title: Control of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in a firmly established area in Spain: risk factors and people's involvement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The tiger mosquito is a competent vector of dengue and chikungunya in Europe. Therefore, evaluating control strategies is a priority. In this work we aimed to determine the key factors affecting Aedes albopictus production, the preferred larval habitats, and we explored the involvement of the citizens in Sant Cugat, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A source-reduction campaign including door-to-door visits and interviews to local inhabitants (2008-2010) and larval surveys (2010) was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Civil workers inspected 3720 premises and interviewed 820 local inhabitants. Larval habitats, detected in 7.2% of the premises (n=266), were negatively associated with primary residence OR=0.4 (95% CI 0.3-0.6); and positively associated with schools OR=2.4 (95% CI 1.1-5.0), solid waste OR=5.1 (95% CI 3.0-8.9), scuppers OR=5.0 (95% CI 3.5-7.3) among other variables. Preventive measures were taken by 83.2% of householders (n=682). In 2010, 10.3% more citizens claimed to avoid having stagnant water compared with 2008. Simultaneously another 10.3% stopped using insecticides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Solid waste, scuppers and vegetable gardens were found to be important factors characterizing premises with larval habitats. People claimed to know about this insect and they considered it to be an important issue that diminished their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: ICTA, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Gisela Chebabi
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Abramides
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roiz
authors.forename: Raimon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guitart
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: Nuria
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giménez
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D003715:Dengue / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D003716:Dengue Virus; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000821:virology*; D058865:Introduced Species; D007814:Larva; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods*; D010465:Perception; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D062611:Solid Waste; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014867:Water / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D062611:Solid Waste; D014867:Water
keywords: Aedes albopictus; Disease vectors; Invasive species; Mosquito control; Public health; Source reduction