therefore, product acceptance largely depend on the successful suppression of non-target pests such as bedbugs and cockroaches. The introduction and continued use of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying are key to significantly reducing the prevalence and incidence of malaria. However, recent observations suggest that failures in indoor pest control, leading to product mistrust and abandonment, may jeopardize the success of vector control programmes and further impede the already slow progress towards malaria elimination. We review the evidence on the links between indoor pests (IPs) and pests and discuss the paucity of research on these links. We argue that complementary control of indoor and public health pests must be considered when developing and implementing new technologies for malaria elimination.
Post time: Apr-15-2025