Abstract
BackgroundThe main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of electricity network development on malaria transmission. The study was performed in the rural areas of three districts in Sistan-va-Baluchestan Province, Iran.MethodsFrom the mentioned districts, 122 rural communities were selected. The data of the years 2005–2009 were collected retrospectively from data banks of the district health centres and the offices of the local electricity network. Fixed and random effects panel data regression models were fitted to determine the effects of electrification and other variables on malaria transmission during the elimination phase.ResultsIt seems that access to electricity of rural communities, if not harmful, has no obvious effect on malaria control and prevention at least during the elimination phase in an underdeveloped region. Elevation above sea level and precipitation during spring and summer were found to be the other important, respectively, time-invariant and time-dependent variables associated with decreasing and increasing malaria transmission. Indoor residual spraying and the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets were not found to be effective in decreasing malaria transmission in the elimination phase.ConclusionsThe introduction of electricity to a rural community does not guarantee an absolutely good effect on the reduction of malaria transmission.
Highlights
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of electricity network development on malaria transmission
The main malaria control measures used in Iran, in the elimination phase, might be outlined as: (i) Active and passive case finding to reduce the time interval between appearance of the signs and symptoms of malaria and the beginning of treatment to 24 h; the annual blood examination rate in Iran is usually less than 5 % [2]. (ii) Extending the coverage of malaria control measures to over 90 % of the high-risk population. (iii) Vector control interventions
In Iran, vector control interventions are applied in targeted foci [3] and, where applicable, include (i) Indoor residual spraying (IRS); (ii) provision of insecticidetreated mosquito nets (ITN), free of charge for high-risk population; and (iii) larviciding
Summary
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of electricity network development on malaria transmission. (ii) Extending the coverage of malaria control measures to over 90 % of the high-risk population. In Iran, vector control interventions are applied in targeted foci [3] and, where applicable, include (i) Indoor residual spraying (IRS); (ii) provision of insecticidetreated mosquito nets (ITN), free of charge for high-risk population; and (iii) larviciding. During the years 2011– 2013, the coverage of IRS for the population living in the high-risk areas was increased from 11 to 26 % and to 36 % [3], and the Ministry of Health distributed sufficient ITNs to protect over 60 % of the population at high risk [3]. Larviciding via the distribution of Bacillus thuringiensis in all swamps and domestic fresh water reservoirs, including household water tanks, and via the distribution of larvivorous fishes (especially Gambusia fish) in swamps in the high-risk regions [8]
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