What if Your Own Blood Could Kill Mosquitoes?

An odd question yes, but there is research out there that says it could be true, that in fact, your blood could become deadly to mosquitoes who bite you. If you take the right medicine.

Dr. Menno Smit of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine has been researching the effects that an anti-parasite drug called ivermectin can have when taken by humans. This drug was created in the early 1980s to fight the parasites that cause river blindness and elephantiasis. According to Smit’s research, several studies were done in the 2000s that showed mosquitoes carrying malaria died when taking blood for someone on the drug ivermectin. Those that were part of the study were given 600 milligrams of ivermectin three days in a row. Then their blood was taken and given to mosquitoes that carried malaria. Within 2 weeks 97% of the mosquitoes were dead.

A New Mosquito Control Method?

Ivermectin has been highly effective for its original planned use in Africa and the side effects seem to be minimal. Smit also tells us that since 2015 the number of deaths from malaria is no longer going down. Mosquitoes that carry malaria are becoming resistant to the insecticides meant to kill them. Other scientists not part of the study agree that new ideas for fighting malaria are much needed and they shared their thoughts with NPR.

Dr. Peter Hortez of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine thinks the possibilities the use of ivermectin holds are intriguing, but that resistance could still be an issue and a vaccine for malaria is still the true need. Dr. Regina Rabinovich, a malaria scholar at Harvard University, believes that it will take several different approaches working together to eradicate malaria so this could be valuable research.

Would You Take a Drug to Kill Mosquitoes?

Science most definitely has its place, but this odd solution has us wondering… do you really want to have to get bitten by the mosquito first? And medicine, medicine that you don’t need, put in your own body to kill a mosquito? The mosquito is the pest and you are the one being treated. There is just something off about this plan.

At Mosquito Squad of Fall River, we have a better idea. Let’s get rid of the mosquitoes in your yard before they have a chance to bite you.

You can’t get diseases from mosquitoes you don’t have. Our barrier treatment is guaranteed to eliminate 85-90% of the mosquitoes in your yard and keeps on working for 2-3 weeks, until your next scheduled treatment. To us, the solution to protecting your family from mosquito-borne diseases is simple. Get rid of the mosquitoes. And we can do that! Call us today.