Indoor residual spraying

Indoor residual spraying applies insecticide to interior surfaces where disease-transmitting mosquitoes rest. The insecticide remains active after application, killing mosquitoes that later land on treated surfaces.

Residual insecticide: An insecticide that remains active on a treated surface after application. Spraying works by leaving toxic deposits on surfaces mosquitoes later contact.
Malaria control: Public-health measures that prevent malaria infection and reduce illness and death from the disease. Indoor spraying is one vector-control measure used in malaria programs.
DDT: A synthetic organochlorine insecticide first synthesized in 1874 and widely used for pest control from the 1940s. Its persistence made large-scale residual treatment of house walls practical.
Malaria eradication: The permanent reduction of malaria incidence worldwide to zero through deliberate intervention. Past spraying campaigns raised hopes of eradication but did not eliminate malaria globally.
Space spraying: The release of insecticide droplets into the air to kill flying insects during a brief exposure. Unlike residual treatment, it targets mosquitoes in flight rather than those landing later.
Anopheles: A genus of mosquitoes that includes species capable of transmitting malaria parasites. Many malaria vectors rest indoors after feeding, making them targets for treated surfaces.
Malaria: A disease caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted to humans by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Spraying can reduce contact with indoor-resting vectors that transmit the parasites.
Paul Müller: A Swiss chemist who discovered DDT's insecticidal properties in 1939. His discovery enabled the insecticide central to early indoor residual campaigns.
Insecticide-treated nets: Bed nets treated with insecticide to kill or repel mosquitoes and reduce bites during sleep. Their broad adoption shifted malaria control toward personal protection as well as house treatment.
Larval source management: The management of mosquito breeding habitats to prevent larvae from developing into adults. It targets immature mosquitoes in aquatic habitats instead of adult indoor-resting mosquitoes.

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