LAGOS, NIGERIA — Paediatricians have raised the alarm over the widespread use of mosquito coils in homes, warning that the smoke and particulate matter they release can irritate children’s airways and trigger breathing difficulties, particularly when burned in poorly ventilated rooms .
Children are especially vulnerable because their airways are smaller and still developing, while younger children spend longer hours asleep and may therefore remain exposed to the smoke for extended periods . Health experts warn that although mosquito coils are commonly used to repel mosquitoes, burning them indoors can release particulate matter and other pollutants that make prolonged exposure potentially harmful to a child’s respiratory health .
Dr Abdurrazzaq Alege, Head of Paediatrics at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, explained that pollutants released by burning mosquito coils can remain trapped in enclosed rooms and be inhaled by children, who often sleep in the same rooms where coils are burning . “Typically, all these chemicals enter the airway and cause irritation. This can result in defensive coughing, or you are having difficulty breathing, or having noisy breathing,” he explained . Alege noted that younger children may be particularly susceptible because of the size and stage of development of their airways, adding that the longer sleeping hours of children could also increase the duration of exposure .
A study published in the CHEST journal found that burning mosquito coils in a closed bedroom for six hours produced high levels of fine particulate matter, with average PM2.5 concentrations reaching 1,031 microgrammes per cubic metre and peak concentrations of 1,613 microgrammes per cubic metre . Improved ventilation was found to reduce pollutant concentrations . The World Health Organisation states that household air pollution was responsible for 2.9 million deaths globally in 2021, including more than 309,000 deaths among children under five, with 44 per cent of pneumonia deaths among children under five attributable to household air pollution .
The concern is particularly relevant in Nigeria, which bears a significant burden of malaria. Nigeria accounted for 31.9 per cent of malaria deaths in the WHO African Region in 2024, while children under five accounted for about three-quarters of malaria deaths in the region . This has led to heavy reliance on mosquito coils as a primary prevention method, despite the associated respiratory risks.
A Nigerian study examining carbon monoxide emissions from mosquito coils found that three of five brands tested exceeded the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment and WHO indoor carbon monoxide limit of nine parts per million in different bedroom environments . Research from South India involving 1,500 preschool children found that both occasional and daily mosquito coil use were independently associated with respiratory morbidity, with children under six years particularly vulnerable given floor-level proximity and prolonged overnight exposure .
Dr Femi Akodu, Consultant Paediatrician at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, advised parents to reduce children’s exposure to mosquito-coil smoke and use safer mosquito-control measures . Rather than relying on burning coils indoors, Akodu recommended mosquito repellents, sleeping nets, and ensuring adequate ventilation . He urged parents to take breathing difficulties seriously and seek medical attention when a child develops symptoms .
Previous studies confirm these findings. A hospital-based study involving children aged one month to five years found that exposure to mosquito coil smoke at least three nights a week was independently associated with increased risk of asthma, with an odds ratio of 1.73 . Another study of school children found that exposure to mosquito coil smoke for at least three nights a week was independently associated with asthma and persistent wheeze . The World Health Organisation notes that household air pollution is associated with serious health risks, particularly among children .
