Winning the war vs. dengue mosquitoes

MANILA, Philippines - There are many solutions being offered to combat the deadly dengue virus. But are they all effective?

One solution has just been proven to be 100-percent effective and has the potential to wipe out the disease by getting rid of the mosquitoes in their infancy stage.

An actual field study conducted by the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Public Health revealed that Quiti-Kill, a biolarvicide now available locally, is completely effective in stopping the progression of mosquito larvae or kiti-kiti, thereby giving significant hope that if used extensively, the war against dengue could finally be won.

Professor Lilian de las Llagas, whose team conducted the 12-week study, said the product was effective in reducing actual larval infestations inside household containers with zero evidence of larval progression. Her team went to two areas in Quezon City — Barangay Kalinisan and Barangay Lakatan — both of which previously had high incidents of dengue.  Compared to the same period in 2012, no dengue cases were reported during the study.

The study involved 216 households that had Quiti-Kill applied in identified breeding containers. Quiti-Kill was also applied into painted cans containing water. The can of water acted as a trap for mosquitoes to lay their eggs in. Once the eggs transform into larvae and start consuming Quiti-Kill, death soon follows.

The study also showed that Quiti-Kill is very effective in attracting mosquitoes. This is a significant finding because the more it attracts, then the more it kills.

The researchers said the name of the biolarvicide (Quiti Kill) “aptly describes the potent action of this product on the mosquito larvae,” noting that the containers were filled with dead larvae and that there was no pupal mosquito development.

“Patay talaga ang kiti kiti. And since the kiti kiti had been killed, there were no more adult mosquitoes that emerged,” the researchers said in their study.

“The study shows that Quiti Kill is effective both as a larvicide and as a mosquito trap. It effectively reduces mosquito infestation, and our records show no occurrence of dengue case during the study,” the researchers noted.

Meanwhile, the promoters of Quiti-Kill are ecstatic about the results. Dr. Carlo Ynion, vice president of Yngentech, the licensed sole distributor of Quiti-Kill, says that the field study is believed to be the first of its kind in the Philippines.

“We’re very happy with the results because nothing beats documentation of actual performance. This is evidence-based fact, not hearsay. There is no product quite like Quiti-Kill mainly because it is not poisonous and it is perfectly safe for animals, human beings, and the environment, making it the solution of choice for mosquito control,” Ynion points out.

For more information on Quiti Kill, visit www.quitikill.com.