New clothing fabric blocks mosquito bites and provides comfort
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Mosquito bites are a significant threat to people living in tropical countries. Even when individuals wear full-sleeved clothing or have a net around their beds, the mosquito manages to bite. Because these fabrics have gaps between the fibers, insects can easily bite through them.
An entomologist from Auburn University has discovered a simple yet effective solution to this problem.
The unique fabric
The university team created a new cloth weave that blocks mosquito bites. It is developed in such a way that the mosquito's proboscis (the needle-like tubular structure) is rendered impermeable.
“We create micro-resolution mosquito bite blocking knits produced by robotic manufacturing to protect humans against vector-borne disease,” noted the pre-print research paper.
The team used special knitting machines programmed with different patterns to find the best suitable pattern to block a bite. “These designs were integrated into a computer numerical control knitting robot for mass production of bite-blocking garments with minimal human labor,” the paper added.
Finally, they created a unique geometrical pattern that does not allow the proboscis to pass through the clothing.
After this, they went on to look for the best fabric for hot weather countries and developed a spandex-polyester blend fabric. They chose this fabric to make it comfortable and wearable in tropical weather conditions, where mosquito-borne diseases are a significant concern. The final prototype was tested against Aedes aegypti as well as Psorophora howardii.
“Our discoveries arm individuals with the power to protect themselves from vector-borne disease in hot climates. The manufacturing process of these textile garments reduces human labor and will not negatively impact the environment,” as per the paper.
Mosquito bites kill hundreds of thousands of people each year across the globe. Malaria, dengue fever, and West Nile virus are common diseases spread by mosquito bites.
The team is also working on another method of sterilizing or genetically engineering mosquitos, which could take a long time.
Study abstract:
Mosquitoes and other biting arthropods transmit diseases worldwide, causing over 700,000 deaths each year, and costing about 3 billion annually for Aedes species alone. These insects also pose a significant threat to agricultural animals. While clothing could provide a 20 simple solution to vector-borne diseases, modern textiles do not effectively block mosquito bites. To address this issue, we have designed three micro-resolution knitted structures, with five adjustable parameters, that can block bites. These designs were integrated into a computer numerical control knitting robot for mass production of bite-blocking garments with minimal human labor. We then quantified the comfort of blocking garments. Our knits enable 25 individuals to protect themselves from insects amidst their day-to-day activities without impacting the environment.
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