Each year, malaria infects approximately 219 million people, resulting nearly 660,000 deaths. Most often, these are children under 5 years of age living in Africa. According to the World Malaria Report, 42 countries spray insecticides, such as DDT and pyrethroids, on the inside walls of residences to repel and/or kill mosquitoes that spread malaria. This practice is known as indoor residual spraying (IRS). However, while IRS can help control malaria, pesticide exposure can also have adverse health effects.
The Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE) Study investigates the potential health effects resulting from insecticides used to control malaria carrying mosquitoes in the Vhembe District of Limpopo, South Africa. We seek to clarify the effects of DDT on the health of mothers and children in a highly-exposed population. Starting in 2012 we recruited pregnant women from the Venda tribe living in South Africa to learn more about women’s exposure to IRS insecticides and possible health effects to their children. Inspired by this work and a need for more accurate data, a phone application was developed and tested in what was called the mSpray Pilot Study.
Study at a Glance: |
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