The spraying of insecticide on foliage to provide an insecticidal barrier may serve as part of the vector control measures to combat the increasing threat of Aedes-borne diseases. The effectiveness of insecticide barrier spraying was evaluated by assessing the residual efficacy of deltamethrin sprayed on foliage against Malaysian Ae. aegypti (L.) and Ae. albopictus (Skuse). In this semi-field study, landscape plants grown within the vicinity of the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Malaysia, were treated with deltamethrin suspension concentrate (SC) with the dosage of 30 mg/m2 and 50 mg/m2 in three rounds of spraying. Deltamethrin residual activity on treated and untreated leaves was investigated using standard WHO cone bioassays. Wild Aedes populations at both deltamethrin-treated and untreated plant clusters were monitored by ovitrap surveillance. Ovitrap monitoring revealed that the mean number of Ae. albopictus larvae at deltamethrin-treated were significantly lower than the mean number of larvae of the same species at the untreated plant cluster. Cone bioassay results showed that the insecticide remained effective for up to 4 weeks (> 80% mortality), but the insecticide residual activity was affected by rainfall. These results suggest that insecticide barrier spraying is a promising tool and may be used along with other mosquito control tools such as indoor residual spray and space spraying to reduce the dengue burden.

Indigenous communities in Malaysia practice traditional medicine, particularly from the surrounding plants to cure different diseases and illnesses. This traditional way of life has been practised for centuries and passed down through generations. This study aims to document medicinal plants that have been used by the Orang Asli to treat illness. A qualitative ethnomedical study was done to document the species that were believed to have medicinal value. This study was carried at all three resettlement villages in Terengganu. Eleven informants who were the head of household with the age of over 30 years old were interviewed. Fieldwork surveys, observation and face-to-face communication were methods used in this study. The finding shows that most of the Orang Asli community in Terengganu are still dependent on plants and herbs to cure ailments. A total of 106 species that belong to 55 plant families were used by them. This study will encourage researchers in various fields such as ethnobotanical, ethno-zoological, ethnomedicinal and pharmaceutical and toxicological accomplishment of flora and fauna from these areas. As such, these medicinal plants need some more extensive efforts to validate scientifically and clinically were to prove the ethnomedical claims toward them.