Perceived needs of disease vector control programs: A review and synthesis of (sub)national assessments from South Asia and the Middle East.

Systems for disease vector control should be effective, efficient, and flexible to be able to tackle contemporary challenges and threats in the control and elimination of vector-borne diseases. As a priority activity towards the strengthening of vector control systems, it has been advocated that countries conduct a vector-control needs assessment. A review was carried out of the perceived needs for disease vector control programs among eleven countries and subnational states in South Asia and the Middle East.

Circulating dengue virus serotypes and vertical transmission in Aedes larvae during outbreak and inter-outbreak seasons in a high dengue risk area of Sri Lanka.

Background: Spatial and temporal changes in the dengue incidence are associated with multiple factors, such as climate, immunity among a population against dengue viruses (DENV), circulating DENV serotypes and vertical transmission (VT) of DENV in an area at a given time. The level of VT in a specific location has epidemiological implications in terms of viral maintenance in vectors. Identification of the circulating DENV serotypes in both patients and Aedes mosquito larvae in an area may be useful for the early detection of outbreaks.

Characteristics of and factors associated with dengue vector breeding sites in the City of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Introduction: Dengue has emerged as a major public health problem in Sri Lanka. Vector control at community level is a frequent and widespread strategy for dengue control. The aim of the study was to assess Aedes mosquito breeding sites and the prevention practices of community members in a heavily urbanized part of Colombo.

The prevention and control of dengue after Typhoon Haiyan.

Objective: Many of the areas in the Philippines affected by Typhoon Haiyan are endemic for dengue; therefore, dengue prevention was a priority in the initial post-disaster risk assessment. We describe the dengue prevention and response strategies applied after Haiyan.

Methods: The dengue response was implemented by a wide range of national and international stakeholders.

Larvivorous potential of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata, in anopheline mosquito control in riverbed pools below the Kotmale dam, Sri Lanka.

The larvivorous potential of Poecilia reticulata was studied in the laboratory and in the field. In the laboratory, the number of anopheline larvae consumed per fish per day and the number of larvae in fecal matter per fish were determined. In the field study, 29 of 60 selected riverbed pools in Kotmale oya, below the Kotmale dam, were stocked with P reticulata, whereas the rest served as controls.

Costs and effectiveness of application of Poecilia reticulata (guppy) and temephos in anopheline mosquito control in river basins below the major dams of Sri Lanka.

In this study we examined the costs and effectiveness of using larvivorous fish, Poecilia reticulata, and a chemical larvicide, temephos, in anopheline mosquito control in the riverbeds below the major dams in Sri Lanka. Five riverbeds below the dams, namely Laxapana, Kotmale 1, Kotmale 2, Nilambe, Rantembe and Victoria, were selected. Riverbed pools in Laxapana and Kotmale 1 were treated with P.

Anopheline breeding in river bed pools below major dams in Sri Lanka.

Anopheline mosquito larval surveys were carried out from September 2000 to August 2002 in Mahaweli and Kelani river beds, below five major dams in the wet and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka, to study the prevalence of anopheline species in these areas. In each study site, all permanent and semi-permanent pools were surveyed fortnightly by dipping at 6 dips/m(2) surface area of water. Larvae were collected in separate containers, staged and identified at their third and fourth stages.

Larvivorous potential of fish species found in river bed pools below the major dams in Sri Lanka.

Malaria in Sri Lanka is closely associated with the river systems in the country. Construction of major dams across rivers has resulted in year-round pooling and anopheline mosquito breeding in river beds below the dams. This study was carried out to determine the larvivorous activity of fish found in river bed pools below the dams to identify the potential fish species for anopheline larval control in these areas.