In our latest move to help counter insecticide resistance, Sumitomo Chemical recently launched SumiShield® 50WG, an Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) containing a new Mode of Action (MOA) active ingredient. No new insecticides have been introduced into the IRS market for over 40 years.
Based on the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin, SumiShield® 50WG is odourless and has a low toxicity through skin contact and inhalation and is practically non-toxic to bird and aquatic life. Delivered in small, easy to handle sachets, the product readily dissolves in water, with only one sachet required per tank, making transport simple.
As part of its launch and to demonstrate its efficacy, the positive results of laboratory and field trials for SumiShield® 50WG were presented to the mosquito control community at this year’s PAMCA (Pan African Mosquito Control Association) Annual meeting.
The findings demonstrate that in contrast to some other insecticides, such as pyrethroids and DDT SumiShield 50WG is not repellent. This means mosquitoes are more likely to die from exposure as they can pick up relatively large amounts of insecticide while resting on treated substrates. High repellency is believed to be one of the factors behind the development of resistance around the world.
In addition results of lab and hut studies show that SumiShield® 50WG is able to deliver excellent long lasting control of malaria transmitting mosquitoes.
While SumiShield® 50WG is currently undergoing evaluation by the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES), Sumitomo Chemical has made it available before this process is completed, due to the urgent need for tools to fight resistance. Currently, over 75% of countries with on-going malaria transmission have resistance to at least one insecticide.
The full presentation on SumiShield® 50WG that was given at PAMCA can be found here.
SumiShield is a trademark of Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd.