Community Involvement in Dengue Outbreak Control: An Integrated Rigorous Intervention Strategy

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Vector-Borne Diseases

Background:

• A significant dengue fever outbreak occurred in Guangdong Province, China, in 2014.
• The capital city, Guangzhou, experienced an epidemic primarily driven by imported dengue cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based integrated intervention strategy implemented in Guangzhou.
• To assess the impact of the intervention on dengue fever incidence and mosquito vector populations.

Main Methods:

• A time series generalized additive model was employed, incorporating meteorological factors.
• The model assessed intervention effectiveness by comparing reported cases to predicted cases.
• Mosquito density and dengue case data were analyzed pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• A notable reduction in mosquito density was observed following the intervention.
• A 70.47% decrease in reported dengue cases was recorded 12 days post-intervention compared to predictions.
• An estimated 23,302 dengue cases were prevented by the intervention.

Conclusions:

• Integrated dengue intervention programs are effective in controlling outbreaks.
• This strategy is particularly impactful in regions where imported cases are the primary cause of dengue epidemics.