House Design Modification for Malaria Free Houses: An Effective and Environmentally Sound Malaria Vector Control Strategy

Modification of typical rural house by installing ventilated ceiling made from local mats is likely to decrease malaria transmission by reducing entry of malaria vectors known to enter houses later in the night through open eaves of funnel-shaped rural houses. Click HERE to Download the photos below. Follow Harrysone Atieli on Twitter @HarrysAtieli[caption id=""attachment_7990"align=""aligncenter"width=""300""] A typical funnel-shaped rural house in Kenya has open eaves, which allows for easy entry of mosquitoes potentially transmitting malaria. Photo credit: Atieli et al, 2012[/caption][caption id=""attachment_7991"align=""aligncenter"width=""300""] A diagram depicts the path taken by malaria-transmitting mosquitoes through the open eaves of a village house, and the effectiveness of a ceiling mat to prevent entry into the house itself. Photo credit: Lindsay et al, 2003[/caption][caption id=""attachment_7992"align=""aligncenter"width=""299""] A local woman weaves a ceiling mat, an effective and environmentally sound tool used to prevent entry of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes into rural Kenyan homes. Photo credit: Atieli et al, 2012[/caption]"