A low-tech backpack doubles as a mosquito hotel.

MOSQUITOES; BACKPACKS; BLOODSUCKING insects; MOLECULAR biologists

A backpack designed by molecular biologist Deogratius Kavishe is being used to safely transport malaria-carrying mosquitoes from the Tanzanian wilderness to the lab for testing. The backpack, made from fiberglass screens, a metal frame, and Tanzanian kitenge cotton fabric, can hold enough mosquitoes to fill 18 paper cups. Kavishe aims to determine if malaria-carrying mosquitoes in the region are still susceptible to insecticides used in protective nets. After testing the backpack, Kavishe found that 70 percent of the mosquitoes were still alive after 10 days, and around 30 percent survived after 25 days. [Extracted from the article]

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