Acceptance of a Sterile Male Releases Pilot Project to Reduce Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) Populations and Its Associated Factors: A Community-based Cross-sectional Survey in South Chiapas, Mexico

Acta Trop. 2022 Jun 26:106573. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106573. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTWorldwide, vector-transmitted diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases and cause more than 700,000 deaths annually. The primary strategy to control the transmission of dengue, chikungunya and Zika focuses on the control of their vectors. Vector control programs depend mainly on the use of insecticides. However, these measures have failed to yield the desired results because the lack of proper control decreases their effectiveness over time. Also, the effect of insecticide use on non-target organisms, environmental contamination, and the development of insecticide resistance impose continuous challenges for insecticide-dependent control programs. The sterile insect technique, on the other hand, is a non-polluting and environment-friendly technique. The use of sterile insects is generally well established in agriculture, but human health interventions often require a consensus that combines social perceptions with scientific evidence. Factors associated with acceptance of the releases of sterile male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes were assessed with logistic regression models for two communities (Rio Florido and Hidalgo) in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. The favourable opinion of the respondents about the project workers, and the fact that the releases of sterile mosquitoes would be managed by the Secretaría de Salud, were found to be factors that supported the acce...
Source: Acta Tropica - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research