New Mosquito Repellent Tools Offer Breakthrough in Malaria Control

The World Health Organization (WHO) has endorsed the use of spatial emanators, marking the introduction of a new class of malaria vector control tools. The move, announced this week, is being hailed as a breakthrough in the fight against a disease that continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

Spatial emanators, also called spatial repellents, release active ingredients into the air to kill or repel mosquitoes, stop them from entering households, and prevent them from finding human hosts. Unlike insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), which only protect people while they are sleeping, emanators provide an added layer of defense against mosquito bites during the day, when residents are active indoors.

“This recommendation opens the door to a new intervention for national malaria control programmes at a time when innovation is urgently needed,” said Dr. Daniel Ngamije, WHO’s Acting Director for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases. “As rising insecticide resistance and changes in mosquito behaviour threaten the effectiveness of long-standing tools, spatial emanators offer an innovative approach to help protect people at risk from infection.”

Unitaid, which has supported research into spatial repellents, welcomed WHO’s decision. “This is a significant step forward in providing access to a new malaria vector control intervention,” said Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. “At a time when progress against malaria has stalled, spatial repellents are the first new class of intervention in decades, offering a new approach to protect people at risk.”

In tandem with its recommendation, WHO has prequalified two spatial emanator products manufactured by SC Johnson & Son, Inc., Mosquito Shield and Guardian. Both use the active ingredient transfluthrin, which repels, disorients, and kills malaria-transmitting mosquitoes. The products have varying lifespans, remaining effective for one month and up to 12 months respectively, making them suitable for different environments and distribution strategies.

The prequalification process, which assesses the quality, safety, and efficacy of public health products, is expected to accelerate procurement and deployment. International and national agencies, including UN partners, can now consider these products for large-scale use in malaria-endemic communities.

The development reflects collaboration between WHO’s Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases department and its Regulation and Prequalification division, underscoring a shared goal: getting high-impact tools quickly into the hands of those who need them most.