Effect of heavy-equipment aided environmental nebulization on Aedes aegypti vectors of Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya in São Paulo, Brazil.

The control of dengue constitutes a great challenge for public health; however, the methods normally used have shown themselves to be insufficient to keep the indices of infestation of Aedes aegypti under control. Recently, beyond the large number of cases and deaths associated with dengue, new risks have arisen such as those represented by chikungunya fever and Zika. In the light of the great significance of these problems within the public health context, two areas in a municipality in the interior of the State of São Paulo, Brazil were selected in 2014. One of them, Bairro Cidade Nova, was submitted to the conventional method of nebulization with portable equipment, and the other, Bairro Jardim Europa, received the application of the insecticide by means of heavy-equipment coupled to the vehicle. During the project, 1355 mosquito eggs were collected, 1105 of them in Bairro Cidade Nova and 205 in Bairro Jardim Europa. After the applications with heavy-equipment in the months of March and April, the number of cases of the disease reported in the month of April for Bairro Jardim Europa was less than half that of Bairro Cidade Nova, which had received the conventional treatment. The nebulization with the heavy-equipment may constitute a viable and effective strategy for achieving better results in the control of Ae. aegypti.

[A survey of knowledge and attitudes in a population about dengue transmission--region of Campinas São Paulo, Brazil--1998]. / Inquérito sobre conhecimentos e atitudes da população sobre a transmissão do dengue--região de Campinas São Paulo, Brasil--1998.

A survey with 502 interviews was realized in the region of Campinas (S.P.) to evaluate the community's knowledge and concepts regarding dengue: disease, vector and prevention. This information was then compared with the actual behavior towards prevention and the presence of breeding sites. Three neighborhoods of Santa Barbara D'Oeste (170,000 inhabitants) were chosen because they were located in the first municipality with autochthonous transmission, since 1995. Areas with better social and urban conditions scored higher in terms of knowledge compared with peripheral neighborhoods, even though these regions had priority in the local education program, due to case notification. However, breeding sites were found equally in both regions. A major gap between knowledge and attitude was detected in all regions. The results of the survey can help the organization of education programs to find ways to put this knowledge into practice. This instrument is useful to monitor the impact of dengue control programs.

Inquérito sobre conhecimentos e atitudes da população sobre a transmissão do dengue - região de Campinas São Paulo, Brasil - 1998 / A survey of knowledge and attitudes in a population about dengue transmission - region of Campinas São Paulo, Brazil - 1998

A survey with 502 interviews was realized in the region of Campinas (S.P.) to evaluate the community's knowledge and concepts regarding dengue: disease, vector and prevention. This information was then compared with the actual behavior towards prevention and the presence of breeding sites. Three neighborhoods of Santa Barbara D'Oeste (170,000 inhabitants) were chosen because they were located in the first municipality with autochthonous transmission, since 1995. Areas with better social and urban conditions scored higher in terms of knowledge compared with peripheral neighborhoods, even though these regions had priority in the local education program, due to case notification. However, breeding sites were found equally in both regions. A major gap between knowledge and attitude was detected in all regions. The results of the survey can help the organization of education programs to find ways to put this knowledge into practice. This instrument is useful to monitor the impact of dengue control programs.

Trata-se de um inquérito amostral (502 entrevistas) realizado na região de Campinas SP, em Santa Bárbara D'Oeste (170.000 habitantes), por ser o primeiro município a registrar casos de dengue autóctone na região, desde 1995. Avaliou-se o conhecimento da população sobre o dengue, seu vetor e prevenção em 3 bairros da cidade. Estas informações foram comparadas com a presença de criadouros no ambiente domiciliar, em áreas com e sem transmissão. O bairro com melhores condições sociais e urbanas apresentaram conhecimento mais adequado sobre a doença, embora os bairros periféricos tenham sido priorizados em atividades educativas devido à ocorrência de casos. Observou-se criadouros em todas as áreas examinadas, em quantidades semelhantes. Constatou-se a distância entre conhecimento e mudanças de comportamento. Identificou-se as fontes de informações mais referidas e os criadouros predominantes nos domicílios. Os resultados deste inquérito podem servir como subsídios para (re)orientar ações educativas das equipes de controle de vetores, bem como avaliar um instrumento simplificado para acompanhamento do impacto do programa local de controle do dengue.