Vector borne disease and vector control

Lecturer: Dr. Maarten Schrama (Leiden University)

Duration: 90 mins (10.30-12.15)

Summary

Disclaimer: exact contents may change because of change of lecturer.

Dengue, also known as breakbone fever, is the most common mosquito-borne viral disease in the world and has become a major international public health concern. Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with one of the four dengue virus serotypes. Currently, there is no specific treatment for dengue. This will change within a few years, when a tetravalent vaccine becomes available. However, it is doubtable if this will be the ultimate solution. It is unknown how many new/not discovered dengue strains are or may circulate in non-human primates that could be transmitted to humans. Infection with a new strain could increase the risk of severe dengue in vaccinated people, due to cross-reactive antibodies and T cells. Therefore, it seems that it is more effective and sustainable to reduce the burden of dengue through vector control. At present, multiple strategies to control the mosquito population are available. Up to now the most effective approaches are discarding stagnant water in and around houses, the use of mosquito nets, placing natural predators of the mosquito larvae in water storage tanks, the use of mosquito traps around houses and public areas, and enforcement of these prevention measures. It is concluded that the various vector control strategies should be used together so they can complement and enhance each other. By informing and involving the wider public the vector oriented interventions will probably be more successful in combating dengue.

Student learning goals

• The student knows the lifecycle and disease mechanism of Dengue.
• The student can explain “vector disease".
• The student can explain major characteristics of the Dengue vector ecology (principally Aedes aegypti).
• The student can name the human behavioral aspects that enhance or diminish infection chances.
• The student can name and explain the main mechanisms of applied methods to combat Dengue (as an example of mosquito born diseases in general).

Contributions to course goals

The lecture links to the following course goals:

• To know and understand the relations between water and water related diseases as an example of a socio-ecological problems.
• The understanding of socio-cultural processes and mechanisms that led to current problems. The understanding of these socio-cultural processes is important to provide and implement sustainable solutions.
• To know strategies and the use of innovations in Clean Tech as a response to prevent or mitigate water pollution, outbreaks and/or the distribution of water related diseases.

Literature for self study

Obligatory:

• McGraw, Elizabeth A., and Scott L. O'Neill. "Beyond insecticides: new thinking on an ancient problem." Nature Reviews Microbiology 11.3 (2013): 181-193.