Evaluación de índices entomológicos mediante herramientas electrónicas en Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia / Evaluation of entomological indices with electronic tools in Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia

Objetivo: Determinar la eficacia de dos herramientas electrónicas en el levantamiento de índices aédicos en la ciudad Villavicencio. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de tipo observacional, analítico en dos barrios de la ciudad Villavicencio: Quintas de San Fernando y Cedritos. El formato de levantamiento de índices aédicos de la secretaría de salud fue diseñado en dos medios electrónicos. La eficacia fue determinada mediante datos efectivos recogidos y tiempo de entrega. Se calcularon índices aédicos, Breteau, vivienda y pupas. Se realizó encuesta para determinar actitudes frente a arbovirosis. Se realizó estadística descriptiva, pruebas de chi cuadrado y t-Student (p< 0,05). Resultados: Se evaluaron 67 predios en dos barrios. El índice de datos efectivos fue mejor en donde el acceso a internet era permanente (100 por ciento vs. 23,9 por ciento); el tiempo de entrega también se afectó por esta conexión. Se encontraron diferencias significativas en el número de viviendas positivas para Aedes aegypti entre los dos barrios (p= 0,0052); y para el número de tanques bajos positivos (p= 0,0123). De los encuestados, el 16,4 por ciento (IC95 por ciento 8,9 por ciento-27,5 por ciento) sabía que la transmisión fue por picadura de Ae. aegypti. Para el 79,1 por ciento, cada familia fue responsable de eliminar criaderos. Conclusiones: El uso de herramientas electrónicas permite acelerar el flujo de la información y crear un sistema eficaz, de fácil acceso y seguridad que podría implementarse permanentemente en la vigilancia entomológica y de salud pública(AU)

Objective: Determine the effectiveness of two electronic tools for the evaluation of aedic indices in the city of Villavicencio. Methods: An observational analytic study was conducted in two districts in the city of Villavicencio: Quintas de San Fernando and Cedritos. The form designed by the Ministry of Health to evaluate aedic indices was digitalized into two electronic media. Efficacy was determined on the basis of effective data collected and delivery time. An estimation was made of aedic indices, Breteau, household and pupae. A survey was conducted to determine attitudes to arbovirus infections. Use was made of descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests and Student's t-test (p< 0.05). Results: Sixty-seven households were evaluated in two districts. The effective data index was better in areas where access to the Internet was permanent (100 percent vs. 23.9 percent). Delivery time was also affected by Internet connection. Significant differences were found between the two districts in the number of positive households for Aedes aegypti (p= 0.0052), as well as in the number of positive ground water tanks (p= 0.0123). Of the respondents, 16.4 percent (95 percent CI, 8.9 percent-27.5 percent) were aware that transmission had been by the bite of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. For 79.1 percent each family was responsible for eliminating the breeding sites. Conclusions: Use of electronic tools speeds up the flow of information and creates an effective, easily-accessible and safe system which could be permanently implemented for entomological and public health surveillance(AU)

Seasonal variation and natural infection of Lutzomyia antunesi (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae), an endemic species in the Orinoquia region of Colombia.

Lutzomyia antunesi has been commonly reported in outbreaks of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in the Orinoquia region of Colombia. The bionomics of this species were studied in the municipality of Villavicencio (Meta, Colombia). Sandflies were captured over the course of one week per month for one year in intradomiciliary, peridomiciliary and extradomiciliary housing areas. The captures were performed from 06:00 pm-06:00 am using CDC light traps and the females were processed for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Leishmania spp. A total of 22,097 specimens and 19 species were captured of which Lu. antunesi (89%) and Lutzomyia walkeri (5%) were the most abundant. Other species recognised as anthropophilic (Lutzomyia panamensis, Lutzomyia gomezi, Lutzomyia flaviscutellata and Lutzomyia fairtigi) were present in very low abundance (< 2%). Natural infection with Leishmania spp was detected using PCR in Lu. antunesi, Lu. panamensis and Lu. flavicutellata, showing infection rates of 1%, 4.8% and 7.5%, respectively. The present paper provides information on various ecological aspects of Lu. antunesi. An analysis of seasonality shows that this species increases in abundance in the hottest months (December, January and February), directly correlating with the maximum temperature and inversely correlating with precipitation. The natural infection rate is associated with the peaks of highest abundance.