July 01, 2009
Frequently Asked Question/Query:
If I clap my hands together and kill a Dengue mosquito that way, and I get blood on my hands, will I become infected?
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August 10, 2008
Frequently Asked Question/Query:
I read that you become immune only to the type of Dengue you had, but for a YEAR. Is that true?
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June 14, 2008
Frequently Asked Question/Query from Beth in St. Maarten:
Should Deet be used on children?
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May 14, 2008
Frequently Asked Question/Query from Patty in Spain:
Can mosquitoes bite you through your clothes?
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March 26, 2008
Frequently Asked Question/Query from Susie of New Jersey:
With your experience, what do you think people should do to prevent contracting Dengue Fever?
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The following are the answers to Questions 1 through 7 of the Mosquito Control Pre-Test. They are deliberately brief.
Answer 1: The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the most important insect pest in the British Virgin Islands. This mosquito is similarly prevalent throughout the Caribbean and the wider region.
The Culex species are also very high in density in our region. One of the most common is Culex quinquefasciatus.
Answer 2: Dengue Fever is the mosquito borne disease of greatest concern in the British Virgin Islands at present. There have been no reported cases of Dengue in the BVI for the past two to three years, but the Vector Control Unit is at peak alert at all times.
However, Vector Control authorities around the Caribbean and in Latin America are always vigilant because the mosquitos that transmit Dengue Fever, the Aedes aegypti, which is found throughout our region. In fact, a few cases of Dengue were diagnosed in Guyana a few weeks ago. The debate is still on as to whether an outbreak is underway there.
Further afield, there are ongoing outbreaks of Dengue in Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia.
Malaria is another disease spread by the Anopheles mosquito. While the BVI does not have any record of Malaria or the mosquito that carries it, the threat of a Malaria outbreak is ever-present elsewhere in our region.
Barbados is one of those countries where the Malaria mosquito has been identified. Jamaica is just now coming out from under an outbreak of the disease, which struck in November 2006. Malaria is not endemic in Jamaica.
Not so for Guyana and Haiti in the wider Caribbean where Malaria is endemic.
Answer 3: The life cycle of the mosquito has four (4) distinct stages - not three, not five. (Yes, some persons do think that there are as many as five stages)
The stages are as follows:
Egg
Larva (or wriggler/wiggler)
Pupa
Adult
The cycle lasts for approximately one week, more or less. The exact length of that cycle depends on a number of factors, the least of which is the species type. Far more importantly is the breeding habitat wherein humidity, tropical or sub-tropical temperatures, the availability of particulate matter for the larvae to feed on and the effectiveness of mosquito control programmes will determine survivability - at the aquatic stages and also after the adults ”emerge” from the pupae.
Adults will live for as long as three weeks in the best case scenario.
Answer 4: The Culex species, especially Culex quinquefasciatus, are the main Pest Mosquitoes in the BVI at this time. It is so designated because it is not known to transmit any diseases here, but can be found in great density in part due to considerable sewage problems that obtain in the Territory. This is not to say of course that Culex is unable to transmit disease.
It could also be argued that the Black Marsh Mosquito is equally a Pest. It is ferocious and tenacious in attack as it does in broods. Aedes taeniorhynchus is very prevalent but not exclusive to the network of mangrove ponds found throughout the archipelago.
The island of Anegada is most prone to taeniorhynchus infestations, which is why the Government of the BVI maintains a satellite Vector Control Programme on this tourist destination to keep this scourge in check.
Answer 5: Generally speaking, mosquitoes will breed in any stagnant or slow moving body of water whether be it brackish water; water laden with biomata; muddy or turbid water; clear or clean water, potable or not. In answering the question at hand, I will single out breeding places that are found in and around the typical British Virgin Islands home or workplace. But by no means are these places exclusive to the BVI.
drums and barrels
concrete cisterns and “black tanks”
flower vases and pots
(and if I made add one bonus for now) anything that can collect water, is open to the elements (rain) and is unprotected (mosquitoes can get to the water to lay eggs)
Answer 6: Most importantly, we must learn the basics of mosquito behaviour to inform ourselves on what to look for when faced with an infestation at home or at work. But more specifically, we need to do the following three things to ensure that no mosquitoes are allowed to breed on our premises:
conduct a thorough search inside, outside and around our premises to identify any (ANY) container that might hold rain water or in which water is stored, no matter for what purpose
“protect” any such containers by either sealing, covering or capping all openings through which mosquitoes may enter to lay their eggs; turning the containers over or placing them under a shelter such as garage or basement, away from rainfall; or disposing of all unwanted containers in the dumpsters provided by your local waste collection agency
repeat once per week to keep pace with the roughly seven-day life cycle of the mosquito
And remember, after the initial inspection, it should not take you more than fifteen (15) minutes per week to keep your premises mosquito free.
More details and step-by-step instructions on how to do these things to follow
Answer 7:
Education – one must appreciate the importance of mosquito control to appreciate the impact of individual empowerment on the overall fight to prevent the introduction and spread of mosquito-borne diseases in a country
Physical Control – the alteration of the physical environment to prevent the stagnation of water. For examples, depressions in the ground may be filled up with soil or gravel and drains and gutters may be properly graded to allow storm water to flow
Biological Control - larvivorous fish (guppies), crustaceans (copepods) and bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis are some of the biological agents used in the fight to control mosquitoes when in the acquatic stages of development
Chemical Control - chemical treatment of mosquito breeding places ought to be the very last resort in any mosquito control effort. Apply when all else fails. There are three other good reasons to avoid Chemical Control initially: all chemicals are potentially hazardous to human health and other organisms like household pets and fish, but only if administered improperly; many insecticides are designed to be used and handled by trained operators, which excludes most of us; and most importantly, Physical and Biological methods are very effective in the front line attack on mosquitoes
Δ
According to the National Biological Information Infrastructure the West Nile virus (WNV) was first detected in the Western Hemisphere in 1999 and has since rapidly spread across the North American continent into all 48 continental states, seven Canadian provinces, and throughout Mexico. In addition, WNV activity has been detected in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guadeloupe and El Salvador. (Source: http://www.mommypr.com/?p=8450)
Sep, 26, 08 at 3:26 pm
As it stands Diana, the weekly number of Clinically Suspected Cases was below the maximum levels expected for this time of year.
Taken from the last week of August, the number of Biologically Confirmed Cases was below the maximum expected levels. The drop in the number of Cases that week followed a rise in the two previous weeks (weeks 33 and 34).
No cases were Confirmed for the first week of September, the last week for which figures were available. 8 persons were diagnosed in that week.
The Saint-Barthélémy health authorities had expected something in the order of 22 diagnoses.
Sep, 26, 08 at 12:49 am
How is the dengue fever situation in St. Barth’s as of September 2008?