Vector Borne Disease Overview

Question 1

What are effective methods to avoid mosquito bites?

Answer 1

Individual:
* Repellent
* Long loose clothing

Behavioural
* Staying indoors at dawn and dusk

Environmental:
* Mosquito nets/screens
* “Knockdown” Fly sprays
* Mosquito coils
* Removing stagnant water
* Changing pet/bird bath water daily

DEET and picaridin are common active ingredients in repellents.

Question 2

What is the Beat the Bite campaign focused on?

Answer 2

Providing information on protecting homes and holiday safety

It aims to raise awareness about mosquito bite prevention.

Question 3

What are some mosquito surveillance and control activities?

Answer 3

Surveillance:

• Trapping in breeding season (BFV, RRV, JEV, MVEV, WNV/Kunjin)
• Sentinel animal surveillance (e.g. chickens)

Control:

• Targeted timing when increased risk e.g. weather, environment, surveillance
• Chemical - larvicides (breeding sites e.g. stagnant water), adulticides (fogging, residual barrier treatments, indoor spraying) - use after flooding or if high risk to human health (e.g. virus detections in mosquitoes)
• Physical - reduce/eliminate breeding sites e.g. filling in low-lying depressions with soil/sand, drainage systems, removing emergent vegetation

Bite prevention:

• Behavioural change, public awareness

Question 4

What are the components of integrated mosquito management (IMM)?

Answer 4

Multiple interventions required for success:

• Mosquito reduction
• Personal protection
• Community education
• Land use planning

It emphasizes a holistic approach to mosquito control.

Question 5

What is the purpose of mosquito surveillance?

Answer 5

To determine species and abundance, monitor arboviruses like BFV, RRV, JEV, MVEV, WNV/Kunjin

This is conducted during the breeding season via trapping.

Question 6

What are larvicides and when are they used?

Answer 6

Chemical controls applied to mosquito breeding sites in stagnant water

They are used when increased risk of disease is identified.

Question 7

What is the effect of fogging in mosquito control?

Answer 7

Creates a cloud/mist that reduces biting for 2-3 days

It is a method of applying adulticides.

Question 8

True or False: Treating mosquito larvae is generally more effective than treating adult mosquitoes.

Answer 8

True

Larval treatment is more targeted and effective.

Question 9

What are direct interventions in mosquito management?

Answer 9

• Removal of breeding habitat
• Introduction of biological controls e.g. Wolbachia, predatory fish
• Pesticide application

These interventions directly target mosquito populations.

Question 10

What are indirect approaches to mosquito management?

Answer 10

• Planning mechanisms to create buffers around wetlands
• Public education to avoid mosquitoes
• Minimise potential for breeding (collaborate with authorities) - stormwater and wastewater management, planting and harvesting of aquatic vegetation, road design, prevention of animal and vehicle access, land use impacts (e.g. mining, irrigation, farming)

These approaches aim to reduce human-mosquito conflict.

Question 11

What does agency management in mosquito control involve?

Answer 11

• Laws and regulations
• Reducing mosquito abundance
• Community response

Question 12

What are arboviruses?

Answer 12

Arthropod borne viruses transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods such as mosquitoes or ticks.

Question 13

Name two types of viruses classified as arboviruses.

Answer 13

• Alphaviruses - BFV, RRV, CHKV
• Flavivirus - JEV, WNV, Dengue, Zika, MVEV, Yellow Fever

Question 14

Which viruses are alphaviruses?

Answer 14

BFV, RRV, CHKV

Question 15

Which viruses are flaviviruses?

Answer 15

JEV, WNV, Dengue, Zika, MVEV, Yellow Fever

Question 16

What are the two types of antibodies that are broadly cross-reactive among flaviviruses?

Answer 16

• IgG
• IgM

Question 17

Broadly, what factors influence vector-borne disease transmission?

Answer 17

• Vector-related
• Vertebrate host related
• Environment
• Human

Question 18

What vector-related factors influence vector-borne disease transmission?

Answer 18

• density
• longevity
• feeding patterns
• distribution
• control mechanisms by humans

Question 19

What vertebrate host-related factors influence vector-borne disease transmission?

Answer 19

• range of host species
• prior exposure
• viral titre and duration of viraemia
• movement and migration
• mosquito avoidance mechanisms

Question 20

What are environment-related factors that influence vector-borne disease transmission?

Answer 20

• climate
• weather
• physical landscape such as presence of waterways
• human interventions e.g. irrigation, swamp drainage

Question 21

Which human-related factors influence vector-borne disease transmission?

Answer 21

• prior exposure
• population distribution
• lifestyle factors
• use of prevention measures against mosquito bites

Question 22

How does climate change impact vector-borne disease transmission?

Answer 22

Climate change impacts transmission through flooding, rainfall, temperature, and humidity.

Question 23

What social and demographic factors are linked with the emergence or re-emergence of vector-borne diseases?

Answer 23

• human population growth
• land use change
• urbanisation
• globalisation
• trade exchange
• travel
• close interactions with livestock

Question 24

What proportion of emerging infectious diseases are vector-borne diseases?

Answer 24

A large proportion.

Question 25

Who are the stakeholders involved in vector-borne disease management?

Answer 25

* NRE * National Parks and Wildlife * councils/EHOs * Agriculture sector * Water corporations * Entomologists * Businesses * Farmers and landowners * LPHUs * Labs * CSIRO * DH * Chief Vet * GPs * Health services * Relevant specialists * Academia

Question 26

What is the role of the National Arbovirus and Malaria Advisory Committee (NAMAC)?

Answer 26

* Recommendations on arbovirus/malaria **surveillance, disease management, and vector control** * **Technical advice** on arboviruses/malaria * Assists in **detection, management and control of real/potential outbreaks** of arboviral and malarial disease ## Footnote CDNA sub-committee