Can a simple repellent shield kids from mosquito viruses?
NCT ID NCT05452447
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This large study tested a device called Mosquito Shield that releases a repellent (transfluthrin) to keep mosquitoes away. Nearly 7,000 children aged 4-16 in Sri Lanka took part. The goal was to see if the device reduces infections from viruses like dengue. Researchers tracked infections over two years by testing blood samples.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Transfluthrin (a chemical repellent released from a passive device)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could provide a simple, low-cost way to protect entire communities from diseases like dengue and chikungunya.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is completed but results are not yet widely known. The repellent may not reduce infections enough to change public health policy, and effectiveness can vary by environment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
6,949 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Mar 2023
- Finished
-
Jun 2025
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
6 months and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
LONGITUDINAL SEROCONVERSION Individual Level Inclusion Criteria: * ≥ 4 - 16 years of age * Plans to stay in residence and/or study area for a minimum of 24 months * Resident of household or frequent visitor (\~20% of day hours in house / month) Exclusion Criteria: * \< 4 and \> 16 years of age * Plans to leave residence and/or study area within next 24 months * Temporary visitor to household (\<20% of day hours in house/ month) FEBRILE SURVEILLANCE Household Level Inclusion Criteria: * Adult head of households agrees to census, health visits and logging resident symptoms when febrile (or in the case of suspected Zika in the absence of fever, presenting with rash, arthralgia, arthritis or non-purulent conjunctivitis). * Individuals spend a minimum of 4hrs per week during the daytime hours or sleep in the house. Exclusion Criteria: * Adult head of households does not agree to census, health visits or logging symptoms of residents. * Households where study personnel identify a security risk (i.e., site where drugs are sold, residents are always drunk or hostile). * Sites where no residents spend time during the day (i.e. work 7d a week outside the home). FEBRILE SURVEILLANCE Individual Level Inclusion Criteria: * ≥ 6mo of age. * Fever at the time of presentation or report of feverishness within the previous 24 hours or presenting with a rash, arthralgia, arthritis or non-purulent conjunctivitis (suspicion of ZIKA determined by project physician) * Individual who spends a minimum of 4 hours per week within the household or sleeps in the house. Exclusion Criteria: * \< 6mo of age. * No fever at time of presentation or report of feverishness within the previous 24 hours or not reporting with a rash, arthralgia, arthritis or non-purulent conjunctivitis * Individuals who have spent less than 4 hours in the household during the week prior to illness. ENTOMOLOGICAL MONITORING Household Level Inclusion Criteria: * Adult head of household agrees to surveys. * Properties where study personnel do not identify a security risk (i.e., site where drugs are sold, residents are always drunk or hostile). Exclusion Criteria: * Adult head of household does not agree to surveys. * Properties where study personnel identify a security risk (i.e., site where drugs are sold, residents are always drunk or hostile). SPATIAL REPELLENT INTERVENTION Household Level Inclusion Criteria: * Adult head of households agrees to have intervention applied inside the home and to provide access to team member at 4-week intervals to change products. * Properties where study personnel do not identify a security risk (i.e., site where drugs are sold, residents are always drunk or hostile). Exclusion Criteria: * Adult head of household does not agree to Mosquito ShieldTM deployment or study team access. * Properties where study personnel identify a security risk (i.e., site where drugs are sold, residents are always drunk or hostile).
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Arbovirus infections are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Clinical Trials Unit
Ragama, West, 01010, Sri Lanka
-
Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health
Colombo, West, 00100, Sri Lanka
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can tracking where people go stop dengue? new study says yes
- Massive dengue drug trial aims to stop deadly progression
- Massive french study to track virus effects on pregnant women and kids for 7 years
- Italian researchers develop immune test to spot hidden virus infections
- Fiji launches major study to uncover hidden virus threats