Distance to public transit predicts spatial distribution of dengue virus incidence in Medellín, Colombia.

Dengue is a growing global threat in some of the world's most rapidly growing landscapes. Research shows that urbanization and human movement affect the spatial dynamics and magnitude of dengue outbreaks; however, precise effects of urban growth on dengue are not well understood because of a lack of sufficiently fine-scaled data. We analyzed nine years of address-level dengue case data in Medellin, Colombia during a period of public transit expansion.

Entomovirological Surveillance in Schools: Are They a Source for Arboviral Diseases Transmission?

Surveillance and control activities for virus-transmitting mosquitoes have primarily focused on dwellings. There is little information about viral circulation in heavily trafficked places such as schools. We collected and analyzed data to assess the presence and prevalence of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in mosquitoes, and measured indices in schools in Medellín (Colombia) between 2016-2018.

Surveillance of Zika virus in field-caught Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus suggests important role of male mosquitoes in viral populations maintenance in Medellín, Colombia.

Due to the rapid spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection after its emergence in the Americas in 2015 and its relationship with birth defects, it became declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (WHO). The main mechanism by which this virus circulates in nature is horizontal transmission between vectors and humans. However, it has been suggested that vertical transmission (parent to offspring infection) or venereal mosquito-mosquito transmission may have an important role in viral populations maintenance during inter-epidemic periods.

Barriers that limit the implementation of thermal fogging for the control of dengue in Colombia: a study of mixed methods.

Background: Thermal fogging of Insecticides is a vector control strategy used by the Medellin Secretary of Health to combat dengue. This method is employed during outbreaks to curb populations of potentially infectious adult mosquitoes and interrupt transmission cycles. While this strategy has been used in Medellin since 2007, in some years it has not reduced dengue cases as expected.

Virological surveillance of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus as support for decision making for dengue control in Medellín.

Introduction: Dengue represents an important public health problem in Colombia. No treatment is available and the vaccine has not been approved in all countries, hence, actions should be strengthened to mitigate its impact through the control of Aedes aegypti, the vector mosquito. In Colombia, surveillance is done using entomological indexes and case notification, which is usually informed late, leading to untimely interventions.