Educational campaign versus malathion spraying for the control of Aedes aegypti in Colima, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an educational campaign for reducing the breeding places of Aedes aegypti, the principal vector of dengue; and to compare its effects with the ones obtained by spraying of malathion at ultralow volume. Design: Randomised community trial. Setting: Colima city, in the State of Colima, Mexico. Participants: Householders of 187 houses, randomly selected from the west sector of the city. Data: In each house, an entomological survey was done, as well as one for knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP), before the intervention and six months after. The intervention consisted of educational campaign alone (47 houses); malathion spraying at ultra low volume alone (46 houses); both treatments simultaneously (49 houses) and no intervention, or control group (45 houses). Main results: The global average of the positive containers by house (C+/C) was reduced from 0.97 to 0.77. A two way analysis of variance showed that this reduction was more apparent in the houses that received educational campaign (F=8.4, p<0.005) with relation to the ones that received malathion spraying (F=0.38, p>0.5), while the combination of both treatments demonstrated a discrete negative interaction (F=6.52, p<0.05). These effects were independent of climatic changes and level of knowledge about dengue, as the KAP indicator did not show any significant changes in any group (F=1.14, p>0.1). Conclusion:The results indicated that the educational campaign reduced the A aegypti breeding places more effectively than the use of chemicals spraying, and that the combination of both treatments can reduce its efficiency, possibly because of the false expectancy of protection that spraying creates. The KAP surveys seemed to have very limited value in evaluating quantitatively the programmes of eradication of the dengue vector.

Effect of dengue vector control interventions on entomological parameters in developing countries: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…The CI was reduced from 21.3% pre-intervention to 9.8% post-intervention . By contrast, integrated dengue vector control approaches implemented in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ( Tikasingh & Eustace, 1992 ), Mexico ( Espinoza-Gómez et al , 2002 ) and Trinidad and Tobago ( Chadee et al , 2005 ) resulted in only modest reductions of entomological parameters (RE > 0.5). In Cuba, a national dengue elimination programme was launched in the early 1980s.…”

“…Relative effectiveness (95% confidence interval) Fiji, Suva, 1978(Goettel et al, 1980 Mexico, Colima, 1998(Espinoza-Gómez et al, 2002 Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, 2001 Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, 2001 Thailand, Mueang district, 2004(Therawiwat et al, 2005 Thailand, Tambon Non Samran, 1999 (Butraporn et al 1999) Thailand, Mae Sot, 1988 (Swaddiwudhipong et al, 1992) Thailand, Kohnburi, 1987(Eamchan et al, 1989 Thailand, Phanus Nikhom, 1983 (Phanthumachinda et al, 1985) India, Dharmapuri, 1997(Abdul Kader et al, 1998 …”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to Dengue fever among females in Jeddah high schools

“…Adding to the loss of human lives, each outbreak causes severe damage to the economy and to the welfare of the affected communities, with economical costs reaching in excess of $10 per person. For these reasons, DF has received growing attention as a priority for public health [10].…”

Knowledge, awareness and practices regarding dengue fever

“…8 Community education can be more effective in reducing dengue vector breeding sites than chemicals alone. 9 Benthem claimed that people with higher knowledge on dengue reported a higher use of preventive measure than people with low knowledge. 10 Preventive measures for dengue fever are mosquito bed net, repellent cream on the skin, wearing long sleeves and pants for additional protection, window and door screens and air-conditioning.…”