Results
Title

Impact of polystyrene beads as a mosquito control measure to supplement lymphatic filariasis elimination activities in Socotra Island, Yemen.

Authors

Al-Kubati, A. S.; Al Qubati, Y.; Ismail, W.; Laney, S. J.; El-Setouhy, M.; Gad, A. M.; Ramzy, R. M. R.

Abstract

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is targeted for worldwide elimination. In Yemen, all mainland implementation units met the WHO criteria for stopping mass drug administration (MDA) after 5 rounds. However, in Socotra Island these criteria were not met. Our study evaluated the efficacy of applying expanded polystyrene beads (EPBs) on the Culex population and the effect on LF transmission. Human and mosquito surveys were conducted in 40 randomly selected households in Hadibo (capital of Socotra) before and after application of EPBs. The EPBs intervention resulted in a reduction in mosquito density of 80% and a 64.3% reduction in microfilaria prevalence. The majority of interviewed households (98%) thought EPBs considerably reduced the mosquito population. After the intervention all collected pools tested negative. Application of EPBs is an effective supplement to MDA for achieving the goal of LF elimination.

Subjects

YEMEN (Republic); ANIMAL experimentation; COMPUTER software; CONFIDENCE intervals; INTERVIEWING; ELEPHANTIASIS; MOSQUITOES; PEST control; PLASTICS; POLYMERASE chain reaction; RESEARCH funding; SANITATION; STATISTICAL hypothesis testing; U-statistics; DATA analysis; MAXIMUM likelihood statistics; DISEASE prevalence; PREVENTION; INFECTIOUS disease transmission

Publication

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2011, Vol 17, Issue 7, p560

ISSN

1020-3397

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.26719/2011.17.7.560