Entomovirological Surveillance in Schools: Are They a Source for Arboviral Diseases Transmission?

Juliana Pérez-Pérez, Víctor Hugo Peña-García, Arley Calle-Tobón, Marcela Quimbayo-Forero, Raúl Rojo, Enrique Henao, Talya Shragai and Guillermo Rúa-Uribe
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Juliana Pérez-Pérez: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 51D # 62-29 Laboratorio 321, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Víctor Hugo Peña-García: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 51D # 62-29 Laboratorio 321, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Arley Calle-Tobón: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 51D # 62-29 Laboratorio 321, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Marcela Quimbayo-Forero: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 51D # 62-29 Laboratorio 321, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Raúl Rojo: Centro Administrativo La Alpujarra, Secretaría de Salud de Medellín, Medellín 050015, Colombia
Enrique Henao: Centro Administrativo La Alpujarra, Secretaría de Salud de Medellín, Medellín 050015, Colombia
Talya Shragai: Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Guillermo Rúa-Uribe: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Carrera 51D # 62-29 Laboratorio 321, Medellín 050010, Colombia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Surveillance and control activities for virus-transmitting mosquitoes have primarily focused on dwellings. There is little information about viral circulation in heavily trafficked places such as schools. We collected and analyzed data to assess the presence and prevalence of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses in mosquitoes, and measured Aedes indices in schools in Medellín (Colombia) between 2016–2018. In 43.27% of 2632 visits we collected Aedes adults, creating 883 pools analyzed by RT-PCR. 14.27% of pools yielded positive for dengue or Zika (infection rates of 1.75–296.29 for Aedes aegypti ). Ae. aegypti was more abundant and had a higher infection rate for all studied diseases. Aedes indices varied over time. There was no association between Aedes abundance and mosquito infection rates, but the latter did correlate with cases of arboviral disease and climate. Results suggest schools are important sources of arbovirus and health agencies should include these sites in surveillance programs; it is essential to know the source for arboviral diseases transmission and the identification of the most population groups exposed to these diseases to research and developing new strategies.

Keywords: arbovirus; Aedes; schools; entomological indices; infection rates (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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