Abstract
Mosquito species that utilize peridomestic containers for immature development are commonly aggressive human biters, and because they often reach high abundance, create significant nuisance. One of these species, the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, is an important vector of emerging infectious diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika fevers. Integrated mosquito management (IMM) of Ae. albopictus is particularly difficult because it requires access to private yards in urban and suburban residences. It has become apparent that in the event of a public health concern due to this species, homeowners will have to be active participants in the control process by reducing mosquito habitats in their properties, an activity known as source reduction. However, limited attempts at quantifying the effect of source reduction by homeowners have had mixed results. Of note, many mosquito control programs in the US have some form of education outreach, however the primary approach is often passive focusing on the distribution of education materials as flyers. In 2010, we evaluated the use of active community peer education in a source reduction program, using AmeriCorps volunteers. The volunteers were mobilized over a 4-week period, in two areas with approximately 1,000 residences each in urban Mercer and suburban Monmouth counties in New Jersey, USA. The volunteers were first provided training on peridomestic mosquitoes and on basic approaches to reducing the number of container habitats for mosquito larvae in backyards. Within the two treatment areas the volunteers successfully engaged 758 separate homes. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant reduction in container habitats in the sites where the volunteers actively engaged the community compared to untreated control areas in both counties. Our results suggest that active education using community peer educators can be an effective means of source reduction, and a critical tool in the arsenal against peridomestic mosquitoes.
Highlights
Container-inhabiting mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti L., are serious nuisance pests and vectors of disease-causing pathogens to humans
Control of mosquito larvae, which forms the basis of peridomestic Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM), is often difficult over large areas [3]
Ethics statement No specific permits were required for collection of field specimens, which were performed in urban and suburban backyards in the US states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida with homeowners assent by professional county mosquito control personnel
Summary
Container-inhabiting mosquitoes, such as Aedes albopictus (Skuse) and Aedes aegypti L., are serious nuisance pests and vectors of disease-causing pathogens to humans. In the United States, where this study was conducted, the most common container habitats in residential areas are those classified as nondisposable, such as bird baths, trash cans, planters, plant dishes, and toys [2,5]. This is similar to studies in other countries that have shown water holding containers, such as flower vases [6] and water pots [7] are important habitats for Aedes aegypti. The investment in community participation can significantly impact populations of container-inhabiting mosquitoes through source reduction of container habitats, the impact on adult populations is not always immediately observed [11]
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