A Fast Test System to Evaluate the Physical Protection Potential of Textiles against Blood-Sucking Insects

Timo Hammer,Anja Gerhardts,Dirk Hoefer

doi:10.4236/jtst.2018.43005

Abstract

Blood-sucking insects can cause severe health damage in humans and animals for example by causing allergic reactions or by the propagation of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. Textiles are widely used for insect protection with bednets, curtains or outdoor clothing. The main approach is functionalization of the textiles with insect repellents like DEET or insecticides like permethrin. Instead of or in addition to these chemical measures the mechanical protection potential of the fabric itself has to be considered for preventing insect bites and stings effectively. Densely woven fabrics or spacer fabrics can serve as a chemical-free protection system. To compare the physical protection potential of different textiles against the mouthparts and stings of blood-sucking insects, we developed an easy and reliable test system which can be used in textile research institutes and companies. The system is mobile and can also be applied on wet textiles. We here describe the construction and validation of our new test system.

Highlights

Textiles can provide an excellent protection from insect attacks to humans and animals and are widely used for this purpose
To compare the physical protection potential of different textiles against the mouthparts and stings of blood-sucking insects, we developed an easy and reliable test system which can be used in textile research institutes and companies
A standard cotton cloth used as a negative control was penetrated by all surrogate mouthparts, indicating that standard cotton textiles cannot provide a sufficient protection from insect bites

Summary

Introduction

Textiles can provide an excellent protection from insect attacks to humans and animals and are widely used for this purpose. There are several negative effects of blood-sucking insects on animals. It could be shown for example, that blood-sucking Diptera such as horseflies and mosquitoes, can cause reduced milking qualities of dairy cattle [2]. In Europe, many horses suffer from summer eczema, a problematic dermatitis resulting from allergic reactions to insect saliva [3]. Another problem is the conduction of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) or anaplasmosis by horseflies (Tabanidae) [4] [5]

Methods

Results

Conclusion