Biological control of A. aegypti using fish of the genus Poecilia in domestic water containers

Authors

  • Carlos Humberto González Espinal Estudiante del 8° año de medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNAH
  • Allan Fernando Delcid Morazán Estudiante del 8° año de medicina, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, UNAH
  • Amy Carolina Tovar Martínez Coordinadora del Centro Nacional de Enlace, Dirección de Vigilancia de Salud, Secretaria de Salud de Honduras
  • Julio Mérida Profesor del Museo de Historia Natural, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, UNAH

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5377/pc.v12i0.5515

Keywords:

Arbovirosis, Poecilia, infestation index

Abstract

Arboviruses are diseases transmitted by the same vector, the mosquito Aedes aegypti and less frequently Aedes albopictus. Dengue has caused two major major epidemics in our country, 2010 and 2013. Recently it has been added Chickungunya and Zika which are not related to mortality, however, have the potential to produce congenital malformations and trigger a severe peripheral polyneuropathy called Guillain syndrome -Barré. The vector is typical of tropical countries which makes these diseases endemic to our region. The purpose of this study was to decrease the rate of E. aegypti vector infestation in domestic water containers by using Poecilia fish as biological control. Prior informed consent and request to the municipal mayor of Cantarranas and the Municipal Health Center; The measurement was applied by selecting the most representative colony and monitoring the response of the fish with the vector surveillance format used by the Ministry of Health of Honduras. The main domestic water containers found were stacks and barrels. 64% of the inhabitants of the study have at least one cell and 18.86% at least one barrel. The overall infestation rate was 104% at baseline and fell to 46%, maintaining it from 3 months onwards, despite the fact that only 49% of fish containers were available after 6 months. The fish were an adequate measure for the control of the vector, however, it was not total due to the lack of interest of some participants in the care of the fish or the non-adaptation of the same ones.

Revista Portal de la Ciencia, No. 12, junio 2017; 23-35

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Published

2017-12-22

How to Cite

González Espinal, C. H., Delcid Morazán, A. F., Tovar Martínez, A. C., & Mérida, J. (2017). Biological control of A. aegypti using fish of the genus Poecilia in domestic water containers. Portal De La Ciencia, 12, 23–35. https://doi.org/10.5377/pc.v12i0.5515

Issue

Section

Area Life Sciences and Health