Reducing Aedes albopictus breeding sites through education: A study in urban area

PLoS One. 2018 Nov 8;13(11):e0202451. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202451. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Aedes albopictus tends to proliferate in small, often man-made bodies of water, largely present in urban private areas. For this reason, education and community participation are considered crucial for source reduction and mosquito control. In the current study, we identify mosquito breeding habitat and evaluate the effectiveness of resident education. Since 2010 several outbreaks of West Nile virus infection occurred in Greece however urban population has no previous experience with mosquito-borne disease related to Aedes species, such as Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya. After the introduction of Ae. albopictus in Greece, urban areas have been considered to be at risk of epidemic arboviral outbreaks and identifying effective control strategies is imperative. Our study examines the relationship between mosquito breeding sources and socioeconomic or demographic characteristics of different households in a Greek municipality and evaluates efficacy of resident education. The results revealed that only a minority of residents knew where mosquitoes breed (18.6%) and only 46% felt that residents had any responsibility for managing breeding habitat. Our findings strongly suggest that only the presence of scientific staff inspecting possible habitats in their properties, could be enough to stimulate practices towards source reduction. However, educational interventions alone with printed education material cannot enhance significant community participation and source reduction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / growth & development*
  • Animals
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Greece / epidemiology
  • Models, Biological*
  • Mosquito Control*
  • Reproduction / physiology
  • Urban Renewal*
  • West Nile Fever* / epidemiology
  • West Nile Fever* / prevention & control
  • West Nile virus*

Grants and funding

This study was supported by Region of Attica and LIFE CONOPS project. The project ”A systematic surveillance of vector mosquitoes for the control of mosquito- borne diseases in the Region of Attica " financed by the Region of Attica. The project LIFE CONOPS (LIFE12 ENV/GR/000466), “Development & demonstration of management plans against -the climate change enhanced- invasive mosquitoes in South Europe”, funded by the European Commission in the framework of the programme LIFE + Environment Policy and Governance (www.conops.gr; http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/index.htm). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.