Impact of a short-term community-based cleanliness campaign on the sources of dengue vectors: an entomological and...

In June 2002, a considerable number of cases of dengue fever/dengue hemorrhage fever were reported in South Taiwan. To effectively reduce the sources of dengue vectors, the government conducted a weeklong community-based cleanliness campaign. The study reported here was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. The sources of dengue vectors were evaluated according to changes in the ovitrap index. This index significantly decreased from 66.7 percent before the campaign to 39.3 percent three months later. Human knowledge and behavior were investigated by a survey questionnaire. Although the respondents had sufficient knowledge about dengue as well as its transmission and prevention, only 57.4 percent knew that the dengue vector breeds in clean water. After the campaign, this percentage significantly increased, to 88.4 percent, and the percentage of those properly handling artificial containers also significantly increased. On the basis of these findings, the authors conclude that short-term community-based cleanliness educational programs may change behavior to eliminate container habitats of the dengue vectors and in turn reduce the ovitrap index. This control strategy is a feasible alternative to rapidly reduce sources of dengue vector in urban areas, especially at the onset of a new epidemic.