title: Preliminary results on the control ofAedes spp.in a remote Guatemalan community vulnerable to dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus: community participation and use of low-cost ecological ovillantas for mosquito control.
abstract: Objective:To study the effectiveness of an integrated intervention of health worker training, a low-cost ecological mosquito ovitrap, and community engagement onAedesspp. mosquito control over 10 months in 2015 in an urban remote community in Guatemala at risk of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus transmission.Methods:We implemented a three-component integrated intervention consisting of: web-based training of local health personnel in vector control, cluster-randomized assignment of an ecological modified ovitrap (ovillantas: ovi=egg, llanta=tire) or standard ovitraps to captureAedes spp.mosquito eggs (no efforts have been taken to determine the exactAedesspecies at this moment), and community engagement to promote participation of community members and health personnel in the understanding and maintenance of ovitraps for mosquito control. The intervention was implemented in local collaboration with Guatemala's  Ministry of Health's Vector Control Programme, and in international collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico.Findings:Eighty percent of the 25 local health personnel enrolled in the training programme received accreditation of their improved knowledge of vector control. When ovillantas were used in a cluster of ovitraps (several in proximity), significantly more eggs were trapped by  ecological ovillantas than standard ovitraps over the 10 month (42 week) study period (t=5.2577;p<0.05). Repetitive filtering and recycling of the attractant solution (or water) kept the ovillanta clean, free from algae growth. Among both community members and health workers, the levels of knowledge, interest, and participation in community mosquito control and trapping increased. Recommendations for enhancing and sustaining community mosquito control were identified.Conclusion:Our three-component integrated intervention proved beneficial to this remote community at risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. The combination of training of health workers, cluster use of low-cost ecological ovillanta to destroy the second generation of mosquitoes, and community engagement ensured the project met local needs and fostered collaboration and participation of the community, which can help improve sustainability. The ovillanta intervention and methodology may be modified to target other species such asCulex, should it be established that such mosquitoes carry Zika virus in addition toAedes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Canada.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ulibarri
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Betanzos
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mireya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betanzos
authors.affiliation: Area de Salud Suroccidental-Sayaxche, Sayaxché, Guatemala.
authors.forename: Juan Jacobo
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rojas
keywords: Dengue virus; Latin America; Zika virus; community engagement; mosquito-borne disease; vector control; virology; viruses