Mosquito vector biting and community protection in a malarious area, siahoo district, Hormozgan, Iran

Use of bed-net continues to offer potential strategy for malaria prevention in endemic areas. Local communities are indispensable during design and implementation stages. A cross-sectional study of 192 randomly selected inhabitants was carried out in malarious zone, Siahoo direstrict, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran. In addition, we monitored human landing periodicity of main malaria vectors and as well as self-protection of inhabitant in the study area for a period of one transmission season between April to October 2006. The biting activities were seen throughout the whole night for three malaria vectors, Anopheles jluviatilis, An. stephensi and An. dthali, and An. fluviatilis exhibiting bimodal peaks, the first at midnight [0:00-1:00] and the other before dawn [5:00-6:00 am] but the maximum biting activity of An. stephensi was occurred at second quarter of night [11:00-12:00 pm]. The majority of interviewers [83.3%] knew that malaria was transmitted by mosquitoes and 70.3% of them stated that bed-net is the best control measures. Most subjects [62%] did not have a mosquito net. Study subjects were aware of an association between mosquito bite and malaria transmission. Health workers at different levels of the health care delivery system should disseminate relevant information about self-protection to help community members to be involved more in malaria control

Use of expanded polystyrene [EPS] and shredded waste polystyrene [SWAP] beads for control of mosquitoes

Mosquitoes transmit several diseases to human. There are several measures for control of larvae. As part of Integrated Vector Management [IVM] program, the utility of floating layers of polystyrene beads [EPS] is a potential alternative in habitats of mosquito larva. EPS beads prevent oviposition of mosquito as well as killing the immature stages by forming a tick layer on the water surface. They are cheap, environmentally safe and do not need frequent application and remain on the surface of water for long time. The objective of the current study was to asses the effectiveness of two types of polystyrene beads of [EPS] and [SWAP] for control of mosquito larvae under laboratory conditions. Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus were used for experimental purposes. In each tray 250 larvae of late 3rd and early 4th instars were introduced. The experiment was conducted on 4 replicates for An. stephensi, Cu. quinquefasciatus and combination of both. Emerging of adult mosquitoes were calculated every day until the end of experiments. Mortality rate and Inhibition of Emerge [IE] for Cu. quinquefasciatus, An. stephensi and combination of both species was 97.8%, 100% and 99.07%, respectively using EPS. In average, EPS was able to kill 98.9% of larvae. The figures with SWAP were 63%, 91.05% and 72.65%, respectively. The average mortality for mosquitoes was 75.57% EPS and SWAP beads can be very effective and practical for elimination of An. stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus under the laboratory conditions

study on rodent ectoparasities in Bandar Abbas: the main economic southern seaport of Iran

Rodents are one of the main health problems in the cities, especially in coastal area. These animals make economic damages and are potential health dangers in Bandar Abbas, the main economic southern port of Iran. In this study, rodents were captured from different parts of the city, before and after a control program during 2003-2004, transferred to the laboratory, identified and examine for ecto-parasites. Totally 105 rodents demonstrating four species: Rattus rattus [3%], R. norvegicus [78%], Mus musculus [3%] and Tatera indica [16%], were captured before the control program. The most frequency was observed in Ayatollah Ghafari quarter, 10 rodents per 24 traps. After 12 months, the duration of control program, rodents were re-captured to assessment the success of control activity. In this stage 35 small mammals demonstrated four species were obtained: R. norvegicus [51.4%], R. rattus [37.1%], T.indica [8.6%] and one weasel [2.9%]. We found the most frequency in Khoon-sorkh quarter with 6 rodents per 24 traps. The identified ectoparasites were Xenopsylla buxtoni, Rhipicephalus sp,. Polyplax gerbilli, Haplopleura captiosa, Ornithonyssus bacoti, Laelaps nuttalli, Dermanyssus americanus, Dermanyssus sanguineus, Haemolaelaps glasgowi and Echinolaelaps echidninus. The number of rodents reduced to one third after control program, shows the relative success of this program [p<0.05]