Dengue and Mosquito Control Programs: A Comparative Analysis

Aims: This paper aims to compare the effectiveness of current mosquito control programs in the control of dengue in a developed versus a developing country.

Study Design: Systematic Review and Analysis.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Global Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA between August 2013 and July 2014.

Methodology: Systematic literature search of published and grey literature was done using the following databases: MEDLINE, AGRICOLA, BMC, DOAJ, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, WHOLIS and Google Scholar. Relevant data were then extracted and analyzed.

Results: Developing countries usually start up vector control activities after an epidemic has started, resulting in a lower impact on the control and prevention of dengue. Some developing countries, despite having sustainable vector control programs, still have a high incidence of dengue. Some studies have shown that factors such as defective urban planning, low socio-economic status and poor physical housing conditions in some endemic locations within the developing countries may account for the high incidence of dengue cases. In comparison, a developed country with robust mosquito control programs that have been sustained over long period of time, with proper ongoing surveillance involving monitoring and evaluation, better economy, urban planning and human behavior, consistently present with low incidence of dengue infection within the past few years.

Conclusion: There are existing deficiencies in dengue vector control in developing countries such as gaps in the practice or implementation of vector control programs and existence of a sustainable mosquito control program. Further research needs to be done to determine the reasons for these gaps. Interventions need to be directed towards eliminating these gaps in dengue vector control to reduce incidence in these populations and prevent epidemics. Interventions may need to focus on policies regarding urban planning and educating the population on better practices regarding human behavior and habitation.

Disclaimer: The authors are not implying that one of the mosquito control programs being compared is superior to the other; this is simply a comparative analysis of two programs which may or may not represent standard practices of other developed and developing countries.